literature review biology topics

20 Topics For A Biology Literature Review

Advanced Stem Cell And Developmental Biology – Experimental Design

Finding Articles And Books Using Database For Your Discipline

• The literature review writing service helps the researchers to complte their medical researches. In most research areas literature reviews are in high demand. A need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications .
• Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews and the topic selected can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read.

The building block of all academic research activities , regardless of discipline, is to base the work on existing knowledge and link it up. Hence, doing so correctly should be a priority for all academics. However, the task has got more and more complicated. Development of knowledge within the field of business research is growing at a tremendous pace while remaining fragmented and interdisciplinary at the same time. This makes it difficult to keep up with state of the art studies and be at the forefront, as well as analyse the accumulated evidence in a specific area of research. Therefore, the literature review as a method of research is more relevant than ever. A review of literature can be generally defined as a more or less systematic way of collecting and synthesizing prior research.

A successful and well-done analysis as a research method provides a firm foundation for the advancement of knowledge and the growth of theory. Scientific research support service offer the medical analysis data that are related to research work. Through combining observations and insights from many scientific studies, a review of the literature will answer research questions with a strength that no single study has (Boyd & Solarino , 2016).

Literature Search, Topics, Journals, Coronavirus, Biology

The Process of Conducting a Literature Review

There are a number of steps that need to be taken and decisions are taken to produce a study that satisfies the publication criteria.  The basic steps and essential choices involved in conducting a literature review will be suggested and addressed in four phases; (1) Planning of the review, (2) Conducting of the review, (3) Analyses and (4) Writing the review (Palmatier et al., 2018).

Interesting topics to Choose in Biology

Here we have discussed 20 topics to choose in biology, which can be quite interesting. The first 10 topics are explained to the point where we can work and the remaining 10 articles are stated on general themes.

1.Obesity related to Genetic Phenomenon

Obesity is a heterogeneous disease whose biological causes are complex. The increasing frequency of obesity over the last few decades is attributed to environmental factors such as sedentary lifestyles and overnutrition, but that is obese at an individual level is determined by genetic susceptibility (Venkatesan & Mohan, 2016).

2.Is Paleo diet the healthiest choice

Paleolithic diet has been gaining worldwide popularity due to its putative health benefits. “Paleo” was Google’s most wanted diet word in 2014. Nonetheless, a 2015 US News and World Report ranking of 35 diets with feedback from a panel of health experts ranked the Paleolithic diet dead last, citing a lack of evidence of clinical benefits from research (Manheimer et al., 2015).

3.Resistant to Antibiotics

Antibiotics are the’ wonder medicines’ used for battling microbes. Numerous types of antibiotics have been not only used for therapeutic purposes for decades but have been used prophylactically across other fields such as livestock and animal husbandry. Uncertainty has emerged as microbes have become immune to specific antibiotics while the host remains unaware of the development of antibiotic resistance (Zaman et al., 2017).

4.The Need of the Hour – Coronavirus

A cluster of identified-cause pneumonia patients was related to a wholesale market for seafood in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. A previously unknown betacoronavirus was discovered from patients with pneumonia by using objective sequencing in the samples .

5.Impact of Tobacco Use

Cigarettes smoked in the form of either smoke or smokeless is dangerous for the human body. Globally, the death toll from cigarettes has risen to around 6.4 million annually and is on a steady rise (Shah et al., 2018).

6.The need to review HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV / AIDS) is a global health problem: more than 70 million people were diagnosed with HIV, 35 million died, and 36.7 million people are currently living with the disease (Fajardo-Ortiz et al., 2017).

7.The Unsolved Leprosy

Leprosy, a chronic mycobacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is an infectious disease that has destroyed human societies for thousands of years. This ancestral pathogen causes cutaneous lesions to disfigure, peripheral nerve damage, ostearticular deformity, loss of limbs and weakness, blindness and stigma (Franco-Paredes & Rodriguez-Morales, 2016).

8.Tuberculosis – The Disease without Boundaries

An airborne disease of Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), which usually affects the lungs causing severe coughing, fever, and chest pain. While current research has provided valuable insight into the transmission, diagnosis, and treatment of TB over the past four years, much remains to be learned to effectively decrease the occurrence of and ultimately eliminate TB (Levine et al., 2015).

9.The Epidemic of the Century – Diabetes

It studies the epidemic essence of diabetes mellitus in various regions. The North Africa and the Middle East region has the lowest prevalence of diabetes in adults (10.9 percent), while the Western Pacific region has the highest number of diabetes-diagnosed adults and countries with the highest incidence of diabetes (37.5 per cent) (Kharroubi, 2015).

10.Parkinson’s Disease

The disease of Parkinson is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by tremor and bradykinesia and is a common neurological disorder. Male sex and advancing age are independent risk factors, and rising productivity and medical resources are taking on increasing toll as the population ages (Hayes, 2019).

General Topics to Focus

• Challenges faced in Research of Herbal Medicines.
• The Global Burden of Periodontitis.
• The new Addiction of the Era – Gaming.
• The prevalence of Road Traffic Accidents among Food Delivery Workers.
• Diet and Nutrition assessment among School Children
• The Boon and Ban of self-medication in India.
• Zombie – A Psychological concept of old tales.
• Backpain among weavers and farmers in India.
• Trends of Oral Cancer in India.
• Self-examination for Breast Cancer among women

Future Scopes

A review of the literature may be thorough or limited, but it should discuss landmark or principal works and works that have been important in the field. The complexity of a review of the literature can vary according to assignment and discipline. The analysis of literature may be part of a larger piece of work or a stand-alone post, meaning it’s a paper entirely. Moreover, literature reviews can pave a way to numerous research questions and research ideas.

References:

• Boyd, B. K., & Solarino, A. M. (2016). Ownership of Corporations. Journal of Management, 42(5), 1282–1314. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316633746
• Fajardo-Ortiz, D., Lopez-Cervantes, M., Duran, L., Dumontier, M., Lara, M., Ochoa, H., & Castano, V. M. (2017). The emergence and evolution of the research fronts in HIV/AIDS research. PLOS ONE, 12(5), e0178293. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178293
• Franco-Paredes, C., & Rodriguez-Morales, A. J. (2016). Unsolved matters in leprosy: a descriptive review and call for further research. Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials, 15(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12941-016-0149-x
• Hayes, M. T. (2019). Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism. The American Journal of Medicine, 132(7), 802–807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.03.001
• Kharroubi, A. T. (2015). Diabetes mellitus: The epidemic of the century. World Journal of Diabetes, 6(6), 850. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v6.i6.850
• Levine, D. M., Dutta, N. K., Eckels, J., Scanga, C., Stein, C., Mehra, S., Kaushal, D., Karakousis, P. C., & Salamon, H. (2015). A tuberculosis ontology for host systems biology. Tuberculosis, 95(5), 570–574. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1472979214205890
• Manheimer, E. W., van Zuuren, E. J., Fedorowicz, Z., & Pijl, H. (2015). Paleolithic nutrition for metabolic syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 102(4), 922–932. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.113613
• Palmatier, R. W., Houston, M. B., & Hulland, J. (2018). Review articles: purpose, process, and structure. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-017-0563-4
• Shah, S., Dave, B., Shah, R., Mehta, T., & Dave, R. (2018). Socioeconomic and cultural impact of tobacco in India. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 7(6), 1173. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_36_18
• Venkatesan, R., & Mohan, V. (2016). Obesity – Are we continuing to play the genetic “blame game”? Advances in Genomics and Genetics, Volume 6, 11–23. https://doi.org/10.2147/AGG.S52018
• Zaman, S. Bin, Hussain, M. A., Nye, R., Mehta, V., Mamun, K. T., & Hossain, N. (2017). A Review on Antibiotic Resistance: Alarm Bells are Ringing. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.1403

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Biology Research Topics

Are you in need of captivating and achievable research topics within the field of biology? Your quest for the best biology topics ends right here as this article furnishes you with 100 distinctive and original concepts for biology research, laying the groundwork for your research endeavor.

Table of Contents

Our proficient researchers have thoughtfully curated these biology research themes, considering the substantial body of literature accessible and the prevailing gaps in research.

Should none of these topics elicit enthusiasm, our specialists are equally capable of proposing tailor-made research ideas in biology, finely tuned to cater to your requirements. 

Thus, without further delay, we present our compilation of biology research topics crafted to accommodate students and researchers.

Research Topics in Marine Biology

• Impact of climate change on coral reef ecosystems.
• Biodiversity and adaptation of deep-sea organisms.
• Effects of pollution on marine life and ecosystems.
• Role of marine protected areas in conserving biodiversity.
• Microplastics in marine environments: sources, impacts, and mitigation.

Biological Anthropology Research Topics

• Evolutionary implications of early human migration patterns.
• Genetic and environmental factors influencing human height variation.
• Cultural evolution and its impact on human societies.
• Paleoanthropological insights into human dietary adaptations.
• Genetic diversity and population history of indigenous communities.

Biological Psychology Research Topics 

• Neurobiological basis of addiction and its treatment.
• Impact of stress on brain structure and function.
• Genetic and environmental influences on mental health disorders.
• Neural mechanisms underlying emotions and emotional regulation.
• Role of the gut-brain axis in psychological well-being.

Cancer Biology Research Topics 

• Targeted therapies in precision cancer medicine.
• Tumor microenvironment and its influence on cancer progression.
• Epigenetic modifications in cancer development and therapy.
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors and their role in cancer immunotherapy.
• Early detection and diagnosis strategies for various types of cancer.

Also read: Cancer research topics

Cell Biology Research Topics

• Mechanisms of autophagy and its implications in health and disease.
• Intracellular transport and organelle dynamics in cell function.
• Role of cell signaling pathways in cellular response to external stimuli.
• Cell cycle regulation and its relevance to cancer development.
• Cellular mechanisms of apoptosis and programmed cell death.

Developmental Biology Research Topics 

• Genetic and molecular basis of limb development in vertebrates.
• Evolution of embryonic development and its impact on morphological diversity.
• Stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine approaches.
• Mechanisms of organogenesis and tissue regeneration in animals.
• Role of non-coding RNAs in developmental processes.

Also read: Education research topics

Human Biology Research Topics

• Genetic factors influencing susceptibility to infectious diseases.
• Human microbiome and its impact on health and disease.
• Genetic basis of rare and common human diseases.
• Genetic and environmental factors contributing to aging.
• Impact of lifestyle and diet on human health and longevity.

Molecular Biology Research Topics 

• CRISPR-Cas gene editing technology and its applications.
• Non-coding RNAs as regulators of gene expression.
• Role of epigenetics in gene regulation and disease.
• Mechanisms of DNA repair and genome stability.
• Molecular basis of cellular metabolism and energy production.

Research Topics in Biology for Undergraduates

• 41. Investigating the effects of pollutants on local plant species.
• Microbial diversity and ecosystem functioning in a specific habitat.
• Understanding the genetics of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
• Impact of urbanization on bird populations and biodiversity.
• Investigating the role of pheromones in insect communication.

Also read: Psychology Research Topics

Synthetic Biology Research Topics 

• Design and construction of synthetic biological circuits.
• Synthetic biology applications in biofuel production.
• Ethical considerations in synthetic biology research and applications.
• Synthetic biology approaches to engineering novel enzymes.
• Creating synthetic organisms with modified functions and capabilities.

Animal Biology Research Topics 

• Evolution of mating behaviors in animal species.
• Genetic basis of color variation in butterfly wings.
• Impact of habitat fragmentation on amphibian populations.
• Behavior and communication in social insect colonies.
• Adaptations of marine mammals to aquatic environments.

Also read: Nursing research topics

Best Biology Research Topics 

• Unraveling the mysteries of circadian rhythms in organisms.
• Investigating the ecological significance of cryptic coloration.
• Evolution of venomous animals and their prey.
• The role of endosymbiosis in the evolution of eukaryotic cells.
• Exploring the potential of extremophiles in biotechnology.

Biological Psychology Research Paper Topics

• Neurobiological mechanisms underlying memory formation.
• Impact of sleep disorders on cognitive function and mental health.
• Biological basis of personality traits and behavior.
• Neural correlates of emotions and emotional disorders.
• Role of neuroplasticity in brain recovery after injury.

Biological Science Research Topics: 

• Role of gut microbiota in immune system development.
• Molecular mechanisms of gene regulation during development.
• Impact of climate change on insect population dynamics.
• Genetic basis of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
• Evolutionary relationships among vertebrate species based on DNA analysis.

Biology Education Research Topics 

• Effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in biology classrooms.
• Assessing the impact of virtual labs on student understanding of biology concepts.
• Gender disparities in science education and strategies for closing the gap.
• Role of outdoor education in enhancing students’ ecological awareness.
• Integrating technology in biology education: challenges and opportunities.

Biology-Related Research Topics

• The intersection of ecology and economics in conservation planning.
• Molecular basis of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria.
• Implications of genetic modification of crops for food security.
• Evolutionary perspectives on cooperation and altruism in animal behavior.
• Environmental impacts of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Biology Research Proposal Topics

• Investigating the role of microRNAs in cancer progression.
• Exploring the effects of pollution on aquatic biodiversity.
• Developing a gene therapy approach for a genetic disorder.
• Assessing the potential of natural compounds as anti-inflammatory agents.
• Studying the molecular basis of cellular senescence and aging.

Biology Research Topic Ideas

• Role of pheromones in insect mate selection and behavior.
• Investigating the molecular basis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Impact of climate change on plant-pollinator interactions.
• Genetic diversity and conservation of endangered species.
• Evolutionary patterns in mimicry and camouflage in organisms.

Biology Research Topics for Undergraduates 

• Effects of different fertilizers on plant growth and soil health.
• Investigating the biodiversity of a local freshwater ecosystem.
• Evolutionary origins of a specific animal adaptation.
• Genetic diversity and disease susceptibility in human populations.
• Role of specific genes in regulating the immune response.

Cell and Molecular Biology Research Topics 

• Molecular mechanisms of DNA replication and repair.
• Role of microRNAs in post-transcriptional gene regulation.
• Investigating the cell cycle and its control mechanisms.
• Molecular basis of mitochondrial diseases and therapies.
• Cellular responses to oxidative stress and their implications in ageing.

These topics cover a broad range of subjects within biology, offering plenty of options for research projects. Remember that you can further refine these topics based on your specific interests and research goals.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What are some good research topics in biology?

A good research topic in biology will address a specific problem in any of the several areas of biology, such as marine biology, molecular biology, cellular biology, animal biology, or cancer biology.

A topic that enables you to investigate a problem in any area of biology will help you make a meaningful contribution. 

How to choose a research topic in biology?

Choosing a research topic in biology is simple. 

Follow the steps:

• Generate potential topics. 
• Consider your areas of knowledge and personal passions. 
• Conduct a thorough review of existing literature.
•  Evaluate the practicality and viability. 
• Narrow down and refine your research query. 
• Remain receptive to new ideas and suggestions.

Who Are We?

