types of journal articles literature review

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Types of journal articles

It is helpful to familiarise yourself with the different types of articles published by journals. Although it may appear there are a large number of types of articles published due to the wide variety of names they are published under, most articles published are one of the following types; Original Research, Review Articles, Short reports or Letters, Case Studies, Methodologies.

Original Research:

This is the most common type of journal manuscript used to publish full reports of data from research. It may be called an  Original Article, Research Article, Research, or just  Article, depending on the journal. The Original Research format is suitable for many different fields and different types of studies. It includes full Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections.

Short reports or Letters:

These papers communicate brief reports of data from original research that editors believe will be interesting to many researchers, and that will likely stimulate further research in the field. As they are relatively short the format is useful for scientists with results that are time sensitive (for example, those in highly competitive or quickly-changing disciplines). This format often has strict length limits, so some experimental details may not be published until the authors write a full Original Research manuscript. These papers are also sometimes called Brief communications .

Review Articles:

Review Articles provide a comprehensive summary of research on a certain topic, and a perspective on the state of the field and where it is heading. They are often written by leaders in a particular discipline after invitation from the editors of a journal. Reviews are often widely read (for example, by researchers looking for a full introduction to a field) and highly cited. Reviews commonly cite approximately 100 primary research articles.

TIP: If you would like to write a Review but have not been invited by a journal, be sure to check the journal website as some journals to not consider unsolicited Reviews. If the website does not mention whether Reviews are commissioned it is wise to send a pre-submission enquiry letter to the journal editor to propose your Review manuscript before you spend time writing it.  

Case Studies:

These articles report specific instances of interesting phenomena. A goal of Case Studies is to make other researchers aware of the possibility that a specific phenomenon might occur. This type of study is often used in medicine to report the occurrence of previously unknown or emerging pathologies.

Methodologies or Methods

These articles present a new experimental method, test or procedure. The method described may either be completely new, or may offer a better version of an existing method. The article should describe a demonstrable advance on what is currently available.

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Writing a Literature Review

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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.

Types of Articles found in Scholarly Journals

• How to Limit to Empirical Articles

Literature Review Articles

• Theoretical Articles
• News, Book Reviews, Opinion, Letters to the Editor, etc.
• Video: How to Read a Scholarly Article

What if I see words often found in other articles?

Since literature reviews reference others articles, you may find the buzz words commons in theoretical and empirical articles..  Existence of these words is common in review articles.   The phrase literature review is option predominantly featured in the title or abstract. These are really great finds for your research to help you lead ahead in your research.

• Purpose of a literature review
• Key Questions for a lit review
• What does a literature review article look like
• There's a literature review in my empirical article

A literature summarizes & analyzes published work on a topic in order to

• evaluate the state of research on the topic.
• provide an overview of previous research on a topic that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic.
• suggest future research and/or gaps in knowledge.
• synthesize and place into context original research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic (as in the literature review prior within an empirical research article.

A literature review should try to answer questions such as

1. Who are the key researchers on this topic?

2. What has been the focus of the research efforts so far and what is the current status?

3. How have certain studies built on prior studies? Where are the connections? Are there new interpretations of the research?

4. Have there been any controversies or debates about the research? Is there a consensus? Are there any contradictions?

5. Which areas have been identified as needing further research? Have any pathways been suggested?

6. How will your topic uniquely contribute to this body of knowledge?

7. Which methodologies have researchers used and which appear to be the most productive?

8. What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful to you?

9. How does your particular topic fit into the larger context of what has already been done?

10. How has the research that has already been done help frame your current investigation?

The format  is usually a bibliographic essay; sources are briefly cited within the body of the essay, with full bibliographic citations at the end.

The introduction should define the topic and set the context for the literature review. It will include the author's perspective or point of view on the topic, how they have defined the scope of the topic (including what's not included), and how the review will be organized. It can point out overall trends, conflicts in methodology or conclusions, and gaps in the research.

The body of the review should organize the research into major topics and subtopics. These groupings may be by subject, (e.g., globalization of clothing manufacturing), type of research (e.g., case studies), methodology (e.g., qualitative), genre, chronology, or other common characteristics. Within these groups the author can then discuss the merits of each article and provide analysis and comparison of the importance of each article to similar ones.

The conclusion will summarize the main findings, make clear how this review of the literature supports (or not) the research to follow, and may point the direction for further research.

The list of references will include full citations for all of the items mentioned in the lit review.

In this context, the "literature" refers published scholarly work in a field. Literature includes journal articles, conference proceedings, technical reports, and books. 

A literature review can also be a short introductory section of a research article, report or policy paper that focuses on recent research. In the anatomy of a scholarly research article example, the literature review is a part of the introduction. Sometimes in empirical research, the literature review is its own section.

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Guide to Scholarly Articles

• What is a Scholarly Article?
• Scholarly vs. Popular vs. Trade Articles

Types of Scholarly Articles

Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods articles, why does this matter.

• Anatomy of Scholarly Articles
• Tips for Reading Scholarly Articles

Scholarly articles come in many different formats each with their own function in the scholarly conversation. The following are a few of the major types of scholarly articles you are likely to encounter as you become a part of the conversation. Identifying the different types of scholarly articles and knowing their function will help you become a better researcher.

Original/Empirical Studies

• Note: Empirical studies can be subdivided into qualitative studies, quantitative studies, or mixed methods studies. See below for more information  
• Usefulness for research:  Empirical studies are useful because they provide current original research on a topic which may contain a hypothesis or interpretation to advance or to disprove. 

Literature Reviews

• Distinguishing characteristic:  Literature reviews survey and analyze a clearly delaminated body of scholarly literature.  
• Usefulness for research: Literature reviews are useful as a way to quickly get up to date on a particular topic of research.

Theoretical Articles

• Distinguishing characteristic:  Theoretical articles draw on existing scholarship to improve upon or offer a new theoretical perspective on a given topic.
• Usefulness for research:  Theoretical articles are useful because they provide a theoretical framework you can apply to your own research.

Methodological Articles

• Distinguishing characteristic:  Methodological articles draw on existing scholarship to improve or offer new methodologies for exploring a given topic.
• Usefulness for research:  Methodological articles are useful because they provide a methodologies you can apply to your own research.

Case Studies

• Distinguishing characteristic:  Case studies focus on individual examples or instances of a phenomenon to illustrate a research problem or a a solution to a research problem.
• Usefulness for research:  Case studies are useful because they provide information about a research problem or data for analysis.

Book Reviews

• Distinguishing characteristic:  Book reviews provide summaries and evaluations of individual books.
• Usefulness for research:  Book reviews are useful because they provide summaries and evaluations of individual books relevant to your research.

Adapted from the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association : the official guide to APA style. (Sixth edition.). (2013). American Psychological Association.

