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How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of 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, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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See an example

Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

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To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.

Where, when, and why would I write a lit review?

There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.

A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.

Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.

What are the parts of a lit review?

Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.

Introduction:

• An introductory paragraph that explains what your working topic and thesis is
• A forecast of key topics or texts that will appear in the review
• Potentially, a description of how you found sources and how you analyzed them for inclusion and discussion in the review (more often found in published, standalone literature reviews than in lit review sections in an article or research paper)
• Summarize and synthesize: Give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: Don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically Evaluate: Mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: Use transition words and topic sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance
• Connect it back to your primary research question

How should I organize my lit review?

Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:

• Chronological : The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time, which helps familiarize the audience with the topic (for instance if you are introducing something that is not commonly known in your field). If you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order. Try to analyze the patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred (as mentioned previously, this may not be appropriate in your discipline — check with a teacher or mentor if you’re unsure).
• Thematic : If you have found some recurring central themes that you will continue working with throughout your piece, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic. For example, if you are reviewing literature about women and religion, key themes can include the role of women in churches and the religious attitude towards women.
• Qualitative versus quantitative research
• Empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the research by sociological, historical, or cultural sources
• Theoretical : In many humanities articles, the literature review is the foundation for the theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts. You can argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various theorical concepts to create a framework for your research.

What are some strategies or tips I can use while writing my lit review?

Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .

As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.

Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:

• It often helps to remember that the point of these kinds of syntheses is to show your readers how you understand your research, to help them read the rest of your paper.
• Writing teachers often say synthesis is like hosting a dinner party: imagine all your sources are together in a room, discussing your topic. What are they saying to each other?
• Look at the in-text citations in each paragraph. Are you citing just one source for each paragraph? This usually indicates summary only. When you have multiple sources cited in a paragraph, you are more likely to be synthesizing them (not always, but often
• Read more about synthesis here.

The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.

• UConn Library
• Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide
• Introduction

Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide — Introduction

• Getting Started
• How to Pick a Topic
• Strategies to Find Sources
• Evaluating Sources & Lit. Reviews
• Tips for Writing Literature Reviews
• Writing Literature Review: Useful Sites
• Citation Resources
• Other Academic Writings

What are Literature Reviews?

So, what is a literature review? "A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries." Taylor, D.  The literature review: A few tips on conducting it . University of Toronto Health Sciences Writing Centre.

Goals of Literature Reviews

What are the goals of creating a Literature Review?  A literature could be written to accomplish different aims:

• To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
• To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
• Identify a problem in a field of research 

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews .  Review of General Psychology , 1 (3), 311-320.

What kinds of sources require a Literature Review?

• A research paper assigned in a course
• A thesis or dissertation
• A grant proposal
• An article intended for publication in a journal

All these instances require you to collect what has been written about your research topic so that you can demonstrate how your own research sheds new light on the topic.

Types of Literature Reviews

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

Narrative review: The purpose of this type of review is to describe the current state of the research on a specific topic/research and to offer a critical analysis of the literature reviewed. Studies are grouped by research/theoretical categories, and themes and trends, strengths and weakness, and gaps are identified. The review ends with a conclusion section which summarizes the findings regarding the state of the research of the specific study, the gaps identify and if applicable, explains how the author's research will address gaps identify in the review and expand the knowledge on the topic reviewed.

• Example : Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework:  10.1177/08948453211037398  

Systematic review : "The authors of a systematic review use a specific procedure to search the research literature, select the studies to include in their review, and critically evaluate the studies they find." (p. 139). Nelson, L. K. (2013). Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders . Plural Publishing.

• Example : The effect of leave policies on increasing fertility: a systematic review:  10.1057/s41599-022-01270-w

Meta-analysis : "Meta-analysis is a method of reviewing research findings in a quantitative fashion by transforming the data from individual studies into what is called an effect size and then pooling and analyzing this information. The basic goal in meta-analysis is to explain why different outcomes have occurred in different studies." (p. 197). Roberts, M. C., & Ilardi, S. S. (2003). Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . Blackwell Publishing.

• Example : Employment Instability and Fertility in Europe: A Meta-Analysis:  10.1215/00703370-9164737

Meta-synthesis : "Qualitative meta-synthesis is a type of qualitative study that uses as data the findings from other qualitative studies linked by the same or related topic." (p.312). Zimmer, L. (2006). Qualitative meta-synthesis: A question of dialoguing with texts .  Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53 (3), 311-318.

• Example : Women’s perspectives on career successes and barriers: A qualitative meta-synthesis:  10.1177/05390184221113735

Literature Reviews in the Health Sciences

• UConn Health subject guide on systematic reviews Explanation of the different review types used in health sciences literature as well as tools to help you find the right review type
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• Next: How to Pick a Topic >>
• Last Updated: Sep 21, 2022 2:16 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uconn.edu/literaturereview

A Guide to Literature Reviews

Importance of a good literature review.

• Conducting the Literature Review
• Structure and Writing Style
• Types of Literature Reviews
• Citation Management Software This link opens in a new window
• Acknowledgements

A literature review is not only a summary of key sources, but  has an organizational pattern which 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.

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].
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• Next: Conducting the Literature Review >>
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Literature Review - what is a Literature Review, why it is important and how it is done

What are literature reviews, goals of literature reviews, types of literature reviews, about this guide/licence.

• Strategies to Find Sources
• Evaluating Literature Reviews and Sources
• Tips for Writing Literature Reviews
• Writing Literature Review: Useful Sites
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 What is a literature review? "A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries. " - Quote from Taylor, D. (n.d) "The literature review: A few tips on conducting it"

Source NC State University Libraries. This video is published under a Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license.

What are the goals of creating a Literature Review?

• To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
• To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
• Identify a problem in a field of research 

- Baumeister, R.F. & Leary, M.R. (1997). "Writing narrative literature reviews," Review of General Psychology , 1(3), 311-320.

When do you need to write a Literature Review?

• When writing a prospectus or a thesis/dissertation
• When writing a research paper
• When writing a grant proposal

In all these cases you need to dedicate a chapter in these works to showcase what have been written about your research topic and to point out how your own research will shed a new light into these body of scholarship.

Literature reviews are also written as standalone articles as a way to survey a particular research topic in-depth. This type of literature reviews look at a topic from a historical perspective to see how the understanding of the topic have change through time.

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

• Narrative Review: The purpose of this type of review is to describe the current state of the research on a specific topic/research and to offer a critical analysis of the literature reviewed. Studies are grouped by research/theoretical categories, and themes and trends, strengths and weakness, and gaps are identified. The review ends with a conclusion section which summarizes the findings regarding the state of the research of the specific study, the gaps identify and if applicable, explains how the author's research will address gaps identify in the review and expand the knowledge on the topic reviewed.
• Book review essays/ Historiographical review essays : This is a type of review that focus on a small set of research books on a particular topic " to locate these books within current scholarship, critical methodologies, and approaches" in the field. - LARR
• Systematic review : "The authors of a systematic review use a specific procedure to search the research literature, select the studies to include in their review, and critically evaluate the studies they find." (p. 139). Nelson, L.K. (2013). Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders . San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing.
• Meta-analysis : "Meta-analysis is a method of reviewing research findings in a quantitative fashion by transforming the data from individual studies into what is called an effect size and then pooling and analyzing this information. The basic goal in meta-analysis is to explain why different outcomes have occurred in different studies." (p. 197). Roberts, M.C. & Ilardi, S.S. (2003). Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
• Meta-synthesis : "Qualitative meta-synthesis is a type of qualitative study that uses as data the findings from other qualitative studies linked by the same or related topic." (p.312). Zimmer, L. (2006). "Qualitative meta-synthesis: A question of dialoguing with texts," Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53(3), 311-318.

Guide adapted from "Literature Review" , a guide developed by Marisol Ramos used under CC BY 4.0 /modified from original.

• Next: Strategies to Find Sources >>
• Last Updated: Jul 3, 2024 10:56 AM
• URL: https://lit.libguides.com/Literature-Review

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What is a Literature Review? How to Write It (with Examples)

A literature review is a critical analysis and synthesis of existing research on a particular topic. It provides an overview of the current state of knowledge, identifies gaps, and highlights key findings in the literature. 1 The purpose of a literature review is to situate your own research within the context of existing scholarship, demonstrating your understanding of the topic and showing how your work contributes to the ongoing conversation in the field. Learning how to write a literature review is a critical tool for successful research. Your ability to summarize and synthesize prior research pertaining to a certain topic demonstrates your grasp on the topic of study, and assists in the learning process. 

Table of Contents

• What is the purpose of literature review? 
• a. Habitat Loss and Species Extinction: 
• b. Range Shifts and Phenological Changes: 
• c. Ocean Acidification and Coral Reefs: 
• d. Adaptive Strategies and Conservation Efforts: 

How to write a good literature review 

• Choose a Topic and Define the Research Question: 
• Decide on the Scope of Your Review: 
• Select Databases for Searches: 
• Conduct Searches and Keep Track: 
• Review the Literature: 
• Organize and Write Your Literature Review: 
• How to write a literature review faster with Paperpal? 
• Frequently asked questions 

What is a literature review?

A well-conducted literature review demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the existing literature, establishes the context for their own research, and contributes to scholarly conversations on the topic. One of the purposes of a literature review is also to help researchers avoid duplicating previous work and ensure that their research is informed by and builds upon the existing body of knowledge.

What is the purpose of literature review?

A literature review serves several important purposes within academic and research contexts. Here are some key objectives and functions of a literature review: 2  

1. Contextualizing the Research Problem: The literature review provides a background and context for the research problem under investigation. It helps to situate the study within the existing body of knowledge. 

2. Identifying Gaps in Knowledge: By identifying gaps, contradictions, or areas requiring further research, the researcher can shape the research question and justify the significance of the study. This is crucial for ensuring that the new research contributes something novel to the field. 

Find academic papers related to your research topic faster. Try Research on Paperpal  

3. Understanding Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks: Literature reviews help researchers gain an understanding of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks used in previous studies. This aids in the development of a theoretical framework for the current research. 

4. Providing Methodological Insights: Another purpose of literature reviews is that it allows researchers to learn about the methodologies employed in previous studies. This can help in choosing appropriate research methods for the current study and avoiding pitfalls that others may have encountered. 

5. Establishing Credibility: A well-conducted literature review demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with existing scholarship, establishing their credibility and expertise in the field. It also helps in building a solid foundation for the new research. 

6. Informing Hypotheses or Research Questions: The literature review guides the formulation of hypotheses or research questions by highlighting relevant findings and areas of uncertainty in existing literature. 

Literature review example

Let’s delve deeper with a literature review example: Let’s say your literature review is about the impact of climate change on biodiversity. You might format your literature review into sections such as the effects of climate change on habitat loss and species extinction, phenological changes, and marine biodiversity. Each section would then summarize and analyze relevant studies in those areas, highlighting key findings and identifying gaps in the research. The review would conclude by emphasizing the need for further research on specific aspects of the relationship between climate change and biodiversity. The following literature review template provides a glimpse into the recommended literature review structure and content, demonstrating how research findings are organized around specific themes within a broader topic. 

Literature Review on Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity:

Climate change is a global phenomenon with far-reaching consequences, including significant impacts on biodiversity. This literature review synthesizes key findings from various studies: 

a. Habitat Loss and Species Extinction:

Climate change-induced alterations in temperature and precipitation patterns contribute to habitat loss, affecting numerous species (Thomas et al., 2004). The review discusses how these changes increase the risk of extinction, particularly for species with specific habitat requirements. 

b. Range Shifts and Phenological Changes:

Observations of range shifts and changes in the timing of biological events (phenology) are documented in response to changing climatic conditions (Parmesan & Yohe, 2003). These shifts affect ecosystems and may lead to mismatches between species and their resources. 

c. Ocean Acidification and Coral Reefs:

The review explores the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, emphasizing ocean acidification’s threat to coral reefs (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007). Changes in pH levels negatively affect coral calcification, disrupting the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. 

d. Adaptive Strategies and Conservation Efforts:

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the literature review discusses various adaptive strategies adopted by species and conservation efforts aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change on biodiversity (Hannah et al., 2007). It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches for effective conservation planning. 

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Writing a literature review involves summarizing and synthesizing existing research on a particular topic. A good literature review format should include the following elements. 

Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your literature review, providing context and introducing the main focus of your review. 

• Opening Statement: Begin with a general statement about the broader topic and its significance in the field. 
• Scope and Purpose: Clearly define the scope of your literature review. Explain the specific research question or objective you aim to address. 
• Organizational Framework: Briefly outline the structure of your literature review, indicating how you will categorize and discuss the existing research. 
• Significance of the Study: Highlight why your literature review is important and how it contributes to the understanding of the chosen topic. 
• Thesis Statement: Conclude the introduction with a concise thesis statement that outlines the main argument or perspective you will develop in the body of the literature review. 

Body: The body of the literature review is where you provide a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, grouping studies based on themes, methodologies, or other relevant criteria. 

• Organize by Theme or Concept: Group studies that share common themes, concepts, or methodologies. Discuss each theme or concept in detail, summarizing key findings and identifying gaps or areas of disagreement. 
• Critical Analysis: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each study. Discuss the methodologies used, the quality of evidence, and the overall contribution of each work to the understanding of the topic. 
• Synthesis of Findings: Synthesize the information from different studies to highlight trends, patterns, or areas of consensus in the literature. 
• Identification of Gaps: Discuss any gaps or limitations in the existing research and explain how your review contributes to filling these gaps. 
• Transition between Sections: Provide smooth transitions between different themes or concepts to maintain the flow of your literature review. 

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Conclusion: The conclusion of your literature review should summarize the main findings, highlight the contributions of the review, and suggest avenues for future research. 

• Summary of Key Findings: Recap the main findings from the literature and restate how they contribute to your research question or objective. 
• Contributions to the Field: Discuss the overall contribution of your literature review to the existing knowledge in the field. 
• Implications and Applications: Explore the practical implications of the findings and suggest how they might impact future research or practice. 
• Recommendations for Future Research: Identify areas that require further investigation and propose potential directions for future research in the field. 
• Final Thoughts: Conclude with a final reflection on the importance of your literature review and its relevance to the broader academic community. 

Conducting a literature review

Conducting a literature review is an essential step in research that involves reviewing and analyzing existing literature on a specific topic. It’s important to know how to do a literature review effectively, so here are the steps to follow: 1  

Choose a Topic and Define the Research Question:

• Select a topic that is relevant to your field of study. 
• Clearly define your research question or objective. Determine what specific aspect of the topic do you want to explore? 

Decide on the Scope of Your Review:

• Determine the timeframe for your literature review. Are you focusing on recent developments, or do you want a historical overview? 
• Consider the geographical scope. Is your review global, or are you focusing on a specific region? 
• Define the inclusion and exclusion criteria. What types of sources will you include? Are there specific types of studies or publications you will exclude? 

Select Databases for Searches:

• Identify relevant databases for your field. Examples include PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. 
• Consider searching in library catalogs, institutional repositories, and specialized databases related to your topic. 

Conduct Searches and Keep Track:

• Develop a systematic search strategy using keywords, Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), and other search techniques. 
• Record and document your search strategy for transparency and replicability. 
• Keep track of the articles, including publication details, abstracts, and links. Use citation management tools like EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley to organize your references. 

Review the Literature:

• Evaluate the relevance and quality of each source. Consider the methodology, sample size, and results of studies. 
• Organize the literature by themes or key concepts. Identify patterns, trends, and gaps in the existing research. 
• Summarize key findings and arguments from each source. Compare and contrast different perspectives. 
• Identify areas where there is a consensus in the literature and where there are conflicting opinions. 
• Provide critical analysis and synthesis of the literature. What are the strengths and weaknesses of existing research? 

Organize and Write Your Literature Review:

• Literature review outline should be based on themes, chronological order, or methodological approaches. 
• Write a clear and coherent narrative that synthesizes the information gathered. 
• Use proper citations for each source and ensure consistency in your citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). 
• Conclude your literature review by summarizing key findings, identifying gaps, and suggesting areas for future research. 

