Creating a Structured Narrative Literature Review Template: A Case Study

Abstract

Completing a literature review can be overwhelming for reviewers at any level. There are  numerous sources of guidance and strategies available to assist reviewers. Given the crucial role of a literature review in conducting scholarship, research methodology literature in various disciplines addresses directions, approaches, and benefits of completing a review.  The authors of this paper set out to identify an uncomplicated, holistic approach to organizing and collecting literature review data. To do this, they answered the following research question: “What are the prominent elements of a literature review template.” After identifying the typical elements needed to collect data for a narrative literature review, the authors created the structured narrative literature review template. This template is organized into four sections: Bibliographic Information, Study Information, Study Contribution, and Reviewer Methodology. It makes the process more manageable by providing a flexible, concise, and easy-to-understand tool. Ultimately, incorporating the template equips a reviewer with a structure and strategy that can assist in overcoming one of the most daunting portions of the research process.