LITERATURE REVIEW IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: FOUNDATIONS, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGICAL GUIDELINES FOR ITS PREPARATION

Abstract

Literature review is an essential component of the research process, as it allows for the identification, interpretation, and organization of available knowledge about a phenomenon. From an interpretive perspective, this exercise is not limited to compiling sources, but rather involves critically analyzing academic discourses to recognize advances, tensions, and gaps in the field. Specialized literature indicates that literature review facilitates the construction of the state of the art, the delimitation of the problem, the foundation of the theoretical framework, and the methodological orientation, while strengthening the researcher's critical thinking. It also makes it possible to situate the study within a broader epistemological context, articulating it with relevant traditions and debates. This article examines literature review as a hermeneutic and epistemological practice, highlighting its functions, foundations, and contributions to qualitative research. It is argued that a rigorous review allows for the production of more solid, relevant, and coherent knowledge in response to contemporary challenges in the social sciences.