A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics, science or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a rating to indicate its relative merit.
Reviews can apply to a movie, video game, musical composition, book; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or software such as business software, sales software; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, play, musical theater show, dance show or art exhibition. Online review platforms also aim to provide a space where buyers can share authentic experiences—positive or negative—and businesses can use this feedback to improve their services. In the cultural sphere, The New York Review of Books, for instance, is a collection of essays on literature, culture, and current affairs.
In the scientific field, reviews takes on a more specialized meaning. It compiles and evaluates previously published studies on a topic. It generally does not produce original research but rather the author tries to make sense of past findings and provide an overview of the current knowledge and understanding of the topic, and help identify patterns, gaps, or future directions. In some reviews, such as a systematic review, the author may include new quantitative analyses based on existing data.
