Literatuurikatsaukset

Literatuurikatsaukset, or literature reviews, are systematic evaluations of published scholarly articles on a specific topic. They are a critical component of academic research, providing a comprehensive overview of existing knowledge, identifying gaps in research, and informing the direction of future studies. A well-executed literature review synthesizes and analyzes previous work, rather than merely summarizing it. It helps researchers understand the context of their own work, build upon established findings, and avoid duplicating previous efforts. The process typically involves defining a research question, identifying relevant keywords for searching databases, selecting appropriate sources, critically appraising the quality and relevance of the selected literature, and synthesizing the findings into a coherent narrative. Literature reviews can take various forms, including narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, each with its own methodology and scope. They are essential for dissertations, theses, research proposals, and scholarly publications across many disciplines.