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LITERATURE REVIEW SOFTWARE FOR BETTER RESEARCH

“Litmaps is a game changer for finding novel literature... it has been invaluable for my productivity.... I also got my PhD student to use it and they also found it invaluable, finding several gaps they missed”

Varun Venkatesh

Austin Health, Australia

As a full-time researcher, Litmaps has become an indispensable tool in my arsenal. The Seed Maps and Discover features of Litmaps have transformed my literature review process, streamlining the identification of key citations while revealing previously overlooked relevant literature, ensuring no crucial connection goes unnoticed. A true game-changer indeed!

Ritwik Pandey

Doctoral Research Scholar – Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Using Litmaps for my research papers has significantly improved my workflow. Typically, I start with a single paper related to my topic. Whenever I find an interesting work, I add it to my search. From there, I can quickly cover my entire Related Work section.

David Fischer

Research Associate – University of Applied Sciences Kempten

“It's nice to get a quick overview of related literature. Really easy to use, and it helps getting on top of the often complicated structures of referencing”

Christoph Ludwig

Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

“This has helped me so much in researching the literature. Currently, I am beginning to investigate new fields and this has helped me hugely”

Aran Warren

Canterbury University, NZ

“I can’t live without you anymore! I also recommend you to my students.”

Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong

“Seeing my literature list as a network enhances my thinking process!”

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

“Incredibly useful tool to get to know more literature, and to gain insight in existing research”

KU Leuven, Belgium

“As a student just venturing into the world of lit reviews, this is a tool that is outstanding and helping me find deeper results for my work.”

Franklin Jeffers

South Oregon University, USA

“Any researcher could use it! The paper recommendations are great for anyone and everyone”

Swansea University, Wales

“This tool really helped me to create good bibtex references for my research papers”

Ali Mohammed-Djafari

Director of Research at LSS-CNRS, France

“Litmaps is extremely helpful with my research. It helps me organize each one of my projects and see how they relate to each other, as well as to keep up to date on publications done in my field”

Daniel Fuller

Clarkson University, USA

As a person who is an early researcher and identifies as dyslexic, I can say that having research articles laid out in the date vs cite graph format is much more approachable than looking at a standard database interface. I feel that the maps Litmaps offers lower the barrier of entry for researchers by giving them the connections between articles spaced out visually. This helps me orientate where a paper is in the history of a field. Thus, new researchers can look at one of Litmap's "seed maps" and have the same information as hours of digging through a database.

Baylor Fain

Postdoctoral Associate – University of Florida

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10 Best Literature Review Tools for Researchers

Boost your research game with these Best Literature Review Tools for Researchers! Uncover hidden gems, organize your findings, and ace your next research paper!

Researchers struggle to identify key sources, extract relevant information, and maintain accuracy while manually conducting literature reviews. This leads to inefficiency, errors, and difficulty in identifying gaps or trends in existing literature.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Literature Review Tools for Researchers: In A Nutshell (2023)

#1. Semantic Scholar – A free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature

Semantic Scholar is a cutting-edge literature review tool that researchers rely on for its comprehensive access to academic publications. With its advanced AI algorithms and extensive database, it simplifies the discovery of relevant research papers. 

Not all scholarly content may be indexed, and occasional false positives or inaccurate associations can occur. Furthermore, the tool primarily focuses on computer science and related fields, potentially limiting coverage in other disciplines. 

#2. Elicit – Research assistant using language models like GPT-3

However, users should be cautious when using Elicit. It is important to verify the credibility and accuracy of the sources found through the tool, as the database encompasses a wide range of publications. 

#3. Scite.Ai – Your personal research assistant

However, while Scite.Ai offers numerous advantages, there are a few aspects to be cautious about. As with any data-driven tool, occasional errors or inaccuracies may arise, necessitating researchers to cross-reference and verify results with other reputable sources. 

Rayyan offers the following paid plans:

#4. DistillerSR – Literature Review Software

Despite occasional technical glitches reported by some users, the developers actively address these issues through updates and improvements, ensuring a better user experience. 

#5. Rayyan – AI Powered Tool for Systematic Literature Reviews

However, it’s important to be aware of a few aspects. The free version of Rayyan has limitations, and upgrading to a premium subscription may be necessary for additional functionalities. 

#6. Consensus – Use AI to find you answers in scientific research

With Consensus, researchers can save significant time by efficiently organizing and accessing relevant research material.People consider Consensus for several reasons. 

Consensus offers both free and paid plans:

#7. RAx – AI-powered reading assistant

#8. lateral – advance your research with ai.

Additionally, researchers must be mindful of potential biases introduced by the tool’s algorithms and should critically evaluate and interpret the results. 

#9. Iris AI – Introducing the researcher workspace

Researchers are drawn to this tool because it saves valuable time by automating the tedious task of literature review and provides comprehensive coverage across multiple disciplines. 

#10. Scholarcy – Summarize your literature through AI

Scholarcy’s automated summarization may not capture the nuanced interpretations or contextual information presented in the full text. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, conducting a comprehensive literature review is a crucial aspect of any research project, and the availability of reliable and efficient tools can greatly facilitate this process for researchers. This article has explored the top 10 literature review tools that have gained popularity among researchers.

Q1. What are literature review tools for researchers?

Q2. what criteria should researchers consider when choosing literature review tools.

When choosing literature review tools, researchers should consider factors such as the tool’s search capabilities, database coverage, user interface, collaboration features, citation management, annotation and highlighting options, integration with reference management software, and data extraction capabilities. 

Q3. Are there any literature review tools specifically designed for systematic reviews or meta-analyses?

Meta-analysis support: Some literature review tools include statistical analysis features that assist in conducting meta-analyses. These features can help calculate effect sizes, perform statistical tests, and generate forest plots or other visual representations of the meta-analytic results.

Q4. Can literature review tools help with organizing and annotating collected references?

Integration with citation managers: Some literature review tools integrate with popular citation managers like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote, allowing seamless transfer of references and annotations between platforms.

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Literature Review with MAXQDA

Interview transcription examples, make the most out of your literature review.

Literature reviews are an important step in the data analysis journey of many research projects, but often it is a time-consuming and arduous affair. Whether you are reviewing literature for writing a meta-analysis or for the background section of your thesis, work with MAXQDA. Our product comes with many exciting features which make your literature review faster and easier than ever before. Whether you are a first-time researcher or an old pro, MAXQDA is your professional software solution with advanced tools for you and your team.

How to conduct a literature review with MAXQDA

Conducting a literature review with MAXQDA is easy because you can easily import bibliographic information and full texts. In addition, MAXQDA provides excellent tools to facilitate each phase of your literature review, such as notes, paraphrases, auto-coding, summaries, and tools to integrate your findings.

Step one: Plan your literature review

Similar to other research projects, one should carefully plan a literature review. Before getting started with searching and analyzing literature, carefully think about the purpose of your literature review and the questions you want to answer. This will help you to develop a search strategy which is needed to stay on top of things. A search strategy involves deciding on literature databases, search terms, and practical and methodological criteria for the selection of high-quality scientific literature.

MAXQDA supports you during this stage with memos and the newly developed Questions-Themes-Theories tool (QTT). Both are the ideal place to store your research questions and search parameters. Moreover, the Question-Themes-Theories tool is perfectly suited to support your literature review project because it provides a bridge between your MAXQDA project and your research report. It offers the perfect enviornment to bring together findings, record conclusions and develop theories.

Step two: Search, Select, Save your material

Follow your search strategy. Use the databases and search terms you have identified to find the literature you need. Then, scan the search results for relevance by reading the title, abstract, or keywords. Try to determine whether the paper falls within the narrower area of the research question and whether it fulfills the objectives of the review. In addition, check whether the search results fulfill your pre-specified eligibility criteria. As this step typically requires precise reading rather than a quick scan, you might want to perform it in MAXQDA. If the piece of literature fulfills your criteria and context, you can save the bibliographic information using a reference management system which is a common approach among researchers as these programs automatically extract a paper’s meta-data from the publishing website. You can easily import this bibliographic data into MAXQDA via a specialized import tool. MAXQDA is compatible with all reference management programs that are able to export their literature databases in RIS format which is a standard format for bibliographic information. This is the case with all mainstream literature management programs such as Citavi, DocEar, Endnote, JabRef, Mendeley, and Zotero.

Step three: Import & Organize your material in MAXQDA

Importing bibliographic data into MAXQDA is easy and works seamlessly for all reference management programs that use the standard RIS files. MAXQDA offers an import option dedicated to bibliographic data which you can find in the MAXQDA Import tab. To import the selected literature, just click on the corresponding button, select the data you want to import, and click okay. Upon import, each literature entry becomes its own text document. If full texts are imported, MAXQDA automatically connects the full text to the literature entry with an internal link. The individual information in the literature entries is automatically coded for later analysis so that, for example, all titles or abstracts can be compiled and searched. To help you keeping your literature (review) organized, MAXQDA automatically creates a document group called “References” which contains the individual literature entries. Like full texts or interview documents, the bibliographic entries can be searched, coded, linked, edited, and you can add memos for further qualitative and quantitative content analysis (Kuckartz & Rädiker, 2019). Especially, when running multiple searches using different databases or search terms, you should carefully document your approach. Besides being a great place to store the respective search parameters, memos are perfectly suited to capture your ideas while reviewing our literature and can be attached to text segments, documents, document groups, and much more.

Analyze your literature with MAXQDA

Once imported into MAXQDA, you can explore your material using a variety of tools and functions. With MAXQDA as your literature review & analysis software, you have numerous possibilities for analyzing your literature and writing your literature review – impossible to mention all. Thus, we can present only a subset of tools here. Check out our literature about performing literature reviews with MAXQDA to discover more possibilities.

AI Assist: Introducing AI to literature reviews

AI Assist – MAXQDA’s AI-based add-on module – can simplify your literature reviews in many ways. Chat with your data and ask the AI questions about your documents. Let AI Assist automatically summarize entire papers and text segments. Automatically create summaries of all coded segments of a code or generate suggestions for subcodes, and if you don’t know a word’s or concept’s meaning, use AI Assist to get a definition without leaving MAXQDA. Visit our research guide for even more ideas on how AI can support your literature review:

AI for Literature Review

Code & Retrieve important segments

Coding qualitative data lies at the heart of many qualitative data analysis approaches and can be useful for literature reviews as well. Coding refers to the process of labeling segments of your material. For example, you may want to code definitions of certain terms, pro and con arguments, how a specific method is used, and so on. In a later step, MAXQDA allows you to compile all text segments coded with one (or more) codes of interest from one or more papers, so that you can for example compare definitions across papers.

But there is more. MAXQDA offers multiple ways of coding, such as in-vivo coding, highlighters, emoticodes, Creative Coding, or the Smart Coding Tool. The compiled segments can be enriched with variables and the segment’s context accessed with just one click. MAXQDA’s Text Search & Autocode tool is especially well-suited for a literature review, as it allows one to explore large amounts of text without reading or coding them first. Automatically search for keywords (or dictionaries of keywords), such as important concepts for your literature review, and automatically code them with just a few clicks.

Paraphrase literature into your own words

Another approach is to paraphrase the existing literature. A paraphrase is a restatement of a text or passage in your own words, while retaining the meaning and the main ideas of the original. Paraphrasing can be especially helpful in the context of literature reviews, because paraphrases force you to systematically summarize the most important statements (and only the most important statements) which can help to stay on top of things.

With MAXQDA as your literature review software, you not only have a tool for paraphrasing literature but also tools to analyze the paraphrases you have written. For example, the Categorize Paraphrases tool (allows you to code your parpahrases) or the Paraphrases Matrix (allows you to compare paraphrases side-by-side between individual documents or groups of documents.)

