social science research review of literature

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

5. The Literature Review
Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Independent and Dependent Variables
Glossary of Research Terms
Reading Research Effectively
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Applying Critical Thinking
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Research Process Video Series
Executive Summary
The C.A.R.S. Model
Background Information
The Research Problem/Question
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tiertiary Sources
Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Insiderness
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Writing Concisely
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Generative AI and Writing
USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
Bibliography

A literature review surveys prior research published in books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you have used in researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within existing scholarship about the topic.

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . Fourth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2014.

Importance of a Good Literature Review

A literature review may consist of simply a summary of key sources, but in the social sciences, a literature review usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual categories . A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that informs how you are planning to investigate a research problem. The analytical features of a literature review might:

Give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations,
Trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates,
Depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant research, or
Usually in the conclusion of a literature review, identify where gaps exist in how a problem has been researched to date.

Given this, the purpose of a literature review is to:

Place each work in the context of its contribution to understanding the research problem being studied.
Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration.
Identify new ways to interpret prior research.
Reveal any gaps that exist in the literature.
Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.
Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort.
Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research.
Locate your own research within the context of existing literature [very important].

Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2011; Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review." PS: Political Science and Politics 39 (January 2006): 127-132; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012.

Types of Literature Reviews

It is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often extending beyond the primary studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally among scholars that become part of the body of epistemological traditions within the field.

In composing a literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as "true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondary literature reviews. Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent sources you have explored, there are a number of approaches you could adopt depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study.

Argumentative Review This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply embedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control], argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews [see below].

Integrative Review Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses or research problems. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication. This is the most common form of review in the social sciences.

Historical Review Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical literature reviews focus on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review A review does not always focus on what someone said [findings], but how they came about saying what they say [method of analysis]. Reviewing methods of analysis provides a framework of understanding at different levels [i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches, and data collection and analysis techniques], how researchers draw upon a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection, and data analysis. This approach helps highlight ethical issues which you should be aware of and consider as you go through your own study.

Systematic Review This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyze data from the studies that are included in the review. The goal is to deliberately document, critically evaluate, and summarize scientifically all of the research about a clearly defined research problem . Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?" This type of literature review is primarily applied to examining prior research studies in clinical medicine and allied health fields, but it is increasingly being used in the social sciences.

Theoretical Review The purpose of this form is to examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review helps to establish what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a whole theory or framework.

NOTE : Most often the literature review will incorporate some combination of types. For example, a review that examines literature supporting or refuting an argument, assumption, or philosophical problem related to the research problem will also need to include writing supported by sources that establish the history of these arguments in the literature.

Baumeister, Roy F. and Mark R. Leary. "Writing Narrative Literature Reviews." Review of General Psychology 1 (September 1997): 311-320; Mark R. Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature." Educational Researcher 36 (April 2007): 139-147; Petticrew, Mark and Helen Roberts. Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide . Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2006; Torracro, Richard. "Writing Integrative Literature Reviews: Guidelines and Examples." Human Resource Development Review 4 (September 2005): 356-367; Rocco, Tonette S. and Maria S. Plakhotnik. "Literature Reviews, Conceptual Frameworks, and Theoretical Frameworks: Terms, Functions, and Distinctions." Human Ressource Development Review 8 (March 2008): 120-130; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Thinking About Your Literature Review

The structure of a literature review should include the following in support of understanding the research problem :

An overview of the subject, issue, or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review,
Division of works under review into themes or categories [e.g. works that support a particular position, those against, and those offering alternative approaches entirely],
An explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others,
Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding and development of their area of research.

The critical evaluation of each work should consider :

Provenance -- what are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by evidence [e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, recent scientific findings]?
Methodology -- were the techniques used to identify, gather, and analyze the data appropriate to addressing the research problem? Was the sample size appropriate? Were the results effectively interpreted and reported?
Objectivity -- is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
Persuasiveness -- which of the author's theses are most convincing or least convincing?
Validity -- are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work ultimately contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

II. Development of the Literature Review

Four Basic Stages of Writing 1. Problem formulation -- which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues? 2. Literature search -- finding materials relevant to the subject being explored. 3. Data evaluation -- determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic. 4. Analysis and interpretation -- discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature.

Consider the following issues before writing the literature review: Clarify If your assignment is not specific about what form your literature review should take, seek clarification from your professor by asking these questions: 1. Roughly how many sources would be appropriate to include? 2. What types of sources should I review (books, journal articles, websites; scholarly versus popular sources)? 3. Should I summarize, synthesize, or critique sources by discussing a common theme or issue? 4. Should I evaluate the sources in any way beyond evaluating how they relate to understanding the research problem? 5. Should I provide subheadings and other background information, such as definitions and/or a history? Find Models Use the exercise of reviewing the literature to examine how authors in your discipline or area of interest have composed their literature review sections. Read them to get a sense of the types of themes you might want to look for in your own research or to identify ways to organize your final review. The bibliography or reference section of sources you've already read, such as required readings in the course syllabus, are also excellent entry points into your own research. Narrow the Topic The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read in order to obtain a good survey of relevant resources. Your professor will probably not expect you to read everything that's available about the topic, but you'll make the act of reviewing easier if you first limit scope of the research problem. A good strategy is to begin by searching the USC Libraries Catalog for recent books about the topic and review the table of contents for chapters that focuses on specific issues. You can also review the indexes of books to find references to specific issues that can serve as the focus of your research. For example, a book surveying the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may include a chapter on the role Egypt has played in mediating the conflict, or look in the index for the pages where Egypt is mentioned in the text. Consider Whether Your Sources are Current Some disciplines require that you use information that is as current as possible. This is particularly true in disciplines in medicine and the sciences where research conducted becomes obsolete very quickly as new discoveries are made. However, when writing a review in the social sciences, a survey of the history of the literature may be required. In other words, a complete understanding the research problem requires you to deliberately examine how knowledge and perspectives have changed over time. Sort through other current bibliographies or literature reviews in the field to get a sense of what your discipline expects. You can also use this method to explore what is considered by scholars to be a "hot topic" and what is not.

III. Ways to Organize Your Literature Review

Chronology of Events If your review follows the chronological method, you could write about the materials according to when they were published. This approach should only be followed if a clear path of research building on previous research can be identified and that these trends follow a clear chronological order of development. For example, a literature review that focuses on continuing research about the emergence of German economic power after the fall of the Soviet Union. By Publication Order your sources by publication chronology, then, only if the order demonstrates a more important trend. For instance, you could order a review of literature on environmental studies of brown fields if the progression revealed, for example, a change in the soil collection practices of the researchers who wrote and/or conducted the studies. Thematic [“conceptual categories”] A thematic literature review is the most common approach to summarizing prior research in the social and behavioral sciences. Thematic reviews are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time, although the progression of time may still be incorporated into a thematic review. For example, a review of the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics could focus on the development of online political satire. While the study focuses on one topic, the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics, it would still be organized chronologically reflecting technological developments in media. The difference in this example between a "chronological" and a "thematic" approach is what is emphasized the most: themes related to the role of the Internet in presidential politics. Note that more authentic thematic reviews tend to break away from chronological order. A review organized in this manner would shift between time periods within each section according to the point being made. Methodological A methodological approach focuses on the methods utilized by the researcher. For the Internet in American presidential politics project, one methodological approach would be to look at cultural differences between the portrayal of American presidents on American, British, and French websites. Or the review might focus on the fundraising impact of the Internet on a particular political party. A methodological scope will influence either the types of documents in the review or the way in which these documents are discussed.

Other Sections of Your Literature Review Once you've decided on the organizational method for your literature review, the sections you need to include in the paper should be easy to figure out because they arise from your organizational strategy. In other words, a chronological review would have subsections for each vital time period; a thematic review would have subtopics based upon factors that relate to the theme or issue. However, sometimes you may need to add additional sections that are necessary for your study, but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you include in the body is up to you. However, only include what is necessary for the reader to locate your study within the larger scholarship about the research problem.

Here are examples of other sections, usually in the form of a single paragraph, you may need to include depending on the type of review you write:

Current Situation : Information necessary to understand the current topic or focus of the literature review.
Sources Used : Describes the methods and resources [e.g., databases] you used to identify the literature you reviewed.
History : The chronological progression of the field, the research literature, or an idea that is necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not already a chronology.
Selection Methods : Criteria you used to select (and perhaps exclude) sources in your literature review. For instance, you might explain that your review includes only peer-reviewed [i.e., scholarly] sources.
Standards : Description of the way in which you present your information.
Questions for Further Research : What questions about the field has the review sparked? How will you further your research as a result of the review?

IV. Writing Your Literature Review

Once you've settled on how to organize your literature review, you're ready to write each section. When writing your review, keep in mind these issues.

Use Evidence A literature review section is, in this sense, just like any other academic research paper. Your interpretation of the available sources must be backed up with evidence [citations] that demonstrates that what you are saying is valid. Be Selective Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The type of information you choose to mention should relate directly to the research problem, whether it is thematic, methodological, or chronological. Related items that provide additional information, but that are not key to understanding the research problem, can be included in a list of further readings . Use Quotes Sparingly Some short quotes are appropriate if you want to emphasize a point, or if what an author stated cannot be easily paraphrased. Sometimes you may need to quote certain terminology that was coined by the author, is not common knowledge, or taken directly from the study. Do not use extensive quotes as a substitute for using your own words in reviewing the literature. Summarize and Synthesize Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within each thematic paragraph as well as throughout the review. Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then synthesize it by rephrasing the study's significance and relating it to your own work and the work of others. Keep Your Own Voice While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice [the writer's] should remain front and center. For example, weave references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your own ideas and wording. Use Caution When Paraphrasing When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to represent the author's information or opinions accurately and in your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you still must provide a citation to that work.

V. Common Mistakes to Avoid

These are the most common mistakes made in reviewing social science research literature.

Sources in your literature review do not clearly relate to the research problem;
You do not take sufficient time to define and identify the most relevant sources to use in the literature review related to the research problem;
Relies exclusively on secondary analytical sources rather than including relevant primary research studies or data;
Uncritically accepts another researcher's findings and interpretations as valid, rather than examining critically all aspects of the research design and analysis;
Does not describe the search procedures that were used in identifying the literature to review;
Reports isolated statistical results rather than synthesizing them in chi-squared or meta-analytic methods; and,
Only includes research that validates assumptions and does not consider contrary findings and alternative interpretations found in the literature.

Cook, Kathleen E. and Elise Murowchick. “Do Literature Review Skills Transfer from One Course to Another?” Psychology Learning and Teaching 13 (March 2014): 3-11; Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper . 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2005; Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998; Jesson, Jill. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques . London: SAGE, 2011; Literature Review Handout. Online Writing Center. Liberty University; Literature Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2016; Ridley, Diana. The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students . 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2012; Randolph, Justus J. “A Guide to Writing the Dissertation Literature Review." Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. vol. 14, June 2009; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016; Taylor, Dena. The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Writing a Literature Review. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra.

Writing Tip

Break Out of Your Disciplinary Box!

Thinking interdisciplinarily about a research problem can be a rewarding exercise in applying new ideas, theories, or concepts to an old problem. For example, what might cultural anthropologists say about the continuing conflict in the Middle East? In what ways might geographers view the need for better distribution of social service agencies in large cities than how social workers might study the issue? You don’t want to substitute a thorough review of core research literature in your discipline for studies conducted in other fields of study. However, particularly in the social sciences, thinking about research problems from multiple vectors is a key strategy for finding new solutions to a problem or gaining a new perspective. Consult with a librarian about identifying research databases in other disciplines; almost every field of study has at least one comprehensive database devoted to indexing its research literature.

