9 Steps To A Strong Literature Review

Conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) involves several crucial steps to ensure comprehensive and reliable findings. Below is a summary of the essential methods and steps involved:

1.???? Establishing Research Questions and Criteria for inclusion or exclusion

Defining specific research questions or objectives is vital to guiding the review process. The scope and focus, including key concepts, variables, and themes, must be clearly defined, along with criteria for selecting relevant articles (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Byers & Gilmer, 2021; Capasso et al., 2019; Desalegn & Tangl, 2022; Herman, 2023; Kanger et al., 2020; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021; Serrano & Zaveri, 2020; Sikhunyana & Mishi, 2023; Suchek et al., 2021; Ying et al., 2022).

2.???? Defining Search Strategy and Keywords

A well-determined search strategy, including the databases and keywords to be used, plays a pivotal role in the quality of the review. It ensures the retrieval of relevant literature, with appropriate databases such as Web of Science and Scopus being selected (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Capasso et al., 2019; Desalegn & Tangl, 2022; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021; Suchek et al., 2021; Ying et al., 2022).

3.???? Data Collection

Articles are collected based on the established search strategy and inclusion criteria. This step involves retrieving articles from selected databases using defined search terms and filters (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Desalegn & Tangl, 2022; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021; Sikhunyana & Mishi, 2023; Ying et al., 2022).

4.???? Removing Duplicate Articles

To ensure each unique study is included only once, duplicate articles are identified and eliminated based on title, author, and other identifiers (Bhuiyan et al., 2022).

5.???? Screening and Selection of Articles

Articles are screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria to select relevant studies for further analysis. This involves assessing each article's relevance based on its title, abstract, and keywords (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Byers & Gilmer, 2021; Capasso et al., 2019; Desalegn & Tangl, 2022; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021; Sikhunyana & Mishi, 2023; Suchek et al., 2021; Ying et al., 2022).

6.???? Data Extraction and Coding

Relevant data are extracted from selected articles for analysis. A coding scheme is developed to systematically record key attributes or variables from each article (Byers & Gilmer, 2021; Capasso et al., 2019; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021).

7.???? Analysis of Selected Literature

Analyzing the selected literature to address the research questions or objectives involves applying appropriate analytical methods, such as content analysis or thematic analysis, to examine patterns, themes, and gaps in the literature (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Byers & Gilmer, 2021; Capasso et al., 2019; Kanger et al., 2020; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021; Serrano & Zaveri, 2020; Suchek et al., 2021; Ying et al., 2022).

8.???? Interpretation and Synthesis

The findings are interpreted and synthesized to draw conclusions and implications. This step involves summarizing key findings, identifying common themes or trends, and discussing their implications for the research field (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Byers & Gilmer, 2021; Capasso et al., 2019; Kanger et al., 2020; Karimi Takalo et al., 2021; Serrano & Zaveri, 2020; Suchek et al., 2021; Ying et al., 2022).

9.???? Reporting and Documentation

Findings are reported transparently and comprehensively, following guidelines like PRISMA. Detailed documentation of the review process, including search strategies, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and quality assessment, is crucial (Bhuiyan et al., 2022; Capasso et al., 2019).

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References

Bhuiyan, M. A., Zhang, Q., Khare, V., Mikhaylov, A., Pinter, G., & Huang, X. (2022). Renewable Energy Consumption and Economic Growth Nexus—A Systematic Literature Review. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 878394. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.878394

Byers, V., & Gilmer, A. (2021). The Challenge of Sustainable Consumption for Governance and Policy Development—A Systematic Review. Sustainability, 13(12), 6723. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126723

Capasso, M., Hansen, T., Heiberg, J., Klitkou, A., & Steen, M. (2019). Green growth – A synthesis of scientific findings. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 146, 390–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2019.06.013

Desalegn, G., & Tangl, A. (2022). Enhancing Green Finance for Inclusive Green Growth: A Systematic Approach. Sustainability, 14(12), 7416. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127416

Droste, N., Hansjürgens, B., Kuikman, P., Otter, N., Antikainen, R., Leskinen, P., Pitk?nen, K., Saikku, L., Loiseau, E., & Thomsen, M. (2016). Steering innovations towards a green economy: Understanding government intervention. Journal of Cleaner Production, 135, 426–434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.123

Herman, K. S. (2023). Green growth and innovation in the Global South: A systematic literature review. Innovation and Development, 13(1), 43–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/2157930X.2021.1909821

Kanger, L., Sovacool, B. K., & Noork?iv, M. (2020). Six policy intervention points for sustainability transitions: A conceptual framework and a systematic literature review. Research Policy, 49(7), 104072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2020.104072

Karimi Takalo, S., Sayyadi Tooranloo, H., & Shahabaldini Parizi, Z. (2021). Green innovation: A systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 279, 122474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122474

Serrano, P. V. H., & Zaveri, A. (2020). Venturing the Definition of Green Energy Transition: A systematic literature review. arXiv Preprint, 2004 (10562).

Sikhunyana, Z., & Mishi, S. (2023). Access, participation and socio-economic benefits of blue versus green economy: A systematic literature review. Local Environment, 28(12), 1552–1572. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2023.2238748

Suchek, N., Fernandes, C. I., Kraus, S., Filser, M., & Sj?grén, H. (2021). Innovation and the circular economy: A systematic literature review. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(8), 3686–3702. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2834

Ying, J., Zhang, X., Zhang, Y., & Bilan, S. (2022). Green infrastructure: Systematic literature review. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istra?ivanja, 35(1), 343–366. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2021.1893202