Qualitative articles  ask "why" questions where as  quantitative  articles  ask "how many/how much?" questions. These approaches are are not mutually exclusive. In fact, many articles combine the two in a  mixed-methods  approach. 

We can think of these different kinds of scholarly articles as different tools designed for different tasks. What research task do you need to accomplish? Do you need to get up to date on a give topic? Find a literature review. Do you need to find a hypothesis to test or to extend? Find an empirical study. Do you need to explore methodologies? Find a methodological article.

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Literature Review: Types of literature reviews

• Traditional or narrative literature reviews
• Scoping Reviews
• Systematic literature reviews
• Annotated bibliography
• Keeping up to date with literature
• Finding a thesis
• Evaluating sources and critical appraisal of literature
• Managing and analysing your literature
• Further reading and resources

Types of literature reviews

The type of literature review you write will depend on your discipline and whether you are a researcher writing your PhD, publishing a study in a journal or completing an assessment task in your undergraduate study.

A literature review for a subject in an undergraduate degree will not be as comprehensive as the literature review required for a PhD thesis.

An undergraduate literature review may be in the form of an annotated bibliography or a narrative review of a small selection of literature, for example ten relevant articles. If you are asked to write a literature review, and you are an undergraduate student, be guided by your subject coordinator or lecturer.

The common types of literature reviews will be explained in the pages of this section.

• Narrative or traditional literature reviews
• Critically Appraised Topic (CAT)
• Scoping reviews
• Annotated bibliographies

These are not the only types of reviews of literature that can be conducted. Often the term "review" and "literature" can be confusing and used in the wrong context. Grant and Booth (2009) attempt to clear up this confusion by discussing 14 review types and the associated methodology, and advantages and disadvantages associated with each review.

Grant, M. J. and Booth, A. (2009), A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies . Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26 , 91–108. doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x

What's the difference between reviews?

Researchers, academics, and librarians all use various terms to describe different types of literature reviews, and there is often inconsistency in the ways the types are discussed. Here are a couple of simple explanations.

• The image below describes common review types in terms of speed, detail, risk of bias, and comprehensiveness:

"Schematic of the main differences between the types of literature review" by Brennan, M. L., Arlt, S. P., Belshaw, Z., Buckley, L., Corah, L., Doit, H., Fajt, V. R., Grindlay, D., Moberly, H. K., Morrow, L. D., Stavisky, J., & White, C. (2020). Critically Appraised Topics (CATs) in veterinary medicine: Applying evidence in clinical practice. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7 , 314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00314 is licensed under CC BY 3.0

• The table below lists four of the most common types of review , as adapted from a widely used typology of fourteen types of reviews (Grant & Booth, 2009).  

Grant, M.J. & Booth, A. (2009).  A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26 (2), 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x

See also the Library's  Literature Review guide.

Critical Appraised Topic (CAT)

For information on conducting a Critically Appraised Topic or CAT

Callander, J., Anstey, A. V., Ingram, J. R., Limpens, J., Flohr, C., & Spuls, P. I. (2017).  How to write a Critically Appraised Topic: evidence to underpin routine clinical practice.  British Journal of Dermatology (1951), 177(4), 1007-1013. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.15873 

Books on Literature Reviews

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Literature Reviews, Critiquing, & Synthesizing Literature

• Literature Review

Types of Literature Reviews

Literature review types -- comparing, learning about study designs, critically appraised topics -- writing, integrative lit review.

• Literature Review Steps Videos
• Critiquing Literature / Critical Review
• Synthesizing Literature
• Summarizing Articles
• Other Lit Review LibGuides

Types of Literature Reviews:

Critically Appraised Topic (CATs) :  A critically appraised topic (or CAT) is a short summary of evidence on a topic of interest, usually focused around a clinical question. A CAT is like a shorter and less rigorous version of a systematic review, summarizing the best available research evidence on a topic.

Integrative Review: A review via a systematic approach that uses a detailed search strategy to find relevant evidence to answer a targeted clinical question. Evidence can come from RCTs, observational studies, qualitative research, clinical experts, and other types of evidence. Does not use summary statistics.

Meta-analysis:  a quantitative statistical analysis of several separate but similar experiments or studies in order to test the pooled data for statistical significance.

Narrative or Traditional Review:  Critical research summary on a topic of interest, often to put a research problem into context. Captures a “snapshot” of the clinical problem or issue.

Rapid Review :  A rapid literature review (RLR) is an alternative to systematic literature review (SLR) that can speed up the analysis of newly published data.

Scoping Review  A s coping review is a descriptive approach, designed to chart the literature around a particular topic. It involves an extensive literature search and often uses structured mapping or charting of the literature.

Systematic Review : Comprehensive search strategies and rigorous research appraisal methods surrounding a clinical issue or question. Evidence is primarily based upon  RCTs . Used to summarize, appraise, & communicate contradictory results or unmanageable amounts of research.

Umbrella Review : An umbrella review is a systematic collection and assessment of multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses on a specific research topic

• Lit Review vs Systematic Rev vs Meta Analysis
• A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health information and libraries journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
• Chart comparing Systematic Review Vs Literature Review Chart explaining differences. Chart by L. Kysh, MLIS from U. Ca
• Conducting umbrella reviews Belbasis, L., Bellou, V., & Ioannidis, J. P. (2022). Conducting umbrella reviews. BMJ medicine, 1(1).
• Meeting the review family: exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Sutton, A., Clowes, M., Preston, L., & Booth, A. (2019). Meeting the review family: exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 36(3), 202-222.
• Part 1: Difference between systematic reviews and rapid reviews (4:43) Cochrane Training video.
• Rapid literature review: definition and methodology Smela, B., Toumi, M., Świerk, K., Francois, C., Biernikiewicz, M., Clay, E., & Boyer, L. (2023). Rapid literature review: definition and methodology. Journal of market access & health policy, 11(1), 2241234. https://doi.org/10.1080/20016689.2023.2241234
• Reviewing Research: Literature Reviews, Scoping Reviews, Systematic Reviews: Differentiating the Three Review Types University of Buffalo LibGuide
• Scoping reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis: Applications in veterinary medicine Sargeant, J. M., & O'Connor, A. M. (2020). Scoping reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis: Applications in veterinary medicine. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, 11-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00011
• Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach Munn, Z., Peters, M.D.J., Stern, C. et al. Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Med Res Methodol 18, 143 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x
• Systematic Review Service: What Type of Review is Right for You? University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library Decide with type of review. Decision Tree included.
• Systematic vs. Scoping vs. Integrative References Getting Help Systematic vs. Scoping vs. Integrative Review Duquesne University
• What Type of Review is Right for You? Cornell University Library Flowchart to decide about which review to use.
• Combining abbreviated literature searches with single-reviewer screening: Three case studies of rapid reviews. Affengruber, L., Wagner, G., Waffenschmidt, S., Lhachimi, S. K., Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Thaler, K., Griebler, U., Klerings, I., & Gartlehner, G. (2020). Combining abbreviated literature searches with single-reviewer screening: Three case studies of rapid reviews. Systematic Reviews, 9(1), 162-162. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01413-7
• Study Design 101 Tutorial by George Washington University. Describes different study designs.