Frodeman, Robert. The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity . New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Just Review for Content!

While conducting a review of the literature, maximize the time you devote to writing this part of your paper by thinking broadly about what you should be looking for and evaluating. Review not just what scholars are saying, but how are they saying it. Some questions to ask:

How are they organizing their ideas?
What methods have they used to study the problem?
What theories have been used to explain, predict, or understand their research problem?
What sources have they cited to support their conclusions?
How have they used non-textual elements [e.g., charts, graphs, figures, etc.] to illustrate key points?

When you begin to write your literature review section, you'll be glad you dug deeper into how the research was designed and constructed because it establishes a means for developing more substantial analysis and interpretation of the research problem.

Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1 998.

Yet Another Writing Tip

When Do I Know I Can Stop Looking and Move On?

Here are several strategies you can utilize to assess whether you've thoroughly reviewed the literature:

Look for repeating patterns in the research findings . If the same thing is being said, just by different people, then this likely demonstrates that the research problem has hit a conceptual dead end. At this point consider: Does your study extend current research? Does it forge a new path? Or, does is merely add more of the same thing being said?
Look at sources the authors cite to in their work . If you begin to see the same researchers cited again and again, then this is often an indication that no new ideas have been generated to address the research problem.
Search Google Scholar to identify who has subsequently cited leading scholars already identified in your literature review [see next sub-tab]. This is called citation tracking and there are a number of sources that can help you identify who has cited whom, particularly scholars from outside of your discipline. Here again, if the same authors are being cited again and again, this may indicate no new literature has been written on the topic.

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. and Rebecca Frels. Seven Steps to a Comprehensive Literature Review: A Multimodal and Cultural Approach . Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2016; Sutton, Anthea. Systematic Approaches to a Successful Literature Review . Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2016.

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Social Research Methods

Literature Reviews
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Reference Works for Sociology
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Locating Full Text
Citing Sources in Sociology

What is a Literature Review?

Literature reviews in the social sciences take a slightly different approach than in the humanities (literature, philosophy, history, etc.) or the sciences (biology, physics, etc.). This guide focuses ONLY on the social sciences (anthropology, criminology, political science, sociology, etc.).

'literature' - commonly people use this word for creative written works like novels; but in academics the word 'literature' is also used to mean any collection or body of written work, including research articles and books.

'review' - commonly people use the word review for evaluations, like a movie review; but in academics the word is used broadly to mean a paper or section of a paper that summarizes and synthesizes literature to give an overview of theory and research on a topic.

Putting it together:

In the social sciences, a literature review is a paper or section of a paper that summarizes and synthesizes. To summarize is to describe the main arguments and conclusions. To synthesize is to compare, contrast, highlight relevant points, relate to ongoing trends or problems, and generally to draw out an argument or position based on the literature being reviewed.

A literature review is not a book review! Book reviews are articles that review a single book title. A literature sums up and analyzes a set of books or articles on a theme.

Literature reviews can be a section of a longer paper or book, or they can stand alone. Social scientists generally include a short review of relevant literature in their research papers to demonstrate how their own research fits into ongoing debates. Longer stand-alone review papers are published to give a picture of the current state of research. The Annual Reviews publication series are classic examples of stand-alone reviews.

Annual Reviews This link opens in a new window Critical reviews of primary research literature in the sciences and social sciences. EMU access does not include the most recent 5 years.
example of lit review articles

Guides on writing literature reviews:

Literature Reviews - UNC Writing Center
The Literature Review - USC Libraries
Literature Reviews: An Overview - NCSU libraries

Finding related articles

Whether for a literature review or a research paper, the analysis is much easier if it is based on a cluster of related articles and not a random assortment. Finding articles that are related rarely happens just by doing a single search, but it is not hard. Here are some approaches:

Start with a textbook, reference book, dissertation or review article and collect the citations of the authors who are mentioned or cited as part of the debate. Make sure to collect works from all points of view.
Use citation tracking to see how scholars mention each others' work, whether as examples, evidence or in order to debate. See below for more on citation tracking.
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Chapter 5: The Literature Review

5.1 The Literature Review

A literature review is a survey of everything that has been written about a particular topic, theory, or research question. The word “literature” means “sources of information”. The literature will inform you about the research that has already been conducted on your chosen subject. This is important because we do not want to repeat research that has already been done unless there is a good reason for doing so (i.e., examining a new development in this area or testing a theory with a new population, or even just seeing if the research can be reproduced). A literature review usually serves as a background for a larger work (e.g., as part of a research proposal), or it may stand on its own. Much more than a simple list of sources, an effective literature review analyzes and synthesizes information about key themes or issues.

Purpose of a literature review

The literature review involves an extensive study of research publications, books and other documents related to the defined problem. The study is important because it advises you, as a researcher, whether or not the problem you identified has already been solved by other researchers. It also confirms the status of the problem, techniques that have been used by other researchers to investigate the problem, and other related details.

A literature review goes beyond the search for information; it includes the identification and articulation of relationships between existing literature and your field of research. The literature review enables the researcher to discover what material exists about a topic and to understand the relationship between the various contributions. This will enable the researcher to determine the contributions of each source (books, articles, etc.) to the topic. A literature review also enables the researcher to identify and (if possible) resolve contradictions, and determine research gaps and/or unanswered questions.

Even though the nature of the literature review may vary with different types of studies, the basic purposes remain constant and could be summarized as follows:

Provide a context for your research.
Justify the research you are proposing.
Ensure that your proposed research has not been carried out by another person (and if you find it has, then your literature review should specify why replication is necessary).
Show where your proposed research fits into the existing body of knowledge.
Enable the researcher to learn from previous theories on the subject.
Illustrate how the subject has been studied previously.
Highlight flaws in previous research.
Outline gaps in previous research.
Show how your proposed research can add to the understanding and knowledge of the field.
Help refine, refocus, or even move the topic in a new direction.

Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction Copyright © 2020 by Valerie Sheppard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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University Libraries
Research Guides
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Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences

What is a systematic review in the social sciences?

Guides to conducting systematic reviews

Registering a systematic review, useful books.

Searching Article Databases
Covidence, Zotero, etc.

Social Sciences Librarian

Types of reviews

The form of a review generally depends on its purpose and area of interest and might focus on effectiveness of interventions, key conceptual debates, or something else. Reviews generally fall along a continuum from aggragative to interpretive.

Traditional/narrative review - flexible methods and means of analysis, aims to identify gaps in knowledge
Systematic review - very structured, aims to be comprehensive and rigorous, promotes knowledge; focus on outcomes/evidence
Rapid review - may use some of a systematic review's procedures, but more streamlined and quicker
Scoping review - quickly draws main parameters of a topic & maps key publications, doesn't usually aim to appraise quality of publications ( See Covidence's guide to conducting scoping reviews )
Systematic maps- more extensive than scoping reviews, maps out./categorizes literature on a specific topic
Meta-analysis - analyzes review findings using standard statistical analysis
Meta-synthesis - non-statistical; evaluates and analyzes findings from qualitative studies and aims to build on previous conceptualizations and interpretations

For more information see Shaw & Holland (2014). Reviewing research. In Doing Qualitative Research in Social Work . Sage.

Temple University Health Sciences Library also offers a good overview of review types related to a HEALTH SCIENCES PERSPECTIVE -- remember, this is not aimed at social scientists, but could still be a useful guide.

Below is a summary of a good overview published by Viktor, L. (2008). Systematic Reviewing.Social Research Update, 54. University of Surrey . For more information, also see the "Useful Books" box at the bottom of this page.

What is a systematic review?

"Systematic reviews are a method of identifying and synthesising all the available research evidence of sufficient quality concerning a specific subject. The aim is to review and synthesise evidence in a transparent and rigorous way to enhance the validity and reliability of the findings."

Systematic reviews came to prominence in clinical medicine focused on interventions and outcomes and prioritized studies that were randomized controlled trials. They are usually conducted in a staged process and are focused on answering a particular question or set of questions.

How is it different from a traditional literature review?

In a systematic review, the focus on the comprehensiveness of the search, the quality of the evidence, and the fact that it is conducted very systematically using transparent and rigorous processes contributes to the reliability and validity of its findings as compared to a traditional literature review. Systematic reviews, focused on answering a specific question, are "less a discussion of the literature, and more a scientific tool...to summarize, appraise, and communicate the results and implications of otherwise unmanageable quantities of research." (Petticrew & Roberts, 2006, p. 10).

In the social sciences, systematic reviews generally come out of the social policy area. Traditionally, they followed the methodology and approach taken in clinical medicine, using a highly prescribed staged methodology, statistical meta-analysis, etc. This approach has been adapted and extended in the social sciences allowing for more flexibility, less focus on comprehensiveness, the inclusion of a wider range of research and other methods of analysis (e.g. narrative), and using the method as a means to build theory.

These organizations are focused on systematic reviews and provide resources to support conducting them.

PRISMA PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) provides guidance on the reporting and conducting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Authors conducting systematic reviews can use PRISMA requirements for best practices, registration of reviews, protocols, checklists, and work flowcharts. See the PRISMA STATEMENT, EXTENSIONS and PROTOCOLS tabs for guidance.
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Cochrane Systematic Reviews are conducted to draw conclusions about the quality of healthcare interventions and Cochrane has created a manual that describes the process of preparing and maintaining their systematic reviews on the effects of healthcare interventions.
Campbell Collaboration A sister organization to Cochrane (see description above) focused on sytematic reviews of social interventions. See their TRAINING INFORMATION for excellent videos.
EPPI-Centre Organization focused on systematic reviews and research synthesis in many areas of social policy. See their TOOLS page for helpful resources.
What Works Clearinghouse Established by the US Dept of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to review the quality of education research and compile systematic reviews to guide practice. See their Handbooks and Other Resources tab for useful guidance.

The above resources include detailed guidelines and procedures for conducting systematic reviews. Some first steps to consider include:

1) Reviews should start with a meaningful and useful question, do you have a defined question? Is a systematic review the best way to approach this question?

2) Have you searched for other systematic reviews that have already been done on this question/topic?

3) Develop your detailed protocol.

4) Develop an effective search strategy.

Often a systematic review is registered before it is undertaken. This article details why and where one might do this (e.g. in addtion to registries at Cochrane and Campbell, which are restricted to systematic reviews conducted within their organizations, other registries are more open, such as PROSPERO, Research Registry, INPLASY, OSF Registries, and protocols.io ). See this article for more info:

Pieper, D. & Rombey, T. (2022). Where to prospectively register a systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 11(8). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01877-1

Software to Manage Systematic Reviews: Covidence

UNM has a subscription to COVIDENCE software. Visit the Library's research guide on using Covidence software for conducting systematic reviews -- learn why and how to use it.

Covidence: Systematic Review Tool guide by Todd Quinn Last Updated Jan 23, 2024 1149 views this year

Examples of social sciences systematic reviews

One good source for examples of systematic reviews in the social sciences is the Campbell Collaboration's journal, Campbell Systematic Review s .
Try searching in a disciplinary database using a search limiter for "systematic reviews." For example, in PsycInfo the METHODOLOGY field has a defined limiter for systematic reviews. If there is no defined limiter, add the phrase "systematic reviews" to your search.

Learn about Research Methods

Learn about research methods including systematic reviews....

