Georgia Gwinnett College Kaufman Library logo

APA Style Citation Guide 7th Edition

  • APA 7th Style Manual
  • Books and eBooks
  • Films, YouTube & More
  • Government Sources
  • Open Educational Resources
  • AI or ChatGPT
  • Social Media
  • Art, Clip Art or Photos
  • Authors: Missing or Anonymous
  • Missing Reference Information
  • Direct Quotes
  • Reference Page Format
  • Abstract and Keywords
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Style and Grammar Guidlines
  • Paper Formatting Tips
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7th Style Chart
  • Abbreviations
  • Bias Free Language
  • Capitalization
  • DOIs and URLs

Literature Review

  • Paraphrasing
  • Preferred Spelling
  • Quotation Marks
  • APA 7th Tutorials
  • APA 7th for Business
  • APA 7th for Nursing
  • Journal Accounting Reporting Standards (JARS)
  • Presentations
  • Dissertation & Thesis Resources
  • Research Methods & Analysis Resources
  • Statistics & Analysis Resources
  • Publishing Resources
  • CRAAP Criteria and Video
  • Peer Review
  • Zotero Reference Manager
  • Literature Review via APA Style.org

"a narrative summary and evaluation of the findings or theories within a literature base.  Also known as 'narrative literature review'. "

  • Key takeaways from the Psi Chi webinar So You Need to Write a Literature Review via APA Style.org

Examples of Literature Reviews

  • Financial socialization: A decade in review (2021)
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of anxiety disorders - a literature review (2021)
  • << Previous: Italics
  • Next: Paraphrasing >>
  • Last Updated: Aug 19, 2024 2:23 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.ggc.edu/apastyle_7th
  • Link to facebook
  • Link to linkedin
  • Link to twitter
  • Link to youtube
  • Writing Tips

How to Cite a Review in APA Referencing

  • 2-minute read
  • 8th November 2020

Reviews of books, films, and other media can be great sources in academic writing. But how do you cite a review using APA referencing ? In this post, we explain the basics of citations and the reference list entry.

In-Text Citations for a Review in APA Style

Citations for a review in APA referencing are similar to those for other sources. This means you cite the reviewer’s surname and year of publication:

One review was especially scathing (Smith, 2001).

In addition, if you quote a print source, make sure to cite a page number:

Smith (2001) dismisses the argument as “puerile” (p. 16).

For more on APA citations, see our blog post on the topic .

Reviews in an APA Reference List

The format for a review in an APA reference list will depend on where it was published. For instance, for a review published in a newspaper, you would cite it as a newspaper article . But for a review published on a blog or website, you would cite it as a blog post or website instead.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

In all cases, though, you will need to adapt the format by adding details of the thing being reviewed in square brackets after the review title.

You can see APA-style references for reviews from an academic journal and a website below, complete with this extra information:

Smith, G. (2001). A backward step for applied ethics [Review of the book Righteous Thought, Righteous Action , by X. Morrison]. Journal of Applied Philosophy , 18(1), 16–24.

Bert, E. (2018). Neil Breen outdoes himself again [Review of the film Twisted Pair , by N. Breen, Dir.]. BadMovieCentral. http://www.badmoviecentral.com/reviews/twisted-pair/

This ensures the reader can identify both the review you’re citing and the thing being reviewed from the reference list entry alone.

Expert APA Proofreading

To make sure your references are all in order, as well as the rest of your academic writing, check out our free online APA guide . You might also want to get your work proofread by one of our APA experts. Learn more about our APA proofreading services here.

Share this article:

' src=

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

4-minute read

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

Logo Harvard University

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Banner

How to Write a Literature Review: Writing a Literature Review in APA Format

  • Writing a Literature Review in APA Format
  • Chicago/Turabian Citation Style
  • Primary and Secondary Sources
  • Basic Research Strategies
  • Evaluating Sources
  • Using the Library's Ebooks
  • Using the Library's Catalog
  • Copyright Information
  • Contact Information & Feedback

Writing a Literature Review in APA

  • << Previous: Videos
  • Next: APA/Chicago/Turabian/MLA Citation Style >>
  • Last Updated: Sep 25, 2023 2:24 PM
  • URL: https://tuskegee.libguides.com/c.php?g=692585

Boatwright Memorial Library

  • Chicago/Turabian
  • AP (Associated Press)
  • APSA (Political Science)
  • ASA & AAA (Soc/Ant)
  • ACS (Chemistry)
  • Harvard Style
  • SBL (Society of Biblical Literature)
  • EndNote Web
  • Help Resources
  • Annotated Bibliographies
  • Literature Reviews
  • Citation exercises This link opens in a new window

What is a Literature Review?

The literature review is a written explanation by you, the author, of the research already done on the topic, question or issue at hand. What do we know (or not know) about this issue/topic/question?

