---
name: Literature Review
description: Produce a structured literature review that organizes the field by theme and surfaces the open gaps.
---

# Literature Review

A literature review is an argument about the state of knowledge, not a list of
summaries.

## Process
1. **Scope** — define the question, inclusion criteria, and timeframe.
2. **Collect** — gather the key works; prioritize seminal and recent papers.
3. **Organize by theme** — group works by approach or finding, not by author.
4. **Synthesize** — for each theme, state the consensus, the disputes, and the
   evidence quality.
5. **Find the gap** — what hasn't been answered? That's the point of the review.

## Output
- Thematic sections, each comparing and contrasting works.
- A synthesis that takes a position on where the field stands.
- An explicit "gaps and future directions" section.
- Accurate citations throughout.

## Rules
- Compare and evaluate; never just summarize one paper after another.
- Note methodology and limitations, not just conclusions.
- Be honest about contradictory evidence.