exercise science literature review topics

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What is a literature review?

A literature review is a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of published information on a subject area. Conducting a literature review demands a careful examination of a body of literature that has been published that helps answer your research question (See PICO). Literature reviewed includes scholarly journals, scholarly books, authoritative databases, primary sources and grey literature .

A literature review attempts to answer the following:

• What is known about the subject?
• What is the chronology of knowledge about my subject?
• Are there any gaps in the literature?
• Is there a consensus/debate on issues?
• Create a clear research question/statement
• Define the scope of the review include limitations (i.e. gender, age, location, nationality...)
• Search existing literature including classic works on your topic and grey literature
• Evaluate results and the evidence (Avoid discounting information that contradicts your research)
• Track and organize references

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The PICO model can help you formulate a good clinical question. Sometimes it's referred to as PICO-T, containing an optional 5th factor. 

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The Top 10 Most Interesting Exercise Science Research Topics

The field of exercise science is rapidly growing as new technologies like computer visualization and biotracking deepen our understanding of human physiology. New technologies allow us to better prevent injuries, allowing athletes to push their limits beyond what we thought possible. Thanks to this, there is no shortage of exercise science research topics to write about.

In this article, we’ll show you 10 great examples of exercise science research topics. If you are pursuing a degree in this field, you’ll learn better ways of finding good exercise science research paper topics and how to develop stronger exercise science research questions for your projects.

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What makes a strong exercise science research topic.

Strong exercise science research topics are timely and relevant. Leading researchers and sports institutions should still be discussing them at the time you are writing your research paper. The Strength and Conditioning Journal is a great place to find some of the latest activity research topics including articles on different health benefits, health issues, preventive interventions, and rehabilitation after injury.

Your topic should be broad enough to find enough strong sources, but narrow enough to stand out. Controversial topics are acceptable if you have enough evidence to back up your research. If it’s your first paper, consider approaching a less complex topic. You can also ask your teacher for suggestions if you are struggling to find strong university-level topics. Remember to follow the guidelines for choosing a topic set by your institution.

Tips for Choosing an Exercise Science Research Topic

• Choose a topic that intrigues you. A personally interesting topic will motivate you during the research process. If you have a personal connection to what you are researching, you will have a much easier time writing about it.
• Narrow your topic. By picking a specific subject, you will have an easier time finding credible sources to support your research. By reducing the number of books and articles to read and only choosing literature that is immediately relevant to your topic idea, you also won’t have to spend as much effort before starting to write.
• Talk to your teacher or academic advisor. Your teachers are great resources you have at your disposal. They have experience choosing topics for college students and will most likely be able to help you pick a topic you’ll find engaging to research.
• Look through journals to find exciting topics. Review topics published in the journals like the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. These research journals publish the latest fitness research papers and can help you find a topic that interests you.
• Consider the research interests of your teacher. It’ll be convenient if your research topic matches their expertise, as they’ll be able to provide you with better feedback during your research process.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a specific area of study. Sprains in adult athletes or rehabilitation for brain injuries, for example, are research topics. A research question is a way to add new knowledge to that area of study. Examples of research questions would be “What is the role of nutrition in the recovery of sprains in athletes?” or “What is the effect of cardio exercises on adults with brain injuries?”

The goal of your research should be focused around answering the research question. Your answer will help you and others to understand the topic better. Research questions tend to be more specific than the research topics in exercise science.

How to Create Strong Exercise Science Research Questions

To create strong exercise science research questions, you should first become familiar with the topic the question concerns. The answer to your research question should be supported by previous studies done on the topic. Reading previously published studies will help you learn more while preventing you from doing any redundant research.

The scientific method helps exercise scientists better understand their field. Your question should start with how, why, when, or what questions. The scope of your question must be manageable in relation to how long you have to answer it.

Questions that require in-depth experiments may be beyond your reach if you only have a week. Before choosing the question that will lead your research, consider the time it will take you to answer it.

Top 10 Exercise Science Research Paper Topics

1. benefits of resistance training for reducing the negative consequences of aging.

Metabolic resistance training can counter the adverse effects of aging. According to a 2019 study by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, only nine percent of older adults in the United States practice any form of resistance or weight lifting exercises. Metabolic resistance training for elderly residents has become a recently popular topic, as it has been proven to increase muscle mass and muscle strength and relieve intervertebral joint pain.

2. Determining the Minimal Amount of Physical Exercise Required to Maintain Strength and Stamina

Long periods of physical inactivity harm physical fitness. Scientists want to know how much physical exercise can prevent the loss of muscle strength. The British Journal of Sports Medicine published an article that took an in-depth look into the negative effects of sedentary behavior . There are plenty of physiology research topics about improving daily life with an active lifestyle.

3. Effect of a Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet on Body Mass on Olympic Weightlifting Athletes

Exercise scientists have realized the impact of nutrition on endurance, body composition, and recovery. This has led to theories being tested of controversial ideas in nutrition and measuring their effects on muscle strength. 

For example, a study by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that ketogenic diets reduce mass without compromising performance . If you are interested in becoming a nutritionist , researching the role of nutrition in relation to physical activity could be beneficial for your future career.