Summaries & Overview tables: A look at the Bigger Picture

When conducting a literature review you can easily get lost. But with MAXQDA as your literature review software, you will never lose track of the bigger picture. Among other tools, MAXQDA’s overview and summary tables are especially useful for aggregating your literature review results. MAXQDA offers overview tables for almost everything, codes, memos, coded segments, links, and so on. With MAXQDA literature review tools you can create compressed summaries of sources that can be effectively compared and represented, and with just one click you can easily export your overview and summary tables and integrate them into your literature review report.

Visualize your qualitative data

The proverb “a picture is worth a thousand words” also applies to literature reviews. That is why MAXQDA offers a variety of Visual Tools that allow you to get a quick overview of the data, and help you to identify patterns. Of course, you can export your visualizations in various formats to enrich your final report. One particularly useful visual tool for literature reviews is the Word Cloud. It visualizes the most frequent words and allows you to explore key terms and the central themes of one or more papers. Thanks to the interactive connection between your visualizations with your MAXQDA data, you will never lose sight of the big picture. Another particularly useful tool is MAXQDA’s word/code frequency tool with which you can analyze and visualize the frequencies of words or codes in one or more documents. As with Word Clouds, nonsensical words can be added to the stop list and excluded from the analysis.

QTT: Synthesize your results and write up the review

MAXQDA has an innovative workspace to gather important visualization, notes, segments, and other analytics results. The perfect tool to organize your thoughts and data. Create a separate worksheet for your topics and research questions, fill it with associated analysis elements from MAXQDA, and add your conclusions, theories, and insights as you go. For example, you can add Word Clouds, important coded segments, and your literature summaries and write down your insights. Subsequently, you can view all analysis elements and insights to write your final conclusion. The Questions-Themes-Theories tool is perfectly suited to help you finalize your literature review reports. With just one click you can export your worksheet and use it as a starting point for your literature review report.

Literature about Literature Reviews and Analysis

We offer a variety of free learning materials to help you get started with your literature review. Check out our Getting Started Guide to get a quick overview of MAXQDA and step-by-step instructions on setting up your software and creating your first project with your brand new QDA software. In addition, the free Literature Reviews Guide explains how to conduct a literature review with MAXQDA in more detail.

Getting Started with MAXQDA

Literature Reviews with MAXQDA

A literature review is a critical analysis and summary of existing research and literature on a particular topic or research question. It involves systematically searching and evaluating a range of sources, such as books, academic journals, conference proceedings, and other published or unpublished works, to identify and analyze the relevant findings, methodologies, theories, and arguments related to the research question or topic.

A literature review’s purpose is to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of the current state of knowledge and understanding of a topic, to identify gaps and inconsistencies in existing research, and to highlight areas where further research is needed. Literature reviews are commonly used in academic research, as they provide a framework for developing new research and help to situate the research within the broader context of existing knowledge.

A literature review is a critical evaluation of existing research on a particular topic and is part of almost every research project. The literature review’s purpose is to identify gaps in current knowledge, synthesize existing research findings, and provide a foundation for further research. Over the years, numerous types of literature reviews have emerged. To empower you in coming to an informed decision, we briefly present the most common literature review methods.

• Narrative Review : A narrative review summarizes and synthesizes the existing literature on a particular topic in a narrative or story-like format. This type of review is often used to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on a topic, for example in scientific papers or final theses.
• Systematic Review : A systematic review is a comprehensive and structured approach to reviewing the literature on a particular topic with the aim of answering a defined research question. It involves a systematic search of the literature using pre-specified eligibility criteria and a structured evaluation of the quality of the research.
• Meta-Analysis : A meta-analysis is a type of systematic review that uses statistical techniques to combine and analyze the results from multiple studies on the same topic. The goal of a meta-analysis is to provide a more robust and reliable estimate of the effect size than can be obtained from any single study.
• Scoping Review : A scoping review is a type of systematic review that aims to map the existing literature on a particular topic in order to identify the scope and nature of the research that has been done. It is often used to identify gaps in the literature and inform future research.

There is no “best” way to do a literature review, as the process can vary depending on the research question, field of study, and personal preferences. However, here are some general guidelines that can help to ensure that your literature review is comprehensive and effective:

• Carefully plan your literature review : Before you start searching and analyzing literature you should define a research question and develop a search strategy (for example identify relevant databases, and search terms). A clearly defined research question and search strategy will help you to focus your search and ensure that you are gathering relevant information. MAXQDA’s Questions-Themes-Theories tool is the perfect place to store your analysis plan.
• Evaluate your sources : Screen your search results for relevance to your research question, for example by reading abstracts. Once you have identified relevant sources, read them critically and evaluate their quality and relevance to your research question. Consider factors such as the methodology used, the reliability of the data, and the overall strength of the argument presented.
• Synthesize your findings : After evaluating your sources, synthesize your findings by identifying common themes, arguments, and gaps in the existing research. This will help you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the current state of knowledge on your topic.
• Write up your review : Finally, write up your literature review, ensuring that it is well-structured and clearly communicates your findings. Include a critical analysis of the sources you have reviewed, and use evidence from the literature to support your arguments and conclusions.

Overall, the key to a successful literature review is to be systematic, critical, and comprehensive in your search and evaluation of sources.

As in all aspects of scientific work, preparation is the key to success. Carefully think about the purpose of your literature review, the questions you want to answer, and your search strategy. The writing process itself will differ depending on the your literature review method. For example, when writing a narrative review use the identified literature to support your arguments, approach, and conclusions. By contrast, a systematic review typically contains the same parts as other scientific papers: Abstract, Introduction (purpose and scope), Methods (Search strategy, inclusion/exclusion characteristics, …), Results (identified sources, their main arguments, findings, …), Discussion (critical analysis of the sources you have reviewed), Conclusion (gaps or inconsistencies in the existing research, future research, implications, etc.).

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This is a great piece of software. It has made the independent viewing process so much quicker. The whole thing is very intuitive.

Rayyan makes ordering articles and extracting data very easy. A great tool for undertaking literature and systematic reviews!

Excellent interface to do title and abstract screening. Also helps to keep a track on the the reasons for exclusion from the review. That too in a blinded manner.

Rayyan is a fantastic tool to save time and improve systematic reviews!!! It has changed my life as a researcher!!! thanks

Easy to use, friendly, has everything you need for cooperative work on the systematic review.

Rayyan makes life easy in every way when conducting a systematic review and it is easy to use.

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The global leader in AI-enabled literature review automation and enterprise evidence management software.

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Supports more than 675,000 references per project

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Tracks 100% of your review producing defensible results

“The first big project I took on with DistillerSR was for the Florida Department of Citrus. The review started with more than 60,000 references and DistillerSR handled it just fine!”

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Automatically import references to ensure complete submissions

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“With DistillerSR, we are able to produce high-quality, accurate work in a much more timely fashion. We really liked what we saw in the demo, and we were able to get up and running right away with access to live support anytime we need it.”

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Global research organizations, including 70% of the top 10 pharmaceutical and medical device companies, trust DistillerSR software to produce transparent, audit-ready, and regulatory-compliant literature reviews.

The DistillerSR platform automates the conduct and management of literature reviews so you can deliver better research faster, more accurately and cost-effectively. DistillerSR’s highly configurable, AI-enabled workflow streamlines the entire literature review lifecycle, allowing you to make more informed evidence-based health policy decisions, clinical practice guidelines, and regulatory submissions.

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Reduces overall literature review times by 35%-50% by automating every stage of the process saving critical times and resources.

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Used by the most prominent public and private sector research teams, DistillerSR AI seamlessly integrates into all aspects of the literature review workflow.

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Philips was looking for a transparent, standardized platform for more efficient literature reviews and CER submissions. Implementing DistillerSR resulted in over 70% faster literature review screening while improving speed and accuracy for CER submissions.

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The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (NCCMT) team needed a better solution to manage their growing workload. Implementing DistillerSR resulted in a 75% reduction in screening which allowed them to move relevant references on to critical appraisal and ultimately getting research out to decision makers faster.

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Literature review screening 85% faster than manual methods.

DistillerSR enabled faster reference screening, reducing title and abstract screening time by 85% from nearly four minutes to 35 seconds per reference in Geistlich Pharma’s first project.

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Seeking a solution to overcome increasing volumes of scientific literature Maple Health Group transformed their processes with DistillerSR to achieve efficiency gains and data-driven insights.

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Advanced Literature Review Software

Synthesis provides advanced literature review software with analytical and automation functionality for delivering timely evidence-based information in hours, not months, for better decisions.

Strategic Analysis

Perform Scoping and Systematic Reviews quickly and accurately using the latest automation and information management algorithms.

Reference Management

Synthesis organizes and manages all your references and PDFs. You can then quickly search the Abstract and Full-Text PDFs for keywords and phrases.

Advanced Analytics

Quickly summarize the reference by searching and tagging for keywords, preform topic clustering or word clouds on the literature, and then graph all your data.

Multiple Databases

PubMed, PubMed Central, IEEE, US Patents, Ovid (Medline, Embase, Global Health), Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and many others..

Distribution

Export capabilities for sharing the Knowledge that you have just created as either CSV files or for importing into Cite and Write managers.

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Synthesis is used in academic research universities, hospitals, government agencies, private corporations and non-governmental organziations throughout the world.

Synthesis applies the latest in automation and enhanced analytic functionality for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of conducting literature reviews...

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Explore the features of Synthesis to see what truly sets it apart from other approaches for managing and analyzing the academic and business literature.

Synthesis provides online embedded searching on major bibliographical databases, validated automated de-duplication of references, automated importing of PDFs, methods to analyze the literature, and many more features.

Synthesis is available for Windows, Macintosh, Linux and as a Java application that can be run on any platform.

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Synthesis research inc..

Synthesis Research Inc is a software development company focused on improving the way that literature is managed and analyzed. This desire is based around the goal of providing the best synthesized knowledge for supporting evidence-based decision making.

Synthesis Research Inc applies the latest computer science algorithms based around automation and information retrieval and management for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of conducting literature reviews through automating manual processes and enhancing the workflow.

7 open source tools to make literature reviews easy

Opensource.com

A good literature review is critical for academic research in any field, whether it is for a research article, a critical review for coursework, or a dissertation. In a recent article, I presented detailed steps for doing  a literature review using open source software .

The following is a brief summary of seven free and open source software tools described in that article that will make your next literature review much easier.

1. GNU Linux

Most literature reviews are accomplished by graduate students working in research labs in universities. For absurd reasons, graduate students often have the worst computers on campus. They are often old, slow, and clunky Windows machines that have been discarded and recycled from the undergraduate computer labs. Installing a flavor of GNU Linux will breathe new life into these outdated PCs. There are more than 100 distributions , all of which can be downloaded and installed for free on computers. Most popular Linux distributions come with a "try-before-you-buy" feature. For example, with Ubuntu you can make a bootable USB stick that allows you to test-run the Ubuntu desktop experience without interfering in any way with your PC configuration. If you like the experience, you can use the stick to install Ubuntu on your machine permanently.

Linux distributions generally come with a free web browser, and the most popular is Firefox . Two Firefox plugins that are particularly useful for literature reviews are Unpaywall and Zotero. Keep reading to learn why.

3. Unpaywall

Often one of the hardest parts of a literature review is gaining access to the papers you want to read for your review. The unintended consequence of copyright restrictions and paywalls is it has narrowed access to the peer-reviewed literature to the point that even Harvard University is challenged to pay for it. Fortunately, there are a lot of open access articles—about a third of the literature is free (and the percentage is growing). Unpaywall is a Firefox plugin that enables researchers to click a green tab on the side of the browser and skip the paywall on millions of peer-reviewed journal articles. This makes finding accessible copies of articles much faster that searching each database individually. Unpaywall is fast, free, and legal, as it accesses many of the open access sites that I covered in my paper on using open source in lit reviews .

