How to Write a APA Literature Review Template and Examples Based on Usual Care, SNOMED Research, and Best Practices for Pharmacy Reviews. [2025]

APA Literature Review are crucial components of academic research that synthesize existing studies on a specific topic. In disciplines such as healthcare, pharmacy, and medicine, literature reviews help frame new research in the context of established knowledge. The APA (American Psychological Association) 7th edition style is one of the most widely accepted formats for organizing academic literature reviews in these fields. This blog will guide you through crafting an APA literature review template, defining usual care in healthcare and pharmacy literature reviews, examining SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine) research, and outlining best practices for conducting pharmacy literature reviews.

Importance of APA Literature Reviews

APA literature reviews provide a structured approach to presenting existing research, enabling authors to offer a clear and organized narrative. Using the APA 7th edition style ensures consistency in formatting and citation, which is particularly important in scientific disciplines that demand precision.

The purpose of a literature review is to:

• Summarize existing research on a particular topic.
• Identify gaps in current knowledge.
• Provide a framework for the research question or hypothesis being explored.
• Establish context for the findings of new research.

By following APA 7th edition guidelines, researchers maintain a high standard of academic integrity, ensure proper attribution of sources, and provide a professional and easy-to-read structure for their audience. Let’s explore the components of an APA literature review and how to use them effectively.

APA Literature Review Template: A Detailed Guide

The APA 7th edition formatting is critical to ensure clarity, organization, and standardization in academic writing. The following sections are essential when crafting a literature review in APA style:

Title Page

The title page in APA format serves as the first page of the document and should contain the following:

• Title of the paper: This should be bold and centered. APA specifies that the title should be descriptive but concise, providing readers with a clear understanding of the content.
• Author’s name: Directly beneath the title, include your full name, double-spaced.
• Institutional affiliation: Below the author’s name, list your university or research institution.
• Course name and number: Include your course details, separated by a space, directly under the institutional affiliation.
• Instructor’s name and due date: The final two elements on the title page should be your instructor’s full name and the due date of the assignment.

The title page should be double-spaced and formatted with 1-inch margins on all sides. It is important to note that running heads are no longer required for student papers in the 7th edition, although they are still necessary for professional manuscripts.

Abstract

The abstract is a brief but comprehensive summary of your paper, typically between 150 and 250 words. The abstract should:

• Include your research topic, key research questions, methods, results, and conclusions.
• Be written in a single, double-spaced paragraph.
• Contain no indentations at the start of the paragraph.

The word “Abstract” should be centered and bold at the top of the page, with the content starting on the next line. Including keywords beneath the abstract is optional but recommended to improve the paper’s discoverability in databases and search engines. Keywords should be italicized and listed in lowercase, separated by commas.

Main Body

The main body of the literature review is where you present your research. In APA 7th edition, you use five levels of headings to organize your content. The levels are structured to guide readers through the hierarchy of information:

• Level 1: Centered, bold, title case heading (for major sections).
• Level 2: Flush left, bold, title case heading (for subsections).
• Level 3: Flush left, bold italic, title case heading (for further subsections).
• Level 4: Indented, bold, title case heading ending with a period (used within the same paragraph).
• Level 5: Indented, bold italic, title case heading ending with a period (used within the same paragraph).

In the main body, citations are made using the author-date method. When quoting directly, include the page number with the citation, for example, (Smith, 2020, p. 123). For paraphrased material, only the author’s last name and the publication year are required, for example, (Smith, 2020).

References

The References section should appear on a new page and should include all sources cited in your paper. Follow these formatting rules:

• Title the section “References” (centered and bold).
• Arrange entries in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author.
• Use hanging indents for each reference entry (the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented by 0.5 inches).
• List up to 20 authors in a reference entry, and if there are more than 20, include the first 19 authors followed by an ellipsis (…) and the final author’s name.

Also Read: Exploring 7 Top Citation Styles for College Research Papers: MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, and AMA

Defining “Usual Care” in Literature Reviews

The concept of usual care is commonly used in healthcare research, particularly when comparing the efficacy of new interventions against standard practices. In literature reviews, defining usual care is crucial for establishing a baseline that allows for meaningful comparisons and conclusions.

What is “Usual Care” in Healthcare and Pharmacy Research?

Usual care refers to the routine treatment or standard clinical practices that are provided in the absence of experimental interventions. It is a term often used in clinical trials or observational studies, particularly in research fields like pharmacy and healthcare. Usual care can vary across different institutions and regions, making it important to define it clearly within the context of the literature reviews.