  • A literature review provides a thorough background of the topic by giving your reader a guided overview of major findings and current gaps in what is known so far about the topic. 
  • The literature review is not a list (like an annotated bibliography) -- it is a narrative helping your reader understand the topic and where you will "stand" in the debate between scholars regarding the interpretation of meaning and understanding why things happen. Your literature review  helps your reader start to see the "camps" or "sides" within a debate, plus who studies the topic and their arguments. 
  • A good literature review should help the reader sense how you will answer your research question and should highlight the preceding arguments and evidence you think are most helpful in moving the topic forward.
  • The purpose of the literature review is to dive into the existing debates on the topic to learn about the various schools of thought and arguments, using your research question as an anchor. If you find something that doesn't help answer your question, you don't have to read (or include) it. That's the power of the question format: it helps you filter what to read and include in your literature review, and what to ignore.

How Do I Start?

Essentially you will need to:

  • Identify and evaluate relevant literature (books, journal articles, etc.) on your topic/question.
  • Figure out how to classify what you've gathered. You could do this by schools of thought, different answers to a question, the authors' disciplinary approaches, the research methods used, or many other ways.
  • Use those groupings to craft a narrative, or story, about the relevant literature on this topic. 
  • Remember to cite your sources properly! 
  • Research: Getting Started Visit this guide to learn more about finding and evaluating resources.
  • Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources (IUPUI Writing Center) An in-depth guide on organizing and synthesizing what you've read into a literature review.
  • Guide to Using a Synthesis Matrix (NCSU Writing and Speaking Tutorial Service) Overview of using a tool called a Synthesis Matrix to organize your literature review.
  • Synthesis Matrix Template (VCU Libraries) A word document from VCU Libraries that will help you create your own Synthesis Matrix.

Literature Reviews: Overview

This video from NCSU Libraries gives a helpful overview of literature reviews. Even though it says it's "for graduate students," the principles are the same for undergraduate students too!

Literature Review Examples

UR Libraries subscription

Reading a Scholarly Article

  • Reading a Scholarly Article or Literature Review Highlights sections of a scholarly article to identify structure of a literature review.
  • Anatomy of a Scholarly Article (NCSU Libraries) Interactive tutorial that describes parts of a scholarly article typical of a Sciences or Social Sciences research article.
  • Evaluating Information | Reading a Scholarly Article (Brown University Library) Provides examples and tips across disciplines for reading academic articles.
  • Reading Academic Articles for Research [LIBRE Project] Gabriel Winer & Elizabeth Wadell (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI))

Additional Tutorials and Resources

  • UR Writer's Web: Using Sources Guidance from the UR Writing Center on how to effectively use sources in your writing (which is what you're doing in your literature review!).
  • Write a Literature Review (VCU Libraries) "Lit Reviews 101" with links to helpful tools and resources, including powerpoint slides from a literature review workshop.
  • Literature Reviews (UNC Writing Center) Overview of the literature review process, including examples of different ways to organize a lit review.
  • “Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review.” Pautasso, Marco. “Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review.” PLOS Computational Biology, vol. 9, no. 7, July 2013, p. e1003149.
  • Writing the Literature Review Part I (University of Maryland University College) Video that explains more about what a literature review is and is not. Run time: 5:21.
  • Writing the Literature Review Part II (University of Maryland University College) Video about organizing your sources and the writing process. Run time: 7:40.
  • Writing a Literature Review (OWL @ Purdue)
  • << Previous: Annotated Bibliographies
  • Next: Citation exercises >>

Banner

Literature Review: A Self-Guided Tutorial for NUR 288

  • Literature Reviews: A Recap
  • Peer-Review
  • Reading the Literature
  • Developing Research Questions
  • 2. Review discipline styles
  • Super Searching
  • Finding the Full Text
  • Citation Searching
  • Evaluating online information
  • When to stop searching
  • How to cite your sources following APA
  • In-Text Citations
  • Keeping track of your references
  • Annotating Articles Tip
  • 5. Critically analyze and evaluate
  • How to review the literature
  • Using a synthesis matrix
  • 7. Write literature review

APA Overview

For a quick overview of how to cite your sources following APA Style, watch the video APA Style.

Watch the APA 7th Edition Overview 00:03:02   

Source:  American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

  • Owl Excelsior Lab

APA Citation Style Overview

Start by Downloading   the APA 7th Edition  Reference Quick Guide to help you visualize how you cite your references.

The Quick Guide is missing on how to cite a webpage. A webpage will never be the home page of the URL. It is part of a greater whole that is the website. When the author and site name are the same, omit the site name from the source element. Provide the most specific date possible. Include a retrieval date only when the content is designed to change over time and the page is not archived.

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page or section. Site Name. URL

National Nurses United. (n.d.). National Nurses United response to COVID-19. https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/covid-19

The Quick Guide is missing how to cite Web supplemental materials.

