Literature Review vs. Research Paper

 Sometimes confusion exists between the concept of literature review and research paper.  While the two contain some similarities in structure, their purpose differs substantially. 

Both may contain a similar organizational arrangement consisting of problem statement, literature search, data evaluation and analysis.

However, the purpose of the literature review is to provide an overview of significant literature published on a topic.   No new primary research is presented.

A research paper also consists of problem statement, literature search, data evaluation and analysis.  In fact a formal literature review may be one of the components of a research paper.   The purpose of the research paper is to add to the body of literature on a topic by presenting new primary research.

So while the two overlap in form, their functions are different.  Some examples are often helpful in grasping the differences.  Several sources exist and some are referenced here:

Sample Literature Review--

Allen, R.C. (1996). Socioeconomic Conditions and Property Crime: A Comprehensive Review and Test of the Professional Literature.
The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 55, 293.

Some books on literature reviews--

Cooper, H. (1998). Synthesizing Research: A Guide for Literature Reviews.
Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.

Galvan, J.L. (1999). Writing Literature Reviews.
Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.