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How to write a literature review faster with Paperpal?

Paperpal, an AI writing assistant, integrates powerful academic search capabilities within its writing platform. With the Research feature, you get 100% factual insights, with citations backed by 250M+ verified research articles, directly within your writing interface with the option to save relevant references in your Citation Library. By eliminating the need to switch tabs to find answers to all your research questions, Paperpal saves time and helps you stay focused on your writing.   

Here’s how to use the Research feature:  

• Ask a question: Get started with a new document on paperpal.com. Click on the “Research” feature and type your question in plain English. Paperpal will scour over 250 million research articles, including conference papers and preprints, to provide you with accurate insights and citations. 
• Review and Save: Paperpal summarizes the information, while citing sources and listing relevant reads. You can quickly scan the results to identify relevant references and save these directly to your built-in citations library for later access. 
• Cite with Confidence: Paperpal makes it easy to incorporate relevant citations and references into your writing, ensuring your arguments are well-supported by credible sources. This translates to a polished, well-researched literature review. 

The literature review sample and detailed advice on writing and conducting a review will help you produce a well-structured report. But remember that a good literature review is an ongoing process, and it may be necessary to revisit and update it as your research progresses. By combining effortless research with an easy citation process, Paperpal Research streamlines the literature review process and empowers you to write faster and with more confidence. Try Paperpal Research now and see for yourself.  

Frequently asked questions

A literature review is a critical and comprehensive analysis of existing literature (published and unpublished works) on a specific topic or research question and provides a synthesis of the current state of knowledge in a particular field. A well-conducted literature review is crucial for researchers to build upon existing knowledge, avoid duplication of efforts, and contribute to the advancement of their field. It also helps researchers situate their work within a broader context and facilitates the development of a sound theoretical and conceptual framework for their studies.

Literature review is a crucial component of research writing, providing a solid background for a research paper’s investigation. The aim is to keep professionals up to date by providing an understanding of ongoing developments within a specific field, including research methods, and experimental techniques used in that field, and present that knowledge in the form of a written report. Also, the depth and breadth of the literature review emphasizes the credibility of the scholar in his or her field.  

Before writing a literature review, it’s essential to undertake several preparatory steps to ensure that your review is well-researched, organized, and focused. This includes choosing a topic of general interest to you and doing exploratory research on that topic, writing an annotated bibliography, and noting major points, especially those that relate to the position you have taken on the topic. 

Literature reviews and academic research papers are essential components of scholarly work but serve different purposes within the academic realm. 3 A literature review aims to provide a foundation for understanding the current state of research on a particular topic, identify gaps or controversies, and lay the groundwork for future research. Therefore, it draws heavily from existing academic sources, including books, journal articles, and other scholarly publications. In contrast, an academic research paper aims to present new knowledge, contribute to the academic discourse, and advance the understanding of a specific research question. Therefore, it involves a mix of existing literature (in the introduction and literature review sections) and original data or findings obtained through research methods. 

Literature reviews are essential components of academic and research papers, and various strategies can be employed to conduct them effectively. If you want to know how to write a literature review for a research paper, here are four common approaches that are often used by researchers.  Chronological Review: This strategy involves organizing the literature based on the chronological order of publication. It helps to trace the development of a topic over time, showing how ideas, theories, and research have evolved.  Thematic Review: Thematic reviews focus on identifying and analyzing themes or topics that cut across different studies. Instead of organizing the literature chronologically, it is grouped by key themes or concepts, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of various aspects of the topic.  Methodological Review: This strategy involves organizing the literature based on the research methods employed in different studies. It helps to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of various methodologies and allows the reader to evaluate the reliability and validity of the research findings.  Theoretical Review: A theoretical review examines the literature based on the theoretical frameworks used in different studies. This approach helps to identify the key theories that have been applied to the topic and assess their contributions to the understanding of the subject.  It’s important to note that these strategies are not mutually exclusive, and a literature review may combine elements of more than one approach. The choice of strategy depends on the research question, the nature of the literature available, and the goals of the review. Additionally, other strategies, such as integrative reviews or systematic reviews, may be employed depending on the specific requirements of the research.

The literature review format can vary depending on the specific publication guidelines. However, there are some common elements and structures that are often followed. Here is a general guideline for the format of a literature review:  Introduction:   Provide an overview of the topic.  Define the scope and purpose of the literature review.  State the research question or objective.  Body:   Organize the literature by themes, concepts, or chronology.  Critically analyze and evaluate each source.  Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the studies.  Highlight any methodological limitations or biases.  Identify patterns, connections, or contradictions in the existing research.  Conclusion:   Summarize the key points discussed in the literature review.  Highlight the research gap.  Address the research question or objective stated in the introduction.  Highlight the contributions of the review and suggest directions for future research.

Both annotated bibliographies and literature reviews involve the examination of scholarly sources. While annotated bibliographies focus on individual sources with brief annotations, literature reviews provide a more in-depth, integrated, and comprehensive analysis of existing literature on a specific topic. The key differences are as follows: 

References 

• Denney, A. S., & Tewksbury, R. (2013). How to write a literature review.  Journal of criminal justice education ,  24 (2), 218-234. 
• Pan, M. L. (2016).  Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches . Taylor & Francis. 
• Cantero, C. (2019). How to write a literature review.  San José State University Writing Center . 

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Libraries | Research Guides

Literature reviews, what is a literature review, learning more about how to do a literature review.

• Planning the Review
• The Research Question
• Choosing Where to Search
• Organizing the Review
• Writing the Review

A literature review is a review and synthesis of existing research on a topic or research question. A literature review is meant to analyze the scholarly literature, make connections across writings and identify strengths, weaknesses, trends, and missing conversations. A literature review should address different aspects of a topic as it relates to your research question. A literature review goes beyond a description or summary of the literature you have read. 

• Sage Research Methods Core This link opens in a new window SAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process. SAGE Research Methods is the ultimate methods library with more than 1000 books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences, including the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online from any scholarly publisher. – Publisher

• Next: Planning the Review >>
• Last Updated: Jul 8, 2024 11:22 AM
• URL: https://libguides.northwestern.edu/literaturereviews

What Is A Literature Review?

A plain-language explainer (with examples).

By:  Derek Jansen (MBA) & Kerryn Warren (PhD) | June 2020 (Updated May 2023)

If you’re faced with writing a dissertation or thesis, chances are you’ve encountered the term “literature review” . If you’re on this page, you’re probably not 100% what the literature review is all about. The good news is that you’ve come to the right place.

Literature Review 101

• What (exactly) is a literature review
• What’s the purpose of the literature review chapter
• How to find high-quality resources
• How to structure your literature review chapter
• Example of an actual literature review

What is a literature review?

The word “literature review” can refer to two related things that are part of the broader literature review process. The first is the task of  reviewing the literature  – i.e. sourcing and reading through the existing research relating to your research topic. The second is the  actual chapter  that you write up in your dissertation, thesis or research project. Let’s look at each of them:

Reviewing the literature

The first step of any literature review is to hunt down and  read through the existing research  that’s relevant to your research topic. To do this, you’ll use a combination of tools (we’ll discuss some of these later) to find journal articles, books, ebooks, research reports, dissertations, theses and any other credible sources of information that relate to your topic. You’ll then  summarise and catalogue these  for easy reference when you write up your literature review chapter. 

The literature review chapter

The second step of the literature review is to write the actual literature review chapter (this is usually the second chapter in a typical dissertation or thesis structure ). At the simplest level, the literature review chapter is an  overview of the key literature  that’s relevant to your research topic. This chapter should provide a smooth-flowing discussion of what research has already been done, what is known, what is unknown and what is contested in relation to your research topic. So, you can think of it as an  integrated review of the state of knowledge  around your research topic. 

What’s the purpose of a literature review?

The literature review chapter has a few important functions within your dissertation, thesis or research project. Let’s take a look at these:

Purpose #1 – Demonstrate your topic knowledge

The first function of the literature review chapter is, quite simply, to show the reader (or marker) that you  know what you’re talking about . In other words, a good literature review chapter demonstrates that you’ve read the relevant existing research and understand what’s going on – who’s said what, what’s agreed upon, disagreed upon and so on. This needs to be  more than just a summary  of who said what – it needs to integrate the existing research to  show how it all fits together  and what’s missing (which leads us to purpose #2, next). 

Purpose #2 – Reveal the research gap that you’ll fill

The second function of the literature review chapter is to  show what’s currently missing  from the existing research, to lay the foundation for your own research topic. In other words, your literature review chapter needs to show that there are currently “missing pieces” in terms of the bigger puzzle, and that  your study will fill one of those research gaps . By doing this, you are showing that your research topic is original and will help contribute to the body of knowledge. In other words, the literature review helps justify your research topic.  

Purpose #3 – Lay the foundation for your conceptual framework

The third function of the literature review is to form the  basis for a conceptual framework . Not every research topic will necessarily have a conceptual framework, but if your topic does require one, it needs to be rooted in your literature review. 

For example, let’s say your research aims to identify the drivers of a certain outcome – the factors which contribute to burnout in office workers. In this case, you’d likely develop a conceptual framework which details the potential factors (e.g. long hours, excessive stress, etc), as well as the outcome (burnout). Those factors would need to emerge from the literature review chapter – they can’t just come from your gut! 

So, in this case, the literature review chapter would uncover each of the potential factors (based on previous studies about burnout), which would then be modelled into a framework. 

Purpose #4 – To inform your methodology

The fourth function of the literature review is to  inform the choice of methodology  for your own research. As we’ve  discussed on the Grad Coach blog , your choice of methodology will be heavily influenced by your research aims, objectives and questions . Given that you’ll be reviewing studies covering a topic close to yours, it makes sense that you could learn a lot from their (well-considered) methodologies.

So, when you’re reviewing the literature, you’ll need to  pay close attention to the research design , methodology and methods used in similar studies, and use these to inform your methodology. Quite often, you’ll be able to  “borrow” from previous studies . This is especially true for quantitative studies , as you can use previously tried and tested measures and scales. 

How do I find articles for my literature review?

Finding quality journal articles is essential to crafting a rock-solid literature review. As you probably already know, not all research is created equally, and so you need to make sure that your literature review is  built on credible research . 

We could write an entire post on how to find quality literature (actually, we have ), but a good starting point is Google Scholar . Google Scholar is essentially the academic equivalent of Google, using Google’s powerful search capabilities to find relevant journal articles and reports. It certainly doesn’t cover every possible resource, but it’s a very useful way to get started on your literature review journey, as it will very quickly give you a good indication of what the  most popular pieces of research  are in your field.

One downside of Google Scholar is that it’s merely a search engine – that is, it lists the articles, but oftentimes  it doesn’t host the articles . So you’ll often hit a paywall when clicking through to journal websites. 

Thankfully, your university should provide you with access to their library, so you can find the article titles using Google Scholar and then search for them by name in your university’s online library. Your university may also provide you with access to  ResearchGate , which is another great source for existing research. 

Remember, the correct search keywords will be super important to get the right information from the start. So, pay close attention to the keywords used in the journal articles you read and use those keywords to search for more articles. If you can’t find a spoon in the kitchen, you haven’t looked in the right drawer. 

Need a helping hand?

How should I structure my literature review?

Unfortunately, there’s no generic universal answer for this one. The structure of your literature review will depend largely on your topic area and your research aims and objectives.

You could potentially structure your literature review chapter according to theme, group, variables , chronologically or per concepts in your field of research. We explain the main approaches to structuring your literature review here . You can also download a copy of our free literature review template to help you establish an initial structure.

In general, it’s also a good idea to start wide (i.e. the big-picture-level) and then narrow down, ending your literature review close to your research questions . However, there’s no universal one “right way” to structure your literature review. The most important thing is not to discuss your sources one after the other like a list – as we touched on earlier, your literature review needs to synthesise the research , not summarise it .

Ultimately, you need to craft your literature review so that it conveys the most important information effectively – it needs to tell a logical story in a digestible way. It’s no use starting off with highly technical terms and then only explaining what these terms mean later. Always assume your reader is not a subject matter expert and hold their hand through a journe y of the literature while keeping the functions of the literature review chapter (which we discussed earlier) front of mind.

Example of a literature review

In the video below, we walk you through a high-quality literature review from a dissertation that earned full distinction. This will give you a clearer view of what a strong literature review looks like in practice and hopefully provide some inspiration for your own. 

Wrapping Up

In this post, we’ve (hopefully) answered the question, “ what is a literature review? “. We’ve also considered the purpose and functions of the literature review, as well as how to find literature and how to structure the literature review chapter. If you’re keen to learn more, check out the literature review section of the Grad Coach blog , as well as our detailed video post covering how to write a literature review . 

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Literature Review Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

16 Comments

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• Writing Tips

What is the Purpose of a Literature Review?

4-minute read

• 23rd October 2023

If you’re writing a research paper or dissertation , then you’ll most likely need to include a comprehensive literature review . In this post, we’ll review the purpose of literature reviews, why they are so significant, and the specific elements to include in one. Literature reviews can:

1. Provide a foundation for current research.

2. Define key concepts and theories.

3. Demonstrate critical evaluation.

4. Show how research and methodologies have evolved.

5. Identify gaps in existing research.

6. Support your argument.

Keep reading to enter the exciting world of literature reviews!

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a critical summary and evaluation of the existing research (e.g., academic journal articles and books) on a specific topic. It is typically included as a separate section or chapter of a research paper or dissertation, serving as a contextual framework for a study. Literature reviews can vary in length depending on the subject and nature of the study, with most being about equal length to other sections or chapters included in the paper. Essentially, the literature review highlights previous studies in the context of your research and summarizes your insights in a structured, organized format. Next, let’s look at the overall purpose of a literature review.

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Literature reviews are considered an integral part of research across most academic subjects and fields. The primary purpose of a literature review in your study is to:

Provide a Foundation for Current Research

Since the literature review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the existing research, it serves as a solid foundation for your current study. It’s a way to contextualize your work and show how your research fits into the broader landscape of your specific area of study.  

Define Key Concepts and Theories

The literature review highlights the central theories and concepts that have arisen from previous research on your chosen topic. It gives your readers a more thorough understanding of the background of your study and why your research is particularly significant .

Demonstrate Critical Evaluation 

A comprehensive literature review shows your ability to critically analyze and evaluate a broad range of source material. And since you’re considering and acknowledging the contribution of key scholars alongside your own, it establishes your own credibility and knowledge.

Show How Research and Methodologies Have Evolved

Another purpose of literature reviews is to provide a historical perspective and demonstrate how research and methodologies have changed over time, especially as data collection methods and technology have advanced. And studying past methodologies allows you, as the researcher, to understand what did and did not work and apply that knowledge to your own research.  

Identify Gaps in Existing Research

Besides discussing current research and methodologies, the literature review should also address areas that are lacking in the existing literature. This helps further demonstrate the relevance of your own research by explaining why your study is necessary to fill the gaps.

Support Your Argument

A good literature review should provide evidence that supports your research questions and hypothesis. For example, your study may show that your research supports existing theories or builds on them in some way. Referencing previous related studies shows your work is grounded in established research and will ultimately be a contribution to the field.  

Literature Review Editing Services 

Ensure your literature review is polished and ready for submission by having it professionally proofread and edited by our expert team. Our literature review editing services will help your research stand out and make an impact. Not convinced yet? Send in your free sample today and see for yourself! 

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• University of Texas Libraries

Literature Reviews

• What is a literature review?
• Steps in the Literature Review Process
• Define your research question
• Determine inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Choose databases and search
• Review Results
• Synthesize Results
• Analyze Results
• Librarian Support
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

What is a Literature Review?

A literature or narrative review is a comprehensive review and analysis of the published literature on a specific topic or research question. The literature that is reviewed contains: books, articles, academic articles, conference proceedings, association papers, and dissertations. It contains the most pertinent studies and points to important past and current research and practices. It provides background and context, and shows how your research will contribute to the field. 

