Giving an overview of the major points & findings of an article, with an emphasis on the hypothesis the researchers were addressing, their methods, main results & conclusions
Generally: why was this research done? What did the researchers learn?
Taken together, what new information do these articles provide?
What new questions are suggested or what areas of research should be looked into next?
Ways to explore this:
Comparing and discussing similarities & differences between findings of various studies
Identifying areas where the current research may be inadequate
Discussing points where the literature may conflict or acknowledging differences/debates between findings
Drawing connections and identifying themes between studies
Identifying gaps in the research that could benefit from further study or acknowledging limitations in existing studies
Discussing how treatment of a subject, method or procedure have changed over time
Adapted from Harvard Guide to Using Sources https://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/writing-original-papers-0