title: Conducting the literature review.
abstract: Conducting a literature review at the beginning and near the end of a research study is an important part of the research process. The researcher validates the existing body of knowledge, identifies how the proposed study extends knowledge on the topic and may uncover additional ideas for methods to incorporate into the proposed study. While the task may be time consuming, the researcher will emerge from the literature review with an extensive knowledge of the topic, a very strong position from which to conduct research.
authors.affiliation: Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30033.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Schira
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009488:Neurosciences; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000379:methods*; D012196:Review Literature as Topic