sample research article review

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Critical Reviews

How to Write an Article Review

Last Updated: September 8, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,086,442 times.

An article review is both a summary and an evaluation of another writer's article. Teachers often assign article reviews to introduce students to the work of experts in the field. Experts also are often asked to review the work of other professionals. Understanding the main points and arguments of the article is essential for an accurate summation. Logical evaluation of the article's main theme, supporting arguments, and implications for further research is an important element of a review . Here are a few guidelines for writing an article review.

Education specialist Alexander Peterman recommends: "In the case of a review, your objective should be to reflect on the effectiveness of what has already been written, rather than writing to inform your audience about a subject."

Things You Should Know

• Read the article very closely, and then take time to reflect on your evaluation. Consider whether the article effectively achieves what it set out to.
• Write out a full article review by completing your intro, summary, evaluation, and conclusion. Don't forget to add a title, too!
• Proofread your review for mistakes (like grammar and usage), while also cutting down on needless information. [1] X Research source

Preparing to Write Your Review

• Article reviews present more than just an opinion. You will engage with the text to create a response to the scholarly writer's ideas. You will respond to and use ideas, theories, and research from your studies. Your critique of the article will be based on proof and your own thoughtful reasoning.
• An article review only responds to the author's research. It typically does not provide any new research. However, if you are correcting misleading or otherwise incorrect points, some new data may be presented.
• An article review both summarizes and evaluates the article.

• Summarize the article. Focus on the important points, claims, and information.
• Discuss the positive aspects of the article. Think about what the author does well, good points she makes, and insightful observations.
• Identify contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies in the text. Determine if there is enough data or research included to support the author's claims. Find any unanswered questions left in the article.

• Make note of words or issues you don't understand and questions you have.
• Look up terms or concepts you are unfamiliar with, so you can fully understand the article. Read about concepts in-depth to make sure you understand their full context.

• Pay careful attention to the meaning of the article. Make sure you fully understand the article. The only way to write a good article review is to understand the article.

• With either method, make an outline of the main points made in the article and the supporting research or arguments. It is strictly a restatement of the main points of the article and does not include your opinions.
• After putting the article in your own words, decide which parts of the article you want to discuss in your review. You can focus on the theoretical approach, the content, the presentation or interpretation of evidence, or the style. You will always discuss the main issues of the article, but you can sometimes also focus on certain aspects. This comes in handy if you want to focus the review towards the content of a course.
• Review the summary outline to eliminate unnecessary items. Erase or cross out the less important arguments or supplemental information. Your revised summary can serve as the basis for the summary you provide at the beginning of your review.

• What does the article set out to do?
• What is the theoretical framework or assumptions?
• Are the central concepts clearly defined?
• How adequate is the evidence?
• How does the article fit into the literature and field?
• Does it advance the knowledge of the subject?
• How clear is the author's writing? Don't: include superficial opinions or your personal reaction. Do: pay attention to your biases, so you can overcome them.

Writing the Article Review

• For example, in MLA , a citation may look like: Duvall, John N. "The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo's White Noise ." Arizona Quarterly 50.3 (1994): 127-53. Print. [10] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• For example: The article, "Condom use will increase the spread of AIDS," was written by Anthony Zimmerman, a Catholic priest.

• Your introduction should only be 10-25% of your review.
• End the introduction with your thesis. Your thesis should address the above issues. For example: Although the author has some good points, his article is biased and contains some misinterpretation of data from others’ analysis of the effectiveness of the condom.

• Use direct quotes from the author sparingly.
• Review the summary you have written. Read over your summary many times to ensure that your words are an accurate description of the author's article.

• Support your critique with evidence from the article or other texts.
• The summary portion is very important for your critique. You must make the author's argument clear in the summary section for your evaluation to make sense.
• Remember, this is not where you say if you liked the article or not. You are assessing the significance and relevance of the article.
• Use a topic sentence and supportive arguments for each opinion. For example, you might address a particular strength in the first sentence of the opinion section, followed by several sentences elaborating on the significance of the point.

• This should only be about 10% of your overall essay.
• For example: This critical review has evaluated the article "Condom use will increase the spread of AIDS" by Anthony Zimmerman. The arguments in the article show the presence of bias, prejudice, argumentative writing without supporting details, and misinformation. These points weaken the author’s arguments and reduce his credibility.

• Make sure you have identified and discussed the 3-4 key issues in the article.

Sample Article Reviews

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/grammarpunct/proofreading/
• ↑ https://libguides.cmich.edu/writinghelp/articlereview
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4548566/
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.
• ↑ https://guides.library.queensu.ca/introduction-research/writing/critical
• ↑ https://www.iup.edu/writingcenter/writing-resources/organization-and-structure/creating-an-outline.html
• ↑ https://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_periodicals.html
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4548565/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/593/2014/06/How_to_Summarize_a_Research_Article1.pdf
• ↑ https://www.uis.edu/learning-hub/writing-resources/handouts/learning-hub/how-to-review-a-journal-article
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

If you have to write an article review, read through the original article closely, taking notes and highlighting important sections as you read. Next, rewrite the article in your own words, either in a long paragraph or as an outline. Open your article review by citing the article, then write an introduction which states the article’s thesis. Next, summarize the article, followed by your opinion about whether the article was clear, thorough, and useful. Finish with a paragraph that summarizes the main points of the article and your opinions. To learn more about what to include in your personal critique of the article, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Prince Asiedu-Gyan

Apr 22, 2022

Did this article help you?

Sammy James

Sep 12, 2017

Juabin Matey

Aug 30, 2017

Oct 25, 2023

Vanita Meghrajani

Jul 21, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

• Human Editing
• Free AI Essay Writer
• AI Outline Generator
• AI Paragraph Generator
• Paragraph Expander
• Essay Expander
• Literature Review Generator
• Research Paper Generator
• Thesis Generator
• Paraphrasing tool
• AI Rewording Tool
• AI Sentence Rewriter
• AI Rephraser
• AI Paragraph Rewriter
• Summarizing Tool
• AI Content Shortener
• Plagiarism Checker
• AI Detector
• AI Essay Checker
• Citation Generator
• Reference Finder
• Book Citation Generator
• Legal Citation Generator
• Journal Citation Generator
• Reference Citation Generator
• Scientific Citation Generator
• Source Citation Generator
• Website Citation Generator
• URL Citation Generator
• Proofreading Service
• Editing Service
• AI Writing Guides
• AI Detection Guides
• Citation Guides
• Grammar Guides
• Paraphrasing Guides
• Plagiarism Guides
• Summary Writing Guides
• STEM Guides
• Humanities Guides
• Language Learning Guides
• Coding Guides
• Top Lists and Recommendations
• AI Detectors
• AI Writing Services
• Coding Homework Help
• Citation Generators
• Editing Websites
• Essay Writing Websites
• Language Learning Websites
• Math Solvers
• Paraphrasers
• Plagiarism Checkers
• Reference Finders
• Spell Checkers
• Summarizers
• Tutoring Websites

Article Review Examples and Samples

Reviewing an article is not as easy as it sounds: it requires a critical mind and doing some extra research. Check out our article review samples to gain a better understanding of how to review articles yourself.

How to Write an Article Review: A Comprehensive Guide

Writing an article review can be a complex task. It requires a careful summary of the writer’s article, a thorough evaluation of its key arguments, and a clear understanding of the subject area or discipline. This guide provides guidelines and tips for preparing and writing an effective article review.

Understanding an Article Review

An article review is a critique or assessment of another’s work, typically written by experts in the field. It involves summarizing the writer’s piece, evaluating its main points, and providing an analysis of the content. A review article isn’t just a simple summary; it’s a critical assessment that reflects your understanding and interpretation of the writer’s work.

Preparing for an Article Review

Before you start writing, you need to spend time preparing. This involves getting familiar with the author’s work, conducting research, and identifying the main points or central ideas in the text. It’s crucial to understand the subject area or discipline the writer’s article falls under to provide a comprehensive review.

Writing the Summary

The first part of your article review should provide a summary of the writer’s article. This isn’t a simple recounting of the article; it’s an overview or summation that highlights the key arguments and central ideas. It should give the reader a clear understanding of the writer’s main points and the overall structure of the article.

Evaluating the Article

The evaluation or assessment is the heart of your article review. Here, you analyze the writer’s piece, critique their main points, and assess the validity of their arguments. This evaluation should be based on your research and your understanding of the subject area. It’s important to be critical, but fair in your assessment.

Consulting Experts

Consulting experts or professionals in the field can be a valuable part of writing an article review. They can provide insights, add depth to your critique, and validate your evaluation. Remember, an article review is not just about your opinion, but also about how the writer’s piece is perceived by experts in the field.

Writing the Review

Now that you have your summary and evaluation, it’s time to start writing your review. Begin with an introduction that provides a brief overview of the writer’s article and your intended critique. The body of your review should contain your detailed summary and evaluation. Finally, conclude your review by summarizing your critique and providing your final thoughts on the writer’s piece.

Following Guidelines

While writing your article review, it’s important to adhere to the guidelines provided by your instructor or the journal you’re writing for. These recommendations often include specific formatting and structure requirements, as well as suggestions on the tone and style of your review.

Revisiting the Writer’s Article

As you work on your article review, don’t forget to revisit the writer’s article from time to time. This allows you to maintain a fresh perspective on the writer’s piece and ensures that your evaluation is accurate and comprehensive. The ability to relate to the author’s work is crucial in writing an effective critique.

Highlighting the Main Points

The main points or key arguments of the writer’s article should be at the forefront of your review. These central ideas form the crux of the author’s work and are, therefore, essential to your summary and evaluation. Be sure to clearly identify these points and discuss their significance and impact in the context of the field.

Engaging with the Field

An article review isn’t just about the writer’s article – it’s also about the broader subject area or discipline. Engage with the field by discussing relevant research, theories, and debates. This not only adds depth to your review but also positions the writer’s piece within a larger academic conversation.

Incorporating Expert Opinions

Incorporating the opinions of experts or authorities in the field strengthens your review. Experts can provide valuable insights, challenge your assumptions, and help you see the writer’s article from different perspectives. They can also validate your evaluation and lend credibility to your review.

The Role of Research in Your Review

Research plays a vital role in crafting an article review. It informs your understanding of the writer’s article, the main points, and the field. It also provides the necessary context for your evaluation. Be sure to conduct thorough research and incorporate relevant studies and investigations into your review.

Finalizing Your Review

Before submitting your review, take some time to revise and refine your writing. Check for clarity, coherence, and conciseness. Ensure your summary accurately represents the writer’s article and that your evaluation is thorough and fair. Adhere to the guidelines and recommendations provided by your instructor or the journal. If you need to add citations and reference page – don’t forget to include those. You can refer to one of our tools like acm reference generator to help you do everything correctly

In summary, writing an article review is a meticulous process that requires a detailed summary of the writer’s piece, a comprehensive evaluation of its main points, and a deep engagement with the field. By preparing adequately, consulting experts, and conducting thorough research, you can write a critique that is insightful, informed, and impactful.

Psychotherapy and Collaborative Goals Essay Sample, Example

Improving Mental Health Through Collaborative Psychotherapy Initiating psychotherapy is a crucial step towards achieving mental health and wellbeing. It is a process that involves the…

Early Assessment for Depression in Teenagers Essay Sample, Example

Handling Early Teenage Depression Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in teenagers. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately…

Discussion: Pharmaceuticals and Behavioral Health Essay Sample, Example

The Correlation Between Pharmaceuticals and Behavioral Health Pharmaceuticals and behavioral health are two interconnected fields that have a significant impact on the overall health and…

Human Experience Across the Health-Illness Continuum Essay Sample, Example

The Changing Human Experience in Health and Illness Human experience is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses a wide range of emotions, thoughts, behaviors,…

Total Quality Management Essay Sample, Example

Total Quality Management as a Systematic Approach Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and employee involvement.…

The Lack of Patient Access in a Healthcare Organization Essay Sample, Example

Lack of Patient Access and Its Consequences The lack of patient access in a healthcare organization is a major concern for patients, healthcare providers, and…

Global Business Economics and Finance Essay Sample, Example

The Significance of Global Business Economics and Finance in the Context of International Economics In today’s world, the concept of global business economics and finance…

Innovation Management and Creativity Essay Sample, Example

Integrating Innovations into Business Management Practices Innovation management and creativity are two concepts that are closely related and have a significant impact on the success…

Background Checks Essay Sample, Example

Performing Background Checks Before Hiring a New Employee In today’s competitive and fast-paced business world, employers are vigilant about hiring the right people. One of…

Evaluating Performance Essay Sample, Example

Performance Evaluation as a Way to Uphold Business Practices to a High Standard Evaluation of performance in management is an essential aspect of organizational success.…

How the city of London shaped Shakespeare Essay Sample, Example

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare is one of the most celebrated and influential playwrights in history, and his works have endured through the ages. Shakespeare spent…

George Washington as Military Leader and President – views and attitudes Essay Sample, Example

George Washington George Washington was a man of many talents, but his greatest achievements were as a military leader and as the first President of…

Factors Affecting Stock Prices Essay Sample, Example

The Impact of Various Factors on Stock Market Valuations Stock prices are influenced by a wide range of factors that can impact the performance of…

Importance of Corporate Budget Essay Sample, Example

The Correlation Between Corporate Budgeting and Business Success  Corporate budgeting is the process of creating a financial plan that outlines the expected expenditures and revenues…

COVID-19 and The Challenging Context of International Business, Trade, and Investment Essay Sample, Example

The Influence of COVID-19 on International Business, Trade, and Investment COVID-19 has presented a challenging context for international business, trade, and investment. The pandemic has…

Family Therapy and Group Work Practice in Social Work Essay Sample, Example

Family Therapy and Group Work Practice Family therapy and group work practice are two approaches to psychotherapy that focus on the interpersonal relationships between individuals.…

Group Leadership Skill: Interpersonal Process in Group Counseling and Therapy Essay Sample, Example

Group Leadership Skill As an a Valuable Part of Group Counseling and Therapy Interpersonal process is an essential group leadership skill in group counseling and…

Working with the Military and Veterans Essay Sample, Example

Social Work with the Military, Veterans and Their Families Working with the military and veterans can be a challenging and rewarding experience for social workers.…

Memory, Knowledge, and Language and Their Importance in Social Work Essay Sample, Example

Social Work and Memory, Knowledge, and Language Memory, knowledge, and language are important components in social work. Social work is a field that involves working…

Are Dress Codes a Good Idea for Schools? Essay Sample, Example

School Dress Codes Dress codes have been a topic of discussion in schools for many years. Some people believe that dress codes are a good…

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

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.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

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.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

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.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

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.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

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
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

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 .  

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, what is a theoretical framework | guide to organizing, what is a research methodology | steps & tips, how to write a research proposal | examples & templates, what is your plagiarism score.

The Tech Edvocate

• Advertisement
• Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
• Home Page Four
• Home Page Three
• Home Page Two
• Icons [No Sidebar]
• Left Sidbear Page
• Lynch Educational Consulting
• My Speaking Page
• Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
• Newsletter Unsubscription
• Page Example
• Privacy Policy
• Protected Content
• Request a Product Review
• Shortcodes Examples
• Terms and Conditions
• The Edvocate
• The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
• Write For Us
• Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
• The Edvocate Podcast
• Assistive Technology
• Child Development Tech
• Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
• EdTech Futures
• EdTech News
• EdTech Policy & Reform
• EdTech Startups & Businesses
• Higher Education EdTech
• Online Learning & eLearning
• Parent & Family Tech
• Personalized Learning
• Product Reviews
• Tech Edvocate Awards
• School Ratings

How to Survive Secret Romances: 10 Steps

3 ways to fight fatigue from depression, 3 simple ways to ignore someone you love, 11 ways to make friends on the first day of school, 4 ways to calm hyperactive children, 5 ways to calculate credit card interest, how to remove crown molding: 12 steps, 5 ways to get even skin tone naturally, how to buy a guitar: 15 steps, 11 easy ways to build intimacy with a man, how to write an article review (with sample reviews)  .

An article review is a critical evaluation of a scholarly or scientific piece, which aims to summarize its main ideas, assess its contributions, and provide constructive feedback. A well-written review not only benefits the author of the article under scrutiny but also serves as a valuable resource for fellow researchers and scholars. Follow these steps to create an effective and informative article review:

1. Understand the purpose: Before diving into the article, it is important to understand the intent of writing a review. This helps in focusing your thoughts, directing your analysis, and ensuring your review adds value to the academic community.

2. Read the article thoroughly: Carefully read the article multiple times to get a complete understanding of its content, arguments, and conclusions. As you read, take notes on key points, supporting evidence, and any areas that require further exploration or clarification.

3. Summarize the main ideas: In your review’s introduction, briefly outline the primary themes and arguments presented by the author(s). Keep it concise but sufficiently informative so that readers can quickly grasp the essence of the article.

4. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses: In subsequent paragraphs, assess the strengths and limitations of the article based on factors such as methodology, quality of evidence presented, coherence of arguments, and alignment with existing literature in the field. Be fair and objective while providing your critique.

5. Discuss any implications: Deliberate on how this particular piece contributes to or challenges existing knowledge in its discipline. You may also discuss potential improvements for future research or explore real-world applications stemming from this study.

6. Provide recommendations: Finally, offer suggestions for both the author(s) and readers regarding how they can further build on this work or apply its findings in practice.

7. Proofread and revise: Once your initial draft is complete, go through it carefully for clarity, accuracy, and coherence. Revise as necessary, ensuring your review is both informative and engaging for readers.

Sample Review:

A Critical Review of “The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health”

Introduction:

“The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health” is a timely article which investigates the relationship between social media usage and psychological well-being. The authors present compelling evidence to support their argument that excessive use of social media can result in decreased self-esteem, increased anxiety, and a negative impact on interpersonal relationships.

Strengths and weaknesses:

One of the strengths of this article lies in its well-structured methodology utilizing a variety of sources, including quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. This approach provides a comprehensive view of the topic, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the effects of social media on mental health. However, it would have been beneficial if the authors included a larger sample size to increase the reliability of their conclusions. Additionally, exploring how different platforms may influence mental health differently could have added depth to the analysis.

Implications:

The findings in this article contribute significantly to ongoing debates surrounding the psychological implications of social media use. It highlights the potential dangers that excessive engagement with online platforms may pose to one’s mental well-being and encourages further research into interventions that could mitigate these risks. The study also offers an opportunity for educators and policy-makers to take note and develop strategies to foster healthier online behavior.

Recommendations:

Future researchers should consider investigating how specific social media platforms impact mental health outcomes, as this could lead to more targeted interventions. For practitioners, implementing educational programs aimed at promoting healthy online habits may be beneficial in mitigating the potential negative consequences associated with excessive social media use.

Conclusion:

Overall, “The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health” is an important and informative piece that raises awareness about a pressing issue in today’s digital age. Given its minor limitations, it provides valuable

3 Ways to Make a Mini Greenhouse ...

3 ways to teach yourself to play ....

Matthew Lynch

Related articles more from author.

4 Ways to Write a Formal Email

How to Tell if You Talk Too Much

How to Play FIFA on the Wii

9 Ways to Teach a One Year Old Baby

3 Ways to Apply Basic Stage Makeup (for Women)

4 Ways to Relieve Leg Muscle Pain

Get Started

Take the first step and invest in your future.

Online Programs

Offering flexibility & convenience in 51 online degrees & programs.

Prairie Stars

Featuring 15 intercollegiate NCAA Div II athletic teams.

Find your Fit

UIS has over 85 student and 10 greek life organizations, and many volunteer opportunities.

Arts & Culture

Celebrating the arts to create rich cultural experiences on campus.

Give Like a Star

Your generosity helps fuel fundraising for scholarships, programs and new initiatives.

Bragging Rights

UIS was listed No. 1 in Illinois and No. 3 in the Midwest in 2023 rankings.

