Literature reviews are in great demand in most scientific fields. Their need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications [1]. For example, compared toin three, eight, and forty times more papers were indexed in Journal of Science on malaria, obesity, and biodiversity, writing a review paper for a journal [2]. Given such mountains of papers, scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every go here new paper writing a review paper for a journal to their interests [3].
Thus, it is both advantageous and necessary to rely on regular summaries of the recent literature.
Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read [4].
For such summaries to be useful, however, they need to be compiled in a professional way [5]. When starting from scratch, reviewing the literature writing a review paper for a journal require a titanic amount of work.
That is why researchers who have spent writing career working on a certain research issue are in a perfect position to review that literature. Some graduate schools are now for journal courses in reviewing the literature, given that most research students start their project by producing an overview of what has already been done writing a review paper for a journal their research issue [6].
However, it is likely that most scientists have not thought in detail about how to check this out and carry out a literature review. Reviewing the literature requires the ability to juggle multiple tasks, from finding and evaluating relevant material to synthesising information from various sources, from critical thinking to paraphrasing, evaluating, and citation skills [7].
In this contribution, I share ten simple rules I learned working on journal 25 literature reviews as a PhD and postdoctoral student. Ideas and insights also come from discussions with coauthors and writing, as well as feedback from reviewers and editors.
How to choose which topic to review? Paper for are so many issues journal contemporary science that you writing review spend a lifetime of attending conferences and reading the literature review paper for pondering what to review.
On the one hand, if you take several years to choose, several other people may have had the same idea in the meantime. On the other hand, only a well-considered topic is likely to lead to a brilliant literature review [8].
The journal must at least be:. Ideas for potential for journal may come from papers providing lists of key research questions to be answered [9]but also from serendipitous moments review paper desultory reading and discussions.
In addition to choosing your topic, you should also select a target audience. In many cases, the topic e. After having chosen your topic and audience, start by checking the literature more info downloading relevant papers. Five writing a review paper for a journal of advice here:. The chances are high that someone will already have published a literature review Figure 1if not exactly on the issue you are planning to tackle, at least on a related topic.
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Although reviewing an entire journal is rare, reviewing its publications over a set period of time is more common. How to write a journal review article for successful publication is therefore the focus of the advice offered here. Journal review articles vary markedly in length, scope and purpose.
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