UNM Library Research Guide on Qualitative Research Methods & Tools Visit our guide to learn more about qualitative research methods and tools at UNM and beyond.
Next: Searching Article Databases >>
Last Updated: Nov 8, 2023 7:26 PM
URL: https://libguides.unm.edu/socscisr

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Preparing Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences: Overview

This guide is an unrevised HTML document, in need of updating.

This informal guide identifies useful resources for preparing literature reviews in the social science disciplines. That is, it's primarily interested in examining the secondary literature in the social sciences. It also provides suggestions for using specific resources to grow citation lists.

General Reference Sources - Van Pelt special bibliography
Van Pelt special bibliographies on specific disciplines: Communication | Education | International Relations | Linguistics | Political Science | Psychology | Sociology
Van Pelt special bibliographies on techniques and formats: Public Opinion Polls | Quantitative Skills | Researching Cities | Tests and Measurements
Handbooks for the literature review process
Reading other people's dissertations Penn dissertations | The world of dissertations
Browsing likely journals Journal Citation Reports | Journal directories, author guides, and vade-mecums | Finding the right database
Clever citation index tricks
Reading other people's literature reviews Textbooks | Literature reviews in periodicals
Tough-to-find literature Grey literature | Research centers, learned societies, organizations | Dataset bibliographies
Specialized library collections
Readings on literature reviews
Reaching out for help

1. HANDBOOKS FOR THE LITERATURE REVIEW PROCESS

These books and others like them describe the basic steps of the research and writing process for creating literature reviews. Many vade-mecums and "student guides" also contain chapters on the literature review process, too. Although these books usually provide excellent guidance on notetaking and writing, their guidance on researching is often dated and may reflect only those resources favored by the author.

2. READING OTHER PEOPLE'S DISSERTATIONS

Penn dissertations.

Dissertations produced at the University of Pennsylvania are cataloged in Franklin . The Penn Library's current practice is to assign two subject headings whose elements rotate:

Call numbering makes it easy to browse recent dissertations in your program! A circulating copy of each dissertation is kept in the appropriate library's open stacks, with call numbers constructed from the awarding program's Library of Congress class and a class number that puts dissertations at the very beginning of the class numbering sequence:

Within that call number, individual dissertations are arranged by year of award and then alphabetically by author's last name.

Of course, older dissertations will have been treated in different ways. For instance, pre-World War II dissertations often exist only as published offprints, sometimes escaping the usual subject heading and classification.

ProQuest Digital Dissertations Also known as Dissertation Abstracts or UMI , [Online via Penn Library Web ] provides fulltext for Penn dissertations received since 1997 (and many older ones, too), in Adobe Acrobat PDF-format -- usually as page images, rather than searchable fulltext. Abstracts of Penn dissertations received from 1980 to the present are searchable.

Dissertation Abstracts assigns three subject headings to each dissertation record. The first subject heading appears to designate the awarding program, but not always!
Use Dissertation Abstracts for subject searching among Penn dissertations. Franklin 's subject access points are restricted to dissertation titles and the awarding program.

THE WORLD OF DISSERTATIONS

Electronic These Online Service - British Library . Br /> Provides free fulltext for recent and past British doctoral dissertations.
Index to theses with abstracts accepted for higher degrees by the universities of Great Britain and Ireland and the Council for National Academic Awards . Aslib, 1950-present. [Online, 1970-present, via Penn Library Web (as Index to British university theses ] [Print, 1950-2010: Van Pelt: Z5055 .G69 A8. Latest 5 years in Van Pelt Reference.] [Also online, 1716-present via ProQuest Digital Dissertations .
Dissertations (CRL Topic Guide) CRL Catalog Click on the "Dissertations" tab to search. Request dissertations you find in the CRL catalog's Dissertation scope through Penn Library Interlibrary Loan . Be sure to include the CRL dissertation call number. CRL holdings will appear in BorrowDirect in early 2011.

3. BROWSING LIKELY JOURNALS

Whether you've got a favorite journal and want to know which journals are similar, or don't even know where to start browsing, here are tools to begin wading.

JOURNAL CITATION REPORTS

"Subject category" searching allows you to identify the major journals in specific research areas (at least according to ISI's criteria).
"Cited journal" and "Citing journal" features allow you to identify journals whose articles frequently cite your journal or those which are frequently cited by articles in your journal.

JOURNAL DIRECTORIES, AUTHOR GUIDES, AND VADE-MECUMS

Handbook of research synthesis and meta-analysis / Harris Cooper, Larry V Hedges, & Jeffrey C Valentine, eds. 2nd ed. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2009. [Online, via Project MUSE ]
Handbook of research design & social measurement / Delbert C Miller and Neil J Salkind. 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2002. [Online, via SAGE Research Methods ]

FINDING THE RIGHT DATABASE

You know the journal title, you need to know where it's indexed ... or available in fulltext. These will do the trick.

4. CLEVER CITATION INDEX TRICKS

"You are what you read, er, cite." By providing implied subject access through article bibliographies, and updating weekly, ISI Web of Science combines the three ISI citation indexes -- SCI , SSCI , and AHCI -- with ISI's Current contents tearsheets.

Always use the "Full search" interface.
"Related records" feature finds articles that share items in your article's bibliography. Literature review articles can retrieve very powerful "related records" results.
"Combine searches" and "Advanced searches" features allow you to search for articles using several items in their bibliographies, very handy for cutting-edge or interdisciplinary topics that are difficult to describe yet are dominated by one or two authors or definitive publications.
Don't forget that data sets and procedures may also be cited in bibliographies!

5. READING OTHER PEOPLE'S LITERATURE REVIEWS

Published literature reviews can help you by identifying important works and also by framing the parameters of current and past scholarship.

What a clever idea! A textbook's chief purpose is to summarize its topic. Too bad the Penn Library tries to avoid purchasing textbooks. Also, Library of Congress subject heading practice does not assign a textbook format subdivision for this sort of book.

Visit the Penn Bookstore's course materials section. Then search Franklin for interesting titles.
Visit Penn graduate and professional program homepages and Penn's Blackboard and other courseware sites for course reading lists. Then search Franklin for interesting titles.
Browse the Penn Library stacks in your subject area's call number ranges. Textbooks and other "general" materials are usually at the beginning of the call number sequence -- after Penn dissertations and relevant periodicals.

Every discipline has one or two stand-out publishers, whose chapter-compilation books on timely topics are carefully compiled with a comprehensive introductory essay and strong bibliographies. Two examples are:

LITERATURE REVIEWS IN PERIODICALS

No two indexing or abstracting databases treat literature reviews consistently. Most databases treats articles that are literature reviews similarly to research articles that include brief literature reviews.

If you've got a literature review published as a periodical article, try to find it in the database. From its complete or full record, try to pick out the subject headings, descriptors, or other buzzwords that distinguish its survey nature. Search again using those terms.
When stumped, try something stupid: search on " literature and (review or reviews) "

Few journals specialize in publishing literature reviews. But there are a few. Guides to the literature and vade-mecums will suggest some. These are a few major ones.

Some indexes include regular or occasional literature reviews in individual issues. Online versions of these indexes other than JSTOR's do not provide fulltext and may, in fact, omit records describing their own original literature reviews!

6. TOUGH-TO-FIND LITERATURE

Grey literature.

"Grey literature", in its broadest sense, is the ephemeral literature of research and policy: conference papers, working papers, etc. These are difficult materials to identify and obtain, yet they're often where the cutting-edge appears.

PolicyFile . Chadwyck-Healey.
EconPapers .

RESEARCH CENTERS, LEARNED SOCIETIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS

So many organizations put their research products on the web that it pays to locate the right organization first.

ACLS Directory of Constituent Societies (ACLS web)
Encyclopedia of Associations (including International , National , Regional, state and local ).
Research centers directory (including International ... and Government ... ).

DATASET BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Many social science datasets are distributed with the proviso that writings using the data are forwarded to the data producer. Bibliographies associated with these datasets can be very useful.

7. SPECIALIZED LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

Ever notice how every Franklin search turns up books about South Asia? Even the biggest research university libraries specialize in specific world regions or subject areas.

North American title count (every three years, latest is 2001) identifies relative collection strengths for some major U.S. and Canadian university research libraries. See me about using it.
Read the [More] pages for specific Penn Library Web databases or the front matter for printed indexes, abstracts, and bibliographies. Some bibliographic tools -- Anthropological Literature probably is the most prominent -- are based on one library's collections.
Read the prefaces and acknowledgements of relevant books. In addition to thanking their own library's interlibrary loan librarians, most scholars give thanks to the major specialist libraries for their subject.
American library directory and related special collections directories may also be useful, but I find myself turning pages with little results and even less lust.

8. READINGS ON LITERATURE REVIEWS

9. reaching out for help.

If you're stuck, or can't even find a thread to begin unravelling, ask for help!

Librarian & Coordinator of Social Sciences Collections

Last Updated: Apr 10, 2023 9:32 AM
URL: https://guides.library.upenn.edu/socscilitrev

Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences: Home

Getting Started
Background Info
Search Strategy
Finding Sources
Reading Sources
Evaluating Sources
APA 7th edition
Zotero for Citations

What is a literature review?

Did you know that a literature review is a research method.

The term literature review can either refer to a type of research paper that relies on existing scholarly literature to help develop new ideas, or it can refer to a portion of a paper, in which a review of the existing literature serves to inform an original study that the paper documents. In the first case, the literature review serves as its own type of research method. In the second case, the primary research method will depend on the type of study being conducted and the data collected from that study.

Think of scholarly papers like a conversation. A paper takes a look at what people are saying on a particular topic and then adds something new to the conversation based on their own research. A literature review is how scholars get caught up on the conversation so they will know what to ask or say next.

A literature review can be a simple summary of the sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern that combines both summary and synthesis.

A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization of that information that results in new ideas.

Sage Research Methods method map entry for Literature Review, including broader terms, related terms, and narrower terms

Click the image above to explore the Literature Review entry in the Methods Map from Sage Research Methods.

Writing Help

For writing help, contact the writing center ..

Why is a Literature Review Important?

A literature review is important because it:

Explains the background of research on a topic.
Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
Helps focus your own research questions or problems
Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
Suggests unexplored ideas or populations
Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
Tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.
Identifies critical gaps, points of disagreement, or potentially flawed methodology or theoretical approaches.
Indicates potential directions for future research.

Attribution Note

Most of this guide's content was copied from A Crash Course in Lit Reviews by University of Texas Arlington , a guide created by Janet Burka and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License . Some content and formatting has been adapted for use at Ursuline College.

Next: Getting Started >>
Last Updated: May 7, 2024 4:41 PM
URL: https://libraryguides.ursuline.edu/lit_review

Writing in the Health and Social Sciences: What are Literature Reviews?

Journal Publishing
Style and Writing Guides
Readings about Writing
Citing in APA Style This link opens in a new window
Resources for Dissertation Authors
Citation Management and Formatting Tools
What are Literature Reviews?
Conducting & Reporting Systematic Reviews
Finding Systematic Reviews
Tutorials & Tools for Literature Reviews

Types of Evidence Synthesis / Literature Reviews

Literature reviews are are comprehensive summaries and syntheses of the previous research on a given topic. While narrative reviews are common across all academic disciplines, reviews that focus on appraising and synthesizing research evidence are increasingly important in the health and social sciences.

Most evidence synthesis methods use formal and explicit methods to identify, select and combine results from multiple studies, making evidence synthesis a form of meta-research.

The review purpose, methods used and the results produced vary among different kinds of literature reviews; some of the common types of literature review are detailed below.