• Quick links Applicants & Students Important Apps & Links Alumni Faculty and Staff Community Admissions How to Apply Cost & Aid Tuition Calculator Registrar Orientation Visit Campus Academics Register for Class Programs of Study Online Degrees & Programs Graduate Education International Student Services Study Away Student Support Bookstore UIS Life Dining Diversity & Inclusion Get Involved Health & Wellness COVID-19 United in Safety Residence Life Student Life Programs UIS Connection Important Apps UIS Mobile App Advise U Canvas myUIS i-card Balance Pay My Bill - UIS Bursar Self-Service Email Resources Bookstore Box Information Technology Services Library Orbit Policies Webtools Get Connected Area Information Calendar Campus Recreation Departments & Programs (A-Z) Parking UIS Newsroom Connect & Get Involved Update your Info Alumni Events Alumni Networks & Groups Volunteer Opportunities Alumni Board News & Publications Featured Alumni Alumni News UIS Alumni Magazine Resources Order your Transcripts Give Back Alumni Programs Career Development Services & Support Accessibility Services Campus Services Campus Police Facilities & Services Registrar Faculty & Staff Resources Website Project Request Web Services Training & Tools Academic Impressions Career Connect CSA Reporting Cybersecurity Training Faculty Research FERPA Training Website Login Campus Resources Newsroom Campus Calendar Campus Maps i-Card Human Resources Public Relations Webtools Arts & Events UIS Performing Arts Center Visual Arts Gallery Event Calendar Sangamon Experience Center for Lincoln Studies ECCE Speaker Series Community Engagement Center for State Policy and Leadership Illinois Innocence Project Innovate Springfield Central IL Nonprofit Resource Center NPR Illinois Community Resources Child Protection Training Academy Office of Electronic Media University Archives/IRAD Institute for Illinois Public Finance

Request Info

How to Review a Journal Article

• Request Info Request info for....     Undergraduate/Graduate     Online     Study Away     Continuing & Professional Education     International Student Services     General Inquiries

For many kinds of assignments, like a  literature review , you may be asked to offer a critique or review of a journal article. This is an opportunity for you as a scholar to offer your  qualified opinion  and  evaluation  of how another scholar has composed their article, argument, and research. That means you will be expected to go beyond a simple  summary  of the article and evaluate it on a deeper level. As a college student, this might sound intimidating. However, as you engage with the research process, you are becoming immersed in a particular topic, and your insights about the way that topic is presented are valuable and can contribute to the overall conversation surrounding your topic.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!

Some disciplines, like Criminal Justice, may only want you to summarize the article without including your opinion or evaluation. If your assignment is to summarize the article only, please see our literature review handout.

Before getting started on the critique, it is important to review the article thoroughly and critically. To do this, we recommend take notes,  annotating , and reading the article several times before critiquing. As you read, be sure to note important items like the thesis, purpose, research questions, hypotheses, methods, evidence, key findings, major conclusions, tone, and publication information. Depending on your writing context, some of these items may not be applicable.

Questions to Consider

To evaluate a source, consider some of the following questions. They are broken down into different categories, but answering these questions will help you consider what areas to examine. With each category, we recommend identifying the strengths and weaknesses in each since that is a critical part of evaluation.

Evaluating Purpose and Argument

• How well is the purpose made clear in the introduction through background/context and thesis?
• How well does the abstract represent and summarize the article’s major points and argument?
• How well does the objective of the experiment or of the observation fill a need for the field?
• How well is the argument/purpose articulated and discussed throughout the body of the text?
• How well does the discussion maintain cohesion?

Evaluating the Presentation/Organization of Information

• How appropriate and clear is the title of the article?
• Where could the author have benefited from expanding, condensing, or omitting ideas?
• How clear are the author’s statements? Challenge ambiguous statements.
• What underlying assumptions does the author have, and how does this affect the credibility or clarity of their article?
• How objective is the author in his or her discussion of the topic?
• How well does the organization fit the article’s purpose and articulate key goals?

Evaluating Methods

• How appropriate are the study design and methods for the purposes of the study?
• How detailed are the methods being described? Is the author leaving out important steps or considerations?
• Have the procedures been presented in enough detail to enable the reader to duplicate them?

Evaluating Data

• Scan and spot-check calculations. Are the statistical methods appropriate?
• Do you find any content repeated or duplicated?
• How many errors of fact and interpretation does the author include? (You can check on this by looking up the references the author cites).
• What pertinent literature has the author cited, and have they used this literature appropriately?

Following, we have an example of a summary and an evaluation of a research article. Note that in most literature review contexts, the summary and evaluation would be much shorter. This extended example shows the different ways a student can critique and write about an article.

Chik, A. (2012). Digital gameplay for autonomous foreign language learning: Gamers’ and language teachers’ perspectives. In H. Reinders (ed.),  Digital games in language learning and teaching  (pp. 95-114). Eastbourne, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Be sure to include the full citation either in a reference page or near your evaluation if writing an  annotated bibliography .

In Chik’s article “Digital Gameplay for Autonomous Foreign Language Learning: Gamers’ and Teachers’ Perspectives”, she explores the ways in which “digital gamers manage gaming and gaming-related activities to assume autonomy in their foreign language learning,” (96) which is presented in contrast to how teachers view the “pedagogical potential” of gaming. The research was described as an “umbrella project” consisting of two parts. The first part examined 34 language teachers’ perspectives who had limited experience with gaming (only five stated they played games regularly) (99). Their data was recorded through a survey, class discussion, and a seven-day gaming trial done by six teachers who recorded their reflections through personal blog posts. The second part explored undergraduate gaming habits of ten Hong Kong students who were regular gamers. Their habits were recorded through language learning histories, videotaped gaming sessions, blog entries of gaming practices, group discussion sessions, stimulated recall sessions on gaming videos, interviews with other gamers, and posts from online discussion forums. The research shows that while students recognize the educational potential of games and have seen benefits of it in their lives, the instructors overall do not see the positive impacts of gaming on foreign language learning.

The summary includes the article’s purpose, methods, results, discussion, and citations when necessary.

This article did a good job representing the undergraduate gamers’ voices through extended quotes and stories. Particularly for the data collection of the undergraduate gamers, there were many opportunities for an in-depth examination of their gaming practices and histories. However, the representation of the teachers in this study was very uneven when compared to the students. Not only were teachers labeled as numbers while the students picked out their own pseudonyms, but also when viewing the data collection, the undergraduate students were more closely examined in comparison to the teachers in the study. While the students have fifteen extended quotes describing their experiences in their research section, the teachers only have two of these instances in their section, which shows just how imbalanced the study is when presenting instructor voices.

Some research methods, like the recorded gaming sessions, were only used with students whereas teachers were only asked to blog about their gaming experiences. This creates a richer narrative for the students while also failing to give instructors the chance to have more nuanced perspectives. This lack of nuance also stems from the emphasis of the non-gamer teachers over the gamer teachers. The non-gamer teachers’ perspectives provide a stark contrast to the undergraduate gamer experiences and fits neatly with the narrative of teachers not valuing gaming as an educational tool. However, the study mentioned five teachers that were regular gamers whose perspectives are left to a short section at the end of the presentation of the teachers’ results. This was an opportunity to give the teacher group a more complex story, and the opportunity was entirely missed.

Additionally, the context of this study was not entirely clear. The instructors were recruited through a master’s level course, but the content of the course and the institution’s background is not discussed. Understanding this context helps us understand the course’s purpose(s) and how those purposes may have influenced the ways in which these teachers interpreted and saw games. It was also unclear how Chik was connected to this masters’ class and to the students. Why these particular teachers and students were recruited was not explicitly defined and also has the potential to skew results in a particular direction.

Overall, I was inclined to agree with the idea that students can benefit from language acquisition through gaming while instructors may not see the instructional value, but I believe the way the research was conducted and portrayed in this article made it very difficult to support Chik’s specific findings.

Some professors like you to begin an evaluation with something positive but isn’t always necessary.

The evaluation is clearly organized and uses transitional phrases when moving to a new topic.

This evaluation includes a summative statement that gives the overall impression of the article at the end, but this can also be placed at the beginning of the evaluation.

This evaluation mainly discusses the representation of data and methods. However, other areas, like organization, are open to critique.

How to Write an Article Review: Tips and Examples

Did you know that article reviews are not just academic exercises but also a valuable skill in today's information age? In a world inundated with content, being able to dissect and evaluate articles critically can help you separate the wheat from the chaff. Whether you're a student aiming to excel in your coursework or a professional looking to stay well-informed, mastering the art of writing article reviews is an invaluable skill.

Short Description

In this article, our research paper writing service experts will start by unraveling the concept of article reviews and discussing the various types. You'll also gain insights into the art of formatting your review effectively. To ensure you're well-prepared, we'll take you through the pre-writing process, offering tips on setting the stage for your review. But it doesn't stop there. You'll find a practical example of an article review to help you grasp the concepts in action. To complete your journey, we'll guide you through the post-writing process, equipping you with essential proofreading techniques to ensure your work shines with clarity and precision!

What Is an Article Review: Grasping the Concept 

A review article is a type of professional paper writing that demands a high level of in-depth analysis and a well-structured presentation of arguments. It is a critical, constructive evaluation of literature in a particular field through summary, classification, analysis, and comparison.

If you write a scientific review, you have to use database searches to portray the research. Your primary goal is to summarize everything and present a clear understanding of the topic you've been working on.

Writing Involves:

• Summarization, classification, analysis, critiques, and comparison.
• The analysis, evaluation, and comparison require the use of theories, ideas, and research relevant to the subject area of the article.
• It is also worth nothing if a review does not introduce new information, but instead presents a response to another writer's work.
• Check out other samples to gain a better understanding of how to review the article.

Types of Review

When it comes to article reviews, there's more than one way to approach the task. Understanding the various types of reviews is like having a versatile toolkit at your disposal. In this section, we'll walk you through the different dimensions of review types, each offering a unique perspective and purpose. Whether you're dissecting a scholarly article, critiquing a piece of literature, or evaluating a product, you'll discover the diverse landscape of article reviews and how to navigate it effectively.

Journal Article Review

Just like other types of reviews, a journal article review assesses the merits and shortcomings of a published work. To illustrate, consider a review of an academic paper on climate change, where the writer meticulously analyzes and interprets the article's significance within the context of environmental science.

Research Article Review

Distinguished by its focus on research methodologies, a research article review scrutinizes the techniques used in a study and evaluates them in light of the subsequent analysis and critique. For instance, when reviewing a research article on the effects of a new drug, the reviewer would delve into the methods employed to gather data and assess their reliability.

Science Article Review

In the realm of scientific literature, a science article review encompasses a wide array of subjects. Scientific publications often provide extensive background information, which can be instrumental in conducting a comprehensive analysis. For example, when reviewing an article about the latest breakthroughs in genetics, the reviewer may draw upon the background knowledge provided to facilitate a more in-depth evaluation of the publication.

Need a Hand From Professionals?

Address to Our Writers and Get Assistance in Any Questions!

Formatting an Article Review

The format of the article should always adhere to the citation style required by your professor. If you're not sure, seek clarification on the preferred format and ask him to clarify several other pointers to complete the formatting of an article review adequately.

How Many Publications Should You Review?

• In what format should you cite your articles (MLA, APA, ASA, Chicago, etc.)?
• What length should your review be?
• Should you include a summary, critique, or personal opinion in your assignment?
• Do you need to call attention to a theme or central idea within the articles?
• Does your instructor require background information?

When you know the answers to these questions, you may start writing your assignment. Below are examples of MLA and APA formats, as those are the two most common citation styles.

Using the APA Format

Articles appear most commonly in academic journals, newspapers, and websites. If you write an article review in the APA format, you will need to write bibliographical entries for the sources you use:

• Web : Author [last name], A.A [first and middle initial]. (Year, Month, Date of Publication). Title. Retrieved from {link}
• Journal : Author [last name], A.A [first and middle initial]. (Publication Year). Publication Title. Periodical Title, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp.
• Newspaper : Author [last name], A.A [first and middle initial]. (Year, Month, Date of Publication). Publication Title. Magazine Title, pp. xx-xx.

Using MLA Format

• Web : Last, First Middle Initial. “Publication Title.” Website Title. Website Publisher, Date Month Year Published. Web. Date Month Year Accessed.
• Newspaper : Last, First M. “Publication Title.” Newspaper Title [City] Date, Month, Year Published: Page(s). Print.
• Journal : Last, First M. “Publication Title.” Journal Title Series Volume. Issue (Year Published): Page(s). Database Name. Web. Date Month Year Accessed.

Enhance your writing effortlessly with EssayPro.com , where you can order an article review or any other writing task. Our team of expert writers specializes in various fields, ensuring your work is not just summarized, but deeply analyzed and professionally presented. Ideal for students and professionals alike, EssayPro offers top-notch writing assistance tailored to your needs. Elevate your writing today with our skilled team at your article review writing service !

The Pre-Writing Process

Facing this task for the first time can really get confusing and can leave you unsure of where to begin. To create a top-notch article review, start with a few preparatory steps. Here are the two main stages from our dissertation services to get you started:

Step 1: Define the right organization for your review. Knowing the future setup of your paper will help you define how you should read the article. Here are the steps to follow:

• Summarize the article — seek out the main points, ideas, claims, and general information presented in the article.
• Define the positive points — identify the strong aspects, ideas, and insightful observations the author has made.
• Find the gaps —- determine whether or not the author has any contradictions, gaps, or inconsistencies in the article and evaluate whether or not he or she used a sufficient amount of arguments and information to support his or her ideas.
• Identify unanswered questions — finally, identify if there are any questions left unanswered after reading the piece.

Step 2: Move on and review the article. Here is a small and simple guide to help you do it right:

• Start off by looking at and assessing the title of the piece, its abstract, introductory part, headings and subheadings, opening sentences in its paragraphs, and its conclusion.
• First, read only the beginning and the ending of the piece (introduction and conclusion). These are the parts where authors include all of their key arguments and points. Therefore, if you start with reading these parts, it will give you a good sense of the author's main points.
• Finally, read the article fully.

These three steps make up most of the prewriting process. After you are done with them, you can move on to writing your own review—and we are going to guide you through the writing process as well.

Outline and Template

As you progress with reading your article, organize your thoughts into coherent sections in an outline. As you read, jot down important facts, contributions, or contradictions. Identify the shortcomings and strengths of your publication. Begin to map your outline accordingly.

If your professor does not want a summary section or a personal critique section, then you must alleviate those parts from your writing. Much like other assignments, an article review must contain an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Thus, you might consider dividing your outline according to these sections as well as subheadings within the body. If you find yourself troubled with the pre-writing and the brainstorming process for this assignment, seek out a sample outline.

Your custom essay must contain these constituent parts:

• Pre-Title Page - Before diving into your review, start with essential details: article type, publication title, and author names with affiliations (position, department, institution, location, and email). Include corresponding author info if needed.
• Running Head - In APA format, use a concise title (under 40 characters) to ensure consistent formatting.
• Summary Page - Optional but useful. Summarize the article in 800 words, covering background, purpose, results, and methodology, avoiding verbatim text or references.
• Title Page - Include the full title, a 250-word abstract, and 4-6 keywords for discoverability.
• Introduction - Set the stage with an engaging overview of the article.
• Body - Organize your analysis with headings and subheadings.
• Works Cited/References - Properly cite all sources used in your review.
• Optional Suggested Reading Page - If permitted, suggest further readings for in-depth exploration.
• Tables and Figure Legends (if instructed by the professor) - Include visuals when requested by your professor for clarity.

Example of an Article Review

You might wonder why we've dedicated a section of this article to discuss an article review sample. Not everyone may realize it, but examining multiple well-constructed examples of review articles is a crucial step in the writing process. In the following section, our essay writing service experts will explain why.

Looking through relevant article review examples can be beneficial for you in the following ways:

• To get you introduced to the key works of experts in your field.
• To help you identify the key people engaged in a particular field of science.
• To help you define what significant discoveries and advances were made in your field.
• To help you unveil the major gaps within the existing knowledge of your field—which contributes to finding fresh solutions.
• To help you find solid references and arguments for your own review.
• To help you generate some ideas about any further field of research.
• To help you gain a better understanding of the area and become an expert in this specific field.
• To get a clear idea of how to write a good review.

View Our Writer’s Sample Before Crafting Your Own!

Why Have There Been No Great Female Artists?

Steps for Writing an Article Review

Here is a guide with critique paper format on how to write a review paper:

Step 1: Write the Title

First of all, you need to write a title that reflects the main focus of your work. Respectively, the title can be either interrogative, descriptive, or declarative.

Step 2: Cite the Article

Next, create a proper citation for the reviewed article and input it following the title. At this step, the most important thing to keep in mind is the style of citation specified by your instructor in the requirements for the paper. For example, an article citation in the MLA style should look as follows:

Author's last and first name. "The title of the article." Journal's title and issue(publication date): page(s). Print

Abraham John. "The World of Dreams." Virginia Quarterly 60.2(1991): 125-67. Print.

Step 3: Article Identification

After your citation, you need to include the identification of your reviewed article:

• Title of the article
• Title of the journal
• Year of publication

All of this information should be included in the first paragraph of your paper.

The report "Poverty increases school drop-outs" was written by Brian Faith – a Health officer – in 2000.

Step 4: Introduction

Your organization in an assignment like this is of the utmost importance. Before embarking on your writing process, you should outline your assignment or use an article review template to organize your thoughts coherently.

• If you are wondering how to start an article review, begin with an introduction that mentions the article and your thesis for the review.
• Follow up with a summary of the main points of the article.
• Highlight the positive aspects and facts presented in the publication.
• Critique the publication by identifying gaps, contradictions, disparities in the text, and unanswered questions.

Step 5: Summarize the Article

Make a summary of the article by revisiting what the author has written about. Note any relevant facts and findings from the article. Include the author's conclusions in this section.

Step 6: Critique It

Present the strengths and weaknesses you have found in the publication. Highlight the knowledge that the author has contributed to the field. Also, write about any gaps and/or contradictions you have found in the article. Take a standpoint of either supporting or not supporting the author's assertions, but back up your arguments with facts and relevant theories that are pertinent to that area of knowledge. Rubrics and templates can also be used to evaluate and grade the person who wrote the article.

Step 7: Craft a Conclusion

In this section, revisit the critical points of your piece, your findings in the article, and your critique. Also, write about the accuracy, validity, and relevance of the results of the article review. Present a way forward for future research in the field of study. Before submitting your article, keep these pointers in mind:

• As you read the article, highlight the key points. This will help you pinpoint the article's main argument and the evidence that they used to support that argument.
• While you write your review, use evidence from your sources to make a point. This is best done using direct quotations.
• Select quotes and supporting evidence adequately and use direct quotations sparingly. Take time to analyze the article adequately.
• Every time you reference a publication or use a direct quotation, use a parenthetical citation to avoid accidentally plagiarizing your article.
• Re-read your piece a day after you finish writing it. This will help you to spot grammar mistakes and to notice any flaws in your organization.
• Use a spell-checker and get a second opinion on your paper.

The Post-Writing Process: Proofread Your Work

Finally, when all of the parts of your article review are set and ready, you have one last thing to take care of — proofreading. Although students often neglect this step, proofreading is a vital part of the writing process and will help you polish your paper to ensure that there are no mistakes or inconsistencies.

To proofread your paper properly, start by reading it fully and checking the following points:

• Punctuation
• Other mistakes

Afterward, take a moment to check for any unnecessary information in your paper and, if found, consider removing it to streamline your content. Finally, double-check that you've covered at least 3-4 key points in your discussion.

And remember, if you ever need help with proofreading, rewriting your essay, or even want to buy essay , our friendly team is always here to assist you.

Need an Article REVIEW WRITTEN?

Just send us the requirements to your paper and watch one of our writers crafting an original paper for you.

Related Articles

When you choose to publish with PLOS, your research makes an impact. Make your work accessible to all, without restrictions, and accelerate scientific discovery with options like preprints and published peer review that make your work more Open.

