Literature on mastery learning (ML) is reviewed from the perspectives of past efforts, current approaches, and future directions. To date, approaches in managing the ML literature have been in four major areas: (1) the "typing" of ML efforts in the context of a comprehensive literature review; (2) the compilation of state-of-the-art bibliographies of ML; (3) the synthesis of empirical ML studies through meta-analysis; and (4) interrelating the concepts and variables common to ML, effective schools, and outcome-based schooling via a macro-model. The current problem appears to be one of bringing more organization, control, and accessibility to the vast collection of ML literature. Future directions are discussed in the following areas: more investigation of learner-oriented and instruction-oriented variables considered to be alterable; greater interest in why ML succeeds; more interplay between ML and instructional psychology; an improved framework and new taxonomy for interpreting documents; more emphasis on aspects of ML related to other disciplines; and interrelating ML and other school reform movements. A table presents a new taxonomy for literature analysis. A 29-item list of references is included. (SLD)