In a literature review, usual care should be clearly outlined to ensure that the study’s findings are properly contextualized. For example, a new drug treatment might be tested against usual care practices to determine its effectiveness. Without defining usual care, it would be difficult to assess the relative benefits of the new treatment.

Importance of Defining Usual Care in Research

Accurate definitions of usual care are vital to prevent bias and ensure valid comparisons. This is particularly true in the context of healthcare, where standard practices might differ based on location, resource availability, or patient demographics. Defining usual care enables researchers to compare intervention outcomes reliably and ensures that healthcare professionals can make evidence-based decisions.

Conducting a Literature Review on SNOMED Research

SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine) is one of the most comprehensive systems used to encode clinical healthcare data. Over the past 40 years, SNOMED has played an integral role in ensuring standardized data across healthcare systems, improving communication between healthcare providers, and enhancing patient care.

Overview of SNOMED

SNOMED CT (Clinical Terms) is a clinical vocabulary that enables consistent, structured documentation and coding of medical conditions, procedures, and treatments. It has become essential for electronic health records (EHRs), facilitating the accurate transfer and interpretation of patient data across different systems and countries.

Best Practices for Conducting a SNOMED Literature Review

When conducting a literature review on SNOMED, it is important to explore its evolution, applications, and challenges. Key areas to focus on include:

1. Historical Development: Discuss the history of SNOMED from its inception to its current usage in modern healthcare settings.
2. Implementation: Examine the implementation challenges and successes, particularly in diverse healthcare settings.
3. Impact on Healthcare: Analyze studies that explore how SNOMED has improved patient care, clinical decision-making, and data interoperability.

A comprehensive SNOMED literature review should draw from a variety of credible sources, including databases like PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Medline. Be sure to discuss how SNOMED’s coding system has helped standardize medical practices and its contributions to global health informatics.

Best Practices for Pharmacy Literature Reviews

Pharmacy literature reviews play a vital role in evaluating the efficacy of drug therapies, understanding patient outcomes, and improving pharmacy practices. A well-structured APA literature review allows researchers to provide a thorough analysis of the existing research on drug effectiveness and healthcare practices.

Conducting a Scoping Review in Pharmacy

A scoping review is a type of literature review that provides an overview of the existing research on a given topic without necessarily assessing the quality of the studies. Scoping reviews are useful in pharmacy research for identifying gaps in the literature, mapping key concepts, and establishing the scope of the available evidence.

When conducting a scoping review in pharmacy, the following steps should be taken:

1. Identify the Research Question: Clearly define the scope of the review and the specific drug or treatment being studied.
2. Search for Relevant Studies: Use reputable databases like Medline, Embase, and CINAHL to gather relevant research studies.
3. Chart the Data: Organize the data by identifying common themes, such as the effectiveness of specific treatments or the prevalence of side effects.
4. Summarize the Findings: Provide a concise summary of the findings and discuss any identified gaps in the literature.

Sample APA Literature Review for Pharmacy Research

An effective APA literature review in pharmacy should include well-structured sections that follow APA’s formatting guidelines. For example, a literature review on the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating bacterial infections would include a detailed examination of clinical trials, meta-analyses, and observational studies. It should also clearly define usual care (standard antibiotic treatment protocols) and compare it with newer interventions.

When writing the literature review, ensure that:

• Tables and figures are used appropriately to display data.
• In-text citations are properly formatted according to APA guidelines.
• Subheadings are used to organize the review logically and clearly.

Conclusion

Writing a comprehensive APA literature review involves more than just summarizing existing research. It requires a careful approach to structuring your paper, defining key terms like usual care, and ensuring consistency in formatting. Whether you’re focusing on healthcare, pharmacy, or SNOMED research, adhering to APA 7th edition guidelines will enhance the clarity and credibility of your literature review. By following the guidelines provided in this blog, you can create a professional, well-organized literature review that effectively synthesizes the available research on your topic.

In summary, always remember to:

• Use proper APA formatting for the title page, abstract, main body, and references.
• Define usual care clearly in healthcare and pharmacy reviews to enable meaningful comparisons.
• Explore SNOMED’s contributions to healthcare through a well-structured literature review.
• Follow best practices for conducting comprehensive pharmacy reviews, ensuring that your literature review is thorough, organized, and formatted correctly.