• PLOS Biology
• PLOS Climate
• PLOS Complex Systems
• PLOS Computational Biology
• PLOS Digital Health
• PLOS Genetics
• PLOS Global Public Health
• PLOS Medicine
• PLOS Mental Health
• PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• PLOS Pathogens
• PLOS Sustainability and Transformation
• PLOS Collections

How to Write a Peer Review

When you write a peer review for a manuscript, what should you include in your comments? What should you leave out? And how should the review be formatted?

This guide provides quick tips for writing and organizing your reviewer report.

Review Outline

Use an outline for your reviewer report so it’s easy for the editors and author to follow. This will also help you keep your comments organized.

Think about structuring your review like an inverted pyramid. Put the most important information at the top, followed by details and examples in the center, and any additional points at the very bottom.

Here’s how your outline might look:

1. Summary of the research and your overall impression

In your own words, summarize what the manuscript claims to report. This shows the editor how you interpreted the manuscript and will highlight any major differences in perspective between you and the other reviewers. Give an overview of the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses. Think about this as your “take-home” message for the editors. End this section with your recommended course of action.

2. Discussion of specific areas for improvement

It’s helpful to divide this section into two parts: one for major issues and one for minor issues. Within each section, you can talk about the biggest issues first or go systematically figure-by-figure or claim-by-claim. Number each item so that your points are easy to follow (this will also make it easier for the authors to respond to each point). Refer to specific lines, pages, sections, or figure and table numbers so the authors (and editors) know exactly what you’re talking about.

Major vs. minor issues

What’s the difference between a major and minor issue? Major issues should consist of the essential points the authors need to address before the manuscript can proceed. Make sure you focus on what is  fundamental for the current study . In other words, it’s not helpful to recommend additional work that would be considered the “next step” in the study. Minor issues are still important but typically will not affect the overall conclusions of the manuscript. Here are some examples of what would might go in the “minor” category:

• Missing references (but depending on what is missing, this could also be a major issue)
• Technical clarifications (e.g., the authors should clarify how a reagent works)
• Data presentation (e.g., the authors should present p-values differently)
• Typos, spelling, grammar, and phrasing issues

3. Any other points

Confidential comments for the editors.

Some journals have a space for reviewers to enter confidential comments about the manuscript. Use this space to mention concerns about the submission that you’d want the editors to consider before sharing your feedback with the authors, such as concerns about ethical guidelines or language quality. Any serious issues should be raised directly and immediately with the journal as well.

This section is also where you will disclose any potentially competing interests, and mention whether you’re willing to look at a revised version of the manuscript.

Do not use this space to critique the manuscript, since comments entered here will not be passed along to the authors.  If you’re not sure what should go in the confidential comments, read the reviewer instructions or check with the journal first before submitting your review. If you are reviewing for a journal that does not offer a space for confidential comments, consider writing to the editorial office directly with your concerns.

Get this outline in a template

Giving Feedback

Giving feedback is hard. Giving effective feedback can be even more challenging. Remember that your ultimate goal is to discuss what the authors would need to do in order to qualify for publication. The point is not to nitpick every piece of the manuscript. Your focus should be on providing constructive and critical feedback that the authors can use to improve their study.

If you’ve ever had your own work reviewed, you already know that it’s not always easy to receive feedback. Follow the golden rule: Write the type of review you’d want to receive if you were the author. Even if you decide not to identify yourself in the review, you should write comments that you would be comfortable signing your name to.

In your comments, use phrases like “ the authors’ discussion of X” instead of “ your discussion of X .” This will depersonalize the feedback and keep the focus on the manuscript instead of the authors.

General guidelines for effective feedback

• Justify your recommendation with concrete evidence and specific examples.
• Be specific so the authors know what they need to do to improve.
• Be thorough. This might be the only time you read the manuscript.
• Be professional and respectful. The authors will be reading these comments too.
• Remember to say what you liked about the manuscript!

Don’t

• Recommend additional experiments or  unnecessary elements that are out of scope for the study or for the journal criteria.
• Tell the authors exactly how to revise their manuscript—you don’t need to do their work for them.
• Use the review to promote your own research or hypotheses.
• Focus on typos and grammar. If the manuscript needs significant editing for language and writing quality, just mention this in your comments.
• Submit your review without proofreading it and checking everything one more time.

Before and After: Sample Reviewer Comments

Keeping in mind the guidelines above, how do you put your thoughts into words? Here are some sample “before” and “after” reviewer comments

✗ Before

“The authors appear to have no idea what they are talking about. I don’t think they have read any of the literature on this topic.”

✓ After

“The study fails to address how the findings relate to previous research in this area. The authors should rewrite their Introduction and Discussion to reference the related literature, especially recently published work such as Darwin et al.”

“The writing is so bad, it is practically unreadable. I could barely bring myself to finish it.”

“While the study appears to be sound, the language is unclear, making it difficult to follow. I advise the authors work with a writing coach or copyeditor to improve the flow and readability of the text.”

“It’s obvious that this type of experiment should have been included. I have no idea why the authors didn’t use it. This is a big mistake.”

“The authors are off to a good start, however, this study requires additional experiments, particularly [type of experiment]. Alternatively, the authors should include more information that clarifies and justifies their choice of methods.”

Suggested Language for Tricky Situations

You might find yourself in a situation where you’re not sure how to explain the problem or provide feedback in a constructive and respectful way. Here is some suggested language for common issues you might experience.

What you think : The manuscript is fatally flawed. What you could say: “The study does not appear to be sound” or “the authors have missed something crucial”.

What you think : You don’t completely understand the manuscript. What you could say : “The authors should clarify the following sections to avoid confusion…”

What you think : The technical details don’t make sense. What you could say : “The technical details should be expanded and clarified to ensure that readers understand exactly what the researchers studied.”

What you think: The writing is terrible. What you could say : “The authors should revise the language to improve readability.”

What you think : The authors have over-interpreted the findings. What you could say : “The authors aim to demonstrate [XYZ], however, the data does not fully support this conclusion. Specifically…”

What does a good review look like?

Check out the peer review examples at F1000 Research to see how other reviewers write up their reports and give constructive feedback to authors.

Time to Submit the Review!

Be sure you turn in your report on time. Need an extension? Tell the journal so that they know what to expect. If you need a lot of extra time, the journal might need to contact other reviewers or notify the author about the delay.

Tip: Building a relationship with an editor

You’ll be more likely to be asked to review again if you provide high-quality feedback and if you turn in the review on time. Especially if it’s your first review for a journal, it’s important to show that you are reliable. Prove yourself once and you’ll get asked to review again!

• Getting started as a reviewer
• Responding to an invitation
• Reading a manuscript
• Writing a peer review

The contents of the Peer Review Center are also available as a live, interactive training session, complete with slides, talking points, and activities. …

The contents of the Writing Center are also available as a live, interactive training session, complete with slides, talking points, and activities. …

There’s a lot to consider when deciding where to submit your work. Learn how to choose a journal that will help your study reach its audience, while reflecting your values as a researcher…

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CAREER FEATURE
• 04 December 2020
• Correction 09 December 2020

How to write a superb literature review

Andy Tay is a freelance writer based in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Literature reviews are important resources for scientists. They provide historical context for a field while offering opinions on its future trajectory. Creating them can provide inspiration for one’s own research, as well as some practice in writing. But few scientists are trained in how to write a review — or in what constitutes an excellent one. Even picking the appropriate software to use can be an involved decision (see ‘Tools and techniques’). So Nature asked editors and working scientists with well-cited reviews for their tips.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-03422-x

Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Updates & Corrections

Correction 09 December 2020 : An earlier version of the tables in this article included some incorrect details about the programs Zotero, Endnote and Manubot. These have now been corrected.

Hsing, I.-M., Xu, Y. & Zhao, W. Electroanalysis 19 , 755–768 (2007).

Article   Google Scholar  

Ledesma, H. A. et al. Nature Nanotechnol. 14 , 645–657 (2019).

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Brahlek, M., Koirala, N., Bansal, N. & Oh, S. Solid State Commun. 215–216 , 54–62 (2015).

Choi, Y. & Lee, S. Y. Nature Rev. Chem . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-020-00221-w (2020).

Download references

Related Articles

• Research management

Africa’s postdoc workforce is on the rise — but at what cost?

Career Feature 02 APR 24

Impact factors are outdated, but new research assessments still fail scientists

World View 02 APR 24

How scientists are making the most of Reddit

Career Feature 01 APR 24

Adopt universal standards for study adaptation to boost health, education and social-science research

Correspondence 02 APR 24

How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations

Allow researchers with caring responsibilities ‘promotion pauses’ to make research more equitable

The corpse of an exploded star and more — March’s best science images

News 28 MAR 24

How papers with doctored images can affect scientific reviews

Nature is committed to diversifying its journalistic sources

Editorial 27 MAR 24

Faculty Positions, Aging and Neurodegeneration, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine

Applicants with expertise in aging and neurodegeneration and related areas are particularly encouraged to apply.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine (WLLSB)

Faculty Positions in Chemical Biology, Westlake University

We are seeking outstanding scientists to lead vigorous independent research programs focusing on all aspects of chemical biology including...

School of Life Sciences, Westlake University

Faculty Positions in Neurobiology, Westlake University

We seek exceptional candidates to lead vigorous independent research programs working in any area of neurobiology.

Head of the histopathology and imaging laboratory

GENETHON recruits: Head of the histopathology and imaging laboratory (H/F)

Evry-Sud, Evry (FR)

Seeking Global Talents, the International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Welcome to apply for all levels of professors based at the International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University.

Yiwu, Zhejiang, China

International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

How to write a good scientific review article

Affiliation.

• 1 The FEBS Journal Editorial Office, Cambridge, UK.
• PMID: 35792782
• DOI: 10.1111/febs.16565

Literature reviews are valuable resources for the scientific community. With research accelerating at an unprecedented speed in recent years and more and more original papers being published, review articles have become increasingly important as a means to keep up to date with developments in a particular area of research. A good review article provides readers with an in-depth understanding of a field and highlights key gaps and challenges to address with future research. Writing a review article also helps to expand the writer's knowledge of their specialist area and to develop their analytical and communication skills, amongst other benefits. Thus, the importance of building review-writing into a scientific career cannot be overstated. In this instalment of The FEBS Journal's Words of Advice series, I provide detailed guidance on planning and writing an informative and engaging literature review.

© 2022 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Publication types

How to Write an Article Review That Stands Out

An article review is a critical assessment of another writer’s  research paper  or scholarly article. Such an activity aims to expand one’s knowledge by evaluating the original author’s research.

Of course, writing an article review could be tricky. But a few expert tips and tricks can get you on the right track. That’s what this interesting blog post is all about. So, ensure you read it till the end to make the most out of it.

Table of Contents

A Step-by-step Guide on How to Write an Article Review

Master the art of writing an article review with this step-by-step guide from professional  paper help  providers. 

Step 1: Select the Right Article

The first step is to pick a suitable article for a review. Choose a scholarly source that’s connected to your area of study. You can look for pieces printed in trustworthy journals or by respected authors.

For Example:

For reviewing an article on climate change, consider selecting one from scientific journals like Nature or Science.

Step 2: Read and Understand the Article

It’s super important to read and understand the article before writing your review. Read the article a few times and jot down the notes as you go. Focus on the main arguments, major points, evidence, and how it’s structured. 

Let’s say you’re looking at an article on how social media affects mental health. Ensure to take note of the following: 

• The number of people involved 
• How the data is analyzed 
• The Results 

Step 3: Structure and Introduction

To start a solid review, start with an introduction that gives readers the background info they need. Must include the article’s title, the author, and where it was published. Also, write a summary of the main point or argument in the article.

“In the article ‘The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health by John Smith, published in the Journal of Psychology: 

The author examines the correlation between excessive social media usage and adolescent mental health disorders.”

Step 4: Summarize the Article

In this part, you’ll need to quickly go over the main points and arguments from the article. Make it short but must cover the most important elements and the evidence that backs them up. Leave your opinions and analysis out of it for now. 

For instance, you could write:

“The author discusses various studies highlighting the negative effects of excessive social media usage on mental health.

Smith’s research reveals a significant correlation between 

Increased social media consumption and higher rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem among teenagers. 

The article also explores the underlying mechanisms, such as social comparison and cyberbullying. All are contributing to the adverse mental health outcomes.”

Step 5: Critically Analyze and Evaluate

Now that you’ve given a rundown of the article, it’s time to take a closer look. Think about what the author did well and what could have been done better. 

Check out the proof they used and if it seems solid. Give a thorough assessment, and use examples from the text to support your thoughts. 

For Example

“While the article presents compelling evidence linking social media usage to mental health issues , it is important to acknowledge some limitations in Smith’s study. 

The sample size of the research was relatively small. It comprises only 100 participants, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. 

Additionally, the study primarily focused on one specific age group, namely adolescents. This way, there’s room for further research on other demographic groups.”

Step 6: Express Your Perspective

Here’s your chance to give your two cents and show off your smarts. Put your spin on the article by pointing out the pros, cons, and other potential improvements. Remember to back up your thoughts with facts and sound arguments.

Continuing with the Previous Example

Despite the limitations, Smith’s research offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between social media and mental health. 

Future studies could expand the sample size and include a more diverse range of age groups. It is better to understand the broader impact of social media on mental well-being. 

Furthermore, exploring strategies for developing digital literacy programs could be potential avenues for future research.

Step 7: Conclusion and Final Thoughts

At the end of your article review, wrap it up with a brief and powerful conclusion. Give a summary of your main points and overall thoughts about the article. 

Point out its importance to the field and the impact of the study. Finish off with a thought-provoking conclusion. Give the reader a sense of finality and emphasize the need for additional research or discussion.

For instance

“In conclusion, John Smith’s article provides valuable insights into the detrimental effects of excessive social media usage on adolescent mental health. 

While the research has limitations, it serves as a starting point for further investigation in this rapidly evolving field. 

By addressing the research gaps and implementing targeted interventions: 

We can strive to promote a healthier relationship between social media and mental well-being in our digitally connected society.”

Step 8: Editing and Proofreading

Before submission, set aside some time for editing and proofreading. 

Ensure everything makes sense and everything is correct. Check out how it reads and if your points come across clearly. Get feedback from other people to get a different point of view and make it even better.

Types of Article Reviews

In college, you might be asked to write different types of review articles, including: 

Narrative Review

This type of review needs you to look into the author’s background and experiences. You have to go through the specialist’s theories and practices and compare them. For the success of a narrative review, ensure that your arguments are qualitative and make sense.

Evidence Review

For a solid evidence paper, you got to put in the work and study the topic. You’ll need to research the facts, analyze the author’s ideas, their effects, and more. 

Systematic Review

This task involves reviewing a bunch of research papers and summarizing the existing knowledge about a certain subject. A systematic paper type uses an organized approach and expects you to answer questions linked to the research.

Tips for Writing a Great Article Review

Here are some expert tips you could use to write an exceptional article review:

1. Figure out the main points you want to cover and why they matter.

• It will help you zero in on the key points.

2. Look for and assess pertinent sources, both from the past and present.

• It will give you a better understanding of the article you’re looking at.

3. Come Up with a Catchy Title, Summarize Your Topic in an Abstract, and Select Keywords

• It will help people read your review and get a good idea of what it’s about.

4. Write the main point of a review along with introducing the topic. 

• It should help readers get a better grasp of the topic.

Outline for Writing a Good Article Review

Here’s an outline to write an excellent article review. 

Introduction

– Begin with a summary of the article 

– Put in background knowledge of the topic 

– State why you are writing the review 

– Give an overview of the article’s main points 

– Figure out why the author choose to write something 

– Look at the article and consider what it does well and what it could have done better.

– Highlight the shortcomings in the article

– Restate why you are writing the review 

– Sum up the main points in a few sentences 

– Suggest what could be achieved in the future research 

Review Article Example

Title: “The Power of Vulnerability: A Review of Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly”

Introduction:

In her revolutionary book “Daring Greatly,” 

Brené Brown, a renowned researcher and storyteller. Delves into vulnerability and how it can positively impact our lives, both professionally and personally. 

Brown’s work has gained lots of praise. Since it resonates with people looking to build real connections in a world that often feels isolated. 

This article looks to recap the main ideas and concepts from “Daring Greatly.” Also explains why it is such a captivating and insightful read.

Summary of Key Ideas:

“Daring Greatly” is all about how the vulnerability isn’t a sign of being weak. but it’s actually what it takes to be brave, strong and live a full life. 

Brene Brown examines how society and culture can make it hard to be vulnerable. And, how fear of being judged or shamed stops us from being our authentic selves.

The book puts a lot of emphasis on shame and how it affects us. 

Brown explains that shame thrives when it’s kept hidden away and can only be cured by being open, understanding, and compassionate. 

By admitting our weaknesses, we can create meaningful connections and a sense of community.

Brown looks into the connection between being open to vulnerability and unleashing creative leadership and innovation. 

She uses her own experiences and research to support her viewpoint. The book also gives useful advice on how to include vulnerability in different parts of life. Such as relationships, parenting, and the workplace.

Strengths of the Book:

Brown’s book is remarkable for her ability to mix her own experiences with comprehensive research. Combining her stories and evidence makes the material engaging and easy to understand. 

Plus, her writing style is so friendly that readers feel they’re being acknowledged and accepted.

There’s advice on how to be kind to yourself. Set your limits, and accept that things won’t always be perfect. It’s like a toolkit to help you build strength and make positive changes.

Final Verdict

This book is really helpful for everyone, no matter who you are. It can help you figure out how to grow in life, have better relationships, and become a better leader. Plus, since it applies to all kinds of people, everyone can get something out of it.

If you want to write a great article review, it’s important to pick the right article, understand and analyze it critically. Finally, express your thoughts on it clearly. Ensure to stay impartial, back up your points with evidence, and write clearly and coherently.

Still if you are having troubles writing an article review, don’t hesitate to count on the expertise of  our writers .

Order Original Papers & Essays

Your First Custom Paper Sample is on Us!

Timely Deliveries

No Plagiarism & AI

100% Refund

Try Our Free Paper Writing Service

Related blogs.

Connections with Writers and support

Privacy and Confidentiality Guarantee

Average Quality Score

How to Write an Article Review: Template & Examples

An article review is an academic assignment that invites you to study a piece of academic research closely. Then, you should present its summary and critically evaluate it using the knowledge you’ve gained in class and during your independent study. If you get such a task at college or university, you shouldn’t confuse it with a response paper, which is a distinct assignment with other purposes (we’ll talk about it in detail below).

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

In this article, prepared by Custom-Writing experts, you’ll find: 

• the intricacies of article review writing;
• the difference between an article review and similar assignments;
• a step-by-step algorithm for review composition;
• a couple of samples to guide you throughout the writing process.

So, if you wish to study our article review example and discover helpful writing tips, keep reading.

❓ What Is an Article Review?

• ✍️ Writing Steps

📑 Article Review Format

🔗 references.

An article review is an academic paper that summarizes and critically evaluates the information presented in your selected article. 

The first thing you should note when approaching the task of an article review is that not every article is suitable for this assignment. Let’s have a look at the variety of articles to understand what you can choose from.

Popular Vs. Scholarly Articles

In most cases, you’ll be required to review a scholarly, peer-reviewed article – one composed in compliance with rigorous academic standards. Yet, the Web is also full of popular articles that don’t present original scientific value and shouldn’t be selected for a review.  

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

Not sure how to distinguish these two types? Here is a comparative table to help you out.

Article Review vs. Response Paper

Now, let’s consider the difference between an article review and a response paper:

• If you’re assigned to critique a scholarly article , you will need to compose an article review .  
• If your subject of analysis is a popular article , you can respond to it with a well-crafted response paper .  

The reason for such distinctions is the quality and structure of these two article types. Peer-reviewed, scholarly articles have clear-cut quality criteria, allowing you to conduct and present a structured assessment of the assigned material. Popular magazines have loose or non-existent quality criteria and don’t offer an opportunity for structured evaluation. So, they are only fit for a subjective response, in which you can summarize your reactions and emotions related to the reading material.  