For several years, Research Prospect has been offering students around the globe complimentary research topic suggestions. We aim to assist students in choosing a research topic that is both suitable and feasible for their project, leading to the attainment of their desired grades. Explore how our services, including research proposal writing , dissertation outline creation, and comprehensive thesis writing , can contribute to your college’s success.

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The central idea of this excerpt revolves around the exploration of key themes, offering insights that illuminate the concepts within the text.

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49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics

August 21, 2023

In need of the perfect biology research topics—ideas that can both showcase your intellect and fuel your academic success? Lost in the boundless landscape of possible biology topics to research? And afraid you’ll never get a chance to begin writing your paper, let alone finish writing? Whether you’re a budding biologist hoping for a challenge or a novice seeking easy biology research topics to wade into, this blog offers curated and comprehensible options.

And if you’re a high school or transfer student looking for opportunities to immerse yourself in biology, consider learning more about research opportunities for high school students , top summer programs for high school students , best colleges for studying biomedical engineering , and best colleges for studying biology .

What is biology?

Well, biology explores the web of life that envelops our planet, from the teeny-tiny microbes to the big complex ecosystems. Biology investigates the molecular processes that define existence, deciphers the interplay of genes, and examines all the dynamic ways organisms interact with their environments. And through biology, you can gain not only knowledge, but a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living things. Pretty cool!

There are lots and lots of sub-disciplines within biology, branching out in all directions. Throughout this list, we won’t follow all of those branches, but we will follow many. And while none of these branches are truly simple or easy, some might be easier than others. Now we’ll take a look at a few various biology research topics and example questions that could pique your curiosity.

Climate change and ecosystems

The first of our potentially easy biology research topics: climate change and ecosystems. Investigate how ecosystems respond and adapt to the changing climate. And learn about shifts in species distributions , phenology , and ecological interactions .

1) How are different ecosystems responding to temperature changes and altered precipitation patterns?2) What are the implications of shifts in species distributions for ecosystem stability and functioning?

2) Or how does phenology change in response to climate shifts? And how do those changes impact species interactions?

3) Which underlying genetic and physiological mechanisms enable certain species to adapt to changing climate conditions?

4) And how do changing climate conditions affect species’ abilities to interact and form mutualistic relationships within ecosystems?

Microbiome and human health

Intrigued by the relationship between the gut and the rest of the body? Study the complex microbiome . You could learn how gut microbes influence digestion, immunity, and even mental health.

5) How do specific gut microbial communities impact nutrient absorption?

6) What are the connections between the gut microbiome, immune system development, and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases?

7) What ethical considerations need to be addressed when developing personalized microbiome-based therapies? And how can these therapies be safely and equitably integrated into clinical practice?

8) Or how do variations in the gut microbiome contribute to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression?

9) How do changes in diet and lifestyle affect the composition and function of the gut microbiome? And what are the subsequent health implications?

Urban biodiversity conservation

Next, here’s another one of the potentially easy biology research topics. Examine the challenges and strategies for conserving biodiversity in urban environments. Consider the impact of urbanization on native species and ecosystem services. Then investigate the decline of pollinators and its implications for food security or ecosystem health.

10) How does urbanization influence the abundance and diversity of native plant and animal species in cities?

11) Or what are effective strategies for creating and maintaining green spaces that support urban biodiversity and ecosystem services?

12) How do different urban design and planning approaches impact the distribution of wildlife species and their interactions?

13) What are the best practices for engaging urban communities in biodiversity conservation efforts?

14) And how can urban agriculture and rooftop gardens contribute to urban biodiversity conservation while also addressing food security challenges?

Bioengineering

Are you a problem solver at heart? Then try approaching the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine. Delve into the field of synthetic biology , where researchers engineer biological systems to create novel organisms with useful applications.

15) How can synthetic biology be harnessed to develop new, sustainable sources of biofuels from engineered microorganisms?

16) And what ethical considerations arise when creating genetically modified organisms for bioremediation purposes?

17) Can synthetic biology techniques be used to design plants that are more efficient at withdrawing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

18) How can bioengineering create organisms capable of producing valuable pharmaceutical compounds in a controlled and sustainable manner?

19) But what are the potential risks and benefits of using engineered organisms for large-scale environmental cleanup projects?

Neurobiology

Interested in learning more about what makes creatures tick? Then this might be one of your favorite biology topics to research. Explore the neural mechanisms that underlie complex behaviors in animals and humans. Shed light on topics like decision-making, social interactions, and addiction. And investigate how brain plasticity and neurogenesis help the brain adapt to learning, injury, and aging.

20) How does the brain’s reward circuitry influence decision-making processes in situations involving risk and reward?

21) What neural mechanisms underlie empathy and social interactions in both humans and animals?

22) Or how do changes in neural plasticity contribute to age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases?

23) Can insights from neurobiology inform the development of more effective treatments for addiction and substance abuse?

24) What are the neural correlates of learning and memory? And how can our understanding of these processes be applied to educational strategies?

Plant epigenomics

While this might not be one of the easy biology research topics, it will appeal to plant enthusiasts. Explore how epigenetic modifications in plants affect their ability to respond and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

25) How do epigenetic modifications influence the expression of stress-related genes in plants exposed to temperature fluctuations?

26) Or what role do epigenetic changes play in plants’ abilities to acclimate to changing levels of air pollution?

27) Can certain epigenetic modifications be used as indicators of a plant’s adaptability to new environments?

28) How do epigenetic modifications contribute to the transgenerational inheritance of traits related to stress resistance?

29) And can targeted manipulation of epigenetic marks enhance crop plants’ ability to withstand changing environmental conditions?

Conservation genomics

Motivated to save the planet? Conservation genomics stands at the forefront of modern biology, merging the power of genetics with the urgent need to protect Earth’s biodiversity. Study genetic diversity, population dynamics, and how endangered species adapt in response to environmental changes.

30) How does genetic diversity within endangered species influence their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions?

31) What genetic factors contribute to the susceptibility of certain populations to diseases, and how can this knowledge inform conservation strategies?

32) How can genomic data be used to inform captive breeding and reintroduction programs for endangered species?

33) And what are the genomic signatures of adaptation in response to human-induced environmental changes, such as habitat fragmentation and pollution?

34) Or how can genomics help identify “hotspots” of biodiversity that are particularly important for conservation efforts?

Zoonotic disease transmission

And here’s one of the biology research topics that’s been on all our minds in recent years. Investigate the factors contributing to the transmission of zoonotic diseases , like COVID-19. Then posit strategies for prevention and early detection.

35) What are the ecological and genetic factors that facilitate the spillover of zoonotic pathogens from animals to humans?

36) Or how do changes in land use, deforestation, and urbanization impact the risk of zoonotic disease emergence?

37) Can early detection and surveillance systems be developed to predict and mitigate the spread of zoonotic diseases?

38) How do social and cultural factors influence human behaviors that contribute to zoonotic disease transmission?

39) And can strategies be implemented to improve global pandemic preparedness?

Bioinformatics

Are you a data fanatic? Bioinformatics involves developing computational tools and techniques to analyze and interpret large biological datasets. This enables advancements in genomics, proteomics, and systems biology. So delve into the world of bioinformatics to learn how large-scale genomic and molecular data are revolutionizing biological research.

40) How can machine learning algorithms predict the function of genes based on their DNA sequences?

41) And what computational methods can identify potential drug targets by analyzing protein-protein interactions in large biological datasets?

42) Can bioinformatics tools be used to identify potential disease-causing mutations in human genomes and guide personalized medicine approaches?

43) What are the challenges and opportunities in analyzing “omics” data (genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics) to uncover novel biological insights?

44) Or how can bioinformatics contribute to our understanding of microbial diversity, evolution, and interactions within ecosystems?

Regenerative medicine

While definitely not one of the easy biology research topics, regenerative medicine will appeal to those interested in healthcare. Research innovative approaches to stimulate tissue and organ regeneration, using stem cells, tissue engineering, and biotechnology. And while you’re at it, discover the next potential medical breakthrough.

45) How can stem cells be directed to differentiate into specific cell types for tissue regeneration, and what factors influence this process?

46) Or what are the potential applications of 3D bioprinting in creating functional tissues and organs for transplantation?

47) How can bioengineered scaffolds enhance tissue regeneration and integration with host tissues?

48) What are the ethical considerations surrounding the use of stem cells and regenerative therapies in medical treatments?

49) And can regenerative medicine approaches be used to treat neurodegenerative disorders and restore brain function?

Biology Research Topics – Final thoughts

So as you take your next steps, try not to feel overwhelmed. And instead, appreciate the vast realm of possibilities that biology research topics offer. Because the array of biology topics to research is as diverse as the ecosystems it seeks to understand. And no matter if you’re only looking for easy biology research topics, or you’re itching to unravel the mysteries of plant-microbe interactions, your exploration will continue to deepen what we know of the world around us.

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Research in the Biological and Life Sciences: A Guide for Cornell Researchers: Literature Reviews

• Books and Dissertations
• Databases and Journals
• Locating Theses
• Resource Not at Cornell?
• Citing Sources
• Staying Current
• Measuring your research impact
• Plagiarism and Copyright
• Data Management
• Literature Reviews
• Evidence Synthesis and Systematic Reviews
• Writing an Honors Thesis
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• Research Help

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. Most often associated with science-oriented literature, such as a thesis, the literature review usually proceeds a research proposal, methodology and results section. Its ultimate goals is to bring the reader up to date with current literature on a topic and forms that basis for another goal, such as the justification for future research in the area. (retrieved from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature_review )

Writing a Literature Review

The literature review is the section of your paper in which you cite and briefly review the related research studies that have been conducted. In this space, you will describe the foundation on which  your  research will be/is built. You will:

• discuss the work of others
• evaluate their methods and findings
• identify any gaps in their research
• state how  your  research is different

The literature review should be selective and should group the cited studies in some logical fashion.

If you need some additional assistance writing your literature review, the Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines offers a  Graduate Writing Service .

Demystifying the Literature Review

For more information, visit our guide devoted to " Demystifying the Literature Review " which includes:

• guide to conducting a literature review,
• a recorded 1.5 hour workshop covering the steps of a literature review, a checklist for drafting your topic and search terms, citation management software for organizing your results, and database searching.

Online Resources

• A Guide to Library Research at Cornell University
• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students North Carolina State University 
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting Written by Dena Taylor, Director, Health Sciences Writing Centre, and Margaret Procter, Coordinator, Writing Support, University of Toronto
• How to Write a Literature Review University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz
• Review of Literature The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

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200+ Fascinating Biology Research Topics for Students in 2024

Updated 24 Jul 2024

Finding a great topic for a study can be challenging. Interesting biology topics need to be appealing, attention-grabbing and academically relevant. They need to deal with the recent findings and debatable questions. A great topic is a base of a scientific argument that has a valuable idea for the science. It also should provoke further discussion and lead to further coming studies.

College students have a hard time choosing the fascinating subject for their paper. That’s why these biology research paper topics can give you inspiration. You can pick one for your research or use them as the base for building your own idea.

Read also:  How to Write an Introduction to a Research Paper

A List of Researchable Topics for Biology 

A list of researchable topics for biology students starts with several interesting biological topics concerning sociological perspective and ethical issues. The most debatable subjects are abortion, human cloning, genetic researches and the new ethics that should be created to resolve these issues.

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What are some good biology research topics?

One could also find good research topics related to traditional biology subfields like plant and animal biology, ecology (current global problems warrant a number of hot topics), or topics related to humans: neurobiology (and determinants of human behavior), recent discoveries on diseases and the immune system, etc.

What are the major biological issues today?

They include pollution challenges, overpopulation, an increase in infectious diseases, and the lack of transparency in DNA and synthetic biology studies. We also have biological issues like global warming, endangered species, stem cell research, and the acidification of the ocean.

Read also: How can I find a trusted service to write my research paper ?

Biology Research Topics for College Students

When you choose a competitive Biology subject, you must focus on ideas that inspire you and talk about morphology, physiology, cell studies, origins, distribution, and innovations related to living organisms. You can also talk about the plants, the animals, or even famous personalities in the field.

• Developmental Biology and Aging: Exploring New Discoveries in Lifespan Extension Research
• The Role of Microbiomes in Ecosystem Health: A Look into the Microscopic Regulators of Ecological Balance
• CRISPR and Beyond: Advanced Genetic Editing Techniques Emerging in 2023
• Bioengineering and Sustainability: Harnessing Synthetic Biology for a Greener Future
• Revolutionizing Drug Discovery with Synthetic Biology: Progress and Prospects in 2023
• Challenges and Ethical Implications of Synthetic Biology: A Thorough Discussion on Genetically Modified Organisms
• The Use of The Advanced X-Ray for The Scanning of The Plants
• The Pros and Cons of The Cryo-EM Pattern in Virology
• The Use of 3D Models for The Microscopic Examination of Living Cells
• The Heritage of Jose Rizal and The Experiments Related to The Garden in Dapitan
• Understanding the Role of Epigenetics in Human Development: Current Research and Perspectives
• Heredity and Genetics Through The Lens of Autism: The Theories
• Novel Approaches to Conservation: How Modern Ecological Research Aids in Species Preservation
• Genetic Engineering and The Modern Survival of Life Mechanisms
• How Can The Energy Be Transformed Into Living Things
• Immune System of The Dolphins Compared to The Whales
• Primary Productivity in a Limited Ecosystem: The Role of The Social Community
• The Production of Hormones Without an Endocrine System: The Metabolism of The Plants

Abortion, Human cloning, Genetic Researches Biology Topics

• Presentation on Abortion Law & Society’s Perspective in the USA
• How Abortion is Related to the Feminist Ideology
• The Biological Insights of Abortion
• Human Cloning & Transplantation Possibilities
• Project on Different Types of Cloning
• DNA Structure, Genetic Disorders, and Modern Technology
• History and Development of Human Cloning Science
• Cloning: The Moral Aspect
• How Cloning Can Change Medicine
• What We Actually Know About DNA-modified Organisms
• The Influence of Genetics on Disease Susceptibility: Current Research in Personalized Medicine
• Genetic Grounds for Obesity
• Is Homosexuality Genetically Based?
• How Addictive Substances Affect Our Genes
• Depression & Genes
• Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe?
• Should Human Cloning Be Legal?
• The Advantages of Transgenic Crops
• Factors Contributing to Genetic Mutations
• Organ Transplantation: Is Donor’s Consent Needed?
• Ethics Behind Transplantation
• How Public Opinion Holds Back the Scientific Progress

DNA Research Topics

• The Pros and Cons of Family Genetic Testing: Mental Implications and The Abuse of Data
• Unraveling the Secrets of Junk DNA: New Insights into Non-Coding Regions and Their Roles
• Structured Controversy of DNA Alterations: What Ethical Principles Must be Followed
• Should DNA Alternation be Made Available when no Genetic Diseases are Involved?
• Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA and Resistance Mechanisms
• Bio-nano Technologies and The Covid-19 Pandemic: What Have We Learned
• Should DNA Research be Conducted on Animals and Plants: The Dangers Ahead
• Various Genetic Diseases and The Use of DNA Sequencing
• The Pros and Cons of The Protein-coding Approach to Regulatory Regions
• An Ethical Side of Selective Breeding and Damage to Reproductive Technologies
• Embryo Screening and Cloning: The Bioethical Aspect of Research
• DNA Modifications in Humans
• Can DNA Change Beat Aging?

