Constructing a Manuscript: Distinguishing Integrative Literature Reviews and Conceptual and Theory Articles

Abstract

A reviewer for HRDR once asked the editors, “How do I know whether this is an integrative literature review or a conceptual paper? ” When we explored the submis-sions we were receiving at HRDR, we realized that the majority of the manuscripts were really conceptual papers, but the authors often presented their work as an integra-tive literature review. Torraco (2005) wrote a most useful article that described how to write an integrative literature review. After that, many authors began framing every article submitted to HRDR in that format, even if they were not writing an integrative literature review. However, HRDR publishes several types of articles and, as Torraco (2005) noted, the editors “continue to seek well-written review [and other types of] articles that yield provocative, new perspectives on key issues in the field ” (p. 356). The aims and scope of the journal