All in all, you can structure your response assignments as outlined in the tips below.

✍️ How to Write an Article Review: Step by Step

Here is a tried and tested algorithm for article review writing from our experts. We’ll consider only the critical review variety of this academic assignment. So, let’s get down to the stages you need to cover to get a stellar review.  

Receive a plagiarism-free paper tailored to your instructions. Cut 20% off your first order!

Read the Article

As with any reviews, reports, and critiques, you must first familiarize yourself with the assigned material. It’s impossible to review something you haven’t read, so set some time for close, careful reading of the article to identify:

• Its topic.  
• Its type.  
• The author’s main points and message. 
• The arguments they use to prove their points. 
• The methodology they use to approach the subject. 

In terms of research type , your article will usually belong to one of three types explained below. 

Summarize the Article

Now that you’ve read the text and have a general impression of the content, it’s time to summarize it for your readers. Look into the article’s text closely to determine:

• The thesis statement , or general message of the author.  
• Research question, purpose, and context of research.  
• Supporting points for the author’s assumptions and claims.  
• Major findings and supporting evidence.  

As you study the article thoroughly, make notes on the margins or write these elements out on a sheet of paper. You can also apply a different technique: read the text section by section and formulate its gist in one phrase or sentence. Once you’re done, you’ll have a summary skeleton in front of you.

Evaluate the Article

The next step of review is content evaluation. Keep in mind that various research types will require a different set of review questions. Here is a complete list of evaluation points you can include.

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

Write the Text

After completing the critical review stage, it’s time to compose your article review.

The format of this assignment is standard – you will have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should present your article and summarize its content. The body will contain a structured review according to all four dimensions covered in the previous section. The concluding part will typically recap all the main points you’ve identified during your assessment.  

It is essential to note that an article review is, first of all, an academic assignment. Therefore, it should follow all rules and conventions of academic composition, such as:

• No contractions . Don’t use short forms, such as “don’t,” “can’t,” “I’ll,” etc. in academic writing. You need to spell out all those words.  
• Formal language and style . Avoid conversational phrasing and words that you would naturally use in blog posts or informal communication. For example, don’t use words like “pretty,” “kind of,” and “like.”  
• Third-person narrative . Academic reviews should be written from the third-person point of view, avoiding statements like “I think,” “in my opinion,” and so on.  
• No conversational forms . You shouldn’t turn to your readers directly in the text by addressing them with the pronoun “you.” It’s vital to keep the narrative neutral and impersonal.  
• Proper abbreviation use . Consult the list of correct abbreviations , like “e.g.” or “i.e.,” for use in your academic writing. If you use informal abbreviations like “FYA” or “f.i.,” your professor will reduce the grade.  
• Complete sentences . Make sure your sentences contain the subject and the predicate; avoid shortened or sketch-form phrases suitable for a draft only.  
• No conjunctions at the beginning of a sentence . Remember the FANBOYS rule – don’t start a sentence with words like “and” or “but.” They often seem the right way to build a coherent narrative, but academic writing rules disfavor such usage.  
• No abbreviations or figures at the beginning of a sentence . Never start a sentence with a number — spell it out if you need to use it anyway. Besides, sentences should never begin with abbreviations like “e.g.”  

Finally, a vital rule for an article review is properly formatting the citations. We’ll discuss the correct use of citation styles in the following section.

When composing an article review, keep these points in mind:

• Start with a full reference to the reviewed article so the reader can locate it quickly.  
• Ensure correct formatting of in-text references.  
• Provide a complete list of used external sources on the last page of the review – your bibliographical entries .  

You’ll need to understand the rules of your chosen citation style to meet all these requirements. Below, we’ll discuss the two most common referencing styles – APA and MLA.

Article Review in APA

When you need to compose an article review in the APA format , here is the general bibliographical entry format you should use for journal articles on your reference page:  

• Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year of Publication). Name of the article. Name of the Journal, volume (number), pp. #-#. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy

Horigian, V. E., Schmidt, R. D., & Feaster, D. J. (2021). Loneliness, mental health, and substance use among US young adults during COVID-19. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 53 (1), pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2020.1836435

Your in-text citations should follow the author-date format like this:

• If you paraphrase the source and mention the author in the text: According to Horigian et al. (2021), young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic. 
• If you paraphrase the source and don’t mention the author in the text: Young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic (Horigian et al., 2021). 
• If you quote the source: As Horigian et al. (2021) point out, there were “elevated levels of loneliness, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and drug use among young adults during COVID-19” (p. 6). 

Note that your in-text citations should include “et al.,” as in the examples above, if your article has 3 or more authors. If you have one or two authors, your in-text citations would look like this:

• One author: “According to Smith (2020), depression is…” or “Depression is … (Smith, 2020).”
• Two authors: “According to Smith and Brown (2020), anxiety means…” or “Anxiety means (Smith & Brown, 2020).”

Finally, in case you have to review a book or a website article, here are the general formats for citing these source types on your APA reference list.

Article Review in MLA

If your assignment requires MLA-format referencing, here’s the general format you should use for citing journal articles on your Works Cited page: 

• Author’s last name, First name. “Title of an Article.” Title of the Journal , vol. #, no. #, year, pp. #-#. 

Horigian, Viviana E., et al. “Loneliness, Mental Health, and Substance Use Among US Young Adults During COVID-19.” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs , vol. 53, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-9.

In-text citations in the MLA format follow the author-page citation format and look like this:

• According to Horigian et al., young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic (6).
• Young adults experienced increased levels of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic (Horigian et al. 6).

Like in APA, the abbreviation “et al.” is only needed in MLA if your article has 3 or more authors.

If you need to cite a book or a website page, here are the general MLA formats for these types of sources.

✅ Article Review Template

Here is a handy, universal article review template to help you move on with any review assignment. We’ve tried to make it as generic as possible to guide you in the academic process.

📝 Article Review Examples

The theory is good, but practice is even better. Thus, we’ve created three brief examples to show you how to write an article review. You can study the full-text samples by following the links.

📃 Men, Women, & Money   

This article review examines a famous piece, “Men, Women & Money – How the Sexes Differ with Their Finances,” published by Amy Livingston in 2020. The author of this article claims that men generally spend more money than women. She makes this conclusion from a close analysis of gender-specific expenditures across five main categories: food, clothing, cars, entertainment, and general spending patterns. Livingston also looks at men’s approach to saving to argue that counter to the common perception of women’s light-hearted attitude to money, men are those who spend more on average.  

📃 When and Why Nationalism Beats Globalism   

This is a review of Jonathan Heidt’s 2016 article titled “When and Why Nationalism Beats Globalism,” written as an advocacy of right-wing populism rising in many Western states. The author illustrates the case with the election of Donald Trump as the US President and the rise of right-wing rhetoric in many Western countries. These examples show how nationalist sentiment represents a reaction to global immigration and a failure of globalization.  

📃 Sleep Deprivation   

This is a review of the American Heart Association’s article titled “The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation.” It discusses how the national organization concerned with the American population’s cardiovascular health links the lack of high-quality sleep to far-reaching health consequences. The organization’s experts reveal how a consistent lack of sleep leads to Alzheimer’s disease development, obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc.  

✏️ Article Review FAQ

A high-quality article review should summarize the assigned article’s content and offer data-backed reactions and evaluations of its quality in terms of the article’s purpose, methodology, and data used to argue the main points. It should be detailed, comprehensive, objective, and evidence-based.

The purpose of writing a review is to allow students to reflect on research quality and showcase their critical thinking and evaluation skills. Students should exhibit their mastery of close reading of research publications and their unbiased assessment.

The content of your article review will be the same in any format, with the only difference in the assignment’s formatting before submission. Ensure you have a separate title page made according to APA standards and cite sources using the parenthetical author-date referencing format.

You need to take a closer look at various dimensions of an assigned article to compose a valuable review. Study the author’s object of analysis, the purpose of their research, the chosen method, data, and findings. Evaluate all these dimensions critically to see whether the author has achieved the initial goals. Finally, offer improvement recommendations to add a critique aspect to your paper.

• Scientific Article Review: Duke University  
• Book and Article Reviews: William & Mary, Writing Resources Center  
• Sample Format for Reviewing a Journal Article: Boonshoft School of Medicine  
• Research Paper Review – Structure and Format Guidelines: New Jersey Institute of Technology  
• Article Review: University of Waterloo  
• Article Review: University of South Australia  
• How to Write a Journal Article Review: University of Newcastle Library Guides  
• Writing Help: The Article Review: Central Michigan University Libraries  
• Write a Critical Review of a Scientific Journal Article: McLaughlin Library  
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Short essays answer a specific question on the subject. They usually are anywhere between 250 words and 750 words long. A paper with less than 250 words isn’t considered a finished text, so it doesn’t fall under the category of a short essay. Essays of such format are required for...

High school and college students often face challenges when crafting a compare-and-contrast essay. A well-written paper of this kind needs to be structured appropriately to earn you good grades. Knowing how to organize your ideas allows you to present your ideas in a coherent and logical manner This article by...

If you’re a student, you’ve heard about a formal essay: a factual, research-based paper written in 3rd person. Most students have to produce dozens of them during their educational career.  Writing a formal essay may not be the easiest task. But fear not: our custom-writing team is here to guide...

Narrative essays are unlike anything you wrote throughout your academic career. Instead of writing a formal paper, you need to tell a story. Familiar elements such as evidence and arguments are replaced with exposition and character development. The importance of writing an outline for an essay like this is hard...

A précis is a brief synopsis of a written piece. It is used to summarize and analyze a text’s main points. If you need to write a précis for a research paper or the AP Lang exam, you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide by Custom-Writing.org, you’ll...

A synthesis essay requires you to work with multiple sources. You combine the information gathered from them to present a well-rounded argument on a topic. Are you looking for the ultimate guide on synthesis essay writing? You’ve come to the right place! In this guide by our custom writing team,...

Do you know how to make your essay stand out? One of the easiest ways is to start your introduction with a catchy hook. A hook is a phrase or a sentence that helps to grab the reader’s attention. After reading this article by Custom-Writing.org, you will be able to...

Critical thinking is the process of evaluating and analyzing information. People who use it in everyday life are open to different opinions. They rely on reason and logic when making conclusions about certain issues. A critical thinking essay shows how your thoughts change as you research your topic. This type...

Process analysis is an explanation of how something works or happens. Want to know more? Read the following article prepared by our custom writing specialists and learn about: process analysis and its typesa process analysis outline tipsfree examples and other tips that might be helpful for your college assignment So,...

A visual analysis essay is an academic paper type that history and art students often deal with. It consists of a detailed description of an image or object. It can also include an interpretation or an argument that is supported by visual evidence. In this article, our custom writing experts...

Want to know how to write a reflection paper for college or school? To do that, you need to connect your personal experiences with theoretical knowledge. Usually, students are asked to reflect on a documentary, a text, or their experience. Sometimes one needs to write a paper about a lesson...

A character analysis is an examination of the personalities and actions of protagonists and antagonists that make up a story. It discusses their role in the story, evaluates their traits, and looks at their conflicts and experiences. You might need to write this assignment in school or college. Like any...

Article Review

Article Review Writing: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide with Examples

People also read

Learn How to Write an Editorial on Any Topic

Best Tips on How to Avoid Plagiarism

How to Write a Movie Review - Guide & Examples

A Complete Guide on How to Write a Summary for Students

Write Opinion Essay Like a Pro: A Detailed Guide

Evaluation Essay - Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

How to Write a Thematic Statement - Tips & Examples

How to Write a Bio - Quick Tips, Structure & Examples

How to Write a Synopsis – A Simple Format & Guide

How to Write a Comparative Essay – A Complete Guide

Visual Analysis Essay - A Writing Guide with Format & Sample

List of Common Social Issues Around the World

Writing Character Analysis - Outline, Steps, and Examples

11 Common Types of Plagiarism Explained Through Examples

A Detailed Guide on How to Write a Poem Step by Step

Detailed Guide on Appendix Writing: With Tips and Examples

Struggling to write a review that people actually want to read? Feeling lost in the details and wondering how to make your analysis stand out?

You're not alone!

Many writers find it tough to navigate the world of article reviews, not sure where to start or how to make their reviews really grab attention.

No worries! 

In this blog, we're going to guide you through the process of writing an article review that stands out. We'll also share tips, and examples to make this process easier for you.

Let’s get started.

• 1. What is an Article Review?
• 2. Types of Article Reviews
• 3. Article Review Format
• 4. How to Write an Article Review? 10 Easy Steps
• 5. Article Review Outline
• 6. Article Review Examples
• 7. Tips for Writing an Effective Article Review

What is an Article Review?

An article review is a critical evaluation and analysis of a piece of writing, typically an academic or journalistic article. 

It goes beyond summarizing the content; it involves an in-depth examination of the author's ideas, arguments, and methodologies. 

The goal is to provide a well-rounded understanding of the article's strengths, weaknesses, and overall contribution to the field.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Types of Article Reviews

Article reviews come in various forms, each serving a distinct purpose in the realm of academic or professional discourse. Understanding these types is crucial for tailoring your approach. 

Here are some common types of article reviews:

Journal Article Review

A journal article review involves a thorough evaluation of scholarly articles published in academic journals. 

It requires summarizing the article's key points, methodology, and findings, emphasizing its contributions to the academic field. 

Take a look at the following example to help you understand better.

Example of Journal Article Review

Research Article Review

A research article review focuses on scrutinizing articles with a primary emphasis on research.

This type of review involves evaluating the research design, methodology, results, and their broader implications. 

Discussions on the interpretation of results, limitations, and the article's overall contributions are key. 

Here is a sample for you to get an idea.

Example of Research Article Review

Science Article Review

A science article review specifically addresses articles within scientific disciplines. It includes summarizing scientific concepts, hypotheses, and experimental methods.

The type of review assesses the reliability of the experimental design, and evaluates the author's interpretation of findings. 

Take a look at the following example.

Example of Science Article Review

Critical Review

A critical review involves a balanced critique of a given article. It encompasses providing a comprehensive summary, highlighting key points, and engaging in a critical analysis of strengths and weaknesses. 

To get a clearer idea of a critical review, take a look at this example.

Critical Review Example

Article Review Format

When crafting an article review in either APA or MLA format, it's crucial to adhere to the specific guidelines for citing sources. 

Below are the bibliographical entries for different types of sources in both APA and MLA styles:

How to Write an Article Review? 10 Easy Steps

Writing an effective article review involves a systematic approach. Follow this step-by-step process to ensure a comprehensive and well-structured analysis.

Step 1: Understand the Assignment

Before diving into the review, carefully read and understand the assignment guidelines. 

Pay attention to specific requirements, such as word count, formatting style (APA, MLA), and the aspects your instructor wants you to focus on.

Step 2: Read the Article Thoroughly

Begin by thoroughly reading the article. Take notes on key points, arguments, and evidence presented by the author. 

Understand the author's main thesis and the context in which the article was written.

Step 3: Create a Summary

Summarize the main points of the article. Highlight the author's key arguments and findings. 

While writing the summary ensure that you capture the essential elements of the article to provide context for your analysis.

Step 4: Identify the Author's Thesis

In this step, pinpoint the author's main thesis or central argument. Understand the purpose of the article and how the author supports their position. 

This will serve as a foundation for your critique.

Step 5: Evaluate the Author's Evidence and Methodology

Examine the evidence provided by the author to support their thesis. Assess the reliability and validity of the methodology used. 

Consider the sources, data collection methods, and any potential biases.

Step 6: Analyze the Author's Writing Style

Evaluate the author's writing style and how effectively they communicate their ideas. 

Consider the clarity of the language, the organization of the content, and the overall persuasiveness of the article.

Step 7: Consider the Article's Contribution

Reflect on the article's contribution to its field of study. Analyze how it fits into the existing literature, its significance, and any potential implications for future research or applications.

Step 8: Write the Introduction

Craft an introduction that includes the article's title, author, publication date, and a brief overview. 

State the purpose of your review and your thesis—the main point you'll be analyzing in your review.

Step 9: Develop the Body of the Review

Organize your review by addressing specific aspects such as the author's thesis, methodology, writing style, and the article's contribution. 

Use clear paragraphs to structure your analysis logically.

Step 10: Conclude with a Summary and Evaluation

Summarize your main points and restate your overall assessment of the article. 

Offer insights into its strengths and weaknesses, and conclude with any recommendations for improvement or suggestions for further research.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Article Review Outline

Creating a well-organized outline is an essential part of writing a coherent and insightful article review.

This outline given below will guide you through the key sections of your review, ensuring that your analysis is comprehensive and logically structured.

Refer to the following template to understand outlining the article review in detail.

Article Review Format Template

Article Review Examples

Examining article review examples can provide valuable insights into the structure, tone, and depth of analysis expected. 

Below are sample article reviews, each illustrating a different approach and focus.

Example of Article Review

Sample of article review assignment pdf

Tips for Writing an Effective Article Review

Crafting an effective article review involves a combination of critical analysis, clarity, and structure. 

Here are some valuable tips to guide you through the process:

• Start with a Clear Introduction

Kick off your article review by introducing the article's main points and mentioning the publication date, which you can find on the re-title page. Outline the topics you'll cover in your review.

• Concise Summary with Unanswered Questions

Provide a short summary of the article, emphasizing its main ideas. Highlight any lingering questions, known as "unanswered questions," that the article may have triggered. Use a basic article review template to help structure your thoughts.

• Illustrate with Examples

Use examples from the article to illustrate your points. If there are tables or figures in the article, discuss them to make your review more concrete and easily understandable.

• Organize Clearly with a Summary Section

Keep your review straightforward and well-organized. Begin with the start of the article, express your thoughts on what you liked or didn't like, and conclude with a summary section. This follows a basic plan for clarity.

• Constructive Criticism

When providing criticism, be constructive. If there are elements you don't understand, frame them as "unanswered questions." This approach shows engagement and curiosity.

• Smoothly Connect Your Ideas

Ensure your thoughts flow naturally throughout your review. Use simple words and sentences. If you have questions about the article, let them guide your review organically.

• Revise and Check for Clarity

Before finishing, go through your review. Correct any mistakes and ensure it sounds clear. Check if you followed your plan, used simple words, and incorporated the keywords effectively. This makes your review better and more accessible for others.

In conclusion , writing an effective article review involves a thoughtful balance of summarizing key points, and addressing unanswered questions. 

By following a simple and structured approach, you can create a review that not only analyzes the content but also adds value to the reader's understanding.

Remember to organize your thoughts logically, use clear language, and provide examples from the article to support your points. 

Ready to elevate your article reviewing skills? Explore the valuable resources and expert assistance at MyPerfectWords.com. 

Our team of experienced writers is here to help you with article reviews and other school tasks. 

So why wait? Get our essay writing service today!

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing a Literature Review

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.

Where, when, and why would I write a lit review?

There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.

A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.

Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. 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. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.

What are the parts of a lit review?

Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.

Introduction:

• An introductory paragraph that explains what your working topic and thesis is
• A forecast of key topics or texts that will appear in the review
• Potentially, a description of how you found sources and how you analyzed them for inclusion and discussion in the review (more often found in published, standalone literature reviews than in lit review sections in an article or research paper)
• 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 sentence to draw connections, comparisons, and contrasts.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance
• Connect it back to your primary research question

How should I organize my lit review?

Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:

• Chronological : The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time, which helps familiarize the audience with the topic (for instance if you are introducing something that is not commonly known in your field). If you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order. Try to analyze the patterns, turning points, and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred (as mentioned previously, this may not be appropriate in your discipline — check with a teacher or mentor if you’re unsure).
• Thematic : If you have found some recurring central themes that you will continue working with throughout your piece, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic. For example, if you are reviewing literature about women and religion, key themes can include the role of women in churches and the religious attitude towards women.
• Qualitative versus quantitative research
• Empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the research by sociological, historical, or cultural sources
• Theoretical : In many humanities articles, the literature review is the foundation for the theoretical framework. You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts. You can argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various theorical concepts to create a framework for your research.

