What key element does a successful literature review depend on besides the database choice and search parameters?

The key element that a successful literature review depends on, besides the database choice and search parameters, is the range of academic sources included. A comprehensive literature review requires a thorough understanding of the existing research in the field, which is achieved by incorporating a diverse selection of sources. This variety ensures that the review captures different perspectives, methodologies, and results that are relevant to the research question at hand.

By including a broad range of academic sources, including peer-reviewed articles, books, conference proceedings, and theses, researchers can create a more robust and reliable synthesis of existing knowledge. This diversity enhances the credibility of the literature review and ensures that it reflects the breadth of research available, leading to more informed conclusions and recommendations.

While chosen search terms play a significant role in retrieving literature, they are part of the broader process of conducting the review. The formatting of the review influences presentation but does not impact the content depth. Similarly, the sheer number of articles retrieved does not guarantee quality; it's about the relevance and quality of the sources included that truly matters.