Methodology for Writing Review Articles in Biological Sciences: A Systematic and Scholarly Guide
Jaydeep Kumar Sahu
Department of Dravyaguna, Poornayu Ayurved Chikitsalaya Evam Anusandhan Vidyapeeth, Dayodayateerth, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ghodke Anita Sureshrao
Amaltas Institute of Ayurveda, Amaltas University, Bangar, Dewas-Ujjain Highway, Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Saraswati Majhi
P. G. Department of Botany, Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College, Cuttack (affiliated to Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar), Odisha, India.
Rakhee Dimri
Department of Botany, Dr. P. D. Barthwal Govt. P. G. College, Kotdwar, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India.
Bhagwati Prashad Sharma
Department of Botany, Sidharth Government College, Nadaun, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Vikas Tailor
Department of Biology, Swami Vivekanand Government Model School, Block Asind, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, India.
Sanjeet Kumar
Biodiversity and Conservation Lab., Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India.
Arjun Patra *
Department of Botany, P. K. College, Contai, West Bengal, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Review articles (RA) play a central role in the advancement of biological sciences by synthesizing dispersed knowledge, identifying conceptual trends, evaluating methodological progress and proposing future research directions. Unlike primary research articles, reviews demand a high level of critical judgment, scholarly balance and methodological rigor in literature selection, organization and interpretation. In this aspect, there is a lack of easy methodological framework on how to write a review article on biological sciences. Therefore, present study provides a comprehensive, systematic and scholarly guide to writing high-quality review articles tailored to the standards of leading journals in biological sciences. It outlines the conceptual foundations, planning strategies, literature search methodology, critical synthesis approaches, structural organization, writing style, ethical considerations, contemporary software-supported workflows and quality assurance processes essential for producing authoritative and impactful reviews for a global readership. The article will be useful for researchers and scholars of biological sciences.
Keywords: Conceptual integration, critical appraisal, evidence synthesis, methodological rigor