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Behaviour and Hormones Biology Research Topics

Another huge part of biology research essay topics deals with the question of behavior and hormones. Students can share ideas on how our hormones influence mood and well-being. They can also be related to some disorders.

• Report on the Significance of Certain Hormones Concerning the Body Functioning
• Cell Structure & Antibiotic Resistance
• Hormones Influence on Mind and Behavior
• How Hormones Contribute to Depression
• Hormonal Changes During Pregnancy
• Psychological Disorders: The Biological Basis
• Biology Behind the Bipolar Disorder
• Cortisol and Testosterone Influence Risk-Taking
• Current Oxytocin Science
• Oxytocin and Fear Reaction
• Endocrine-Related Diseases
• How Hormones Affect Human Behavior
• Hormonal Control of Reproductive System
• Influence of Hormonal Therapy
• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Hormone-Specific Psychopathic Disorders
• Melatonin in Therapy
• Steroid Hormones’ Path to Cells
• Cardio Exercise Influence Hormones
• Oxytocin in Treatment Psychopathic Disorders
• How Hormones Influence Women’s Mental Health
• Gender Specifics Related to Mental Health

Read also: 100 The Most Impressive Social Issues Topics for Essay or Paper

Immune System Biology Research Topics

Biology topics to write about cannot be full without at least several ones dealing with the immune system. It is our main defense against different diseases, that’s why it is important to know more about it.

• Human Immune System and Its Resistance Capabilities
• How Do Immune System Agents Function?
• Discovering Diseases Caused by Immune System not Functioning Good
• Immunity & Stress
• Tolerance & Autoimmunity
• Asthma & Allergic Reactions
• Immunotherapy Influence on Human Body
• Immunology & Transplantation
• Graft Rejection Prevention
• Vaccination: Are There Any Real Benefits?
• The Society’s Perspective on Vaccination

Cell Biology Research Topics

It is a complex branch of biology that studies the smallest units and the living organisms. The focus is on the parts of the cell and the interaction of the cytoplasm and the membrane as the topic ideas below show:

• The Pros And Cons Of The Cytoskeleton System Through The Lens Of Cell Motility.
• Investigating Cellular Dynamics in Early Human Development: Cutting Edge Techniques and Discoveries in 2023.
• Analysis Of Cell Division And The AI-based Methods Of Cell Cycle Control.
• The Role Of Chromatin In The Alterations Of Gene Expression.
• What Causes Cellular Metabolism In Marine Mammals.
• The Use Of Hormone Action Therapy In College Athletics.
• The Most Common Cell Infections And The Immunity Challenges.
• The Alteration Of Ribosomes And The Cell Membrane Functioning.
• The Heritage Of Robert Brown And The Nucleus.
• The Importance Of The Cork Tree Cell For Cell Biology.
• Analysis Of Multicellular Organisms And The Use Of Molecular Analysis Tools.

Molecular Biology Research Topics

The branch of Molecular Biology focuses on the analysis of composition, structure, and complex interactions related to processes taking place in the cells. Unlike basic microbiology, it studies biological processes like alteration, recreation, and maintenance.

• The Use Of Comparative Genomics Of The Human Being And The Mice.
• The Restrictions Of The DNA And Peculiarities Of The Modern Nucleic Acid Analysis.
• An Ethical Aspect Of Molecular Genetics.
• The Most Efficient Methods Of RNA Translation Into Proteins.
• What Is The Current State Of The DNA Replication And The Amplification Methods.
• The Limitations Of The Microarray Data Analysis.
• Is It Possible To Repair The Damage Done To The Human DNA?
• The Pros And Cons Of The Aseptic Technique: Transfection Methods.
• Purification Of The DNA: How Does Protein Purification Change Over Time?
• What Are The Objectives Of The Nucleic Acid Hybridization During The Gene Cloning Process?

Plant Pathology Biology Research Topics

Here are several interesting biology research topics concerning plant pathology:

• Natural Disease Resistance in Plants
• The Prevention Measures in Plant Pathology
• Research on Plant-Associated Microbes and Current Genomic Tools
• Literature Review on Microbial Ecology and Evolution
• Plant Diseases Management Facilitated by Modern Technology
• Plant Evolutionary Genetics
• Weedy & Invasive Plants
• Photosynthesis: Aspects & Functions
• Fertilizers’ Influence on Plants
• The Impact of Climate Change on Plant Disease Patterns
• Genetic Engineering for Disease Resistance in Crops
• Biocontrol Methods in Managing Plant Pathogens
• The Role of Soil Microbiome in Plant Disease Suppression
• Emerging Fungal Pathogens in Agricultural Crops
• Plant-Virus Interactions and Disease Management
• The Effects of Pesticides on Non-Target Plant Pathogens
• Detection and Diagnosis of Plant Pathogens Using Molecular Techniques
• Epidemiology of Plant Diseases in Changing Agricultural Landscapes
• Resistance Mechanisms in Plants Against Bacterial Pathogens
• The Impact of Invasive Species on Plant Disease Dynamics

Ecology-concerning Subjects Biology Research Topics

Undergraduates can do a proposal on Ecology-concerning subjects. First, it is one of the most relevant scientific fields as we deal with the results of human behavior all the time. Any new cool paper can shed some light of new ideas that will contribute to making the world a better place.

• Ecological and Evolutionary Factors Influencing Animal Behavior
• Essay on Relationship Between Living Forms and Their Environment
• The Affect of Human Behavior on Animal Forms in the USA
• The Ways Animal and Plants Respond to Changing Environment
• Developmental Mechanism of Resistance in Animals
• The Environmental Change and its Involvement in the Diversity of Species
• Is Global Warming Really a Threat?
• Fast Food Industry & Tropic Forests Extinction
• Environmental Psychology
• Means of Wildlife Protection
• Impact of Rain Forests Extinction
• Rare Species Protection
• The Problem of Extinction
• Renewable Energy and Environment’s Pollution
• Climate Change and Biodiversity
• Types of Pollution in Modern World
• What is Sustainability in Biology?
• Non-human factors of Extinction of Species
• Benefits of Ecotourism
• Is Extinction of Bees Real?
• Oil Spill Effects on Ocean Wildlife
• Factors and benefits of Organic Farming

Neurobiology Research Topics

• Visual Cortex & Models of Orientation
• Neuroscience in Robotic Technologies
• What is Visual-Motor Coordination Based On?
• Impact of Music on Human Brain
• Brain Injuries and Related Disorders
• Brain and Memory
• Brain Capabilities of Self-Repairing
• Genetic Defect That Contributes to Schizophrenia
• Factors and Causes Behind a Migraine
• Connection Between Gut Bacteria and Anxiety
• Can Gut Bacteria Contribute to Depression?
• Cognitive Neuroscience on Problem-Solving
• Genes and Proteins Responsible for Neurons functioning

Evolutionary Biology Research Topics

As the title implies, evolutionary biology focuses on the processes that explore the history of life forms that we encounter. Starting with the study of the natural habitats to the analysis of the biodiversity and related behaviors, it's one of the most fascinating and varied branches of Biology.

• The Natural vs Forced Evolutionary Processes as Natural Selection Takes Place
• How Can We Increase Human Awareness about The Importance of Diversity of Life on Earth
• The Heritage of Charles Darwin and Why His Theories are Still Relevant Today
• The Evolutionary Biology Processes Through The Lens of The Invertebrates
• How Do Ecology and Evolution Affect The Presence of Infectious Diseases
• Human Learning Processes and The Use of AI-based Models to Predict Evolution
• The Theory of Gene Migration and The Philosophical Importance of Spiritual Freedom
• The Importance of Evidence for The Evolution Processes: Our Common Ancestors
• What Types of Changes are Considered an Evolution When a Gene Pool Is Involved?
• Individualism as The Form of The Forced Evolution: An Ethical Aspect

Animals Biology Research Topics

Here are fascinating biology research topics related to animals. They are quite popular among students. You can submit several papers dwelling on deep analysis of one phenomenon or species.

• Factors Concerning Animal Growth
• The Obesity in Home Pets
• Traditional Dog Diet and Modern Home Pets
• Male Pregnancy Among Animals
• Is Beauty Products Testing on Animals Ethical?
• Birds Behavioral Study
• Animal Science & Food Sustainability
• Does Veganism Actually Influence Meat Production?
• Wild Animal Projects
• Fashion Industry & Animal Abuse
• Camouflage Mechanism in Sea Animals
• Discovering Primate Language and Cognitive Function

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Marine Biology Research Topics

Marine biology relates to a mixture of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as one studies marine organisms and their behavior patterns. As marine biologists study how they interact with the environment, they use oceanography and relevant skills based on Chemistry, Physics, and Geology.

• The Salish Sea Ecology and The Use of Corals for The Understanding of Tropical Peculiarities
• The Challenges Of Quantitative Ecology Through The Lens Of Modeling
• How Can Marine Animal Behavior Be Adapted To A Certain Genetical Pool?
• Geological Oceanography: What Are The Challenges Related To Physical Limitations?
• Comparison Of The Smallest Diatoms And Their Marine Logistics
• Tourism And The Changes To The Coral Reef Ecology In 2022
• Marine Engineering And The Use Of Flexible Aquaculture
• Development Of Alternative Feeds For The Dolphins And The Tracking Systems
• What Are The Pros And Cons Of The Coastal Zone Management Currently Used In The United States?
• Biochemistry Of The Red Sea Compared To The Sea Of Azov
• The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reefs
• Marine Biodiversity in Deep-Sea Ecosystems
• The Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life
• Conservation Strategies for Endangered Marine Species
• The Role of Mangroves in Coastal Ecosystems
• Marine Biotechnology and its Applications
• The Effects of Climate Change on Marine Migration Patterns
• Sustainable Fishing Practices and Marine Ecosystems
• Marine Microorganisms and their Role in the Ecosystem
• The Impact of Human Activities on Coastal Habitats

Topics on the History of Biology

There also easy issues related to the history of Biology. You can dwell on the capstone of modern science or dwell on an understanding of one crucial academic term.

• The History of Genetics
• Darwin’s Theory and Biology
• Discovering Evolution Factors
• How Archeology Impacts Animal Biology?
• Natural Selection Theory: The Discovery and Its Impact
• Effects of Whale Hunting
• Dead Branches of Evolution
• Famous Biologist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
• Edward Jenner and the History of Vaccination
• Rachel Carson’s Perspective on Environmental Safety
• Stephen Jay Gold’s Paleontology: How History and Biology are Combined
• The Development of Cell Theory and its Impact on Biology
• Contributions of Charles Darwin to Evolutionary Biology
• The History of Genetics: From Mendel to Modern Genomics
• The Discovery and Significance of DNA Structure
• The Role of Women in the Advancement of Biology
• The Evolution of Microbiology and the Discovery of Microorganisms
• The Impact of Technology on the Progress of Biological Sciences
• Historical Perspectives on Human Anatomy Studies
• The Development of Ecological Theory and Conservation Biology

This list ends with several other fascinating research proposal topics, such as:

• Molecular and Genome Evolution
• Comparative Genomics
• The Evolutionary Biology of Infectious Diseases
• Modern Technology and Scientific Tools in Biology
• Neurobiological Explanation of Sleep
• Symbiosis in Parasites
• Metabolism & Physical Exercise

How do you choose a research topic?

When choosing a research topic, it's crucial to consider your own curiosity and passion in the subject matter. This personal connection not only makes the research process more engaging but also often leads to more diligent and thorough work. Additionally, the topic should have a significant impact or relevance in the current state of the field. This involves considering the interests of potential readers or the audience, ensuring that the topic is not only of personal interest but also of broader academic or societal importance.

Furthermore, the selection process should involve an assessment of the current state of knowledge in the field. This includes reviewing recent advances, perspective-changing publications, and ongoing debates within the discipline. A good research topic often lies at the intersection of what is currently known and the unexplored or less understood aspects of the field. By focusing on these areas, your research paper examples can contribute to the advancement of knowledge, offering new insights or solutions to existing problems. In summary, the ideal research topic is one that sparks personal interest, addresses a gap or a pressing question in the field, and has the potential to contribute meaningfully to the broader academic community.

Read also: If you are willing to  pay someone to write a research paper , let professionals write it for you. 

Start to Write Well-Grounded Biology Research

These Biology research paper topics were compiled for anyone from high-school and undergraduate students to anyone who has to deal with Biology for any reason. It all depends on the size and depths of your project, that is why you may need a proper  research paper help . The topics concern the most relevant and appealing part of biological science. Start working on your thesis with reading academic literature and don't forget to ask for thesis writing help at EduBirdie. A proper review of recent publications will help you build up an argument. Always remember that the key to any of your projects is having fun. So choose the topic that you are passionate about, and go for it!

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• Where do I find biology resources in the library?
• What if I can't find what I'm looking for?
• How do I know if my source is a "scholarly" source?
• How do I paraphrase something?

Literature Review Basics

• Literature Review Step-by-Step
• Common Questions about Literature Reviews
• How do I craft a basic citation?
• What is citation tracing?
• How do I use Zotero for citation management?
• Who do I contact for help?

This video will provide a short introduction to literature reviews.

Steps For Writing a Literature Review

Recommended steps for writing a literature review:

• Review what a literature review is, and is not 
• Review your assignment and seek clarification from your instructor if needed
• Narrow your topic
• Search and gather literature resources. 
• Read and analyze literature resources
• Write the literature review
• Review appropriate  Citation and Documentation Style  for your assignment and literature review

Common Questions

What is a literature review?

A literature review is a type of scholarly, researched writing that discusses the already published information on a narrow topic . 

What is the purpose of a writing literature review?

Writing a literature review improves your personal understanding of a topic, and demonstrates your knowledge and ability to make connections between concepts and ideas. The literature review is a service to your reader, summarizing past ideas about a topic, bringing them up to date on the latest research, and making sure they have all any background information they need to understand the topic.  

What is "the literature"?

This already published information- called the literature- can be from primary information sources such as speeches, interviews, and reports, or from secondary information sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, dissertations, and books. These type of sources are probably familiar to you from previous research projects you’ve done in your classes.

Is a literature review it's own paper?

You can write a literature review as a standalone paper , or as part of a larger research paper . When a standalone paper, the literature review acts as a summary, or snapshot, of what has been said and done about a topic in the field so far. When part of the a larger paper, a literature review still acts as a snapshot, but the prior information it provides can also support the new information, research, or arguments presented later in the paper.

Does a literature review contain an argument?

No, a literature review does NOT present an argument or new information. The literature review is a foundation that summarizes and synthesizes the existing literature in order for you and your readers to understand what has already been said and done about your topic.

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• What are Articles?
• What Makes a Source Credible?