Common Types of Literature Reviews 1

Narrative (literature) review.

A broad term referring to reviews with a wide scope and non-standardized methodology
Search strategies, comprehensiveness of literature search, time range covered and method of synthesis will vary and do not follow an established protocol

Integrative Review

A type of literature review based on a systematic, structured literature search
Often has a broadly defined purpose or review question
Seeks to generate or refine and theory or hypothesis and/or develop a holistic understanding of a topic of interest
Relies on diverse sources of data (e.g. empirical, theoretical or methodological literature; qualitative or quantitative studies)

Systematic Review

Systematically and transparently collects and categorize existing evidence on a question of scientific, policy or management importance
Follows a research protocol that is established a priori
Some sub-types of systematic reviews include: SRs of intervention effectiveness, diagnosis, prognosis, etiology, qualitative evidence, economic evidence, and more.
Time-intensive and often takes months to a year or more to complete
The most commonly referred to type of evidence synthesis; sometimes confused as a blanket term for other types of reviews

Meta-Analysis

Statistical technique for combining the findings from disparate quantitative studies
Uses statistical methods to objectively evaluate, synthesize, and summarize results
Often conducted as part of a systematic review

Scoping Review

Systematically and transparently collects and categorizes existing evidence on a broad question of scientific, policy or management importance
Seeks to identify research gaps, identify key concepts and characteristics of the literature and/or examine how research is conducted on a topic of interest
Useful when the complexity or heterogeneity of the body of literature does not lend itself to a precise systematic review
Useful if authors do not have a single, precise review question
May critically evaluate existing evidence, but does not attempt to synthesize the results in the way a systematic review would
May take longer than a systematic review

Rapid Review

Applies a systematic review methodology within a time-constrained setting
Employs methodological "shortcuts" (e.g., limiting search terms and the scope of the literature search), at the risk of introducing bias
Useful for addressing issues requiring quick decisions, such as developing policy recommendations

Umbrella Review

Reviews other systematic reviews on a topic
Often defines a broader question than is typical of a traditional systematic review
Most useful when there are competing interventions to consider

1. Adapted from:

Eldermire, E. (2021, November 15). A guide to evidence synthesis: Types of evidence synthesis. Cornell University LibGuides. https://guides.library.cornell.edu/evidence-synthesis/types

Nolfi, D. (2021, October 6). Integrative Review: Systematic vs. Scoping vs. Integrative. Duquesne University LibGuides. https://guides.library.duq.edu/c.php?g=1055475&p=7725920

Delaney, L. (2021, November 24). Systematic reviews: Other review types. UniSA LibGuides. https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/SystematicReviews/OtherReviewTypes

Integrative Reviews

"The integrative review method is an approach that allows for the inclusion of diverse methodologies (i.e. experimental and non-experimental research)." (Whittemore & Knafl, 2005, p. 547).

The integrative review: Updated methodology Whittemore, R., & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: Updated methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52 (5), 546–553. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03621.x More information less... ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to distinguish the integrative review method from other review methods and to propose methodological strategies specific to the integrative review method to enhance the rigour of the process....An integrative review is a specific review method that summarizes past empirical or theoretical literature to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a particular phenomenon or healthcare problem....Well-done integrative reviews present the state of the science, contribute to theory development, and have direct applicability to practice and policy.

Conducting integrative reviews: A guide for novice nursing researchers Dhollande, S., Taylor, A., Meyer, S., & Scott, M. (2021). Conducting integrative reviews: A guide for novice nursing researchers. Journal of Research in Nursing, 26(5), 427–438. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987121997907
Rigour in integrative reviews Whittemore, R. (2007). Rigour in integrative reviews. In C. Webb & B. Roe (Eds.), Reviewing Research Evidence for Nursing Practice (pp. 149–156). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470692127.ch11

Scoping Reviews

Scoping reviews are evidence syntheses that are conducted systematically, but begin with a broader scope of question than traditional systematic reviews, allowing the research to 'map' the relevant literature on a given topic.

Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework Arksey, H., & O'Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8 (1), 19-32. doi:10.1080/1364557032000119616 More information less... ABSTRACT: We distinguish between different types of scoping studies and indicate where these stand in relation to full systematic reviews. We outline a framework for conducting a scoping study based on our recent experiences of reviewing the literature on services for carers for people with mental health problems.
Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology Levac, D., Colquhoun, H., & O'Brien, K. K. (2010). Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology. Implementation Science, 5 (1), 69. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-5-69 More information less... ABSTRACT: We build upon our experiences conducting three scoping studies using the Arksey and O'Malley methodology to propose recommendations that clarify and enhance each stage of the framework.
Methodology for JBI scoping reviews Peters, M. D. J., Godfrey, C. M., McInerney, P., Baldini Soares, C., Khalil, H., & Parker, D. (2015). The Joanna Briggs Institute reviewers’ manual: Methodology for JBI scoping reviews [PDF]. Retrieved from The Joanna Briggs Institute website: http://joannabriggs.org/assets/docs/sumari/Reviewers-Manual_Methodology-for-JBI-Scoping-Reviews_2015_v2.pdf More information less... ABSTRACT: Unlike other reviews that address relatively precise questions, such as a systematic review of the effectiveness of a particular intervention based on a precise set of outcomes, scoping reviews can be used to map the key concepts underpinning a research area as well as to clarify working definitions, and/or the conceptual boundaries of a topic. A scoping review may focus on one of these aims or all of them as a set.

Systematic vs. Scoping Reviews: What's the Difference?

YouTube Video 4 minutes, 45 seconds

Rapid Reviews

Rapid reviews are systematic reviews that are undertaken under a tighter timeframe than traditional systematic reviews.

Evidence summaries: The evolution of a rapid review approach Khangura, S., Konnyu, K., Cushman, R., Grimshaw, J., & Moher, D. (2012). Evidence summaries: The evolution of a rapid review approach. Systematic Reviews, 1 (1), 10. doi:10.1186/2046-4053-1-10 More information less... ABSTRACT: Rapid reviews have emerged as a streamlined approach to synthesizing evidence - typically for informing emergent decisions faced by decision makers in health care settings. Although there is growing use of rapid review "methods," and proliferation of rapid review products, there is a dearth of published literature on rapid review methodology. This paper outlines our experience with rapidly producing, publishing and disseminating evidence summaries in the context of our Knowledge to Action (KTA) research program.
What is a rapid review? A methodological exploration of rapid reviews in Health Technology Assessments Harker, J., & Kleijnen, J. (2012). What is a rapid review? A methodological exploration of rapid reviews in Health Technology Assessments. International Journal of Evidence‐Based Healthcare, 10 (4), 397-410. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2012.00290.x More information less... ABSTRACT: In recent years, there has been an emergence of "rapid reviews" within Health Technology Assessments; however, there is no known published guidance or agreed methodology within recognised systematic review or Health Technology Assessment guidelines. In order to answer the research question "What is a rapid review and is methodology consistent in rapid reviews of Health Technology Assessments?", a study was undertaken in a sample of rapid review Health Technology Assessments from the Health Technology Assessment database within the Cochrane Library and other specialised Health Technology Assessment databases to investigate similarities and/or differences in rapid review methodology utilised.
Rapid Review Guidebook Dobbins, M. (2017). Rapid review guidebook. Hamilton, ON: National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools.
NCCMT Summary and Tool for Dobbins' Rapid Review Guidebook National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools. (2017). Rapid review guidebook. Hamilton, ON: McMaster University. Retrieved from http://www.nccmt.ca/knowledge-repositories/search/308
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Writing a Literature Review in Social Sciences

What is a literature review, video tutorials.

1. Get Started
2. Select / Refine a Topic
2.1 Find Review Articles
3. Search Literature
3.1 Find Scholarly Journals
3.2 Find Theses or Dissertations
3.3 Track Citations
4. Evaluate Literature
5. Take Notes & Manage References
6. Keep Current
7. Prepare First Draft & Revise
7.1 Grammar & Writing
FSU Resources

Subject Guide

Ask a Librarian

Process of Literature Review

This guide was created to help FSU graduate students in Social Sciences with writing a literature review. Whether you are writing a literature review for your term paper, research article, or thesis/dissertation, you will find some helpful tips for completing the task. Each tab in this guide was designed to correspond to each stage of the literature review process, starting with a quick checklist for the stage. At the "FSU Resources" tab, you will find campus resources to assist you in writing a literature review. If you have any question, please contact your liaison librarian, Scholars Commons of the FSU Libraries ( 850- 644-6061) or me (kkim4 at fsu dot edu).

List of Subject Specialist Librarians

A Literature Review IS.. .

a selective, integrated analysis and synthesis of what has been researched and published on a particular topic
a process, typically starting from selecting a topic to review and concluding with writing a manuscript to report the published works on the topic
an iterative process: you may have to keep coming back to previous stage(s) to refine your topic, modify the search statements, and/or revise a working thesis, etc.

A Good Literature Review IS NOT...

a mere summary of what you have read on a topic
a summary of everything that is reported on a topic
an annotated bibliography

...BUT IS/DOES

a critical summary of relevant and selective literature on the topic
situate and focus your research in context
use credible and most relevant sources
written in clear language
a piece of research on its own
add value to the existing knowledge on the topic
Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students (9:38)
From North Carolina State University Libraries
Writing the Literature Reviews: Step-by-Step Tutorial for Graduate Students : Part 1 (5:21)
From Univ. of Maryland University College
Next: 1. Get Started >>
Last Updated: Aug 11, 2023 11:32 AM
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Boston University Libraries

Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences

What is a systematic review, difference between a systematic review and a literature review.

Finding Systematic Reviews
Conducting Systematic Reviews
Saving Search Results
Systematic Review Management Tools
Citing Your Sources

"A systematic review attempts to collate all empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria in order to answer a specific research question. It uses explicit, systematic methods that are selected with a view to minimizing bias, thus providing more reliable findings from which conclusions can be drawn and decisions made (Antman 1992, Oxman 1993) . The key characteristics of a systematic review are:

a clearly stated set of objectives with pre-defined eligibility criteria for studies;

an explicit, reproducible methodology;

a systematic search that attempts to identify all studies that would meet the eligibility criteria;

an assessment of the validity of the findings of the included studies, for example through the assessment of risk of bias; and

a systematic presentation, and synthesis, of the characteristics and findings of the included studies".

Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions . (March 2011)

(Original author, Meredith Kirkpatrick, 2021)

Kysh, Lynn (2013): Difference between a systematic review and a literature review . Figshare.https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.766364.v1

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Open access
Published: 10 May 2024

Artificial intelligence and socioeconomic forces: transforming the landscape of religion

Yugang He ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5758-069X 1

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume 11 , Article number: 602 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

92 Accesses

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This research examines the influences of artificial intelligence and socioeconomic factors on religious freedom across 20 countries from 2000 to 2022. Employing a detailed model that integrates both specific effects related to individual countries and annual changes, our study offers an extensive empirical analysis of how artificial intelligence relates to religious freedom. The results indicate a notable negative impact of artificial intelligence on religious freedom. Furthermore, the study sheds light on key factors that affect religious freedom, uncovering a positive correlation with elements such as economic growth, political stability, and education levels. However, it was also observed that increased digitalization correlates negatively with religious freedom. These conclusions are reinforced by findings from the system-generalized method of moment estimation, which strongly support our initial results. Consequently, this study establishes that the relationship between artificial intelligence and religious freedom is intricate and shaped by a variety of socioeconomic factors. Our findings emphasize the necessity for thoughtful consideration of the broader societal impacts of artificial intelligence, especially regarding essential human rights like religious freedom.