Formatting references is the most tedious of academic tasks. Zotero can save you from ever doing it again. It operates as an Android app, desktop program, and a Firefox plugin (which I recommend). It is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research. It replaces the functionality of proprietary packages such as RefWorks, Endnote, and Papers for zero cost. Zotero can auto-add bibliographic information directly from websites. In addition, it can scrape bibliographic data from PDF files. Notes can be easily added on each reference. Finally, and most importantly, it can import and export the bibliography databases in all publishers' various formats. With this feature, you can export bibliographic information to paste into a document editor for a paper or thesis—or even to a wiki for dynamic collaborative literature reviews (see tool #7 for more on the value of wikis in lit reviews).

5. LibreOffice

Your thesis or academic article can be written conventionally with the free office suite LibreOffice , which operates similarly to Microsoft's Office products but respects your freedom. Zotero has a word processor plugin to integrate directly with LibreOffice. LibreOffice is more than adequate for the vast majority of academic paper writing.

If LibreOffice is not enough for your layout needs, you can take your paper writing one step further with LaTeX , a high-quality typesetting system specifically designed for producing technical and scientific documentation. LaTeX is particularly useful if your writing has a lot of equations in it. Also, Zotero libraries can be directly exported to BibTeX files for use with LaTeX.

7. MediaWiki

If you want to leverage the open source way to get help with your literature review, you can facilitate a dynamic collaborative literature review . A wiki is a website that allows anyone to add, delete, or revise content directly using a web browser. MediaWiki is free software that enables you to set up your own wikis.

Researchers can (in decreasing order of complexity): 1) set up their own research group wiki with MediaWiki, 2) utilize wikis already established at their universities (e.g., Aalto University ), or 3) use wikis dedicated to areas that they research. For example, several university research groups that focus on sustainability (including mine ) use Appropedia , which is set up for collaborative solutions on sustainability, appropriate technology, poverty reduction, and permaculture.

Using a wiki makes it easy for anyone in the group to keep track of the status of and update literature reviews (both current and older or from other researchers). It also enables multiple members of the group to easily collaborate on a literature review asynchronously. Most importantly, it enables people outside the research group to help make a literature review more complete, accurate, and up-to-date.

Wrapping up

Free and open source software can cover the entire lit review toolchain, meaning there's no need for anyone to use proprietary solutions. Do you use other libre tools for making literature reviews or other academic work easier? Please let us know your favorites in the comments.

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Methodology

• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

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To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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• Research Skills Blog

5 software tools to support your systematic review processes

By Dr. Mina Kalantar on 19-Jan-2021 13:01:01

Systematic reviews are a reassessment of scholarly literature to facilitate decision making. This methodical approach of re-evaluating evidence was initially applied in healthcare, to set policies, create guidelines and answer medical questions.

Systematic reviews are large, complex projects and, depending on the purpose, they can be quite expensive to conduct. A team of researchers, data analysts and experts from various fields may collaborate to review and examine incredibly large numbers of research articles for evidence synthesis. Depending on the spectrum, systematic reviews often take at least 6 months, and sometimes upwards of 18 months to complete.

The main principles of transparency and reproducibility require a pragmatic approach in the organisation of the required research activities and detailed documentation of the outcomes. As a result, many software tools have been developed to help researchers with some of the tedious tasks required as part of the systematic review process.

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The first generation of these software tools were produced to accommodate and manage collaborations, but gradually developed to help with screening literature and reporting outcomes. Some of these software packages were initially designed for medical and healthcare studies and have specific protocols and customised steps integrated for various types of systematic reviews. However, some are designed for general processing, and by extending the application of the systematic review approach to other fields, they are being increasingly adopted and used in software engineering, health-related nutrition, agriculture, environmental science, social sciences and education.

Software tools

There are various free and subscription-based tools to help with conducting a systematic review. Many of these tools are designed to assist with the key stages of the process, including title and abstract screening, data synthesis, and critical appraisal. Some are designed to facilitate the entire process of review, including protocol development, reporting of the outcomes and help with fast project completion.

As time goes on, more functions are being integrated into such software tools. Technological advancement has allowed for more sophisticated and user-friendly features, including visual graphics for pattern recognition and linking multiple concepts. The idea is to digitalise the cumbersome parts of the process to increase efficiency, thus allowing researchers to focus their time and efforts on assessing the rigorousness and robustness of the research articles.

This article introduces commonly used systematic review tools that are relevant to food research and related disciplines, which can be used in a similar context to the process in healthcare disciplines.

These reviews are based on IFIS' internal research, thus are unbiased and not affiliated with the companies.

This online platform is a core component of the Cochrane toolkit, supporting parts of the systematic review process, including title/abstract and full-text screening, documentation, and reporting.

The Covidence platform enables collaboration of the entire systematic reviews team and is suitable for researchers and students at all levels of experience.

From a user perspective, the interface is intuitive, and the citation screening is directed step-by-step through a well-defined workflow. Imports and exports are straightforward, with easy export options to Excel and CVS.

Access is free for Cochrane authors (a single reviewer), and Cochrane provides a free trial to other researchers in healthcare. Universities can also subscribe on an institutional basis.

Rayyan is a free and open access web-based platform funded by the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organisation supporting education and community development initiative . Rayyan is used to screen and code literature through a systematic review process.

Unlike Covidence, Rayyan does not follow a standard SR workflow and simply helps with citation screening. It is accessible through a mobile application with compatibility for offline screening. The web-based platform is known for its accessible user interface, with easy and clear export options.

Function comparison of 5 software tools to support the systematic review process

EPPI-Reviewer

EPPI-Reviewer is a web-based software programme developed by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre  (EPPI) at the UCL Institute for Education, London .

It provides comprehensive functionalities for coding and screening. Users can create different levels of coding in a code set tool for clustering, screening, and administration of documents. EPPI-Reviewer allows direct search and import from PubMed. The import of search results from other databases is feasible in different formats. It stores, references, identifies and removes duplicates automatically. EPPI-Reviewer allows full-text screening, text mining, meta-analysis and the export of data into different types of reports.

There is no limit for concurrent use of the software and the number of articles being reviewed. Cochrane reviewers can access EPPI reviews using their Cochrane subscription details.

EPPI-Centre has other tools for facilitating the systematic review process, including coding guidelines and data management tools.

CADIMA is a free, online, open access review management tool, developed to facilitate research synthesis and structure documentation of the outcomes.

The Julius Institute and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence established the software programme to support and guide users through the entire systematic review process, including protocol development, literature searching, study selection, critical appraisal, and documentation of the outcomes. The flexibility in choosing the steps also makes CADIMA suitable for conducting systematic mapping and rapid reviews.

CADIMA was initially developed for research questions in agriculture and environment but it is not limited to these, and as such, can be used for managing review processes in other disciplines. It enables users to export files and work offline.

The software allows for statistical analysis of the collated data using the R statistical software. Unlike EPPI-Reviewer, CADIMA does not have a built-in search engine to allow for searching in literature databases like PubMed.

DistillerSR

DistillerSR is an online software maintained by the Canadian company, Evidence Partners which specialises in literature review automation. DistillerSR provides a collaborative platform for every stage of literature review management. The framework is flexible and can accommodate literature reviews of different sizes. It is configurable to different data curation procedures, workflows and reporting standards. The platform integrates necessary features for screening, quality assessment, data extraction and reporting. The software uses Artificial Learning (AL)-enabled technologies in priority screening. It is to cut the screening process short by reranking the most relevant references nearer to the top. It can also use AL, as a second reviewer, in quality control checks of screened studies by human reviewers. DistillerSR is used to manage systematic reviews in various medical disciplines, surveillance, pharmacovigilance and public health reviews including food and nutrition topics. The software does not support statistical analyses. It provides configurable forms in standard formats for data extraction.

DistillerSR allows direct search and import of references from PubMed. It provides an add on feature called LitConnect which can be set to automatically import newly published references from data providers to keep reviews up to date during their progress.

The systematic review Toolbox is a web-based catalogue of various tools, including software packages which can assist with single or multiple tasks within the evidence synthesis process. Researchers can run a quick search or tailor a more sophisticated search by choosing their approach, budget, discipline, and preferred support features, to find the right tools for their research.

If you enjoyed this blog post, you may also be interested in our recently published blog post addressing the difference between a systematic review and a systematic literature review.

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5 literature review tools to ace your research (+2 bonus tools)

Table of Contents

Your literature review is the lore behind your research paper . It comes in two forms, systematic and scoping , both serving the purpose of rounding up previously published works in your research area that led you to write and finish your own.

A literature review is vital as it provides the reader with a critical overview of the existing body of knowledge, your methodology, and an opportunity for research applications.

Some steps to follow while writing your review:

• Pick an accessible topic for your paper
• Do thorough research and gather evidence surrounding your topic
• Read and take notes diligently
• Create a rough structure for your review
• Synthesis your notes and write the first draft
• Edit and proofread your literature review

To make your workload a little lighter, there are many literature review AI tools. These tools can help you find academic articles through AI and answer questions about a research paper.  

Best literature review tools to improve research workflow

A literature review is one of the most critical yet tedious stages in composing a research paper. Many students find it an uphill task since it requires extensive reading and careful organization .

Using some of the best literature review tools listed here, you can make your life easier by overcoming some of the existing challenges in literature reviews. From collecting and classifying to analyzing and publishing research outputs, these tools help you with your literature review and improve your productivity without additional effort or expenses.

1. SciSpace

SciSpace is an AI for academic research that will help find research papers and answer questions about a research paper. You can discover, read, and understand research papers with SciSpace making it an excellent platform for literature review. Featuring a repository with over 270 million research papers, it comes with your AI research assistant called Copilot that offers explanations, summaries , and answers as you read.

Get started now:

Find academic articles through AI

SciSpace has a dedicated literature review tool that finds scientific articles when you search for a question. Based on semantic search, it shows all the research papers relevant for your subject. You can then gather quick insights for all the papers displayed in your search results like methodology, dataset, etc., and figure out all the papers relevant for your research.

Identify relevant articles faster

Abstracts are not always enough to determine whether a paper is relevant to your research question. For starters, you can ask questions to your AI research assistant, SciSpace Copilot to explore the content and better understand the article. Additionally, use the summarize feature to quickly review the methodology and results of a paper and decide if it is worth reading in detail.

Learn in your preferred language

A big barrier non-native English speakers face while conducting a literature review is that a significant portion of scientific literature is published in English. But with SciSpace Copilot, you can review, interact, and learn from research papers in any language you prefer — presently, it supports 75+ languages. The AI will answer questions about a research paper in your mother tongue.

Integrates with Zotero

Many researchers use Zotero to create a library and manage research papers. SciSpace lets you import your scientific articles directly from Zotero into your SciSpace library and use Copilot to comprehend your research papers. You can also highlight key sections, add notes to the PDF as you read, and even turn helpful explanations and answers from Copilot into notes for future review.

Understand math and complex concepts quickly

Come across complex mathematical equations or difficult concepts? Simply highlight the text or select the formula or table, and Copilot will provide an explanation or breakdown of the same in an easy-to-understand manner. You can ask follow-up questions if you need further clarification.

Discover new papers to read without leaving

Highlight phrases or sentences in your research paper to get suggestions for related papers in the field and save time on literature reviews. You can also use the 'Trace' feature to move across and discover connected papers, authors, topics, and more.

SciSpace Copilot is now available as a Chrome extension , allowing you to access its features directly while you browse scientific literature anywhere across the web.

Get citation-backed answers

When you're conducting a literature review, you want credible information with proper references.  Copilot ensures that every piece of information provided by SciSpace Copilot is backed by a direct reference, boosting transparency, accuracy, and trustworthiness.