What is a Literature Review?

Literature review video.

• Where to Search for Articles?
• Books and E-books
• APA Citation
• Biology Associations
• Book a Librarian This link opens in a new window

In Research Articles 

What is a literature review? Rather than describing original research results, literature reviews summarize the research on a particular topic by synthesizing information from many primary sources.

Why should I read literature reviews? Review articles can be helpful for gathering background information and identifying key articles in a particular field.

How can I find a literature review? Many library databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, allow you to filter search results to include only "review articles" or "literature reviews."  

For Class Assignments 

In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research.

Source: The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue. (n/a). What is a literature review? Purdue University.  Writing a Literature Review // Purdue Writing Lab

• Writing a Literature Review - Purdue OWL A great place to learn more about Literature Reviews to help you write a literature. Consult Purdue OWL.

To better understand what is a literature review, watch the video from the NC State University Libraries. 

Watch  Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students  00:09:37

Source: NC State University Libraries(n.a.)  Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students . Retrieved from   https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/lit-review  

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Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Research Guide

• Finding Journal Articles
• Citation Searching
• Finding Books
• Finding News Sources
• Reference Sources
• Requesting Books & Articles
• Creating Bibliographies
• What is a Literature Review?

What is a literature review?

A literature review surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory. The purpose is to offer an overview of significant literature published on a topic.

A literature review may constitute an essential chapter of a thesis or dissertation, or may be a self-contained review of writings on a subject. In either case, its purpose is to:

• Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the subject under review
• Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration
• Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in, previous research
• Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies
• Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort
• Point the way forward for further research
• Place one's original work (in the case of theses or dissertations) in the context of existing literature

A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates. And depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant.

Similar to primary research, development of the literature review requires four stages:

• Problem formulation—which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues?
• Literature search—finding materials relevant to the subject being explored
• Data evaluation—determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic
• Analysis and interpretation—discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature

Remember, this is a process and not necessarily a linear one. As you search and evaluate the literature, you may refine your topic or head in a different direction which will take you back to the search stage. In fact, it is useful to evaluate as you go along so you don't spend hours researching one aspect of your topic only to find yourself more interested in another.

The main focus of an academic research paper is to develop a new argument, and a research paper will contain a literature review as one of its parts. In a research paper, you use the literature as a foundation and as support for a new insight that you contribute. The focus of a literature review, however, is to summarize and synthesize the arguments and ideas of others without adding new contributions.

For additional information, including suggestions for the structure of your literature review, see this guide from the University of North Carolina's Writing Center: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/

This <10 minute tutorial from North Carolina State University also provides a good overview of the literature review: https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/lit-review/

Finding Examples

While we don't have any examples of an EEB JP literature review, it may be useful to look at other reviews to learn how researchers in the field "summarize and synthesize" the literature. Any research article or dissertation in the sciences will include a section which reviews the literature. Though the section may not be labeled as such, you will quickly recognize it by the number of citations and the discussion of the literature. Another option is to look for Review Articles, which are literature reviews as a stand alone article. Here are some resources where you can find Research Articles, Review Articles and Dissertations:

• Web of Science - If you'd like to limit your results to Review Articles, look to the left side of your results page. There you will see many options to refine your search including the section labeled Document Types. Select "Review" as the document type and click on Refine.
• Scopus - Similar to WoS, you can use the options on the left side of your results page if you'd like to limit the document type. Here you will again choose "Review" and then click on the Limit To button.
• Annual Reviews   - All articles in this database are review articles. You can search for your topic or browse in a related subject area.
• Dissertations @ Princeton - Provides access to many Princeton dissertations, full text is available for most published after 1996.

*** Note about using Review Articles in your research - while they are useful in helping you to locate articles on your topic, remember that you must go to and use the original source if you intend to include a study mentioned in the review. The only time you would cite a review article is if they have made an original insight in their work that you talk about in your paper. Going to the original research paper allows you to verify the information about that study and determine whether the points made in the review are valid and accurate.

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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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See an example

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
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Research bias

• Optimism bias
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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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Find your librarian, schedule a research appointment, today's hours : , what is a literature review.

A literature review ought to be a clear, concise synthesis of relevant information. A literature review should introduce the study it precedes and show how that study fits into topically related studies that already exist. Structurally, a literature review ought to be something like a funnel: start by addressing the topic broadly and gradually narrow as the review progresses.

from Literature Reviews by CU Writing Center

Why review the literature?

Reference to prior literature is a defining feature of academic and research writing. Why review the literature?

• To help you understand a research topic
• To establish the importance of a topic
• To help develop your own ideas
• To make sure you are not simply replicating research that others have already successfully completed
• To demonstrate knowledge and show how your current work is situated within, builds on, or departs from earlier publications

from Literature Review Basics from University of La Verne

Literature Review Writing Tips

Synthesize your findings . Your findings are your evaluation of the literature reviewed: what you consider the strengths and weakness of the studies reviewed; the comparison you did between studies; research trends and gaps in the research that you found while researching your topic, etc...

Across the articles that you read, pay attention to what are the:

• Common/contested findings
• Important trends
• Influential theories

Lectures & Slides

• Literature Reviews | CU Writing Center
• Writing a Literature Review | CU Writing Center
• Revising a Literature Review | CU Writing Center

How-To Guides

• Literature Reviews | Purdue OWL A how-to guide from Purdue OWL
• Literature Reviews | University of North Carolina
• Literature Reviews (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide | University of Connecticut
• Literature Reviews | Florida A & M
• Conduct a Literature Review | SUNY
• Literature Review Basics | University of LaVerne

Organizing a Literature Review

Your literature review should have the following components:

• Introduction : Provide an overview of your topic, including the major problems and issues that have been studied.
• Thematic : You may have noticed specific themes emerge as you did your reading; if so, this may be a good way to organize your literature review. 
• Chronological : To use the example above, you may have observed that the way principals deal with behavioral problems has changed over time. If that's the case, perhaps you want to give a historical overview of the literature.
• Methodological : There are a number of different types of methodologies used in research.
• Conclusion/Discussion : Summarize what you've found in your review of literature, and identify areas in need of further research. Make sure to mention any gaps in the literature - things you think should have been researched, but were not.

Sample Literature Reviews

• Sample Literature Reviews | University of West Florida
• Sample APA Papers: Literature Review | Purdue OWL

Other Libguides

• Literature Reviews | Webster University
• Write a Literature Review | UC Santa Cruz
• Literature Reviews | California State University

A literature review may exist as:

• part of a larger whole like a section of a journal article or dissertation, or chapter of a book
• a self-contained entity, like an entire journal article 
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Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review

Marco pautasso.

1 Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE), CNRS, Montpellier, France

2 Centre for Biodiversity Synthesis and Analysis (CESAB), FRB, Aix-en-Provence, France

Literature reviews are in great demand in most scientific fields. Their need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications [1] . For example, compared to 1991, in 2008 three, eight, and forty times more papers were indexed in Web of Science on malaria, obesity, and biodiversity, respectively [2] . Given such mountains of papers, scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every single new paper relevant to their interests [3] . Thus, it is both advantageous and necessary to rely on regular summaries of the recent literature. Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read [4] . For such summaries to be useful, however, they need to be compiled in a professional way [5] .

When starting from scratch, reviewing the literature can require a titanic amount of work. That is why researchers who have spent their career working on a certain research issue are in a perfect position to review that literature. Some graduate schools are now offering courses in reviewing the literature, given that most research students start their project by producing an overview of what has already been done on their research issue [6] . However, it is likely that most scientists have not thought in detail about how to approach and carry out a literature review.

Reviewing the literature requires the ability to juggle multiple tasks, from finding and evaluating relevant material to synthesising information from various sources, from critical thinking to paraphrasing, evaluating, and citation skills [7] . In this contribution, I share ten simple rules I learned working on about 25 literature reviews as a PhD and postdoctoral student. Ideas and insights also come from discussions with coauthors and colleagues, as well as feedback from reviewers and editors.

Rule 1: Define a Topic and Audience

How to choose which topic to review? There are so many issues in contemporary science that you could spend a lifetime of attending conferences and reading the literature just pondering what to review. On the one hand, if you take several years to choose, several other people may have had the same idea in the meantime. On the other hand, only a well-considered topic is likely to lead to a brilliant literature review [8] . The topic must at least be:

• interesting to you (ideally, you should have come across a series of recent papers related to your line of work that call for a critical summary),
• an important aspect of the field (so that many readers will be interested in the review and there will be enough material to write it), and
• a well-defined issue (otherwise you could potentially include thousands of publications, which would make the review unhelpful).

Ideas for potential reviews may come from papers providing lists of key research questions to be answered [9] , but also from serendipitous moments during desultory reading and discussions. In addition to choosing your topic, you should also select a target audience. In many cases, the topic (e.g., web services in computational biology) will automatically define an audience (e.g., computational biologists), but that same topic may also be of interest to neighbouring fields (e.g., computer science, biology, etc.).

Rule 2: Search and Re-search the Literature

After having chosen your topic and audience, start by checking the literature and downloading relevant papers. Five pieces of advice here:

• keep track of the search items you use (so that your search can be replicated [10] ),
• keep a list of papers whose pdfs you cannot access immediately (so as to retrieve them later with alternative strategies),
• use a paper management system (e.g., Mendeley, Papers, Qiqqa, Sente),
• define early in the process some criteria for exclusion of irrelevant papers (these criteria can then be described in the review to help define its scope), and
• do not just look for research papers in the area you wish to review, but also seek previous reviews.

The chances are high that someone will already have published a literature review ( Figure 1 ), if not exactly on the issue you are planning to tackle, at least on a related topic. If there are already a few or several reviews of the literature on your issue, my advice is not to give up, but to carry on with your own literature review,

The bottom-right situation (many literature reviews but few research papers) is not just a theoretical situation; it applies, for example, to the study of the impacts of climate change on plant diseases, where there appear to be more literature reviews than research studies [33] .

• discussing in your review the approaches, limitations, and conclusions of past reviews,
• trying to find a new angle that has not been covered adequately in the previous reviews, and
• incorporating new material that has inevitably accumulated since their appearance.

When searching the literature for pertinent papers and reviews, the usual rules apply:

• be thorough,
• use different keywords and database sources (e.g., DBLP, Google Scholar, ISI Proceedings, JSTOR Search, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science), and
• look at who has cited past relevant papers and book chapters.

Rule 3: Take Notes While Reading

If you read the papers first, and only afterwards start writing the review, you will need a very good memory to remember who wrote what, and what your impressions and associations were while reading each single paper. My advice is, while reading, to start writing down interesting pieces of information, insights about how to organize the review, and thoughts on what to write. This way, by the time you have read the literature you selected, you will already have a rough draft of the review.

Of course, this draft will still need much rewriting, restructuring, and rethinking to obtain a text with a coherent argument [11] , but you will have avoided the danger posed by staring at a blank document. Be careful when taking notes to use quotation marks if you are provisionally copying verbatim from the literature. It is advisable then to reformulate such quotes with your own words in the final draft. It is important to be careful in noting the references already at this stage, so as to avoid misattributions. Using referencing software from the very beginning of your endeavour will save you time.

Rule 4: Choose the Type of Review You Wish to Write

After having taken notes while reading the literature, you will have a rough idea of the amount of material available for the review. This is probably a good time to decide whether to go for a mini- or a full review. Some journals are now favouring the publication of rather short reviews focusing on the last few years, with a limit on the number of words and citations. A mini-review is not necessarily a minor review: it may well attract more attention from busy readers, although it will inevitably simplify some issues and leave out some relevant material due to space limitations. A full review will have the advantage of more freedom to cover in detail the complexities of a particular scientific development, but may then be left in the pile of the very important papers “to be read” by readers with little time to spare for major monographs.

There is probably a continuum between mini- and full reviews. The same point applies to the dichotomy of descriptive vs. integrative reviews. While descriptive reviews focus on the methodology, findings, and interpretation of each reviewed study, integrative reviews attempt to find common ideas and concepts from the reviewed material [12] . A similar distinction exists between narrative and systematic reviews: while narrative reviews are qualitative, systematic reviews attempt to test a hypothesis based on the published evidence, which is gathered using a predefined protocol to reduce bias [13] , [14] . When systematic reviews analyse quantitative results in a quantitative way, they become meta-analyses. The choice between different review types will have to be made on a case-by-case basis, depending not just on the nature of the material found and the preferences of the target journal(s), but also on the time available to write the review and the number of coauthors [15] .

Rule 5: Keep the Review Focused, but Make It of Broad Interest

Whether your plan is to write a mini- or a full review, it is good advice to keep it focused 16 , 17 . Including material just for the sake of it can easily lead to reviews that are trying to do too many things at once. The need to keep a review focused can be problematic for interdisciplinary reviews, where the aim is to bridge the gap between fields [18] . If you are writing a review on, for example, how epidemiological approaches are used in modelling the spread of ideas, you may be inclined to include material from both parent fields, epidemiology and the study of cultural diffusion. This may be necessary to some extent, but in this case a focused review would only deal in detail with those studies at the interface between epidemiology and the spread of ideas.

While focus is an important feature of a successful review, this requirement has to be balanced with the need to make the review relevant to a broad audience. This square may be circled by discussing the wider implications of the reviewed topic for other disciplines.

Rule 6: Be Critical and Consistent

Reviewing the literature is not stamp collecting. A good review does not just summarize the literature, but discusses it critically, identifies methodological problems, and points out research gaps [19] . After having read a review of the literature, a reader should have a rough idea of:

• the major achievements in the reviewed field,
• the main areas of debate, and
• the outstanding research questions.

It is challenging to achieve a successful review on all these fronts. A solution can be to involve a set of complementary coauthors: some people are excellent at mapping what has been achieved, some others are very good at identifying dark clouds on the horizon, and some have instead a knack at predicting where solutions are going to come from. If your journal club has exactly this sort of team, then you should definitely write a review of the literature! In addition to critical thinking, a literature review needs consistency, for example in the choice of passive vs. active voice and present vs. past tense.

Rule 7: Find a Logical Structure

Like a well-baked cake, a good review has a number of telling features: it is worth the reader's time, timely, systematic, well written, focused, and critical. It also needs a good structure. With reviews, the usual subdivision of research papers into introduction, methods, results, and discussion does not work or is rarely used. However, a general introduction of the context and, toward the end, a recapitulation of the main points covered and take-home messages make sense also in the case of reviews. For systematic reviews, there is a trend towards including information about how the literature was searched (database, keywords, time limits) [20] .

How can you organize the flow of the main body of the review so that the reader will be drawn into and guided through it? It is generally helpful to draw a conceptual scheme of the review, e.g., with mind-mapping techniques. Such diagrams can help recognize a logical way to order and link the various sections of a review [21] . This is the case not just at the writing stage, but also for readers if the diagram is included in the review as a figure. A careful selection of diagrams and figures relevant to the reviewed topic can be very helpful to structure the text too [22] .