A literature review should: 

• Provide a comprehensive and updated review of the literature;
• Explain why this review has taken place;
• Articulate a position or hypothesis;
• Acknowledge and account for conflicting and corroborating points of view

From  S age Research Methods

Purpose of a Literature Review

A literature review can be written as an introduction to a study to:

• Demonstrate how a study fills a gap in research
• Compare a study with other research that's been done

Or it can be a separate work (a research article on its own) which:

• Organizes or describes a topic
• Describes variables within a particular issue/problem

Limitations of a Literature Review

Some of the limitations of a literature review are:

• It's a snapshot in time. Unlike other reviews, this one has beginning, a middle and an end. There may be future developments that could make your work less relevant.
• It may be too focused. Some niche studies may miss the bigger picture.
• It can be difficult to be comprehensive. There is no way to make sure all the literature on a topic was considered.
• It is easy to be biased if you stick to top tier journals. There may be other places where people are publishing exemplary research. Look to open access publications and conferences to reflect a more inclusive collection. Also, make sure to include opposing views (and not just supporting evidence).

Source: Grant, Maria J., and Andrew Booth. “A Typology of Reviews: An Analysis of 14 Review Types and Associated Methodologies.” Health Information & Libraries Journal, vol. 26, no. 2, June 2009, pp. 91–108. Wiley Online Library, doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x.

Meryl Brodsky : Communication and Information Studies

Hannah Chapman Tripp : Biology, Neuroscience

Carolyn Cunningham : Human Development & Family Sciences, Psychology, Sociology

Larayne Dallas : Engineering

Janelle Hedstrom : Special Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Ed Leadership & Policy ​

Susan Macicak : Linguistics

Imelda Vetter : Dell Medical School

For help in other subject areas, please see the guide to library specialists by subject .

Periodically, UT Libraries runs a workshop covering the basics and library support for literature reviews. While we try to offer these once per academic year, we find providing the recording to be helpful to community members who have missed the session. Following is the most recent recording of the workshop, Conducting a Literature Review. To view the recording, a UT login is required.

• October 26, 2022 recording
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Conducting a literature review: why do a literature review, why do a literature review.

• How To Find "The Literature"
• Found it -- Now What?

Besides the obvious reason for students -- because it is assigned! -- a literature review helps you explore the research that has come before you, to see how your research question has (or has not) already been addressed.

You identify:

• core research in the field
• experts in the subject area
• methodology you may want to use (or avoid)
• gaps in knowledge -- or where your research would fit in

It Also Helps You:

• Publish and share your findings
• Justify requests for grants and other funding
• Identify best practices to inform practice
• Set wider context for a program evaluation
• Compile information to support community organizing

Great brief overview, from NCSU

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Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide: Literature Reviews?

• Literature Reviews?
• Strategies to Finding Sources
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What is a Literature Review?

So, what is a literature review .

"A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available or a set of summaries." - Quote from Taylor, D. (n.d)."The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting it".

• Citation: "The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting it"

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

Each field has a particular way to do reviews for academic research literature. In the social sciences and humanities the most common are:

• Narrative Reviews: The purpose of this type of review is to describe the current state of the research on a specific research topic and to offer a critical analysis of the literature reviewed. Studies are grouped by research/theoretical categories, and themes and trends, strengths and weaknesses, and gaps are identified. The review ends with a conclusion section that summarizes the findings regarding the state of the research of the specific study, the gaps identify and if applicable, explains how the author's research will address gaps identify in the review and expand the knowledge on the topic reviewed.
• Book review essays/ Historiographical review essays : A type of literature review typical in History and related fields, e.g., Latin American studies. For example, the Latin American Research Review explains that the purpose of this type of review is to “(1) to familiarize readers with the subject, approach, arguments, and conclusions found in a group of books whose common focus is a historical period; a country or region within Latin America; or a practice, development, or issue of interest to specialists and others; (2) to locate these books within current scholarship, critical methodologies, and approaches; and (3) to probe the relation of these new books to previous work on the subject, especially canonical texts. Unlike individual book reviews, the cluster reviews found in LARR seek to address the state of the field or discipline and not solely the works at issue.” - LARR

What are the Goals of Creating a Literature Review?

• To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
• To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
• Identify a problem in a field of research 
• Baumeister, R.F. & Leary, M.R. (1997). "Writing narrative literature reviews," Review of General Psychology , 1(3), 311-320.

When do you need to write a Literature Review?

• When writing a prospectus or a thesis/dissertation
• When writing a research paper
• When writing a grant proposal

In all these cases you need to dedicate a chapter in these works to showcase what has been written about your research topic and to point out how your own research will shed new light into a body of scholarship.

Where I can find examples of Literature Reviews?

Note:  In the humanities, even if they don't use the term "literature review", they may have a dedicated  chapter that reviewed the "critical bibliography" or they incorporated that review in the introduction or first chapter of the dissertation, book, or article.

• UCSB electronic theses and dissertations In partnership with the Graduate Division, the UC Santa Barbara Library is making available theses and dissertations produced by UCSB students. Currently included in ADRL are theses and dissertations that were originally filed electronically, starting in 2011. In future phases of ADRL, all theses and dissertations created by UCSB students may be digitized and made available.

Where to Find Standalone Literature Reviews

Literature reviews are also written as standalone articles as a way to survey a particular research topic in-depth. This type of literature review looks at a topic from a historical perspective to see how the understanding of the topic has changed over time. 

• Find e-Journals for Standalone Literature Reviews The best way to get familiar with and to learn how to write literature reviews is by reading them. You can use our Journal Search option to find journals that specialize in publishing literature reviews from major disciplines like anthropology, sociology, etc. Usually these titles are called, "Annual Review of [discipline name] OR [Discipline name] Review. This option works best if you know the title of the publication you are looking for. Below are some examples of these journals! more... less... Journal Search can be found by hovering over the link for Research on the library website.

Social Sciences

• Annual Review of Anthropology
• Annual Review of Political Science
• Annual Review of Sociology
• Ethnic Studies Review

Hard science and health sciences:

• Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science
• Annual Review of Materials Science
• Systematic Review From journal site: "The journal Systematic Reviews encompasses all aspects of the design, conduct, and reporting of systematic reviews" in the health sciences.
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What is a literature review?

A literature review is an integrated analysis -- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings and other relevant evidence related directly to your research question.  That is, it represents a synthesis of the evidence that provides background information on your topic and shows a association between the evidence and your research question.

A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment.  Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.

Why is it 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.
• Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
• Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
• Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
• Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.

APA7 Style resources

APA Style Blog - for those harder to find answers

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by your central research question.  The literature represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

• Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.  Is it manageable?
• Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
• If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor and your class mates.

2. Decide on the scope of your review

How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover? 

• This may depend on your assignment.  How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.

Make a list of the databases you will search. 

Where to find databases:

• use the tabs on this guide
• Find other databases in the Nursing Information Resources web page
• More on the Medical Library web page
• ... and more on the Yale University Library web page

4. Conduct your searches to find the evidence. Keep track of your searches.

• Use the key words in your question, as well as synonyms for those words, as terms in your search. Use the database tutorials for help.
• Save the searches in the databases. This saves time when you want to redo, or modify, the searches. It is also helpful to use as a guide is the searches are not finding any useful results.
• Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
• Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
• Check with your professor, or a subject expert in the field, if you are missing any key works in the field.
• Ask your librarian for help at any time.
• Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations. See the EndNote tutorials for help.

Review the literature

Some questions to help you analyze the research:

• What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
• Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
• What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.
• Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
• If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
• How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? If so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips: 

• Review the abstracts carefully.  
• Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
• Create a matrix of the studies for easy analysis, and synthesis, across all of the studies.
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Common Paper Types

• Literature Review
• Scoping Review
• Systematic Review
• Author Profile

Understanding Literature Reviews 

I.  Getting Started with a Workshop Video  (Highly recommended!)

• Searching for Literature Reviews: Before You Write, You Have to Find   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9la5ytz9MmM

          A lecture by the Writing Center, TAMU.

II.  What is a Literature Review?

• Generally, the purpose of a review is to analyze critically a segment of a published body of knowledge through summary, classification, and comparison of prior research studies, reviews of literature, and theoretical articles. <http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html>  
•  A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. 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. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant.  < http://writingcenter.unc.edu/resources/handouts-demos/specific-writing-assignments/literature-reviews >  
•  A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic...Its ultimate goal is to bring the reader up to date with current literature on a topic and forms the basis for another goal, such as future research that may be needed in the area. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature_review>

III.  What Major Steps Literature Reviews Require?

• 1. Develop a review protocol. Protocols define the scope of studies that will be reviewed, the process through which studies will be identified, and the outcomes that will be examined. Protocols also specify the time period during which relevant studies will have been conducted, the outcomes to be examined in the review, and keyword strategies for the literature search. 2. Identify relevant studies, often through a systematic search of the literature. 3. Screen studies for relevance and the adequacy of study design, implementation, and reporting. 4. Retrieve and summarize information on the intervention studied, the study characteristics, and the study findings. 5. Combine findings within studies and across studies when relevant. < http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/reference_resources/wwc_procedures_v2_1_standards_handbook.pdf>  
• The basic stages in a typical research project are: i) identify your topic of interest, ii) perform a literature review, iii) generate related questions, iv) state your unsolved problem or hypothesis, v) find or develop a solution, and vi) document your results.  
• The four stages required: Problem formulation—which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues? Literature search—finding materials relevant to the subject being explored Data evaluation—determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic Analysis and interpretation—discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature < http://library.ucsc.edu/help/howto/write-a-literature-review#components >

IV.    What Basic Elements Comprise a Literature Review?   

• An overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the objectives of the literature review
• Division of works under review into categories (e.g. those in support of a particular position, those against, and those offering alternative theses entirely)
• 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    

          < http://library.ucsc.edu/help/howto/write-a-literature-review#components > V.    Which Citation Tool Are You Going to Use to Manage the Search Results?

•   Choose your citation tool before conducing your literature reviews. If you decide to use  RefWorks , the information can be found at  http://tamu.libguides.com/refworks .          

VII. Other Useful Guides

• Literature Reviews (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It
• How to Write a Literature Review  (UCSC)
• Learn how to write a review of literature  (WISC)
• Reviewing the Literature
• Next: Scoping Review >>
• Last Updated: Aug 5, 2024 7:43 AM
• URL: https://tamu.libguides.com/c.php?g=1415100

Research Methods

• Getting Started
• Literature Review Research
• Research Design
• Research Design By Discipline
• SAGE Research Methods
• Teaching with SAGE Research Methods

Literature Review

• What is a Literature Review?
• What is NOT a Literature Review?
• Purposes of a Literature Review
• Types of Literature Reviews
• Literature Reviews vs. Systematic Reviews
• Systematic vs. Meta-Analysis

Literature Review  is a comprehensive survey of the works published in a particular field of study or line of research, usually over a specific period of time, in the form of an in-depth, critical bibliographic essay or annotated list in which attention is drawn to the most significant works.

Also, we can define a literature review as the collected body of scholarly works related to a topic:

• Summarizes and analyzes previous research relevant to a topic
• Includes scholarly books and articles published in academic journals
• Can be an specific scholarly paper or a section in a research paper

The objective of a Literature Review is to find previous published scholarly works relevant to an specific topic

• Help gather ideas or information
• Keep up to date in current trends and findings
• Help develop new questions

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.

All content in this section is from Literature Review Research from Old Dominion University 

Keep in mind the following, a literature review is NOT:

Not an essay 

Not an annotated bibliography  in which you summarize each article that you have reviewed.  A literature review goes beyond basic summarizing to focus on the critical analysis of the reviewed works and their relationship to your research question.

Not a research paper   where you select resources to support one side of an issue versus another.  A lit review should explain and consider all sides of an argument in order to avoid bias, and areas of agreement and disagreement should be highlighted.

A literature review serves several purposes. For example, it

• provides thorough knowledge of previous studies; introduces seminal works.
• helps focus one’s own research topic.
• identifies a conceptual framework for one’s own research questions or problems; indicates potential directions for future research.
• suggests previously unused or underused methodologies, designs, quantitative and qualitative strategies.
• identifies gaps in previous studies; identifies flawed methodologies and/or theoretical approaches; avoids replication of mistakes.
• helps the researcher avoid repetition of earlier research.
• suggests unexplored populations.
• determines whether past studies agree or disagree; identifies controversy in the literature.
• tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.

As Kennedy (2007) notes*, 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 original studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally that become part of the lore of 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 several approaches to how they can be done, depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study. Listed below are definitions of types of literature reviews:

Argumentative Review      This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply imbedded 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 to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews.

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. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication.

Historical Review      Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical reviews are focused 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 [content], but how they said it [method of analysis]. This approach provides a framework of understanding at different levels (i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches and data collection and analysis techniques), enables researchers to draw on 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, and helps highlight many ethical issues which we should be aware of and consider as we go through our 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 analyse data from the studies that are included in the review. 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?"

Theoretical Review      The purpose of this form is to concretely examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review help 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.

* Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature."  Educational Researcher  36 (April 2007): 139-147.

All content in this section is from The Literature Review created by Dr. Robert Larabee USC

Robinson, P. and Lowe, J. (2015),  Literature reviews vs systematic reviews.  Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39: 103-103. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12393

What's in the name? The difference between a Systematic Review and a Literature Review, and why it matters . By Lynn Kysh from University of Southern California

Systematic review or meta-analysis?

A  systematic review  answers a defined research question by collecting and summarizing all empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria.

A  meta-analysis  is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of these studies.

Systematic reviews, just like other research articles, can be of varying quality. They are a significant piece of work (the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at York estimates that a team will take 9-24 months), and to be useful to other researchers and practitioners they should have:

• clearly stated objectives with pre-defined eligibility criteria for studies
• explicit, reproducible methodology
• a systematic search that attempts to identify all studies
• assessment of the validity of the findings of the included studies (e.g. risk of bias)
• systematic presentation, and synthesis, of the characteristics and findings of the included studies

Not all systematic reviews contain meta-analysis. 

Meta-analysis is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of independent studies. By combining information from all relevant studies, meta-analysis can provide more precise estimates of the effects of health care than those derived from the individual studies included within a review.  More information on meta-analyses can be found in  Cochrane Handbook, Chapter 9 .

A meta-analysis goes beyond critique and integration and conducts secondary statistical analysis on the outcomes of similar studies.  It is a systematic review that uses quantitative methods to synthesize and summarize the results.

An advantage of a meta-analysis is the ability to be completely objective in evaluating research findings.  Not all topics, however, have sufficient research evidence to allow a meta-analysis to be conducted.  In that case, an integrative review is an appropriate strategy. 

Some of the content in this section is from Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: step by step guide created by Kate McAllister.

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Literature Review: A Definition

What is a literature review, then.

A literature review discusses and analyses published information in a particular subject area.   Sometimes the information covers a certain time period.

A literature review is more than a summary of the sources, it 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, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant.

But how is a literature review different from an academic research paper?

While the main focus of an academic research paper is to support your own argument, the focus of a literature review is to summarize and synthesize the arguments and ideas of others. The academic research paper also covers a range of sources, but it is usually a select number of sources, because the emphasis is on the argument. Likewise, a literature review can also have an "argument," but it is not as important as covering a number of sources. In short, an academic research paper and a literature review contain some of the same elements. In fact, many academic research papers will contain a literature review section. What aspect of the study (either the argument or the sources) that is emphasized determines what type of document it is.

( "Literature Reviews" from The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill )

Why do we write literature reviews?

Literature reviews provide you with a handy guide to a particular topic. If you have limited time to conduct research, literature reviews can give you an overview or act as a stepping stone.

For professionals, they are useful reports that keep them up to date with what is current in the field.

For scholars, the depth and breadth of the literature review emphasizes the credibility of the writer in his or her field. Literature reviews also provide a solid background for a research paper's investigation.

Comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field is essential to most research papers.

