Review Types

Timeframe: depends on the size and scope of the review

Question: unlike other reviews, a literature review is framed around a topic rather than a specific question. Researchers should identify the focus and scope of the review they intended to write

Research protocol: not required although the researcher may benefit from creating one to help stay focused and organized

Search: may or may not include comprehensive searching

Appraisal: may or may not include quality assessment

Synthesis: typically narrative

Analysis: there are number of different ways that the reviewer can formulate their analysis of the available literature. The analysis may be chronological, conceptual, thematic, etc.

There is a lot confusion that surrounds the concept of a literature review. And for good reason. There isn't necessarily one way to write a literature review. In fact, there are at least four different options:

• General literature review: a review of the most important and critical aspects of the current knowledge of the topic. The type of literature review can either be a standalone paper or component of a larger study, thesis, or dissertation.
• Theoretical literature review: examines the how theory shapes or frames research
• Methodological literature review: describes methods and design. These types of reviews outline the strengths and weakness of the methods uses and provide recommendations for future use.
• Historical literature review: examines research throughout a period of time, often beginning at the starting point of an issue, concept, or theory. The goal of these reviews is to frame research in a historical context to show familiarity with contemporary development and to suggest direction of future research.

Regardless of type, a literature review should still strive to be a comprehensive, critical, and objective analysis of the existing and current knowledge on a given topic. 

Adapted from Charles Sturt University Library: Literature Review: Traditional or Narrative Literature Reviews.