4. The Effect of Exercise on the Gut Microbiome

The role of exercise on the gut microbiome is an exciting topic in exercise science. In 2019, researchers found some proof that regular exercise increased gut bacteria and contributed to the health of the gut microbiome, as mentioned in a study that was published in Exercises and Sport Science Reviews.

The gut microbiome produces a wide range of biomolecules, including neurotransmitters, that regulate mood and anxiety. Researchers believe that healthy gut bacteria can improve our mental fitness and health. Their research also leads them to believe that gut bacteria can improve the body’s ability to fight inflammatory illnesses and certain types of cancer.

5. Wearable Technology for Health Monitoring and Sport Performance

Smartwatches pack sensors that can track your movement patterns, heart rate, and oxygen levels. In recent years, these bio trackers have become increasingly affordable and easy to use. Researchers at the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan have used these sensors to track elderly patients and alert their caregivers in real-time.

In sports, kinesiologists use this technology to measure aerobic speed and the onset of fatigue. With a degree in kinesiology , you can work with elite athletes and improve their athletic performance using these technologies.

6. Optimizing Human Movement Potential for Elite Athletes

Exercise scientists study the biomechanics of human movement to improve the body’s longevity. Understanding the human body allows researchers to develop primary injury prevention methods.

Personal trainers help athletes achieve extraordinary performance without the risk of musculoskeletal injury. If you want to become a certified personal trainer , physiology research paper topics in relation to this topic may be of interest to you.

7. Equity in Sports

Exercise scientists are also concerned with the social aspects of sports. Many athletes live under adverse conditions and need to make extra efforts to match the achievements of others. Equity in sports is currently a very important exercise science topic. Researchers find solutions to increase access to professional sports by improving policies to prevent racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination.

If you want to become a sports agent or an athletic director, look for physiology research topics in relation to equity in sports. Becoming a sports manager takes a certain level of education in the professional fitness industry, such as a graduate degree in sports management .

8. Effect of Bike Commuting on Insulin Sensitivity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Adipose Tissue

Exercise scientists look for solutions to public health problems like diabetes and obesity. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that commuting by bike has a significant impact on insulin sensitivity , improving cardiovascular fitness, and reducing belly fat.

With cardiometabolic health such as cardiovascular disease, being an urgent topic in the United States, considering the prevalence of obesity, there is plenty of research on the subject, making it a great initial topic.

9. Reducing Lower Back Pain by Increasing Physical Activity

With athletes having a high sports injury risk, and many injuries causing severe back pain, pain management has become an important topic in exercise science. Exercise scientists research ways to reduce pain using principles in kinesiology and found that increasing physical activity can reduce lower back pain , according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

10. Applications of Kinesiology in the Treatment of Movement Dysfunctions

Exercise scientists have been studying the relationship between movement and neuroplasticity for a long time. Physical activity during rehabilitation for stroke patients or patients with brain injuries has proven to reduce movement dysfunctions. Understanding the effects of exercise on neural networks is an important research topic in the field of rehabilitation.

Other Examples of Exercise Science Research Topics & Questions

Exercise science research topics.

• Assessment of the use of virtual reality rehabilitating brain-injured or stroke patients
• The role of caffeine as a sports performance enhancer for optimal performance
• Current and future perspectives on the effects of nutrition on physical exercise performance
• Hormonal responses in older men to metabolic resistance training
• Comparison of occupational physical activity and leisure physical activity on cardiovascular fitness

Exercise Science Research Questions

• What are the benefits of physical activity for cognitive health?
• What is the impact of VR training on human body composition testing?
• What are the advantages of wearing an elevation training mask during physical exercise?
• What are the physiological causes of mental fatigue on endurance performance?
• How does physical exercise improves mental health and academic performance in university students?

Choosing the Right Exercise Science Research Topic

When choosing the right exercise science research topic, consider researching topics that you are already familiar with, as your existing knowledge may help you with your research. You could also ask your academic advisor, other staff in the department of exercise science, or even physical therapy professionals about current trends in exercise science and injury recovery.

Physical fitness and training performance are common themes in exercise science research. Recent articles published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine or the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research are a great place to start. Make sure you choose a manageable research topic. Your teacher can help you make sure your research topic is relevant before you begin.

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Exercise Science Research Topics FAQ

Exercise science is important because it tries to find solutions to problems concerning the optimal performance of athletes and the general health of the human population. Exercise science also helps develop new rehabilitation methods for injury recovery and pain management.

Yes, kinesiology is a STEM discipline that studies exercise and movement. Breakthroughs in kinesiology come from scientific research and the use of the scientific method. It is a wing of the department of exercise science of many universities.

The average salary of an exercise physiologist is $50,280 per year, which is above the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About half of all exercise physiologists are self-employed, while others work in hospitals, spas, and physical therapy offices.

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science, you can get a job as a physical therapist or a fitness instructor. With a graduate degree in exercise science, you can become a sports agent or an athletic director.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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Tutorial: Literature Review

What is a literature review.

A literature review is not an annotated bibliography in which you summarize briefly each article that you have reviewed. While a summary of what you have read is contained within the literature review, it goes well beyond merely summarizing professional literature. It focuses on a specific topic of interest to you and includes a critical analysis of the relationship among different works, and relating this research to your work. The review of the professional literature relevant to your research question will help to contextualize, or frame, your research. It will give readers the necessary background to understand your research.