What are some strategies or tips I can use while writing my lit review?

Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .

As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.

Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:

• It often helps to remember that the point of these kinds of syntheses is to show your readers how you understand your research, to help them read the rest of your paper.
• Writing teachers often say synthesis is like hosting a dinner party: imagine all your sources are together in a room, discussing your topic. What are they saying to each other?
• Look at the in-text citations in each paragraph. Are you citing just one source for each paragraph? This usually indicates summary only. When you have multiple sources cited in a paragraph, you are more likely to be synthesizing them (not always, but often
• Read more about synthesis here.

The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Article review writing format, steps, examples and illustration PDF Compiled by Mohammed Yismaw

2021, Article review writing format, steps, examples and illustration PDF Compiled by Mohammed Yismaw

The purpose of this document is to help students and researchers understand how a review of an academic journal is conducted and reported in different fields of study. Review articles in academic journals that analyze or discuss researches previously published by others, rather than reporting new research results or findings. Summaries and critiques are two ways to write a review of a scientific journal article. Both types of writing ask you first to read and understand an article from the primary literature about your topic. The summary involves briefly but accurately stating the key points of the article for a reader who has not read the original article. The critique begins by summarizing the article and then analyzes and evaluates the author’s research. Summaries and critiques help you learn to synthesize information from different sources and are usually limited to two pages maximum.

Related Papers

Harald von Kortzfleisch , Christoph Kahle

Neue Technologien und Innovationen stellen heutzutage wichtige Schlüsselelemente der Wachstums und Erfolgssicherung von Unternehmen dar. Durch einen in Geschwindigkeit und Intensität immer schneller zunehmenden Wettbewerb nehmen Innovationen eine immer zentralere Rolle im Praxisalltag von Unternehmen ein. Dieser technische Fortschritt treibt auch in der Wissenschaft das Thema des Innovationsmanagements in den letzten Jahrzehnten immer stärker voran und wird dort ausgiebig diskutiert. Die Bedeutung von Innovationen wächst dabei ebenfalls aus der Sicht der Kunden, welche heutzutage viel differenzierter als früher Produkte und Dienste nachfragen und somit Unternehmen vor neue Herausforderungen stellen. Überdies stellen Innovationen heute ein entscheidendes Bindeglied zwischen Marktorientierung und erhofften Unternehmenserfolg dar. Seit einigen Jahren lässt sich eine Öffnung der Unternehmensgrenzen für externe Quellen wie Kunden, Zulieferer, Universitäten oder teilweise auch M...

SSRN Electronic Journal

Helmut Krcmar

Dominic Lindner

Alexandra Waluszewski

Research Policy

Nuria Gonzalez Alvarez

Creativity and Innovation Management

Matti Pihlajamaa

Firms tap into user knowledge to learn about the users’ needs. While users have been recognized as a valuable source of knowledge for innovation, few studies have investigated how their knowledge is integrated into innovation processes in the context of complex products and systems (CoPS). The purpose of this study is to reveal the practices of CoPS manufacturers to facilitate user knowledge utilization for innovation. We investigate two case companies, a medical device manufacturer and an aircraft manufacturer, and report on seven managerial practices for utilizing user knowledge. We adopt the absorptive capacity model in structuring our findings and elaborate three of the model's sub-capabilities (recognition of the value of user knowledge, acquisition of user knowledge, and assimilation/transformation of user knowledge) by proposing that each is associated with a distinct managerial goal and related practices: (1) Sensitizing the organization to the innovation potential of user knowledge, (2) identifying and gaining access to suitable user knowledge, and (3) analyzing and interpreting user knowledge and integrating it into product development. Our study contributes to the innovation management literature by analyzing the capabilities required to utilize user knowledge throughout the CoPS innovation process.

Information & Management

Diffusion of digital technologies into the manufacturing industry has created new opportunities for innovation that firms must address to remain competitive. We investigate the role of customer and user knowledge in the digital innovation processes of three global B2B manufacturing companies. We find that the B2B manufacturing industry's characteristics influence how users and customers may be leveraged. Customers making the purchasing decisions are considered for knowledge about short-term changes in market needs, while users working directly with the products provide long-term guidance for digital innovation. We identify practices for acquiring, distributing, and using customer and user knowledge for digital innovation.

Journal of business market management

Patricia Sandmeier

Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation

Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation JEMI

Given the rising role of users in innovation processes and the increasing amount of research in this field the aim of this paper is to explore the limits of our understanding of the user innovation (UI) concept. In doing so, the study addresses four basic questions: (1) Why do users create and share innovation? (2) Who is the user-innovator? (3) What type of innovation do users create? (4) How do users innovate? The results of a systematic literature review identified the main research streams on user innovation, together with weaknesses of past research and perspectives for future studies.

RELATED PAPERS

Gernot Grabher

Journal of Computer‐ …

Petra Schubert , Kathrin Möslein

Mossimo Sesom

Shahab Zare

Arthur Shulman

International Journal of Technology Management

Richard Farr

European Journal of Dental Education

Y.P. CHANDRA

Chandra Yanto

Management Science

John Roberts

Maria Antikainen

Johanna Bragge

intechopen.com

Ivona Vrdoljak Raguz

Service Science

Tuure Tuunanen

Jouni K Juntunen

Benji Decker

Eva Heiskanen

Handbook of Marketing

Jerome Hauser

Service Industries Journal

Christian Kowalkowski

Journal of Engineering Design

Ola Isaksson , Anna Rönnbäck

Journal of Management

Bettina Bastian

International Journal of Innovation Management

Harald von Kortzfleisch

Guido H Baltes

Technology Analysis & Strategic Management

Raimo Lovio

Marco Bertoni , Christian Johansson

Dominik Walcher

Managing Service Quality

Tor W. Andreassen

Journal of Product Innovation Management

Gary Schirr

System Sciences, 2004. …

Ralf Reichwald , Dominik Walcher

Edina Vadovics

Jouni Similä

Luis Cancino Muñoz

Shell Artillery

Ralf Reichwald

Journal of the Academy of …

Ian Wilkinson , Subroto Roy

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Can Med Educ J
• v.12(3); 2021 Jun

Writing, reading, and critiquing reviews

Écrire, lire et revue critique, douglas archibald.

1 University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada;

Maria Athina Martimianakis

2 University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Why reviews matter

What do all authors of the CMEJ have in common? For that matter what do all health professions education scholars have in common? We all engage with literature. When you have an idea or question the first thing you do is find out what has been published on the topic of interest. Literature reviews are foundational to any study. They describe what is known about given topic and lead us to identify a knowledge gap to study. All reviews require authors to be able accurately summarize, synthesize, interpret and even critique the research literature. 1 , 2 In fact, for this editorial we have had to review the literature on reviews . Knowledge and evidence are expanding in our field of health professions education at an ever increasing rate and so to help keep pace, well written reviews are essential. Though reviews may be difficult to write, they will always be read. In this editorial we survey the various forms review articles can take. As well we want to provide authors and reviewers at CMEJ with some guidance and resources to be able write and/or review a review article.

What are the types of reviews conducted in Health Professions Education?

Health professions education attracts scholars from across disciplines and professions. For this reason, there are numerous ways to conduct reviews and it is important to familiarize oneself with these different forms to be able to effectively situate your work and write a compelling rationale for choosing your review methodology. 1 , 2 To do this, authors must contend with an ever-increasing lexicon of review type articles. In 2009 Grant and colleagues conducted a typology of reviews to aid readers makes sense of the different review types, listing fourteen different ways of conducting reviews, not all of which are mutually exclusive. 3 Interestingly, in their typology they did not include narrative reviews which are often used by authors in health professions education. In Table 1 , we offer a short description of three common types of review articles submitted to CMEJ.

Three common types of review articles submitted to CMEJ

More recently, authors such as Greenhalgh 4 have drawn attention to the perceived hierarchy of systematic reviews over scoping and narrative reviews. Like Greenhalgh, 4 we argue that systematic reviews are not to be seen as the gold standard of all reviews. Instead, it is important to align the method of review to what the authors hope to achieve, and pursue the review rigorously, according to the tenets of the chosen review type. Sometimes it is helpful to read part of the literature on your topic before deciding on a methodology for organizing and assessing its usefulness. Importantly, whether you are conducting a review or reading reviews, appreciating the differences between different types of reviews can also help you weigh the author’s interpretation of their findings.

In the next section we summarize some general tips for conducting successful reviews.

How to write and review a review article

In 2016 David Cook wrote an editorial for Medical Education on tips for a great review article. 13 These tips are excellent suggestions for all types of articles you are considering to submit to the CMEJ. First, start with a clear question: focused or more general depending on the type of review you are conducting. Systematic reviews tend to address very focused questions often summarizing the evidence of your topic. Other types of reviews tend to have broader questions and are more exploratory in nature.

Following your question, choose an approach and plan your methods to match your question…just like you would for a research study. Fortunately, there are guidelines for many types of reviews. As Cook points out the most important consideration is to be sure that the methods you follow lead to a defensible answer to your review question. To help you prepare for a defensible answer there are many guides available. For systematic reviews consult PRISMA guidelines ; 13 for scoping reviews PRISMA-ScR ; 14 and SANRA 15 for narrative reviews. It is also important to explain to readers why you have chosen to conduct a review. You may be introducing a new way for addressing an old problem, drawing links across literatures, filling in gaps in our knowledge about a phenomenon or educational practice. Cook refers to this as setting the stage. Linking back to the literature is important. In systematic reviews for example, you must be clear in explaining how your review builds on existing literature and previous reviews. This is your opportunity to be critical. What are the gaps and limitations of previous reviews? So, how will your systematic review resolve the shortcomings of previous work? In other types of reviews, such as narrative reviews, its less about filling a specific knowledge gap, and more about generating new research topic areas, exposing blind spots in our thinking, or making creative new links across issues. Whatever, type of review paper you are working on, the next steps are ones that can be applied to any scholarly writing. Be clear and offer insight. What is your main message? A review is more than just listing studies or referencing literature on your topic. Lead your readers to a convincing message. Provide commentary and interpretation for the studies in your review that will help you to inform your conclusions. For systematic reviews, Cook’s final tip is most likely the most important– report completely. You need to explain all your methods and report enough detail that readers can verify the main findings of each study you review. The most common reasons CMEJ reviewers recommend to decline a review article is because authors do not follow these last tips. In these instances authors do not provide the readers with enough detail to substantiate their interpretations or the message is not clear. Our recommendation for writing a great review is to ensure you have followed the previous tips and to have colleagues read over your paper to ensure you have provided a clear, detailed description and interpretation.

Finally, we leave you with some resources to guide your review writing. 3 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 16 , 17 We look forward to seeing your future work. One thing is certain, a better appreciation of what different reviews provide to the field will contribute to more purposeful exploration of the literature and better manuscript writing in general.

In this issue we present many interesting and worthwhile papers, two of which are, in fact, reviews.

Major Contributions

A chance for reform: the environmental impact of travel for general surgery residency interviews by Fung et al. 18 estimated the CO 2 emissions associated with traveling for residency position interviews. Due to the high emissions levels (mean 1.82 tonnes per applicant), they called for the consideration of alternative options such as videoconference interviews.

Understanding community family medicine preceptors’ involvement in educational scholarship: perceptions, influencing factors and promising areas for action by Ward and team 19 identified barriers, enablers, and opportunities to grow educational scholarship at community-based teaching sites. They discovered a growing interest in educational scholarship among community-based family medicine preceptors and hope the identification of successful processes will be beneficial for other community-based Family Medicine preceptors.

Exploring the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education: an international cross-sectional study of medical learners by Allison Brown and team 20 studied the impact of COVID-19 on medical learners around the world. There were different concerns depending on the levels of training, such as residents’ concerns with career timeline compared to trainees’ concerns with the quality of learning. Overall, the learners negatively perceived the disruption at all levels and geographic regions.

The impact of local health professions education grants: is it worth the investment? by Susan Humphrey-Murto and co-authors 21 considered factors that lead to the publication of studies supported by local medical education grants. They identified several factors associated with publication success, including previous oral or poster presentations. They hope their results will be valuable for Canadian centres with local grant programs.

Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical learner wellness: a needs assessment for the development of learner wellness interventions by Stephana Cherak and team 22 studied learner-wellness in various training environments disrupted by the pandemic. They reported a negative impact on learner wellness at all stages of training. Their results can benefit the development of future wellness interventions.

Program directors’ reflections on national policy change in medical education: insights on decision-making, accreditation, and the CanMEDS framework by Dore, Bogie, et al. 23 invited program directors to reflect on the introduction of the CanMEDS framework into Canadian postgraduate medical education programs. Their survey revealed that while program directors (PDs) recognized the necessity of the accreditation process, they did not feel they had a voice when the change occurred. The authors concluded that collaborations with PDs would lead to more successful outcomes.

Experiential learning, collaboration and reflection: key ingredients in longitudinal faculty development by Laura Farrell and team 24 stressed several elements for effective longitudinal faculty development (LFD) initiatives. They found that participants benefited from a supportive and collaborative environment while trying to learn a new skill or concept.

Brief Reports

The effect of COVID-19 on medical students’ education and wellbeing: a cross-sectional survey by Stephanie Thibaudeau and team 25 assessed the impact of COVID-19 on medical students. They reported an overall perceived negative impact, including increased depressive symptoms, increased anxiety, and reduced quality of education.

In Do PGY-1 residents in Emergency Medicine have enough experiences in resuscitations and other clinical procedures to meet the requirements of a Competence by Design curriculum? Meshkat and co-authors 26 recorded the number of adult medical resuscitations and clinical procedures completed by PGY1 Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Emergency Medicine residents to compare them to the Competence by Design requirements. Their study underscored the importance of monitoring collection against pre-set targets. They concluded that residency program curricula should be regularly reviewed to allow for adequate clinical experiences.

Rehearsal simulation for antenatal consults by Anita Cheng and team 27 studied whether rehearsal simulation for antenatal consults helped residents prepare for difficult conversations with parents expecting complications with their baby before birth. They found that while rehearsal simulation improved residents’ confidence and communication techniques, it did not prepare them for unexpected parent responses.

Review Papers and Meta-Analyses

Peer support programs in the fields of medicine and nursing: a systematic search and narrative review by Haykal and co-authors 28 described and evaluated peer support programs in the medical field published in the literature. They found numerous diverse programs and concluded that including a variety of delivery methods to meet the needs of all participants is a key aspect for future peer-support initiatives.

Towards competency-based medical education in addictions psychiatry: a systematic review by Bahji et al. 6 identified addiction interventions to build competency for psychiatry residents and fellows. They found that current psychiatry entrustable professional activities need to be better identified and evaluated to ensure sustained competence in addictions.

Six ways to get a grip on leveraging the expertise of Instructional Design and Technology professionals by Chen and Kleinheksel 29 provided ways to improve technology implementation by clarifying the role that Instructional Design and Technology professionals can play in technology initiatives and technology-enhanced learning. They concluded that a strong collaboration is to the benefit of both the learners and their future patients.

In his article, Seven ways to get a grip on running a successful promotions process, 30 Simon Field provided guidelines for maximizing opportunities for successful promotion experiences. His seven tips included creating a rubric for both self-assessment of likeliness of success and adjudication by the committee.

Six ways to get a grip on your first health education leadership role by Stasiuk and Scott 31 provided tips for considering a health education leadership position. They advised readers to be intentional and methodical in accepting or rejecting positions.

Re-examining the value proposition for Competency-Based Medical Education by Dagnone and team 32 described the excitement and controversy surrounding the implementation of competency-based medical education (CBME) by Canadian postgraduate training programs. They proposed observing which elements of CBME had a positive impact on various outcomes.

You Should Try This

In their work, Interprofessional culinary education workshops at the University of Saskatchewan, Lieffers et al. 33 described the implementation of interprofessional culinary education workshops that were designed to provide health professions students with an experiential and cooperative learning experience while learning about important topics in nutrition. They reported an enthusiastic response and cooperation among students from different health professional programs.

In their article, Physiotherapist-led musculoskeletal education: an innovative approach to teach medical students musculoskeletal assessment techniques, Boulila and team 34 described the implementation of physiotherapist-led workshops, whether the workshops increased medical students’ musculoskeletal knowledge, and if they increased confidence in assessment techniques.

Instagram as a virtual art display for medical students by Karly Pippitt and team 35 used social media as a platform for showcasing artwork done by first-year medical students. They described this shift to online learning due to COVID-19. Using Instagram was cost-saving and widely accessible. They intend to continue with both online and in-person displays in the future.

Adapting clinical skills volunteer patient recruitment and retention during COVID-19 by Nazerali-Maitland et al. 36 proposed a SLIM-COVID framework as a solution to the problem of dwindling volunteer patients due to COVID-19. Their framework is intended to provide actionable solutions to recruit and engage volunteers in a challenging environment.

In Quick Response codes for virtual learner evaluation of teaching and attendance monitoring, Roxana Mo and co-authors 37 used Quick Response (QR) codes to monitor attendance and obtain evaluations for virtual teaching sessions. They found QR codes valuable for quick and simple feedback that could be used for many educational applications.

In Creation and implementation of the Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine Kaitlin Endres and team 38 described the creation of a handbook they made as an academic resource for medical students as they shift to clerkship. It includes relevant content encountered in Emergency Medicine. While they intended it for medical students, they also see its value for nurses, paramedics, and other medical professionals.

Commentary and Opinions

The alarming situation of medical student mental health by D’Eon and team 39 appealed to medical education leaders to respond to the high numbers of mental health concerns among medical students. They urged leaders to address the underlying problems, such as the excessive demands of the curriculum.

In the shadows: medical student clinical observerships and career exploration in the face of COVID-19 by Law and co-authors 40 offered potential solutions to replace in-person shadowing that has been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They hope the alternatives such as virtual shadowing will close the gap in learning caused by the pandemic.

Letters to the Editor

Canadian Federation of Medical Students' response to “ The alarming situation of medical student mental health” King et al. 41 on behalf of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) responded to the commentary by D’Eon and team 39 on medical students' mental health. King called upon the medical education community to join the CFMS in its commitment to improving medical student wellbeing.

Re: “Development of a medical education podcast in obstetrics and gynecology” 42 was written by Kirubarajan in response to the article by Development of a medical education podcast in obstetrics and gynecology by Black and team. 43 Kirubarajan applauded the development of the podcast to meet a need in medical education, and suggested potential future topics such as interventions to prevent learner burnout.

Response to “First year medical student experiences with a clinical skills seminar emphasizing sexual and gender minority population complexity” by Kumar and Hassan 44 acknowledged the previously published article by Biro et al. 45 that explored limitations in medical training for the LGBTQ2S community. However, Kumar and Hassen advocated for further progress and reform for medical training to address the health requirements for sexual and gender minorities.

In her letter, Journey to the unknown: road closed!, 46 Rosemary Pawliuk responded to the article, Journey into the unknown: considering the international medical graduate perspective on the road to Canadian residency during the COVID-19 pandemic, by Gutman et al. 47 Pawliuk agreed that international medical students (IMGs) do not have adequate formal representation when it comes to residency training decisions. Therefore, Pawliuk challenged health organizations to make changes to give a voice in decision-making to the organizations representing IMGs.

In Connections, 48 Sara Guzman created a digital painting to portray her approach to learning. Her image of a hand touching a neuron showed her desire to physically see and touch an active neuron in order to further understand the brain and its connections.

Journal Article Review in APA Style

Journal article reviews refer to the appraisal of potencies and limitations of an article’s opinion and subject matter. The article reviews offer the readers with an explanation, investigation and clarification to evaluate the importance of the article. A journal article review usually follows the APA style, which is in itself an exceptional mode of writing. Writing a journal article review in APA style requires a thorough reading of an article and then present our personal opinions on its subject matter.

