You are required to prepare a 3- 5 page formal analysis on a topic of your choice related to the either the Healthcare Administration or the Nursing Profession of interest to you written in accordance with the guidelines of the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

The purpose of this paper is to professional construct a formal written paper that demonstrates analysis and synthesis of current nursing evidence-based research literature regarding a topic of your choosing.

Writing this paper involves both critical analysis and synthesis of existing literature in a selected area of nursing science. The goal is to clearly and succinctly delineate what is known and what is not known in the selected area. Because a comprehensive review of literature can be a daunting undertaking, students are urged to delimit topics to ensure that the amount of material is manageable. [For example, rather than broadly focusing on alcohol and drug abuse it would be appropriate to limit to substance abuse during pregnancy or risk factors for substance abuse in teens (e.g., stress and coping)].

  • After completing your literature search, you should have a minimum of 3 - 5 research (data-based) articles. Weave these articles into a comprehensive theme-based literature review of available nursing research reports that provides a comparison/contrast critique.
  • Focus on literature from the past 10 years. Older articles may be used if they are foundational to the state of the science in the area (that is, many subsequent studies were based on the foundational study).
  • Do NOT include other authors' literature reviews in this paper. You are to use primary sources. Other literature reviews may serve as a starting point for you to identify articles mentioned in the review. Obtain and read the original article. Do not list anything that you have not actually read as a reference!
  • Do not use as a limiter in your search “on-line journals only” or “electronic journals only”. You may miss critical literature that is not available in electronic form. Many articles not available in electronic format may be scanned/delivered by UT Library Services or obtained from Interlibrary Loan.
  • Papers are to be 3 - 5 pages long exclusive of title page and reference page [points will be deducted for papers that are too short (< 18) or too long (> 24)]. The paper is to be written in accordance with APA 6th edition guidelines.
  • Citations from the literature must be (a) introduced by words of your own, (b) woven into a coherent narrative and (c) aggregated together wherever possible. Excessive use of direct quotes will result in loss of points when paper is graded. The paper should flow from one theme or concept to the next, rather than article to article.

Content Outline and Grading

I.Title page with running head

II.Abstract: write a 150 word limit abstract(5pts)

III.Introduction (10 pts). Paper should begin with a clear description of a manageable focus area, followed by a clearly articulated description of the significance of this focus area.

IV.Early in the paper, be specific about the methods used to search the literature (10 pts) and the extent to which you had to limit the search (e.g. journals of psychology and nursing from 2004 - 2015).

V.Overview of areas to be covered in the paper (5 pts). Just prior to the critical analysis section of your paper, specify the concept/themes which will be discussed and mention that you will conclude with a summary of what is known and what is not known about your focus area and identify questions for future research. (e.g. "This paper will critically analyze the research literature related to caregiver stress, the burdens experienced by caregivers, sources of support, and factors affecting utilization of support. The paper will conclude with a summary of what is known and what is not known about caregiver stress and identify areas for future research.")

VI.Critical analysis of focus area by themes/concepts (40 pts). After you have thoroughly researched the literature in your focus area, organize your work according to the emerging themes or concepts. (The concepts which emerge as the major factors related to your topic area should be used as your level 1 headings. These concepts will be the same things you list under “overview” and appear in the same sequence in the overview, the outline and your paper.) Please remember that a summary is NOT the same as a critical analysis of the relative merits and weaknesses of the research. Consider the methodological approaches used, the reliability and validity of tools, appropriateness of size of samples, etc. Compare andcontrast research findings within and across themes.

VII.Summary (15 pts). Succinctly identify what is known and what is not known about your focus area based on your critical analysis of the literature. Consider consistency across studies and areas where there is inconsistency in the findings or lack of research in the area. Identification of questions for future research: Be specific in your identification of research of research questions you might want to pursue. (Looking for careful thought here, not just a laundry list of all possibilities.) Questions raised should not be answerable with yes/no.

VIII.Reference page (minimum of 3 - 5 professional references)

IX.APA Format/Writing mechanics & style (15 pts). Includes length, grammar, sentence structure, organization, clarity, and required APA elements such as title page, running head, abstract, levels of headings, and reference page.