Guidelines for writing a literature review:

• Provide an overview near the beginning of the review
• Near the beginning of a review, state explicitly what will and will not be covered
• Aim for a clear and cohesive essay that integrates the key details of the literature and communicates your point of view (a literature is not a series of annotated articles).
• Use subheadings
• Use transitions to help trace your argument
• Where appropriate, describe why the information within a paragraph or a section is important relative to your study. Help the reader to connect the information to the research study.
• Write a conclusion for the end of the review: Provide closure so that the path of the argument ends with a conclusion of some kind. The conclusion of a paper in which you will be presenting original research usually leads to the research question or questions that will be addressed.
• Check the flow of your argument for coherence.

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Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews   ( ESSR ) ,  a quarterly review publication. ESSR provides premier, peer-reviewed reviews of contemporary scientific, medical and research-based topics emerging in the field of sports medicine and exercise science. ESSR strives to provide the most relevant, topical information to students, professors, clinicians, scientists, and professionals for practical and research applications

Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews  consists of articles for readers with a broad interest in scientific issues related to exercise, movement, physical activity and/or sport.

Special Features: Check out the  current online Journal Club questions and covered article  for free!

Journal Impact Factor: 5.7 – 6th of 87 in Sports Sciences ISBN: 0091-6331 PubMed Abbreviation:  Exerc Sport Sci Rev . Common Misspellings: Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, Exercise and Sports Sciences Reviews

Interested in learning more about the journal?

• Visit the   journal site  to view the current and past issues and online-only features!
• Brief Review: Authors must present a novel hypothesis derived from several of their peer-reviewed publications. Based on our understanding that a hypothesis represents an expected outcome derived from a model of the involved system, these articles are required to provide a rationale for why a particular outcome can be predicted based on the existing literature on the identified issue. Within this framework, subsequent outcomes, whether or not they are consistent with the hypothesis, will inform us about the intrinsic characteristics of the system. If approved, the submitted manuscript should provide the rationale for the hypothesis and a schematic figure that illustrates the hypothesis is required.
• Perspectives for Progress: Senior investigators who are still active in research are invited to provide a synthesis of the current state in a particular field, identify gaps in knowledge, and suggest key questions that need to be addressed.

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• Questions? Contact the  journal editorial office .

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• Literature Review

A Literature Review is NOT

• A list or a summary or a review of sources
• An annotated bibliography
• A grouping of broad, unrelated sources
• A compilation of everything that has been written on your topic

A literature review 

• Focus on a  specific  topic and includes a  critical analysis  of the relationship among different works and how they relate to each other. 
• Is used to contextualize your research. It will [provide the necessary background to understand your research.

Defining Inclusion

Before you begin to search, you must decide what characteristics your sources should have. For example, if you are looking for physical exertion in people ages 30 to 45, you will exclude anyone not part of this age group.

Read your question, and then make a list of your criteria. Use the limiters in the database to make the selection of information.

The literature review has three sections: Introduction, body, and conclusion.

The aim is to write a clear and cohesive essay that integrates the essential details of the resources you selected for the literature review.

Introduction

• Provide an overview of the topic
• State your research question
• State  what will and will not be covered (your inclusion and exclusion criteria)
• Provide an overview of the organization  and sections included
• Use subheadings to define your sections. Use the exact words included in the introduction 
• Describe why the information  is significant relative to the research question
• Was your research question answered?
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Video Explanations of a Literature Review

What is a literature review, types of literature reviews, lewis university writing center.

Need help with a paper?  The Writing Center, located on the first floor of the library, has tutors who can help students organize, edit, and revise a paper, improve research skills, cite APA, MLA, and Chicago style, and more!

• Avoiding plagiarism by citing your sources "Citing provides support for your claims and adds credibility to you and your writing. It also gives multiple viewpoints on a particular subject, calls attention to your argument, and helps you become a stronger writer because it helps you to critically think about the information you are using. " - Lewis U. Writing Center
• Lewis University Writing Center Lewis University Writing Center offers useful writing resources to both students and faculty. Visit their website to get updates on writing center events, helpful articles, and writing tips.
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• Types of Writing Assignments The Writing Center provides handy tips on these common writing assignments at Lewis: * Annotated Bibliography * Writing Police Reports * Biology Lab Report * Writing a Rhetorical Analysis * Chemistry Lab Report * A Simplified Guide: Writing a Literary Analysis * Synthesis Essays * Literature Review * Writing a Reflection Paper * Analyzing a Poem * Writing an Argument

Basically, a literature review discusses the larger scholarly conversation about your topic. Think of it like this:

You walk into a party full of people you have not seen in a long time (maybe your high school reunion) ( this is your topic)

The party is already started and you have to figure out what is going on based on listening to the conversations around you. The people at the party are not going to stop their conversation and clue you in on what's happening, they will assume you already are familiar with the information ( this is the 'literature' ).

Now, you have been at the party for a while and have figured out what is going on in the various groups at the party ( reading the literature ).