In order to write a journal article review in APA style, one must necessarily conform to the detailed guidelines of APA style of writing. As such, a few tips for writing a journal article review in APA style have been provided in details below.

Tips for Writing Journal Article Review in APA Style

Getting started.

Read the complete article. Most journal articles use highly complicated and difficult language and wording. Thus, it is suggested to read the article thoroughly several times to understand it perfectly. Select a statement that effectively conveys the main idea of your review. Present the ideas in a rational order, keeping in mind that all opinions must sustain the main idea.

Start with a header with citation

Journal article reviews start with a header, including citation of the sources being reviewed. This citation is mentioned at the top of the review, following the APA style (refer to the APA style manual for more information). We will need the author’s name for the article, title of the article, journal of the published article, volume and issue number, publication date, and page numbers for the article.

Write a summary

The introductory paragraph of the review should provide a brief summary of the article, strictly limiting it to one to three paragraphs depending on the article length. The summary should discuss only the most imperative details about the article, like the author’s intention in writing the article, how the study was conducted, how the article relates to other work on the same subject, the results and other relevant information from the article.

Body of the review

The succeeding paragraphs of the review should present your ideas and opinions on the article. Discuss the significance and suggestion of the results of the study. The body of the article review should be limited to one to two paragraphs, including your understanding of the article, quotations from the article demonstrating your main ideas, discussing the article’s limitations and how to overcome them.

Concluding the review

The concluding paragraphs of the review should provide your personal appraisal of the journal article. Discuss whether the article is well-written or not, whether any information is missing, or if further research is necessary on the subject. Also, write a paragraph on how the author could develop the study results, what the information means on a large scale, how further investigation can develop the subject matter, and how the knowledge of this field can be extended further.

Citation and Revision

In-text citation of direct quotes or paraphrases from the article can be done using the author’s name, year of publication and page numbers (refer to the APA-style manual for citation guidelines). After finishing the writing of journal article review in APA style, it would be advised to re-visit the review after a few days and then re-read it altogether. By doing this, you will be able to view the review with a new perspective and may detect mistakes that were previously left undetected.

The above mentioned tips will help and guide you for writing a journal article review in APA style. However, while writing a journal article review, remember that you are undertaking more than just a narrative review. Thus, the article review should not merely focus on discussing what the article is about, but should reveal your personal ideas and opinions on the article.

Related Posts

Helpful tips on formattingjournal articles by observing the guidelines.

Submitting a manuscript for journal publication requires an author to strictly follow guidelines suggested by the journals. Failing to follow guidelines leads to the rejection of the manuscript, which is obviously undesirable for any author. Therefore, it is imperative that these formatting guidelines are followed very carefully before submitting an article. Here are some key pointers to […]

Take a step closer to publication by formatting your manuscript

A properly formatted manuscript is likely to be preferred by a journal editor compared to an unorganized alternate version. Hence, instead of submitting a manuscript with your data and text in a disorderly stack, it is crucial to format your manuscript according to the guidelines of the targeted journal before submission. You should ensure that […]

Most Common Reasons for Journal Editors Rejecting Paper

Rejection is unpleasant for everyone since it is demotivating. Even top scientists have encountered rejection in their carrier. Academic publishing, on the other hand, is rife with rejection. Any script could be rejected for multiple causes, which could be grouped into two categories: technical and editorial. Technical reasons  Fragmented information, like narrow sample size or […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Gravity Models for Global Migration Flows: A Predictive Evaluation

• Original Research
• Open access
• Published: 02 April 2024
• Volume 43 , article number  29 , ( 2024 )

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Juan Caballero Reina 1 , 2 ,
• Jesus Crespo Cuaresma   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3244-6560 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ,
• Katharina Fenz 1 , 3 ,
• Jakob Zellmann 1 , 3 ,
• Teodor Yankov 1 , 7 &
• Amr Taha 8  

This study introduces a comprehensive econometric framework based on gravity equations and designed to forecast migrant flows between countries. The model’s theoretical underpinnings are validated through empirical data, and we show that the model has better out-of-sample predictive ability than alternative global models. We explore the quantitative effects of various socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic factors on migration and illustrate its use to obtain scenario-driven projections of bilateral migration, assessing the potential contributions of migration to population and GDP dynamics in Germany and Portugal for the period 2021–2025. Our projection results highlight the critical role of immigration in sustaining population levels and economic growth, particularly in the context of ageing populations and decreasing fertility rates across Europe.

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

The world is undergoing unprecedented changes in its age structure, fertility and mortality (Mason, 2022 ). On the one hand, certain countries around the world, from Japan and South Korea to Italy and a lot of Eastern Europe, are experiencing population decline (Bricker & Ibbitson, 2019 ). According to Vollset et al. ( 2020 , p. 1285), 23 countries including Spain, Japan and Thailand are forecast to undergo population declines larger than 50% between 2017 and 2100. Among richer countries, the issue is not simply one of declining populations, but also of ageing. Currently, the working-age population accounts for more than 65% of the world population, outnumbering the older age group (65 +) by almost seven times (UNDESA, 2019 ). However, the ratio of the working-age population to the older population is expected to fall to 5.5 by the year 2030, altering fundamental aspects of society such as labour force participation (Baker et al., 2005 ). Moreover, a declining and ageing population increases the burden on the capacity of public services (Lubitz, 2003 ), finances (Bloom, 2015 ), as well as social and family support networks (Prince, 2015 ).

In countries facing ageing and declining populations, migration can reduce old-age dependency ratios, and other factors, such as a higher labour force participation of women and better educated individuals, may help curve these demographic impacts (Lee, 2014 ). To investigate the magnitude of the effect of international mobility and design evidence-based migration policy, policy makers need accurate estimates of current migration and reliable forecasts of their future change, as well as credible predictions of their effects on economic growth.

In this contribution, we provide an approach to provide bilateral international migration flow predictions based on gravity models for short-term projection (5 years ahead). We augment the standard gravity model of migration by including additional social and economic variables known to impact migration and assess the forecasting accuracy of different specifications making use of out-of-sample predictive validation. We exemplify the usefulness of estimated gravity models by creating migration forecasts and comparing them to ‘zero immigration’ scenarios for population and gross domestic product (GDP) in Germany and Portugal. The choice of Germany and Portugal is justified as they exhibit low fertility rates and increasing inflows of migrants in recent years. In addition, reliable input data is available for both nations and their governments hold a rather stable position towards migration, which makes it easier to create credible projections of expected future developments.

The central underlying assumption of gravity models for international mobility is that migration flows between two countries are proportional to their size, i.e., to their total population and inversely proportional to the geodesic distance between them, which acts as a proxy for transportation costs (see (Ramos, 2016 ), for example). In addition to their intuitive appeal, gravity models can be augmented in a flexible manner with additional potential socioeconomic determinants of migration activity, such as GDP per capita, the relative size of the middle class, the ratio of the working-age population to children and elderly, fertility rates and the size of the existing stock of migrants of a given origin in a destination country. Moreover, gravity models also have a solid theoretical foundation in the random utility maximization (RUM) model. The RUM model is an economic framework that explores why individuals choose to migrate by considering their preferences and perceived benefits and costs of different locations. Such a framework posits that individuals select the migration destination that maximizes their overall satisfaction, leading to the calculation of choice probabilities based on the total utility of their action.

The use of gravity models in the context of migration goes back to Ravenstein ( 1885 ), who identifies gravity-like properties of international migration in the context of the United Kingdom, as well as Zipf ( 1946 ) who applies a gravity approach to analyse U.S. intercity migration. Another example of a migration analysis based on the gravity approach is given by Karemera ( 2000 ), that puts forward a gravity model of international migration for North America and identifies the population size of origin countries and the income of destination economies as two significant determinants of mobility to the region. Cohen ( 2008 ) also ground their approach on a gravity model and propose a generalized linear model based only on geographic and demographic independent variables. Kim and Cohen ( 2010 ) analyse the determinants of international migration flows to and from industrialized countries based on panel data and a gravity model specification that uses demographic, geographic and socioeconomic explanatory variables. Another example of panel data used in a gravity model of migration is Mayda ( 2010 ), who focuses on the determinants of migration inflows into 14 OECD countries. In particular, this study analyses the effect of income in countries of origin and destination on migration flows.

Traditionally, forecasts of migration flows have been based on relatively simple extrapolation exercises for past data, expert opinion, or the existing correlations between migration and economic or demographic data (Disney, 2015 ). While accurate knowledge of actual and projected migration flows is central to planning and implementing policy instruments, migration can be affected by many social, economic, and political drivers, making forecasting exercises difficult. Assessing the predictive performance of different methodological approaches to create forecasts of bilateral migration flows appears thus particularly important when selecting statistical models for migration flows (Aslany et al., 2021 ; Disney, 2015 ). Azose and Raftery ( 2015 ), who compare the performance of Bayesian probabilistic projections, persistence models, and gravity models of migration based on out-of-sample validation, find that their Bayesian hierarchical model outperforms an approach based on a gravity model as described in Cohen ( 2012 ). As opposed to our analysis, Azose and Raftery ( 2015 ) focus on country-level net migration instead of bilateral flows, and aim at creating projections over a long time horizon.

Building on Azose and Raftery ( 2015 ) and other studies, Sardoschau ( 2020 ) collects and visualizes migration predictions developed by several leading experts in the field of migration modelling. Focusing on relatively long-term forecasts of net migration flows, they compare the performance of gravity models to that of structural and Bayesian specifications. Their analysis shows that gravity models perform slightly worse regarding the theoretical foundation, transparency of assumptions, and predictive power than structural models, but have lower data requirements. In contrast, when comparing gravity models to Bayesian models, they find that gravity models have slightly higher data requirements but a more robust theoretical foundation and a similar level of transparency in the underlying assumptions. An important recent critique of gravity models comes from Beyer et al. ( 2022 ), who question the explanatory power of gravity models for variation in migration flows over time for pairs of countries. In particular, the analysis in Beyer et al. ( 2022 ) concludes that while gravity models describe spatial patterns of international migration very well, they do not capture temporal dynamics better than averages of historical flows.

The aim of this paper is to rigorously evaluate the predictive ability of gravity models of migration for bilateral flows using a forecasting exercise and comparing the predictive ability of gravity specifications with those of averages of the historical flows (in the spirit of Beyer et al. 2022 ). We assess the demographic, geographical, and socioeconomic factors that appear empirically relevant to explaining and forecasting migration patterns. Our results indicate that the best predictive performance is delivered by econometric models for migration which in addition to the standard gravity variables incorporate information about diaspora, demographic factors and labour market outcomes. We exemplify the use of these models to create projections of the future contribution of migration to population and GDP dynamics.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows, In Sect.  2 , we describe our input data, our specification of the gravity model and the other statistical methods that we use for a comparison. Section  3 presents the results and Sect.  4 concludes.

Gravity Models of Migration: Specifications and Data

In the framework of gravity models, migration flows between countries are linked to their respective size and the distance between them (as a proxy of mobility costs). Such a relationship implies an underlying data generating process that links migration flows from origin country i to destination countries j in period t ( \(m_{i,j,t}\) ) to the size, measured by total population, of origin and destination countries ( \(S_{i,t}\) and \(S_{j,t}\) respectively) and the geodesic distance that separates them ( \(d_{i,j}\) ),

where \(\epsilon _{i,j,t}\) is a stochastic error term, and c represents a scaling constant. The theoretical basis of such a specification is motivated by migration decisions based on their potential gains to expected utility (see for instance Ortega & Peri, 2013 ). Additional push and pull factors of origin and destination countries that are assumed to influence migrants’ decisions can be incorporated to Eq. ( 1 ). Besides the standard gravity model, we also estimate specifications that include (a) socioeconomic factors such as GDP per capita and the relative size of the middle class to capture economic incentives that act as pull and push factors for migration, as well as the ratio of the working-age population (15–64) to the total population and unemployment rates as proxies for labour market needs; (b) demographic characteristics such as fertility rates and the share of people with at least secondary education; (c) diaspora variables measuring the existing number of migrants of a given origin in the destination country and the flow of migrants in the last period (i.e., with a five-year lag); and (d) dummy variables indicating whether origin and destination countries share a common border or a common (official) language.

Summarizing these additional origin-specific variables in the vector \({\textbf{Z}}_{i,t}\) , the destination-specific variables in \({\textbf{Z}}_{j,t}\) and the bilateral factors in \({\textbf{X}}_{i,j,t}\) , and using a linear model in (natural) logs, the specifications we use in our forecasting exercise are nested in the model given by

where the vectors \(\varvec{\theta }\) , \(\varvec{\phi }\) and \(\varvec{\eta }\) summarize the effect of the variables in \({\textbf{Z}}_{i,t}\) , \({\textbf{Z}}_{j,t}\) and \({\textbf{X}}_{i,j,t}\) , respectively, and \(\mu _{i,j,t} = \log \epsilon _{i,j,t}\) is assumed to fulfil the assumptions of the standard linear regression models.

To measure the predictive power of the proposed gravity model, we assess the quality of the forecasts produced by the specification in a pseudo-out-of-sample predictive analysis exercise and benchmark the forecasts from several specifications of the form given by equation ( 2 ) with other simpler heuristic models: (i) the naive approach to use migration in the last observation period as prediction for the following periods ( random walk model); (ii) use the historical average for each given origin and destination country as a prediction ( historical mean model); and (iii) a simple autoregressive model, where the forecasts are obtained from a model that projects the (cross-sectional) flows on their lagged values and bilateral origin–destination fixed effects as explanatory covariates.

The bilateral migration flow data required to estimate the gravity specifications is sourced from Abel and Cohen ( 2019 ), who provide information for 200 countries of the world in 5-year intervals ranging from 1990 to 2020. Specifically, we use their results based on a closed demographic accounting system and a minimization approach to estimate the missing bilateral migration flows. For the set of independent covariates in the gravity models, we employ data from several sources. Information on national GDP per capita is sourced from the World Economic Outlook from the International Monetary Fund ( 2022 ) and data on population from the UNDESA ( 2019 ) World Population Prospects (WPP) dataset. Data on migrant stocks are obtained from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDESA ( 2020 ). For each five-year interval of migration flow data, we use migrant stock data referring to the beginning of the corresponding period. We also employ a (5 years) lag of the bilateral migration flows as an additional covariate. Information on the share of people of working age (15–64) in the total population is also sourced from the United Nation’s WPP dataset. The share of persons with post-secondary education and fertility rates are obtained from Wittgenstein Centre ( 2018 ). Data on the share of the middle class (defined as households spending $11–110 per day per person in 2011 purchasing power parity, or PPP) in the general population are obtained from the World Data Lab ( 2022 ), World Data Pro. Finally, information on unemployment is sourced from International Labour Organization ( 2022 ). Our final data set contains (bilateral) information on 177 origin and destination countries. Information on some variables is missing for particular country pairs and periods. The final unbalanced panel data set contains 116,460 observations, and we utilize the balanced sub-panel containing 113,700 observations composed of 28,425 country pairs and four five-year periods starting in 2000. Footnote 1

We consider four different specifications of the form given by Eq. ( 2 ), that differ in the number and nature of the regressors included as controls in the model. The variables included in each of the specifications estimated can be found in Table ( 1 ). The estimation results for the parameters of the models are presented in Table  2 . The first column shows the estimates corresponding to a basic gravity model which only includes population, GDP per capita, distance, as well as period fixed effects as covariates (GM-SMALL). In the second column, we present the results of the estimated effects for the extended specification which includes the full set of explanatory variables introduced in the section above (GM-LARGE). The estimates presented in the third column correspond to a model that, in addition to the additional variables, also includes origin and destination country fixed effects (GM-LARGE-FE). In column 4, we consider a model including the interaction of these fixed effects, that is, bilateral origin–destination fixed effects (GM-LARGE-BFE). Note that all time invariant variables are perfectly colinear to those bilateral origin–destination fixed effects and are therefore excluded for the estimation of the GM-LARGE-BFE model.

The intuitive theoretical relationships implied by the simple gravity model are qualitatively validated in the data. The variables that capture country size have effect estimates which are statistically significant and have a positive sign, whereas distance appears negatively related to migration flows. The sign of the effect of these variables is not affected by the inclusion of additional covariates, but the magnitude of the parameter estimates decreases. When controlling for origin and destination specific fixed effects the parameter estimates of population and GDP per capital remain significant indicating that those variables provides information about country-specific outflows and inflows exceeding the mean values. The intuitive direction of the effects predicted by the standard gravity model of migration are validated by the cross-sectional variation of migration flows in our dataset. Once the variation across country pairs is controlled for, the estimated parameters obtained by exploiting variation over time present are clearly different from those in the models without fixed effects. The parameter estimate of population in the destination country is negative in the model including country-specific fixed effects, suggesting that while countries with large populations tend to experience larger migration flows, population changes tend to correlate negatively with changes in migration flows on average, after controlling for the other factors included in the model. The same interpretation explains the estimated negative effect of GDP per capita in origin countries on migration flows, and similar results are obtained for the model that includes bilateral fixed effects. The significant effect of lagged migration flows and the effects of the migration stock variables suggest an important role of persistence effects of migration and diaspora networks as determinants of future migration flows.

We find additional significant effects from several socioeconomic and demographic covariates included in the specification. The share of persons with secondary or higher education in the origin country has a positive and sizeable effect on migration flows, especially when controlling for fixed effects. Furthermore, the ratio of working age population to total population in the origin (destination) country positively (negatively) influences the magnitude of migration flows between pairs of economies. However, controlling for country-specific fixed effects reverses the direction of these results, thus indicating that the effect of this variable in the specification given by GM-LARGE is mostly driven by cross-country variation, as opposed to variation over time. Similarly, we find that high fertility origin countries tend to have higher emigration, whereas high fertility rate in destination countries tend to reduce immigration flows. These results still hold when controlling for country-specific fixed effects, but change direction when controlling for bilateral origin–destination fixed effect, indicating that the effects implied by cross-sectional variation and those implied by time variation can be very different.

Out-of-sample Prediction Validation

To assess the predictive power of the gravity models for migration, we estimate our gravity specifications using data for the period 1995 to 2015, use the estimated models to obtain forecasts for 2015–2020 and compare the predictive ability of our models with that of heuristic methods based on random walk specifications, historical averages of migration flows and simple autoregressive models. We obtain different measures of prediction accuracy: (i) the root mean square forecast error (RMSE), as a measure of discrepancy between realized and predicted values, (ii) the mean directional accuracy (MDA), which measures the share of correctly predicted changes in migration flows (based on predicted increase/decrease) and (iii) the estimated coefficients of a linear regression model where the realized migration flow values are regressed on an intercept and the predicted values (where rational predictions would correspond to an intercept of zero and a slope of unity in this regression model).

Scatterplots of predicted and realized values in the out-of-sample period for all models are presented in Fig.  1 , and the results of the prediction exercise can be found in Table  3 . Figure  1 depicts the scatterplot of realized and predicted values together with the 45 degree line (which would imply compatibility with rational forecasts) and the corresponding regression line. Deviations between these lines are informative of biases in the forecasts. We find that the large gravity model without country-fixed effects (GM-LARGE) performs best in means of RMSE. It is closely followed by the model including country and destination fixed effects (GM-LARGE-FE) and the historical averages. The relatively poor prediction results from both GM-LARGE-FE and GM-LARGE-BFE suggest that models including bilateral and country fixed effects may tend to overfit the existing migration flow data.