Critically Appraised Topics (CATs)

• CEBMa Guideline for Critically Appraised Topics in Management and Organizations Barends, E., Rousseau, D. M., & Briner, R. B. (2017). CEBMa guideline for critically appraised topics in management and organizations. Center for Evidence-Based Management. https://cebma. org/wp-content/uploads/CEBMa-CAT-Guidelines. pdf.
• Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) was developed in Oxford in 1993 and has since helped to develop an evidence based approach in health and social care, working with local, national and international partner organisations.
• Evidence Based Medicine IV: how to find an evidence-based answer to a clinical question? Make a critically appraised topic! Beckers, G. M. A., Herbst, K., Kaefer, M., Harper, L., Castagnetti, M., Bagli, D., Kalfa, N., Fossum, M., & ESPU Research Committee. (2019). Evidence based medicine IV: How to find an evidence-based answer to a clinical question? make a critically appraised topic. Journal of Pediatric Urology, 15(4), 409-411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpurol.2019.05.009
• EXAMPLE: The Use of Orthotic Insoles to Prevent Lower Limb Overuse Injuries: A Critically Appraised Topic Kelly JL, Valier AR. The Use of Orthotic Insoles to Prevent Lower Limb Overuse Injuries: A Critically Appraised Topic. J Sport Rehabil. 2018 Nov 1;27(6):591-595. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2016-0142. Epub 2018 Oct 13. PMID: 28952905.
• How to Perform a Critically Appraised Topic: Part 1, Ask, Search, and Apply Aine Marie Kelly and Paul Cronin American Journal of Roentgenology November 2011, Volume 197, Number 5
• How to Perform a Critically Appraised Topic: Part 2, Appraise, Evaluate, Generate, and Recommend Aine Marie Kelly and Paul Cronin American Journal of Roentgenology November 2011, Volume 197, Number 5
• How to write a critically appraised topic (CAT) Sadigh, G., Parker, R., Kelly, A. M., & Cronin, P. (2012). How to write a critically appraised topic (CAT). Academic radiology, 19(7), 872–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2012.02.005
• How to write a Critically Appraised Topic: evidence to underpin routine clinical practice Callander J, Anstey AV, Ingram JR, Limpens J, Flohr C, Spuls PI. How to write a Critically Appraised Topic: evidence to underpin routine clinical practice. Br J Dermatol. 2017 Oct;177(4):1007-1013. doi: 10.1111/bjd.15873. Epub 2017 Oct 1. PMID: 28967117.
• What is a Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) Physiopedia

Integrative Review:  A review via a systematic approach that uses a detailed search strategy to find relevant evidence to answer a targeted clinical question. Evidence can come from RCTs, observational studies, qualitative research, clinical experts, and other types of evidence. Does not use summary statistics.

• Conducting integrative reviews: a guide for novice nursing researchers Dhollande S, Taylor A, Meyer S, Scott M. Conducting integrative reviews: a guide for novice nursing researchers. J Res Nurs. 2021 Aug;26(5):427-438. doi: 10.1177/1744987121997907. Epub 2021 Aug 5. PMID: 35251272; PMCID: PMC8894639.
• The integrative review: Updated methodology. Whittemore, R., & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: Updated methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546-553. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03621.x
• Strategies for completing a successful integrative review Oermann, M. H., & Knafl, K. A. (2021). Strategies for completing a successful integrative review. Nurse Author & Editor, 31(3-4), 65-68.
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Systematic Reviews

• Types of Literature Reviews

What Makes a Systematic Review Different from Other Types of Reviews?

• Planning Your Systematic Review
• Database Searching
• Creating the Search
• Search Filters and Hedges
• Grey Literature
• Managing and Appraising Results
• Further Resources

Reproduced from Grant, M. J. and Booth, A. (2009), A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26: 91–108. doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x

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Pharmacy : Types of Review Articles (Literature, Scoping and Systematic)

• Pharmacy Library (Lower Level, Room 0013)
• Creating a Search Strategy
• Databases (PubMed, Embase, +more)
• Grey Literature Sources (Websites, theses, clinical trials +more)
• Electronic Journals (Browse journals, or look for a place to publish)
• Types of Review Articles (Literature, Scoping and Systematic)
• Research Methods (Designing your own research; calculating statistics)
• Indigenous Research and Resources
• Patents - Where to Search
• Artificial Intelligence Tools for Research
• Critical Appraisal
• Cite Using the AMA Style
• Reference (Citation) Management Programs - Zotero, RefWorks, Mendeley
• Writing Tips
• Research Data Management

Their Uniqueness, Characteristics and Differences

• Types of Review Articles

The above slides explore:

• The purpose of each type of review article
• Their methodology
• Practical examples for each article type
• Systematic Reviews, Scoping Reviews, and other Knowledge Syntheses (McGill University) Learn about the different types of knowledge syntheses and how to conduct them.
• Knowledge syntheses: Systematic & Scoping Reviews, and other review types (University of Toronto) Useful information and resources on the process of conducting various types of reviews or knowledge syntheses.
• Review Types (Temple University) Outlines other types of reviews like rapid reviews, mixed methods reviews, overview of reviews, etc. For each review, includes: definition, process, timeframe, limitations, + links to useful resources for conducting the review.
• Review Comparison Chart (Unity Health Toronto/St. Michael's Health Sciences Library) Compares the key elements of major knowledge synthesis methodologies in an infographic.
• Knowledge Synthesis Decision Tool (Unity Health Toronto/St. Michael's Health Sciences Library) This tool assists in making a decision about what type of review is right for you based on your research question(s) and the required parameters of each type of review. It is meant to be used with the comparison chart.

Systematic Review Management Software

• Covidence - a systematic review software tool Web-based software to support systematic screening and data abstraction for systematic and scoping reviews. Free for Waterloo students, faculty and researchers.
• Distiller Subscription-based, but student pricing available.
• Rayyan A free web-tool designed to manage the stages of systematic reviews and other knowledge synthesis projects.

What is the Project's Goal?

Always ask yourself:

• Do I want to systematically/comprehensively search the literature?
• Or, do I want to conduct a systematic review?