  • Report: Corporate/government, group author, retrieved on online:
  • If a report, series, or issue number is given, provide this in parentheses after the title. Describe less common forms of reports in square brackets after the title like the example below. If the report number is available, and the report needs a special description, place the parentheses before the brackets in the reference entry.

Name of Group. (Year, Month Day). Title of report (Report number, if available) [Description, if needed]. Publisher Name (omit if the same name as group author). DOI or URL

National Institute of Health. (2019, May). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

  • APA 7th ed. Reference Guide APA guide
  • APA Documentation Style 7th edtion WCC Writing Center 2023
  • << Previous: 4. Manage your references
  • Next: In-Text Citations >>
  • Last Updated: Aug 24, 2024 2:45 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.wccnet.edu/literature_review

Banner

APA Citation Guide (7th edition) CGS

  • Advertisments
  • Books & e-Books
  • Book Reviews
  • Class Notes, Class Lectures and Presentations
  • Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
  • Generative AI
  • Government Documents
  • Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
  • Journal Articles
  • Magazine Articles
  • Newspaper Articles
  • Personal Communication (Interviews, Emails)
  • Social Media
  • Videos & DVDs
  • When Creating Digital Assignments
  • When Information Is Missing
  • Works Cited in Another Source
  • Paraphrasing
  • Reference List & Sample Writing
  • Annotated Bibliography

Book Review From Library Database (No Title)

Author of Review's Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). [Review of the book  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any , by Book Author's First Initial. Second Initial if Given Last Name].  Name of Journal ,  Volume Number (Issue Number), first page number-last page number. https://doi.org/DOI-number  (if given)

Works Cited List Example  

 McKinley, A. (2018). [Review of the book  , by D. K. Rossmo].  ,  (1), 82-84. 

In-Text Citation Example

 (Author's Last Name, Year of Publication, Page Number)

 Example: (McKinley, 2018, p. 83)

For more information on how to cite Book Reviews in APA 7, refer to pages 334-335 of the Publication Manual of the APA located at the circulation desk.

Book Review from a Website (with Title)

Author of Review's Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of Review. [Review of the book  Title of Book: Subtitle if Any , by Book Author's First Initial. Second Initial if Given Last Name].  Title of Website , URL

Works Cited List Example  

 Bell, M. S. (2006, December 31). Are you my mother? [Review of the book  , by V. Vida].  ,

In-Text Citation Example

 (Author's Last Name, Year of Publication)

 Example: (Bell, 2018)

  • << Previous: Books & e-Books
  • Next: Class Notes, Class Lectures and Presentations >>
  • Last Updated: Jun 7, 2024 9:43 AM
  • URL: https://guides.library.uwm.edu/c.php?g=1007936

Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library

  • Collections
  • Research Help

YSN Doctoral Programs: Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

  • Biomedical Databases
  • Global (Public Health) Databases
  • Soc. Sci., History, and Law Databases
  • Grey Literature
  • Trials Registers
  • Data and Statistics
  • Public Policy
  • Google Tips
  • Recommended Books
  • Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

What is a literature review?

A literature review is an integrated analysis -- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings and other relevant evidence related directly to your research question.  That is, it represents a synthesis of the evidence that provides background information on your topic and shows a association between the evidence and your research question.

A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment.  Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.

Why is it important?

A literature review is important because it:

  • Explains the background of research on a topic.
  • Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
  • Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
  • Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
  • Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
  • Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.

APA7 Style resources

Cover Art

APA Style Blog - for those harder to find answers

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by your central research question.  The literature represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

  • Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.  Is it manageable?
  • Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
  • If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor and your class mates.

2. Decide on the scope of your review

How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover? 

  • This may depend on your assignment.  How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.

Make a list of the databases you will search. 

Where to find databases:

  • use the tabs on this guide
  • Find other databases in the Nursing Information Resources web page
  • More on the Medical Library web page
  • ... and more on the Yale University Library web page

4. Conduct your searches to find the evidence. Keep track of your searches.

  • Use the key words in your question, as well as synonyms for those words, as terms in your search. Use the database tutorials for help.
  • Save the searches in the databases. This saves time when you want to redo, or modify, the searches. It is also helpful to use as a guide is the searches are not finding any useful results.
  • Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
  • Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
  • Check with your professor, or a subject expert in the field, if you are missing any key works in the field.
  • Ask your librarian for help at any time.
  • Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations. See the EndNote tutorials for help.