The results presented are robust in respect to the estimation method for the migration flow data. In particular, we find that the results obtained for the migration flow data used remain similar if the migration flow estimates obtained by the pseudo-Bayesian approach in Abel and Cohen ( 2019 ) are used. In addition, we also entertained models based on Poisson and negative binomial regression, to account for the count nature of migration flows and the excess of zero observations. Footnote 2 The predictive ability of these specifications was significantly worse than that of our log-linearized models. Footnote 3

Predicted vs realized values of log level migration flows. The solid blue line represents the regression line of (linearly) regression the realized on the predicted values. The 45°-line is depicted in red and dashed

Measuring the Effects of Migration on GDP: An Illustrative Example

The predictive ability of gravity models can be exploited to support evidence-based policies, not only through the use of best-practice migration forecasts, but also by providing the basis for the creation of (counterfactual) projections of population and GDP based on scenarios concerning migration flows. In this section, we provide a simple illustrative example of such a scenario-driven projection exercise, in which we provide a first (lower bound) approximation of the potential contribution of migration to population and GDP dynamics in Germany and Portugal over the period 2021–2025.

For this purpose, we combine migration forecasts from the GM-LARGE model with population projection from the WPP dataset and GDP data from the IMF. We subtract the projected number of persons migrating to Germany and Portugal from 2021 to 2025 implied by our model forecasts from the population projections from a scenario with migration (that is, by the population projections in the WPP data). This projection exercise is thus aimed at measuring the population that would live in these two countries if no immigration took place over the the next years. As compared to a scenario without emigration and immigration, we choose this design in order to minimize the uncertainty around future population changes created by migration flows. Eliminating emigration from the scenario would imply employing additional estimates of bilateral migration flows between Portugal and Germany (as origin nations) and all other countries of the world. These estimates would add to the uncertainty of the immigration figures and would make our projections less credible.

Given that our model contains explanatory variables measured at the beginning of the period when the migration flows take place, we can use the latest available data point in order to create the projections of bilateral migration flows for all country pairs in the period 2015–2025. Figure  2 presents the two scenarios (benchmark from the WPP projections and scenario without immigration) for the total population in Germany and Portugal. The benchmark projection shows that the total population of Germany and Portugal is expected to decrease in the coming years, a trend which is further amplified in the scenarios without immigration. Should immigration to Germany and Portugal have come to a halt in 2020, we would see a sharp drop in population numbers in both countries of destination, with the no-immigration scenario in Germany implying around half a million less inhabitants by 2025 and the one for Portugal around 50,000 less. In addition to this alternative scenario for population trends, we also analyse how migration projections can be used to provide first approximations of the effect of human mobility effect on economic growth in receiving countries. To quantify the productivity of migrants, we use GDP growth projections from the IMF and create three scenarios where we assign migrants (a) the average labour productivity corresponding to their country of origin or (b) that of the recipient economy. Summing up the monetary value added to the economy by each individual migrant (as measured by their assumed labour productivity), we are able to assess how GDP in Germany and Portugal would be affected by migration flows in the different scenarios designs. Figure  2 presents this gap in the two scenarios entertained, together with benchmark GDP forecasts from the IMF. Assigning the average productivity of the country of destination to each migrant, in 2025 Germany would already lose over 42 billion dollars of GDP (in 2011 PPP), corresponding to over 1% of its total annual GDP. Assuming that each migrant’s productivity corresponds to that of workers in their country of origin would lead to slightly lower losses for Germany, while for Portugal the two scenarios regarding migrant productivity would lead to very similar drops in GDP growth. In relative terms, the fall in GDP implied by the projection scenarios without immigration is larger than that in population, so qualitatively the results for GDP translate to GDP per capita figures in terms of the relative ordering of the scenarios presented.

Such simple exercises based on conditional projections from the gravity model for migration illustrate how our gravity specifications can contribute to an evidence-based debate on migration policy and on the economic effects of migration. It should be noted that, by abstracting from spillovers related to market innovation activities or entrepreneurship, for instance, our exercise can be thought of as providing a lower bound estimate of the effects of migration on economic growth.

Projected total population and GDP with and without immigration: Germany and Portugal

This paper estimates global gravity models aimed at forecasting migrant flows between countries and exemplifies their use as a tool to inform economic policy by combining migration projections with current IMF economic growth forecasts to calculate potential GDP losses to the German and Portuguese economies in a scenario without immigration. To assess the validity of this gravity model approach, we perform an out-of-sample prediction exercise and compare different measures of forecasting accuracy, comparing the results of four different specifications of a gravity model to those of three heuristic models. This validation exercise shows that a gravity model including some socioeconomic pull and push factors without country fixed effects performs best in every measure of prediction quality. In addition to projecting expected migration flows, we also provide a simple estimate of how the population and GDP of Germany and Portugal might develop in a no immigration scenario. For this purpose, we combine our migration forecasts with population projections and GDP forecasts.

The modelling framework put forward in our analysis can be particularly useful for the design of evidence-based migration policy instruments, in particular in the context of current discussions in the European political arena. The development of statistical tools to inform policy about issues related to the regulation of asylum requests and the allocation of immigrants across EU economies would require different methods that account for the particular nature of such forced migration flows. On the other hand, our modelling tools could be helpful to create a scientific basis to frame the current discussion on the competition for skilled workers in the global market in ageing societies. To deepen the insights gained by our modelling tool, it would be desirable for further research to perform a more in-depth analysis of the productivity of migrants and the corresponding effects migration may have on economic growth via entrepreneurship, investment in human or physical capital. In this respect, data limitations are currently a binding constraint to the advancement of the research agenda.

Our simple illustration of the use of such models to quantify the economic effects of migration serves as a proof=of=concept example that would need to be further improved to account for additional factors. For longer-term forecasts, it would be useful to extend this relatively simple approach and consider a wider range of determinants that might influence the effect that immigrants have on the population of their country of destination. Age structure, fertility and mortality differentials between migrants and the rest of the population, for instance, would need to be investigated in order to create credible population projections under different scenarios for long time horizons. Focusing only on the next four to five years, we abstract from these effects in the projections provided in this contribution. Information on the age, sex and education structure of migrants, as well as their allocation in specific economic sectors, would need to be incorporated to refine the assumptions concerning the productivity of migrants and thus GDP projections.

All the data and codes required to replicate the analysis can be found at https://github.com/jakobZellmann/Gravity-Models-for-Global-Migration-Flows-A-Predictive-Evaluation .

It can be seen in Fig.  1 that zero bilateral migration flows significantly alter the predictive ability of the models employed.

Results based on different migration flow estimates and Poisson and negative binomial models can be obtained at https://github.com/jakobZellmann/Gravity-Models-for-Global-Migration-Flows-A-Predictive-Evaluation .

Abel, G. J., & Cohen, J. E. (2019). Bilateral international migration flow estimates for 200 countries. Scientific Data, 6 (1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0089-3

Article   Google Scholar  

Aslany, M. et al. (2021). Systematic review of determinants of migration aspirations. In: QuantMig Project Deliverable D2.2.

Azose, J. J., & Raftery, A. E. (2015). Bayesian probabilistic projection of international migration. Demography, 52 (5), 1627–1650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-015-0415-0

Baker, D. et al. (2005). Asset returns and economic growth. In: Brookings papers on economic activity.

Beyer, R. M., et al. (2022). Gravity models do not explain, and cannot predict, international migration dynamics. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications . https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01067-x

Bloom, D. E., et al. (2015). Macroeconomic implications of population ageing and selected policy responses. The Lancet, 385 (9968), 649–657.

Bricker, D., & Ibbitson, J. (2019). Empty planet: The shock of global population decline . Hachette.

Google Scholar  

Cohen, J. E. (2012). Projection of net migration using a gravity model. In: Proceedings of the XXVII IUSSP international population.

Cohen, J. E., et al. (2008). International migration beyond gravity: A statistical model for use in population projections. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105 (40), 15269–15274. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0808185105

Disney, G. et al. (2015). Evaluation of existing migration forecasting methods and models. In: ESRC Centre for Population Change, University of Southampton.

International Labour Organization. (2022). Unemployment, Total (Percent of total labor force). World Economic Data. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/

International Monetary Fund. (2022). World Economic Outlook, April 2022: War sets back the global recovery. World Economic and Financial Surveys. https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2022/04/19/world-economic-outlook-april-2022

Karemera, D., et al. (2000). A gravity model analysis of international migration to North America. Applied Economics, 32 (13), 1745–1755. https://doi.org/10.1080/000368400421093

Kim, K., & Cohen, J. E. (2010). Determinants of international migration flows to and from industrialized countries: A panel data approach beyond gravity. International Migration Review, 44 (4), 899–932. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7379.2010.00830.x

Lee, R., et al. (2014). Is low fertility really a problem? Population aging, dependency, and consumption. Science, 346 (6206), 229–234.

Lubitz, J., et al. (2003). Health, life expectancy, and health care spending among the elderly. New England Journal of Medicine, 349 (11), 1048–1055.

Mason, A., et al. (2022). Six ways population change will affect the global economy. Population and Development Review, 48 (1), 51–73.

Mayda, A. M. (2010). International migration: A panel data analysis of the determinants of bilateral flows. Journal of Population Economics, 23 (4), 1249–1274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-009-0251-x

Ortega, F., & Peri, G. (2013). The effect of income and immigration policies on international migration. Migration Studies, 1 (1), 47–74. https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/mns004

Prince, M. J., et al. (2015). The burden of disease in older people and implications for health policy and practice. The Lancet, 385 (9967), 549–562.

Ramos, R. (2016). Gravity models: A tool for migration analysis. IZA World of Labor . https://doi.org/10.15185/izawol.239

Ravenstein, E. G. (1885). The laws of migration . Royal Statistical Society.

Book   Google Scholar  

Sardoschau, S. (2020). The Future of Migration to Germany. In: Assessing Methods in Migration Forecasting: DeZIM Project report–DPr# 1.

UNDESA. (2019). World Population Prospects (2019 Revision). World Demographic Surveys. https://population.un.org/wpp/

UNDESA. (2020). International Migrant Stock 2020. World Demographic Surveys. https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/content/international-migrant-stock

Vollset, S. E., et al. (2020). Fertility, mortality, migration, and population scenarios for 195 countries and territories from 2017 to 2100: A forecasting analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. The Lancet, 396 (10258), 1285–1306.

Wittgenstein Centre. (2018). Educational attainment distribution, post-secondary education. World Demographic Data. http://dataexplorer.wittgensteincentre.org/wcde-v2/

World Data Lab. (2022). World Data Pro, Spending and Demographic Data. World Economic Data. https://worlddata.pro/

Zipf, G. K. (1946). The P1P2/D hypothesis: On the intercity movement of persons. American Sociological Review, 11 (6), 677–686.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank two anonymous referees, as well as participants in workshops organized by the International Organization for Migration for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. This paper stems from a joint project with the International Organization of Migration (IOM) and the government offices of Moldova, Portugal, and Germany. We would like to thank the different IOM counterparts, who contributed with expert opinion to the specification of the gravity model. Jesus Crespo Cuaresma and Jakob Zellmann thankfully acknowledge support from the eXplore Initiative (Michael Tojner and B &C Privatstiftung) under the grant “Migration and Economic Growth” in the context of the eXplore! initiative.

Open access funding provided by Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU).

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

World Data Lab, Vienna, Austria

Juan Caballero Reina, Jesus Crespo Cuaresma, Katharina Fenz, Jakob Zellmann & Teodor Yankov

University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Juan Caballero Reina

Department of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Welthandelsplatz 1, 1020, Vienna, Austria

Jesus Crespo Cuaresma, Katharina Fenz & Jakob Zellmann

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria

Jesus Crespo Cuaresma

Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital, Vienna, Austria

Austrian Institute of Economic Research, Vienna, Austria

University College London (UCL), London, UK

Teodor Yankov

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), Vienna, Austria

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jesus Crespo Cuaresma .

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Caballero Reina, J., Crespo Cuaresma, J., Fenz, K. et al. Gravity Models for Global Migration Flows: A Predictive Evaluation. Popul Res Policy Rev 43 , 29 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-024-09867-6

Download citation

Received : 03 March 2023

Accepted : 01 February 2024

Published : 02 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-024-09867-6

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Gravity model
• Economic growth
• Forecasting

Advertisement

• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

• Open access
• Published: 02 April 2024

Linkage to HIV care and early retention in HIV care among men in the ‘universal test-and-treat’ era in a high HIV-burdened district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

• Mbuzeleni Hlongwa 1 , 2 , 3 ,
• Wisdom Basera 1 , 4 ,
• Khumbulani Hlongwana 2 , 5 ,
• Carl Lombard 6 ,
• Ria Laubscher 6 ,
• Sinegugu Duma 2 ,
• Mireille Cheyip 7 ,
• Debbie Bradshaw 1 &
• Edward Nicol 1 , 8  

BMC Health Services Research volume  24 , Article number:  384 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

56 Accesses

Metrics details

Introduction

Despite the numerous efforts and initiatives, males with HIV are still less likely than women to receive HIV treatment. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, men are tested, linked, and retained in HIV care at lower rates than women, and South Africa is no exception. This is despite the introduction of the universal test-and-treat (UTT) prevention strategy anticipated to improve the uptake of HIV services. The aim of this study was to investigate linkage to and retention in care rates of an HIV-positive cohort of men in a high HIV prevalence rural district in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

From January 2018 to July 2019, we conducted an observational cohort study in 18 primary health care institutions in the uThukela district. Patient-level survey and clinical data were collected at baseline, 4-months and 12-months, using isiZulu and English REDCap-based questionnaires. We verified data through TIER.Net, Rapid mortality survey (RMS), and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) databases. Data were analyzed using STATA version 15.1, with confidence intervals and p -value of ≤0.05 considered statistically significant.

The study sample consisted of 343 male participants diagnosed with HIV and who reside in uThukela District. The median age was 33 years (interquartile range (IQR): 29–40), and more than half (56%; n  = 193) were aged 18–34 years. Almost all participants (99.7%; n  = 342) were Black African, with 84.5% ( n  = 290) being in a romantic relationship. The majority of participants (85%; n  = 292) were linked to care within three months of follow-up. Short-term retention in care (≤ 12 months) was 46% ( n  = 132) among men who were linked to care within three months.

While the implementation of the UTT strategy has had positive influence on improving linkage to care, men’s access of HIV treatment remains inconsistent and may require additional innovative strategies.

Peer Review reports

Despite progress in the proportion of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and receiving treatment in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), significant gender inequities still exist [ 1 ]. Men living with HIV remain less likely than women to access HIV care, despite the many efforts and interventions implemented [ 2 ]. Men are tested, linked, and retained in HIV services at lower rates than women across SSA [ 1 ]. When men are diagnosed with HIV and put on treatment, they are more likely than their female counterparts to have frequent treatment disruptions [ 3 ]. Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is widely available and accessible to eligible people in South Africa; however, some factors prevent eligible men from accessing HIV treatment services in public health care facilities. These factors include dominant masculine norms, the design of health services, long queues in health care facilities, stigma associated with HIV, perceived potential breach of confidentiality regarding one’s HIV status, long waiting times at health care facilities, and money and time spent traveling to seek care [ 4 , 5 ]. Linkage to and retention in care are critical in achieving the 95–95–95 targets (95% of all people living with HIV should be diagnosed, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV are started on ART, and 95% of people started on ART have a suppressed viral load) [ 6 ]. However, retaining men in HIV treatment remains one of the most difficult challenges of this intervention programme.

The expansion of HIV testing, and treatment has yielded better outcomes in women more than in men. Lower HIV testing rates, as well as poor linkage to and retention on antiretroviral therapy (ART), may be contributing to the growing female-male discrepancy in adult life expectancy [ 1 ]. In comparison to women, men are diagnosed with HIV and put on ART at an advanced stage [ 7 ]. Men are more likely than women to have virological failure as a result of frequent treatment interruptions, resulting in higher HIV-related death rates, while on ART [ 8 , 9 ]. To improve health outcomes, reduce HIV transmission rates, and achieve epidemic containment, it is critical to understand the barriers and enablers to HIV treatment among men in resource-limited settings.

The ‘Universal Test-and-Treat’ (UTT) strategy was introduced to ensure that all individuals diagnosed with HIV are started on ART as soon as possible, regardless of CD4 count or clinical staging [ 10 ]. It also refers to preferably same day initiation of ART but within 14 days of initial HIV-positive diagnosis at the maximum. Since 2016, South Africa has been implementing the UTT strategy in all public health care facilities [ 11 ]. However, more data is required to understand how the adoption of the UTT in South Africa has affected the linkage to and retention in care, particularly among men — a population that is often viewed as “hard to reach”. Prior to the launch of the UTT strategy, Haber et al.’s study revealed that less than half of the study participants in the KwaZulu-Natal province were linked to HIV treatment [ 12 ].

Linkage to and retention in care among HIV diagnosed men are key to improving the health and well-being of men infected with HIV. These factors remain top priorities in South Africa, as part of efforts by the government to curb the spread of HIV as well as reaching the 95-95-95 targets. Linkage to and retention in HIV treatment are crucial for attaining viral load reduction in populations and, thus, reducing HIV transmission [ 13 ]. To better understand the impact of UTT on HIV treatment cascade, we assessed the linkage to and retention in care rates of an HIV-positive cohort of men in a high HIV burdened rural district in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

Study setting

This study was conducted in the uThukela District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. The district is comprised of three local municipalities (LMs) - Alfred Duma LM, Inkosi Langalibalele LM and Okhahlamba LM (Fig.  1 ). The population of uThukela district is predominantly poor, rural and utilizing public health services [ 14 ]. HIV prevalence is high in the district at 22% among men aged 15–49 years, with individuals required to travel long distances to access basic health care services [ 14 , 15 ].

Map of uThukela District, KwaZulu-Natal, 2017, showing the population density for the three local municipalities

LM: local municipality; CHC: Community Health Centre

Study design

An observational cohort design was undertaken in 18 healthcare facilities in uThukela district.

Sample size determination and sampling strategy

We undertook a sample size calculation based on the primary outcome, which was the proportion of individuals who were linked to HIV care. Successful linkage to care was defined as proportion for participants from the enrolled facilities who were diagnosed with HIV and subsequently completed a first medical clinic visit and started on ART within 90 days of their positive HIV test at enrollment as evidenced by a TIER.Net record, an electronic patient management system capturing patient-level data on public sector HIV management in South Africa [ 16 ]. At the time of our data collection, the uThukela district did not have published data on linkage to and retention in care rates among men during the UTT era. However, a linkage to care rate of 62% within the first year of HIV diagnosis has been reported from KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa [8]. Therefore, we hypothesized a 10% increase in linkage to care rate due to the possible impact of the UTT strategy.

The sample size calculation (Table  1 ) for this analysis are illustrative of the power of the design of the study to detect a difference in the potential influence of UTT on the linkage to care rates at a specific time point (i.e., 3 months). The minimum number of clusters (facilities) needed to detect an increase in linkage to care uptake at 3 months with 76% power was 18 in total, translating to 9 for the two time periods i.e., baseline and follow-up with 22 participants per cluster assuming an interclass correlation (ICC) of 0.01 and significance level of 0.05. The sample and power calculation were done using STATA v14.2 (StataCorp, Texas, USA). The study had the capacity to retain at least 70% power for a 20% dropout at 3 months of follow-up (m = 18 per cluster) and the design effect of 1.2 were deemed realistic for the study populations.

There are 63 public sector health care facilities providing primary health services in uThukela district. To ensure feasibility of reaching the enrolment targets, a threshold was set to include only facilities which reported 10 or more patients testing positive per month (average over 12 months, December 2016– November 2017, DHIS data). The study selected 18 health care facilities based on the HIV testing uptake rates. These facilities, which include three gateway clinics, eight primary health care (PHC) clinics, two community day centers, three mobile clinics, one community health center (CHC), and an outpatient department within a hospital, were likely to yield the required minimum number of tests to increase our chances of enrolling 10 participants per day. We assumed a conservative number of five male participants to be enrolled from the target 18 facilities each month equaling to 90 participants over a period of six months, yielding a possible 540 participants - which would cover the required sample size of 396 (22 × 18) (Table  1 ). We adopted a convenience sampling of study participants until we reached the targeted number of participants.