Ask a question related to the paper you're delving into. Every response from Copilot comes with a clickable citation. This citation leads you straight to the section of the PDF from which the answer was extracted.

By seamlessly integrating answers with citations, SciSpace Copilot assures you of the authenticity and relevance of the information you receive.

2. Mendeley

Mendeley Citation Manager is a free web and desktop application. It helps simplify your citation management workflow significantly. Here are some ways you can speed up your referencing game with Mendeley.

Generate citations and bibliographies

Easily add references from your Mendeley library to your Word document, change your citation style, and create a bibliography, all without leaving your document.

Retrieve references

It allows you to access your references quickly. Search for a term, and it will return results by referencing the year, author, or source.

Add sources to your Mendeley library by dragging PDF to Mendeley Reference Manager. Mendeley will automatically remove the PDF(s) metadata and create a library entry.‌

Read and annotate documents

It helps you highlight and comment across multiple PDFs while keep them all in one place using Mendeley Notebook . Notebook pages are not tied to a reference and let you quote from many PDFs.

A big part of many literature review workflows, Zotero is a free, open-source tool for managing citations that works as a plug-in on your browser. It helps you gather the information you need, cite your sources, lets you attach PDFs, notes, and images to your citations, and create bibliographies.

Import research articles to your database

Search for research articles on a keyword, and add relevant results to your database. Then, select the articles you are most interested in, and import them into Zotero.

Add bibliography in a variety of formats

With Zotero, you don’t have to scramble for different bibliography formats. Simply use the Zotero-Word plug-in to insert in-text citations and generate a bibliography.

Share your research

You can save a paper and sync it with an online library to easily share your research for group projects. Zotero can be used to create your database and decrease the time you spend formatting citations.

Sysrev is an AI too for article review that facilitates screening, collaboration, and data extraction from academic publications, abstracts, and PDF documents using machine learning. The platform is free and supports public and Open Access projects only.

Some of the features of Sysrev include:

Group labels

Group labels can be a powerful concept for creating database tables from documents. When exported and re-imported, each group label creates a new table. To make labels for a project, go into the manage -> labels section of the project.

Group labels enable project managers to pull table information from documents. It makes it easier to communicate review results for specific articles.

Track reviewer performance

Sysrev's label counting tool provides filtering and visualization options for keeping track of the distribution of labels throughout the project's progress. Project managers can check their projects at any point to track progress and the reviewer's performance.

Tool for concordance

The Sysrev tool for concordance allows project administrators and reviewers to perform analysis on their labels. Concordance is measured by calculating the number of times users agree on the labels they have extracted.

Colandr is a free, open-source, internet-based analysis and screening software used as an AI for academic research. It was designed to ease collaboration across various stages of the systematic review procedure. The tool can be a little complex to use. So, here are the steps involved in working with Colandr.

Create a review

The first step to using Colandr is setting up an organized review project. This is helpful to librarians who are assisting researchers with systematic reviews.

The planning stage is setting the review's objectives along with research queries. Any reviewer can review the details of the planning stage. However, they can only be modified by the author for the review.

Citation screening/import

In this phase, users can upload their results from database searches. Colandr also offers an automated deduplication system.

Full-text screening

The system in Colandr will discover the combination of terms and expressions that are most useful for the reader. If an article is selected, it will be moved to the final step.

Data extraction/export

Colandr data extraction is more efficient than the manual method. It creates the form fields for data extraction during the planning stage of the review procedure. Users can decide to revisit or modify the form for data extraction after completing the initial screening.

Bonus literature review tools

SRDR+ is a web-based tool for extracting and managing systematic review or meta-analysis data. It is open and has a searchable archive of systematic reviews and their data.

7. Plot Digitizer

Plot Digitizer is an efficient tool for extracting information from graphs and images, equipped with many features that facilitate data extraction. The program comes with a free online application, which is adequate to extract data quickly.

Final thoughts

Writing a literature review is not easy. It’s a time-consuming process, which can become tiring at times. The literature review tools mentioned in this blog do an excellent job of maximizing your efforts and helping you write literature reviews much more efficiently. With them, you can breathe a sigh of relief and give more time to your research.

As you dive into your literature review, don’t forget to use SciSpace ResearchGPT to streamline the process. It facilitates your research and helps you explore key findings, summary, and other components of the paper easily.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. what is rrl in research.

RRL stands for Review of Related Literature and sometimes interchanged with ‘Literature Review.’ RRL is a body of studies relevant to the topic being researched. These studies may be in the form of journal articles, books, reports, and other similar documents. Review of related literature is used to support an argument or theory being made by the researcher, as well as to provide information on how others have approached the same topic.

2. What are few softwares and tools available for literature review?

• SciSpace Discover

• Mendeley

• Zotero

• Sysrev

• Colandr

• SRDR+

3. How to generate an online literature review?

The Scispace Discover tool, which offers an excellent repository of millions of peer-reviewed articles and resources, will help you generate or create a literature review easily. You may find relevant information by utilizing the filter option, checking its credibility, tracing related topics and articles, and citing in widely accepted formats with a single click.

4. What does it mean to synthesize literature?

To synthesize literature is to take the main points and ideas from a number of sources and present them in a new way. The goal is to create a new piece of writing that pulls together the most important elements of all the sources you read. Make recommendations based on them, and connect them to the research.

5. Should we write abstract for literature review?

Abstracts, particularly for the literature review section, are not required. However, an abstract for the research paper, on the whole, is useful for summarizing the paper and letting readers know what to expect from it. It can also be used to summarize the main points of the paper so that readers have a better understanding of the paper's content before they read it.

6. How do you evaluate the quality of a literature review?

• Whether it is clear and well-written.

• Whether Information is current and up to date.

• Does it cover all of the relevant sources on the topic.

• Does it provide enough evidence to support its conclusions.

7. Is literature review mandatory?

Yes. Literature review is a mandatory part of any research project. It is a critical step in the process that allows you to establish the scope of your research and provide a background for the rest of your work.

8. What are the sources for a literature review?

• Reports

• Theses

• Conference proceedings

• Company reports

• Some government publications

• Journals

• Books

• Newspapers

• Articles by professional associations

• Indexes

• Databases

• Catalogues

• Encyclopaedias

• Dictionaries

• Bibliographies

• Citation indexes

• Statistical data from government websites

9. What is the difference between a systematic review and a literature review?

A systematic review is a form of research that uses a rigorous method to generate knowledge from both published and unpublished data. A literature review, on the other hand, is a critical summary of an area of research within the context of what has already been published.

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Screen, analyse and summarise articles faster with Scholarcy

Try it for free, subscribe today.

Scholarcy is used by students around the world to read and analyse research papers in less time. Upload your articles to Scholarcy to:

• Cut your reading time in half and feel more in control
• Identify the papers that matter in less time
• Jump straight to the most important information
• Compare a collection of articles more easily

With Scholarcy Library, you can import all your papers and search results, and quickly screen them with the automatically generated ‘key takeaway’ headline.

Take the stress out of your literature review

While there are lots of tools that help you discover articles for your research, how do you analyse and synthesise the information from all of those papers?

3 easy ways to import articles

Scholarcy lets you quickly import your articles for screening and analysing.

Import papers in PDF, Word, HTML and LaTeX format

Import search results from PubMed or any service that provides results in RIS or BibTeX format

Import publisher RSS feeds

Build your literature matrix in minutes

Our Excel export feature generates a literature synthesis matrix for you, so you can

Compare papers side by side for their study sizes, key contributions, limitations, and more.

Export literature-review ready data in Excel, Word, RIS or Markdown format

Integrates with your reference manager and ‘second brain’ tools such as Roam, Notion and Obsidian

Carrying out a systematic review?

Scholarcy breaks papers down into our unique summary flashcard format.

The Study subjects and analysis tab shows you study population, intervention, outcome, and statistical analyses from the paper.

And the Excel synthesis matrix generated shows the key methods and quantitative findings of each paper, side by side.

Build a knowledge graph from your papers

If you’re a fan of the latest generation of knowledge management tools such as  Roam  or  Obsidian , you’ll love our  Markdown  export.

This creates a knowledge graph of all the papers in your library by connecting them via key terms, methods, and shared citations.

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Found a very helpful software for literature review and analysis

I just came across this tool called Raxter ( https://raxter.io/ ) that uses Artificial Intelligence. It provides similar research papers and resources related to my thesis. There are other useful features. I'm exploring it.

Let me know if you find it helpful.

How To Write An A-Grade Literature Review

3 straightforward steps (with examples) + free template.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | October 2019

Quality research is about building onto the existing work of others , “standing on the shoulders of giants”, as Newton put it. The literature review chapter of your dissertation, thesis or research project is where you synthesise this prior work and lay the theoretical foundation for your own research.

Long story short, this chapter is a pretty big deal, which is why you want to make sure you get it right . In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to write a literature review in three straightforward steps, so you can conquer this vital chapter (the smart way).

Overview: The Literature Review Process

• Understanding the “ why “
• Finding the relevant literature
• Cataloguing and synthesising the information
• Outlining & writing up your literature review
• Example of a literature review

But first, the “why”…

Before we unpack how to write the literature review chapter, we’ve got to look at the why . To put it bluntly, if you don’t understand the function and purpose of the literature review process, there’s no way you can pull it off well. So, what exactly is the purpose of the literature review?

Well, there are (at least) four core functions:

• For you to gain an understanding (and demonstrate this understanding) of where the research is at currently, what the key arguments and disagreements are.
• For you to identify the gap(s) in the literature and then use this as justification for your own research topic.
• To help you build a conceptual framework for empirical testing (if applicable to your research topic).
• To inform your methodological choices and help you source tried and tested questionnaires (for interviews ) and measurement instruments (for surveys ).

Most students understand the first point but don’t give any thought to the rest. To get the most from the literature review process, you must keep all four points front of mind as you review the literature (more on this shortly), or you’ll land up with a wonky foundation.

Okay – with the why out the way, let’s move on to the how . As mentioned above, writing your literature review is a process, which I’ll break down into three steps:

• Finding the most suitable literature
• Understanding , distilling and organising the literature
• Planning and writing up your literature review chapter

Importantly, you must complete steps one and two before you start writing up your chapter. I know it’s very tempting, but don’t try to kill two birds with one stone and write as you read. You’ll invariably end up wasting huge amounts of time re-writing and re-shaping, or you’ll just land up with a disjointed, hard-to-digest mess . Instead, you need to read first and distil the information, then plan and execute the writing.

Step 1: Find the relevant literature

Naturally, the first step in the literature review journey is to hunt down the existing research that’s relevant to your topic. While you probably already have a decent base of this from your research proposal , you need to expand on this substantially in the dissertation or thesis itself.

Essentially, you need to be looking for any existing literature that potentially helps you answer your research question (or develop it, if that’s not yet pinned down). There are numerous ways to find relevant literature, but I’ll cover my top four tactics here. I’d suggest combining all four methods to ensure that nothing slips past you:

Method 1 – Google Scholar Scrubbing

Google’s academic search engine, Google Scholar , is a great starting point as it provides a good high-level view of the relevant journal articles for whatever keyword you throw at it. Most valuably, it tells you how many times each article has been cited, which gives you an idea of how credible (or at least, popular) it is. Some articles will be free to access, while others will require an account, which brings us to the next method.

Method 2 – University Database Scrounging

Generally, universities provide students with access to an online library, which provides access to many (but not all) of the major journals.

So, if you find an article using Google Scholar that requires paid access (which is quite likely), search for that article in your university’s database – if it’s listed there, you’ll have access. Note that, generally, the search engine capabilities of these databases are poor, so make sure you search for the exact article name, or you might not find it.

