ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the specialized requirements of writing a literature review for the social and behavioral sciences. The most common primary sources are reports of empirical research published in academic journals; theoretical articles; literature review articles; anecdotal reports, and reports on professional practices and standards. The first consideration in planning to write a literature review is to recognize reasons for writing the literature review as well as to acknowledge who readers will be. This can range from writing a term paper for a class, to the literature review chapter of a doctoral dissertation, or even the literature review section of a journal article. Reviews of empirical research can serve several purposes. They can constitute the essence of a research paper in a class, which can vary in length and complexity depending on the professor's criteria. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