Review the literature

Some questions to help you analyze the research:

  • What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
  • Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
  • What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.
  • Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
  • If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
  • How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? If so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips: 

  • Review the abstracts carefully.  
  • Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
  • Create a matrix of the studies for easy analysis, and synthesis, across all of the studies.
  • << Previous: Recommended Books
  • Last Updated: Jun 20, 2024 9:08 AM
  • URL: https://guides.library.yale.edu/YSNDoctoral

Banner

How to Write a Literature Review

  • Critical analysis
  • Sample Literature Reviews
  • Scaffold examples for organising Literature Reviews
  • Writing an Abstract
  • Creating Appendices
  • APA Reference Guide
  • Library Resources
  • Guide References

Reference Guide

APA 7th edition Reference Guide  

St Patrick's College uses APA 7th edition to reference information sources. There are some subjects where APA Referencing is not used, so it is important to clarify with your teacher regarding the reference style required.    

how do i cite a literature review in apa

This guide provides the rules for the  APA  7th Edition Reference style  and its application across a range of source material, including print, online, audio/visual, images and graphs, social media and personal communication. Each source has its own page within the guide, with in-text citation and reference listing examples.

The Library Team are available to help you get your head around referencing, and can check your reference lists prior to assignment submission. A Library Helpdesk ticket needs to be raised to action this request.

The APA Reference Guide can be found on the Library website:

how do i cite a literature review in apa

The APA Reference Guide can also be found in every Research Guide, as per highlighted area below:

how do i cite a literature review in apa

  • << Previous: Glossary
  • Next: Library Resources >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 8, 2024 9:14 AM
  • URL: https://saintpatricks-nsw.libguides.com/lit_review

Generate accurate APA citations for free

  • Knowledge Base
  • APA Style 7th edition

How to Cite in APA Format (7th edition) | Guide & Generator

APA 7th edition publication manual

This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020). Scribbr also offers free guides for the older APA 6th edition , MLA Style , and Chicago Style .

Generate accurate APA citations with Scribbr

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text.

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

upload-your-document-ai-proofreader

Table of contents

Apa in-text citations, apa references, formatting the apa reference page, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions.

In-text citations are brief references in the running text that direct readers to the reference entry at the end of the paper. You include them every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s ideas or words to avoid plagiarism . Our plagiarism checker  can help ensure your paper contains appropriate author attributions.

An APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and the year of publication (also known as the author-date system). If you’re citing a specific part of a source, you should also include a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example: (Smith, 2020, p. 170) .

Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.

  • Parenthetical citation: According to new research … (Smith, 2020) .
  • Narrative citation: Smith (2020) notes that …

Multiple authors and corporate authors

The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.

Author type Parenthetical citation Narrative citation
One author (Smith, 2020) Smith (2020)
Two authors (Smith & Jones, 2020) Smith and Jones (2020)
Three or more authors (Smith et al., 2020) Smith et al. (2020)
Organization (Scribbr, 2020) Scribbr (2020)

Missing information

When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.

Missing element What to do Parenthetical citation
Author Use the source title.* ( , 2020)
Date Write “n.d.” for “no date”. (Smith, n.d.)
Page number Either use an or
omit the page number.
(Smith, 2020, Chapter 3) or
(Smith, 2020)

Are your APA in-text citations flawless?

The AI-powered APA Citation Checker points out every error, tells you exactly what’s wrong, and explains how to fix it. Say goodbye to losing marks on your assignment!

Get started!

how do i cite a literature review in apa

APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.

Reference examples

Citing a source starts with choosing the correct reference format. Use Scribbr’s Citation Example Generator to learn more about the format for the most common source types. Pay close attention to punctuation, capitalization, and italicization.

Generate APA citations for free

It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.

Missing element What to do Reference format
Author Start the reference entry with the source title. Title. (Date). Source.
Date Write “n.d.” for “no date”. Author. (n.d.). Title. Source.
Title Describe the work in square brackets. Author. (Date). [Description]. Source.

APA Reference Page (7th edition)

On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .

Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:

  • Double spacing (within and between references)
  • Hanging indent of ½ inch
  • Legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11)
  • Page number in the top right header

Which sources to include

On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).

Are you a teacher or professor looking to introduce your students to APA Style? Download our free introductory lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

When no individual author name is listed, but the source can clearly be attributed to a specific organization—e.g., a press release by a charity, a report by an agency, or a page from a company’s website—use the organization’s name as the author in the reference entry and APA in-text citations .

When no author at all can be determined—e.g. a collaboratively edited wiki or an online article published anonymously—use the title in place of the author. In the in-text citation, put the title in quotation marks if it appears in plain text in the reference list, and in italics if it appears in italics in the reference list. Shorten it if necessary.

When you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a source, you need to indicate the location of the passage in your APA in-text citation . If there are no page numbers (e.g. when citing a website ) but the text is long, you can instead use section headings, paragraph numbers, or a combination of the two:

(Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).

Section headings can be shortened if necessary. Kindle location numbers should not be used in ebook citations , as they are unreliable.

If you are referring to the source as a whole, it’s not necessary to include a page number or other marker.

The abbreviation “ et al. ” (meaning “and others”) is used to shorten APA in-text citations with three or more authors . Here’s how it works:

Only include the first author’s last name, followed by “et al.”, a comma and the year of publication, for example (Taylor et al., 2018).

APA Style usually does not require an access date. You never need to include one when citing journal articles , e-books , or other stable online sources.