Journal Articles on Writing Literature Reviews

• Research Methods for Comprehensive Science Literature Reviews Author: Brown,Barry N. Journal: Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship Date: Spring2009 Issue: 57 Page: 1 more... less... Finding some information on most topics is easy. There are abundant sources of information readily available. However, completing a comprehensive literature review on a particular topic is often difficult, laborious, and time intensive; the project requires organization, persistence, and an understanding of the scholarly communication and publishing process. This paper briefly outlines methods of conducting a comprehensive literature review for science topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR];
• Research: Considerations in Writing a Literature Review Authors: Black,K. Journal: The New Social Worker Date: 01/01; 2007 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Page: 12 more... less... Literature reviews are ubiquitous in academic journals, scholarly reports, and social work education. Conducting and writing a good literature review is both personally and professionally satisfying. (Journal abstract).
• How to do (or not to do) A Critical Literature Review Authors: Jesson,Jill; Lacey,Fiona Journal: Pharmacy Education Pub Date: 2006 Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Pages:139 - 148 more... less... More and more students are required to perform a critical literature review as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate studies. Whilst most of the latest research methods textbooks advise how to do a literature search, very few cover the literature review. This paper covers two types of review: a critical literature review and a systematic review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
• Conducting a Literature Review Authors: Rowley,Jennifer; Slack,Frances Journal: Management Research News Pub Date: 2004 Volume: 27 Issue: 6 Pages:31-39 more... less... Abstract: This article offers support and guidance for students undertaking a literature review as part of their dissertation during an undergraduate or Masters course. A literature review is a summary of a subject field that supports the identification of specific research questions. A literature review needs to draw on and evaluate a range of different types of sources including academic and professional journal articles, books, and web-based resources. The literature search helps in the identification and location of relevant documents and other sources. Search engines can be used to search web resources and bibliographic databases. Conceptual frameworks can be a useful tool in developing an understanding of a subject area. Creating the literature review involves the stages of: scanning, making notes, structuring the literature review, writing the literature review, and building a bibliography.

Some Books from the WU Catalog

• The SAGE handbook of visual research methods [electronic resource] by Edited by Luc Pauwels and Dawn Mannay. ISBN: 9781526417015 Publication Date: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2020.

Helpful Websites

• "How to do a Literature Review" from Ferdinand D. Bluford Library
• "The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It." from the University of Toronto
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Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review

Marco pautasso.

1 Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE), CNRS, Montpellier, France

2 Centre for Biodiversity Synthesis and Analysis (CESAB), FRB, Aix-en-Provence, France

Literature reviews are in great demand in most scientific fields. Their need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications [1] . For example, compared to 1991, in 2008 three, eight, and forty times more papers were indexed in Web of Science on malaria, obesity, and biodiversity, respectively [2] . Given such mountains of papers, scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every single new paper relevant to their interests [3] . Thus, it is both advantageous and necessary to rely on regular summaries of the recent literature. Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read [4] . For such summaries to be useful, however, they need to be compiled in a professional way [5] .

When starting from scratch, reviewing the literature can require a titanic amount of work. That is why researchers who have spent their career working on a certain research issue are in a perfect position to review that literature. Some graduate schools are now offering courses in reviewing the literature, given that most research students start their project by producing an overview of what has already been done on their research issue [6] . However, it is likely that most scientists have not thought in detail about how to approach and carry out a literature review.

Reviewing the literature requires the ability to juggle multiple tasks, from finding and evaluating relevant material to synthesising information from various sources, from critical thinking to paraphrasing, evaluating, and citation skills [7] . In this contribution, I share ten simple rules I learned working on about 25 literature reviews as a PhD and postdoctoral student. Ideas and insights also come from discussions with coauthors and colleagues, as well as feedback from reviewers and editors.

Rule 1: Define a Topic and Audience

How to choose which topic to review? There are so many issues in contemporary science that you could spend a lifetime of attending conferences and reading the literature just pondering what to review. On the one hand, if you take several years to choose, several other people may have had the same idea in the meantime. On the other hand, only a well-considered topic is likely to lead to a brilliant literature review [8] . The topic must at least be:

• interesting to you (ideally, you should have come across a series of recent papers related to your line of work that call for a critical summary),
• an important aspect of the field (so that many readers will be interested in the review and there will be enough material to write it), and
• a well-defined issue (otherwise you could potentially include thousands of publications, which would make the review unhelpful).

Ideas for potential reviews may come from papers providing lists of key research questions to be answered [9] , but also from serendipitous moments during desultory reading and discussions. In addition to choosing your topic, you should also select a target audience. In many cases, the topic (e.g., web services in computational biology) will automatically define an audience (e.g., computational biologists), but that same topic may also be of interest to neighbouring fields (e.g., computer science, biology, etc.).

Rule 2: Search and Re-search the Literature

After having chosen your topic and audience, start by checking the literature and downloading relevant papers. Five pieces of advice here:

• keep track of the search items you use (so that your search can be replicated [10] ),
• keep a list of papers whose pdfs you cannot access immediately (so as to retrieve them later with alternative strategies),
• use a paper management system (e.g., Mendeley, Papers, Qiqqa, Sente),
• define early in the process some criteria for exclusion of irrelevant papers (these criteria can then be described in the review to help define its scope), and
• do not just look for research papers in the area you wish to review, but also seek previous reviews.

The chances are high that someone will already have published a literature review ( Figure 1 ), if not exactly on the issue you are planning to tackle, at least on a related topic. If there are already a few or several reviews of the literature on your issue, my advice is not to give up, but to carry on with your own literature review,

The bottom-right situation (many literature reviews but few research papers) is not just a theoretical situation; it applies, for example, to the study of the impacts of climate change on plant diseases, where there appear to be more literature reviews than research studies [33] .

• discussing in your review the approaches, limitations, and conclusions of past reviews,
• trying to find a new angle that has not been covered adequately in the previous reviews, and
• incorporating new material that has inevitably accumulated since their appearance.

When searching the literature for pertinent papers and reviews, the usual rules apply:

• be thorough,
• use different keywords and database sources (e.g., DBLP, Google Scholar, ISI Proceedings, JSTOR Search, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science), and
• look at who has cited past relevant papers and book chapters.

Rule 3: Take Notes While Reading

If you read the papers first, and only afterwards start writing the review, you will need a very good memory to remember who wrote what, and what your impressions and associations were while reading each single paper. My advice is, while reading, to start writing down interesting pieces of information, insights about how to organize the review, and thoughts on what to write. This way, by the time you have read the literature you selected, you will already have a rough draft of the review.

Of course, this draft will still need much rewriting, restructuring, and rethinking to obtain a text with a coherent argument [11] , but you will have avoided the danger posed by staring at a blank document. Be careful when taking notes to use quotation marks if you are provisionally copying verbatim from the literature. It is advisable then to reformulate such quotes with your own words in the final draft. It is important to be careful in noting the references already at this stage, so as to avoid misattributions. Using referencing software from the very beginning of your endeavour will save you time.

Rule 4: Choose the Type of Review You Wish to Write

After having taken notes while reading the literature, you will have a rough idea of the amount of material available for the review. This is probably a good time to decide whether to go for a mini- or a full review. Some journals are now favouring the publication of rather short reviews focusing on the last few years, with a limit on the number of words and citations. A mini-review is not necessarily a minor review: it may well attract more attention from busy readers, although it will inevitably simplify some issues and leave out some relevant material due to space limitations. A full review will have the advantage of more freedom to cover in detail the complexities of a particular scientific development, but may then be left in the pile of the very important papers “to be read” by readers with little time to spare for major monographs.

There is probably a continuum between mini- and full reviews. The same point applies to the dichotomy of descriptive vs. integrative reviews. While descriptive reviews focus on the methodology, findings, and interpretation of each reviewed study, integrative reviews attempt to find common ideas and concepts from the reviewed material [12] . A similar distinction exists between narrative and systematic reviews: while narrative reviews are qualitative, systematic reviews attempt to test a hypothesis based on the published evidence, which is gathered using a predefined protocol to reduce bias [13] , [14] . When systematic reviews analyse quantitative results in a quantitative way, they become meta-analyses. The choice between different review types will have to be made on a case-by-case basis, depending not just on the nature of the material found and the preferences of the target journal(s), but also on the time available to write the review and the number of coauthors [15] .

Rule 5: Keep the Review Focused, but Make It of Broad Interest

Whether your plan is to write a mini- or a full review, it is good advice to keep it focused 16 , 17 . Including material just for the sake of it can easily lead to reviews that are trying to do too many things at once. The need to keep a review focused can be problematic for interdisciplinary reviews, where the aim is to bridge the gap between fields [18] . If you are writing a review on, for example, how epidemiological approaches are used in modelling the spread of ideas, you may be inclined to include material from both parent fields, epidemiology and the study of cultural diffusion. This may be necessary to some extent, but in this case a focused review would only deal in detail with those studies at the interface between epidemiology and the spread of ideas.

While focus is an important feature of a successful review, this requirement has to be balanced with the need to make the review relevant to a broad audience. This square may be circled by discussing the wider implications of the reviewed topic for other disciplines.

Rule 6: Be Critical and Consistent

Reviewing the literature is not stamp collecting. A good review does not just summarize the literature, but discusses it critically, identifies methodological problems, and points out research gaps [19] . After having read a review of the literature, a reader should have a rough idea of:

• the major achievements in the reviewed field,
• the main areas of debate, and
• the outstanding research questions.

It is challenging to achieve a successful review on all these fronts. A solution can be to involve a set of complementary coauthors: some people are excellent at mapping what has been achieved, some others are very good at identifying dark clouds on the horizon, and some have instead a knack at predicting where solutions are going to come from. If your journal club has exactly this sort of team, then you should definitely write a review of the literature! In addition to critical thinking, a literature review needs consistency, for example in the choice of passive vs. active voice and present vs. past tense.

Rule 7: Find a Logical Structure

Like a well-baked cake, a good review has a number of telling features: it is worth the reader's time, timely, systematic, well written, focused, and critical. It also needs a good structure. With reviews, the usual subdivision of research papers into introduction, methods, results, and discussion does not work or is rarely used. However, a general introduction of the context and, toward the end, a recapitulation of the main points covered and take-home messages make sense also in the case of reviews. For systematic reviews, there is a trend towards including information about how the literature was searched (database, keywords, time limits) [20] .

How can you organize the flow of the main body of the review so that the reader will be drawn into and guided through it? It is generally helpful to draw a conceptual scheme of the review, e.g., with mind-mapping techniques. Such diagrams can help recognize a logical way to order and link the various sections of a review [21] . This is the case not just at the writing stage, but also for readers if the diagram is included in the review as a figure. A careful selection of diagrams and figures relevant to the reviewed topic can be very helpful to structure the text too [22] .

Rule 8: Make Use of Feedback

Reviews of the literature are normally peer-reviewed in the same way as research papers, and rightly so [23] . As a rule, incorporating feedback from reviewers greatly helps improve a review draft. Having read the review with a fresh mind, reviewers may spot inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and ambiguities that had not been noticed by the writers due to rereading the typescript too many times. It is however advisable to reread the draft one more time before submission, as a last-minute correction of typos, leaps, and muddled sentences may enable the reviewers to focus on providing advice on the content rather than the form.

Feedback is vital to writing a good review, and should be sought from a variety of colleagues, so as to obtain a diversity of views on the draft. This may lead in some cases to conflicting views on the merits of the paper, and on how to improve it, but such a situation is better than the absence of feedback. A diversity of feedback perspectives on a literature review can help identify where the consensus view stands in the landscape of the current scientific understanding of an issue [24] .

Rule 9: Include Your Own Relevant Research, but Be Objective

In many cases, reviewers of the literature will have published studies relevant to the review they are writing. This could create a conflict of interest: how can reviewers report objectively on their own work [25] ? Some scientists may be overly enthusiastic about what they have published, and thus risk giving too much importance to their own findings in the review. However, bias could also occur in the other direction: some scientists may be unduly dismissive of their own achievements, so that they will tend to downplay their contribution (if any) to a field when reviewing it.

In general, a review of the literature should neither be a public relations brochure nor an exercise in competitive self-denial. If a reviewer is up to the job of producing a well-organized and methodical review, which flows well and provides a service to the readership, then it should be possible to be objective in reviewing one's own relevant findings. In reviews written by multiple authors, this may be achieved by assigning the review of the results of a coauthor to different coauthors.

Rule 10: Be Up-to-Date, but Do Not Forget Older Studies

Given the progressive acceleration in the publication of scientific papers, today's reviews of the literature need awareness not just of the overall direction and achievements of a field of inquiry, but also of the latest studies, so as not to become out-of-date before they have been published. Ideally, a literature review should not identify as a major research gap an issue that has just been addressed in a series of papers in press (the same applies, of course, to older, overlooked studies (“sleeping beauties” [26] )). This implies that literature reviewers would do well to keep an eye on electronic lists of papers in press, given that it can take months before these appear in scientific databases. Some reviews declare that they have scanned the literature up to a certain point in time, but given that peer review can be a rather lengthy process, a full search for newly appeared literature at the revision stage may be worthwhile. Assessing the contribution of papers that have just appeared is particularly challenging, because there is little perspective with which to gauge their significance and impact on further research and society.

Inevitably, new papers on the reviewed topic (including independently written literature reviews) will appear from all quarters after the review has been published, so that there may soon be the need for an updated review. But this is the nature of science [27] – [32] . I wish everybody good luck with writing a review of the literature.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to M. Barbosa, K. Dehnen-Schmutz, T. Döring, D. Fontaneto, M. Garbelotto, O. Holdenrieder, M. Jeger, D. Lonsdale, A. MacLeod, P. Mills, M. Moslonka-Lefebvre, G. Stancanelli, P. Weisberg, and X. Xu for insights and discussions, and to P. Bourne, T. Matoni, and D. Smith for helpful comments on a previous draft.

Funding Statement

This work was funded by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) through its Centre for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity data (CESAB), as part of the NETSEED research project. The funders had no role in the preparation of the manuscript.

Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to collect relevant, timely research on your chosen topic, and synthesize it into a cohesive summary of existing knowledge in the field. This then prepares you for making your own argument on that topic, or for conducting your own original research.

Depending on your field of study, literature reviews can take different forms. Some disciplines require that you synthesize your sources topically, organizing your paragraphs according to how your different sources discuss similar topics. Other disciplines require that you discuss each source in individual paragraphs, covering various aspects in that single article, chapter, or book.

Within your review of a given source, you can cover many different aspects, including (if a research study) the purpose, scope, methods, results, any discussion points, limitations, and implications for future research. Make sure you know which model your professor expects you to follow when writing your own literature reviews.

Tip : Literature reviews may or may not be a graded component of your class or major assignment, but even if it is not, it is a good idea to draft one so that you know the current conversations taking place on your chosen topic. It can better prepare you to write your own, unique argument.

Benefits of Literature Reviews

• Literature reviews allow you to gain familiarity with the current knowledge in your chosen field, as well as the boundaries and limitations of that field.
• Literature reviews also help you to gain an understanding of the theory(ies) driving the field, allowing you to place your research question into context.
• Literature reviews provide an opportunity for you to see and even evaluate successful and unsuccessful assessment and research methods in your field.
• Literature reviews prevent you from duplicating the same information as others writing in your field, allowing you to find your own, unique approach to your topic.
• Literature reviews give you familiarity with the knowledge in your field, giving you the chance to analyze the significance of your additional research.

Choosing Your Sources

When selecting your sources to compile your literature review, make sure you follow these guidelines to ensure you are working with the strongest, most appropriate sources possible.

Topically Relevant

Find sources within the scope of your topic

Appropriately Aged

Find sources that are not too old for your assignment

Find sources whose authors have authority on your topic

Appropriately “Published”

Find sources that meet your instructor’s guidelines (academic, professional, print, etc.)

Tip:  Treat your professors and librarians as experts you can turn to for advice on how to locate sources. They are a valuable asset to you, so take advantage of them!

Organizing Your Literature Review

Synthesizing topically.

Some assignments require discussing your sources together, in paragraphs organized according to shared topics between them.

For example, in a literature review covering current conversations on Alison Bechdel’s  Fun Home , authors may discuss various topics including:

• her graphic style
• her allusions to various literary texts
• her story’s implications regarding LGBT experiences in 20 th  century America.

In this case, you would cluster your sources on these three topics. One paragraph would cover how the sources you collected dealt with Bechdel’s graphic style. Another, her allusions. A third, her implications.

