Introduction
The literature review synthesizes and critically analyzes the evidence related to your topic, thereby supporting your evidence-based practice (EBP) recommendation. You are required to review between 8 and 15 peer-reviewed articles.
There are many ways you can organize this section of the paper. You may have noticed themes, patterns, and connections among the articles as you critiqued the literature. These observations can guide how you organize the literature review. Possible organizational structures include:
- Thematic: Grouping similar articles together under themes or topics.
- Chronological: Arranging the literature by publication date to show the development of research.
- Methodological: Organizing articles by type of research method.
- Treatment: Focusing on specific aspects like therapeutic actions or side effects.
As you explore published literature reviews, note the various organizational strategies authors employ. This will aid in developing a narrative that logically integrates the evidence into a coherent whole.
Assignment Instructions
Ensure your literature review includes the following:
- Synthesis of Articles: Aim to write a cohesive narrative that integrates key points from the studies you have reviewed. Avoid discussing each article in isolation; instead, synthesize the information by grouping studies that share similar findings or viewpoints.
- Synthesis Table and a Level of Evidence Table: these will visually summarize and rate the evidence. These tables should complement your narrative and help clarify the relationships between different studies and their contributions to your topic.
- Maintain a critical and analytical perspective throughout, assessing the validity and implications of the evidence
- Your literature review should span approximately 2-5 pages, ensuring it is concise yet comprehensive (not including tables)
- Adhere strictly to APA guidelines to format your review correctly, which includes proper citation and referencing of all sources.