However, if you are citing a website or online article that’s designed to change over time, it’s a good idea to include an access date. In this case, write it in the following format at the end of the reference: Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/about-the-university/about-the-university.html

Is this article helpful?

Other students also liked.

  • Beginner's guide to APA in-text citation
  • Setting Up the APA Reference Page | Formatting & References (Examples)
  • APA 7th edition: The most notable changes

More interesting articles

  • APA Footnotes | Format & Examples
  • APA format for academic papers and essays
  • APA headings and subheadings
  • APA running head
  • APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals
  • Creating an APA Style table of contents
  • Creating APA reference entries
  • Direct quotes in APA Style
  • How to create an APA Style appendix
  • How to format tables and figures in APA Style
  • How to write an APA methods section
  • How to write an APA results section
  • How to write and format an APA abstract
  • Ordering works on the APA reference page
  • Reporting Statistics in APA Style | Guidelines & Examples
  • Writing in APA Style: Language guidelines

"I thought AI Proofreading was useless but.."

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Banner

Citation Styles

  • Chicago Style
  • Annotated Bibliographies

What is a Lit Review?

How to write a lit review.

  • Video Introduction to Lit Reviews

Main Objectives

Examples of lit reviews, additional resources.

  • Zotero (Citation Management)

What is a literature review?

green checkmark

  • Either a complete piece of writing unto itself or a section of a larger piece of writing like a book or article
  • A thorough and critical look at the information and perspectives that other experts and scholars have written about a specific topic
  • A way to give historical perspective on an issue and show how other researchers have addressed a problem
  • An analysis of sources based on your own perspective on the topic
  • Based on the most pertinent and significant research conducted in the field, both new and old

Red X

  • A descriptive list or collection of summaries of other research without synthesis or analysis
  • An annotated bibliography
  • A literary review (a brief, critical discussion about the merits and weaknesses of a literary work such as a play, novel or a book of poems)
  • Exhaustive; the objective is not to list as many relevant books, articles, reports as possible
  • To convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic
  • To explain what the strengths and weaknesses of that knowledge and those ideas might be
  • To learn how others have defined and measured key concepts    
  • To keep the writer/reader up to date with current developments and historical trends in a particular field or discipline
  • To establish context for the argument explored in the rest of a paper
  • To provide evidence that may be used to support your own findings
  • To demonstrate your understanding and your ability to critically evaluate research in the field
  • To suggest previously unused or underused methodologies, designs, and quantitative and qualitative strategies
  • To identify gaps in previous studies and flawed methodologies and/or theoretical approaches in order to avoid replication of mistakes
  • To help the researcher avoid repetition of earlier research
  • To suggest unexplored populations
  • To determine whether past studies agree or disagree and identify strengths and weaknesses on both sides of a controversy in the literature

Cat

  • Choose a topic that is interesting to you; this makes the research and writing process more enjoyable and rewarding.
  • For a literature review, you'll also want to make sure that the topic you choose is one that other researchers have explored before so that you'll be able to find plenty of relevant sources to review.

magnifying glass held up to cat

  • Your research doesn't need to be exhaustive. Pay careful attention to bibliographies. Focus on the most frequently cited literature about your topic and literature from the best known scholars in your field. Ask yourself: "Does this source make a significant contribution to the understanding of my topic?"
  • Reading other literature reviews from your field may help you get ideas for themes to look for in your research. You can usually find some of these through the library databases by adding literature review as a keyword in your search.
  • Start with the most recent publications and work backwards. This way, you ensure you have the most current information, and it becomes easier to identify the most seminal earlier sources by reviewing the material that current researchers are citing.

Labeled "Scientific Cat Types" with cartoon of cat on back ("Nugget"), cat lying iwth legs tucked underneath ("loaf") and cat sprawled out ("noodle")

The organization of your lit review should be determined based on what you'd like to highlight from your research. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Chronology : Discuss literature in chronological order of its writing/publication to demonstrate a change in trends over time or to detail a history of controversy in the field or of developments in the understanding of your topic.  
  • Theme: Group your sources by subject or theme to show the variety of angles from which your topic has been studied. This works well if, for example, your goal is to identify an angle or subtopic that has so far been overlooked by researchers.  
  • Methodology: Grouping your sources by methodology (for example, dividing the literature into qualitative vs. quantitative studies or grouping sources according to the populations studied) is useful for illustrating an overlooked population, an unused or underused methodology, or a flawed experimental technique.

cat lying on laptop as though typing

  • Be selective. Highlight only the most important and relevant points from a source in your review.
  • Use quotes sparingly. Short quotes can help to emphasize a point, but thorough analysis of language from each source is generally unnecessary in a literature review.
  • Synthesize your sources. Your goal is not to make a list of summaries of each source but to show how the sources relate to one another and to your own work.
  • Make sure that your own voice and perspective remains front and center. Don't rely too heavily on summary or paraphrasing. For each source, draw a conclusion about how it relates to your own work or to the other literature on your topic.
  • Be objective. When you identify a disagreement in the literature, be sure to represent both sides. Don't exclude a source simply on the basis that it does not support your own research hypothesis.
  • At the end of your lit review, make suggestions for future research. What subjects, populations, methodologies, or theoretical lenses warrant further exploration? What common flaws or biases did you identify that could be corrected in future studies?

cat lying on laptop, facing screen; text reads "needs moar ciatations"

  • Double check that you've correctly cited each of the sources you've used in the citation style requested by your professor (APA, MLA, etc.) and that your lit review is formatted according to the guidelines for that style.

