{"id":370,"date":"2023-03-23T15:34:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:34:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/?page_id=370"},"modified":"2025-07-29T10:01:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T09:01:33","slug":"literature-reviews","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/dissertation\/literature-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Literature and systematic reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span data-contrast=\"none\">Literature reviews<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\"> vs Systematic reviews<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When researching a dissertation, thesis, or research project you may be asked to conduct a literature review or a systematic review.<\/p>\n<p>There are important differences between these two kinds of reviews. You will need to clarify which type of review before you start:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-443\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/files\/2023\/06\/Systematic-Review.png\" alt=\"Graphic table charting the differences between a systematic review and a literature review.\" width=\"736\" height=\"569\" \/><\/p>\n<p>University of South Caroline (2023) <i>Literature review: know the difference!<\/i>. Available at: https:\/\/uscupstate.libguides.com\/c.php?g=627058&amp;p=5986719 (27\/06\/2023).<\/p>\n<h2>Literature reviews<\/h2>\n<p>A literature review provides a summary of knowledge on a specific topic, identifying key research in this area as well as identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and need for additional research. A literature review doesn&#8217;t necessarily answer a specific question.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find tips on how to how to conduct a literature review via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kent.ac.uk\/guides\/literature-reviews\/literature-reviews\">Student Learning Advisory Service guide to writing a Literature review<\/a><\/li>\n<li>View step-by-step guidance on formatting, researching, and writing your literature review via the <a href=\"https:\/\/moodle.kent.ac.uk\/2023\/mod\/page\/view.php?id=19257\">Library literature review moodle module<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Access online guides and handbooks with <a href=\"https:\/\/rl.talis.com\/3\/kent\/lists\/95892EFF-4D1A-5281-04BB-6A545DC3CC28.html?lang=en&amp;login=1\">Writing your literature review: library reading list<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Keep track of your research using a <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/referencing\/\">reference management tool<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"kent-video-wrapper\"><span class='embed-youtube' style='text-align:center; display: block;'><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text\/html' width='1140' height='672' src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ry_54WleO7Y?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen='true'><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Systematic reviews<\/h2>\n<p>A systematic review is a specialist type of literature review conducted to address a specific research question. You will aim to find, code, evaluate, and compile all previous research related to your topic using a systematic and reproducible search strategy.<\/p>\n<p>The main steps for your systematic reviews: 1.) Develop a protocol (using PICO)\u00a0 2.) Choose where to search 2.) Develop your search strategy 4.) Run and record your search 5.) Manage your search results 6. ) Evaluate 7.) Write up.<\/p>\n<p>PICO frameworks are traditionally used for systematic reviews, however a CIMO framework can be more useful for business and management systematic reviews. Download the CIMO framework template to develop your own research question: <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/files\/2023\/06\/CIMO-framework-template-2.pdf\">CIMO framework template<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find examples of systematic review outlines using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/PROSPERO\/search\">Prospero database<\/a> (example: <em>The effect of blueberries on cognition and mood<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Find examples of Systematic review reports using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kent.ac.uk\/library\/your-digital-library\/digital-resources-directory\/72\/cochrane-library\">Cochrane Library<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Develop your research question and search parameters using the PICO framework via the <a href=\"https:\/\/moodle.kent.ac.uk\/2022\/mod\/page\/view.php?id=30369&amp;forceview=1\">Library research skills module<\/a><\/li>\n<li>View step by step guidance covering all aspects of conducting a systematic review via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kent.ac.uk\/library-it\/your-digital-library\/digital-resources-directory\/71\/cochrane-interactive-learning\">Cochrane Interactive Learning<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Document your research, methods, and findings using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisma-statement.org\/prisma-2020-flow-diagram\">PRISMA flowchart<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Keep track of your research using a <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/referencing\/\">reference management tool<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Systematic Literature reviews<\/h3>\n<p>A systematic literature review combines features of both a literature review and a systematic review.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Like a literature review this will provide an overview of existing research relating to a specific topic.<\/li>\n<li>Like a systematic review this will follow a structured approach to searching and selecting research relating to a specific topic.<\/li>\n<li>A systematic literature review will search across multiple databases and grey literature and will prioritise transparency and replicability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-575\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/files\/2024\/02\/systematic-literature-review.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"931\" height=\"283\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Reproduced with permission from Bath&#8217;s guide to Systematic reviews\u00a0https:\/\/library.bath.ac.uk\/systematic-reviews\/introduction<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Literature reviews vs Systematic reviews When researching a dissertation, thesis, or research project you may be asked to conduct a literature review or a systematic &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/dissertation\/literature-reviews\/\">Read&nbsp;more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78432,"featured_media":0,"parent":363,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/370"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/78432"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=370"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":645,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/370\/revisions\/645"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-library-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}