How to Write a Review Paper

Are you thinking about writing a review paper but are not sure how to go about it? In this video, I’ll cover the characteristics of a good review paper, provide some examples of review papers, and give a few tips on organizing and writing a review paper.
00:00 Intro
00:36 What is a review paper?
01:01 What are some types of reviews?
02:10 Why write a review paper?
03:02 What makes a good review paper?
04:19 Examples of reviews.
07:02 Who writes review papers?
08:13 How are reviews structured?
10:54 Final thoughts.
Here is a list of examples of review papers mentioned in the video:
Cahoon, D.R., K.L. McKee, and J.T. Morris. 2021. How plants influence resilience of salt marsh and mangrove wetlands to sea-level rise. Estuaries and Coasts 44; 883-898. 10.1007/s12237-020-00834-w
Feller, I.C., C.E. Lovelock, U. Berger, K.L. McKee, S.B. Joye, and M.C. Ball. 2010. Biocomplexity in mangrove ecosystems. Annual Review of Marine Science 2: 395-417. doi.org/10.1146/annurev.marin...
Krauss, K.W., C. M. Lovelock, K. L. McKee, L. López-Hoffman, S. M.L. Ewe, W.P. Sousa. 2008. Environmental drivers in mangrove establishment and early development. Aquatic Botany 89 (2) Special Issue: 105-127. doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.200...
McKee, K. L. and W. H. Patrick, Jr. 1988. The relationship of smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) to tidal datums: A review. Estuaries 11:143-151.
Osland, M. J. et al. 2017. Assessing coastal wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast: Gaps and opportunities for developing a coordinated regional sampling network. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0183431. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183431
Woodroffe, C.D., Rogers, K., McKee, K.L., Lovelock, C.E., Mendelssohn, I.A., and Saintilan, N., 2016, Mangrove sedimentation and response to relative sea-level rise: Annual Review of Marine Science 8: 243-266. doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marin...
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If you use video in your research or would like to make a video about your research, check out my other KZbin channel, The Scientist Videographer: / sciencevideography
Follow me on Twitter: @SciWri_KLMcKee

[@wilmarsalazar808]

Dr. Mckee, you have the spark to turn a complex issue into a simple task without losing academic status.

[@frankieorsomething]

Thank you Karen - you've inspired me to finally start writing my first review paper!

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Best of luck!

[@akrkalyankar6570]

Thank you Dr.Karen for sharing your inspired talk

[@WaRM-Mentoring]

Thank you for the guidance. Very helpful.

[@osmanabdalaosman5593]

Thank you so much Dr. Karen for the insightful explanation. This might help me get unstuck in my review paper writing.

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Best of luck!

[@olumidesanusi3558]

Wow! This is the best explanation I ever get on this aspect of scientific writing. Thanks a lot for this resourceful video.

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lilbykings]

Thank you for this. I’m about to start my first review task on a book chapter. Your tips will go a long way.

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@parhamhaghighate9147]

Thank you that was very informative

[@sadeencold6800]

Thank you so much, that was very clear and informative, you made things easier for me and I'm inspired now 💙

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad I could help!

[@Thinker-gd8ck]

Thank you Karen for this high-quality video. I am going to write a review paper, it is really helpful.

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marlonegalacevaloisjr.7309]

Thank you, Dr. Karen! I can easily work now on my review paper.

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Good luck 👍

[@jennytaupa669]

Thank you Karen . Very much appreciate

[@raniermoura3825]

Great video, it helped me a lot! Thank you!

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad it helped!

[@ahmadakhamis8617]

Thank you Dr Karen for a good explanation of how to write a good review paper

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad it was helpful!

[@samizdat_]

This is a great video, really not many universities teach how to write a good review paper

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad you think so!

[@HealWithDrDV]

Dear Dr. Karen! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with students like me from all over the world. Each and every video of yours has great content and guidance. The videos are short, precise and very scientific in approach. Your teaching style is brilliant and very humble. The text on video is also very helpful for those students for whom Enhlish is not their first language. I appreciate your kind support. Sincerely, Devendra Singh, Health Psychologist (India).

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I'm glad my videos are reaching so many people around the world.

[@RK-cr2wx]

Your videos are very helpful 👍

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Glad you like them!

[@saintadel8902]

Thank you

[@user-tn3en5ss1f]

Hi, ma'am! Information are very informative. I just need a suggestion, how can i draw the graph (not schematic diagram) for our review paper?

[@YHWH979]

Thanks madam for your detailed explanation of the review paper writing process. Can you recommend any books on writing review, research articles, research proposal, thesis etc.

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

Here are three that I've read: Professors as Writers by Robert Boice The Craft of Scientific Writing by Michael Alley The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science by Scott Montgomery

[@HealWithDrDV]

@@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK thank you so much Dr.Karen.

[@lazher2]

Thank you Karen for this amazing video. I'm already in. My question is how to choose a narrow subject when you find a similair work already published ?

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

If there is already a review of a topic, you may need to seek a different topic or wait until there is new research warranting an updated review.

[@sinoeurnsokha7587]

Hi, Doctor I have a problem of review paper of topic with influence of SBM in educational function delegation on students’ outcome in primary school, Please can you help me as possible you can. The Best regards

[@Thinker-gd8ck]

Dear Karen, you mentioned that a good review uses a logical structure, may I ask you what kind of structures are logical? Could you give us some examples?

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

All research papers should be structured in a sequence that leads the reader to a logical conclusion about a topic. That is, information is ordered in a way that will be clear and understandable to the reader. Topics might also be reviewed in order of importance or chronologically, if a historical review. The exact structure depends on the type of review paper and the topic. I gave several examples in the video of how to structure a review in a coherent way.

[@godwinativor5427]

You have an interest in reviewing a particular topic. Later on, you realize that the topic has already been reviewed. How do you proceed in such a situation?

[@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK]

As I said in my video, do some research first to see if your topic has been reviewed recently. If so, you might focus on an aspect of the topic not thoroughly examined in detail.

[@godwinativor5427]

@@ScientificWritingwithKarenLMcK Thank you very much for the response.

[@harsha2198]

Thank you