Your literature review should:

  • Be focused on and organized around your topic.
  • Synthesize your research into a summary of what is and is not known about your topic.
  • Identify any gaps or areas of controversy in the literature related to your topic.
  • Suggest questions that require further research.
  • Have your voice and perspective at the forefront rather than merely summarizing others' work.
  • Cyberbullying: How Physical Intimidation Influences the Way People are Bullied
  • Use of Propofol and Emergence Agitation in Children
  • Eternity and Immortality in Spinoza's 'Ethics'
  • Literature Review Tutorials and Samples - Wilson Library at University of La Verne
  • Literature Reviews: Introduction - University Library at Georgia State
  • Literature Reviews - The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill
  • Writing a Literature Review - Boston College Libraries
  • Write a Literature Review - University Library at UC Santa Cruz
  • << Previous: Annotated Bibliographies
  • Next: Zotero (Citation Management) >>
  • Last Updated: Sep 16, 2024 8:42 AM
  • URL: https://researchguides.elac.edu/Citation

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

In-Text Citations

Resources on using in-text citations in APA style

Reference List

Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats

Other APA Resources

Banner

APA (7th ed.), Citation Style: Reviews and Commentary

  • Introduction to APA
  • General Guidelines
  • Who (Author)
  • When (Publication Date)
  • What (Title)
  • Where (Publication Information)
  • Formatting Author Information
  • Citing Personal Communications
  • Citing Indirect Sources (secondary sources)
  • Citing Sources with Missing Information (author, date, or page numbers)

There will be times when a review of a work is necessary to provide. Section 10.7 in the 7th edition APA manual provides examples of the types of works that usually have reviews. All of the examples can be found on p. 334.

The basic citation format is as follows: Reviewer, A.A. (date). Review title. [Details of reviewed work.] Periodical/Source Information. DOI or URL.

The examples of a film review, book review, and TV series episode review can be found on p. 335.

Subject Guide

Profile Photo

  • Last Updated: Dec 20, 2021 3:42 PM
  • URL: https://alliant.libguides.com/apastyle
  • UWF Libraries

Literature Review: Conducting & Writing

  • Sample Literature Reviews
  • Steps for Conducting a Lit Review
  • Finding "The Literature"
  • Organizing/Writing
  • APA Style This link opens in a new window
  • Chicago: Notes Bibliography This link opens in a new window
  • MLA Style This link opens in a new window

Sample Lit Reviews from Communication Arts

Have an exemplary literature review.

Note: These are sample literature reviews from a class that were given to us by an instructor when APA 6th edition was still in effect. These were excellent papers from her class, but it does not mean they are perfect or contain no errors. Thanks to the students who let us post!

  • Literature Review Sample 1
  • Literature Review Sample 2
  • Literature Review Sample 3

Have you written a stellar literature review you care to share for teaching purposes?

Are you an instructor who has received an exemplary literature review and have permission from the student to post?

Please contact Britt McGowan at [email protected] for inclusion in this guide. All disciplines welcome and encouraged.

  • << Previous: MLA Style
  • Next: Get Help! >>
  • Last Updated: Sep 11, 2024 1:37 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.uwf.edu/litreview

American Psychological Association

Secondary Sources

In scholarly work, a primary source reports original content; a secondary source refers to content first reported in another source.

  • Cite secondary sources sparingly—for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable, or available only in a language that you do not understand.
  • If possible, as a matter of good scholarly practice, find the primary source, read it, and cite it directly rather than citing a secondary source. For example, rather than citing an instructor’s lecture or a textbook or encyclopedia that in turn cites original research, find, read, and cite the original research directly (unless an instructor has directed you to do otherwise).

Secondary sources are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 8.6 and the Concise Guide Section 8.6

how do i cite a literature review in apa

Follow these directions when citing a secondary source:

  • In the reference list, provide an entry for the secondary source that you used.
  • In the text, identify the primary source and write “as cited in” the secondary source that you used.

If the year of publication of the primary source is known, also include it in the text citation.

For example, if you read a work by Lyon et al. (2014) in which Rabbitt (1982) was cited, and you were unable to read Rabbitt’s work yourself, cite Rabbitt’s work as the original source, followed by Lyon et al.’s work as the secondary source. Only Lyon et al.’s work appears in the reference list.