Conducting a comprehensive search of the literature involves very different methods than a systematic review. If you are unsure as to which project best meets your needs, consult the Pharmacy Liaison Librarian, Caitlin Carter at [email protected]

Writing the Protocol (Plan)

• What information should be provided in a protocol? (University of Toronto)
• JBI Chapter 11: Scoping Reviews (see 11.2, "Development of a Scoping Review Protocol")
• Template for a systematic literature review protocol (Durham University)
• Knowledge Synthesis Protocol Template (Unity Health Toronto/St. Michael's Health Sciences Library)

Avoid duplication: register your scoping or systematic review protocol (plan)

• Where to prospectively register a systematic review? A short article describing the differences between the various available registration options.
• PROSPERO Protocol registry for systematic reviews. Does not accept scoping reviews or literature reviews. Research topic must be health or social care related.
• Joanna Briggs Institute Registry Register scoping and systematic reviews (must be JBI-affiliated).
• Research Registry Register reviews, randomized controlled trials, case reports, cohort studies, etc.
• Center for Open Science Register any research type.
• Protocols.io Register any research type.

Literature (Narrative) Reviews

These resources offer practical insight into literature reviews:

• The literature review: A few tips on conducting it
• Literature reviews: An overview for graduate students (video)
• Health sciences literature review made easy: The matrix method
• Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide
• Writing narrative literature reviews for peer-reviewed journals: Secrets of the trade
• The four-part literature review process: breaking it down for students
• Advanced Research Skills: Conducting Literature and Systematic Reviews (free, online short course)

Scoping Reviews

These resources offer practical insight into scoping reviews:

• Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework
• Enhancing the scoping study methodology: A large, inter-professional team’s experience with Arksey and O’Malley’s framework
• Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology
• The Joanna Briggs Institute - Chapter 11: Scoping Reviews
• Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews

Systematic Reviews

These resources offer practical insight into systematic reviews:

• Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions
• Systematic Reviews: The Process (Duke University)
• Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) Find out if reviews and economic evaluations have already been done before embarking on new projects. Last batch of records was added in 2015.
• PRISMA - what to report in a systematic review
• Doing a systematic review: A student's guide Available in PRINT in Pharmacy Library, Call number: R853.S94 D65 2017
• Finding what works in health care: Standards for systematic reviews Click on "download free PDF"
• Systematic Reviews (University of Ottawa) Systematic Reviews explained using the PIECES Model: planning, identifying, evaluating, collecting and combining, explaining and summarizing.

Library Support for Systematic Reviews

• UW Library Systematic Review Support Overview of the types of UW Library support for systematic/scoping review projects.
• UW Library Systematic Review Protocol Use the "UW Library Systematic Review Protocol" to identify the various aspects of your systematic review (SR) project. This protocol will help minimize the likelihood of bias throughout the SR process, which is vital to a SR.
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• Next: Research Methods (Designing your own research; calculating statistics) >>
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Organizing a Literature Review

• What is a Lit Review
• Article Types & Evaluating Resources
• Steps for a successful review
• Review Articles

Article Types

What type of article are you looking for or looking at?

These categories are not rigid and some of them overlap.  Here are some characteristics to help identify the article type:

Open Access (OA)

• Publications that are free to read and do not require a subscription to access. Gold OA is the publisher's final version; Green OA is when an author shares an earlier version. Read more about Open Access here .

Research articles:

• typically published in a journal
• highly likely to have been peer reviewed
• structured like lab reports, with sections for:  the abstract or summary of the project, introduction and literature review, hypothesis or experimental question, method or procedure used, results and data gathered,  the analysis or interpretation of the data, and conclusions.
• serve as the primary report of research. They are used by practitioners as a theoretical base for application of the information.
• contain highly technical language for an experienced or educated audience
• not every article in a peer reviewed journal is peer reviewed.  Many academic or research journals also include editorials, opinions, comments, conference summaries, and book reviews that are not peer reviewed.

Peer reviewed (or Refereed ) articles:

• articles that have been evaluated and critiqued by experts and revised in response, by the author(s)  
• peer review is traditionally conducted anonymously by scholars external to the author's institution.  In "double blind peer review" the authors names are also concealed from reviewers. In "open peer review," the identities of authors and reviewers are not confidential and peer reviewers' comments are available to the public.
• identified by the journal's editorial policies. Dates of submission of the manuscript draft, revision(s) by the author(s), and acceptance by the publisher are often included in the official publication, the "version of record"

PrePrint articles:

• a version of a research article that is shared on a public repository prior to peer review
• part of the scholarly record; each version may be assigned a doi (digital object identifier)
• preprint repositories should link to the publishers' version-of-record when an article is formally published after peer review

Review articles:

• summarize published literature about a topic, providing historical context for current research
• may identify trends , replication of results, and hypotheses that need further research and testing
• newer types of review articles (e.g. systematic review , scoping review, meta-analysis) use transparent and reproducible methods that minimize bias as part of the evidence-based synthesis

Conference papers:

• may present " works in progress " 
• In some cases the paper may be peer-reviewed, and sometimes only the abstract is peer-reviewed.  Conference papers might be published in conference proceedings, or the authors may wait to publish the complete version of the article in a peer-reviewed journal.

Technical reports: (not peer reviewed)

• are structured like case studies : or "how I solved this problem."
• They serve as a project report to the funding source, which may be a federal, state, or local government agency.  Tech reports are not always available; they may be kept proprietary, especially if client is a non-governmental corporation.

Trade publication articles: (not peer reviewed)

•   frequently published in magazines or journals
•  written for practitioners
• They are structured informally, and they may contain lots of advertising and short news items providing up-to-date information about products, meetings and research.  Articles are brief and usually do not have references at the end.

Popular articles: (not peer reviewed)

• published in magazines and and other news sources intended for non-specialist audiences
• typically do not contain original research results

Websites , press releases , encyclopedia entries :

• use with caution, and evaluate for authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage

What exactly is Peer Review?

North Carolina State University Libraries

Is it a primary source?

Q.   What is a primary source?

A.   Primary documents are the original source materials.

In the sciences lab data, lab notebooks, and original test protocols are considered primary documents.  Source code and release notes, field observation notes or images are also primary documents.

Journal articles are primary or first reports of research.  Books, encyclopedias, and news articles are secondary (or later) sources because they describe what you will find in the primary sources.

Watch Pyrates: Truth be told for a perspective on primary sources in history!

Criteria for Evaluating a Resource

When evaluating a resource, whether it is print or internet-based, there are questions you can ask yourself to determine if it is high quality and a good match for your project or paper. these questions fall into the following 5 categories:.

Authority Who created the resource? Are the author, organization, affiliations, and publisher clearly shown? If the page is web-based does it link to information about the organization? Does the author have credintials or expertise in the subject matter? Is the resource from a government agency, university, company, non-profit organization?