Someone else has just arrived at the same party but they haven't seen the people for a while either - you know the person and decide to help them out by giving them the lowdown on the conversations at the party ( this is a literature review).

Expert descriptions are below

"A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. Occasionally you will be asked to write one as a separate assignment, ..., but more often it is part of the introduction to an essay, research report, or thesis. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries."

- Taylor, D. (n.d). The literature review: A few tips on conducting it. Retrieved from  http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/literature-review

What are the goals of creating a Literature Review?

• To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
• To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
• Identify a problem in a field of research 

- Baumeister, R.F. & Leary, M.R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews . Review of General Psychology , 1 (3), 311-320.

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

Systematic review - "The authors of a systematic review use a specific procedure to search the research literature, select the studies to include in their review, and critically evaluate the studies they find." (p. 139)

- Nelson, L.K. (2013). Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders . San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing.

Meta-analysis - "Meta-analysis is a method of reviewing resarch findings in a quantitative fashion by transforming the data from individual studies into what is called an effect size and then pooling and analyzing this information. The basic goal in meta-analysis is to explain why different outcomes have occured in different studies." (p. 197)

-Roberts, M.C. & Ilardi, S.S. (2003). Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.

Meta-synthesis - " Qualitative meta-synthesis is a type of qualitative study that uses as data the findings from other qualitative studies linked by the same or related topic." (p.312)

-Zimmer, L. (2006). Qualitative meta-synthesis: A question of dialoguing with texts . Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53 (3), 311-318. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03721.x

From University of Connecticut Library

Traditional or Narrative

•     Provides background for understanding current knowledge
•     Critiques, summarizes and draws conclusions from a body of knowledge
•     Identifies gaps or inconsistencies to be filled or corrected through further research and study
•     Helps to refine the topic and research question
•     Carries the flaw of becoming less useful as more information becomes available
•     Identifies, appraises and synthesizes available evidence in order to answer a specified research question
•     Applies a more rigorous approach that details the time frame of selected literature and method of critique and analysis
•     Uses explicit and well-defined methods in order to minimize bias and increase reliability
•     Includes as comprehensive an amount of studies as possible that includes both published and unpublished findings, such as "grey literature"

Meta-Analysis

•     Systematically locates, appraises and synthesizes data from a large body of findings using statistical analysis and techniques
•     Similar to a systematic review in that it integrates the findings of a large body of knowledge
•     Attempts to correct flaws of traditional or narrative reviews by allowing researchers to synthesize a greater amount of studies
•     Integrates and draws conclusions on research findings and seeks to detect broad patterns and relationships between studies

Meta-Synthesis

•     Attempts to bring together, juxtapose, re-analyze and combine findings from multiple qualitiative studies using non-statistical techniques
•     Seeks to discover or provide new interpretations, conceptions or theoretical developments
•     Combines multiple studies to identify common key themes and elements
•     May use findings from phenomenological, grounded theory or ethnographic studies
• Borenstein, M.H., Viggins, L.V. & Julian, P.T. (2009). Introduction to Meta-Analysis . Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley
• Cronin, P., Ryan, F. & Coughlan, M. (2008). Undertaking a literature review: A step-by-step approach . British Journal of Nursing, 17(1), 38-43.
• Glasziou, P. (2001). Systematic Reviews in Health Care : A Practical Guide . New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Mays, C., Popay, N. & Jennie (2007).  Synthesising Qualitative and Quantitative Health Research: A Guide to Methods . Great Britain: Open University Press.

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Writing a Literature Review?

View this full video in Sage Research Methods .

• SAGE Research Methods: Reviewing the Literature The literature review is an important part of every research project. This guide takes you through the literature review process, explaining the reasons for reviewing the literature and differentiation between the types of literature available.
• Literature Reviews: Raul Pacheco-Vega, PhD Collection of blog posts from Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega on writing literature reviews.
• Literature Reviews: UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Center The UNC Writing Center offers a general overview of what literature reviews are and how to organize them.

Finding Tests and Measures

• APA PsycTests APA PsycTests indexes a wide variety of test types and instruments including aptitude tests, personality scales and cognitive functioning measures. Research instruments are available as PDF downloads or multimedia files. Select measurements are available in more than 40 languages. Coverage spans more than 100 years, with a strong emphasis on current research instruments
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• Mental Measurements Yearbook Provides users with a comprehensive guide to over 3,000 contemporary testing instruments. The MMY series contains information essential for a complete evaluation of test products within such diverse areas as psychology, sociology, education, business, and leadership. Find more information .
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• Psychological Measurement and Testing Guide Explore this Randall Library Subject Guide to learn about finding tests, measures, questionnaires, and surveys for use in social sciences research.
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Sports and Exercise Science: Systematic Reviews

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What is a literature review?

A literature review sets the scene:

It should be critical, not just descriptive - being critical is particularly important for a systematic review. 

The Cochrane Library

The Cochrane Library is a collection of six databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform health-care decision making. It is the main resource for finding systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare interventions and also provides excellent examples of literature search methodology. It is worth remembering that Cochrane have teams of people who spend years on systematic reviews which is unrealistic in the real world. However the Cochrane Library will give you an idea of what they are like.