(Rabbitt, 1982, as cited in Lyon et al., 2014)

If the year of the primary source is unknown, omit it from the in-text citation.

Allport’s diary (as cited in Nicholson, 2003)

  • Link to facebook
  • Link to linkedin
  • Link to twitter
  • Link to youtube
  • Writing Tips

How to Cite a Review in APA Referencing

  • 2-minute read
  • 8th November 2020

Reviews of books, films, and other media can be great sources in academic writing. But how do you cite a review using APA referencing ? In this post, we explain the basics of citations and the reference list entry.

In-Text Citations for a Review in APA Style

Citations for a review in APA referencing are similar to those for other sources. This means you cite the reviewer’s surname and year of publication:

One review was especially scathing (Smith, 2001).

In addition, if you quote a print source, make sure to cite a page number:

Smith (2001) dismisses the argument as ‘puerile’ (p. 16).

For more on APA citations, see our blog post on the topic .

Reviews in an APA Reference List

The format for a review in an APA reference list will depend on where it was published. For instance, for a review published in a newspaper, you would cite it as a newspaper article . But for a review published on a blog or website, you would cite it as a blog post or website instead.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

In all cases, though, you will need to adapt the format by adding details of the thing being reviewed in square brackets after the review title.

You can see APA-style references for reviews from an academic journal and a website below, complete with this extra information:

Smith, G. (2001). A backward step for applied ethics [Review of the book Righteous Thought, Righteous Action , by X. Morrison]. Journal of Applied Philosophy , 18(1), 16–24.

Bert, E. (2018). Neil Breen outdoes himself again [Review of the film Twisted Pair , by N. Breen, Dir.]. BadMovieCentral. http://www.badmoviecentral.com/reviews/twisted-pair/

This ensures the reader can identify both the review you’re citing and the thing being reviewed from the reference list entry alone.

Expert APA Proofreading

To make sure your references are all in order, as well as the rest of your academic writing, you might want to get your work proofread by one of our APA experts. Submit a free trial document today to find out more.

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Get help from a language expert. Try our proofreading services for free.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

How to Ace Slack Messaging for Contractors and Freelancers

Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....

Logo Harvard University

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

IMAGES

  1. How to write an apa style literature review

    how do i cite a literature review in apa

  2. how to cite literature review apa format

    how do i cite a literature review in apa

  3. Writing Abstracts for a Literature Review in APA Format

    how do i cite a literature review in apa

  4. APA Literature Review

    how do i cite a literature review in apa

  5. √ Free APA Literature Review Format Template

    how do i cite a literature review in apa

  6. 8+ APA Format Examples

    how do i cite a literature review in apa

VIDEO

  1. APA How to Cite a Practice Guideline

  2. Critical Literature Review Examples, APA citations, Ethical issues (@HamzaFarooqui-hf )

  3. How to Cite Using APA Style 6th ed

  4. Step By Step Guide To Write A Literature Review

  5. How SciSpace Can Help in Your Research

  6. Make Sure You Include THIS in Your Literature Review

COMMENTS

  1. Writing a Literature Review

    Writing a Literature Review. A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and ...

  2. Literature Review

    "a narrative summary and evaluation of the findings or theories within a literature base. Also known as 'narrative literature review'. Key takeaways from the Psi Chi webinar So You Need to Write a Literature Review via APA Style.org

  3. How to Cite a Review in APA Referencing

    Citations for a review in APA referencing are similar to those for other sources. This means you cite the reviewer's surname and year of publication: One review was especially scathing (Smith, 2001). In addition, if you quote a print source, make sure to cite a page number: Smith (2001) dismisses the argument as "puerile" (p. 16).

  4. Writing a Literature Review in APA Format

    This page is designed to assist you in writing an annotated bibliography

  5. Literature Reviews

    A literature review provides a thorough background of the topic by giving your reader a guided overview of major findings and current gaps in what is known so far about the topic. The literature review is not a list (like an annotated bibliography) -- it is a narrative helping your reader understand the topic and where you will "stand" in the ...

  6. How to cite your sources following APA

    Start by Downloading the APA 7th Edition Reference Quick Guide to help you visualize how you cite your references.. The Quick Guide is missing on how to cite a webpage. A webpage will never be the home page of the URL. It is part of a greater whole that is the website.

  7. APA Citation Guide (7th edition) CGS

    For more information on how to cite Book Reviews in APA 7, refer to pages 334-335 of the Publication Manual of the APA located at the circulation desk. Book Review from a Website (with Title) Author of Review's Last Name, First Initial.

  8. Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

    A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment. ... Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. APA Style Blog - for those harder to find answers . 1. Choose a topic. ... Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations.