Method 3 – Journal Article Snowballing

At the end of every academic journal article, you’ll find a list of references. As with any academic writing, these references are the building blocks of the article, so if the article is relevant to your topic, there’s a good chance a portion of the referenced works will be too. Do a quick scan of the titles and see what seems relevant, then search for the relevant ones in your university’s database.

Method 4 – Dissertation Scavenging

Similar to Method 3 above, you can leverage other students’ dissertations. All you have to do is skim through literature review chapters of existing dissertations related to your topic and you’ll find a gold mine of potential literature. Usually, your university will provide you with access to previous students’ dissertations, but you can also find a much larger selection in the following databases:

• Open Access Theses & Dissertations
• Stanford SearchWorks

Keep in mind that dissertations and theses are not as academically sound as published, peer-reviewed journal articles (because they’re written by students, not professionals), so be sure to check the credibility of any sources you find using this method. You can do this by assessing the citation count of any given article in Google Scholar. If you need help with assessing the credibility of any article, or with finding relevant research in general, you can chat with one of our Research Specialists .

Alright – with a good base of literature firmly under your belt, it’s time to move onto the next step.

Need a helping hand?

Step 2: Log, catalogue and synthesise

Once you’ve built a little treasure trove of articles, it’s time to get reading and start digesting the information – what does it all mean?

While I present steps one and two (hunting and digesting) as sequential, in reality, it’s more of a back-and-forth tango – you’ll read a little , then have an idea, spot a new citation, or a new potential variable, and then go back to searching for articles. This is perfectly natural – through the reading process, your thoughts will develop , new avenues might crop up, and directional adjustments might arise. This is, after all, one of the main purposes of the literature review process (i.e. to familiarise yourself with the current state of research in your field).

As you’re working through your treasure chest, it’s essential that you simultaneously start organising the information. There are three aspects to this:

• Logging reference information
• Building an organised catalogue
• Distilling and synthesising the information

I’ll discuss each of these below:

2.1 – Log the reference information

As you read each article, you should add it to your reference management software. I usually recommend Mendeley for this purpose (see the Mendeley 101 video below), but you can use whichever software you’re comfortable with. Most importantly, make sure you load EVERY article you read into your reference manager, even if it doesn’t seem very relevant at the time.

2.2 – Build an organised catalogue

In the beginning, you might feel confident that you can remember who said what, where, and what their main arguments were. Trust me, you won’t. If you do a thorough review of the relevant literature (as you must!), you’re going to read many, many articles, and it’s simply impossible to remember who said what, when, and in what context . Also, without the bird’s eye view that a catalogue provides, you’ll miss connections between various articles, and have no view of how the research developed over time. Simply put, it’s essential to build your own catalogue of the literature.

I would suggest using Excel to build your catalogue, as it allows you to run filters, colour code and sort – all very useful when your list grows large (which it will). How you lay your spreadsheet out is up to you, but I’d suggest you have the following columns (at minimum):

• Author, date, title – Start with three columns containing this core information. This will make it easy for you to search for titles with certain words, order research by date, or group by author.
• Categories or keywords – You can either create multiple columns, one for each category/theme and then tick the relevant categories, or you can have one column with keywords.
• Key arguments/points – Use this column to succinctly convey the essence of the article, the key arguments and implications thereof for your research.
• Context – Note the socioeconomic context in which the research was undertaken. For example, US-based, respondents aged 25-35, lower- income, etc. This will be useful for making an argument about gaps in the research.
• Methodology – Note which methodology was used and why. Also, note any issues you feel arise due to the methodology. Again, you can use this to make an argument about gaps in the research.
• Quotations – Note down any quoteworthy lines you feel might be useful later.
• Notes – Make notes about anything not already covered. For example, linkages to or disagreements with other theories, questions raised but unanswered, shortcomings or limitations, and so forth.

If you’d like, you can try out our free catalog template here (see screenshot below).

2.3 – Digest and synthesise

Most importantly, as you work through the literature and build your catalogue, you need to synthesise all the information in your own mind – how does it all fit together? Look for links between the various articles and try to develop a bigger picture view of the state of the research. Some important questions to ask yourself are:

• What answers does the existing research provide to my own research questions ?
• Which points do the researchers agree (and disagree) on?
• How has the research developed over time?
• Where do the gaps in the current research lie?

To help you develop a big-picture view and synthesise all the information, you might find mind mapping software such as Freemind useful. Alternatively, if you’re a fan of physical note-taking, investing in a large whiteboard might work for you.

Step 3: Outline and write it up!

Once you’re satisfied that you have digested and distilled all the relevant literature in your mind, it’s time to put pen to paper (or rather, fingers to keyboard). There are two steps here – outlining and writing:

3.1 – Draw up your outline

Having spent so much time reading, it might be tempting to just start writing up without a clear structure in mind. However, it’s critically important to decide on your structure and develop a detailed outline before you write anything. Your literature review chapter needs to present a clear, logical and an easy to follow narrative – and that requires some planning. Don’t try to wing it!

Naturally, you won’t always follow the plan to the letter, but without a detailed outline, you’re more than likely going to end up with a disjointed pile of waffle , and then you’re going to spend a far greater amount of time re-writing, hacking and patching. The adage, “measure twice, cut once” is very suitable here.

In terms of structure, the first decision you’ll have to make is whether you’ll lay out your review thematically (into themes) or chronologically (by date/period). The right choice depends on your topic, research objectives and research questions, which we discuss in this article .

Once that’s decided, you need to draw up an outline of your entire chapter in bullet point format. Try to get as detailed as possible, so that you know exactly what you’ll cover where, how each section will connect to the next, and how your entire argument will develop throughout the chapter. Also, at this stage, it’s a good idea to allocate rough word count limits for each section, so that you can identify word count problems before you’ve spent weeks or months writing!

PS – check out our free literature review chapter template…

3.2 – Get writing

With a detailed outline at your side, it’s time to start writing up (finally!). At this stage, it’s common to feel a bit of writer’s block and find yourself procrastinating under the pressure of finally having to put something on paper. To help with this, remember that the objective of the first draft is not perfection – it’s simply to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, after which you can refine them. The structure might change a little, the word count allocations might shift and shuffle, and you might add or remove a section – that’s all okay. Don’t worry about all this on your first draft – just get your thoughts down on paper.

Once you’ve got a full first draft (however rough it may be), step away from it for a day or two (longer if you can) and then come back at it with fresh eyes. Pay particular attention to the flow and narrative – does it fall fit together and flow from one section to another smoothly? Now’s the time to try to improve the linkage from each section to the next, tighten up the writing to be more concise, trim down word count and sand it down into a more digestible read.

Once you’ve done that, give your writing to a friend or colleague who is not a subject matter expert and ask them if they understand the overall discussion. The best way to assess this is to ask them to explain the chapter back to you. This technique will give you a strong indication of which points were clearly communicated and which weren’t. If you’re working with Grad Coach, this is a good time to have your Research Specialist review your chapter.

Finally, tighten it up and send it off to your supervisor for comment. Some might argue that you should be sending your work to your supervisor sooner than this (indeed your university might formally require this), but in my experience, supervisors are extremely short on time (and often patience), so, the more refined your chapter is, the less time they’ll waste on addressing basic issues (which you know about already) and the more time they’ll spend on valuable feedback that will increase your mark-earning potential.

Literature Review Example

In the video below, we unpack an actual literature review so that you can see how all the core components come together in reality.

Let’s Recap

In this post, we’ve covered how to research and write up a high-quality literature review chapter. Let’s do a quick recap of the key takeaways:

• It is essential to understand the WHY of the literature review before you read or write anything. Make sure you understand the 4 core functions of the process.
• The first step is to hunt down the relevant literature . You can do this using Google Scholar, your university database, the snowballing technique and by reviewing other dissertations and theses.
• Next, you need to log all the articles in your reference manager , build your own catalogue of literature and synthesise all the research.
• Following that, you need to develop a detailed outline of your entire chapter – the more detail the better. Don’t start writing without a clear outline (on paper, not in your head!)
• Write up your first draft in rough form – don’t aim for perfection. Remember, done beats perfect.
• Refine your second draft and get a layman’s perspective on it . Then tighten it up and submit it to your supervisor.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Literature Review Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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38 Comments

Thank you very much. This page is an eye opener and easy to comprehend.

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I wish I come across GradCoach earlier enough.

But all the same I’ll make use of this opportunity to the fullest.

Thank you for this good job.

Keep it up!

You’re welcome, Yinka. Thank you for the kind words. All the best writing your literature review.

Thank you for a very useful literature review session. Although I am doing most of the steps…it being my first masters an Mphil is a self study and one not sure you are on the right track. I have an amazing supervisor but one also knows they are super busy. So not wanting to bother on the minutae. Thank you.

You’re most welcome, Renee. Good luck with your literature review 🙂

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Thank you for this whole literature writing review.You have simplified the process.

I’m so glad I found GradCoach. Excellent information, Clear explanation, and Easy to follow, Many thanks Derek!

You’re welcome, Maithe. Good luck writing your literature review 🙂

Thank you Coach, you have greatly enriched and improved my knowledge

Great piece, so enriching and it is going to help me a great lot in my project and thesis, thanks so much

This is THE BEST site for ANYONE doing a masters or doctorate! Thank you for the sound advice and templates. You rock!

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if anyone is to get a paper done on time and in the best way possible, GRADCOACH is certainly the go to area!

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Good morning scholar. I’m delighted coming to know you even before the commencement of my dissertation which hopefully is expected in not more than six months from now. I would love to engage my study under your guidance from the beginning to the end. I love to know how to do good job

Thank you so much Derek for such useful information on writing up a good literature review. I am at a stage where I need to start writing my one. My proposal was accepted late last year but I honestly did not know where to start

Like the name of your YouTube implies you are GRAD (great,resource person, about dissertation). In short you are smart enough in coaching research work.

This is a very well thought out webpage. Very informative and a great read.

Very timely.

I appreciate.

Very comprehensive and eye opener for me as beginner in postgraduate study. Well explained and easy to understand. Appreciate and good reference in guiding me in my research journey. Thank you

Thank you. I requested to download the free literature review template, however, your website wouldn’t allow me to complete the request or complete a download. May I request that you email me the free template? Thank you.

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The Guide to Thematic Analysis

• What is Thematic Analysis?
• Advantages of Thematic Analysis
• Disadvantages of Thematic Analysis
• Thematic Analysis Examples
• How to Do Thematic Analysis
• Thematic Coding
• Collaborative Thematic Analysis
• Thematic Analysis Software
• Thematic Analysis in Mixed Methods Approach
• Abductive Thematic Analysis
• Deductive Thematic Analysis
• Inductive Thematic Analysis
• Reflexive Thematic Analysis
• Thematic Analysis in Observations
• Thematic Analysis in Surveys
• Thematic Analysis for Interviews
• Thematic Analysis for Focus Groups
• Thematic Analysis for Case Studies
• Thematic Analysis of Secondary Data
• Introduction

What is a thematic literature review?

Advantages of a thematic literature review, structuring and writing a thematic literature review.

• Thematic Analysis vs. Phenomenology
• Thematic vs. Content Analysis
• Thematic Analysis vs. Grounded Theory
• Thematic Analysis vs. Narrative Analysis
• Thematic Analysis vs. Discourse Analysis
• Thematic Analysis vs. Framework Analysis
• Thematic Analysis in Social Work
• Thematic Analysis in Psychology
• Thematic Analysis in Educational Research
• Thematic Analysis in UX Research
• How to Present Thematic Analysis Results
• Increasing Rigor in Thematic Analysis
• Peer Review in Thematic Analysis

Thematic Analysis Literature Review

A thematic literature review serves as a critical tool for synthesizing research findings within a specific subject area. By categorizing existing literature into themes, this method offers a structured approach to identify and analyze patterns and trends across studies. The primary goal is to provide a clear and concise overview that aids scholars and practitioners in understanding the key discussions and developments within a field. Unlike traditional literature reviews , which may adopt a chronological approach or focus on individual studies, a thematic literature review emphasizes the aggregation of findings through key themes and thematic connections. This introduction sets the stage for a detailed examination of what constitutes a thematic literature review, its benefits, and guidance on effectively structuring and writing one.