Artificial intelligence and religious freedom: divergent paths converging on economic expansion

social science research review of literature

The political and social contradictions of the human and online environment in the context of artificial intelligence applications

A systematic review of worldwide causal and correlational evidence on digital media and democracy

Introduction.

In the current global context, where artificial intelligence is becoming a pivotal part of everyday life, its influence on societal norms and individual liberties, particularly religious freedom, stands out as an area of significant concern. Research conducted by Arias-Arévalo et al. ( 2023 ) offers critical insights into the transformative nature of artificial intelligence and its ability to reshape social behaviors and norms, including those associated with religious practices and freedoms. The rapid incorporation of artificial intelligence in sectors such as surveillance, communication, and data processing underscores serious concerns about its implications for religious expression and freedom. Moreover, the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence, as investigated by Aizenberg and Van Den Hoven ( 2020 ) and Vesnic-Alujevic et al. ( 2020 ), center on its impact on personal rights and freedoms. Their work highlights potential risks, such as algorithmic biases and invasive surveillance technologies, that could unintentionally restrict religious practices or lead to discrimination against certain religious demographics. These issues are becoming more pressing in various political environments around the world. Additionally, Dwivedi et al. ( 2021 ) and Robinson ( 2020 ) examine the challenges in policy and governance associated with the integration of artificial intelligence. Their discussions emphasize the profound effect of artificial intelligence on government policies and societal norms, which are crucial for the support or challenge of religious freedom in different cultural and political settings. As artificial intelligence evolves, the imperative to align its development with the protection and respect of religious freedom is paramount. This alignment requires concerted efforts from technologists, policymakers, religious leaders, and members of civil society to fully grasp the implications of artificial intelligence, establish ethical standards, and develop frameworks that reinforce the principles of freedom, tolerance, and respect. The intersection of artificial intelligence with religious freedom invites broader questions about technology’s role in society and its compatibility with human values and rights. It contributes to a crucial conversation about how to balance the protection of fundamental human rights with the advancement of technology in a world where artificial intelligence is having an increasingly significant impact.

Continuing from the established context above, this study’s central objective was to evaluate the impacts of artificial intelligence and socioeconomic factors on religious freedom in a sample of 20 countries during the period between 2000 and 2022. We employed a comprehensive analytical model that incorporates specific factors related to each country as well as annual variations. Our in-depth analysis reveals a concerning trend: artificial intelligence appears to negatively affect religious freedom. Additionally, the research aimed to identify crucial factors influencing religious freedom. The data analysis indicates a positive link between religious freedom and variables such as economic growth, political stability, and education levels. In contrast, increased digitalization seems to have an adverse effect on religious freedom. The application of the system generalized method of moments technique robustly supports these findings, reinforcing the credibility of our preliminary results. This emphasizes the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and religious freedom, which depends on a wide range of socioeconomic factors.

Based on the conclusions of this study, three key contributions can be identified: First, this research provides empirical evidence of the negative effects of artificial intelligence on religious freedom in 20 countries, expanding our understanding of the unintended societal implications of technological advancement. While Goralski and Tan ( 2020 ) have posited a generally optimistic view of artificial intelligence’s role in enhancing social welfare, our study introduces a more intricate viewpoint. It underscores the potential adverse effects of artificial intelligence, specifically on religious freedom, offering a critical counternarrative to the prevailing optimism. Second, our study makes a significant addition to the literature by identifying a positive relationship between religious freedom and factors such as economic development, political stability, and education, thereby highlighting the influence of the broader socioeconomic environment on religious liberties. Building on the inquiries of Uecker and McClure ( 2023 ), who examined the impact of economic and political elements on general social freedoms, our research specifically concentrates on religious freedom. It offers nuanced insights into the dynamics of these socioeconomic factors with religious liberties, thus filling a critical gap in the existing literature. Finally, by utilizing the system generalized method of moments for our analysis, this study introduces a heightened level of methodological rigor to the examination of complex interactions between technology and societal phenomena. In contrast to the traditional regression methods employed by Sabriseilabi and Williams ( 2022 ), Park et al. ( 2022 ), and Dunbar ( 2021 ) in analyzing the societal impacts of technology, our system generalized method of moments approach ensures a more thorough and reliable analysis. This methodology adeptly addresses potential issues of endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity, thereby enhancing the reliability of our findings.

The organization of this paper is as follows: Section 2 provides a comprehensive review of the literature pertinent to the subject. In Section 3, we describe the variables and the analytical models employed in this study. Section 4 is dedicated to the examination and interpretation of the research findings. Finally, Section 5 concludes the paper, offering insights and recommendations derived from the study’s outcomes.

Literature Review

From the perspective of academia, the discourse on the influence of artificial intelligence on religion is both rich and multidimensional, extending beyond the bounds of technological innovation to deeply affect spiritual and communal life. This section of our study synthesizes a range of academic viewpoints to establish a well-rounded context. Researchers such as Cheong ( 2020 ), Umbrello ( 2023 ), Puzio ( 2023 ), and Béres ( 2023 ) have highlighted artificial intelligence’s potential in augmenting religious practices by personalizing spiritual experiences and providing fresh interpretations of sacred texts. This aligns with the insights of Künkler and Lerner ( 2016 ), Hamayotsu ( 2013 ), and Ubaedillah ( 2018 ), who have explored how artificial intelligence can aid in the dissemination of religious teachings, potentially democratizing access to spiritual knowledge. However, the integration of artificial intelligence into the realm of spirituality also raises concerns. Scholars such as Han et al. ( 2022 ) caution against the possibility of artificial intelligence oversimplifying or trivializing the profound aspects of spirituality. This issue is expanded upon by Hayes et al. ( 2021 ), who discuss the potential erosion of the communal aspects of worship due to artificial intelligence. Their concerns are echoed by Kamalov et al. ( 2023 ) and Vergeer ( 2020 ), who delve into the effects of artificial intelligence-driven religious experiences. The discussion further branches into theological and philosophical territories, with scholars like Schuurman ( 2019 ), Visala ( 2020 ), and Ashraf ( 2022 ) probing artificial intelligence’s implications on concepts such as free will, consciousness, and the soul, thereby challenging established religious doctrines and raising profound questions about artificial intelligence’s role in matters of faith and spirituality. Ethical considerations are paramount in this debate. As noted by Braun et al. ( 2021 ) and Segun ( 2021 ), artificial intelligence development must be conducted with an acute awareness of religious diversity and ethical norms, underscoring the need for guidelines and frameworks that respect the vast array of global religious beliefs and practices. In summary, while artificial intelligence presents opportunities for enhancing religious understanding and practice, it simultaneously poses substantial challenges to the core essence of religious experience and doctrine. This calls for a thoughtful and balanced approach, as suggested by Benbya et al. ( 2020 ), and Brynjolfsson and Mcafee ( 2017 ), advocating for a continued dialogue among religious leaders, artificial intelligence developers, and policymakers. Such a collaborative effort is crucial in navigating the intricate interactions between artificial intelligence and religion, ensuring that artificial intelligence acts as a facilitator rather than a disruptor, and preserving the fundamental values and traditions of religious practices.

In the realm of theological study, scholars are delving deeply into the impact of artificial intelligence on foundational religious concepts such as free will, consciousness, and the human soul. Researchers like Erisman and Parker ( 2019 ) have been at the forefront of this exploration, challenging traditional religious doctrines with the proposition that artificial intelligence could fundamentally alter our understanding of these spiritual tenets. Their work raises crucial questions about the compatibility of artificial intelligence with long-held religious beliefs that have shaped theological thought for centuries. In addition to these theological considerations, the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence development, especially in the context of respecting religious diversity, have been rigorously analyzed by scholars such as, Boddington et al. ( 2017 ), Choung et al. ( 2023 ), Ryan ( 2020 ), and Omrani et al. ( 2022 ). Their discussions emphasize the importance of developing artificial intelligence technologies that are sensitive to a wide spectrum of religious beliefs and practices. This includes addressing the potential for artificial intelligence to unintentionally propagate biases or stereotypes and the need for artificial intelligence systems to be imbued with an understanding of various religious and cultural contexts. This scholarly debate reveals the dual nature of artificial intelligence in the sphere of religion. On one hand, artificial intelligence presents unique opportunities to enhance religious understanding and practice, for instance, through the digitization of sacred texts or the creation of immersive spiritual experiences using virtual reality. Such advancements could revolutionize religious education and engagement, particularly appealing to a younger, more technologically adept generation. On the other hand, the integration of artificial intelligence into religious practices presents significant challenges. There is a concern that artificial intelligence, in its efforts to replicate or augment spiritual experiences, might compromise the authenticity and communal nature of religious worship. Furthermore, the ability of artificial intelligence to interpret or analyze religious teachings raises questions about the potential loss of nuanced human interpretation in religious scholarship. Acknowledging these varied implications, scholars like Davenport and Ronanki ( 2018 ) and He et al. ( 2020 ), advocate for a balanced approach. They call for an ongoing dialogue among religious leaders, theologians, artificial intelligence developers, and policymakers to navigate these complexities. Such collaborative efforts are vital in ensuring that artificial intelligence is developed and integrated into religious contexts in a respectful, ethical manner, enhancing rather than detracting from religious experiences. In conclusion, the academic discourse within American scholarship on artificial intelligence and religion underscores the need for a careful and nuanced integration of technology within spiritual domains. It advocates for a holistic approach that honors and preserves the fundamental values and traditions of religious practices, positioning artificial intelligence as a tool for enhancing and enriching the religious experience rather than as a disruptive influence. This endeavor requires not only technological and ethical considerations but also a sustained conversation among diverse stakeholders in both the religious and artificial intelligence communities.

From an academic perspective, the intricate dynamics between economic development, political stability, education, and digitization in shaping religious landscapes constitute a nuanced field of study, as evidenced by recent scholarly contributions. Economic development, according to researchers like Franck and Iannaccone ( 2014 ), Iyer ( 2016 ), and Basedau et al. ( 2018 ), often correlates with a decrease in traditional religious observance, a trend described as ‘secularization’. This notion is supported by Sidani ( 2019 ), Walker ( 2013 ), Javaid and ul Hassan ( 2013 ), and Clark ( 2012 ), who argue that as societies become more economically prosperous, materialistic values may start to eclipse spiritual ones. Conversely, Norenzayan et al. ( 2016 ) have observed a religious resurgence in economically advanced societies, driven by existential quests for meaning beyond material achievements. The role of political stability in religious contexts is multifaceted. Researchers like Diener et al. ( 2011 ) and Ben-Nun Bloom and Arikan ( 2012 ) suggest that political stability can foster an environment supportive of religious freedom and diversity. However, Bano and Benadi ( 2018 ) and Njoku and Hamid ( 2014 ) indicate that such stability can also lead to state-led control or manipulation of religious institutions. This view is echoed by Mohiuddin ( 2022 ) and Verma and Ali ( 2023 ), particularly in the context of authoritarian regimes. In terms of education’s impact on religion, the discourse is equally complex. While Ammerman ( 2020 ) argues that higher education often leads to increased questioning and distancing from organized religion, Pope ( 2020 ) proposes that education can facilitate a deeper and more nuanced understanding of religious doctrines and practices. According to studies by Qudsy et al. ( 2021 ) and Volkova ( 2021 ), the rise of digitization and the internet has revolutionized access to religious information, promoting various religious beliefs and practices. However, Vala and Huang ( 2019 ) highlight difficulties such as the spread of false religious information and the danger of relegating religion to superficial online experiences, a worry also expressed by Bhatia ( 2022 ) and Balazka et al. ( 2021 ). ringing together these varied perspectives, it is clear that the interplay of economic and political factors, educational attainment, and digital advancements collectively and significantly impact religious landscapes. These influences can both challenge and reinforce religious beliefs and practices, indicating that their effects on religion are not straightforward but context-dependent and multifaceted. As these studies suggest, comprehending the contemporary religious landscape requires an understanding of these interconnected elements and their intricate effects.