Each of these paragraphs would discuss how the sources you found treated these topics in connection to one another. Basically, you compare and contrast how your sources discuss similar issues and points.

To determine these shared topics, examine aspects including:

• Definition of terms
• Common ground
• Issues that divide
• Rhetorical context

Summarizing Individually

Depending on the assignment, your professor may prefer that you discuss each source in your literature review individually (in their own, separate paragraphs or sections). Your professor may give you specific guidelines as far as what to cover in these paragraphs/sections.

If, for instance, your sources are all primary research studies, here are some aspects to consider covering:

• Participants
• Limitations
• Implications
• Significance

Each section of your literature review, in this case, will identify all of these elements for each individual article.

You may or may not need to separate your information into multiple paragraphs for each source. If you do, using proper headings in the appropriate citation style (APA, MLA, etc.) will help keep you organized.

If you are writing a literature review as part of a larger assignment, you generally do not need an introduction and/or conclusion, because it is embedded within the context of your larger paper.

If, however, your literature review is a standalone assignment, it is a good idea to include some sort of introduction and conclusion to provide your reader with context regarding your topic, purpose, and any relevant implications or further questions. Make sure you know what your professor is expecting for your literature review’s content.

Typically, a literature review concludes with a full bibliography of your included sources. Make sure you use the style guide required by your professor for this assignment.

Writing the Literature Review

Barry Mauer and John Venecek

Note: Not all research papers contain literature reviews in their finished or published form. Check your assignment and guidelines to see if one is required. Even if a literature review is not required, you still need to read the available scholarly literature on your topic so you can join the scholarly conversation.

• The Literature Review

What is the Purpose of the Review?

What is the scope of the review, strategies for getting started, types of literature reviews, composition guidelines, how to locate reviews by discipline, key takeaways.

We also provide the following activities:

Types of Literature Reviews [Refresher]

Literature review [refresher], the literature review [1].

Conducting a literary studies research project involves time and effort, with much of it going towards the development of a literature review . A literature review might fill several pages of your research paper and usually appears soon after an introduction but before you present your detailed argument. A literature review provides your audience with an overview of the available research about your area(s) of study, including the literary work, your theory, and methodology. The literature review demonstrates how these scholarly discussions have changed over time, and it allows you to position your research in relation to research that has come before yours. Your aim is to present the discussion up to this point. Depending on the nature of the assignment, you may also include your critical commentary on prior research, noting among this material the weaker and stronger arguments, breakthroughs and dead ends, blind spots and opportunities, the invention of key terms and methods, mistakes as well as misreadings, and so on.

Once you have gathered the research materials you need for your literature review, you have another task: conducting an analysis on the research to see where your original contribution fits into the scholarly conversation. As the saying goes, “we are standing on the shoulders of giants.” Your job is to show a portrait of these giants to your audience, and to show how your work relates to the portrait. On many scholarly topics, literature reviews already exist. You may refer to such existing reviews within your own, indicating any materials might have been overlooked, new developments that have arisen since the publication of the existing literature review, and new perspectives or insights you have about the materials.

Some beginning researchers try to tear down the work of other researchers in an effort to make their own work look good by comparison. It rarely works. First, it tends to make your audience skeptical of your claims. Second, it ignores the fact that even the mistakes, blind spots, and failures of other researchers contribute something to our knowledge. Albert Einstein didn’t disrespect Sir Isaac Newton by saying Newton’s theory of space was wrong and terrible and that Einstein’s own theory was great by comparison. He built upon Newton’s work, showing how it could be improved. If, however, a researcher willfully set out to deceive or distort or to tear down the work of other scholars without good reason, then their work does not deserve such deference.

Most literature reviews appear after the introduction. It presents your reader with relevant information about the scholarly discussion up to now. Later in your paper, you discuss your contribution. Before you begin work on your literature review, let’s discuss what we mean by “literature”; understand the purpose and scope of the review; establish criteria for selecting, organizing, and interpreting your findings; and discuss how to connect your findings to your research question.

Many students seek to “find sources that agree with my claim or idea.” That approach is too narrow, in our view. If we use such an approach, we may get the following results:

• Because we can find sources that agree with almost any claim, readers will wonder whether your claims are weak and the sources are cherry picked.
• While literary scholars sometimes cite authorities to support their claims, they don’t rely only on authority. They respect authority, but not too much. Your own claims need to rely more on evidence (from the literary text, historical and biographical information), and your critical and creative reasoning skills.
• Scholarship is a conversation; thus, the goal is less about finding agreement and more about joining the conversation with the aim of making a valuable contribution to the discussion.

The literature review provides your reader with an overview of the existing research about your topic or problem. It provides the context necessary for your reader to catch up with the scholarly conversation and then to appreciate the value of your contribution to it. The literature review sharpens the focus of your research and demonstrates your knowledge and understanding of the scholarly conversation around your topic, which, in turn, helps establish your credibility as a researcher.

Creating the literature review involves more than gathering citations. It is a qualitative process through which you will discover what is already known about your topic, and identify the key authorities, methods, and theoretical foundations, so you can begin to position your contributions within the scholarly conversation.

Defining the scope of your review will also help you establish criteria to determine the relevance of the sources you are finding. At this stage, you are not reading in-depth; instead, you are skimming through what has already been published and identifying the major concepts, theories, methodologies, and methods present within these published works. You should also be identifying connections, tensions, and contradictions within the already published works of your topic or problem. This involves building on the knowledge of others and understanding what methods, measures, and models we have inherited from previous researchers in our field.

Literature Reviews: Common Errors Made When Conducting a Literature Review [12 min 22 sec]

Video provided courtesy of the Center for Quality Research (CQR)

A literature review helps your reader understand the relationship of your research project to the work of other scholars. It covers the existing knowledge about a problem, and allows you to show the relevance/significance of your contribution to the discussion. Your reader may or may not have read scholarly literature about the theories, methodologies, and literary works you are discussing. But they want to know that you have read it and have thought about it. Your literature review provides not only a summary of the existing scholarship for readers; it also offers your perspective on it.

Begin your work on the literature review by synthesizing the various sources in your annotated bibliography .

For advice on Synthesizing Sources, consider the following from The Purdue Online Writing Lab: [2]

Note that  synthesizing is not the same as summarizing .

• A summary restates the information in one or more sources without providing new insight or reaching new conclusions.
• A synthesis draws on multiple sources to reach a broader conclusion.
• Don’t force a relationship between sources if there isn’t one. Not all of your sources have to complement one another.
• Do your best to highlight the relationships between sources in very clear ways.
• Don’t ignore any outliers in your research. It’s important to take note of every perspective (even those that disagree with your broader conclusions).

Not all humanities research projects contain literature reviews, but many do. Keep in mind that the type of literature review you choose (see list below) pertains to the secondary research – other scholarly sources – and not to the primary literary work. For instance, a literature review about Kate Chopin’s writing will be your thoughts about the scholarship on Chopin and not about Chopin’s text itself. You are summarizing what you see in the scholarly literature about Chopin’s writing. The literature review puts you in the position of authority not just on Chopin’s writing but on the scholarship about her writing. You are seeking to understand what scholars have said about her work. Scholars might belong to different schools of thought (psychoanalytic, feminist, Marxist, etc.). They might make different arguments about Chopin. They might use different methodological approaches. 

If your research involves two or more theories, such as psychology and genre studies, you may need to create multiple literature reviews, one for each theory or methodology. If the theories overlap with each other significantly (i.e., Marxism and Cultural Studies), you may combine them. Your literature review need not include everything about the subject area – you would need to write a book to cover a single theory – but only those concepts and methods that are most relevant to your research problem.

Factors to Consider When Developing Your Literature Review

• Determine the Scope : How broad or narrow should your literature review be? You may want to focus on recent scholarship only, or on a particular school of thought in the literature. Your scope is determined by your purpose; what is it you aim to achieve with your research?
• Establish Criteria : We discussed the importance of defining the purpose and scope of your review on the previous page, but it’s worth reviewing here as well. This step will help you establish important criteria and focus your searching. For example, how many sources will you need? What types of sources (primary, secondary, statistics, media)? Is currency important? Do you know who the prominent authors or theorists are in your subject area? Take some time to map out these or other important factors before you begin searching journals and databases.
• Consider Your Audience : Unlike a work cited page or an annotated bibliography, both of which are lists of sources, a literature review is essayistic and can be considered a precursor to your final paper. Therefore, it should be written in your own voice, and it should be geared toward a specific audience. Considering audience during this early stage will help focus your final paper as well.
• Find Models : We’ll discuss the different types of literature reviews and how to locate examples in the section below. However, even if you’re undecided about what type of review will work best for you, you may want to review some example literature reviews to get a sense of what they look like before you begin your own.

One piece of advice before starting: look for existing literature reviews on your area of scholarship. You can build on the work that other scholars have put into reviewing the scholarly literature. There’s no need to completely “reinvent the wheel” if some of the work is already done.

Scholars sometimes publish “stand-alone” literature reviews that are not part of a larger work; such literature reviews are valuable contributions to the field, as they summarize the state of knowledge for other scholars.

Maria J. Grant and Andrew Booth’s “A Typology of Reviews” identifies 14 distinct types of literature reviews. Further, the UCLA library created a chart to complement the article and for easy comparison of those 14 types of reviews. This section provides a brief summary of the most common literature reviews. For a more complete analysis, please see the full article and the chart .

To choose the most appropriate structure, put yourself in your reader’s shoes and think through their need for information. The literature review is about providing context for your contribution. How much context do people need? Keep it to the minimum necessary; compressing a lot of information into a small amount of text is a must.

These structures are not meant to be straightjackets but tools to help you organize your research. If you find that the tool is working, then keep using it. If not, switch tools or modify the one you are using. Keep in mind that the types of literature reviews are just different ways of organizing information. So, you can discuss literary trends without organizing your review of secondary literature by trend; your discussion can be organized by theory or theme, for examples. In our literature reviews, we are not recounting other scholars’ arguments at length but merely providing key concepts so we can summarize the discussion so far and position our own claims. You don’t have to adhere strictly to one structure or another. They are just organizing tools that help you manage your material (and help your reader make sense of it).

Types of Reviews

• Traditional or narrative reviews : This approach will generate a comprehensive, critical analysis of the published research on your topic. However, rather than merely compiling as many sources as possible, use this approach to establish a theoretical framework for your paper, establish trends, and identify gaps in the research. This process should bring your research question into clearer focus and help define a thesis that you will argue for in your paper. This is perhaps the most common and general type of literature review. The examples listed below are all designed to serve a more specific purpose.
• Argumentative : The purpose of an argumentative literature review is to select sources for the purpose of supporting or refuting a specific claim. While this type of review can help the author make a strong case for or against an issue, they can also be prone to claims of bias. Later in this textbook, we will read about the distinction between warranted and unwarranted bias . One is ok and the other is not.
• Chronological : A chronological review is used when the author wants to demonstrate the progression of how a theory, methodology, or issue has progressed over time. This method is most effective when there is a clear chronological path to the research about a specific historical event or trend as opposed to a more recursive theoretical concept.
• By trend : This is similar to the chronological approach except it focuses on clearly-defined trends rather than date ranges. This would be most appropriate if you want to illustrate changing perspectives or attitudes about a given issue when specific date ranges are less important than the ebb and flow of the trend.
• Thematic : In this type of literature review, the author will select specific themes that he or she feels are important to understanding a larger topic or concept. Then, the author will organize the sources around those themes, which are often based on relevance or importance. The value of this method is that the process of organizing the review by theme is similar to constructing an argument. This can help the author see how resources connect to each other and determine how as well as why specific sources support their thesis.
• Theoretical : The goal of this type of review is to examine how theory has shaped the research on a given topic. It establishes existing theoretical models, their connections, and how extensively they have been developed in the published research. For example, Jada applied critical race theory to her analysis of Sonny’s Blues , but she might also consider conducting a more comprehensive review of other theoretical frameworks such as feminism, Marxism, or postmodernism. Doing so could provide insight into alternate readings, and help her identify theoretical gaps such as unexplored or under-developed approaches to Baldwin’s work.
• Methodological : The approach focuses on the various methodologies used by researchers in a specific area rather than an analysis of their findings. In this case, you would create a framework of approaches to data collection related to your topic or research question. This is perhaps more common in education or the social and hard sciences where published research often includes a methods section, but it is sometimes appropriate for the digital humanities as well.
• Scoping : The aim of a scoping review is to provide a comprehensive overview or map of the published research or evidence related to a research question. This might be considered a prelude to a systematic review that would take the scoping review one step further toward answering a clearly defined research question. See below for more details.
• Systematic : The systematic review is most appropriate when you have a clearly-defined research question and have established criteria for the types of sources you need. In this way, the systematic review is less exploratory than other types of reviews. Rather, it is comprehensive, strategic, and focused on answering a specific research question. For this reason, the systematic review is more common in the health and social sciences, where comprehensiveness is more important. Literature reviews in the Humanities are not usually exhaustive but tend to show only the most representative or salient developments in the scholarship.
• Meta-analysis : Does your research deal with statistics or large amounts of data? If so, then a meta-analysis might be best for you rather than providing a critical review, the meta-analysis will summarize and synthesize the results of numerous studies that involve statistics or data to provide a more comprehensive picture than would be possible from just one study.

An argumentative literature review presents and takes sides in scholarly arguments about the literary work. It makes arguments about other scholars’ work. It does not necessarily involve a claim that the literary work is itself making an argument. Likewise, a chronological literature review presents the scholarly literature in chronological order.

You don’t need to keep strictly to one type. Scholars often combine features from various types of literature reviews. A sample review that combines the follow types –

• Argumentative
• Theoretical
• Methodological

– is the excellent work of Eiranen, Reetta, Mari Hatavara, Ville Kivimäki, Maria Mäkelä & Raisa Maria Toivo (2022) “ Narrative and Experience: Interdisciplinary Methodologies between History and Narratology , ” Scandinavian Journal of History , 47:1, 1-15

When writing your literature review, please follow these pointers:

• Conduct systematic searches
• Use Evidence
• Be Selective
• Use Quotes Sparingly
• Summarize & Synthesize
• Use Caution when Paraphrasing
• Use Your Own Voice

Advice from James Mason University’s “Literature Reviews: An Overview”

A note on synthesizing : Don’t make the common mistake of summarizing individual studies or articles one after the other. The goal is to synthesize — that is, to make observations about groups of studies. Synthesis often uses language like this:

• Much of the literature on [topic x ] focuses on [major themes].
• In recent years, researchers have begun investigating [facets a , b , and c ] of [topic x ].
• The studies in this review of [topic x ] confirm / suggest / call into question / support [idea / practice / finding / method / theory / guideline y ].
• In the reviewed studies [variable x ] was generally associated with higher / lower rates of [outcome y ].
• A limitation of some / most / all of these studies is [ y ].

Please see this sample annotated literature review  from James Mason University.

Structure of a literature review [2]

• Problematization: The 2 to 3 pages of problematization are a distinct, iterative, step. It may take doing such a statement a few times before moving forward to writing the actual paper.
• Search: Write down your keyword sets, your updated keyword sets, and databases. It is perfectly within a reviewer’s rights to ask for these details.
• Summary: Really getting to know major themes requires some annotation of articles. You want to identify core papers and themes and write about them. This helps you really learn the material. [ChatGPT or Wikipedia are no substitute for deep engagement with a paper.]
• Argument: Either outline or create a slide deck that help you express the arguments in your paper. Read them out loud. Have friends look at them. Present them. [Every literature review has an argument. If not, it’s a summary. A summary does not merit publication in a top outlet.]
• Unpacking: Once you’ve nailed the short pitch, unpack the full argument. [ a) Take time in each major section to map out a) the argument, b) the supporting evidence, and the takeaway. b) Take those major sections, reconcile them, make sure they don’t overlap, then move on to writing. c) Sketch out the paper’s sections, tables, figures, and appendices.]
• Writing: Writing is the easy part. You can always put words to the screen. [Revising and improving is hard. Make time to write every day. Improving requires feedback. Find a writing partner to give feedback. Create your tables and figures. Write to them. Make sure the words in the paper align to the visuals.]
• Communicate: When the paper is done, go back and create a paper presentation. [I do this for the papers that I’m most serious about. The act of storyboarding helps me sort out the small pieces of the story that don’t fit together. If I really want it to succeed, I present it. The act of presenting helps me get it right. My best papers sometimes take seven or eight presentations to get it right. Then I return to the paper and fine tune it. Only then, does it have a shot at a top outlet.]