  9. LibGuides: How to Write a Literature Review: APA Reference Guide

    This guide provides the rules for the APA 7th Edition Reference style and its application across a range of source material, including print, online, audio/visual, images and graphs, social media and personal communication. Each source has its own page within the guide, with in-text citation and reference listing examples.

  10. Understanding APA Literature Reviews

    Organizing Your Literature Review. An APA style paper is organized in the author-date style. This means you cite the author's name and year of publication within the text with an in-text citation. You also include the page number, if appropriate. You then include the full information of that source in a reference list at the end of your paper.

  11. How to Write 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.

  12. How to Cite in APA Format (7th edition)

    On the first line of the page, write the section label "References" (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order. Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page: Double spacing (within and between references) Hanging indent of ½ inch.

  13. Research Guides: Citation Styles: Literature Reviews

    Step 4: Write. Be selective. Highlight only the most important and relevant points from a source in your review. Use quotes sparingly. Short quotes can help to emphasize a point, but thorough analysis of language from each source is generally unnecessary in a literature review. Synthesize your sources.

  14. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)

  15. APA (7th ed.), Citation Style: Reviews and Commentary

    There will be times when a review of a work is necessary to provide. Section 10.7 in the 7th edition APA manual provides examples of the types of works that usually have reviews. All of the examples can be found on p. 334. The basic citation format is as follows: Reviewer, A.A. (date). Review title. [Details of reviewed work.]

  16. Appropriate Level of Citation

    For most papers, cite one or two of the most representative sources for each key point. Literature review papers, however, typically include a more exhaustive list of references. Provide appropriate credit to the source (e.g., by using an in-text citation) whenever you do the following: paraphrase (i.e., state in your own words) the ideas of others

  17. How to Cite a Review in APA

    The citation that includes the author and year would then come at the end of the statement in parentheses. These in-text citations refer the reader to the bibliography page for the full citation. Footnotes are useful when you want to insert a citation without interrupting the flow of the sentence or paragraph. Footnotes include a superscript ...

  18. Literature Review: Conducting & Writing

    Note: These are sample literature reviews from a class that were given to us by an instructor when APA 6th edition was still in effect. These were excellent papers from her class, but it does not mean they are perfect or contain no errors. Thanks to the students who let us post!

  19. APA Citation Examples for Peer Reviewed Articles

    Use these APA citation examples for peer-reviewed journal articles to add authority to your APA 7 research paper. Reviewing research by peers in the same field helps to validate the findings presented in the report. Usually, two or more researchers review each article before submitting it to the editor for a final review and acceptance.

  20. LibGuides: Literature Review How to...: APA Citation Style

    ISBN: 9781433832161. Publication Date: 2019-10-01. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. This book is in PRINT only. However, students may request book pages using InterLibrary Loan. APA Citation Style 7th edition Quick Reference. APA Citation Style 7th Ed.

  21. Secondary Sources

    In scholarly work, a primary source reports original content; a secondary source refers to content first reported in another source. Cite secondary sources sparingly—for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable, or available only in a language that you do not understand. If possible, as a matter of good scholarly practice ...

  22. How to Cite a Review in APA Referencing

    Citations for a review in APA referencing are similar to those for other sources. This means you cite the reviewer's surname and year of publication: One review was especially scathing (Smith, 2001). In addition, if you quote a print source, make sure to cite a page number: Smith (2001) dismisses the argument as 'puerile' (p. 16).

  23. PDF Ordering the Sections of an APA Literature Review -- and when to start

    Do not page # indent DISORDERED EATING: A REVIEW 2 Abstract Literature review abstracts and research article abstracts share the same basic format but differ in content. Abstracts of literature review articles should include the topic, the purpose of the article, and how the information sources were chosen.

  24. Children's experiences of alternative care in mainland ...

    The potential harm caused by Residential Care Settings (RCSs) on children's development is well documented. However, there appears to be a paucity of published research on RCSs across mainland Southeast Asia. This scoping review focuses on available research articles that directly, or indirectly, engage with children to explore their experiences of living in RCSs in the region.

  25. Servant leadership: A systematic literature review and ...

    Servant leadership is a form of moral-based leadership where leaders tend to prioritize the fulfillment of the needs of followers, namely employees, customers and other stakeholders, rather than satisfying their personal needs. Although the concept is not new among both academics and practitioners, it has received growing consideration in the last decade, due to the fact that it can positively ...

  26. Traumatic brain injury in criminal justice systems: A systematic

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common among justice-involved persons, creating substantial health and economic burdens owing to its association with a range of adverse psychosocial outcomes. No study to date has synthesised extant knowledge about TBI across the whole criminal justice pathway. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on TBI across this pathway, from arrest ...

  27. Continuance intention of online technologies: A systematic literature

    Given the dynamic nature of digital technologies, understanding why users intend to continue to use them or not is important for practitioners and academics alike. This paper presents an up-to-date Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of Continuance Intention (CI) for online technologies. The SLR classifies and analyses 147 relevant articles on CI in the field of online technology.