Variable and Model

Dependent variable: In this study, we conceptualize “religious freedom” as the comprehensive liberty to hold, not to hold, change, express, and practice religious beliefs individually or communally, in private or in public domains. This conceptualization draws from seminal works such as Bader ( 2003 ), Foner and Alba ( 2008 ), and Mahmood ( 2012 ), which underscore that legal frameworks upholding religious freedom reflect societal acceptance and the integration of a myriad of religious beliefs, thereby mirroring the broader religious canvas. Moreover, the interconnection between enhanced religious freedom and the vibrancy of diverse religious communities is substantiated by the demographic inquiries of Kutcher et al. ( 2010 ) and Aleksynska and Chiswick ( 2013 ). The examination of government policies’ effects on religious entities by Driessen ( 2010 ), Finke ( 2013 ), Cadge and Konieczny ( 2014 ) further validates the pivotal role of religious freedom in ensuring the vitality and public engagement of religious institutions. Additionally, the analyses by Tessler ( 2010 ) and Nelson ( 2012 ) of societal perspectives towards minority religions illustrate that religious freedom is an emblem of societal tolerance and pluralism, essential elements of the religious fabric. Gunnarsson ( 2020 )‘s exploration of the interplay between religious freedom and educational curricula highlights the societal valuation and dissemination of religious knowledge, integral to comprehending religion’s societal and cultural dimensions. Thus, in our research, religious freedom is meticulously delineated as a dependent variable, allowing for a nuanced exploration of its interaction with the proliferation of AI technology and its implications for societal dynamics. This definition facilitates a clearer distinction between limitations imposed on religious freedom and the broader surveillance effects attributed to AI’s expansive integration into society, ensuring a focused investigation into the nuanced impact of digital advancement on this fundamental liberty.

Independent variable: The use of the number of artificial intelligence patents as a proxy for artificial intelligence development and proliferation is a well-supported concept in academic literature. Firstly, the work of Kovács et al. ( 2021 ) underlines a clear correlation between artificial intelligence patent filings and technological progress in artificial intelligence, illustrating that patents are reflective of concrete innovations and breakthroughs within the field. Secondly, studies by Scherngell et al. ( 2023 ) and Cicerone et al. ( 2023 ) examine the geographic distribution of artificial intelligence patents. This analysis provides valuable insights into regional centers of artificial intelligence development, pinpointing areas where significant advancements in artificial intelligence are taking place. Thirdly, research by Liu et al. ( 2021 ) and Damioli et al. ( 2021 ) delves into which industries are most actively filing artificial intelligence patents, offering a lens into the sectors at the forefront of artificial intelligence adoption and innovation. Fourthly, temporal trends in artificial intelligence patent filings, as discussed by various scholars, present a historical view of artificial intelligence technology’s evolution and growth over time. Finally, studies by Liu et al. ( 2020 ) and Li et al. ( 2020 ) explore the relationship between artificial intelligence patent filings and artificial intelligence investments. This aspect indicates the economic and commercial significance of artificial intelligence, as patent activity often correlates with increased funding and market interest. Collectively, these articles reinforce the idea that artificial intelligence patent counts serve as a comprehensive measure for evaluating the overall trajectory and impact of artificial intelligence in multiple contexts.

Control variable (socioeconomic factors): To provide a precise estimation of the impact of artificial intelligence on religious freedom, it is essential to include control variables such as economic development, political stability, education levels, and the degree of digitalization. A wide range of academic sources support this strategy. Firstly, studies by Qayyum et al. ( 2020 ), Götmark and Andersson ( 2020 ), and Bentzen and Gokmen ( 2023 ) suggest that the level of economic development significantly impacts the availability of resources for artificial intelligence development and its ethical management, thereby influencing religious freedom. In wealthier economies, advanced artificial intelligence technologies might lead to different outcomes for religious freedom compared to those in less developed nations. Secondly, the importance of political stability is emphasized by Topidi ( 2019 ). Stable political climates often facilitate more predictable environments for artificial intelligence development and the implementation of religious freedom policies. Thirdly, the relevance of education levels is highlighted by Redondo and Sarrazin ( 2022 ) and Mu’ti and Burhani ( 2019 ), as higher education rates typically correspond with increased awareness and comprehension of artificial intelligence and religious rights, which can shape public opinion and policymaking. Finally, the impact of societal digitalization, explored by Annicchino ( 2022 ), affects the integration of artificial intelligence in daily life and governance, with significant implications for the monitoring and regulation of religious practices and freedoms. By accounting for these factors, I can more accurately isolate the specific effects of artificial intelligence on religious freedom, leading to a more robust and precise analysis.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the impacts of artificial intelligence and socioeconomic factors on religious freedom. From a theoretical standpoint, artificial intelligence’s impact on religious freedom is complex, encompassing its roles in data processing, surveillance, and content moderation. These capabilities can either safeguard or undermine religious freedoms, depending on their application. Researchers such as Aljarah et al. ( 2021 ), Paschalides et al. ( 2020 ), Laaksonen et al. ( 2020 ), and Pereira-Kohatsu et al. ( 2019 ) have focused on artificial intelligence’s role in monitoring online religious hate speech. Meanwhile, Kılıç ( 2024 ) explores its use in state surveillance of religious groups. Additionally, the work of Elkin-Koren ( 2020 ) delves into how artificial intelligence shapes public discourse around religious beliefs and its role in either enforcing or circumventing religious censorship.

To accurately estimate the impact of artificial intelligence on religious freedom, employing annual and national fixed-effect models is essential. Annual fixed-effect models enable the analysis of temporal changes in artificial intelligence technology and policy and their effects on religious freedom. National fixed-effect models, in contrast, help isolate artificial intelligence’s impact from country-specific elements like cultural norms, existing religious freedom standards, and legal frameworks. These models, used in tandem, provide a contextually aware understanding of artificial intelligence’s influence on religious freedom. This methodological approach effectively distinguishes artificial intelligence’s direct impact from other concurrent developments, offering a clearer insight into the interplay between technological advancement, socioeconomic factors, and religious liberties. Then, the baseline model is shown as follows:

In Eq. ( 1 ) of our analytical model, ‘ \({\rm{i}}\) ’ represents the specific country being analyzed, and ‘ \({\rm{t}}\) ’ denotes the year. This setup allows for an examination that takes into account both spatial (country-specific) and temporal (year-specific) variations. The constant term, labeled ‘ \({{\rm{a}}}_{0}\) ‘, establishes a baseline against which the effects of the independent variables are measured. The coefficients, denoted as ‘[ \({{\rm{a}}}_{1}\) , \({{\rm{a}}}_{5}\) ]’, are pivotal to the model; they estimate the impact of various independent variables on our dependent variable. The term ‘ \({\rm{\eta }}\) ‘ signifies the country-fixed effect. It captures the unique, unobservable characteristics inherent to each country, which are assumed to be constant over time. Conversely, ‘ \({\rm{\mu }}\) ‘ represents the year-fixed effect, accounting for any global trends or temporal factors that uniformly influence all countries in a specific year. In this equation, ‘ \({\rm{\epsilon }}\) ‘ is termed white noise. It represents the random error component of the model, assumed to be normally distributed with a mean of zero, encapsulating those elements of the data not explained by our model. The dependent variable in our study, ‘ \({\rm{re}}\) ’, stands for religious freedom. It is the primary focus of our analysis. ‘ \({\rm{ai}}\) ’, another significant variable, represents artificial intelligence, whose impact on religious freedom is a central theme of our research. ‘ \({\rm{ec}}\) ’ refers to the gross domestic product, serving as an indicator of economic development. ‘ \({\rm{po}}\) ’, another key variable, denotes political stability, essential for understanding the socio-political context impacting religious freedom. ‘ \({\rm{ed}}\) ’ is used to indicate the level of education within a country, reflecting its overall educational attainment. Finally, ‘ \({\rm{di}}\) ’ stands for the degree of digitalization, highlighting the extent to which digital technologies are integrated into the societal and economic structures of a country. All data employed in this study have been sourced from the World Bank, spanning from 2000 to 2022. This comprehensive dataset provides a solid foundation for our analysis. To mitigate issues of heteroscedasticity and enhance the statistical reliability of our findings, we have transformed all variables into their logarithmic forms. This transformation helps stabilize the variance among the data points, thereby improving the robustness and clarity of our regression analysis.

Robustness test

In our research, we have chosen the system generalized method of moments as the foundational econometric approach to examine the dynamics between artificial intelligence and religious freedom. This method, pioneered by Hansen ( 1982 ) and further refined by Arellano and Bond ( 1991 ), is a sophisticated statistical tool known for effectively addressing endogeneity issues. These issues often stem from problems like omitted variables, measurement errors, or the simultaneity of effects within the model. A key strength of system generalized method of moments lies in its strategic application of instrumental variables. The careful selection of these variables is crucial, as it ensures the generation of estimators that are both consistent and efficient, even in the presence of potential endogeneity. The system generalized method of moments method leverages the orthogonality conditions that exist between these instrumental variables and the error terms. This approach is instrumental in producing estimates that are not biased by endogenous factors. Implementing system generalized method of moments in our study enhances the credibility and robustness of our findings. This alignment with the latest econometric methodologies not only strengthens our analysis but also places our research within the realm of contemporary empirical studies. The relevance and effectiveness of system generalized method of moments in modern research contexts are well documented, and its application in our study is a testament to its utility. The specifics of our system generalized method of moments model, as implemented in the study, are presented as follows:

In our model, encapsulated by Eqs. ( 2 ) and ( 3 ), the intercept is denoted as ‘ \({{\rm{b}}}_{0}\) ‘, while the coefficient vector ‘[ \({{\rm{b}}}_{1}\) , \({{\rm{b}}}_{6}\) ]’ represents the coefficients that are to be estimated. An essential feature of these equations is the inclusion of an autoregressive coefficient, a measure introduced to address potential constraints related to the degrees of freedom within the model. We adopt the system generalized method of moments as our analytical approach, a technique that methodically adheres to a tripartite process: identification, simultaneity, and exclusion restrictions, following the methodologies outlined by Asongu and Odhiambo ( 2020 ) and further detailed in Tchamyou et al. ( 2019 ). At the outset of our system generalized method of moments approach, we operate under the premise that endogeneity could be a factor in all the independent variables. To navigate this, the model categorizes specific variables as predetermined, identified in the “gmmstyle” format. This step is pivotal, especially considering that in our model, ‘years’—representing the temporal dimension—are regarded as strictly exogenous. They are therefore classified under the “iv (years, eq(diff))” specification. This categorization is critical in maintaining the first-difference property of these temporal elements, thereby preventing their conversion into endogenous variables, a concept explored in Tchamyou and Asongu ( 2017 ). This phase, integral to our econometric analysis, is commonly referred to as the identification step.