Rule 8: Make Use of Feedback

Reviews of the literature are normally peer-reviewed in the same way as research papers, and rightly so [23] . As a rule, incorporating feedback from reviewers greatly helps improve a review draft. Having read the review with a fresh mind, reviewers may spot inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and ambiguities that had not been noticed by the writers due to rereading the typescript too many times. It is however advisable to reread the draft one more time before submission, as a last-minute correction of typos, leaps, and muddled sentences may enable the reviewers to focus on providing advice on the content rather than the form.

Feedback is vital to writing a good review, and should be sought from a variety of colleagues, so as to obtain a diversity of views on the draft. This may lead in some cases to conflicting views on the merits of the paper, and on how to improve it, but such a situation is better than the absence of feedback. A diversity of feedback perspectives on a literature review can help identify where the consensus view stands in the landscape of the current scientific understanding of an issue [24] .

Rule 9: Include Your Own Relevant Research, but Be Objective

In many cases, reviewers of the literature will have published studies relevant to the review they are writing. This could create a conflict of interest: how can reviewers report objectively on their own work [25] ? Some scientists may be overly enthusiastic about what they have published, and thus risk giving too much importance to their own findings in the review. However, bias could also occur in the other direction: some scientists may be unduly dismissive of their own achievements, so that they will tend to downplay their contribution (if any) to a field when reviewing it.

In general, a review of the literature should neither be a public relations brochure nor an exercise in competitive self-denial. If a reviewer is up to the job of producing a well-organized and methodical review, which flows well and provides a service to the readership, then it should be possible to be objective in reviewing one's own relevant findings. In reviews written by multiple authors, this may be achieved by assigning the review of the results of a coauthor to different coauthors.

Rule 10: Be Up-to-Date, but Do Not Forget Older Studies

Given the progressive acceleration in the publication of scientific papers, today's reviews of the literature need awareness not just of the overall direction and achievements of a field of inquiry, but also of the latest studies, so as not to become out-of-date before they have been published. Ideally, a literature review should not identify as a major research gap an issue that has just been addressed in a series of papers in press (the same applies, of course, to older, overlooked studies (“sleeping beauties” [26] )). This implies that literature reviewers would do well to keep an eye on electronic lists of papers in press, given that it can take months before these appear in scientific databases. Some reviews declare that they have scanned the literature up to a certain point in time, but given that peer review can be a rather lengthy process, a full search for newly appeared literature at the revision stage may be worthwhile. Assessing the contribution of papers that have just appeared is particularly challenging, because there is little perspective with which to gauge their significance and impact on further research and society.

Inevitably, new papers on the reviewed topic (including independently written literature reviews) will appear from all quarters after the review has been published, so that there may soon be the need for an updated review. But this is the nature of science [27] – [32] . I wish everybody good luck with writing a review of the literature.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to M. Barbosa, K. Dehnen-Schmutz, T. Döring, D. Fontaneto, M. Garbelotto, O. Holdenrieder, M. Jeger, D. Lonsdale, A. MacLeod, P. Mills, M. Moslonka-Lefebvre, G. Stancanelli, P. Weisberg, and X. Xu for insights and discussions, and to P. Bourne, T. Matoni, and D. Smith for helpful comments on a previous draft.

Funding Statement

This work was funded by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) through its Centre for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity data (CESAB), as part of the NETSEED research project. The funders had no role in the preparation of the manuscript.

150 Actual Biology Research Paper Topics

Table of contents

• 1 What Is Biology? What Topics Might Biologists Study?
• 2 How to Choose a Topic for Biology Research Paper?
• 3.1 15 Developmental Biology Topics For Research
• 3.2 15 Immune System Biology Research Topics
• 3.3 15 Cell Biology Research Topics
• 3.4 15 DNA Research Topics
• 3.5 15 Molecular Biology Research Topics
• 3.6 15 Neurobiology Research Topics
• 3.7 15 Abortion, Human cloning, and Genetic Researches Topics
• 3.8 15 Environmental and Ecology Topics for Your Research
• 3.9 15 Plant Pathology Biology Research Topics
• 3.10 15 Animals Biology Research Topics
• 3.11 15 Marine Biology Research Topics
• 3.12 15 Zoology Research Topics
• 3.13 15 Genetics Research Topics
• 3.14 15 Biotechnology Research Topics
• 3.15 15 Evolutionary Biology Research Topics

Biology is one of the most magnetic fields of study these days. If you want to be a biologist or scientist in the future, there is no better time to start than right now. Biology research topics covered in this article will keep you busy and interested. Writing a research paper is one of the best ways to dip your toes into the field. Before doing that, you need to know some good topics for the research paper . They should be suitable for biology students rather than cutting-edge researchers. On Papersowl.com , we provide as many biology research paper examples as possible so that you have a huge choice.

What Is Biology? What Topics Might Biologists Study?

Biology is simply the study of everything that has a form of life. It includes investigations on plants, animals, and everything found in the environment. It is about studying how life forms grow, develop, and interact with each other. Biology essay topics for research encompass all these and more.

This science uncovers many fields where various life forms are studied. It makes sense to look through these fields to help you decide which suits you the best.

Plant Biology research topics are about studying the plants around us. They disclose information about their existence as a part of the ecosystem, their life cycle, resources they can give us, their ability to preserve them from climate changes, and so on. There are many ideas to choose from, but you must focus on a specific one.

Human Biology research topics are all about us. These topics focus on different body parts, such as the human brain, the human immunological system, the nervous system, etc. In addition, you can discuss DNA modifications in humans and explain why genetic disorders occur in your research projects. Various cell research is also common today.

Biology research topics on the environment are in great demand too. For example, climate change is becoming a more significant threat every day. By studying environmental topics in biology for projects and research, we can come up with ways to combat them and preserve ecosystems.

Microbiology research topics delve into things we can’t see. There are trillions of microbes and bacteria all around us. Knowing about them is essential to understanding what makes us sick and how to fight against them. All microbiology research paper topics are pretty complicated yet very engaging to include in your paper research.

Molecular biology topics dive even deeper into the level of atoms and molecules. The various medicines and drugs we take were all created through molecular-biology research. It is one of the areas full of ideas, but there is yet to be much evidence. Science is advancing in this realm but still needs a lot of time. Topics of molecular biology will need days for research only.

Keep in mind that there are more ideas and variations of this science. We offer more examples in further sections of the article about developmental biology, marine biology, evolutionary biology, etc. Explore them and make your writing appealing and meaningful in the eyes of a professor.

How to Choose a Topic for Biology Research Paper?

When choosing a biology project topic, you must be aware of one or more fields of science. Biology research is critical to the present world. By doing research, we can learn more about genetic disorders, immune disorders, mental health, natural disease resistance, etc. Knowing about each of these could save lives in the future.

For those who may not have the time or resources to do their own research, there are research paper writing services that can provide assistance with the project. And we are always here to help you find your own topic among interesting biology research topics. Here we prepared some useful tips to follow.

• Tip 1: The level of interest matters Pay attention to one that interests you, and you might have ideas on how to develop the topic. Passion is fundamental in research, after all.
• Tip 2: Explore the topic Try to narrow things down a bit. If the topic is too broad, you may not be able to cover all aspects of it in one research paper. If it is too narrow, the paper could end up too short. Analyze the topic and the ways to approach it. By doing so, you can strike a balance between the two.
• Tip 3: Discover the recent developments To make your research paper touchable with the present day, you must explore the latest developments in the field. You can find out what kind of research has been done recently by looking at journals. Check out research papers, topics, research articles, and other sources.
• Tip 4: Ensure to get enough resources When choosing a topic, make sure it has plenty of resources available. For example, a research paper on xenobiology or cutting-edge nanobiology might sound attractive. Still, you might have difficulties getting data and resources for those unless you are a researcher at a government lab. Data, resources, complex numbers, and statistics are all invaluable to writing a paper about these topics.

That is why we have selected a range of biological topics. The topics on this list are all hopefully exciting topics for research you could write an excellent paper on. We should also add that easy biology topics to research are rare, and a writer usually needs days to prepare and start writing. Yes, biology research topics for high school students are a bit easier, but still, they need time to explore them.

On the other hand, biology research topics for college students are far more complex and detailed. Some people prefer evolutionary biology research paper topics, and we can agree with this claim. These research areas do have a lot of potential and a lot of data to support the claims. Others prefer cell biology research topics that are a bit specific and fun. Anyway, with this article’s list of easy biology research topics, you will surely find the one matching your interest.

For those who may not have the time or resources to do their own research, there are provide assistance with the project.

Top Research Biology Paper Topics

This section contains a large selection of research biology paper topics. You will be able to find one that will suit you the best. The only thing left is to decide what variation of science you prefer. Whether you’re interested in microbiology, genetics, or any other type of science, you’ll find a topic to get you started. If you’re ever stuck or need some extra help, you can always pay someone to write your paper for you. So, take a look, and choose the perfect topic for your project!

15 Developmental Biology Topics For Research

Exploring the processes of how cells grow and develop is exciting. The human body contains millions of cells, and it’s interesting to research their behavior under different conditions. If you feel like writing about it, you can find some interesting biology topics below.

• How do stem cells form different tissues?
• How are tumors formed?
• Duplication of genomes
• Plasticity of development
• Different birth defects
• Interactions between genes and the environment
• Anticancer drugs mixtures
• Developmental diseases: Origin
• Drosophila Oogenesis
• Most deadly viruses
• Most deadly bacteria in the world
• How do germs affect cells?
• How does leukemia start?
• Development of the cardiovascular system in children
• How do autoimmune diseases start and affect the human body?

15 Immune System Biology Research Topics

For decades, many scientists and immunologists have studied the human immune system and tried to explain its reaction to various pathogens. This area allows you to deepen into it and reveal how a body protects itself from harmful impact. Look over the biology research questions below and find your match-up.

• How does the human body’s immune system work?
• The human immune system: How to strengthen it?
• What makes the immunological system weaker?
• The notion of auto-immune diseases and their effect on the body’s immune system
• The global HIV/aids epidemic
• What methods are used to prevent the spread of hives?
• Living with auto-immune diseases
• Genetics and the immune system: effects and consequences
• How do immune disorders affect the body, and what causes them?
• Are allergies signs of worrying about an immune disorder?
• DNA modification in solving immune disorders
• Stress as the biggest ruiner of the immunological system
• Vaccines as strong supporters of the immunological system
• The perception of vaccines in society
• Why do some people refuse vaccines and put others around them in danger?

15 Cell Biology Research Topics

Cell study might seem challenging yet very engaging. It will be a good idea to compare various types of cells and compare them in animals and plants. Make your choice from the list of cell biology research topics below.

• The structure of an animal cell
• Mitochondria and its meaning in cell development
• Cells classification and their functions
• Red blood cells and their function in transporting oxygen
• White blood cells and their responsibility to fight diseases
• How are plant cells different from animal cells?
• What would it be if animals had a function to photosynthesize?
• Single-celled organisms: What is it, and how do they work?
• What processes do cells go through in division?
• Invasion of bacteria into the body
• Viruses – alive or not?
• Fungi: their reproduction and distribution
• Cancer cells: Why are they so dangerous?
• What methods are used to kill cancer cells?
• The role of stem cells and their potential in a body

15 DNA Research Topics

The variety of biology research topics for college students might impress you a lot. This is a science with a large field of investigation, disclosing much scientific information to use in your project. The notion of DNA and its gist are also excellent options to write about.

• The structure of the human DNA
• The main components of a DNA chain
• Why does DNA have a double-helix spiral structure?
• The purpose of chromosomes
• MRNA and its relation to DNA
• Do single-celled organisms have DNA?
• Do viruses have DNA?
• What happens if you have too many or too few chromosomes?
• Analyzing the structure of DNA using computers
• Uses for the DNA of extinct organisms like mammoths and dinosaurs
• Storing non-genetic information in DNA
• Can you write a computer program into human DNA?
• How does radiation affect DNA?
• Modifying DNA to treat aids
• Can we fight cancer through DNA modification?

15 Molecular Biology Research Topics

Do you prefer to research molecules’ chemical and physical composition? We gathered some molecular biology research topics to make your choice easier.

• The structure and components of a gene
• How do molecules move in and out of a cell?
• The basic building blocks of life
• How are drugs designed for humans?
• How is a vaccine designed to target a specific disease?
• Dominant genes vs. recessive genes
• Prion disease – why is it so dangerous?
• Hormones and their function in the body
• Developing artificial hormones from other animals
• How to carry out a western blot?
• Testing and analyzing DNA using PCR
• The three-dimensional structure of a molecule
• What is DNA transcription, and how is it used?
• The structure of a prion
• What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

15 Neurobiology Research Topics

The more you dive into science, the more exciting things you find. That’s about biology. Here, you can choose biology research topics for high school and try to reveal more simply.

• Nervous system: its structure and function
• Neurons as unique cells playing a central role in the nervous system
• What is the maximum reaction speed in a human?
• Reaction speed: how to improve it?
• Research on Organic Farming
• What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?
• Why do we feel happy or sad?
• Headaches in terms of Neurobiology
• What are the reasons for neurobiological degeneration?
• Myths and reality of Amnesia
• What causes Alzheimer’s Disease, and what are the consequences of the disease?
• What is the treatment for Spinal Cord Injury?
• Studies on Narcolepsy and Insomnia: What are the causes?
• Is there a connection between Mental Health and Neurobiology?
• Emotions in terms of their reflection in the brain

15 Abortion, Human cloning, and Genetic Researches Topics

There are so many scientific researches and theories that society accepts or neglects. You can operate different notions and try to explain them, reflecting their advantages and downsides for a human being. We gathered some enticing life science research topics for high school students that might interest you.

• The controversy around abortion: legal or not?
• Can abortion be safe?
• Human cloning – reality vs. science-fiction
• The goals of cloning humans
• Are human cloning and transplantation ethical?
• Having a “perfect child” through gene therapy: Is it a myth?
• How far has gene therapy gone in genetic research?
• Advantages and disadvantages of gene therapy
• How gene therapy can help beat cancer
• How gene therapy can eliminate diabetes
• The opportunity to edit genes by CRISPR
• DNA modifications in humans to enhance our abilities – an ethical dilemma
• Will expensive gene therapy widen the gap between the rich and the poor?
• Cloning: the good and the Bad for a Generation
• The disadvantages of cloning
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15 Environmental and Ecology Topics for Your Research

The nature around us is so enormous and includes many branches to investigate. If you are keen on the environment and how ecology affects it, the list of follow-up biology paper topics might be helpful to you.

• The theory of evolution
• How does natural selection work?
• How do living organisms adapt to their environment?
• The concept of divergent and convergent evolution
• Building a sustainable environment
• Development of environment-friendly cities
• How to control population growth?
• Why have recycling resources become so essential in the modern world?
• The effect of plastic on the environment
• What are the global consequences of deforestation?
• What can we expect when losing biodiversity?
• Ecological damage: How to prevent it?
• How can GMO products affect ecology?
• Cloning endangered or extinct species: Is it a good idea?
• Is climate change the main reason for disrupting ecology?