Accuracy Is the information contained in the source properly cited? Is there a bibliography or reference list? Can you verify the information in other sources? Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors? Is the statistical data clearly explained? Are charts and graphs properly represented and cited?

Objectivity Is the resource free of advertizing? Or, if there is advertizing, is it clearly seperate from content? Is there any bias? Is the sponsoring organization bias or motivated to report facts from a particular perspective?

Currency When was the resource created? When was it updated/ revised? Is it kept current? When was the information gathered?

Coverage Is the information complete? Does it cover the subject in depth? Does it match your information needs?

These criteria were adapted from a worksheet used by Harvard University's Widener Science Library .

• << Previous: What is a Lit Review
• Next: Steps for a successful review >>
• Last Updated: Oct 25, 2023 11:22 AM
• URL: https://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/literaturereview

• University Libraries
• Research Guides
• Reviewing Research: Literature Reviews, Scoping Reviews, Systematic Reviews
• Differentiating the Three Review Types

Reviewing Research: Literature Reviews, Scoping Reviews, Systematic Reviews: Differentiating the Three Review Types

• Framework, Protocol, and Writing Steps
• Working with Keywords/Subject Headings
• Citing Research

The Differences in the Review Types

Grant, M.J. and Booth, A. (2009), A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. H ealth Information & Libraries Journal , 26: 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x   The objective of this study is to provide descriptive insight into the most common types of reviews, with illustrative examples from health and health information domains.

• What Type of Review is Right for you (Cornell University)

Literature Reviews

Literature Review: it is a product and a process.

As a product , it is a carefully written examination, interpretation, evaluation, and synthesis of the published literature related to your topic. It focuses on what is known about your topic and what methodologies, models, theories, and concepts have been applied to it by others.

The process is what is involved in conducting a review of the literature.

• It is ongoing
• It is iterative (repetitive)
• It involves searching for and finding relevant literature.
• It includes keeping track of your references and preparing and formatting them for the bibliography of your thesis

• Literature Reviews (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) This handout will explain what literature reviews are and offer insights into the form and construction of literature reviews in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.

Scoping Reviews

Scoping reviews are a " preliminary assessment of potential size and scope of available research literature . Aims to identify nature and extent of research evidence (usually including ongoing research)." Grant and Booth (2009).

Scoping reviews are not mapping reviews: Scoping reviews are more topic based and mapping reviews are more question based.

• examines emerging evidence when specific questions are unclear - clarify definitions and conceptual boundaries
• identifies and maps the available evidence
• to summarize and disseminate research findings in the research literature
• identify gaps with the intention of resolution by future publications
• a scoping review can be done prior to a systematic review

• Scoping review timeframe and limitations (Touro College of Pharmacy

Systematic Reviews

Many evidence-based disciplines use ‘systematic reviews," this type of review is a specific methodology that aims to comprehensively identify all relevant studies on a specific topic, and to select appropriate studies based on explicit criteria . ( https://cebma.org/faq/what-is-a-systematic-review/ )

• clearly defined search criteria
• an explicit reproducible methodology
• a systematic search of the literature with the defined criteria met
• assesses validity of the findings 
• a comprehensive report on the findings, apparent transparency in the results

• Better evidence for a better world Browsable collection of systematic reviews
• Systematic Reviews in the Health Sciences by Molly Maloney Last Updated Oct 28, 2024 1160 views this year
• Next: Framework, Protocol, and Writing Steps >>

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22 Review Articles

• Published: September 2024
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Reviews provide up-to-date, state-of-the-science summaries of the literature and, depending on the journal, may address a wide variety of topics relevant for the readership, such as clinical medicine, public or global health, health policy, biomedical research, or other topics. This chapter describes several types of reviews, including systematic reviews, narrative reviews, scoping reviews, and other types of review articles. It provides guidance on preparing review manuscripts for submission to biomedical journals and discusses factors authors should consider before and when writing a review. A section on guidelines for reviews provides general recommendations for preparing review manuscripts and includes specific guidance for preparing review manuscripts for several major biomedical journals.

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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: .

• 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.

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.

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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: 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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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How to write a good literature review 

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. 

Whether you’re exploring a new research field or finding new angles to develop an existing topic, sifting through hundreds of papers can take more time than you have to spare. But what if you could find science-backed insights with verified citations in seconds? That’s the power of Paperpal’s new Research feature!  

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 | Cite feature, you get 100% factual insights, with citations backed by 250M+ verified research articles, directly within your writing interface. It also allows you auto-cite references in 10,000+ styles and 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 | Cite” 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 in 10,000+ styles 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.  

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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Tutorial: Evaluating Information: Scholarly Literature Types

• Evaluating Information
• Scholarly Literature Types
• Primary vs. Secondary Articles
• Peer Review
• Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analysis
• Gray Literature
• Evaluating Like a Boss
• Evaluating AV

Types of scholarly literature

You will encounter many types of articles and it is important to distinguish between these different categories of scholarly literature. Keep in mind the following definitions.

Peer-reviewed (or refereed):  Refers to articles that have undergone a rigorous review process, often including revisions to the original manuscript, by peers in their discipline, before publication in a scholarly journal. This can include empirical studies, review articles, meta-analyses among others.

Empirical study (or primary article): An empirical study is one that aims to gain new knowledge on a topic through direct or indirect observation and research. These include quantitative or qualitative data and analysis. In science, an empirical article will often include the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.

Review article:  In the scientific literature, this is a type of article that provides a synthesis of existing research on a particular topic. These are useful when you want to get an idea of a body of research that you are not yet familiar with. It differs from a systematic review in that it does not aim to capture ALL of the research on a particular topic.

Systematic review:  This is a methodical and thorough literature review focused on a particular research question. It's aim is to identify and synthesize all of the scholarly research on a particular topic in an unbiased, reproducible way to provide evidence for practice and policy-making. It may involve a meta-analysis (see below). 

Meta-analysis:  This is a type of research study that combines or contrasts data from different independent studies in a new analysis in order to strengthen the understanding of a particular topic. There are many methods, some complex, applied to performing this type of analysis.

Types of non-formally published scholarly literature

What is gray literature.

Gray (or grey) literature is literature produced by individuals or organizations outside of commercial and/or academic publishers. This type of non-formally published substantive information (often not formally peer-reviewed; especially important in all kinds of sciences) can include information such:

• theses and dissertations
• technical reports  
• working papers 
• government reports
• evaluation and think tank reports and resources
• conference proceedings, papers and posters
• publications from NGOs, INGOs, think tanks and policy institutes
• unpublished clinical trials
• and much more

The sources you select will be informed by your research question and field of study, but should likely include, at a minimum, theses and dissertations.

Why Search the Gray Literature?