Literature reviews can be published as part of a scholarly article, often after the introduction and sometimes with a header, but they can also be published as a standalone essay. To find examples of what reviews look like in your discipline, choose an appropriate subject database (such as MLA for literary criticism) and conduct a keyword search with the term “Literature Review” added in quotes:

Not only do these examples demonstrate how to structure different types of literature reviews, but some offer insights into trends and directions for future research. In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at some reading strategies to help guide you through this process.

Since scholars already have produced literature reviews on various scholarly conversations, you don’t always need to “reinvent the wheel” (start a literature review from nothing). You can find a published literature review and update it or amend it; scholars do that all the time. However, you must properly cite work you incorporate from others.

• What types of literature review will you be using for your paper? Why did you make this selection over others? If you haven’t made a selection yet, which types are you considering?
• What specific challenges do you face in following a literature review structure?
• If there are any elements of your assignment that need clarification, please list them.
• What was the most important lesson you learned from this page? What point was confusing or difficult to understand?
• In the “Back Matter” of this book, you will find a page titled “Rubrics.” On that page, we provide a rubric for Creating a Literature Review ↵
• Richard West, Brigham Young University, amended by Jason Thatcher, Temple University - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jason-thatcher-0329764_academicwriting-topten2023-activity-7146507675021766656-BB0O ↵

Writing the Literature Review Copyright © 2021 by Barry Mauer and John Venecek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Published: 10 August 2024

Mapping biomimicry research to sustainable development goals

• Raghu Raman 1 ,
• Aswathy Sreenivasan 2 ,
• M. Suresh 2 &
• Prema Nedungadi 3  

Scientific Reports volume  14 , Article number:  18613 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

• Environmental sciences
• Environmental social sciences

This study systematically evaluates biomimicry research within the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs) to discern the interdisciplinary interplay between biomimicry and SDGs. The alignment of biomimicry with key SDGs showcases its interdisciplinary nature and potential to offer solutions across the health, sustainability, and energy sectors. This study identified two primary thematic clusters. The first thematic cluster focused on health, partnership, and life on land (SDGs 3, 17, and 15), highlighting biomimicry's role in healthcare innovations, sustainable collaboration, and land management. This cluster demonstrates the potential of biomimicry to contribute to medical technologies, emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral partnerships and ecosystem preservation. The second thematic cluster revolves around clean water, energy, infrastructure, and marine life (SDGs 6, 7, 9, and 14), showcasing nature-inspired solutions for sustainable development challenges, including energy generation and water purification. The prominence of SDG 7 within this cluster indicates that biomimicry significantly contributes to sustainable energy practices. The analysis of thematic clusters further revealed the broad applicability of biomimicry and its role in enhancing sustainable energy access and promoting ecosystem conservation. Emerging research topics, such as metaheuristics, nanogenerators, exosomes, and bioprinting, indicate a dynamic field poised for significant advancements. By mapping the connections between biomimicry and SDGs, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the field's trajectory, emphasizing its importance in advancing global sustainability efforts.

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Introduction.

Biomimicry, which combines 'bio' (life) and 'mimicry' (imitation), uses nature's patterns to solve human problems, aligning with the SDGs by fostering innovations 1 . This discipline studies natural processes to inspire sustainable designs and promote responsible consumption and production 2 . Biomimicry emphasizes sustainability, ideation, and education in reconnecting with nature to achieve the SDGs 3 . Collaboration among designers, technologists, and business experts is vital for translating natural mechanisms into commercial solutions 4 . Biomimetics, which aims for radical innovations by replicating living systems, strives for breakthroughs in economic growth 5 . By promoting systemic change through the emulation of nature's regenerative processes, biomimicry's alignment with the SDGs could enhance sustainability efforts. Merging biomimicry insights with SDGs could exceed sustainability benchmarks.

Integrating biomimicry with sustainable development goals (SDGs) is crucial for addressing global challenges. The SDGs offer a blueprint for global well-being and environmental stewardship by 2030 6 . They aim to protect the environment and foster social and economic development. Biomimicry provides innovative approaches to these objectives, drawing from natural strategies. While SDGs offer clear targets, biomimicry complements these by providing a unique lens for solutions 7 . The investigation of biomimicry in conjunction with the SDGs is based on the understanding that the development of biologically inspired materials, structures, and systems offers a novel and sustainable solution to design problems, particularly in the built environment 8 . By mimicking nature's answers to complicated challenges, biomimicry produces creative, clever, long-lasting, and environmentally responsible ideas.

The SDGs outline a comprehensive sustainability agenda targeting social equity, environmental conservation, and poverty alleviation 9 . The use of biomimicry in research can lead to the development of solutions that mimic natural efficiency 10 , revolutionizing industries with resource-efficient technologies and enhancing sustainability. This synergy could lead to environmentally friendly products, improved energy solutions, and effective waste management systems. Integrating biomimicry into industry and education promotes environmental stewardship and ecological appreciation 11 . Marrying biomimicry research with SDGs has accelerated progress toward sustainable development.

Biomimicry can provide insightful and useful solutions consistent with sustainability ideals by imitating the adaptability and efficiency observed in biological systems 12 . The built environment's use of biomimicry has a greater sustainable impact when circular design features are included 13 . Reusing materials, cutting waste, and designing systems that work with natural cycles are all stressed in a circular design. Combining biomimicry and circular design promotes social inclusion, environmental resilience, resourcefulness, and compassionate governance, all of which lead to peaceful coexistence with the environment. This all-encompassing strategy demonstrates a dedication to tackling the larger social and environmental concerns that the SDGs represent and design challenges 14 . Complementing these studies, Wamane 7 examined the intersection of biomimicry, the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework, and circular economy principles, advocating for an economic paradigm shift toward sustainability.

A key aspect of realizing the impact of biomimicry on SDGs is the successful translation and commercialization of biomimicry discoveries. This involves overcoming barriers such as skill gaps, the engineering mindset, commercial acumen, and funding. Insights from the "The State of Nature-Inspired-Innovation in the UK" report provide a comprehensive analysis of these challenges and potential strategies to address them, underscoring the importance of integrating commercial perspectives into biomimicry research.

This research employs bibliometric techniques to assess the integration and coherence within circular economy policy-making, emphasizing the potential for a synergistic relationship between environmental stewardship, economic growth, and social equity to foster a sustainable future.

In addressing the notable gap in comprehensive research concerning the contribution of biomimicry solutions to specific SDGs, this study offers significant insights into the interdisciplinary applications of biomimicry and its potential to advance global sustainability efforts. Our investigation aims to bridge this research gap through a systematic analysis, resulting in the formulation of the following research questions:

RQ1: How does an interdisciplinary analysis of biomimicry research align with and contribute to advancing specific SDGs?

RQ2: What emerging topics within biomimicry research are gaining prominence, and how do they relate to the SDGs?

RQ3 : What are the barriers to the translation and commercialization of biomimicry innovations, and how can these barriers be overcome to enhance their impact on SDGs?

RQ4: Based on the identified gaps in research and the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration, what innovative areas within biomimicry can be further explored to address underrepresented SDGs?

The remainder of this paper is arranged as follows. Section " Literature review " focuses on the literature background of biomimicry, followed by methods (section " Methods ") and results and discussion, including emerging research topics (section " Results and discussion "). Section " Conclusion " concludes with recommendations and limitations.

Literature review

The potential of biomimicry solutions for sustainability has long been recognized, yet there is a notable lack of comprehensive studies that explore how biomimicry can address specific sustainable development goals (SDGs) (Table 1 ). This research aims to fill this gap by investigating relevant themes and building upon the literature in this field.

Biomimicry, with its roots tracing back to approximately 500 BC, began with Greek philosophers who developed classical concepts of beauty and drew inspiration from natural organisms for balanced design 15 . This foundational idea of looking to nature for design principles continued through history, as exemplified by Leonardo Da Vinci's creation of a flying machine inspired by birds in 1482. This early instance of biomimicry influenced subsequent advancements, including the Wright brothers' development of the airplane in 1948 12 , 15 . The term "bionics," coined in 1958 to describe "the science of natural systems or their analogs," evolved into "biomimicry" by 1982. Janine Benyus's 1997 book, “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature,” and the founding of the Biomimicry Institute (Biomimicry 16 ) were pivotal, positioning nature as a guide and model for sustainable design. Benyus’s work underscores the potential of biomimicry in tackling contemporary environmental challenges such as climate change and ecosystem degradation 12 , 17 .

In recent years, the call for more targeted research in biomimicry has grown, particularly in terms of architecture and energy use. Meena et al. 18 and Varshabi et al. 19 highlighted the need for biomimicry to address energy efficiency in building design, stressing the potential of nature-inspired solutions to reduce energy consumption and enhance sustainability. This perspective aligns with that of Perricone et al. 20 , who explored the differences between artificial and natural systems, noting that biomimetic designs, which mimic the principles of organism construction, can significantly improve resource utilization and ecosystem restoration. Aggarwal and Verma 21 contributed to this discourse by mapping the evolution and applications of biomimicry through scientometric analysis, revealing the growing significance of nature-inspired optimization methodologies, especially in clustering techniques. Their work suggested that these methodologies not only provide innovative solutions but also reflect a deeper integration of biomimetic principles in technological advancements. Building on this, Pinzón and Austin 22 emphasized the infancy of biomimicry in the context of renewable energy, advocating for more research to explore how nature can inspire new energy solutions. Their work connects with that of Carniel et al. 23 , who introduced a natural language processing (NLP) technique to identify research themes in biomimicry across disciplines, facilitating a holistic understanding of current trends and future directions.

To further illustrate the practical applications of biomimicry, Nasser et al. 24 presented the Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA), a nature-inspired optimization technique. Their bibliometric analysis demonstrated the algorithm's effectiveness in reducing energy and resource consumption, highlighting the practical benefits of biomimicry in technological innovation. Rusu et al. 25 expanded on these themes by documenting significant advancements in soft robotics, showing how biomimicry influences design principles and applications in this rapidly evolving field. Their findings underscore the diverse applications of biomimetic principles, from robotics to building design. Shashwat et al. 26 emphasized the role of bioinspired solutions in enhancing energy efficiency within the built environment, promoting the use of high solar reflectance surfaces that mimic natural materials. This perspective is in line with that of Pires et al. 27 , who evaluated the application of biomimicry in dental restorative materials and identified a need for more clinical studies to realize the full potential of biomimetic innovations in healthcare. Liu et al. 28 explored the application of nature-inspired design principles in software-defined networks, demonstrating how biomimetic algorithms can optimize resource and energy utilization in complex systems. This study builds on the broader narrative of biomimicry's potential to transform various sectors by offering efficient, sustainable solutions. Finally, Hinkelman et al. 29 synthesized these insights by discussing the transdisciplinary applications of ecosystem biomimicry, which supports sustainable development goals by integrating biomimetic principles across engineering and environmental disciplines. This comprehensive approach underscores the transformative potential of biomimicry, suggesting that continued interdisciplinary research and innovation are crucial for addressing global sustainability challenges effectively.

PRISMA framework

This study utilizes the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework to structure its analysis, following the established five-step protocol: formulating research questions, defining a search strategy, executing a literature search, screening identified literature, and analyzing the findings (Page et al., 2021). The application of the PRISMA guidelines across various research domains, including the SDGs, is well documented 30 .

To ensure a comprehensive search, we searched the Scopus database, a widely utilized resource for bibliometric studies 31 (Donthu et al. 82 ), which led to the discovery of 46,141 publications from 2013 to 2023. This period marked significant research activity following the introduction of the SDGs at the Rio + 20 summit in 2012. Publications were identified using the following terms in the title and abstract: “ (biomimic* OR biomimetic* OR bioinspired OR bioinsp* OR bionic* OR nature-inspired OR "biologically inspired" OR bioinspiration OR biomimesis OR biognosis).”

During the screening phase, publications lacking complete author details were reviewed, narrowing the field to 46,083 publications for further analysis. The eligibility phase utilized proprietary algorithms to map publications to the 17 SDGs, informed by initiatives such as the University of Auckland (Auckland’s SDG mapping 32 ) and Elsevier's SDG Mapping Initiatives (Elsevier's SDG Mapping 33 ). The selection of the Elsevier SDG Mapping Initiative for this study was based on its seamless integration with Scopus, facilitating the use of predefined search queries for each SDG and employing a machine learning model that has been refined through expert review. This approach has been utilized in various studies to analyze research trends within emerging fields. For example, the exploration of green hydrogen was detailed by Raman et al. 34 , while investigations into Fake News and the Dark Web were conducted by Raman et al. 35 , 36 , 37 and Rama et al. 38 , respectively. These examples demonstrate the efficacy of SDG mapping in elucidating how research outputs align with and contribute to sustainable development goals in these emerging domains. This phase identified 13,287 publications as mapped to SDGs. In the inclusion phase, stringent criteria further filtered the publications to English-language journals and review articles, culminating in 13,271 publications deemed suitable for in-depth analysis. This process ensures a comprehensive and high-quality dataset for the study, reflecting the robust and systematic approach afforded by the PRISMA framework in evaluating literature relevant to SDGs.

Our keyword search strategy, while comprehensive, may capture papers that do not genuinely contribute to the field. To mitigate this, we employed manual verification. After the automated search, the authors conducted a manual review of a subset of the final set of identified papers to assess their relevance and authenticity in the context of biomimicry. The subset was based on 20 highly cited papers from each year. We believe that papers that are frequently cited within the community are more likely to be accurately classified. The authors mainly reviewed the introduction, methodology, and results sections to confirm the relevance and authenticity of the papers. However, we acknowledge that these steps may not fully eliminate the inclusion of irrelevant papers, which could skew the results of our meta-analysis.

SDG framework

The examination of sustainable development goals (SDGs) reveals their interconnected nature, where the achievement of one goal often supports progress in others. Studies by Le Blanc (2015) and Allison et al. (2016) have mapped out the complex web of relationships among the SDGs, identifying both strong and subtle linkages across different objectives. To visualize these connections, we employed a cocitation mapping approach using VOSviewer 39 , which allows us to depict the semantic relationships between SDGs through their cocitation rates in scholarly works. This approach generates a visual map where each SDG is represented as a node, with the node size reflecting the goal's research prominence and the thickness of the lines between nodes indicating the frequency of cocitations among the goals. This visual representation reveals the SDGs as an intricate but unified framework, emphasizing the collaborative nature of global sustainability initiatives.

Topic prominence percentile

The Scopus prominence percentile is a crucial metric indicating the visibility and impact of emerging research topics within the scientific community. High-ranking topics in this percentile are rapidly gaining attention, highlighting emerging trends and areas poised for significant advancements. This tool enables researchers and policymakers to identify and focus on innovative topics, ensuring that their efforts align with the forefront of scientific development 35 , 36 , 37 . Topics above the 99.9th percentile were used in this study.

Results and discussion

Rq1: sdg framework and interdisciplinary research (rq4).

This study evaluates biomimicry research through the framework of SDGs. A cocitation SDG map shows two clusters and provides insights into the interplay between biomimicry themes and SDGs, highlighting the cross-disciplinary nature of this research (Fig.  1 ). The blue box hidden behind the “3 – Good Health and Well-being” and “7 – Affordable and Clean Energy” is “11 – Sustainable cities and Communities”. The blue box hidden behind “15 – Life on Land” is “16 – Peace, Justice and Strong institutions”.

Interdisciplinary SDG network of biomimicry research.