15 Plant Pathology Biology Research Topics

Many factors impact human health and the quality of food products matters. These easy biology research topics will be useful if you want to describe the connection between those two concepts.

• How do plants protect themselves from diseases?
• How to increase the plant’s resistance to diseases?
• Diseases distribution among plants
• The banana pandemic
• How do herbicides influence plants?
• Corn blight
• Can any plant diseases affect humans?
• The issue of stem rust and its impact on wheat
• What approaches are used to struggle against invasive plants and affected weeds?
• Fertilizers: their pros and cons on plants
• Plant disease genetics: its system and structure
• What is the connection between ecological changes and plant diseases?
• Modifications on food production because of plant diseases
• How do fungal and viral diseases appear in plants?
• The sweet potato virus

15 Animals Biology Research Topics

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like animals. If you are curious about animals scientifically, here you are with biology research paper topics in this field.

• Classification of animals
• Land-based life: its evolution history
• Controversies about keeping animals as pets
• Is it ethical to test drugs and products on animals?
• Why do nature reserves against zoos?
• Evidence on prehistoric aquatic animals growing giant
• What species of animals are vegan?
• Animals and their social behavior
• Primate behavior
• How intelligent can other primates be?
• Are wolves and dogs intelligent?
• Domesticating animals
• Hibernation in animals
• Why animals migrate
• Should we bring back extinct animals?

15 Marine Biology Research Topics

The marine theme is engaging as it reveals so many interesting facts about life forms dwelling under the water. You can make your paper look captivating using biology topics in marine below.

• How acidification affects aquatic environments
• Evolution in the deep sea
• What’s the meaning of camouflage mechanism in sea life?
• Consequences of oil spills on marine life
• Oldest marine species
• How do whales communicate with each other?
• How blind fish navigate
• Are marine shows and aquariums ethical?
• The biology and life cycle of seabirds
• How jellyfish are immortal
• Plankton ecology
• Difference between freshwater and seawater marine life
• Coral reefs: their importance and evolution
• Saving and restoring coral reefs
• Life in the deep-sea ocean trenches

15 Zoology Research Topics

Zoology can be an excellent choice to write about if you are close to animal studies. Look at biology topics to research and choose the one that fits your interest most.

• Asian elephants and human speech patterns
• Oyster genomes and adaptation
• Darwin’s work in the Galápagos Islands
• Asian carp: Invasive species analysis
• Giant squids: Fact vs. fiction
• Coyote and wolf hybrid species in the United States
• Parasites and disease
• Migration patterns of killer bees
• The treatment of species in Melville’s Moby Dick
• Biodiversity and plankton
• The role of camels and the development of Africa and the Middle East
• Muskellunge and adaptive creek mechanisms to small water
• Ants and cooperative behavior among species
• Animal communication and the origin of language
• Speech in African Gray Parrots

15 Genetics Research Topics

Writing about modifications caused on the gene level is pretty challenging but very fascinating. You can select one among the biological questions for research and bring up a meaningful paper.

• Genetics and its role in cancer studies
• Can genetic code be confidential?
• Is it possible to choose the sex of a person before birth?
• Genetics as a ray of hope for children with an intellectual disability
• What factors in human genetics affect behavior?
• Is it somehow possible to improve human personality through genetics?
• Are there any living cells in the gene?
• Fighting HIV with gene mutations
• Genetic mutations
• How addictive substances affect genes
• Genetic testing: is it necessary?
• Cloning: positive or negative outcome for future generations
• Pros and cons of genetic engineering
• Is the world ready for the bioethics revolution?
• The linkage between genetics and obesity

15 Biotechnology Research Topics

The way scientists conduct research today is magnificent. Implementing high-tech innovations in biology research brings new opportunities to study the world. What are these opportunities? Explore biotechnology research topics for college students and disclose the best options for you.

• Biotechnology used in plant research
• What is the contribution of biotechnology to food?
• Pharmacogenetics: What is it, and how it works?
• How are anti-cancer drugs produced to be effective?
• Nanotechnology in DNA: How to isolate it?
• Recent nanotechnology used in HIV treatment
• What biotech apps are used to detect foodborne pathogens in food systems?
• Genotypes research: Why are they tolerant and sensitive to heavy metal?
• High-tech solutions in diagnosing cancer
• Forensic DNA and its latest developments
• Metabolic changes at the level of cells
• Nanotechnology in improving treatments for respiratory viruses
• The latest biotech discoveries
• Digital evolution: bioresearch and its transformation
• The concept of vaccine development

15 Evolutionary Biology Research Topics

Knowing how life forms started their existence is fundamental. And more interesting is to look through the evolution of many processes. If you find this trend of research more engaging, we outlined evolutionary biology research paper topics to diversify your choice.

• Darwin’s concept’s impact on science
• The evolution concept by Lamarck
• Origins of the evolutionary theory
• Evolution acceptance: a belief vs. a theory?
• Evolutionary in microbiology
• Development of robotics
• Revealing differences: human brain & animal brain
• Preservation of biological resources
• Transformations in aging
• Adaptive genetic system
• Morphometrics’ history
• Developmental theory and population genomics
• Bacteria ecology’s evolution
• Biological changes: impact and evolution
• Infectious diseases and their profession

The world of science and biology is vast, making research tedious. Use our list of interesting biology research topics to choose the best issue to write your own paper.

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Steps involved in completing a literature review

Collecting information, further reading.

• Writing Guides and Style Manuals
• Related Research Guides

Adapted from NCSU Libraries - Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students

Formulate a winning search strategy:

Once you have identified your research topic or question:

• Identify your key concepts and some keywords;
• Essentially it’s a formula you develop to conduct your search.
• Sample search strategy:

(coast* OR shoreline) AND (evolution OR change)

"sea level" AND (rise OR change)

“climate change”

• Test your search string in a few databases and modify if necessary;
• Run your final search.

Remember that the research process is iterative.

Research tips:

Choose the right database.

• Identify the broad subject area of your topic.
• Determine  the type of information source  you need (articles, books, statistics, etc.)
• Select the relevant search tool(s) in order to be thorough

Ensure your database searches will be reproducible:

• Any additional screening criteria such as a language, date range, etc.
• Note any problematic terms.
• Though this does not seem essential at the time, you may need to redo some of your searches at a later date.  Having a detailed record will ensure consistency and will save time.

Online Resources

• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students (video)
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It (University of Toronto)
• Write a Literature Review (University of California Santa Cruz)

Guidelines and Standards for Evidence Synthesis in Environmental Management (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence)

Journal Articles

Bolderston, A.  (2008).  Writing an Effective Literature Review.  Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences , 39 (2), 86-92.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2008.04.009

Pautasso, M.  (2013).  Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review.  PLOS Computational Biology , 9(7).  Retrieved from http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149 .

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The Best Biology Review: Topic Summaries, Examples, and Free Practice

Welcome to Albert’s collection of science topic reviews for teaching and reviewing Biology. Teachers and students can explore our easy-to-follow guides below for use at home or in the classroom .

Introduction to Biology

What is the experimental design process how do scientists study feedback loops.

The review articles below explore the basic skills needed to be successful in a high school biology course. Review SI units, the nature of science, and experimental design.

What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis? How is genetic material created and pass on?

The review articles below explore many topics related to genetics. Review mitosis, meiosis, and the mechanism of genetic transfer with helpful examples and summaries.

Anatomy and Physiology

How do we explain the body what makes each system unique.

The review articles below explore the general ins and outs of the human body. From terminology to the inner-workings of the systems, many topics are examined below.

Advanced Biology Topics

Looking to take your biology mastery to the next level.

The review articles below dive deeper into the processes behind genetics and reproduction.

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Molecular and Cellular Biology: Literature Review

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Recommended Databases

• PubMed This link opens in a new window The most comprehensive medical database. This resource covers medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy, biomedical research, clinical practice, administration, policy issues, and health care services. It also includes extra life sciences journals and ebooks in addition to MEDLINE.
• ScienceDirect This link opens in a new window Excellent place to start a literature review. Get peer-reviewed journals, articles, book chapters on a wide variety of scientific topics, including the life sciences and health topics, as well as engineering content related to biology, including chemical engineering.
• Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Offers coverage of many areas of academic study including: biology, chemistry, food science & technology, general science, psychology, etc. Useful for building contextual knowledge of your research topic.
• Web of Science This link opens in a new window Covers topics in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
• American Society for Microbiology This link opens in a new window Full-text of the Society's 11 journals, from molecular and cellular biology to biomedical research and technology.
• SciFinder This link opens in a new window Indexes the literature of chemistry, including journal articles, patents, substance data, chemical reactions, chemical regulatory data, and chemical suppliers. Registration is required. Note: Access to SciFinder includes access to ChemZent and PatentPak.
• Dissertations & Theses This link opens in a new window Graduate dissertations from over 1,000 North American graduate schools and selected European universities, dating from 1861- present.

Journal Search

• Journal Search Use this search to find a journal in our library. You can search by name or ISSN. You can also use the "search by citation" tab for more searching options, including by an article's DOI. The majority of our journals are accessible online.

Recommended Journals

• Cell Biology
• Cellular and Molecular Immunology
• Nature Reviews: Cancer
• Nature Reviews: Molecular Cell Biology

Article Pre-prints

• Cell: new articles Access articles published just ahead of final publication in an issue. The articles have been copyedited and incorporate the authors' final corrections.
• bioRxiv Pre-print server for the biological sciences, including cellular biology and related fields. Hosted at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
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Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

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What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the principal research about the topic being studied.

The aim of a literature review is to show "that the writer has studied existing work in the field with insight" (Haywood and Wragg, 1982). It is not enough merely to show what others in your field have discovered. You need to view the work of others with insight to review critically. An effective review analyses and synthesizes material, and it should meet the following requirements: (Caulley, 1992)

• Compare and contrast different authors' views on an issue
• Group authors who draw similar conclusions,
• Criticise aspects of methodology,
• Note areas in which authors are in disagreement,
• Highlight exemplary studies,
• Identify patterns or trends in the literature
• Highlight gaps in and omissions in previous research or questions left unanswered
• Show how your study relates to previous studies,
• Show how your study relates to the literature in general,
• Conclude by summarising what the literature says.

A literature review has a number of purposes. It enables you to:

• Set the background on what has been researched on a topic.
• Show why a topic is significant to a subject area.
• Discover relationships between ideas.
• Identify major themes & concepts.
• Identify critical gaps & points of disagreement.
• Help the researcher turn a network of articles into a coherent view of the literature.

Source: University of Melbourne's Literature Review Libguide

Organizing the Review

Categorizing the Literature

When categorizing the writings in the review, the researcher might consider

• the methodology employed;
• the quality of the findings or conclusions;
• the document’s major strengths and weaknesses;
• any other pivotal information.

He/She might consider such questions as:

• what beliefs are expressed?
• Is there an ideological stance?
• What is being described? Is it comprehensive or narrow?
• Are the results generalizable?

Remember that you are relating other studies to your study. How do the studies in your lit. review relate to your thesis? How are the other studies related to each other?

From http://libguides.redlands.edu/content.php?pid=32380&sid=239161

Literature Review Samples

• Otterbein's Institutional Repository You can browse by collection and then department and student scholarship. Look up samples of literature reviews in theses and dissertations.
• OhioLink's ETD Browse by institution and look up samples of literature review in the students' theses and dissertations

Planning your Literature Review

While planning your review, in addition to finding and analyzing the reviews in dissertations, you might ask yourself questions such as the following:

What is my central question or issue that the literature can help define?

What is already known about the topic?

Is the scope of the literature being reviewed wide or narrow enough?

Is there a conflict or debate in the literature?

What connections can be made between the texts being reviewed?

What sort of literature should be reviewed? Historical? Theoretical? Methodological? Quantitative? Qualitative?

What criteria should be used to evaluate the literature being reviewed?

How will reviewing the literature justify the topic I plan to investigate?

From: Writing the successful thesis and dissertation: entering the conversation, by Irene L. Clark

source: Kent State University's Literature Reviews Libguide

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Biology: Literature Reviews

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What is a Literature Review?

What is a literature review?

Before you start your research paper you need to find out what other research has been done on the topic.  A literature review will include the works you consulted in order to understand and investigate your research problem.  A good literature review is not simply a summary of other research articles. The sources listed should be organized logically with the sources dealing with the same aspects of the topic grouped together.  You should also evaluate the sources, show the relationships among them and explain why they are important (or not) for your own research.  

Literature reviews analyze  critically this segment of a published body of knowledge through summary, classification, and comparison of prior research studies, reviews of literature, and theoretical articles.

A literature review is an overview of the previously published works on a specific topic. The term can refer to a full scholarly paper or a section of a scholarly work such as a book, or an article. Either way, a literature review is supposed to provide the researcher/author and the audiences with a general image of the existing knowledge on the topic under question. A good literature review can ensure that a proper research question has been asked and a proper theoretical framework and/or research methodology have been chosen. To be precise, a literature review serves to situate the current study within the body of the relevant literature and to provide context for the reader. In such case, the review usually precedes the methodology and results sections of the work.

• Literature Reviews - Handout

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.
• Helps focus your own research questions or problems
• Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
• Suggests unexplored ideas or populations
• Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
• Tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.
• Identifies critical gaps, points of disagreement, or potentially flawed methodology or theoretical approaches.
• Indicates potential directions for future research.

Questions to Ask

Some questions to think about as you develop your literature review:

• What is known about the subject?
• Are there any gaps in the knowledge of the subject?
• Have areas of further study been identified by other researchers that you may want to consider?
• Who are the significant research personalities in this area?
• Is there consensus about the topic?
• What aspects have generated significant debate on the topic?
• What methods or problems were identified by others studying in the field and how might they impact your research?
• What is the most productive methodology for your research based on the literature you have reviewed?
• What is the current status of research in this area?
• What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful to you?
• How detailed? Will it be a review of ALL relevant material or will the scope be limited to more recent material, e.g., the last five years.
• Are you focusing on methodological approaches; on theoretical issues; on qualitative or quantitative research?

Additional Help:

“Literature Reviews", The Writing Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It

Patricia Cronin, Frances Ryan, and Michael Coughlan, “Undertaking a Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Approach,” British Journal of Nursing, 17, no 1 (2008), 38-43.

A Literature Review is NOT

Keep in mind that a literature review defines and sets the stage for your later research.  While you may take the same steps in researching your literature review, your literature review is not:

Not an annotated bibliography  in which you summarize each article that you have reviewed.  A lit review goes beyond basic summarizing to focus on the critical analysis of the reviewed works and their relationship to your research question.

Not a research paper   where you select resources to support one side of an issue versus another.  A lit review should explain and consider all sides of an argument in order to avoid bias, and areas of agreement and disagreement should be highlighted.

Steps to Conduct a Literature Review

Finding the literature.

• What Literature?
• Grey Literature
• Conference Papers

When someone talks about “the literature” they are referring to the body of research, scholarly articles, books and other sources (e.g. dissertations, conference proceedings) relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory.  A literature review is a descriptive summary of research on a topic that has previously been studied. The purpose of a literature review is to inform readers of the significant knowledge and ideas that have been established on a topic. Its purpose is to compare, contrast and/or connect findings that were identified when reviewing researchers' work.