Most of gray literature is considered less prestigious, reliable, and "official" than publication in a peer-reviewed journal. But they are still fully legitimate avenues of publication. Often they are used to publicize early findings, before a study is entirely complete. Or, in the case of theses, they are published as a condition of receiving an advanced degree. Government technical reports are issued either by agencies that do scientific research themselves or else by a lab that has received government funding. Increasingly, such labs may be required to publish technical reports as a condition of receiving such funding. Gray literature may be cited like any other paper although with the caveat mentioned before that it is considered less "official" and reliable than peer-reviewed scientific papers.

When doing evidence synthesiis, it's important because the intent is to synthesize  all available evidence  that is applicable to your research question. There is a strong bias in scientific publishing toward publishing studies that show some sort of significant effect. Meanwhile, many studies and trials that show no effect end up going unpublished. But knowing that an intervention had no effect is just as important as knowing that it did have an effect when it comes to making decisions for practice and policy-making. While not peer-reviewed, gray literature represents a valuable body of information that is critical to consider when synthesizing and evaluating all available evidence.

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• Next: Primary vs. Secondary Articles >>
• Last Updated: Sep 6, 2024 12:35 PM
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Introduction to Literature Search

• Developing a topic
• Review Types This link opens in a new window
• Searching Strategies
• Grey Literature
• Peer Review
• Types of Journal Articles
• Finding the Right Article for your Needs

Common Types of Articles

More study designs, evidence pyramid.

• Scholarly vs Popular Sources
• Revising and Refining Searches
• Reference Management
• Appraisal & Analysis
• Writing & Publishing This link opens in a new window

Finding the Right Article for your Research Needs

When looking for articles in journals, it is important to keep in mind that there are many types of articles. They can serve different purposes and therefore compliment your research and writing in different ways.

You can use this chart to help you decide what type of article is best for your research needs. This chart is not exhaustive and does not include every type of article, but some of the most common types.

• More Study Designs Click here for a list of more types of studies.
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A Real-World Application of Short Mindfulness-Based Practices: A Review and Reflection of the Literature and a Practical Proposition for an Effortless Mindful Lifestyle

Michail mantzios , phd, kyriaki giannou , msc.

• Author information
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Michael Mantzios, PhD, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences, Birmingham City University, Room C307, The Curzon Building, 4 Cardigan St, Birmingham, West Midlands B4 7BD, UK; e-mail: [email protected]

Received 2017 Nov 20; Revised 2018 Mar 18; Accepted 2018 Mar 30; Collection date 2019 Nov-Dec.

Mindfulness has become known to the Western world through mindfulness programs that entail different formal and informal mindfulness practices. To enable initiation and commitment to a practice of mindfulness and to enhance the intrinsic motivation to follow and commit to a more demanding mindfulness program and facilitate a lifestyle adaptation, we argue that associating 1 short, accessible, and easy to use mindfulness practice with implementation intentions and habit formation may be the best way forward for novices in meditation and mindfulness. We trust that other theories and findings from psychological science can enhance and enable a mindful lifestyle, which will strengthen the capacity to upkeep optimal living and being.

Keywords: mindfulness, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), habitual mindfulness practice (HMP), habit formation, implementation intentions

‘Brief mindfulness practices have been found to immediately affect emotion, mood, stress, and anxiety in a brief period of time.’

Introduction

The accumulation of mindfulness-related findings from the past 3 decades suggests an alternative and complementary method of practice within medicine for enhancing health and well-being. Whereas much research has indicated the positive effects of mindfulness practices (eg, Reynolds et al 1 ), some systematic reviews reveal nonsignificant differences for assisting people with their physiological and psychological health when compared with other evidence-based treatments. 2 , 3 In an attempt to identify where the problem lies, this article reviews key literature that relates to mindfulness-based programs and practices. Whereas other reviews focused on methodological rigor as a primary point of interest and criticism (which is often valid and indisputable; see, eg, Goldberg et al 4 and Van Dam et al 5 ), this review will focus on mindfulness practices (eg, mindfulness breathing meditation, body scan) that are accumulated to form validated and regulated mindfulness programs (eg, mindfulness-based stress reduction). Some of these practices have not been thoroughly investigated, which means that their inclusion within a mindfulness program (apart from the practitioner’s experience and common sense) is not fully justified through research evidence. For example, the raisin exercise, which is proposed to be a practice suitable for weight regulation programs and is included in mindful eating programs, has not been thoroughly investigated in isolation. Following the review of mindfulness-based programs and inferring that much research needs to be conducted at an experimental level and with short mindfulness-based practices, this article attempts to draw an association between mindfulness, implementation intentions, and habit formation. By drawing these associations, we suggest that short mindfulness practices can form the basis for initiating, adhering to, and adopting mindfulness over the life span. Instead of joining lengthy mindfulness programs, we instigate that by combining implementation intentions and habit formation with short(er) mindfulness practices that have been found to be useful in experimental research, clinicians may enhance the commitment to a mindfulness practice routine and the formation of a habitual mindfulness practice (HMP).

Mindfulness Programs

Mindfulness practices involve intentionally observing the body and mind nonreactively while embracing the individual experience and accepting things as they are. 6 Mindfulness practices, which are traditionally seen through mindfulness meditation, may be understood simply as attentional training, a process of consciously keeping one’s awareness focused on whatever is present, without fixating on any particular part of that experience or engaging in any secondary processing. 7 Such nonjudgmental present moment attention and awareness has been explored in contemporary research through state and trait approaches. State mindfulness has been observed predominantly in contemporary experimental research (or when changes in mindfulness are observed within a short time frame—eg, after 20 minutes of meditation), whereas trait mindfulness is seen more in the context of a general tendency to display mindfulness, or mindfulness being a stable characteristic of one’s personality that may be shifted by participating in a prolonged mindfulness program (eg, over 8 weeks). Repetitive attempts to increase state mindfulness may lead to altering the general tendency to be mindful over time through the appropriate shorter (eg, <3 minute) and longer (eg, >30 minute) meditative practices. In other words, recurring efforts to engage with practices may each time increase state mindfulness and, eventually, accumulate to develop a more mindful disposition and lifestyle. This is the underlying aspect of mindfulness programs, where a week-long engagement with one practice at a time is repeated over the course of the week (eg, week 2 being central to sitting meditation, or week 6 being central to loving-kindness meditation). 8 Overall, mindfulness programs entail various practices of different durations that are taught over several weeks to create a collection of resources.

