Literature reviews: typology and forensic applications

Secondary research models, such as literature reviews, are designed to summarize existing primary data. Literature reviews serve distinct purposes depending on their methodology and scope. In forensic science, they have been widely used to recover historical information, facilitate bibliometric investigations, compile and compare analytical techniques, promote best practices, and support decision-making. This study presented a comprehensive description of common literature review types, namely (1) narrative, (2) integrative, (3) scoping, (4) systematic (with or without meta-analysis), (5) bibliometric, and (6) umbrella reviews, highlighting their specific characteristics and applications in forensic science. Forensic experts, students, instructors, and research authors and readers must be familiar with the typology and appropriate use of literature reviews to effectively select the most suitable approach for their studies and professional practice. In this context, the goal of academic research, as pursued in the present work, is to strengthen forensic knowledge, enhance theoretical rigor, and ultimately improve practices in the field through education in scientific research methodology.