Adults 18 years and older visiting different facilities to conduct an HIV test were approached to consider participating in the study after it had been fully introduced to them. Those who consented to participating in the study were requested to complete a self-administered questionnaire at baseline, before testing for HIV, and a follow-up at 4 months post HIV diagnosis.

Our inclusion criteria for enrolment into the study involved participants aged 18 years or older; intending to take an HIV test in one of the participating health care facilities during the study period; access to a cell phone and willingness to provide contact details. A detailed methodology is described elsewhere [ 17 ].

Definitions

We defined linkage to HIV care in this analysis as the successful completion of a first medical clinic visit after HIV diagnosis within three months after HIV-positive diagnosis, and have been initiated onto ART as verified through TIER.Net record. Retention in care was defined as the proportion of HIV-positive participants who were linked on ART, remained in contact with HIV care services and are active on ART, and were not reported as dead or having interrupted treatment during the last 12 months post HIV diagnosis.

Data collection and management

Data were collected using isiZulu and English REDCap-based questionnaires, as well as through record reviews. While prospective participants were waiting in the HIV testing queues, fieldworkers invited them to enroll in the study. Each questionnaire was completed within 45–60 min, depending on whether it was self-administered or completed with assistance. The survey instrument included questions on participants’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics, HIV testing and care experiences, and HIV disclosure. At the end of each day, participants’ HIV test results were retrieved from clinic records for verification. The Tier.Net database and the NHLS database were used to track participants who tested positive as they interacted with the health care system for CD4, ART and viral load measurements. We also used the NHLS’ central data warehouse (CDW) probabilistic linkage algorithm to link the results for participants using names, dates of birth, sex, initial laboratory identification, etc. Also, the presence and timing of each participant’s most recent viral load measurements obtained from TIER.Net/NHLS was considered for retention in care.

After data was retrieved from the TIER.Net and NHLS databases, we de-identified participants’ records and entered them into the REDCap-based participant questionnaires using the unique enrolment ID number before extracting them for cleaning and analysis using STATA version 14.2 (StataCorp, Texas, USA). Participants’ mortality status was checked at the end of the 12 months follow-up via the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) rapid mortality survey (RMS) database to explain their treatment interruption status and confirm that individuals considered as not linked to care or not retained in care were not deceased. The RMS database contains monthly information about deaths registered by the South African Department of Home Affairs.

Statistical analysis

Data were analyzed using the svyset command in STATA 14.2 (StataCorp, Texas, USA) to incorporate the one stage cluster study design of the sample. The primary sampling unit was the name of the facility which represented the cluster were the survey participants were sampled from stratified by the type of facility. There was no finite population correction since the number of possible participants was not known beforehand. Once the survey setting was declared, the categorical participant characteristics were reported as proportions and the associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Continuous data were reported as medians, interquartile range (IQR) since the data were skewed. Linkage to and retention in care were expressed as proportions of the cohort living with HIV. The Mann-Whitney test was used to investigate differences between numerical variables and the Pearson’s chi-squared test which was used to assess associations between categorical variables was corrected using the second order correction of Rao and Scott and converted into an F statistic. Confidence intervals, the test statistic (F) and a p -value of ≤0.05 were reported to consider statistical significance for the various characteristics of the sample.

Ethical considerations

Approvals to conduct this study were obtained from the SAMRC ethics committee. This project was reviewed in accordance with CDC human research protection procedures and was determined to be research involving human subjects, but CDC investigators did not interact with human participants or have access to identifiable data or specimens for research purposes. Additional permissions to conduct this study were obtained from the KZN Provincial Department of Health and the uThukela district authorities. Before taking part in the study, all participants signed an informed consent form. We used research pseudonyms instead of participant names to maintain confidentiality and privacy of our participants. Data was stored at SAMRC in a password protected file. Referral pamphlets with details of support centers were made available to participants who would have become emotionally distressed during data collection.

A total of 1731 male participants were recruited after the screening of 1931 consenting participants approached for inclusion eligibility in the study. A small proportion was excluded because they failed eligibility checks (0.4%; n  = 8) and others had data quality issues (9.9%; n  = 192) including enrolment ID duplicates, incomplete questionnaires, or no enrolment numbers. Of those recruited via screening for HIV reactivity ( n  = 1731), a small proportion did not receive their test results (4.8%; n  = 83), most were HIV negative (75.4%; n  = 1305) and almost a quarter were HIV positive (19.8%; n  = 343). The final study sample for this analysis consisted of 343 male participants who were residing in the uThukela District from December 2017 to June 2018 (Fig.  2 ).

Consort diagram detailing the recruitment of the male participants into the Linkage to Care study in uThukela district, 2018

The median age was 33 years (IQR: 29–40) and more than half (56%; n  = 193) were aged 18–34 years. Almost all participants (99.7%; n  = 342) were Black African, with the majority (98.0%; n  = 336) being South African citizens. In terms of marital status, 84.5% ( n  = 290) of participants were in a romantic relationship (married - living together; cohabiting; dating), 1.7% ( n  = 6) were married but not living together with their partner, and 13.7% ( n  = 47) were single. More than half (60.2%; n  = 204) had completed a secondary level of education, 5.6% ( n  = 19) had completed a primary level of education, and 2.4% ( n  = 8) had no education at all (Table  2 ).

Linkage to HIV care

The majority of men, 84.8% ( n  = 292) were linked to HIV treatment within three months of follow-up and could be tracked in the TIER.Net database and 15.2% (51) were identified as not having linked to care at the time (Table  2 ). Of the participants diagnosed with HIV at a clinic and hospital settings, 80.4% ( n  = 189) and 100% ( n  = 38) were linked to HIV treatment, respectively. Linkage to care was high regardless of the level of education, ranging from 83.3% ( n  = 170) among participants who had completed secondary level of education to 89.5% ( n  = 17) among those who completed primary level of education. Similarly, linkage to care was high across all age categories, ranging from 81.3% ( n  = 26) among participants aged 18–24 years to 91.7% ( n  = 22) among participants aged 50 years and older. Linkage to care was high regardless of participants’ marital status, it was 82.6% ( n  = 57) for those who were cohabitating, 84.1% for those dating and 89.4% ( n  = 42) among those who were single. Participants who were married and living together with their partner accounted for 90.6% ( n  = 29) compared to 83.3% ( n  = 5) among those who were married and living separately from their partner. The variable facility type (F = 1.5 and p  = < 0.01) was a significant predictor for linkage to care.

Retention in HIV care

Among the 292 males who were linked to care, 45.6% ( n  = 132) were retained in care after 12 months of follow-up (Table  3 ). The median age was 34 years (IQR: 29–41). Of the participants who were linked to care from a clinic and hospital settings, 42.3% ( n  = 80) and 65.8% ( n  = 25) were retained in care after 12 months of follow-up, respectively. Retention in care was 57.1% ( n  = 4) and 50.5% ( n  = 48) among participants who were not educated at all and those with a tertiary level of education, respectively. Among participants aged 18–24 years who were linked to care, 50.0% ( n  = 13) were retained in care after 12 months of follow-up. About half of participants who were cohabitating (50.9%; n  = 29) were retained in care after 12 months of follow-up. Those who were married and living with their partners ( n  = 13) had the least proportion (44.8%) of retention in care.

In this study, we investigated the linkage to and retention in care rates of a cohort of men living with HIV in uThukela district, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Our results showed that linkage to care among males who were diagnosed with HIV was high, with 85% initiating HIV treatment within three months of knowing their HIV status. However, retention in HIV care after 12 months post diagnosis was low, at 45%.

Timely and substantial linkage to HIV treatment among men newly diagnosed with HIV is critical to improve health outcomes and maximize population-level benefits from ART. Despite the well documented barriers deterring men from accessing health services in SSA [ 4 , 18 ], our study findings showed higher rates of linkage to care compared to findings from similar settings in KwaZulu-Natal and in Western Cape provinces [ 19 , 20 ]. A household-based community cross-sectional survey conducted in KwaZulu-Natal province found that 71% (95% CI: 68.6–73.4) of participants were linked to care, accounting for 74% (95% CI: 71.6–76.9) among women and 60% (95% CI: 54.2–66.1) among men [ 19 ]. In Cape Town, Western Cape province, 63% of participants who were diagnosed with HIV were linked to care, with men accounting for 64% [ 20 ]. Furthermore, less than half of individuals diagnosed with HIV were linked to care in similar settings [ 12 , 21 , 22 ]. Our results suggest that the greatest challenge lies in men’s retention in care than their linkage to care.

Improving linkage to care is still a challenge in SSA [ 23 ]. However, our study was conducted during the era in which the UTT strategy was launched in South Africa, a fast-track strategy which allows for initiating all individuals testing HIV-positive on ART irrespective of their CD4 count and clinical staging [ 10 ]. The implementation of UTT has made important strides towards improving access to HIV treatment among individuals newly diagnosed with HIV [ 24 ]. Therefore, the high rates of linkage to care among men in our siting may be indicative of the success of the UTT strategy implementation. This is an important finding because it demonstrates the UTT programme success and effectiveness in engaging men into HIV treatment, while identifying the areas requiring further attention. Evidence suggests that early initiation on ART for individuals living with HIV is linked to better clinical outcomes than later treatment [ 25 , 26 ].

Despite the benefits of linkage to care, retention in care is critical for continuous uptake of prescribed HIV treatment, to prevent morbidity and mortality resulting from treatment interruption among HIV-positive individuals [ 8 ]. Our finding that short-term retention in care was low is consistent with many reports from elsewhere in SSA [ 19 , 27 ]. A study conducted in South Africa indicated that males (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.1–2.0) initiating ART under UTT were 50% more likely to be lost-to-follow up (LTFU) during the 12 months period after they were initiated in care [ 28 ]. Clearly there remains critical challenges deterring men from consistently accessing HIV treatment [ 4 , 29 ]. Common risk factors of LTFU include financial constraints, dissatisfaction with health services and/or poor infrastructure [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Retaining men on consistent ART is important, given the increased virological failure and mortality rates associated with LTFU [ 8 , 9 ]. While linkage to care is high in our study, the low retention rates suggests that more efforts are essential to improve retention in care among men, to improve health outcomes and curb the spread of HIV. Therefore, identifying men who are more likely to experience treatment interruptions may provide imperative prospects for designing tailored service delivery interventions which would be more responsive to their needs [ 33 ].

Our findings are subject to important strengths and limitations. Our determination of adherence to HIV treatment was confirmed via the availability of a medical clinic visit evidenced by a record in Tier.Net and the presence of viral load measurements in the NHLS database. The estimates from the study were, less precise as evidenced by the wide confidence intervals largely due to a small sample size. We could not collect information on the reasons for refusal to participate and the associated number of refusals as such the study sample could be subject to selection bias. Therefore, the study sample could be less representative of the source population and these results should be interpreted with caution. We did not measure treatment outcomes of participants during the 12-month period.

Our findings illustrate that the adoption and implementation of the UTT strategy has had positive benefits towards improving linkage to care among men in the uThukela district. However, retention in care remains a concern given the low rates of men retained within 12 months of follow-up. These findings suggest the need for additional and targeted interventions to improve retention among men to address barriers deterring men from consistently accessing HIV treatment in healthcare facilities, to enhance their individual health outcomes, minimize HIV transmission, achieve epidemic control and extend life expectancy.

Data availability

All the data analysed and reported in this paper will be made available upon request. EN ([email protected]) should be contacted if someone wants to request the data from this study.

UNAIDS. Blind spot: reaching out to men and boys. Addressing a blind spot in the response to HIV. Geneva, Switzerland: UNAIDS; 2017.

Google Scholar  

Staveteig S, Wang S, Head SK, Bradley SE, Nybro E. Demographic patterns of HIV testing uptake in sub-saharan Africa. ICF International Calverton, MD; 2013.

Kaplan SR, Oosthuizen C, Stinson K, Little F, Euvrard J, Schomaker M, et al. Contemporary disengagement from antiretroviral therapy in Khayelitsha, South Africa: a cohort study. PLoS Med. 2017;14(11):e1002407.

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Hlongwa M, Mashamba-Thompson T, Makhunga S, Hlongwana K. Barriers to HIV testing uptake among men in sub-saharan Africa: a scoping review. Afr J AIDS Res. 2020;19(1):13–23.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Sharma M, Barnabas RV, Celum C. Community-based strategies to strengthen men’s engagement in the HIV care cascade in sub-saharan Africa. PLoS Med. 2017;14(4):e1002262.

UNAIDS. Understanding Fast-track: accelerating action to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. UNAIDS; 2015.

Druyts E, Dybul M, Kanters S, Nachega J, Birungi J, Ford N, et al. Male sex and the risk of mortality among individuals enrolled in antiretroviral therapy programs in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aids. 2013;27(3):417–25.

Tsai AC, Siedner MJ. The missing men: HIV treatment scale-up and life expectancy in sub-saharan Africa. PLoS Med. 2015;12(11):e1001906.

Barnighausen T, Herbst AJ, Tanser F, Newell M, Bor J, editors. Unequal benefits from ART: a growing male disadvantage in life expectancy in rural South Africa. Conference on retroviruses and opportunistic infections; 2014.

World Health Organization. Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016.

SA National Department of Health. Implementation of the Universal Test and treat strategy for HIV positive patients and differentiated care for stable patients. Pretoria: Department of Health, Directorate DC; 2016.

Haber N, Tanser F, Bor J, Naidu K, Mutevedzi T, Herbst K, et al. From HIV infection to therapeutic response: a population-based longitudinal HIV cascade-of-care study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Lancet HIV. 2017;4(5):e223–e30.

Colasanti J, Kelly J, Pennisi E, Hu Y-J, Root C, Hughes D, et al. Continuous retention and viral suppression provide further insights into the HIV care continuum compared to the cross-sectional HIV care cascade. Clin Infect Dis. 2016;62(5):648–54.

Statistics South Africa, General Household Survey. 2019. Pretoria, South Africa: Statistics South Africa; 2020.

South Africa District HIV estimates [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://www.hivdata.org.za/

Osler M, Hilderbrand K, Hennessey C, Arendse J, Goemaere E, Ford N, et al. A three-tier framework for monitoring antiretroviral therapy in high HIV burden settings. J Int AIDS Soc. 2014;17(1):18908.

Nicol E, Basera W, Mukumbang FC, Cheyip M, Mthethwa S, Lombard C et al. Linkage to HIV care and early retention in care rates in the universal test-and-treat era: a population-based prospective study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. AIDS Behav. 2022:1–14.

Hlongwa M, Jama NA, Mehlomakulu V, Pass D, Basera W, Nicol E. Barriers and facilitating factors to HIV treatment among men in a high-HIV-burdened district in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a qualitative study. Am J Men’s Health. 2022;16(5):15579883221120987.

Article   Google Scholar  

Huerga H, Van Cutsem G, Farhat JB, Puren A, Bouhenia M, Wiesner L, et al. Progress towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals by age and gender in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a household-based community cross-sectional survey. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1–8.

Meehan S-A, Sloot R, Draper HR, Naidoo P, Burger R, Beyers N. Factors associated with linkage to HIV care and TB treatment at community-based HIV testing services in Cape Town, South Africa. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(4):e0195208.

Maman D, Ben-Farhat J, Chilima B, Masiku C, Salumu L, Ford N, et al. Factors associated with HIV status awareness and linkage to care following home based testing in rural Malawi. Tropical Med Int Health. 2016;21(11):1442–51.

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Lippman SA, El Ayadi AM, Grignon JS, Puren A, Liegler T, Venter WF, et al. Improvements in the South African HIV care cascade: findings on 90-90‐90 targets from successive population‐representative surveys in North West Province. J Int AIDS Soc. 2019;22(6):e25295.

Govindasamy D, Ford N, Kranzer K. Risk factors, barriers and facilitators for linkage to antiretroviral therapy care: a systematic review. Aids. 2012;26(16):2059–67.

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Nicol E, Mehlomakulu V, Jama NA, Hlongwa M, Basera W, Pass D, et al. Healthcare provider perceptions on the implementation of the universal test-and-treat policy in South Africa: a qualitative inquiry. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023;23(1):1–11.

Anglaret X, Minga A, Gabillard D, Ouassa T, Messou E, Morris B, et al. AIDS and non-AIDS morbidity and mortality across the spectrum of CD4 cell counts in HIV-infected adults before starting antiretroviral therapy in Cote d’Ivoire. Clin Infect Dis. 2012;54(5):714–23.

Grinsztejn B, Hosseinipour MC, Ribaudo HJ, Swindells S, Eron J, Chen YQ, et al. Effects of early versus delayed initiation of antiretroviral treatment on clinical outcomes of HIV-1 infection: results from the phase 3 HPTN 052 randomised controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2014;14(4):281–90.

Article   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Conan N, Coulborn RM, Simons E, Mapfumo A, Apollo T, Garone DB, et al. Successes and gaps in the HIV cascade of care of a high HIV prevalence setting in Zimbabwe: a population-based survey. J Int AIDS Soc. 2020;23(9):e25613.

Hirasen K, Fox MP, Hendrickson CJ, Sineke T, Onoya D. HIV treatment outcomes among patients initiated on antiretroviral therapy pre and post-universal test and treat guidelines in South Africa. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2020;16:169.

Cornell M, McIntyre J, Myer L. Men and antiretroviral therapy in Africa: our blind spot. Tropical Med Int Health. 2011;16(7):828–9.

Mberi MN, Kuonza LR, Dube NM, Nattey C, Manda S, Summers R. Determinants of loss to follow-up in patients on antiretroviral treatment, South Africa, 2004–2012: a cohort study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2015;15(1):1–11.

Alvarez-Uria G, Naik PK, Pakam R, Midde M. Factors associated with attrition, mortality, and loss to follow up after antiretroviral therapy initiation: data from an HIV cohort study in India. Global Health Action. 2013;6(1):21682.

Loeliger KB, Niccolai LM, Mtungwa LN, Moll A, Shenoi SV. Antiretroviral therapy initiation and adherence in rural South Africa: community health workers’ perspectives on barriers and facilitators. AIDS Care. 2016;28(8):982–93.

Osler M, Hilderbrand K, Goemaere E, Ford N, Smith M, Meintjes G, et al. The continuing burden of advanced HIV disease over 10 years of increasing antiretroviral therapy coverage in South Africa. Clin Infect Dis. 2018;66(suppl2):118–S25.

Download references

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

This research has been supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the terms of Cooperative Agreement Number 1U2GGH001150.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

Mbuzeleni Hlongwa, Wisdom Basera, Debbie Bradshaw & Edward Nicol

School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Mbuzeleni Hlongwa, Khumbulani Hlongwana & Sinegugu Duma

Public Health, Societies and Belonging, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa

Mbuzeleni Hlongwa

School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Wisdom Basera

Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Khumbulani Hlongwana

South African Medical Research Council, Biostatistics, Cape Town, South Africa

Carl Lombard & Ria Laubscher

Division of Global HIV&TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pretoria, South Africa

Mireille Cheyip

Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa

Edward Nicol

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

MH wrote the first draft manuscript text. WB prepared Table  2 , and 3 . CL and RL provided statistical support. KH, SD, MC, and EN provided comments and edited the draft. All authors approved the final draft for submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mbuzeleni Hlongwa .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

Approvals to conduct this study were obtained from the SAMRC ethics committee. This project was reviewed in accordance with CDC human research protection procedures and was determined to be research involving human subjects. All participants were informed about the study’s aims and the data protection measures and were asked to give their written informed consent prior to data collection.

Consent for publication

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funding agencies.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Hlongwa, M., Basera, W., Hlongwana, K. et al. Linkage to HIV care and early retention in HIV care among men in the ‘universal test-and-treat’ era in a high HIV-burdened district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. BMC Health Serv Res 24 , 384 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10736-3

Download citation

Received : 10 December 2022

Accepted : 16 February 2024

Published : 02 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10736-3

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• HIV treatment
• Linkage to care
• Retention in care
• South Africa

BMC Health Services Research

ISSN: 1472-6963

• General enquiries: [email protected]