Indeed, such various, different meditative practices frame empirically supported programs. These programs are based on mindfulness such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, 8 Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, 9 Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, 10 Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness, 11 and the Mindful Self-Compassion Program 12 or informed by mindfulness, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy 13 and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 14 Programs vary in duration and can last between 8 and 10 weeks, whereas participants meet weekly, practice mindfulness daily (45 minutes to an hour) through utilizing several formal and informal exercises, and usually incorporate a 1-day retreat somewhere in the middle of the program. 8 Whereas these programs form a lifestyle change for many people, where mindfulness becomes a part of their everyday life, some individuals struggle with the commitment that is required during or after these programs. 15 , 16 Researchers identified this difficulty and attempted to create similar programs and practices of shorter durations.

Brief Mindfulness Practices

Carmody and Baer 15 conducted a review to examine the effect of session duration on outcome measures and found nonsignificant differences in the effectiveness of shorter programs when compared with the traditional programs that last for a minimum of 8 weeks. More recently, Demarzo et al 16 reported similar effect sizes when 8- and 4-session mindfulness-based programs were compared with a control group. Therefore, decreasing the time of program engagement is a matter of investigation and concern for many researchers and clinicians who are interested in patient benefits.

However, mindfulness programs represent a collection of practices, and short practices have received less attention in contemporary research. A study by Zeidan et al 17 is one of those examples of research where a 3-day mindfulness meditation intervention was used with a significant effect in reducing pain. The participants were asked to practice 20 minutes per day (hence, 60 minutes over the 3-day intervention), with different mindfulness meditation formats (eg, day 1: meditation teacher and focused-breathing meditation; day 2: meditation audio tape and open awareness meditation) taught and practiced each day. One of the authors’ arguments was the constraint of time for chronic pain patients, and their inability to participate in original mindfulness programs. Although mindfulness programs appear to lose some momentum over short- term programs and practices, the positive results of shorter practices are not valued in isolation and are usually used as a reinstatement of the effectiveness of programs. In other words, experimental findings fail to fit within any other framework or rationale apart from the effectiveness of mindfulness programs.

Brief mindfulness practices have been found to immediately affect emotion, mood, stress, and anxiety in a brief period of time. For example, Mohan et al 18 found that a 20-minute meditation session significantly lowered stress responses when compared with a nonmeditating control group. Furthermore, Berghoff et al 19 suggested that 10 minutes of daily practice was similarly effective to 20 minutes in decreasing stress, suggesting the potential of enhancing adherence to mindfulness programs. And, indeed, research has continued to adapt to the needs of people who want to engage with mindfulness interventions and practices. Examples of 5-minute mindfulness manipulations are seen across the literature to improve well-being, such as decreasing heart rate and negative affect when compared with an emotional suppression control group, 20 and increase socio-cognitive functioning and empathetic concern when compared with a control group that was asked to be fully immersed with any experience that would arise. 21 Both these examples display an ideal movement toward more time-inhibited and applicable practices that are all encompassing to facilitate realistic applications on mindfulness that can fit within different lifestyles. Nevertheless, again, these findings on short and easy practices are reinstatements of longer and more demanding mindfulness programs.

Identifying the Problems to Advance Mindfulness Research

The lack of satisfactory research is certainly the case for most mindfulness-based programs. For example, the Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL 22 ) program utilizes a practice called the “mindful raisin exercise.” Hong et al 23 are the only authors whose research focused on the effectiveness of the mindful raisin exercise, where they found that the exercise increased levels of enjoyment when compared with a nonmindful raisin exercise or a no-task condition. Whether mindful eating practices such as the raisin exercise are effective for weight regulation and eating disorders remains a question that has not been addressed in isolation as a mindfulness practice in contemporary research, but such practices are strategically included in obesity and disordered eating mindfulness treatments. There is a need to develop evidence that makes the inclusion justifiable and move beyond the assumption that some practices are similarly helpful (ie, if some of them are at all). Similar cases are observed for breathing and loving-kindness meditations, which are core formal practices in most mindfulness meditation programs but have been inadequately investigated in experimental settings.

What adds a further level of complication in understanding and utilizing mindfulness practices in everyday life is the use of audio CDs with guided mindfulness meditations. Whereas mindfulness meditation is usually practiced within the context of a group and the advice and guidance of a meditation teacher, the use of audio CDs has become typical in both research and practice. However, the evidence around audio files with guided mindfulness meditations is scarce, especially in comparison to regular meditation sessions. Some evidence that does exist proposes that the lack of specific directions indicative of the cue or situation in which to practice mindfulness meditation may lead to using mindfulness practice as an avoidance rather than acceptance tactic. 24 In other words, when the decision to practice mindfulness meditation is left to the individual and the individual is using it at times of pain and distress, the practice is coming in place to alter the present moment, rather than enhance the endurance within it.

Another way of recounting the appropriate use of mindfulness practices is through the association between stimulus and response. When mindfulness practice (ie, the response) is initiated as a response to negative feelings, emotions, thoughts, or situations (ie, the stimuli), the practice becomes associated with adversity and suffering. The practice automatically becomes context specific and more challenging, and its use related to being unhappy or challenged. This not only hinders a lifestyle adaptation and change, but also makes the practice outcomes weaker when mindfulness is put aside during happy and content times and a sudden major life event mandates the utility of mindfulness. Another way to describe the diverse nature that the initiation of mindfulness practices may take is the wanting (ie, establishing a regular practice) versus the needing (ie, meditating when in distress), which represents either a lifestyle adaptation or a temporary (and frequently unsuccessful) coping paradigm, respectively. When having a negative thought or emotion (or a candy apple), utilizing the knowledge of mindfully meditating (or brushing one’s teeth) should be used as an additional method of enhancing health and well-being (or dental hygiene) and not as a limited stimulus for initiating mindfulness practices (taking care of one’s teeth). In other words, “brushing one’s teeth” should be a regular practice and used in addition to “sticky” situations, rather than the latter being the only occasion of practicing “dental hygiene.”

A Novel Model of Habitual Mindfulness Practice

Implementation intentions and mindfulness practice.

Short mindfulness practices need to be considered within the psychological science and medical literature to assist in enhancing commitment to a lifestyle change. There are 2 lines of research that could strengthen the commitment to mindfulness practices. First, implementation intentions (ie, if-then propositions of plans concerning when, where, and how the intended behavior will be performed) over goal intentions (ie, defining the end goal—see Gollwitzer 25 and Webb and Sheeran 26 ) may be useful in forming the foundation of a regular practice. In other words, forming implementation intentions (eg, “If I park the car when I get into work, I will meditate for 5 minutes,” “If I take the train into work, I will meditate for 5 minutes,” or “If I brush my teeth, I will meditate for 5 minutes”) may be a stronger translation of commitment and development with the mindfulness practice than forming goal intentions (eg, “I intend to meditate to feel better”). After establishing the time, place, and method of enabling a regular practice, the practice can become a coping/well-being element that is practiced in response to stress, anxiety, or depression (eg, “If I feel stressed, I will meditate for 5 minutes”) without stripping away the nature of mindfulness and the meaning of being aware of what is happening in the present moment. Initiating mindfulness practices exclusively as a method of overcoming adversity and not accepting what the present moment has to offer or using the practice as a method to feel better may create the wrong type of expectations, enhance disappointment, and lead to eventual discontinuation of the practice. 24

Habit Formation and Mindfulness Practice

Second, the consensus over habit formation states that habits are acquired through a systematic strengthening of the relationship between a situation (eg, taking a lunch break) and an action (eg, breathing meditation). This is usually achieved through repeating a behavior in a consistent and reoccurring everyday situation, which gradually increases the automaticity in which the behavior is initiated and performed. 27 - 31 In essence, repetitive attempts to increase state mindfulness leads to an incremental escalation of the general tendency to be mindful in a more automatic manner.

