Academy Library Academy Library 
Writing ReviewsAn academic review is a type of paper that instead of presenting new research, instead evaluates the existing literature on a topic. Reviews come in many different types, all of which serve different purposes. A review can be its own piece of work, which stands alone as an article that may be published in a journal or magazine, or it can form part of a larger paper or thesis, in which case it may set the scene for novel research or demonstrate a particular challenge or gap in the knowledge.
If you are studying at university, or are planning to do higher degree research, or if you are planning to do academic research as a career, you will need to write reviews. From undergraduate assignments through to PhD theses, you will be expected to use review writing to position your research, contextualise your argument, or justify your paper. This guide will introduce you to the main types of academic review, and provide some guidance on how to decide which review type is most appropriate for your project.
There are two main types of reviews, and then many, many less common types of reviews. The two primary review types are Systematic Reviews, and Literature Reviews. Systematic reviews are primarily used in science and medicine, and are a highly rigorous analysis of an extremely narrow subject area. Literature reviews are more common in the humanities and social sciences, and involve a broad discussion of key themes, the major ideas and important researchers in a topic area.
Other review types can include, scoping reviews, rapid reviews, narrative reviews, meta-analysis, and mapping reviews. Each different type of review serves a specific purpuse. One review type is not better than another - they are simply used for different purposes, and the first step in developing your review is to determine which type of review is most appropriate for your subject area and the topic you are reviewing.
| Review Type | Used for | Common Disciplines |
| Systematic review | Use a systematic review when you have a very narrow topic question that focuses on the outcomes of a particular intervention. You will be analysing a range of studies to draw conclusions from whether the intervention is effective or not. It will be comprehensive and include all studies on this topic. | Medicine, science, pharmacology |
| Literature review | Use a literature review when you are trying to position your research in the wider field, are trying to identify gaps in the current literature, or need to understand a broad topic of area of study. You will focus on key ideas, thinkers and papers rather than trying to capture everything ever written. | All disciplines but commonly humanities and social sciences |
| Systematic Literature Review | Use a systematic literature review when you do not have a clear enough question for a systematic review, or are looking at social sciences or qualitative studies, but want a more comprehensive and systematic approach than a regular literature review. | Social sciences and humanities |
| Scoping Review | Use a scoping review as a preliminary assessment of a research area. You will do a scoping review when you are trying to determine if there is enough written on a topic to do a full review, to determine the nature of the research on a topic, or to explore a possible area for study. | All disciplines |
| Rapid Review | Use a rapid review when you need to answer a question urgently and don't have time for a systematic review. Rapid reviews expedite the process by using systematic review methodology but focus on key evidence. | Medicine, Science |
| Narrative Review | Use a narrative review when you need to provide broad context on an area of study. A narrative review is a type of literature review that develops the historical context of a specific topic by describing the pattern of research and findings from the past to the current state of knowledge. | History, social science, humanities |
| Meta Analysis | Use a meta-analysis when you need to review quantative data. A meta analysis is a type of review that focuses on quantative and statistical synthesis of data from various studies. A meta analysis allows more generalised conclusions to be drawn from larger data pools, and can help to measure the impact of an intervention. | Science, medicine, social science |
| Review Type | Timeframe | Discipline | Methodology included | Reproducible | Exhaustive | Statsitical Analysis | Inclusion and Exclusion criteria | Research positioning | Prototcol Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematic Review | 12-18 months | STEM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Literature Review | 2-3 months | Humanities | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Systematic Literature Review | 12-18 months | Any | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Scoping Review | 4-6 weeks | Any | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Optional |
| Meta-Analysis | 2-3 months | STEM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Rapid Review | 4-6 weeks | Any | Usually | Yes | No | Sometimes | Yes | Sometimes | Sometimes |