How many sources do I need for a 15-page paper?

For a 15-page literature review, a good rule of thumb is to aim for about 40 to 60 sources, but your best bet is to match the citation density of the specific journal you are targeting. I completely understand how stressful this is when you are trying to find that perfect balance. It is so frustrating to feel like you are either under-citing and leaving gaps, or just padding your list with fluff to hit some imaginary number. Think of your reference list like a dinner party guest list; you want enough voices to have a rich, lively conversation, but not so many that the room gets crowded and your own voice gets drowned out. Since you are writing a literature review, your citation density will naturally be higher than a standard empirical paper because your entire job is to synthesize the existing landscape. Instead of stressing over a rigid number, pull up three or four recent reviews from your target journal and count their references. If they average around 50, that is your sweet spot. Focus on making sure every citation serves a clear purpose, like establishing context or backing up a claim, rather than just filling space. If you ever feel unsure about whether your draft meets the right standards, you can always reach out to your residency mentor or your institution's medical library staff for some quick, expert feedback on your bibliography. You've got this, and your dedication to getting this right is going to shine through in your final manuscript.