In our econometric model, we strategically use lagged variables as instrumental instruments to address the fixed effects that could potentially cloud the relationships we are examining. To achieve this, we apply Helmert transformations to our predictor variables. This method deviates from conventional approaches that typically subtract the lagged value from its current value. Instead, as highlighted in Tchamyou et al. ( 2019 ), our approach subtracts the average of future observations from the current value of the variable. This technique creates a balance between forward-differenced variables and their corresponding lagged versions. A notable feature of this methodology is the diminished importance of the specific number of lags used. The primary emphasis is placed on optimizing the data’s utility rather than adhering to a fixed number of lags. The only deviation from this rule is the deliberate omission of the last observation for each analytical unit, whether it is an individual entity or a country. This exclusion is critical to maintaining the precision and relevance of the transformation process. Adopting this methodological approach significantly enhances the robustness of our model, effectively addressing any distortions that might arise from fixed effects.

In the final phase of our analysis, we turn our attention to the exclusion restriction criterion. This principle stipulates that the relationship between the dependent variable and any strictly exogenous variables must only be mediated through the endogenous regressors identified in our model. To ensure the validity of this criterion, we utilize the Difference-in-Hansen test. This diagnostic tool is essential for evaluating the exogeneity of our instruments. It is noteworthy that a traditional instrumental variable approach often results in the rejection of the null hypothesis in the context of the Sargan Over-Identifying Restrictions test. Such a finding indicates that the instruments may not be effectively representing the influence on the outcome variable through the endogenous variables we have specified. Crucially, within our system generalized method of moments estimation framework, the Difference-in-Hansen Test takes on heightened significance. It acts as a vital diagnostic measure, rigorously testing the strict exogeneity of the temporal variables, designated as ‘years’ in our study. This step is crucial to ensuring both the reliability and validity of the results derived from our system generalized method of moments estimations.

Results and Ddiscussion

The effect of artificial intelligence on religious freedom.

In this study, we utilized an array of five econometric models to assess the impacts of artificial intelligence and socioeconomic factors on religious freedom. The models employed are as follows: pooled ordinary least squares designated as Model 1, panel OLS for Model 2, country-specific fixed effects in Model 3, year-specific fixed effects in Model 4, and a comprehensive model combining both country and year fixed effects, referred to as Model 5. This range of models allows us to address both spatial and temporal variations within the data, and the outcomes of these models are presented in Table 1 . Our analytical process began with the application of the Chow test. This test led to the rejection of the pooled OLS model for our dataset, as evidenced by the rejection of the null hypothesis. We then proceeded with the Hausman test, which also resulted in the rejection of the null hypothesis. This outcome indicated that the model incorporating only country-fixed effects was not adequately suited for our analysis. Consequently, we opted for Model 5, which integrates both country- and year-fixed effects. This choice is supported by the advanced econometric principles proposed by scholars such as Kropko and Kubinec ( 2020 ), Hill et al. ( 2020 ), and Fernández-Val and Weidner ( 2018 ). These researchers suggest that to effectively handle unobserved heterogeneity—factors that remain constant over time but vary across different entities, or the reverse—a model with both country and year fixed effects is more likely to yield unbiased and consistent estimations. This approach is particularly pertinent when considering global phenomena such as economic fluctuations or broad regulatory changes that impact all countries in the study uniformly. By incorporating these two dimensions of variability, Model 5 successfully isolates external influences from the primary dynamic between artificial intelligence and religious freedom, thus strengthening the validity and robustness of the causal conclusions drawn from our empirical results.

In Table 1 , the spotlight is on the insights gleaned from Model 5. Nonetheless, it’s critical to acknowledge that the results from the remaining four models are instrumental in bolstering our study. They function as a robustness check, significantly strengthening the trustworthiness and substantiation of our principal findings. The empirical results from Model 5 present a significant inverse correlation between artificial intelligence and religious freedom, indicating that a 1% increase in artificial intelligence correlates with a 0.011% decrease in religious freedom.

This finding aligns with recent scholarly discourse. First, technological determinism, a concept explored by Jungherr ( 2023 ) and Chaney and Sahoo ( 2020 ), posits that technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, shape societal and cultural norms. They argue that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence can intensify surveillance and control measures, potentially infringing upon religious freedoms. Their research emphasizes how government-employed artificial intelligence surveillance systems can monitor and sometimes restrict religious practices and expressions, leading to a reduction in religious freedom. Second, the issue of information control, as analyzed by Gorwa et al. ( 2020 ), highlights that artificial intelligence, especially in content moderation on digital platforms, might inadvertently or intentionally suppress religious content viewed as sensitive. This could significantly hinder the free exchange of religious ideas, thus contributing to the observed decline in religious freedom. Lastly, the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, discussed by Cheng et al. ( 2021 ), Palladino ( 2023 ), and Kriebitz and Lütge ( 2020 ), emphasize the potential for artificial intelligence applications in the public and private sectors to foster biases and discrimination against certain religious groups. They illustrate how this can manifest, ranging from biased artificial intelligence algorithms in employment practices to censorship of religious content in education and public information systems. Collectively, these studies offer a comprehensive view of the negative correlation between artificial intelligence and religious freedom demonstrated in Model 5. They highlight the critical need for thoughtful deployment and regulation of artificial intelligence to ensure that technological progress does not inadvertently impinge upon religious liberties.

In our study examining the determinants of religious freedom, the empirical data significantly emphasizes the roles of economic development, political stability, education level, and digitalization. These findings are in harmony with existing theoretical frameworks and are supported by contemporary academic research. Our results reveal a positive correlation between economic development and religious freedom. This is consistent with the modernization theory, which suggests that as economies evolve, societies become more pluralistic and open to diverse viewpoints, including those on religion. Alon et al. ( 2017 ) and Graafland ( 2020 ) support this view, finding that economic growth often paves the way for increased social and political freedoms, religious freedom included. In more prosperous economies, there tends to be greater allowance for individual expression and reduced governmental interference in personal beliefs. Political stability also has a positive association with religious freedom. Stable political environments typically feature consistent and equitable governance, fostering an environment conducive to the free practice of religion. Research by Uzelac et al. ( 2020 ) indicates that nations with stable political systems generally offer stronger legal protections for various freedoms, including religious rights. Such stability ensures a legal environment where religious groups can operate without fear of abrupt policy shifts or persecution.

Furthermore, our findings demonstrate a positive link between higher education levels and religious freedom. This aligns with the idea that education fosters tolerance and understanding among diverse groups. A study by Greaves et al. ( 2020 ) illustrates that higher educational attainment is often connected with more liberal attitudes toward different religious practices and greater acceptance of religious diversity. On the other hand, an increase in digitalization appears to negatively impact religious freedom. This could be attributed to enhanced surveillance and control mechanisms in highly digitalized societies, potentially impinging on religious practices. A study by El Naggar ( 2014 ) in the context of surveillance capitalism suggests that while digitalization offers benefits, it also enables governmental and corporate entities to monitor and sometimes regulate public and private conduct, including religious activities. In summary, these results present a better understanding of the factors influencing religious freedom, illustrating the intricate interactions among economic, political, educational, and technological factors.

In this research, we adhere to a definition of “religious freedom” that encompasses the liberty to adopt, change, or renounce religious beliefs; to worship in private or public;to practice religion individually or in community with others; and to express one’s religious beliefs openly, without fear of intervention or reprisal from the state or other entities. This broad delineation is informed by international human rights norms and seeks to capture the multifaceted nature of religious expression and observance. Central to our analysis is the distinction between the limitations of religious freedom—actions or policies that directly restrict the aforementioned aspects of religious liberty—and the general surveillance effects of AI technologies. While AI-driven surveillance constitutes a broader challenge to civil liberties, encompassing issues of privacy, freedom of expression, and association, its impact on religious freedom is of specific concern. This is due to the potential use of surveillance to monitor religious practices, profile religious communities, or censor religious expression under the guise of maintaining public order or national security. The incursion of digitalization into the fabric of society, marked by the pervasive deployment of AI and surveillance technologies, undeniably poses challenges to a spectrum of civil liberties. Religious freedom, while critical, is but one facet of the broader civil liberties landscape that is being reshaped in the wake of technological advancement. Our discussion acknowledges the interconnectedness of these liberties and posits that the erosion of religious freedom in the digital age cannot be viewed in isolation. Rather, it reflects a wider trend wherein the rapid development and deployment of AI technologies outpace the establishment of robust legal and ethical frameworks to safeguard fundamental rights. By situating religious freedom within the broader context of civil liberties at risk, our study contributes to an essential dialogue on balancing the benefits of technological development with the imperatives of human rights protection. It underscores the necessity of a proactive approach in policy-making and technology design to ensure that advancements in AI serve to enhance, rather than diminish, the freedoms that underpin democratic societies. In conclusion, our research endeavors to provide a comprehensive examination of how the extension of AI and digital surveillance technologies intersect with and impacts religious freedom. By elucidating these dynamics within the broader discourse on civil liberties, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges at the intersection of technology, society, and human rights.

Robustness Test

To thoroughly understand the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence, socioeconomic factors, and religious freedom, it’s essential to acknowledge external factors and the potential for reciprocal causation in this interaction. To reinforce the credibility of the conclusions shown in Table 1 and to tackle possible endogeneity or the risk of neglecting relevant variables, our study employs the system generalized method of moments. This method, building on the pioneering work of Arellano and Bond ( 1991 ) and further refined by Arellano and Bond ( 1991 ), offers a robust technique for managing endogenous variables in panel data. The system-generalized method of moments approach is key to providing consistent and precise estimates, capturing the dynamic interactions among the variables, and ensuring the validity of our causal inferences. The outcomes are detailed in Table 2 .

In our study, we rigorously validated the analytical robustness of our model while carefully addressing potential endogeneity concerns. To this end, we employed the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). This advanced technique is particularly adept at handling endogeneity, effectively capturing the dynamic interactions among the variables. This capability significantly bolsters the reliability of our findings. Upon implementing the GMM system, we didn’t stop there. We conducted a comprehensive series of four post-estimation diagnostic tests. These tests were crucial in verifying the precision and accuracy of our model, ensuring that our results were not just statistically sound but also practically significant. The results obtained from the system GMM are presented in Table 2 . A careful comparison of these results with those in Table 1 reveals a high degree of consistency in the coefficients. While there are minor variances in the sizes of the coefficients and their statistical significance, these differences are small and do not detract from the overall conclusions. In fact, these results from Table 2 not only corroborate the initial observations reported in Table 1 but also add a layer of robustness and reliability to them.

This study’s primary objective was to explore the impacts of artificial intelligence and socioeconomic factors on religious freedom in 20 countries from 2000 to 2022. By employing a model that integrates both country-specific and year-specific fixed effects for our empirical analysis, we thoroughly investigated this relationship. The findings from our research indicate a negative impact of artificial intelligence on religious freedom. In addition, the study was dedicated to identifying the principal factors that influence religious freedom. The analysis of our empirical data demonstrates a positive correlation between religious freedom and variables such as economic development, political stability, and education levels. Conversely, our results also show that an increase in digitalization negatively impacts religious freedom. Moreover, the results obtained from the system generalized method of moments’ estimation strongly support these findings, providing robust validation for our initial observations. This strengthens the conclusion that the relationship between artificial intelligence and religious freedom is complex and influenced by various socioeconomic factors.