A thematic literature review methodically organizes and examines a body of literature by identifying, analyzing, and reporting themes found within texts such as journal articles, conference proceedings, dissertations, and other forms of academic writing. While a particular journal article may offer some specific insight, a synthesis of knowledge through a literature review can provide a comprehensive overview of theories across relevant sources in a particular field.

Unlike other review types that might organize literature chronologically or by methodology , a thematic review focuses on recurring themes or patterns across a collection of works. This approach enables researchers to draw together previous research to synthesize findings from different research contexts and methodologies, highlighting the overarching trends and insights within a field.

At its core, a thematic approach to a literature review research project involves several key steps. Initially, it requires the comprehensive collection of relevant literature that aligns with the review's research question or objectives. Following this, the process entails a meticulous analysis of the texts to identify common themes that emerge across the studies. These themes are not pre-defined but are discovered through a careful reading and synthesis of the literature.

The thematic analysis process is iterative, often involving the refinement of themes as the review progresses. It allows for the integration of a broad range of literature, facilitating a multidimensional understanding of the research topic. By organizing literature thematically, the review illuminates how various studies contribute to each theme, providing insights into the depth and breadth of research in the area.

A thematic literature review thus serves as a foundational element in research, offering a nuanced and comprehensive perspective on a topic. It not only aids in identifying gaps in the existing literature but also guides future research directions by underscoring areas that warrant further investigation. Ultimately, a thematic literature review empowers researchers to construct a coherent narrative that weaves together disparate studies into a unified analysis.

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Conducting a literature review thematically provides a comprehensive and nuanced synthesis of research findings, distinguishing it from other types of literature reviews. Its structured approach not only facilitates a deeper understanding of the subject area but also enhances the clarity and relevance of the review. Here are three significant advantages of employing a thematic analysis in literature reviews.

Enhanced understanding of the research field

Thematic literature reviews allow for a detailed exploration of the research landscape, presenting themes that capture the essence of the subject area. By identifying and analyzing these themes, reviewers can construct a narrative that reflects the complexity and multifaceted nature of the field.

This process aids in uncovering underlying patterns and relationships, offering a more profound and insightful examination of the literature. As a result, readers gain an enriched understanding of the key concepts, debates, and evolutionary trajectories within the research area.

Identification of research gaps and trends

One of the pivotal benefits of a thematic literature review is its ability to highlight gaps in the existing body of research. By systematically organizing the literature into themes, reviewers can pinpoint areas that are under-explored or warrant further investigation.

Additionally, this method can reveal emerging trends and shifts in research focus, guiding scholars toward promising areas for future study. The thematic structure thus serves as a roadmap, directing researchers toward uncharted territories and new research questions .

Facilitates comparative analysis and integration of findings

A thematic literature review excels in synthesizing findings from diverse studies, enabling a coherent and integrated overview. By concentrating on themes rather than individual studies, the review can draw comparisons and contrasts across different research contexts and methodologies . This comparative analysis enriches the review, offering a panoramic view of the field that acknowledges both consensus and divergence among researchers.

Moreover, the thematic framework supports the integration of findings, presenting a unified and comprehensive portrayal of the research area. Such integration is invaluable for scholars seeking to navigate the extensive body of literature and extract pertinent insights relevant to their own research questions or objectives.

The process of structuring and writing a thematic literature review is pivotal in presenting research in a clear, coherent, and impactful manner. This review type necessitates a methodical approach to not only unearth and categorize key themes but also to articulate them in a manner that is both accessible and informative to the reader. The following sections outline essential stages in the thematic analysis process for literature reviews , offering a structured pathway from initial planning to the final presentation of findings.

Identifying and categorizing themes

The initial phase in a thematic literature review is the identification of themes within the collected body of literature. This involves a detailed examination of texts to discern patterns, concepts, and ideas that recur across the research landscape. Effective identification hinges on a thorough and nuanced reading of the literature, where the reviewer actively engages with the content to extract and note significant thematic elements. Once identified, these themes must be meticulously categorized, often requiring the reviewer to discern between overarching themes and more nuanced sub-themes, ensuring a logical and hierarchical organization of the review content.

Analyzing and synthesizing themes

After categorizing the themes, the next step involves a deeper analysis and synthesis of the identified themes. This stage is critical for understanding the relationships between themes and for interpreting the broader implications of the thematic findings. Analysis may reveal how themes evolve over time, differ across methodologies or contexts, or converge to highlight predominant trends in the research area. Synthesis involves integrating insights from various studies to construct a comprehensive narrative that encapsulates the thematic essence of the literature, offering new interpretations or revealing gaps in existing research.

Presenting and discussing findings

The final stage of the thematic literature review is the discussion of the thematic findings in a research paper or presentation. This entails not only a descriptive account of identified themes but also a critical examination of their significance within the research field. Each theme should be discussed in detail, elucidating its relevance, the extent of research support, and its implications for future studies. The review should culminate in a coherent and compelling narrative that not only summarizes the key thematic findings but also situates them within the broader research context, offering valuable insights and directions for future inquiry.

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How to make literature review for a software implementation project?

I don't know if this is out of the scope of this website. I'm a student in software engineering deparment and I am supposed to make a project for a course during the semester. The first step of it is to prepare a project proposal which consists of a short description of the project, a literature review and detailed flowcharts. My question is how to make literature review for a software implementation project. I already did some reviews from some articles which I found from sciencedirect, and already wrote an introduction for the review. I don't know whether I have to put web links as references when I mention already existing similar projects inside the body or if it should only contain academic citations.

Thank you in advance for your help.

• academic-writing

• Related: writing.stackexchange.com/q/5376/14704 –  Galastel supports GoFundMonica Commented Oct 21, 2018 at 18:40

Any source that you use in your work, be it academic literature, websites, or even tv programs, needs to be cited. Similar projects are extremely relevant to what you're doing, and therefore if your source on them is a website rather than an academic work, it should definitely be cited.

When you cite a website, you include its name, link, date content was written (if stated), and the date you accessed it (since content might later be changed).

Or did you mean, do you need to include a link to the academic article you're citing? In that case, no, you don't.

Your department would have a standard for how they want citations formatted (formats vary somewhat between fields, and between journals etc. in the same field). You can ask your advisor, he'll point you to how exactly sources should be cited.

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The Living Model Approach for Systematic Literature Reviews

Heather Struntz

When building a disease model or an economic model, the assumption has been that updates to such models should only occur once sufficient evidence has been gathered. A “living model” approach, however, aspires to treat models as always evolving, with new evidence continuously incorporated into its parameters.

Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are essential for proving product value to health authorities but struggle to stay current with the rapid pace of scientific knowledge. Guidance published by PRISMA, Cochrane, and other thought leaders in establishing standards for SLRs indicates that living models for SLRs are the future of the industry. Such living models can benefit clinicians who are weighing treatment strategies for patients and are essential to demonstrate product value based on the most updated evidence.

To learn more about the living model approach for SLRs

and Cytel’s LiveSLR® platform, click below to read “LiveSLR: The Urgent Need to Demonstrate Value in Real Time” by Anna Forsythe, PharmD, and Maria Rizzo, MSc. The paper also includes a compelling case study in which a pharmaceutical company looking to evaluate the potential impact of surrogate endpoints on long-term clinical outcomes in multiple myeloma required (and completed) an SLR to support reimbursement submissions — in just two months.

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Heather Struntz is a writer and editor specializing in research publications. At Cytel, she is Content Manager, leading content strategy and production as well as graphics for Perspectives on Enquiry & Evidence. She has a long history as an editor of interdisciplinary academic journals and reports, most recently at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

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Information & Contributors

Bibliometrics & citations, view options, recommendations, guidelines for snowballing in systematic literature studies and a replication in software engineering.

Background: Systematic literature studies have become common in software engineering, and hence it is important to understand how to conduct them efficiently and reliably.

Objective: This paper presents guidelines for conducting literature reviews using ...

Data Replication Methods in Cloud, Fog, and Edge Computing: A Systematic Literature Review

Nowadays, a large amount of data is being generated and these data are usually stored in distributed environments such as cloud, fog, and edge environments. Data replication, which is commonly used to manage large amounts of data, improves overall ...

Serverless computing for Internet of Things: A systematic literature review

Serverless computing, or Function as a Service (FaaS), represents a research trend where applications are built and deployed as a group of stateless functions. Although initially proposed for the cloud, serverless computing has also ...

• We present a Literature Review on the field of serverless computing for IoT.

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20 Best Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers Reviewed In 2024

Our reviewers evaluate software independently. Clicks may earn a commission, which supports testing. Learn how we stay transparent & our review methodology.

As an experienced project manager, I’ve carefully reviewed, compared, and tested various digital asset management software to shortlist the most efficient, organized, and accessible tools for photographers.

10 Best Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers Shortlist

Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.

• 1. Canto — Best for enhancing team collaboration
• 2. Photo Mechanic — Best for fast photo ingestion
• 3. Extensis Portfolio — Best for creative operations management
• 4. Adobe Bridge — Best for centralized creative assets
• 5. iMatch — Best for supporting various file formats
• 6. Magix — Best for multimedia file management
• 7. Zoner Photo Studio X — Best for cloud storage integration
• 8. CyberLink PhotoDirector — Best for integrated photo editing
• 9. Daminion — Best for AI-powered asset management
• 10. Acdsee Photo Studio — Best for facial recognition-based search

Get free help from our project management software advisors to find your match.

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Choosing the ideal digital asset management software for photographers can be challenging due to the many available options. After all, this software serves as a central hub for your photos, simplifying organizing, locating, and sharing them. It also effectively addresses issues such as duplicate files and chaotic naming conventions by offering rapid search functions, tagging, and sorting capabilities.

I understand your struggle, and I can help you navigate the various choices to help you find the solution that best aligns with your workflow. Here are my top picks for digital asset management software for photographers.

Why Trust Our Software Reviews

We’ve been testing and reviewing digital asset management software for photographers since 2012. As project managers ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software. 

We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions. We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different project management use cases and written over 1,000 complete software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & our review methodology .

Best Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers Summary

I’ve investigated the pricing and availability of free trials and demo versions so you can make a much simpler side-by-side comparison.

Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.

How To Choose Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

Choosing the correct digital asset management (DAM) software is important for photographers aiming to efficiently organize, store, and retrieve work. During your software selection process, keep the following considerations in mind.

• Intuitive Search : Locating specific photos is essential for photographers with large image libraries. A DAM system should offer search capabilities that allow users to filter by subject, location, date, and other metadata.
• Distribution and Sharing: The software should simplify distributing and sharing assets with teams and clients, reducing the need for constant communication and ensuring efficient asset delivery.
• Automation : Dynamic asset updating across various channels directly from the DAM system is key for maintaining brand consistency and saving time on manual updates, which is particularly beneficial for photographers who distribute content across multiple platforms.
• Permissions and Security : A DAM system must provide strong permission settings and security measures to protect digital assets and ensure that only authorized personnel have access, which is important for safeguarding a photographer's work and brand integrity.
• Return on Investment (ROI ): Evaluating the financial impact of a DAM system is important. Consider the cost savings from avoiding asset re-creation, reducing time spent searching for assets, and streamlining distribution, all of which can contribute to increased productivity and potential new revenue opportunities.

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Best Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers Reviews

Discover the strengths and weaknesses of top digital asset management tools for photographers. Each review provides a detailed look at features and ideal use scenarios.