Access The Cochrane Library can be accessed via myUniHub > MyStudy > MyLibrary > Databases or at the link below.

Conducting a systematic review

Cochrane Systematic Reviews - Examples of literature searching methodology

• Aerobic exercise training programmes for improving physical and psychosocial health in adults with Down Syndrome (2010)
• Antioxidants for preventing and reducing muscle soreness after exercise (2017)
• Aquatic exercise for the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis (2016)
• Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise (2012)
• Conservative interventions for treating exercise-related musculotendinous, ligamentous and osseous groin pain (2013)
• Diet, physical activity or both for prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its associated complications in people at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (2017)
• Exercise-based interventions for conservatively or surgically treated anterior cruciate ligament injuries in adults (review protocol 2012)
• Exercise for acutely hospitalised older medical patients (2007)
• Exercise for depression (2013)
• Exercise for improving balance in older people (2011)
• Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip (2014)
• Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee (2015)
• Exercise for overweight or obesity (2006)
• Exercise for treating fibromyalgia syndrome (2007)
• Exercise for type 2 diabetes mellitus (2006)
• Exercise for vasomotor menopausal symptoms (2014)
• High-intensity versus low-intensity physical activity or exercise in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis (2015)
• Interventions for preventing hamstring injuries (2010)
• Interventions for preventing lower limb soft-tissue running injuries (2011)
• Interventions for promoting habitual exercise in people living with and beyond cancer (2013)
• Interventions for treating chronic ankle instability (2011)
• Interventions implemented through sporting organisations for increasing participation in sport (2008)
• Patellar taping for patellofemoral pain syndrome in adults (2012)
• Physical training for asthma (2013)
• Policy interventions implemented through sporting organisations for promoting healthy behaviour change (2008)
• Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults (2009)
• Rehabilitation for hamstring injuries (2012)
• Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise (2011)
• Surgical versus non-surgical treatment for acute anterior shoulder dislocation (2009)
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Sport & Exercise Science Guide: Literature Reviews

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Writing the Literature Review (Part 1)

Writing the Literature Review (Part 2)

Writing a literature review

Your Liaison Librarian will be able to provide support and advice when you are doing your literature review, so make an appointment with your librarian when you start your research.

• Liaison Librarians
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• The Literature Review Library Guide

Literature review books @ JCU Library

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" Literature reviews survey research on a particular area or topic in [a field of study]. Their main purpose is to knit together theories and results from multiple studies to give an overview of a field of research ."

Published literature reviews are called review articles, however, research articles contain brief literature reviews at the beginning to give context to the study within that article. A literature review's purpose is two-fold: to describe and compare studies in an area of research and to evaluate those studies. You will need both in a well-done literature review understanding that the ability to understand and compare the current research is necessary before you can evaluate it.

At the heart of any thorough literature review lies the engagement with diverse source materials. Beyond simply absorbing the content, meticulous and organized note-taking emerges as a critical skill, enabling the synthesis of key insights, the formulation of probing questions, the evaluation of each source's merit, and the ability to create correct citations to avoid plagiarism. Executed effectively, this note-taking practice becomes the cornerstone of a streamlined and efficient research process.

By mastering this note-taking technique, you can significantly streamline the research process, fostering a clear and well-organized framework for your literature review.

The Literature Review matrix is a great resource. You can download the PDF or use the Excel spreadsheet to capture all of the necessary information and organize your notes (and thinking).

[Literature Review Matrix created by: McLean, Lindsey. "Literature Review." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2015. https://www.projectcora.org/assignment/literature-review.]

• Literature Review Matrix Excel
• Literature Review Matrix PDF

Literature : a collection of materials on your topic.  (does not mean “literature” in the sense of “language and literature”  (To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, etc.)    —means understanding the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary literature  Primary—peer reviewed, scholarly, original, review articles—secondary

Review : to look again at what has been written. (does not mean giving your personal opinion or whether or not you liked the sources.) 

Research : to search again.  

The narrower the topic the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read.

 A Literature Review is a select list of available resources covering the topic in question accompanied by a short description AND a critical comparative evaluation/analysis of the works included  http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/litreviews/whatis.html  

• an integral part of the scientific process
• reveals whether or not a research question has been answered by someone else

Major points to consider

• Thematic -- defined by a guiding question or concept
• Descriptive
• Directly relevant
• Highly selective, narrowly focused
• May include all scholarly formats including government documents; book reviews; films; selected websites; scholarly open source journals
• Usually includes a thesis statement/narrowly focused research question, summary and/or synthesis of the ideas encountered. (synthesis=reorganization of information of what is known, what is yet to be discovered  

*Expect that your work will be traced by readers.

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Exercise and Sports Science: Literature Review

Searching & reviewing the literature.

• Literature Review
• Search Strategy
• Database search tips

A literature review is an evaluation of relevant literature on a topic and is usually the starting point for any undergraduate essay or postgraduate thesis. The focus for a literature review is on scholarly published materials such as books, journal articles and reports.

A search and review of relevant sources may be extensive and form part of a thesis or research project. Postgraduate researchers will normally focus on primary sources such as research studies in journals.