The word  literature  (in 'literature review') broadly refers to the scholarly or scientific writing on a topic.

Common sources of written works include:

•     peer-reviewed journal articles
•     books and book chapters
•     conference papers and government reports 
•     theses / dissertations

A good quality literature review involves searching a number of databases individually.

The  Library databases  are an excellent resource for finding  peer-reviewed journal articles  (and also book chapters and conference papers).

Databases may be multidisciplinary or discipline-specific. The best way to find the relevant databases for your review is to consult a list of databases such as the ones found in:

• The  Databases by Subject library guide
• Relevant subject-based library guides within your faculty area

Books  are often useful for background information when learning about a topic. They may be general, such as textbooks, or specialised.

A good way to find books is to use an online catalog such as the Felician University Library catalog.

• More recent editions may include information not found in previous editions
• Authors may discuss different aspects of a topic or present the information in different ways - reading widely can help understanding
• Once you have a basic understanding of the topic, searching for journal articles may help you to learn more and access the most current information.

Grey literature  is information which has been published informally or non-commercially (where the main purpose of the producing body is not commercial publishing) or remains unpublished.

It can include a range of material, such as government reports, policy documents, statistics, discussion papers, dissertations, conference proceedings and unpublished trial data. The quality of grey literature can vary greatly - some may be peer-reviewed whereas some may not have been through a traditional editorial process.

Grey literature may be included in a literature review to minimize  publication bias .

Key ways of  finding grey literature  include using search engines, databases, government or organization websites and grey literature directories. For example:

• Analysis and Policy Observatory
• OpenGrey (European)
• New York Academy of Medicine grey literature report (US)
• The Global Science Gateway

Additional statistics are available from many government websites. Try limiting by site or domain in  Google Advanced Search  and using the keyword Statistics.

Data Sources (includes Biological Sciences Data/Sets)

re3data.org (Registry of Research Data Repositories)

Dryad Digital Repository

U.S. Government Open Data

NIH Data Sharing Repositories

DataONE (Earth and environmental data)

EPA Environmental dataset gateway

OpenDOAR : Directory of Open Access Repositories is a browsable directory of open access repositories. Search by subject, country of origin and content type.

Health Statistics

CDC SNAPS (county and state level)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  

Community Health Status Indicators Report

County Health Rankings (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)  

Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce  

State Health Facts Online (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Dissertation Databases

PQDT Open (ProQuest)

Open Access Theses and Dissertations

OpenDissertations (EBSCO)

Dissertation Search

Limit to Thesis/Dissertation under Content

Conference papers  are typically published in conference proceedings (the collection of papers presented at a conference), and may be found on an organization or Society's website, as a journal, or as a special issue of journal.

In some disciplinary areas (such as computer science), conference papers may be a particularly well regarded as a form of scholarly communication; the conferences are highly selective, the papers are generally peer-reviewed, and papers are published in proceedings affiliated with high-quality publishing houses.  

Tips for finding conference papers:

• The year of publication may be different to the year the conference was held. If applying a date limit to your search, try a range of years.
• Try searching for the conference title rather than the title or author of the paper. The entire conference proceedings may be cited under a special title. You can also try searching for the conference location or sponsoring organization.

When you are writing your own primary literature review you must:

(a) use recent articles that report research tightly connected to the same specific current research problem (not simply any primary articles somehow related to the same general topic), and;

(b) write paragraphs that explicitly compare the objectives, methods, and findings of the articles with each other and with your proposed research project or findings*

*A literature review is not simply summarizing each article separately one after the other -- that would be more like an annotated bibliography and does not connect the details to your own methods/findings in your research proposal (BIO 450) or discussion/conclusion (BIO 451).

Write about how the specific research objectives, methods, and findings of the articles are similar and how are they different from each other as well as yours. 

Literature Review vs. Systematic Review

It is common to confuse systematic and literature reviews as both are used to provide a summary of the existent literature or research on a specific topic.  Even with this common ground, both types vary significantly.  Please review the following chart (and its corresponding poster linked below) for a detailed explanation of each as well as the differences between each type of review.

What's in a name? The difference between a Systematic Review and a Literature Review, and why it matters by Lynn Kysh, MLIS, University of Southern California - Norris Medical Library

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Biology 231 - Research Methods

• Verifying If An Article Is Peer-Reviewed
• Should I Trust Internet Sources?
• Suggested Databases for Finding Sources
• Critical Analysis
• Creating an Annotated Bibliography
• Creating a Literature Review
• Resources for Writing Research Proposals
• Off-Campus Access

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Structure of an Evidence Matrix

The purpose of a literature review is to demonstrate your familiarity with existing research and how your proposed research fits within it.  It should consist of at least 4-5 peer-reviewed articles and provide an integration of ideas, concepts, theories and findings.

Constructing an Evidence Matrix will assist in the dissection of the articles being reviewed and provide a system that easily organizes common themes for later discussion.

Create a spreadsheet with the following fields: 

Themes are items of interest to you found within the article and are points of comparison between articles.

• Has the subject or style of research evolved over time?
• Are there any approaches or variables that have been consistently examined?  Do the articles ask the same questions?  Can you identify any gaps in research or inquiry?
• Are you aware of any specific common theoretical models used?

NOTE:  It is crucial that when summarizing any content that you appropriate paraphrase the text entered into your matrix. If not, use quotation marks for any words that are not your own and provide page numbers for your quotes.  This will help avoid plagiarism.

Writing a Literature Review

In a full-length paper or thesis the literature review tends to be 4-5 paragraphs long and explains how your original research topic fits into the existing body of scholarship on the topic. 

A basic format is as follows:

Paragraph #1.  Introduction of the research topic.  "The purpose of the study is to...".

Paragraph #2.  Describe how others have studied the subjects (Methods column).  Include any sampling techniques, strategies and limitations to research processes.

Paragraph #3.  Discuss a common theme from two or more articles (identified in evidence matrix).

Paragraph #4.   Discuss a common theme from two or more articles (identified in evidence matrix).

Paragraph #5.  Discuss the existing research identified in previous paragraphs, then your research topic and why it is important.  Give strong examples why your research is relevant and necessary to build a stronger understanding of the subject.

TIPS: 

• Do not summarize each article read in a separate paragraph.  The purpose here is to critically analyze them as a whole and reflect.
• When referencing an article in the literature, do not refer to it by its title.  Instead relate the article to the author and date.

Source: https://libguides.sonoma.edu/c.php?g=202672&p=1354272 (Downloaded 17AUG2022)

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20 Topics for a Biology Literature Review — Pubrica

Pubrica.com

· The literature review writing service helps the researchers to complete their medical researches. In most research areas literature reviews are in high demand. A need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications .

· Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews and the topic selected can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read.

The building block of all academic research activities , regardless of discipline, is to base the work on existing knowledge and link it up. Hence, doing so correctly should be a priority for all academics. However, the task has got more and more complicated. Development of knowledge within the field of business research is growing at a tremendous pace while remaining fragmented and interdisciplinary at the same time. Scientific research support services offer medical analysis data that are related to research work. Through combining observations and insights from many scientific studies, a review of the literature will answer research questions with a strength that no single study has (Boyd & Solarino, 2016).

The Process of Conducting a Literature Review:

The basic steps and essential choices involved in conducting a literature review will be suggested and addressed in four phases; (1) Planning of the review, (2) Conducting of the review, (3) Analyses and (4) Writing the review (Palmatier et al., 2018).

Interesting topics to Choose in Biology:

Here we have discussed 20 topics to choose in biology, which can be quite interesting. The first 10 topics are explained to the point where we can work and the remaining 10 articles are stated on general themes.

1. Obesity-related to Genetic Phenomenon:

Obesity is a heterogeneous disease whose biological causes are complex. The increasing frequency of obesity over the last few decades is attributed to environmental factors such as sedentary lifestyles and overnutrition, but that is obese at an individual level is determined by genetic susceptibility (Venkatesan & Mohan, 2016).

2. Is Paleo diet the healthiest choice:

Palaeolithic diet has been gaining worldwide popularity due to its putative health benefits. “Paleo” was Google’s most wanted diet word in 2014. Nonetheless, a 2015 US News and World Report ranking of 35 diets with feedback from a panel of health experts ranked the Paleolithic diet dead last, citing a lack of evidence of clinical benefits from research (Manheimer et al., 2015).

3. Resistant to Antibiotics:

Antibiotics are the’ wonder medicines’ used for battling microbes. Numerous types of antibiotics have been not only used for therapeutic purposes for decades but have been used prophylactically across other fields such as livestock and animal husbandry. Uncertainty has emerged as microbes have become immune to specific antibiotics while the host remains unaware of the development of antibiotic resistance (Zaman et al., 2017).

4. The Need of the Hour — Coronavirus:

A cluster of identified-cause pneumonia patients was related to a wholesale market for seafood in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. A previously unknown betacoronavirus was discovered from patients with pneumonia by using objective sequencing in the samples.

5. Impact of Tobacco Use:

Cigarettes smoked in the form of either smoke or smokeless is dangerous for the human body. Globally, the death toll from cigarettes has risen to around 6.4 million annually and is on a steady rise (Shah et al., 2018).

6. The need to review HIV:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV / AIDS) is a global health problem: more than 70 million people were diagnosed with HIV, 35 million died, and 36.7 million people are currently living with the disease (Fajardo-Ortiz et al., 2017).

7. The Unsolved Leprosy:

Leprosy, a chronic mycobacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is an infectious disease that has destroyed human societies for thousands of years. This ancestral pathogen causes cutaneous lesions to disfigure, peripheral nerve damage, osteoarticular deformity, loss of limbs and weakness, blindness and stigma (Franco-Paredes & Rodriguez-Morales, 2016).

8. Tuberculosis — The Disease without Boundaries:

An airborne disease of Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), which usually affects the lungs causing severe coughing, fever, and chest pain. While current research has provided valuable insight into the transmission, diagnosis, and treatment of TB over the past four years, much remains to be learned to effectively decrease the occurrence of and ultimately eliminate TB (Levine et al., 2015).

9. The Epidemic of the Century — Diabetes:

It studies the epidemic essence of diabetes mellitus in various regions. The North Africa and the Middle East region has the lowest prevalence of diabetes in adults (10.9 per cent), while the Western Pacific region has the highest number of diabetes-diagnosed adults and countries with the highest incidence of diabetes (37.5 per cent) (Kharroubi, 2015).

10. Parkinson’s Disease:

The disease of Parkinson is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by tremor and bradykinesia and is a common neurological disorder. Male sex and advancing age are independent risk factors, and rising productivity and medical resources are taking on increasing toll as the population ages (Hayes, 2019).

General Topics to Focus:

1. Challenges faced in Research of Herbal Medicines.

2. The Global Burden of Periodontitis.

3. The new Addiction of the Era — Gaming.

4. The prevalence of Road Traffic Accidents among Food Delivery Workers.

5. Diet and Nutrition assessment among School Children

6. The Boon and Ban of self-medication in India.

7. Zombie — A Psychological concept of old tales.

8. Back pain among weavers and farmers in India.

9. Trends of Oral Cancer in India.

10. Self-examination for Breast Cancer among women

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• UWF Libraries
• Steps for Conducting a Lit Review
• Find Journal Articles
• Subdisciplines
• Types of Reviews

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

2. decide on the scope of your review., 3. select the databases you will use to conduct your searches., 4. conduct your searches and find the literature. keep track of your searches, 5. review the literature..

• Citation Makers and Managers
• After Graduation

Disclaimer!!

Conducting a literature review is usually recursive, meaning that somewhere along the way, you'll find yourself repeating steps out-of-order.

That is actually a good sign.  

Reviewing the research should lead to more research questions and those questions will likely lead you to either revise your initial research question or go back and find more literature related to a more specific aspect of your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by a central research question.  Remember, it is not a collection of loosely related studies in a field but instead 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.

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

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

Make a list of the databases you will search.  Remember to include comprehensive databases such as WorldCat and Dissertations & Theses, if you need to.

Where to find databases:

• Find Databases by Subject UWF Databases categorized by discipline
• Find Databases via Research Guides Librarians create research guides for all of the disciplines on campus! Take advantage of their expertise and see what discipline-specific search strategies they recommend!
• Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
• Write down the searches you conduct in each database so that you may duplicate them if you need to later (or avoid dead-end searches   that you'd forgotten you'd already tried).
• Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
• Ask your professor or a scholar in the field if you are missing any key works in the field.
• Use RefWorks to keep track of your research citations. See the RefWorks Tutorial if you need help.

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: 

• Again, review the abstracts carefully.  
• Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
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Open Access

Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliations Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE), CNRS, Montpellier, France, Centre for Biodiversity Synthesis and Analysis (CESAB), FRB, Aix-en-Provence, France

• Marco Pautasso

Published: July 18, 2013

• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149
• Reader Comments

Citation: Pautasso M (2013) Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Literature Review. PLoS Comput Biol 9(7): e1003149. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149

Editor: Philip E. Bourne, University of California San Diego, United States of America

Copyright: © 2013 Marco Pautasso. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: This work was funded by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) through its Centre for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity data (CESAB), as part of the NETSEED research project. The funders had no role in the preparation of the manuscript.

Competing interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.

Literature reviews are in great demand in most scientific fields. Their need stems from the ever-increasing output of scientific publications [1] . For example, compared to 1991, in 2008 three, eight, and forty times more papers were indexed in Web of Science on malaria, obesity, and biodiversity, respectively [2] . Given such mountains of papers, scientists cannot be expected to examine in detail every single new paper relevant to their interests [3] . Thus, it is both advantageous and necessary to rely on regular summaries of the recent literature. Although recognition for scientists mainly comes from primary research, timely literature reviews can lead to new synthetic insights and are often widely read [4] . For such summaries to be useful, however, they need to be compiled in a professional way [5] .

When starting from scratch, reviewing the literature can require a titanic amount of work. That is why researchers who have spent their career working on a certain research issue are in a perfect position to review that literature. Some graduate schools are now offering courses in reviewing the literature, given that most research students start their project by producing an overview of what has already been done on their research issue [6] . However, it is likely that most scientists have not thought in detail about how to approach and carry out a literature review.

Reviewing the literature requires the ability to juggle multiple tasks, from finding and evaluating relevant material to synthesising information from various sources, from critical thinking to paraphrasing, evaluating, and citation skills [7] . In this contribution, I share ten simple rules I learned working on about 25 literature reviews as a PhD and postdoctoral student. Ideas and insights also come from discussions with coauthors and colleagues, as well as feedback from reviewers and editors.

