What is the Difference Between Literature Review and Review Paper: Explanations and Differences

In academic journey, especially in research field, you may know the terms like ‘literature review’ and ‘review paper’. A literature review involves the major overview of existing research on the particular topic and highlights the significant of academic study. A review paper is critically evaluate the existing literature on the specific subject, serves insights that promote direction for future research. In this blog, we refer the differences between literature review and review paper.

Know More about Literature Review

A literature review is an exploration of previously published academic research area related to specific topic of study. In the common part of academic works like research proposal, thesis, dissertation and journal articles. The main concept of literature review is to find the combination of existing knowledge, relationship among studies, trends and identifying literature gaps to form a new research.

Features of literature review

• It completes all important academic work related to the research topic
• The literature review evaluates the strength and weakness of existing research.
• It summarizes the difficulties of current research and making it easier to understand the research.
• In literature review it can be organized in some manner like sequential and methodological.

Literature Review Format

An introduction: Refers to the topic that defines the scope of review.

A main body: The main section of the literature review is organized in logical manner like thematically, chronologically and methodologically.

A conclusion: The conclusion identifies the research gap and summarizes the key findings of review.

Know More About Review Paper

Review paper is an academic article that evaluates the existing research on the particular topic which presents the new experimental findings. Review paper is more important because they provide the knowledge across multiple studies that make readers to analyze the current state of research paper in specific area. The process of writing review paper involves collecting relevant research article, analyzing and comparing the findings and structuring the information logically. Review paper are more valuable resources for researchers as they serve to refine the research question and provide the base for future studies by clarifying the current research topic.

Features of Review Paper

• Summarize the existing research on the specific topics
• Analyze the critical evaluation and methodologies for existing studies
• Organizing the methodology in thematic and chronological structure.
• Highlights the area or identifying the research gap for future studies.
• Insight the conclusion on the current state of knowledge.
• Make suggestion for future research.
• Detailed reference list of cited work.

Format of Review Paper

Title Page: It reflects the main focus of review.

Abstract: Summarize the purpose and major findings of the review paper.

Introduction: It involves review’s background, purpose and scope, research question.

Body: Organized, analysis and synthesis of the research

Conclusion: Finalize the key findings and provide the direction for future study.

References: List all sources cited in the review.

Literature Review vs. Review Paper

Conclusion

The literature review refers to the format section in an academic research that evaluates the critical review of existing studies to identify the research gaps. On the other hand, in review paper highlights the overall contribution of the reviewed literature to the field and outlines the specific ideas for future research to indentify the research gap and challenges. Both conclusions have an aim to guide future scholarly task. In this following blog, we thoroughly understanding these two concepts, researchers can overcome the difficulties in academic research.