A literature review also provides evidence for an undergraduate assignment. Students new to a discipline may find that starting with an overview or review of relevant research in books and journals, the easiest way to begin researching a topic and obtaining the necessary background information.

Source materials can be categorised as:

Primary source : Original research from journals articles or conference papers, original materials such as historical documents, or creative works.

Secondary source : Evaluations, reviews or syntheses of original work. e.g. review articles in journals.

Tertiary source : Broadly scoped material put together usually from secondary sources to provide an overview, e.g. a book.

The Literature Review Structure : Like a standard academic essay, a literature review is made up of three key components: an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Most literature reviews can follow the following format: • Introduction: Introduce the topic/problem and the context within which it is found. • Body: Examine past research in the area highlighting methodological and/or theoretical developments, areas of agreement, contentious areas, important studies and so forth. Keep the focus on your area of interest and identify gaps in the research that your research/investigation will attempt to fill. State clearly how your work builds on or responds to earlier work. • Conclusion: Summarise what has emerged from the review of literature and reiterate conclusions.

This information has been adapted from the Edith Cowan University Literature review: Academic tip sheet .

Steps in searching and reviewing the literature:

• Define the topic and scope of the assignment. Ensure you understand the question and expectations of the assignment. It's useful to develop a plan and outline, headings, etc.  
• Check terminology. e.g. dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauruses  
• Identify keywords for searching (include English and American spelling and terminology)  
• Identify types of publications. e.g. books, journal articles, reports.  
• Search relevant databases (refer to the relevant subject guide for key databases and sources)  
• Select and evaluate relevant sources  
• Synthesise the information  
• Write the review following the structure outlined.  
• Save references used. e.g. from the databases save, email, print or download references to EndNote.  
• Reference sources (APA 7th) (see Referencing Library Guide )

When you are writing for an academic purpose such as an essay for an assignment, you need to find evidence to support your ideas. The library is a good place to begin your search for the evidence, as it acquires books and journals to support the disciplines within the University. The following outlines a list of steps to follow when starting to write an academic assignment:

Define your topic and scope of the search

• This will provide the search terms when gathering evidence from the literature to support your arguments.
• Sometimes it is a good idea to concept map key themes.

The scope will advise you:

• How much information is required, often identified by the number of words ie 500 or 3000 words
• What sort of writing you are to do eg essay, report, annotated bibliography
• How many marks are assigned. This may indicate the amount of time to allocate to the task.

Gather the information - Before writing about your topic, you will need to find evidence to support your ideas. 

Books provide a useful starting point for an introduction to the subject. Books also provide an in-depth coverage of a topic.

Journal Articles: For current research or information on a very specific topic, journal articles may be the most useful, as they are published on a regular basis. It is normally expected that you will use some journal articles in your assignment. When using journal articles, check whether they are from a magazine or scholalry publication. Scholarly publications are often peer reviewed, which means that the articles are reviewed by expert/s before being accepted for publication.

Reports : useful information can also be found in free web publications from government or research organizations (e.g. reports). Any web publications should be carefully evaluated. You are also required to view the whole publication, not just the abstract, if using the information in your assignment.

Remember to ensure that you note the citation details for references that you collect, at the time of locating the items. It is often time consuming and impossible to track the required data later.

Analyse the information collected

• Have I collected enough information on the topic?

Synthesise your information

Write the report or essay

• Check the ECU Academic tip sheet: the Academic Essay for some useful pointers
• Remember, in most cases you will need an introduction, body and conclusion
• Record details of references used for referencing. Information on referencing can be located on the ECU Referencing Guide.

Database search tips:

1. Identify main concepts and keywords . Search the main concepts first, then limit further as necessary.

2. Find Synonyms (Boolean  OR broadens the search to include alternative keywords or subject thesaurus terms):

• pediatrics  OR children
• teenagers  OR adolescents

3. AND (Boolean AND  joins concepts and narrows the                search):

• occupational therapy  AND children
• stress  AND (occupation OR job)

4. Be aware of differences in American and English spelling and terminology. Most databases use American spelling and terminology as preferred subject terms.

5. Use Truncation (putting * at the end of a word stem will search all forms of the word):

• disab * (disability, disabilities, disabled)
• child * (child, children, childhood, children's)

6. "...." (inverted commas) use for a phrase

• "mental health"
• "occupational therapy"

7. Wildcard ? will search for any single letter in the space. e.g. wom?n will search women, woman, organi?ation will search organisation, organization.

8. Wildcard * can also be used where alternate spelling may contain an extra character. e.g. p*ediatric, will search paediatric or pediatric, behavio*r, will search behaviour or behavior.

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Literature review

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Exercise Sports Science: 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.

Literature Review vs. Systematic Review

You might have heard the term 'Systematic Review'. A systematic review goes further than a literature review in that it aims to locate and evaluate all studies, published and unpublished, relevant to a specific research question. Systematic reviews use explicit, systematic methods to minimise bias and enable verification and replication. 

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. 

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EXER 377 -- Research Methods in Exercise Science

• Select a Topic & Develop your Research Design
• Find Review Articles
• Find Research Articles
• Evaluate Resources
• Cite Sources
• Annotated Bibliography

Tips for Writing a Literature Review

• Related LibGuides

Want help with your literature review?

