A key component of any clinical research is a strong literature review. But how do you do that exactly? In this post I will break down my simple but effective method that I developed through my research experience.
The first time I was asked to perform a literature review for a future study I was overwhelmed. I understood that I needed to build a strong foundation for the study but I just didn’t know where to start, where to look, or how to sort through all of the information. Thankfully, my research advisor gave me some extremely helpful tips that I can pass on.
What is a Literature Review?
First thing, I want to break down what a literature review is and what it entails so you have a good foundation to build off of. A literature review is a structured summary of what has already been published about a specific question or topic. It serves as the informational foundation for any research project. Basically, before you delve into a project, you need to understand what information is already out there and have a good knowledge base for the topic you are looking to discuss.
Literature reviews can help you identify gaps in the literature for what you are studying. These gaps can be used as opportunities to ask new questions that will meaningfully contribute to the clinical field. Literature reviews can also help you avoid repeating what others have already done. It will allow you to take on a new perspective or lens for a specific topic.
How to Perform a Literature Review
It is important to find, develop, and use an efficient work flow when performing literature reviews. Here are the steps I use when starting a literature review:
Step 1: Define Your Research Question
Start with a focused and specific question that you will be looking to find information on. Try to avoid broad or vague topics as there can be an overwhelming amount of information. The more specific your question is, the easier it will be to find relevant articles and information.
Step 2: Choose Your Database
The database that I primarily use and what you will most likely use as well is PubMed. This is an amazing resource to search for articles since you can create MeSH terms and narrow down your search for articles.
Step 3: Develop Your Search Strategy
It is important to use keywords and MeSH terms when searching for articles. Be intentional with how you search.
Example:
(labral tear OR labrum injury) AND (arthroscopy OR surgical repair) AND (baseball OR throwing athletes)
You can copy this into PubMed’s search bar directly and then adjust based on the results.
Step 4: Screen Titles and Abstracts
Go through the results and skim the titles and abstracts. If the abstract has relevant information, look through the discussion and conclusion as this will often yield good results.
Step 5: Record and Organize Information
Once you have found an article that seems relevant and information that you believe you can use, copy and paste directly from the article into a word or google doc. Write the title of the article, the first author and in bullet points underneath, the information that you copied. The reason I copy and paste directly is to ensure I remember that this is unchanged information. This helps ensure that I rewrite this information when I use it in the future. Once you have gone through and found all of the relevant information from the abstract, introduction, discussion, and conclusion, move onto the next article. Rinse and repeat.
Mistakes to Avoid
There are some common mistakes that I feel most medical students, including my self especially, make when first starting out in research.
You don’t need to read the full article
As you practice and continue performing literature reviews, you will become very good at skimming through articles and looking at the important sections: abstract, introduction, discussion, conclusion. You don’t need to read the entire article as that can take up time which is hard to come by in a medical school schedule.
Be sure organize your information
More specifically, in whatever document you are keeping your information, be sure to include the title and first author of the paper. This will allow you to easily find the article again whenever you are ready to cite the source and organize it into a citation manager.
Copy and paste information first, synthesize later
From my experience, it is easier to copy and paste the information first and then synthesize it when you are using it when writing. This keeps you from running the risk of forgetting if you synthesized the information or not if you take a break or come back to your literature review.
It can be daunting to start research and to perform your first literature review, but do not worry. With time and practice, you will become comfortable with collecting and synthesizing information for any study that you are part of. Just remember, it is a skill like any other that you need to practice and hone.