Cluster 1 (Red): Biomimetic innovations for health, partnership, and life on land

This cluster comprises a diverse array of research articles that explore the application of biomimicry across various SDGs 3 (health), 17 (partnership), and 15 (land). The papers in this cluster delve into innovative biomimetic ideas, each contributing uniquely to the intersection of sustainable development and biological inspiration. SDG 3, emphasizing good health and well-being for all, is significantly represented, indicating a global effort to leverage biomimicry for advancements in healthcare, such as new medication delivery systems and medical technologies. Similarly, the frequent citations of SDG 17 underscore the vital role of partnerships in achieving sustainable growth, especially where bioinspired solutions require interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex challenges. Finally, the prominence of 15 SDG citations reflects a commitment to preserving terrestrial ecosystems, where biomimicry is increasingly applied in land management, demonstrating nature's adaptability and resilience as a model for sustainable practices. Table 2 lists the top 5 relevant papers from Cluster 1, further illustrating the multifaceted application of biomimicry in addressing these SDGs.

A unique binary variant of the gray wolf optimization (GWO) technique, designed especially for feature selection in classification tasks, was presented by Emary et al. 40 . GWO is a method inspired by the social hierarchy and hunting behavior of gray wolves to find the best solutions to complex problems. This bioinspired optimization technique was used to optimize SDG15, which also highlights its ecological benefits. The results of the study highlight the effectiveness of binary gray wolf optimization in identifying the feature space for ideal pairings and promoting environmental sustainability and biodiversity. Lin et al. 41 focused on SDG 3 by examining catalytically active nanomaterials as potential candidates for artificial enzymes. While acknowledging the limits of naturally occurring enzymes, this study explores how nanobiotechnology can address problems in the food, pharmaceutical, and agrochemical sectors.

The investigation of enzymatic nanomaterials aligns with health-related objectives, highlighting the potential for major improvements in human health. Parodi et al. 42 used biomimetic leukocyte membranes to functionalize synthetic nanoparticles, extending biomimicry into the biomedical domain. To meet SDG 3, this research presents "leukolike vectors," which are nanoporous silicon particles that can communicate with cells, evade the immune system, and deliver specific payloads. In line with the SDGs about health, this study emphasizes the possible uses of biomimetic structures in cancer detection and treatments. A novel strategy for biological photothermal nanodot-based anticancer therapy utilizing peptide‒porphyrin conjugate self-assembly was presented by Zou et al. 43 . For therapeutic reasons, efficient light-to-heat conversion can be achieved by imitating the structure of biological structures. By providing a unique biomimetic approach to cancer treatment and demonstrating the potential of self-assembling biomaterials in biomedical applications, this research advances SDG 3. Finally, Wang et al. 44 presented Monarch butterfly optimization (MBO), which is a bioinspired algorithm that mimics the migration patterns of monarch butterflies to solve optimization problems effectively. This method presents a novel approach to optimization, mimicking the migration of monarch butterflies, aligning with SDG 9. Comparative analyses highlight MBO's exceptional performance and demonstrate its capacity to address intricate issues about business and innovation, supporting objectives for long-term collaboration and sector expansion.

The publications in Cluster 1 show a wide range of biomimetic developments, from ecological optimization to new optimization techniques and biomedical applications. These varied contributions highlight how biomimicry can advance sustainable development in health, symbiosis, and terrestrial life.

Cluster 2 (green): Nature-inspired solutions for clean water, energy, and infrastructure

Cluster 2, which focuses on the innovative application of biomimicry in sustainable development, represents a range of research that aligns with SDGs 6 (sanitation), 7 (energy), 9 (infrastructure), and 14 (water). This cluster is characterized by studies that draw inspiration from natural processes and structures to offer creative solutions to sustainability-related challenges. The papers in this cluster, detailed in Table 3 , demonstrate how biomimicry can address key global concerns in a varied and compelling manner.

Within this cluster, the high citation counts for SDG 7 underscore the significance of accessible clean energy, a domain where biomimicry contributes innovative energy generation and storage solutions inspired by natural processes. This aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainable energy practices. The prominence of SDG 9 citations further highlights the global focus on innovation and sustainable industry, where biomimicry's role in developing nature-inspired designs is crucial for building robust systems and resilient infrastructure. Furthermore, the substantial citations for SDG 6 reflect a dedicated effort toward ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all. In this regard, biomimicry principles are being applied in water purification technologies, illustrating how sustainable solutions modeled after natural processes can effectively meet clean water objectives.

The study by Sydney Gladman et al. (2016), which presented the idea of shape-morphing systems inspired by nastic plant motions, is one notable addition to this cluster. This discovery creates new opportunities for tissue engineering, autonomous robotics, and smart textile applications by encoding composite hydrogel designs that exhibit anisotropic swelling behavior. The emphasis of SDG 9 on promoting industry, innovation, and infrastructure aligns with this biomimetic strategy. SDGs 7 and 13 are addressed in the study of Li et al. 45 , which is about engineering heterogeneous semiconductors for solar water splitting. This work contributes to the goals of inexpensive, clean energy and climate action by investigating methods such as band structure engineering and bionic engineering to increase the efficiency of solar water splitting. Li et al. 46 conducted a thorough study highlighting the importance of catalysts for the selective photoreduction of CO2 into solar fuels. This review offers valuable insights into the use of semiconductor catalysts for selective photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Our work advances sustainable energy solutions by investigating biomimetic, metal-based, and metal-free cocatalysts and contributes to SDGs 7 and 13. Wang et al. 47 address the critical problem of water pollution. Creating materials with superlyophilic and superlyophobic qualities offers a creative method for effectively separating water and oil. This contributes to the goals of clean water, industry, innovation, and life below the water. It also correlates with SDGs 6, 9, and 14. Singh et al. 48 also explored the 'green' synthesis of metals and their oxide nanoparticles for environmental remediation, which furthers SDG 9. This review demonstrates the environmentally benign and sustainable features of green synthesis and its potential to lessen the environmental impact of conventional synthesis methods.

Cluster 2 provides nature-inspired solutions for clean water, renewable energy, and sustainable infrastructure, demonstrating the scope and importance of biomimicry. The varied applications discussed in these papers help overcome difficult problems and advance sustainable development in line with several SDGs.

RQ2: Emerging research topics

Temporal evolution of emerging topics.

Figure  2 displays the publication counts for various emerging topics from 2013 to 2022, indicating growth trends over the years. For 'Metaheuristics', there is a notable increase in publications peaking in approximately 2020, suggesting a surge in interest. 'Strain sensor' research steadily increased, reaching its highest publication frequency toward the end of the period, which is indicative of growing relevance in the field. 'Bioprinting' sharply increased over the next decade, subsequently maintaining high interest, which highlights its sustained innovation. In contrast, 'Actuators' showed fluctuating publication counts, with a recent upward trend. 'Cancer' research, while historically a major topic, displayed a spike in publications in approximately 2018, possibly reflecting a breakthrough or increased research funding. 'Myeloperoxidase' has a smaller presence in the literature, with a modest peak in 2019. The number of 'Water '-related publications remains relatively low but shows a slight increase, suggesting a gradual but increasing recognition of its importance. Research on exosomes has significantly advanced, particularly since 2018, signifying a greater area of focus. 'Mechanical' topic publications have moderate fluctuations without a clear trend, indicating steady research interest. 'Micromotors' experienced an initial publication surge, followed by a decline and then a recent resurgence, possibly due to new technological applications. 'Nanogenerators' have shown a dramatic increase in interest, particularly in recent years, while 'Hydrogel' publications have varied, with a recent decline, which may point toward a shift in research focus or maturity of the topic.

Evolution of emerging topics according to publications (y-axis denotes the number of publications; x-axis denotes the year of publication).

Figure  3 presents the distribution of various research topics based on their prominence percentile and total number of publications. Topics above the 99.9th percentile and to the right of the vertical threshold line represent the most emergent and prolific topics of study. Next, we examine the topics within each of the four quadrants, focusing on how each topic has developed over the years in relation to SDGs and the key phrases associated with each topic.

Distribution of research topics based on prominence percentile and total number of publications.

Next, we examine each research topic in four quadrants, assessing their evolution concerning SDGs. We also analyze the keyphrase cloud to identify which keyphrases are most relevant (indicated by their font size) and whether they are growing or not. In the key phrase cloud, green indicates an increasing relevance of the key phrase, grey signifies that its relevance remains constant, and blue represents a declining relevance of the key phrase.

Niche biomimetic applications

These are topics with a lower number of publications and prominence percentiles, indicating specialized or emerging areas of research that are not yet widely recognized or pursued (Quadrant 1—bottom left).

Myeloperoxidase; colorimetric; chromogenic compounds

The inclusion of myeloperoxidase indicates that inflammation and the immune system are the main research topics. The focus on chromogenic and colorimetric molecules suggests a relationship to analytical techniques for identifying biological materials. The evolution of the research is depicted in Fig.  4 a shows an evolving emphasis on various sustainable development goals (SDGs) over time. The research trajectory, initially rooted in SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), has progressively branched out to encompass SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), reflecting an expanding scope of inquiry within the forestry sciences. More recently, the focus has transitioned toward SDG 15 (Life on Land), indicating an increased recognition of the interconnectedness between forest ecosystems and broader environmental and sustainability goals. This trend underscores the growing complexity and multidisciplinary nature of forestry research, highlighting the need to address comprehensive ecological concerns along with human well-being and sustainable development.

Evolution of research ( a ) and key phrases ( b ).

The word cloud in Fig.  4 b highlights key phrases such as 'Biocompatible', 'Actuator', and 'Self-healing Hydrogel', reflecting a focus on advanced materials, while terms such as 'Elastic Modulus' and 'Polymeric Networks' suggest an emphasis on the structural properties essential for creating innovative diagnostic and environmental sensing tools. Such developments are pertinent to health monitoring and water purification, resonating with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The prominence of 'Self-healing' and 'Bioinspired' indicates a shift toward materials that emulate natural processes for durability and longevity, supporting sustainable industry practices aligned with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), contributing to the overarching aim of sustainable development.

Next, we analyzed the top 3 cited publications. Catalytically active nanomaterials, or nanozymes, are exciting candidates for artificial enzymes, according to Lin et al. 41 . The authors explore the structural features and biomimetics applications of these enzymes, classifying them as metal-, carbon-, and metal oxide-based nanomaterials. This study emphasizes the benefits of enzymes over natural enzymes, including their high stability, variable catalytic activity, and controlled production. Wang et al. 49 developed biomimetic nanoflowers made from nanozymes to cause intracellular oxidative damage in hypoxic malignancies. Under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, the nanoflowers demonstrated catalytic efficiency. By overcoming the constraints of existing systems that depend on oxygen availability or external stimuli, this novel technique represents a viable treatment option for malignant neoplasms. Gao et al. 50 investigated the use of a dual inorganic nanozyme-catalyzed cascade reaction as a biomimetic approach for nanocatalytic tumor therapy. This approach produces a high level of therapeutic efficacy by cascading catalytic events inside the tumor microenvironment. This study highlights the potential of inorganic nanozymes for achieving high therapeutic efficacy and outstanding biosafety, which adds to the growing interest in nanocatalytic tumor therapy.

Water; hydrophobicity; aerogels

With an emphasis on hydrophobicity, aerogel use, and water-related features, this topic relates to materials science and indicates interest in cutting-edge materials with unique qualities. From Fig.  5 a, we can see that, initially, the focus was directed toward SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), which is intrinsically related to the research theme, as biomimetic approaches are leveraged to develop innovative water purification and management solutions. As the research progressed, the scope expanded to intersect with SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), signifying a broadened impact of biomimetic innovations in marine ecosystem conservation and energy-efficient materials. The gradual involvement with SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) and SDG 13 (climate action) indicates the interdisciplinary reach of this research, which aims to influence industrial practices and climate change mitigation strategies.

The word cloud in Fig.  5 b reinforces this narrative by showcasing key phrases such as 'Hydrophobic', 'Bioinspired', 'Emulsion', and 'Oil Pollution', which reflect the emphasis on developing materials and technologies that mimic natural water repellency and separation processes. 'Aerogel' and 'polydopamine', along with 'Underwater' and 'Biomimetic Cleaning', suggest a strong focus on creating lightweight, efficient materials capable of self-cleaning and oil spill remediation. These keywords encapsulate the essence of the research theme, demonstrating a clear alignment with the targeted SDGs and the overall aim of sustainable development through biomimicry.

Three highly referenced works that have made substantial contributions to the field of biomimetic materials for oil/water separation are included in the table. The development of superlyophilic and superlyophobic materials for effective oil/water separation was examined by Wang et al. 47 . This review highlights the applications of these materials in separating different oil-and-water combinations by classifying them according to their surface wettability qualities. The excellent efficiency, selectivity, and recyclability of the materials—which present a viable treatment option for industrial oily wastewater and oil spills—are highlighted in the paper. Su et al. 51 explored the evolution of super wettability systems. The studies included superhydrophobicity, superoleophobicity, and undersea counterparts, among other extreme wettabilities. The kinetics, material structures, and wetting conditions related to obtaining superwettability are covered in the article. This demonstrates the wide range of uses for these materials in chemistry and materials science, including self-cleaning fabrics and systems for separating oil and water. Zhang et al. 52 presented a bioinspired multifunctional foam with self-cleaning and oil/water separation capabilities. To construct a polyurethane foam with superhydrophobicity and superoleophobicity, this study used porous biomaterials and superhydrophobic self-cleaning lotus leaves. Foam works well for separating oil from water because of its slight weight and ability to float on water. It also shows exceptional resistance to corrosive liquids. According to the article, multifunctional foams for large-scale oil spill cleaning might be designed using a low-cost fabrication technology that could be widely adopted.

Growing interest in bioinspired healthcare

These topics have a higher prominence percentile but a lower number of publications, suggesting growing interest and importance in the field despite a smaller body of research (Quadrant 2—top left).

Exosomes; extracellular vesicles; MicroRNAs

Exosomes and extracellular vesicles are essential for intercellular communication, and reference to microRNAs implies a focus on genetic regulation. The evolution of this topic reflects an increasing alignment with specific sustainable development goals (SDGs) over the years. The initial research focused on SDG 3 (good health and well-being) has expanded to encompass SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) and SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), showcasing the multifaceted impact of biomimetic research in healthcare (Fig.  6 a). The research trajectory into SDG 9 and SDG 6 suggests broader application of bioinspired technologies beyond healthcare, potentially influencing sustainable industrial processes and water treatment technologies, respectively.

The word cloud (Fig.  6 b) underscores the central role of 'Extracellular Vesicles' and 'Exosomes' as platforms for 'Targeted Drug Delivery' and 'Nanocarrier' systems, which are key innovations in medical biotechnology. The prominence of terms such as 'Bioinspired', 'Biomimetic', 'Liposome', and 'Gold Nanoparticle' illustrates the inspiration drawn from biological systems for developing advanced materials and delivery mechanisms. These key phrases indicate significant advancements in 'Controlled Drug Delivery Systems', 'Cancer Chemotherapy', and 'Molecular Imaging', which have contributed to improved diagnostics and treatment options, consistent with the objectives of SDG 3.

The work by Jang et al. 53 , which introduced bioinspired exosome-mimetic nanovesicles for improved drug delivery to tumor tissues, is one of the most cited articles. These nanovesicles, which resemble exosomes but have higher creation yields, target cells and slow the growth of tumors in a promising way. Yong et al.'s 54 work presented an effective drug carrier for targeted cancer chemotherapy, focusing on biocompatible tumor cell-exocytosed exosome-biomimetic porous silicon nanoparticles. A paper by Cheng et al. 55 discussed the difficulties in delivering proteins intracellularly. This study suggested a biomimetic nanoparticle platform that uses extracellular vesicle membranes and metal–organic frameworks. These highly cited studies highlight the importance of biomimetic techniques in improving drug delivery systems for improved therapeutic interventions.

Nanogenerators; piezoelectric; energy harvesting

This topic advises concentrating on technology for energy harvesting, especially for those that use piezoelectric materials and nanogenerators. We see a rising focus on medical applications of biomimetics, from diagnostics to energy harvesting mimicking biological systems.