Best for enhancing team collaboration

• 15-day free trial
• Pricing upon request

Canto supports content workflows and allows teams to collaborate successfully.

Why I Picked Canto: I selected Canto for this list because it effectively addresses the challenges teams face when managing digital assets. Its capabilities in creating a centralized content hub and advanced search functions set it apart from other digital asset management tools. Canto is the best for enhancing team collaboration as it provides essential tools for planning, creating, and sharing content, which is important for collaborative team efforts.

Standout features & integrations:

Features include AI-powered search, which expedites asset retrieval, and Media Delivery Cloud, which simplifies content distribution. The platform also enhances video workflows and ensures the security of digital assets.

Integrations include Box, Canva, Drupal, Dropbox, Figma, Hootsuite, Egnyte, Google Drive, Mailchimp, monday.com, Slack, Wrike, WordPress, and Zapier.

• Check out Canto on their website

Pros and cons

• Secure environment for asset protection
• Media Delivery Cloud simplifies content distribution
• AI-powered search for quick asset retrieval
• Can be overwhelming for some users
• Uploading files can take time

Photo Mechanic

Best for fast photo ingestion

• From $15.33/month

Photo Mechanic improves the workflow by letting photographers browse, categorize, and organize massive collections of images, allowing them to choose and manage their best shots.

Why I Picked Photo Mechanic: I chose Photo Mechanic for this list because of its reputation for rapid photo ingestion and organization. In a field where time is of the essence, Photo Mechanic stands out for its ability to handle large volumes of images quickly. It is best for fast photo ingestion because it allows photographers to quickly import and sort through their shots.

Features include its fast viewing and culling capabilities, which enable photographers to go from memory cards to working on their best images faster than ever. It also offers solid export features.

Integrations include Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and PhotoShelter.

• Check out Photo Mechanic on their website
• Powerful export features
• Integration with other post-processing and creative tools
• Rapid ingestion and organization of photos
• The interface could use updating
• A subscription model may not be preferred by all users

Extensis Portfolio

Best for creative operations management

• Free demo available
• From $150/user/year (billed annually)

Extensis Portfolio makes organizing, accessing, and sharing photo collections easier. Its features include labeling, categorization, and quick search, which improve workflow productivity.

Why I Picked Extensis Portfolio: I selected Extensis Portfolio as its approach to managing creative assets distinguishes it from other digital asset management software. It's best for creative operations management because it enhances the ability to manage, locate, and distribute digital assets, which is essential for maintaining an effective workflow.

Features include AI-powered smart keyword tagging, categorization, versatile search options, and a drag-and-drop functionality. 

Integrations include Adobe Creative, Clo ud Photoshop, Illustrator, Microsoft OfficeWord, and PowerPoint.

• Check out Extensis Portfolio on their website
• Convenient drag-and-drop functionality
• Versatile search options with advanced capabilities
• AI-powered smart keyword tagging
• Higher starting price point compared to some alternatives
• Absence of specific system requirements or support details

Adobe Bridge

Best for centralized creative assets

• 14-day free trial

Adobe Bridge is a digital asset management software that helps photographers organize, access, and share photos. It provides features like tagging, categorization, and quick search.

Why I Picked Adobe Bridge: I chose Adobe Bridge for this list because it provides a solid platform for managing a wide range of creative assets, which is essential for photographers who deal with large volumes of digital content. 

Its ability to centralize assets makes it a standout choice compared to other digital asset management software. I believe Adobe Bridge is best for centralized creative assets because it offers advanced metadata search features, collections for organization, and collaboration with Creative Cloud Libraries.

Features include multitasking with multiple windows, customizing keyboard shortcuts, and bulk workflows. Additionally, it supports creating 3D designs with a cross-application workflow, particularly with Substance 3D Stager. 

Integrations include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe XD, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Stock, and Adobe Acrobat.

• Check out Adobe Bridge on their website
• Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud and direct publishing to Adobe Stock
• Advanced metadata search and organization features
• Centralized management of creative assets
• Potential cost implications for the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite
• Reliant on other Adobe products for full functionality

Best for supporting various file formats

• One-time cost of $129.99

iMatch stores various file formats and organizes photo collections using labeling, categorization, and quick search features. This makes it simple for photographers to store, find, and access their images.

Why I Picked iMatch: I selected iMatch for its support of various file types and strong file management capabilities, differentiating it from other digital asset management software. It’s the best cross-platform DAM because it enables users to manage assets across different platforms and file systems.

Features include integrated AI for face recognition, smart versioning with metadata propagation, and flexible batch renaming. It also provides GPS features, and automatic keywording. 

Integrations not listed on the website.

• Check out iMatch on their website
• Integrated AI for advanced features like face recognition
• Powerful search and filtering capabilities
• Supports numerous file types and metadata standards
• Extensive features may require a learning curve for new users
• Only available for Windows, lacking native cross-platform support

Best for multimedia file management

• One-time cost of $29.99

Magix simplifies photo organization and administration with tagging, categorization, and quick search features.

Why I Picked Magix: I chose Magix because it handles diverse media types, making it distinct from many other digital asset management software. Magix is the best for multimedia file management because it organizes photos and videos and provides editing tools.

Features include cloud import functions, RAW format support selection, virtual albums, image optimization tools, photo filters and effects, perspective correction tools, a horizon straightening feature, panorama creation, and travel route animation.

Integrations include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Google Drive, Dropbox, Facebook, YouTube, OneDrive, and Twitter.

• Check out Magix on their website
• Creative tools for photo editing and presentation
• Intelligent media sorting capabilities
• Broad format support for photos and videos
• Some users new to this type of software report a learning curve
• Limited in advanced editing features

Zoner Photo Studio X

Best for cloud storage integration

• From $5.99/month

Zoner Photo Studio X includes tools for organizing, editing, and sharing photographs. It also includes labeling, categorization, and rapid search to help you optimize your workflow and increase efficiency.

Why I Picked Zoner Photo Studio X: I chose Zoner Photo Studio X for its solid feature set and consistent updates to keep it current. Its integration with cloud storage distinguishes it from other digital asset management tools, offering photographers flexibility and accessibility. 

I believe it's the best for cloud storage integration because it provides access to photos across devices. Photographers can work on projects from any location without needing physical storage devices.

Features include RAW and JPEG editing, layer support, retouching tools, and a video editor. It also provides presets to simplify editing and catalog features for organizational purposes. 

Integrations include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

• Check out Zoner Photo Studio X on their website
• Complete toolset for photo and video editing
• Regular updates and new feature additions
• Cloud storage integration with 20GB of space
• Limited to English-speaking customer support
• Available only for Windows, not for Mac or Android

CyberLink PhotoDirector

Best for integrated photo editing

• From $3.33/user/month (billed annually)

CyberLink PhotoDirector improves photo organizing and editing with tagging, categorization, and quick search features. It allows photographers to manage their image collections more efficiently.

Why I Picked CyberLink PhotoDirector: I selected CyberLink PhotoDirector for its AI features that simplify photo editing processes. Its combination of AI technology and editing tools distinguishes it from other software. CyberLink PhotoDirector is best for integrated photo editing as it merges workflow management and advanced editing in one platform, providing photographers with a full suite of tools.

Features include AI-powered sky replacement, artful glitch effects, and the ability to create complex multiple exposures. The software also offers content-aware editing, portrait beautification tools, and AI-style transfers.

Integrations include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Flickr, Facebook, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Windows Live Gallery, and Vimeo.

• Check out CyberLink PhotoDirector on their website
• Available for Windows, macOS, and online
• Complete set of features for photo editing
• Advanced AI-driven editing tools
• Some users say the interface needs updating
• May have a learning curve for new users

Best for AI-powered asset management

• From $20/user/month (billed annually)

Daminion organizes, tags, and manages large collections of photos, simplifying the process of finding and accessing images for photographers.

Why I Picked Daminion: I selected Daminion because of its AI-driven capabilities, distinguishing it from other digital asset management software. Its proficiency in managing large collections of media files also makes it a good choice. 

Daminion is best for AI-powered asset management because it uses artificial intelligence to sort, search, and access assets, which is vital for teams with extensive media collections.

Features include intelligent asset categorization and tagging, secure storage, and quick retrieval of digital media. 

Integrations include Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Microsoft Office Suite, WordPress, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and Slack.

• Check out Daminion on their website
• Quick retrieval of media files
• Secure storage for digital assets
• Intelligent asset categorization and tagging
• New users may face a learning curve
• On-premises setup may be complex

Acdsee Photo Studio

Best for facial recognition-based search

• From $8.90/user/month (billed annually)

ACDSee Photo Studio uses tools like labeling, categorization, and quick search to help photographers organize, display, and edit their photographs more efficiently.

Why I Picked Acdsee Photo Studio: I chose Acdsee Photo Studio for this list because of its facial recognition-based search features, allowing for quickly sorting images. Its advanced AI-driven features also simplify managing and editing large photo collections. 

I believe it's best for an AI-driven organization because it leverages artificial intelligence to automate the tedious task of manual keywording and enables efficient photo searching and categorization.

Features include AI Keywords that automatically tag photos, facial recognition, advanced search criteria, and quick search capabilities. Other features include AI selection tools, photo merge, repair tools, color correction, and creative tools. 

Integrations include Adobe Lightroom, Dropbox, Google Drive, Flickr, Pixabay, Picasa, OneDrive, and Facebook.

• Check out Acdsee Photo Studio on their website
• Support for a wide range of file formats and camera RAW files
• Complete editing tools, including non-destructive AI masking
• AI-driven features for automated photo organization
• The terminology used by some users is confusing
• May have a learning curve for new users due to the breadth of features

Other Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

Below is a list of additional digital asset management software for photographers that we shortlisted but did not reach the top list. It’s worth checking them out, though.

Best for brand asset management

Best for global scalability and security

Best for strong analytics

Best for PIM and DAM integration

Best for web asset optimization

Best for securing digital assets

Best for RAW conversion

Best for Adobe Creative Cloud integration

Best for metadata capabilities

Best for customization

Related Project Management Software

If you still haven't found what you're looking for, check out these related project management tools we've tested and reviewed. 

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Selection Criteria For Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

When choosing digital asset management software for photographers, it is essential to assess its functionality and how effectively it meets photographers' specific needs and challenges. These criteria directly impact the management and organization of digital assets, and after exploring multiple solutions, I've developed key evaluation criteria for these tools.

Core Functionality ( 25% of the total weighting score):

• Centralized storage for easy access to all digital assets
• Metadata management for efficient search and retrieval
• Version control to track changes and updates to assets
• Permissions and access controls to secure sensitive content
• Integration capabilities with other tools and platforms

Additional Standout Features (25% of the total weighting score):

• Identifying innovative tagging and categorization systems
• Assessing AI-driven search functionalities
• Evaluating advanced sharing and collaboration options
• Looking for cutting-edge editing and processing tools within the platform
• Testing for unique asset distribution and publishing capabilities

Usability (10% of the total weighting score):

• Intuitive and responsive interface design
• Clear and logical navigation pathways
• Balance between powerful features and user-friendliness
• Aesthetic appeal that enhances the overall user experience

Onboarding (10% of the total weighting score):

• Availability of complete training materials
• Access to templates and interactive product tours
• Support through chatbots and webinars for real-time assistance
• Simplified processes for importing assets and setting up the system

Customer Support (10% of total weighting score):

• Responsiveness and availability of support teams
• Variety of support channels offered (email, phone, live chat)
• Quality of troubleshooting and problem-solving resources
• The presence of a knowledgeable and helpful user community

Value For Money (10% weighting score):

• Comparing pricing structures across similar products
• Assessing the cost relative to the features and capabilities offered
• Evaluating the flexibility of pricing plans to suit different needs
• Considering the long-term ROI of the software

Customer Reviews: (10% of the weighting score):

• Overall satisfaction ratings from a diverse user base
• Consistency of positive feedback across various review platforms
• Specific praises or criticisms that align with known product features
• Trends in user experiences that indicate reliability and performance

Trends In Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

Here are some key trends in digital asset management software for photographers. To stay updated, I've researched industry trends, product updates, press releases, release logs, news articles, and emerging sources of information.