Rule 1: Define a Topic and Audience

How to choose which topic to review? There are so many issues in contemporary science that you could spend a lifetime of attending conferences and reading the literature just pondering what to review. On the one hand, if you take several years to choose, several other people may have had the same idea in the meantime. On the other hand, only a well-considered topic is likely to lead to a brilliant literature review [8] . The topic must at least be:

• interesting to you (ideally, you should have come across a series of recent papers related to your line of work that call for a critical summary),
• an important aspect of the field (so that many readers will be interested in the review and there will be enough material to write it), and
• a well-defined issue (otherwise you could potentially include thousands of publications, which would make the review unhelpful).

Ideas for potential reviews may come from papers providing lists of key research questions to be answered [9] , but also from serendipitous moments during desultory reading and discussions. In addition to choosing your topic, you should also select a target audience. In many cases, the topic (e.g., web services in computational biology) will automatically define an audience (e.g., computational biologists), but that same topic may also be of interest to neighbouring fields (e.g., computer science, biology, etc.).

Rule 2: Search and Re-search the Literature

After having chosen your topic and audience, start by checking the literature and downloading relevant papers. Five pieces of advice here:

• keep track of the search items you use (so that your search can be replicated [10] ),
• keep a list of papers whose pdfs you cannot access immediately (so as to retrieve them later with alternative strategies),
• use a paper management system (e.g., Mendeley, Papers, Qiqqa, Sente),
• define early in the process some criteria for exclusion of irrelevant papers (these criteria can then be described in the review to help define its scope), and
• do not just look for research papers in the area you wish to review, but also seek previous reviews.

The chances are high that someone will already have published a literature review ( Figure 1 ), if not exactly on the issue you are planning to tackle, at least on a related topic. If there are already a few or several reviews of the literature on your issue, my advice is not to give up, but to carry on with your own literature review,

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The bottom-right situation (many literature reviews but few research papers) is not just a theoretical situation; it applies, for example, to the study of the impacts of climate change on plant diseases, where there appear to be more literature reviews than research studies [33] .

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003149.g001

• discussing in your review the approaches, limitations, and conclusions of past reviews,
• trying to find a new angle that has not been covered adequately in the previous reviews, and
• incorporating new material that has inevitably accumulated since their appearance.

When searching the literature for pertinent papers and reviews, the usual rules apply:

• be thorough,
• use different keywords and database sources (e.g., DBLP, Google Scholar, ISI Proceedings, JSTOR Search, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science), and
• look at who has cited past relevant papers and book chapters.

Rule 3: Take Notes While Reading

If you read the papers first, and only afterwards start writing the review, you will need a very good memory to remember who wrote what, and what your impressions and associations were while reading each single paper. My advice is, while reading, to start writing down interesting pieces of information, insights about how to organize the review, and thoughts on what to write. This way, by the time you have read the literature you selected, you will already have a rough draft of the review.

Of course, this draft will still need much rewriting, restructuring, and rethinking to obtain a text with a coherent argument [11] , but you will have avoided the danger posed by staring at a blank document. Be careful when taking notes to use quotation marks if you are provisionally copying verbatim from the literature. It is advisable then to reformulate such quotes with your own words in the final draft. It is important to be careful in noting the references already at this stage, so as to avoid misattributions. Using referencing software from the very beginning of your endeavour will save you time.

Rule 4: Choose the Type of Review You Wish to Write

After having taken notes while reading the literature, you will have a rough idea of the amount of material available for the review. This is probably a good time to decide whether to go for a mini- or a full review. Some journals are now favouring the publication of rather short reviews focusing on the last few years, with a limit on the number of words and citations. A mini-review is not necessarily a minor review: it may well attract more attention from busy readers, although it will inevitably simplify some issues and leave out some relevant material due to space limitations. A full review will have the advantage of more freedom to cover in detail the complexities of a particular scientific development, but may then be left in the pile of the very important papers “to be read” by readers with little time to spare for major monographs.

There is probably a continuum between mini- and full reviews. The same point applies to the dichotomy of descriptive vs. integrative reviews. While descriptive reviews focus on the methodology, findings, and interpretation of each reviewed study, integrative reviews attempt to find common ideas and concepts from the reviewed material [12] . A similar distinction exists between narrative and systematic reviews: while narrative reviews are qualitative, systematic reviews attempt to test a hypothesis based on the published evidence, which is gathered using a predefined protocol to reduce bias [13] , [14] . When systematic reviews analyse quantitative results in a quantitative way, they become meta-analyses. The choice between different review types will have to be made on a case-by-case basis, depending not just on the nature of the material found and the preferences of the target journal(s), but also on the time available to write the review and the number of coauthors [15] .

Rule 5: Keep the Review Focused, but Make It of Broad Interest

Whether your plan is to write a mini- or a full review, it is good advice to keep it focused 16 , 17 . Including material just for the sake of it can easily lead to reviews that are trying to do too many things at once. The need to keep a review focused can be problematic for interdisciplinary reviews, where the aim is to bridge the gap between fields [18] . If you are writing a review on, for example, how epidemiological approaches are used in modelling the spread of ideas, you may be inclined to include material from both parent fields, epidemiology and the study of cultural diffusion. This may be necessary to some extent, but in this case a focused review would only deal in detail with those studies at the interface between epidemiology and the spread of ideas.

While focus is an important feature of a successful review, this requirement has to be balanced with the need to make the review relevant to a broad audience. This square may be circled by discussing the wider implications of the reviewed topic for other disciplines.

Rule 6: Be Critical and Consistent

Reviewing the literature is not stamp collecting. A good review does not just summarize the literature, but discusses it critically, identifies methodological problems, and points out research gaps [19] . After having read a review of the literature, a reader should have a rough idea of:

• the major achievements in the reviewed field,
• the main areas of debate, and
• the outstanding research questions.

It is challenging to achieve a successful review on all these fronts. A solution can be to involve a set of complementary coauthors: some people are excellent at mapping what has been achieved, some others are very good at identifying dark clouds on the horizon, and some have instead a knack at predicting where solutions are going to come from. If your journal club has exactly this sort of team, then you should definitely write a review of the literature! In addition to critical thinking, a literature review needs consistency, for example in the choice of passive vs. active voice and present vs. past tense.

Rule 7: Find a Logical Structure

Like a well-baked cake, a good review has a number of telling features: it is worth the reader's time, timely, systematic, well written, focused, and critical. It also needs a good structure. With reviews, the usual subdivision of research papers into introduction, methods, results, and discussion does not work or is rarely used. However, a general introduction of the context and, toward the end, a recapitulation of the main points covered and take-home messages make sense also in the case of reviews. For systematic reviews, there is a trend towards including information about how the literature was searched (database, keywords, time limits) [20] .

How can you organize the flow of the main body of the review so that the reader will be drawn into and guided through it? It is generally helpful to draw a conceptual scheme of the review, e.g., with mind-mapping techniques. Such diagrams can help recognize a logical way to order and link the various sections of a review [21] . This is the case not just at the writing stage, but also for readers if the diagram is included in the review as a figure. A careful selection of diagrams and figures relevant to the reviewed topic can be very helpful to structure the text too [22] .

Rule 8: Make Use of Feedback

Reviews of the literature are normally peer-reviewed in the same way as research papers, and rightly so [23] . As a rule, incorporating feedback from reviewers greatly helps improve a review draft. Having read the review with a fresh mind, reviewers may spot inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and ambiguities that had not been noticed by the writers due to rereading the typescript too many times. It is however advisable to reread the draft one more time before submission, as a last-minute correction of typos, leaps, and muddled sentences may enable the reviewers to focus on providing advice on the content rather than the form.

Feedback is vital to writing a good review, and should be sought from a variety of colleagues, so as to obtain a diversity of views on the draft. This may lead in some cases to conflicting views on the merits of the paper, and on how to improve it, but such a situation is better than the absence of feedback. A diversity of feedback perspectives on a literature review can help identify where the consensus view stands in the landscape of the current scientific understanding of an issue [24] .

Rule 9: Include Your Own Relevant Research, but Be Objective

In many cases, reviewers of the literature will have published studies relevant to the review they are writing. This could create a conflict of interest: how can reviewers report objectively on their own work [25] ? Some scientists may be overly enthusiastic about what they have published, and thus risk giving too much importance to their own findings in the review. However, bias could also occur in the other direction: some scientists may be unduly dismissive of their own achievements, so that they will tend to downplay their contribution (if any) to a field when reviewing it.

In general, a review of the literature should neither be a public relations brochure nor an exercise in competitive self-denial. If a reviewer is up to the job of producing a well-organized and methodical review, which flows well and provides a service to the readership, then it should be possible to be objective in reviewing one's own relevant findings. In reviews written by multiple authors, this may be achieved by assigning the review of the results of a coauthor to different coauthors.

Rule 10: Be Up-to-Date, but Do Not Forget Older Studies

Given the progressive acceleration in the publication of scientific papers, today's reviews of the literature need awareness not just of the overall direction and achievements of a field of inquiry, but also of the latest studies, so as not to become out-of-date before they have been published. Ideally, a literature review should not identify as a major research gap an issue that has just been addressed in a series of papers in press (the same applies, of course, to older, overlooked studies (“sleeping beauties” [26] )). This implies that literature reviewers would do well to keep an eye on electronic lists of papers in press, given that it can take months before these appear in scientific databases. Some reviews declare that they have scanned the literature up to a certain point in time, but given that peer review can be a rather lengthy process, a full search for newly appeared literature at the revision stage may be worthwhile. Assessing the contribution of papers that have just appeared is particularly challenging, because there is little perspective with which to gauge their significance and impact on further research and society.

Inevitably, new papers on the reviewed topic (including independently written literature reviews) will appear from all quarters after the review has been published, so that there may soon be the need for an updated review. But this is the nature of science [27] – [32] . I wish everybody good luck with writing a review of the literature.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to M. Barbosa, K. Dehnen-Schmutz, T. Döring, D. Fontaneto, M. Garbelotto, O. Holdenrieder, M. Jeger, D. Lonsdale, A. MacLeod, P. Mills, M. Moslonka-Lefebvre, G. Stancanelli, P. Weisberg, and X. Xu for insights and discussions, and to P. Bourne, T. Matoni, and D. Smith for helpful comments on a previous draft.

• 1. Rapple C (2011) The role of the critical review article in alleviating information overload. Annual Reviews White Paper. Available: http://www.annualreviews.org/userimages/ContentEditor/1300384004941/Annual_Reviews_WhitePaper_Web_2011.pdf . Accessed May 2013.
• View Article
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• 7. Budgen D, Brereton P (2006) Performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. Proc 28th Int Conf Software Engineering, ACM New York, NY, USA, pp. 1051–1052. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/1134285.1134500 .
• 16. Eco U (1977) Come si fa una tesi di laurea. Milan: Bompiani.
• 17. Hart C (1998) Doing a literature review: releasing the social science research imagination. London: SAGE.
• 21. Ridley D (2008) The literature review: a step-by-step guide for students. London: SAGE.

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Two decades of advancements in cold supply chain logistics for reducing food waste: a review with focus on the meat industry.

1. Introduction

Objective and scope of study.

• What is the current state of the art on beef CSCL in terms of management, sustainability, network design, and the use of information technologies for red meat waste reduction?
• To provide an overview of the current state of the art and to identify the gaps and contemporary challenges to red meat waste reduction;
• To identify key research themes and their potential role and associated elements in mitigating red meat waste reduction, especially across the beef CSCL systems;
• To pinpoint the directions in each theme that warrant further research advancement.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. literature retrieval and selection, 2.2. extracting the research themes, 3.1. the literature review identified themes and subjects, 3.2. the literature’s evolution and descriptive results, 3.3. management, 3.3.1. logistics management and chronological evolution, 3.3.2. management and regulations, 3.3.3. management and collaboration, 3.3.4. management and costs, 3.3.5. management and inventory, 3.3.6. management and decision-making, 3.3.7. management and risks, 3.3.8. management and waste reduction, 3.3.9. management and information, 3.3.10. management and cold chain deficiencies, 3.4. sustainability, 3.4.1. sustainability and closed-loop scs (clscs), 3.4.2. sustainability and business models, 3.4.3. sustainability and wastage hotspots, 3.4.4. sustainability and packing, 3.4.5. sustainability and information flow, 3.5. network design optimisation, 3.5.1. network design and decision levels, 3.5.2. network design and the location–inventory problem, 3.5.3. network design and routing-inventory problem, 3.5.4. network design and the location routing problem, 3.5.5. network design and the integrated location–inventory routing problem, 3.5.6. network design and sustainability, 3.5.7. network design and information flow, 3.6. information technologies, 3.6.1. it and meat sc transformation, 3.6.2. emerging information technologies and meat scs, technical instruments, technological systems, 4. discussion, 4.1. management, 4.2. sustainability, 4.3. network design, 4.4. information technology, 5. conclusions.

• Management: ◦ Effective management practices are crucial for addressing FLW in beef CSCL systems. ◦ There is a notable transition from LM to FLM and SFLM, with the potential for emerging technologies to create an “Intelligent Sustainable Food Logistics Management” phase. ◦ Suboptimal management practices continue to contribute significantly to FLW, underscoring the need for enhanced strategies and adherence to regulations and standards.
• Sustainability: ◦ Sustainability in beef CSCL involves addressing social, economic, and environmental benefits. ◦ Reducing FLW can lead to increased profits, improved customer satisfaction, public health, equity, and environmental conservation by minimising resource use and emissions. ◦ Comprehensive research integrating all sustainability dimensions is needed to fully understand and mitigate FLW. Current efforts often address only parts of sustainability. A more holistic approach is required to balance environmental, economic, and social dimensions effectively.
• Network Design: ◦ Effective network design and optimisation are pivotal in reducing FLW within beef CSCL systems. ◦ There is a necessity for integrating all three levels of management decisions in the logistics network design process. Decision levels in network design must be considered to understand trade-offs among sustainability components in this process. ◦ Future research should focus on integrating management decisions and network design, CSCL uncertainties, sustainability dimensions, and advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce waste in beef CSCL systems.
• Information Technologies: ◦ Information technologies such as Digital Twins (DTs) and Blockchain (BC) play a significant role in improving efficiency and reducing FLW in beef CSCL. ◦ The integration of these technologies can enhance understanding of fluid dynamics, thermal exchange, and meat quality variations, optimising the cooling process and reducing energy usage. ◦ Challenges like data security and management efficiency need to be addressed to maximise the benefits of these technologies.

Author Contributions

Data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Davoudi, S.; Stasinopoulos, P.; Shiwakoti, N. Two Decades of Advancements in Cold Supply Chain Logistics for Reducing Food Waste: A Review with Focus on the Meat Industry. Sustainability 2024 , 16 , 6986. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166986

Davoudi S, Stasinopoulos P, Shiwakoti N. Two Decades of Advancements in Cold Supply Chain Logistics for Reducing Food Waste: A Review with Focus on the Meat Industry. Sustainability . 2024; 16(16):6986. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166986

Davoudi, Sina, Peter Stasinopoulos, and Nirajan Shiwakoti. 2024. "Two Decades of Advancements in Cold Supply Chain Logistics for Reducing Food Waste: A Review with Focus on the Meat Industry" Sustainability 16, no. 16: 6986. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166986

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