Library Resources for DrPH Dissertation

A literature review is a critical and comprehensive analysis of existing research and scholarly writings on a specific topic or research question. Literature reviews involve reviewing and synthesizing a range of sources, such as articles, reports, conference papers, and other academic materials and grey literature.

Literature reviews provide a deep understanding of the current state of knowledge in a particular field or subject area.

A literature review is not a summarization or description of each article you have reviewed--you must critically analyze the literature and relate it to your research question.

Identify gaps: Identify areas where further research is needed--perhaps opportunities for your own research?

Establish rationale: Explain why your research is relevant and necessary.

Contextualize of your research: Summarize and discuss previous studies related to your topic and position your research within the broader conversation.

Evidence-based practice: Public health professionals use the findings from various studies to inform decision-making and interventions.
 

A literature review may be only one portion of your dissertation, typically in the beginning or the introduction of your work.

Literature Review: Generic label for a description of some literature, may only summarize the current state of research. Comprehensiveness and completeness vary.

Systematic Review: Systematic, methodological search for and analysis of (hopefully) all literature that answers a specific research question. Strict rules to follow in the execution and reporting.

Scoping Review: Systematic, methodological search for and analysis of the state of evidence for a given topic; identifies gaps where further research is needed.