• Integration with Editing Tools : Software now often integrates directly with photo editing tools. This allows photographers to manage and edit assets in one place, improving workflow efficiency. The trend is important as it saves time and simplifies the editing process.
• AI-Based Tagging and Categorization: Artificial intelligence is used to auto-tag and categorize images. This technology can recognize content and context, making searching for specific photos faster. It's interesting because it reduces the manual effort of organizing large photo libraries.
• Cloud-Based Collaboration Features : Collaboration features are increasingly cloud-based, enabling real-time sharing and editing. This is progressive as it allows teams to work together from different locations. It's important for photographers who work with remote clients or teams.
• Enhanced Security Protocols: Security for digital assets is getting stronger with advanced encryption and access controls. This trend is important to protect intellectual property and client confidentiality. It's a key trend as it provides peace of mind for photographers in the digital age.
• Mobile Access and Management: Mobile access to digital asset management software is becoming more prevalent. Photographers can now manage their assets on the go with mobile apps. This is important for those who need to work remotely or travel frequently.

What Is Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers?

Digital asset management software for photographers is a specialized tool designed to store, organize, and manage digital media files efficiently. It serves professional photographers, photo editors, and media organizations. It acts as a central repository for digital assets, allowing users to categorize, search, and distribute photographs effectively. 

Key components include a user-friendly interface for navigating the image library, metadata tagging for simplified search and retrieval, and editing tools for enhancing images. Additionally, it offers access controls for security, sharing capabilities for collaboration, and integration options with other software to support photographers' workflows.

Features Of Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

Selecting digital asset management software for photographers is important for effectively managing many digital assets. The right software can influence how photographers access, organize, and secure their work. 

Here are the most important aspects when choosing DAM software for photographers.

• Centralized Storage: This feature allows all digital assets to be stored in one location. It is vital to access and manage all photographs and related files quickly.
• Metadata Management : Metadata management tools enable adding and editing information to files. This is important for organizing and locating assets efficiently, especially when dealing with large volumes of images.
• Advanced Search Capabilities : With advanced search functions, I can find images quickly using various criteria. This saves time when I need to locate specific shots among thousands.
• Access Controls : Setting permissions and access controls ensures only authorized users can view or edit certain assets. This is important for maintaining the security and integrity of my work.
• Version Control: Version control tracks file changes, allowing me to revert to previous versions if necessary. This feature is essential for maintaining the quality and consistency of my images.
• Integration with Editing Software: The ability to integrate with photo editing software simplifies the editing process. This integration is key to maintaining a smooth workflow from capture to final output.
• Backup and Recovery : Reliable backup and recovery options protect assets from data loss. This feature provides peace of mind and ensures that images are safe in case of technical issues.
• Collaboration Tools: Collaboration tools facilitate working with teams or clients by allowing shared access and feedback on assets. This is important for projects that require input from multiple stakeholders.
• Mobile Access : Mobile access allows me to view and manage my assets on the go. This flexibility is increasingly important in today's mobile-centric world.
• Scalability: Scalability ensures that the DAM software can grow with my needs, accommodating an increasing number of assets over time. This is important for long-term asset management.

Benefits Of Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

Digital asset management software (DAM software) for photographers provides powerful features for optimizing workflows and increasing business efficiency. It boosts photographers' efficiency and creativity by providing a centralized platform for storing, organizing, and sharing photographs. Here are five significant benefits of DAM software for photographers.

• Centralized Storage: Having all digital assets in one place allows photographers to access, manage, and back up their work. This reduces the risk of data loss and saves time that would otherwise be spent searching for files across different devices and locations.
• Improved Organization: Digital asset management software often includes tagging and metadata features, enabling users to categorize and locate images. This level of organization is important for managing large volumes of photos, saving time, and improving workflow efficiency.
• Access Control and Security : By setting permissions and controlling access, photographers can ensure their digital assets are secure and only accessible to authorized users. This is particularly important for protecting copyright and sensitive content.
• Simplified Sharing and Distribution: DAM software makes sharing files with clients and collaborators easy, often through secure links or integrated platforms. This simplifies the process of delivering final products and enables collaboration on projects.
• Scalability: As a photographer's portfolio grows, so does the need for storage and management. Digital asset management software is designed to scale with the user, accommodating increasing numbers of assets without a drop in performance.

Digital asset management software for photographers is transformative, providing tools that save time and enhance creativity. With DAM software, photographers and organizations can prioritize their art over administrative burdens associated with managing vast digital libraries.

Costs And Pricing Of Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers

Digital asset management software for photographers is available at various complexity levels and offers pricing options to meet the needs of amateur photographers and large-scale professional enterprises. 

The table below summarizes plan options and pricing for digital asset management software.

Digital Asset Management Software for Photographers Pricing Comparison Table 

Each plan caters to different needs based on the amount of digital assets and required collaboration level. Free plans suit minimal storage needs, while professional and enterprise plans offer more features tailored for larger teams and organizations.

Digital Asset Management Software For Photographers FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions I’ve been asked about digital asset management software for photographers.

How does digital asset management software for photographers differ from other photo storage solutions?

DAM software is specifically tailored to manage large volumes of digital assets and is more feature-rich than basic photo storage solutions. It offers advanced search capabilities through metadata, supports a wide range of file formats, and often includes rights management and publishing features. Unlike simple photo storage, DAM systems are designed to facilitate workflow for professional photographers who need to access, edit, and distribute their work regularly.

Can digital asset management software for photographers handle raw files and different file formats?

Yes, most DAM software for photographers is built to handle a variety of file formats, including raw files. These systems support files from camera manufacturers and can manage other media types, such as videos, PDFs, and audio files. This compatibility ensures that photographers can keep all digital assets in one place, regardless of format.

Is it possible to share files directly from digital asset management software for photographers?

Many DAM systems include sharing capabilities that allow photographers to send files directly from the platform. This can be done through generated links, integrated social media sharing, or by creating client portals where clients can view and download selected images. This feature simplifies the collaboration and distribution of digital assets.

What are the security features of digital asset management software for photographers?

Security is a critical aspect of DAM software. These systems often include user permission settings, which allow photographers to control who can view, edit, or download certain files. Encryption and secure backup options are common features to protect digital assets from unauthorized access and data loss.

How does digital asset management software for photographers support keyword and metadata management?

DAM software typically provides extensive metadata and keyword tagging support, which is essential for organizing and locating images. Photographers can add descriptive tags, copyright information, and other relevant metadata to their files. The software often includes batch editing tools to simultaneously apply metadata to multiple images, enhancing searchability and organization.

Is digital asset management software for photographers suitable for both individual and larger businesses?

Yes, DAM software is versatile and can be tailored to the needs of individual photographers, small studios, and large photography businesses with multiple users and complex workflows.

Can I access my photos from anywhere using digital asset management software for photographers?

Yes, most DAM software offers cloud-based storage and remote access capabilities, allowing photographers to access their photos anywhere with an internet connection.

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The role of bim in integrating digital twin in building construction: a literature review.

1. Introduction

2. background, 2.1. concept of bim, 2.2. concept of digital twin, 2.3. advancement of bim to digital twin, 3. methodology, 4. literature review, 4.1. discussion on available research on digital twin with bim.

• Integration of BIM and DT: Douglas et al. [ 35 ] focused on using real time data from sensors and other sources to enhance the DT, as well as using data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyze these data and make predictions about building performance;
• Real time data analysis: Opoku et al. [ 27 ] and Deng et al. [ 11 ] focused on using real time data from sensors and other sources to enhance the DT, as well as using data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyze these data and make predictions about building performance;
• Simulation and visualization: there has been research on using simulation and visualization technologies to enhance the DT and improve decision-making in the construction and engineering industries [ 21 , 27 ];
• Cost and resource optimization: DT and BIM potentially reduce costs, improve resource allocation, and increase overall efficiency in the building construction process [ 33 , 40 ];
• BIM/DT in the context of sustainability: the integration of BIM and DT support sustainable design and construction practices by incorporating data on energy efficiency [ 21 ], material usage [ 26 ], and environmental impact [ 18 ]; it integrates real-time data from sensors and IoT devices [ 21 ], enabling continuous monitoring [ 5 ], analysis, and proactive maintenance [ 34 ] for sustainable practices.

4.2. Evolution of Digital Twin from BIM

4.3. current study to compare digital twin with bim.

• Concept Origin: technology’s origin is its history, goals, and principles. Understanding the concept helps researchers evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and applications. The concept’s origin can also indicate which technological parts are more developed or need more research.
• Purpose: to define each technology’s scope and goals. This criterion helps determine their complementary roles and the best integration strategies to improve building design, construction, and operation.
• Application focus: It highlights each technology’s primary focus. It also shows each technology’s pros and cons to guide future improvements. It is crucial to choose the right technology for a project or application.
• Features: They are an essential aspect of the scientific comparison between BIM and DT, as they help understand each technology’s capabilities and limitations and their potential for integration and interoperability.
• Level of Details: We can assess the pros and cons of integrating these technologies into building projects.
• Scalability: allows for evaluating their ability to handle different types of projects and their potential limitations regarding resource requirements and integration with other technologies.
• Main Users: Identify each technology’s primary users and how it meets their needs. This information can help stakeholders choose technology based on project needs and team expertise.
• Interoperability: enables these technologies to be integrated with other systems and software, leading to greater efficiencies and improved outcomes in the building lifecycle management process.
• Application interface: evaluates the usability and effectiveness of the software for different users and applications.
• Building life cycle stage: compares BIM and DT in building construction, as it can help determine which technology is more suitable for a given project.

4.3.1. Concept Origin

4.3.2. purposes, 4.3.3. application focus, 4.3.4. features, 4.3.5. level of details (lod), 4.3.6. scalability, 4.3.7. main users, 4.3.8. interoperability, 4.3.9. application interface, 4.3.10. characteristics, 4.4. advancement of bim to improve digital twin in building construction.

• Increased interoperability: BIM technology has become more interoperable, allowing seamless data exchange between platforms and systems [ 7 ]. It makes creating and updating DT easier with real time data from sensors and other sources.
• Improved data accuracy: BIM technology can offer precise and comprehensive insights into a building’s blueprint, building process, and maintenance, all of which can contribute to developing a more precise DT [ 12 ].
• Increased collaboration: BIM enables collaboration among architects, engineers, and construction professionals, leading to better decision-making and improved overall outcomes [ 25 ]. When this collaboration is applied to creating a DT, it can result in a more comprehensive and effective virtual representation of the building.
• Better visualization: BIM technology has advanced to include more realistic and interactive visualizations [ 40 ], making it easier to understand and analyze the building’s performance through the DT [ 11 ].
• More advanced simulation: BIM has also advanced to include more advanced simulation capabilities, allowing for the simulation of complex systems and analyzing building performance in real time [ 40 ].

5. Result and Discussion

5.1. result and discussion, 5.2. limitation, 5.3. future study, 6. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Nguyen, T.D.; Adhikari, S. The Role of BIM in Integrating Digital Twin in Building Construction: A Literature Review. Sustainability 2023 , 15 , 10462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310462

Nguyen TD, Adhikari S. The Role of BIM in Integrating Digital Twin in Building Construction: A Literature Review. Sustainability . 2023; 15(13):10462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310462

Nguyen, Tran Duong, and Sanjeev Adhikari. 2023. "The Role of BIM in Integrating Digital Twin in Building Construction: A Literature Review" Sustainability 15, no. 13: 10462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310462

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