Based on the conclusion of this study, which highlights the multifaceted relationship between artificial intelligence and religious freedom, influenced by various socioeconomic factors, the following policy implications emerge: First, governments are advised to develop comprehensive regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence that carefully consider its potential effects on religious freedom. These frameworks should encompass guidelines for the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies, ensuring they do not unintentionally impinge on religious practices or beliefs. Additionally, these frameworks should include effective mechanisms for addressing any violations of religious freedom that may result from artificial intelligence applications. Second, in an era of increasing digitalization, it is essential for policymakers to balance the embrace of technological advancements with the protection of religious freedom. This may necessitate the enactment of more stringent privacy laws and surveillance regulations to avert the misuse of digital technologies in ways that could limit religious practices or lead to discrimination against certain religious groups. Third, given the positive correlation identified between economic development, political stability, and religious freedom, it is suggested that policies focused on promoting economic growth and political stability could indirectly contribute to the enhancement of religious freedom. Economic strategies aimed at fostering growth and reducing poverty, in tandem with maintaining a stable political climate, can create an environment more supportive of religious tolerance and freedom. Finally, considering the positive link between education levels and religious freedom, significant investment in education is crucial. Educational policies should not only aim at expanding access to education but also at integrating curricula that promote tolerance and understanding of diverse religious beliefs. Educating the younger generation about the significance of religious freedom and the societal impacts of technologies like artificial intelligence is a critical step towards fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society.

Reflecting on the findings of this study, it’s crucial to recognize its limitations and outline potential avenues for future research. Firstly, the study’s concentration on 20 countries may not encompass the entire global scenario. The dynamics of the relationship between artificial intelligence and religious freedom can vary across different regions and cultures, aspects that this study might not fully capture. Future research should strive to include a more diverse array of countries, particularly those from regions not represented in this study, to achieve a more global perspective on artificial intelligence’s impact on religious freedom. Secondly, the methodologies used to measure complex concepts like religious freedom and the influence of artificial intelligence could be limited in scope. Additionally, the variability in data quality and availability across different countries and years might have influenced the results of this study. Future studies could benefit from integrating qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews or case studies. These approaches would provide richer insights into the specific ways artificial intelligence affects religious freedom in various socio-political contexts. Lastly, while this study accounts for several critical socioeconomic factors, it may overlook other potential confounding variables. These unaccounted variables could play a significant role in shaping the interplay between artificial intelligence and religious freedom. Future research should consider examining additional variables and their interactions, particularly focusing on cultural factors and the impacts of various artificial intelligence technologies. Such exploration would aid in uncovering the more robust and relatable ways in which artificial intelligence can influence religious freedom.

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

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He, Y. Artificial intelligence and socioeconomic forces: transforming the landscape of religion. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 602 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03137-8

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5. The Literature Review
A literature review may consist of simply a summary of key sources, but in the social sciences, a literature review usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual categories.A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that ...
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A literature review is the systematic written analysis of previously published research on a specific topic or subject. A literature review is not merely a summary of another scholar's articles or books. Instead, it provides a contextual analysis of the data, ideas, or theoretical concepts presented in the article, book, or other publication.
How to Write a Literature Review
Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.
Literature review as a research methodology: An ...
This is why the literature review as a research method is more relevant than ever. Traditional literature reviews often lack thoroughness and rigor and are conducted ad hoc, rather than following a specific methodology. Therefore, questions can be raised about the quality and trustworthiness of these types of reviews. ... Social Sciences ...
Literature Review (Chapter 4)
A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources that establishes familiarity with and an understanding of current research in a particular field. It includes a critical analysis of the relationship among different works, seeking a synthesis and an explanation of gaps, while relating findings to the project at hand.
Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review
The review protocol is comparable to a research design in social science studies. It is a preset plan that specifies the methods utilized in conducting the review. The review protocol is absolutely crucial for rigorous systematic reviews (Okoli and Schabram 2010; Breretona et al. 2007).
Research Guides: Social Research Methods: Literature Reviews
Stand-alone Review Articles or Literature Reviews are common in the social sciences. The authors of these articles are experts, usually scholars. The review articles will address a current topic, lay out the main theories or ideas, recent developments in research, and suggest where further research is needed.
5.1 The Literature Review
The literature review involves an extensive study of research publications, books and other documents related to the defined problem. The study is important because it advises you, as a researcher, whether or not the problem you identified has already been solved by other researchers. It also confirms the status of the problem, techniques that ...
Home
Written by two highly-respected social scientists, provides an overview of systematic literature review methods: Outlining the rationale and methods of systematic reviews; Giving worked examples from social science and other fields; Applying the practice to all social science disciplines; It requires no previous knowledge, but takes the reader through the process stage by stage.
Preparing Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences: Overview
Doing a literature review: releasing the social science research imagination / Chris Hart. London: Sage Publications, 1998. [Van Pelt Reference: H62 .H2566 1998] ... on the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation" / David N. Boote and Penny Beile. Educational researcher vol. 34, no. 6 (August/September 2005): 3-15.
PDF Conducting a Literature Review
Literature Search Search Web of Science to track ideas across disciplines and time from over 1.7 billion cited references from over 171 million records. With Web of Science Core Collection, search the top journals, conference proceedings and books, in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities
Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences: Home
The term literature review can either refer to a type of research paper that relies on existing scholarly literature to help develop new ideas, or it can refer to a portion of a paper, in which a review of the existing literature serves to inform an original study that the paper documents. In the first case, the literature review serves as its ...
Research Guides: Writing in the Health and Social Sciences: What are
Literature reviews are are comprehensive summaries and syntheses of the previous research on a given topic. While narrative reviews are common across all academic disciplines, reviews that focus on appraising and synthesizing research evidence are increasingly important in the health and social sciences.. Most evidence synthesis methods use formal and explicit methods to identify, select and ...
Writing a Literature Review in Social Sciences
If you have a specific journal in mind to publish your research article, read the literature review section of 2-3 articles published in the journal. Read the "Instructions for Authors," a set of requirements to submit a paper to the journal, to see if there is any requirement on the literature review section of the paper.
Home
Process of Literature Review . This guide was created to help FSU graduate students in Social Sciences with writing a literature review. Whether you are writing a literature review for your term paper, research article, or thesis/dissertation, you will find some helpful tips for completing the task.
How to conduct literature review in social sciences research
1. An early review is needed to establish the context and. ra tionale for y our study and to confirm your choice of. resear ch focus/question; 2. As the study period gets longer, you need to make ...
Approaching the Social Impact of Research Through a Literature Review
This study conducts a systematic literature review of articles published in English until 2020 in the Web of Science database on the social impact of research. To the authors' knowledge, there are theoretical developments on the subject, but there is no systematic literature review on the social impact of research in all fields of study.
Significance of Literature Review in the Research of Social Sciences
The purpose of literature review is to provide background information, to establish importance, to demonstrate reliability and to carve out a space for further addition to research. Review of the ...
Characteristics of systematic reviews in the social sciences
The use of the systematic review as a research methodology in the social sciences is increasing, creating a need for social science librarians to become more familiar with the process (Riegelman & Kocher, 2018).Librarians, as information experts, can play an important role and contribute to the success of the overall project (Bullers et al., 2018; Dalton, 2019; Riegelman & Kocher, 2018).
The current phase of social sciences research: A thematic overview of
Social science research is a mechanism for socio-economic development as the process generates evidenced-based information that guild policy formulation and implementation, among others. ... A meta-analysis, as a form of the literature review, is laborious.. Although Gene Glass introduced the term meta-analysis in 1976, ...
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: A Scoping Review of Uncited Research
The novelty of this review is the provision of data from the research literature that focuses on "arts, humanities, and social sciences" which is known to be the least cited type of research of which continuity is under threat by current technological updates.
(PDF) Systematic Literature Reviews in Social Sciences ...
The objective of this article is to analyze the factors that may influence the results t of a systematic literature review (SLR) in Social Sciences and Humanities. It is a case study focused on ...
Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences
"A systematic review attempts to collate all empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria in order to answer a specific research question. It uses explicit, systematic methods that are selected with a view to minimizing bias, thus providing more reliable findings from which conclusions can be drawn and decisions made (Antman ...
A literature review of user privacy concerns in conversational chatbots
Research on privacy and conversational text-based chatbots has employed a diverse range of theories from such disciplines as social science, information technology management, and cognitive science. The theories are divided into subsections that detail social science, technology, and cognitive science theories applied in privacy oriented ...
Artificial intelligence and socioeconomic forces: transforming the
This research examines the influences of artificial intelligence and socioeconomic factors on religious freedom across 20 countries from 2000 to 2022. Employing a detailed model that integrates ...
Closing the Gap: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature on Closed
To our knowledge, other literature review papers in this field have covered older papers, and recent papers have been ignored in them. Another research contribution of this paper is the taxonomy of it. Results: This review article highlights some developing themes and research gaps in the CLSC literature and makes recommendations for further study.
Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab
Mission. The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives.
Online self-disclosure: An interdisciplinary literature review of 10
The review shows that online self-disclosure research overwhelmingly focuses on the individual and de-emphasizes structural elements that influence these practices and their outcomes. Based on these findings, we propose a structurational framework centered on the dialectic relationship between individuals and structures involved in self ...
Developing business incubation process frameworks: A systematic
This review offers a new research agenda to understand the incubation process. The business incubation process has proven increasingly important for startups, and there are now over 10,000 incubators globally, as well as a significant body of literature on the incubation process with an array of discussions on its interventions and outcomes.
Mining Heritage Reuse Risks: A Systematic Review
This research utilized a systematic literature review methodology to meticulously select 12 pertinent articles from a diverse array of sources, and the studies included are listed chronologically by the year of publication in Table 4. The chosen articles were published within the years spanning from 2012 to 2023.

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

Importance of a Good Literature Review

Structure and Writing Style

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Another Writing Tip

Yet Another Writing Tip

Social Research Methods

What is a Literature Review?

More kinds of review articles

Finding related articles

5.1 The Literature Review

Purpose of a literature review

Share This Book

Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences

Guides to conducting systematic reviews

Social Sciences Librarian

Types of reviews

Software to Manage Systematic Reviews: Covidence

Examples of social sciences systematic reviews

Learn about Research Methods

Preparing Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences: Overview

1. HANDBOOKS FOR THE LITERATURE REVIEW PROCESS

2. READING OTHER PEOPLE'S DISSERTATIONS

THE WORLD OF DISSERTATIONS

3. BROWSING LIKELY JOURNALS

JOURNAL CITATION REPORTS

JOURNAL DIRECTORIES, AUTHOR GUIDES, AND VADE-MECUMS

FINDING THE RIGHT DATABASE

4. CLEVER CITATION INDEX TRICKS

5. READING OTHER PEOPLE'S LITERATURE REVIEWS

LITERATURE REVIEWS IN PERIODICALS

6. TOUGH-TO-FIND LITERATURE

RESEARCH CENTERS, LEARNED SOCIETIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS

DATASET BIBLIOGRAPHIES

7. SPECIALIZED LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

8. READINGS ON LITERATURE REVIEWS

Librarian & Coordinator of Social Sciences Collections

Literature Reviews in the Social Sciences: Home

What is a literature review?

Writing Help

Why is a Literature Review Important?

Attribution Note

Writing in the Health and Social Sciences: What are Literature Reviews?

Types of Evidence Synthesis / Literature Reviews

Common Types of Literature Reviews 1

Integrative Review

Systematic Review

Meta-Analysis

Scoping Review

Rapid Review

Umbrella Review

Further Reading: Exploring Different Types of Literature Reviews

Integrative Reviews

Scoping Reviews

Systematic vs. Scoping Reviews: What's the Difference?

Rapid Reviews

Writing a Literature Review in Social Sciences

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