> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.nested-knowledge.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.nested-knowledge.com/best-practices/best-practices-by-review-type/targeted-literature-reviews.md).
# Targeted Literature Reviews
Learn about the best practices for conducting targeted/rapid literature reviews.
Here the best practices in conducting a targeted literature review are covered.
For step-by-step instructions in **Nested Knowledge**, see the [Targeted Literature Review guide](/best-practices/best-practices-by-review-type/targeted-literature-reviews.md). The guidance below applies regardless of the software you use to run your review.
### Bound Your Question Tightly
A TLR's speed comes from scope while maintaining rigor. Define exactly what claim or decision the review needs to support before you search, so the boundary is a deliberate choice rather than a gap discovered later.
### Document Your Search Even When It's Narrower
A bounded search strategy still needs to be documented—which databases, which terms, which date range—so the review can be defended if its conclusions are questioned later.
### Be Explicit About What A TLR Doesn't Claim
State plainly that the review is targeted, not exhaustive, and name the limitation rather than let a reader assume otherwise. This matters most when a TLR's findings will be reused in a context—a submission, a publication—that expects SLR-level comprehensiveness.
### Keep Screening Criteria Explicit, Even Under Time Pressure
A faster timeline is a reason to predefine criteria more carefully, not less—ambiguous criteria cost more time in rework than they save in the initial pass.
### Next Steps
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