For tips on organizing and writing your own review, visit:

• The Writing Center -- Literature Reviews Provides an introduction to what a literature review is and tips for writing and organizing a literature review (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
• Temple University Writing Center - Writing Literature Reviews This site provides users with suggested steps for writing literature reviews, as well as questions to ask yourself while reading sources and organizing your literature review.
• Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue Provides more than 200 resources about academic writing in general, covering topics such as developing a thesis statement and issues of style and language.
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Exercise Science

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Literature Reviews

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• What is a literature review?

Steps of a literature review

• Steps of a Literature Review
• Cooper's Taxonomy & Scope
• Questions to Ask Yourself

A literature review is a systematic examination of the existing research on a particular topic. It acknowledges the work of previous researchers and puts that work in the context of a particular research problem. It is often used to provide the framework for a particular topic. A good literature review will incorporate the following:

• analyze the research already done,
• identify strengths and weaknesses in that research,
• see the connections and discrepancies in the research, and
• identify gaps where further research is needed.

Additionally, writing a literature review demonstrates that you are familiar with the scholarly body of work in your area of interest. It is usually written in essay style and is often organized by themes or trends in the research.

When writing a literature review, your observations and analysis of the research you are describing are expected. If someone is reading your review, they don't want to have to go read all of the original articles. You should have fair summations of what each article you're describing concluded and be able to describe how that conclusion is or is not relevant/important.

Literature reviews should not be persuasive arguments. They don't pick sides, but discuss the points of views on all sides of a debate/issue.

It is not a list of resources, a bibliography, or an annotated bibliography. An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to resources that includes a brief descriptive or evaluative summary of that resource. It is generally arranged alphabetically.

Writing a literature review will take time. You have to collect and analyze multiple articles, books, etc. to ensure you are reviewing all the research relevant to your topic, so it best to start early. The process of writing a literature review usually involves the following steps:

• Defining your research question
• Planning your approach to your research & your review
• Searching the literature
• Analyzing the literature you’ve found
• Managing the results of your research
• Writing your review

Steps 4 and 5 are interchangeable.  You'll want to manage your citations and searches as you go so you don't have to repeat your work.

Before you begin writing your literature review, I recommend reading a few, particularly those in your topic field.

• Here is a link to Justus J. Randolph of Walden University's article A Guide to Writing the Dissertation Literature Review which you may find to have some useful information. He goes into Cooper's Taxonomy more as well.
• You may also find this guide by Helen Mongan-Rallis at Duluth UMN to have good advice.

Want to see an example of a literature review?

• Check out one of the ESU masters theses available at the library.
• Go to ProQuests Open Dissertation ( PQDT Open )  web site where you can read the full text of dissertations, including the literature review chapter
• For an example of a review article check out the Annual Review of Psychology which publishes review articles on specific topics in psychology.

The below chart, called Copper's Taxonomy, lists some questions you should ask yourself before beginning a Literature Review.

For example, the first row, "FOCUS," is asking what outcomes, methods, theories or practices your literature review is about. Are you tracking the outcomes of previous studies, the methods that have been used over time, or something else?

Using this chart can help you organize your thoughts both before and as you perform your research.

Source: “Organizing Knowledge Synthesis: A Taxonomy of Literature Reviews,” by H.M. Cooper, 1988, Knowledge in Society, 1, p. 109.

These are questions to consider when doing your research. They don't all need to be answered, but they will help you focus your research:

• Which of these characteristics seem to fit within your field?
• What would you like your Literature Review/thesis/dissertation to accomplish?
• Is your aim to influence theory within your field, or have specific application?
• Who is your audience?
• Does your field necessitate a particular perspective?
• How does your field typically organize its findings?
• What is known about the subject?
• Are there any gaps in the research of/on the subject?
• Have areas of further study been identified by other researchers that you may want to consider?
• Who are the significant research individuals 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?
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• Next: Annotated Bibliography >>
• Last Updated: Oct 17, 2023 12:01 PM
• URL: https://esu.libguides.com/exsc

Exercise Science Research Guide

• Brainstorming for a topic....
• Your Research Question
• Find Research (Databases)
• Physical Therapy Journals
• Sports Medicine Journals
• Exercise Science Journals
• Accessing Articles on the Web with LibKey
• Using the "Find It" Button for Articles
• Linking to Google Scholar
• Interlibrary Loan
• EndNote x9 This link opens in a new window
• EndNote Web/Online This link opens in a new window
• Importing Citations
• Create Annotated Bibliography with Endnote basic/web/online
• Literature Review Example / APA Examples & Tools

Step #2 Articulate your topic clearly

Articulate your research topic as a question

• State your research question as specifically and clearly as possible.
• Try to express all aspects of your questions
• You may need some background research on your topic to be fully informed about your topic and question. Seek out a non-research journal on your topic. A book chapter or clinical database such as UpToDate.

Example Question

Does stretching before exercise prevent injuries?

Consider synonyms to add to the words used in the question.