The evolution of this research topic reflects a broader contribution to the SDGs by not only addressing healthcare needs but also by promoting sustainable energy practices and supporting resilient infrastructure through biomimetic innovation (Fig.  7 a). Initially, the emphasis on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) suggested the early application of biomimetic principles in healthcare, particularly in medical devices and diagnostics leveraging piezoelectric effects. Over time, the transition toward SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) indicates an expansion of bioinspired technologies into sustainable energy solutions and industrial applications. Nanogenerators and energy harvesting techniques draw inspiration from biological processes and structures, aiming to optimize energy efficiency and contribute to clean energy initiatives.

The word cloud in Fig.  7 b emphasizes key phrases such as 'Piezoelectric', 'Energy Harvesting', 'Tactile Sensor', 'Triboelectricity', and 'Nanogenerators', highlighting the core technologies that are being developed. These terms, along with 'Bioinspired', 'Wearable Electronic Devices', and 'Energy Conversion Efficiency', illustrate the convergence of natural principles with advanced material science to create innovative solutions for energy generation and sensor technology.

Yang et al.'s 56 study in Advanced Materials presented the first triboelectrification-based bionic membrane sensor. Wearable medical monitoring and biometric authentication systems will find new uses for this sensor since it allows self-powered physiological and behavioral measurements, such as noninvasive human health evaluation, anti-interference throat voice recording, and multimodal biometric authentication. A thorough analysis of the state-of-the-art in piezoelectric energy harvesting was presented by Sezer and Koç 57 . This article addresses the fundamentals, components, and uses of piezoelectric generators, highlighting their development, drawbacks, and prospects. It also predicts a time when piezoelectric technology will power many electronics. The 2021 paper by Zhao et al. 58 examines the use of cellulose-based materials in flexible electronics. This section describes the benefits of these materials and the latest developments in intelligent electronic device creation, including biomimetic electronic skins, optoelectronics, sensors, and optoelectronic devices. This review sheds light on the possible drawbacks and opportunities for wearable technology and bioelectronic systems based on cellulose.

Leading edge of biomimetic sensing and electronics

This quadrant represents topics with both a high number of publications and a prominence percentile, indicating well-established and influential research areas (Quadrant 3—top right).

Strain sensor; flexible electronics; sensor

Figure  8 a highlights the progress of research on bioinspired innovations, particularly in the development of strain sensors and flexible electronics for adaptive sensing technologies. Initially, concentrated on health applications aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), the focus has expanded. The integration of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) indicates a shift toward industrial applications, while the incorporation of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) suggests a commitment to energy-efficient solutions. Additionally, the mention of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) reflects the broadening scope to include urban sustainability and eco-friendly manufacturing practices.

Figure  8 b provides insight into the key phrases associated with this research topic, highlighting terms such as 'Bioinspired', 'Self-healing', 'Wearable Electronic Devices', 'Flexible Electronics', and 'Pressure Sensor'. These key phrases speak to the innovative approaches for creating sensors and electronics that are not only inspired by biological systems but also capable of seamlessly integrating human activity and environmental needs. The mention of 'Wearable Sensors' and 'Tactile Sensor' indicates a focus on user interaction and sensitivity, which is crucial for medical applications and smart infrastructure.

The top three articles with the most citations represent the cutting edge of this topic’s study. Chortos et al. 59 investigated how skin characteristics can be replicated for medicinal and prosthetic uses. Kim et al. 60 focused on creating ultrathin silicon nanoribbon sensors for smart prosthetic skin, opening up new possibilities for bionic systems with many sensors. A bioinspired microhairy sensor for ultraconformability on nonflat surfaces was introduced in Pang et al.'s 61 article, which significantly improved signal-to-noise ratios for accurate physiological measurements.

Cancer; photoacoustics; theranostic nanomedicine

Modern technologies such as photoacoustics, theranostic nanomedicine, and cancer research suggest that novel cancer diagnosis and therapy methods are highly needed. Figure  9 a traces the research focus that has evolved across various SDGs over time, commencing with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which is indicative of the central role of health in biomimetic research. It then extends into SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), illustrating the cross-disciplinary applications of biomimetic technologies from healthcare to the energy and industrial sectors.

Figure  9 b provides a snapshot of the prominent keywords within this research theme, featuring terms such as “photodynamic therapy”, “photothermal chemotherapy”, “nanocarrier”, and “controlled drug delivery”. These terms underscore the innovative therapeutic strategies that mimic biological mechanisms for targeted cancer treatment. 'Bioinspired' and 'Biomimetic Synthesis' reflect the approach of deriving design principles from natural systems for the development of advanced materials and medical devices. 'Theranostic nanomedicine' integrates diagnosis and therapy, demonstrating a trend toward personalized and precision medicine.

A study conducted by Yu et al. 62 presented a novel approach for synergistic chemiexcited photodynamic-starvation therapy against metastatic tumors: a biomimetic nanoreactor, or bio-NR. Bio-NRs use hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles to catalyze the conversion of glucose to hydrogen peroxide for starvation therapy while also producing singlet oxygen for photodynamic therapy. Bio-NR is promising for treating cancer metastasis because its coating on cancer cells improves its biological qualities. Yang et al.'s 63 study focused on a biocompatible Gd-integrated CuS nanotheranostic agent created via a biomimetic approach. This drug has low systemic side effects and good photothermal conversion efficiency, making it suitable for skin cancer therapy. It also performs well in imaging. The ultrasmall copper sulfide nanoparticles generated within ferritin nanocages are described in Wang et al.’s 64 publication. This work highlights the possibility of photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal therapy with improved therapeutic efficiency and biocompatibility. These highly referenced articles highlight the significance of biomimetic techniques in furthering nanotheranostics and cancer therapy.

Established biomimetic foundations

Here, there are topics with a greater number of publications but a lower prominence percentile, which may imply areas where there has been significant research but that may be waning in influence or undergoing a shift in focus (Quadrant 4—bottom right).

Metaheuristics; Fireflies; Chiroptera

This topic is a fascinating mix of subjects. Using Firefly and Chiroptera in metaheuristic optimization algorithms provides a bioinspired method for resolving challenging issues. The thematic progression of research papers suggests the maturation of biomimetic disciplines that resonate with several SDGs (Fig.  10 a). The shift from initially aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) extends to intersecting with goals such as SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). This diversification reflects the expansive utility of biomimetic approaches, from health applications to broader environmental and societal challenges.

The top keyphrases, such as 'Swarm Intelligence', 'Global Optimization', 'Cuckoo Search Algorithm', and 'Particle Swarm Optimization', are shown in Fig.  10 b highlights the utilization of nature-inspired algorithms for solving complex optimization problems. These terms, along with the 'Firefly Algorithm' and 'Bat Algorithm', underscore the transition of natural phenomena into computational algorithms that mimic the behavioral patterns of biological organisms, offering robust solutions in various fields, including resource management, logistics, and engineering design.

The three highly referenced metaheuristic publications centered around the “Moth Flame Optimization (MFO),” Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA),” and Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA).” The WOA, authored by Mirjalili and Lewis 65 , is a competitive solution for mathematical optimization and structural design issues because it emulates the social behavior of humpback whales. Inspired by the swarming behavior of salps, Mirjalili et al. 66 introduced the SSA and multiobjective SSA. This shows how well they function in optimizing a variety of engineering design difficulties. Finally, Mirjalili 67 suggested the MFO algorithm, which is modeled after the navigational strategy of moths and exhibits competitive performance in resolving benchmark and real-world engineering issues.

Bioprinting; three-dimensional printing; tissue engineering

The emphasis on sophisticated manufacturing methods for biological applications in this field suggests a keen interest in the nexus of biology and technology, especially in tissue engineering. As shown in Fig.  11 a, the topic's evolution encompasses Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that have transitioned over the years, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which is inherently connected to the advancement of medical technologies and tissue engineering for health applications. This research also touches upon SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), suggesting applications of bioprinting technologies in the environmental sustainability and energy sectors. The progression toward SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) reflects a broader impact, where biomimetic principles are applied to foster innovation in industrial processes and contribute to the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems.

Key phrases emerging from the word cloud in Fig.  11 b, such as “Hydrogel”, “Biofabrication”, “Tissue Scaffold”, and “Regenerative Medicine”, highlight the specialized methodologies and materials that are inspired by natural processes and structures. Terms such as 'Three-Dimensional Printing' and 'Bioprinting' underscore the technological advancements in creating complex biological structures, aiming to revolutionize the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Three widely referenced papers about advances in 3D printing—particularly in bioprinting, soft matter, and the incorporation of biological tissue with functional electronics—are described next. Truby and Lewis’s 68 review of light- and ink-based 3D printing techniques is ground-breaking. This highlights the technology's capacity to create soft matter with tunable properties and its potential applications in robotics, shape-morphing systems, biologically inspired composites, and soft sensors. Ozbolat, and Hospodiuk 69 provide a thorough analysis of “extrusion-based bioprinting (EBB).” The adaptability of EBB in printing different biologics is discussed in the paper, with a focus on its uses in pharmaceutics, primary research, and clinical contexts. Future directions and challenges in EBB technology are also discussed. Using 3D printing, Mannoor et al. 70 presented a novel method for fusing organic tissue with functioning electronics. In the proof-of-concept, a hydrogel matrix seeded with cells and an interwoven conductive polymer containing silver nanoparticles are 3D printed to create a bionic ear. The improved auditory sensing capabilities of the printed ear show how this novel technology allows biological and nanoelectronic features to work together harmoniously.

RQ3: Translation and commercialization

Biomimicry offers promising solutions for sustainability in commercial industries with environmentally sustainable product innovation and energy savings with reduced resource commitment 71 . However, translating biomimicry innovations from research to commercialization presents challenges, including product validation, regulatory hurdles, and the need for strategic investment, innovative financial models, and interdisciplinary collaboration 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 . Ethical considerations highlight the need for universally applicable ethical guidelines regarding the moral debates surrounding biomimicry, such as motivations for pursuing such approaches and the valuation of nature 75 .

Addressing these barriers requires interdisciplinary collaboration, targeted education, and training programs. Strategic investment in biomimicry research and development is also crucial. Encouraging an engineering mindset that integrates biomimicry principles into conventional practices and developing commercial acumen among researchers is essential for navigating the market landscape 76 . Securing sufficient funding is essential for the development, testing, and scaling of these innovations 76 .

Successful case studies illustrate that the strategic integration of biomimicry enhances corporate sustainability and innovation (Larson & Meier 2017). In biomedical research, biomimetic approaches such as novel scaffolds and artificial skins have made significant strides (Zhang 2012). Architecture benefits through energy-efficient building facades modeled after natural cooling systems (Webb et al. 2017). The textile industry uses biomimicry to create sustainable, high-performance fabrics 77 .

RQ4: Interdisciplinary collaboration

Agricultural innovations (sdgs 1—no poverty and 2—zero hunger).

Environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, poverty, and hunger highlight the need for sustainable agricultural methods to mimic natural ecosystems. This includes computational models for ecological interactions, field experiments for biomimetic techniques, and novel materials inspired by natural soil processes. Research can develop solutions such as artificial photosynthesis for energy capture, polyculture systems mimicking ecosystem diversity, and bioinspired materials for soil regeneration and water retention 28 . These innovations can improve sustainability and energy efficiency in agriculture, addressing poverty and hunger through sustainable farming practices.

Educational models (SDG 4—Quality education)

Integrating sustainability principles and biomimicry into educational curricula at all levels presents opportunities for innovation. Collaborations between educators, environmental scientists, and designers can create immersive learning experiences that promote sustainability. This includes interdisciplinary curricula with biomimicry case studies, digital tools, and simulations for exploring biomimetic designs, and participatory learning approaches for engaging students with natural environments. Designing biomimicry-based educational tools and programs can help students engage in hands-on, project-based learning 10 , fostering a deeper understanding of sustainable living and problem-solving.

Gender-inclusive design (SDG 5—Gender inequality)

Gender biases in design and innovation call for research into biomimetic designs and technologies that facilitate gender equality. This includes participatory design processes involving women as cocreators, studying natural systems for inclusive strategies, and applying biomimetic principles to develop technologies supporting gender equality. Bioinspired technologies can address women's specific needs, enhancing access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Interdisciplinary approaches involving gender studies, engineering, and environmental science can uncover new pathways for inclusive innovation.

Inclusive urban solutions (SDG 11—Sustainable cities and communities)

Rapid urbanization challenges such as housing shortages, environmental degradation, and unsustainable transportation systems require innovative solutions. Methodologies include systems thinking in urban planning, simulation tools for modeling biomimetic solutions, and pilot projects testing bioinspired urban innovations. Research on biomimetic architecture for affordable housing, green infrastructure for climate resilience, and bioinspired transportation systems can offer solutions. Collaborative efforts among architects, urban planners, ecologists, and sociologists are essential 78 .

Peace and justice (SDG 16—Peace, justice and institutions)

Social conflicts and weak institutions necessitate innovative approaches that integrate political science, sociology, and biology. Methods involve case studies, theoretical modeling, and participatory action research to develop strategies for peacebuilding and institutional development.

This research provides a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted dimensions of biomimicry, SDG alignment, and interdisciplinary topics, demonstrating a clear trajectory of growth and relevance. Interdisciplinary collaboration has emerged as a pivotal strategy for unlocking the full potential of biomimicry in addressing underexplored SDGs.

While answering RQ1, the interdisciplinary analysis underscores the significant alignment of biomimicry research with several SDGs. This reflects the interdisciplinary nature of biomimicry and its ability to generate solutions for societal challenges. The analysis of two thematic clusters revealed the broad applicability of biomimicry across various sustainable development goals (SDGs). The first cluster includes health, partnership, and life on land (SDGs 3, 17, and 15), highlighting biomimicry's potential in medical technologies, sustainability collaborations, and land management. The second cluster encompasses clean water, energy, infrastructure, and marine life (SDGs 6, 7, 9, and 14), demonstrating innovative approaches to clean energy generation, sustainable infrastructure, and water purification.

In response to RQ2, this study highlights emerging topics within biomimicry research, such as metaheuristics and nanogenerators, which reflect a dynamic and evolving field that is swiftly gaining attention. These topics, alongside sensors, flexible electronics, and strain sensors, denote evolving research objectives and societal demands, pointing to new areas of study and innovation. This focus on interdisciplinary topics within biomimicry underscores the field’s adaptability and responsiveness to the shifting landscapes of technological and societal challenges.

In addressing RQ3, biomimicry holds potential for sustainable innovation but faces challenges in commercialization. Biomimicry inspires diverse technological and product innovations, driving sustainable advancements (Lurie-Luke 84 ). Overcoming these barriers through strategic investment, training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical guidelines is essential for unlocking their full potential.

For RQ4 , the recommendations are formulated based on underexplored SDGs like 1, 4, 5, and 10 where biomimicry could play a pivotal role.

Future research could apply generative AI models to this dataset to validate the findings and explore additional insights. While our current study did not explore this topic, we see significant potential for this approach. Generative AI models can process extensive datasets and reveal patterns, potentially offering insights into biomimetic research correlations. The interpretation required for context-specific analysis remains challenging for generative AI 36 , 37

Our study provides valuable insights, but some limitations are worth considering. The chosen database might limit the comprehensiveness of the research captured, potentially excluding relevant work from other sources. Additionally, while the combination of cocitation mapping and BERTopic modeling provides a powerful analysis, both methods have inherent limitations. They may oversimplify the complexities of the field or introduce bias during theme interpretation, even with advanced techniques. Furthermore, our use of citations to thematically clustered publications as a proxy for impact inherits the limitations of citation analysis, such as biases toward established ideas and potential misinterpretations 79 , 80 . Another limitation of our study is the potential for missing accurate SDG mappings, as multiple SDG mapping initiatives are available, and our reliance on a single, Scopus-integrated method may not capture all relevant associations. Consequently, this could have resulted in the exclusion of papers that were appropriately aligned with certain SDGs but were not identified by our chosen mapping approach. Given these limitations, this study provides a valuable snapshot for understanding biomimicry research.

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

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Raman, R., Sreenivasan, A., Suresh, M. et al. Mapping biomimicry research to sustainable development goals. Sci Rep 14 , 18613 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69230-9

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69230-9

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