According to Lally et al, 29 the average time for participants to reach the asymptote of automaticity is 66 days but with notable variation ranging from 18 to 254 days. Overall, as time lapses and the behavior is enacted several times, the cognitive effort required to turn to the behavior (in this case, mindfulness practice) decreases and initiation could become “second nature.” 30 Roemer and Orsillo 32 noted the need to conduct experimental research further and argued how the form of delivery and the ability of nonstriving may propose a more effective model within psychotherapy. The ability to use one brief 5- or 10-minute mindfulness meditation repetitively within the context of habituation of cues (or situations) to reach an asymptote of automaticity represents a novel approach to lifestyle change and incorporation of a mindful lifestyle.

Beyond repetition, Verplanken 27 suggested that there is a need to consider literature around automaticity (eg, Bargh and Chartrand 33 ) and the mental efficiency and lack of awareness surrounding such habitual behaviors. The notion of initiating mindfulness meditation more automatically postulates a desirable audio file that is easily accessible, easily enacted, and without the need for any conscious decision making, but rather an initiation based on predetermined cues of instigation.

Indeed, one question that becomes evident is whether we are talking about the initiation or practice becoming more automatic. We are discussing the initiation, although the practice could become more automatic as well. When we think of mindfulness in terms of the self-regulation of attention, 34 there is a cycle within the practice of mindfulness that suggests some automaticity that builds up over time. The cycle usually entails drawing attention to one specific aspect of the present moment experience (such as the breath) and observing, noticing, and acknowledging when the mind wanders away in a noncritical and nonjudgmental way to enable the redirection of attention back to the primary focal point (ie, in this case the breath). The ability to recognize and accept any mind wandering, and techniques such as labeling any thought (such as “I am worthless” as a “thought”) and any feeling (such as “I feel stressed” as a “feeling”) becomes more of an automatic response to the natural mind wandering that occurs to all of us. Therefore, despite the uniqueness of the present moment and the different experiences that arise in each moment, the response to it may be to become more automatic or habitual. In other words, whereas the ability to be attentive of the present moment is a very consciously driven enactment, the cycle of acceptance and nonjudgment may become more of an automatic response. For now, however, our proposition only relates to the initiation of short mindfulness practices with the intent of making it a habit.

Detailed Guidance for Clinicians

One aspect that needs further consideration is that individuals differ, and some practices feel more appropriate and easy than other practices. To enable a HMP, clinicians should have access to a toolbox of short mindfulness practices. The initiation and engagement of patients with mindfulness may be easier by trialling different tools and different durations to identify one that is suitable to the individual and his/her lifestyle. The next step would involve an identification with the client of regular occurrences in everyday life (such as walking to work) that could be coupled with the identified mindfulness practice (such as mindfulness walking). Overall, the practice should be regular, to enable the benefits of mindfulness to act more efficiently when mindfulness is needed (eg, when feeling anxious). Reevaluation of the patient’s practice and exploring alternative practices or shorter durations may propose adjustments of ensuring a regular practice and reinforce the need to keep the practice tailored to the individual. Clinicians need to remember that a 3-minute practice can be seen universally as short, but some patients may think that 5 minutes are equally short and fitting within their lifestyle.

My research team is currently working on premeditation instructions, which derived from our latest research with mindfulness coloring books. 35 What we found was that some of our volunteers were distracted by the voice that was providing mindfulness instructions in the background. Currently, we are working on premeditation instructions for both mindfulness meditation and mindful coloring, and initial findings suggest that preinstructions are similarly effective to ongoing instructions. Here are the instructions that we provide to nonmeditators in our current research and allow them to practice in silence:

First, find a quiet and safe place. Second, sit comfortably, regardless of where it is (sofa, chair, or floor) and close your eyes. You can even lay down, but it may be tricky to stay awake. Third, focus your full attention to your breath, coming in and going out, coming in and going out, continuously and with your full attention, nothing more and nothing less. You may feel that it is more notable or intense through your nose and mouth, or you may feel the sensations of your breath coming in and out through your chest or belly. Whichever is more notable is the one you should go with. Fourth, watch the fireworks go! Thoughts, many times random and many times more frequent than a single breath will overtake your attention, and instead of focusing on your breath you are thinking of what to have for dinner, your workload, house chores, the kids, how to control your eating and to whether anyone walked the dog, thoughts of any kind that exists in your head. Our minds do that, and this is fine! You did not fail, but rather you did what you are supposed to do. You observed how your focus shifted from your breath to thoughts, and now it is time to shift your attention back to your breath. This cycle of being attentive to your breath, your attention shifting to any thoughts or feelings, acknowledging that your attention shifted, and returning your full attention to your breath is the purpose of the exercise. Be prepared to repeat this cycle over and over again and think of it as walking and circumventing other pedestrians. You cannot make other pedestrians disappear, but you can acknowledge that they will appear from time to time (depending on how busy the sidewalk is), and your body moves away from your path and right back into it. You are not changing paths (because this would be losing yourself in your thoughts) and you are not pushing them away to pass because it is not nice to push, control or force your way when you walk (and this applies to your thoughts as well).

To support clinicians with flexible mindfulness practices that could be easily suggested to patients, research should focus on the following: ( a ) state mindfulness, ( b ) observations of practices in isolation (and outside mindfulness programs), ( c ) testing the benefits of shorter practices, and ( d ) using experimental and eventually longitudinal methodologies to enhance the science behind each practice. Making mindfulness a habitual response in essence requires less time, commitment, and effort and may eventually lead to a genuine interest and uptake of longer, more demanding, and potentially more rewarding mindfulness practices and programs. Lifestyle adaptation and change with and through mindfulness may come through 5 minutes of being in the moment, as long as implementation intentions and habit formation methods underpin the initiation, recurrence, and prolongation of a short mindfulness practice to develop a HMP.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical Approval: Not applicable, because this article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

Informed Consent: Not applicable, because this article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

Trial Registration: Not applicable, because this article does not contain any clinical trials.

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