Which of the following is a characteristic of a Literature Review?

A literature review is fundamentally characterized by its focus on analyzing previously published research. This means it synthesizes and evaluates existing knowledge on a specific topic by reviewing and summarizing the findings from various scholarly articles, books, and other academic sources. The purpose is to compile and critique existing studies to identify trends, gaps, and conflicts in the knowledge base, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of the subject matter at hand.

The characteristic of involving original experiments pertains more closely to primary research studies rather than literature reviews, which do not conduct new experiments but rather assess and synthesize past research. Similarly, measuring participant behavior directly is also a hallmark of empirical studies rather than literature reviews, which do not collect original data. A focus on theoretical frameworks is important in literature reviews, but it is not their defining characteristic; literature reviews can encompass a variety of frameworks without being limited to a theoretical focus. Therefore, the core aspect of a literature review is its comprehensive analysis of previously published research.