• Successful searching is all about language. You need to match the words you use in your search with the words used by the article authors and database indexers.
• Do you need to include alternate endings for your search words (stretch, stretches, stretching)?
• Do you need to include words that have similar meanings (exercise, sports).
• Some databases have tools like a Thesaurus or Subject Headings that can help you find similar words to use in your search.
• Once you start searching you may find more words in titles and abstracts and subject headings to try in your search.
• P  = people who exercise;  plurals? physical activity ? sports? athelete?
• I  = stretching before exercise;  stretch?
• C  = no stretching
• O  = injury prevention;  injuries? sprain? strain? prevent? preventing?

Identify Question Parts

​ Identify Questions Part

Analyze the parts of your question. What different aspects does it have?

Clinical and social science questions often have these aspects:

• P eople/population/problem
• I ntervention
• C omparisons

If the PICO model does not seem to fit your question, still try to identify the distinct parts of your question, perhaps the Who, What, Why.

• P eople/population/problem = people who exercise
• I ntervention = stretching before exercise
• C omparisons = no stretching
• O utcomes = injury prevention
• << Previous: Brainstorming for a topic....
• Next: Brainstorming for a topic.... >>
• Last Updated: Jan 31, 2024 9:03 AM
• URL: https://libguides.marian.edu/c.php?g=719967

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The yale review wins national magazine award for general excellence.

The Yale Review (TYR), a renowned cultural and literary journal that for more than two centuries has published works by some of the great writers, scholars, and poets of their time, has won a 2024 National Magazine Award for general excellence in the category of Literature, Science and Politics.

The awards, which are regarded as among the most prestigious in journalism and magazine publishing, are sponsored by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) in association with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The latest recipients — including The Atlantic, New York, and Business Insider — were announced during an awards ceremony in New York on April 2.

It is the first time The Yale Review has won a National Magazine Award.

Meghan O’Rourke, who became editor of The Yale Review in 2019, described the award as a “thrilling” validation of her team’s ongoing work to reimagine the magazine as a journal of ideas for the digital age.

“ I came to Yale with the idea of renovating and reinvigorating what had long been a prestigious journal but needed a 21st century update,” she said. “At the time I made a five-year plan, and I will tell you that the last item in that plan was that I hoped to receive a nomination for General Excellence at the National Magazine Awards.

“ So when we got the nomination I was thrilled,” she said. “But last night really was the icing on the cake. Because to win the award is beyond an honor!”

Each year ASME presents National Magazine Awards in 17 categories. The Literature, Science and Politics category recognizes publications with print circulations under 250,000 or average monthly unique visitors of less than 1 million, as well as magazines and websites covering media and the arts. Other finalists were The American Scholar, Mother Jones, Oxford American, and Rest of World.

In announcing the award recipients, Sidney Holt, the executive director of ASME, recognized the outstanding contributions of the publications. “Not only is each an outstanding example of magazine storytelling — and in the case of the General Excellence winners, there are dozens of examples — but each also demonstrates the continuing vitality of print and digital media,” he said.

The Yale Review, which was founded in 1819 as The Christian Spectator (and later became The New Englander, before taking its current name in 1911),  has long distinguished itself as a journal of literature and ideas. And over more than two centuries, the magazine has published some of the most notable writers and poets of each era, from Virginia Woolf and Thomas Mann to Louise Glück and Cathy Park Hong.

When O’Rourke took over as editor in 2019, she expressed a desire to make the newest incarnation of the magazine “feel necessary and relevant to all readers, including those who may not have known about it previously.”

Key to that has been the creation of a new website , introduced in 2021, which has offered new layers to the reader experience while capturing the literary quality of the print edition. Also critical, O’Rourke said, the TYR team has helped create an editorial identity that reflects that a magazine “is more than a collection of pieces.”

O’Rourke also lauded the creativity and dedication of the magazine’s staff and contributors, including numerous Yale students who are deeply involved in all phases of editorial process, and the support of university leaders.

“ They really understood what I'm trying to accomplish and supported that,” she said. “Given that our mission of public-facing writing dovetails with Yale's mission of teaching and research, working at The Review can also be a wonderful way for students to get hands-on experience.”

The award recognizes “the invention of a new kind of magazine that is a great deal more than a magazine as we usually think of it,” said Langdon Hammer, the Niel Gray, Jr. Professor of English in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. There is, he said, the “venerable print quarterly, re-energized by new voices,” and the online magazine that has the “literary distinction and intellectual excitement of the quarterly but coming out at a faster pace — and without a paywall.” And there is the community of editors and readers, and of writers inside and outside of the university, that has helped make it “an ongoing public collaboration.”

“ Meanwhile, TYR has become part of the Yale graduate and undergraduate curriculum, opening up some new paths in humanities and arts education,” Hammer said.

Added O'Rourke: “What distinguishes us is that we publish work that is deeply connected to some of the most important issues of our time, but because we are a quarterly imprint with regular pieces on web, we are freed from the need to publish the hot take.

“ We prize what we call ‘slow thinking’ in the office,” she said. “Our identity involves thinking deeply about what matters to all of us today — climate, politics, literature, poetry — and to publish pieces that we think add value to the larger discourse and don’t merely repeat what is already out there, or race to have the fastest and most controversial (or commonly accepted) take.”

• The Yale Review gives readers a digital space to read and contemplate
• For Yale Review, 200 years in print — and one new editor

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