What is a nursing research paper?
A nursing research paper is a piece of academic writing that presents the findings of a nursing research study. Nursing research studies are conducted to investigate new nursing practices, improve existing practices, and generate knowledge that can inform nursing practice and policy.
Why is nursing research important?
Nursing research is important because it helps to ensure that nurses are providing the best possible care to their patients. By conducting research, nurses can identify evidence-based practices that are effective and safe. Nursing research can also help to identify areas where new practices or interventions are needed.
How to choose a nursing research topic
When choosing a nursing research topic, it is important to consider your interests and expertise, as well as the current state of nursing research. You should also choose a topic that is specific, focused, and feasible to complete within the scope of your paper.
Here are some tips for choosing a nursing research topic:
- Consider your interests and expertise. What areas of nursing are you most passionate about? What do you know a lot about?
- Review current nursing research. What are the latest trends in nursing research? What are the most important issues facing nurses today?
- Talk to your professors and mentors. They can provide guidance on choosing a topic and developing a research question.
- Brainstorm specific and focused topics. Once you have a general topic in mind, start brainstorming specific and focused research questions. For example, instead of researching the topic of “nursing care for patients with cancer,” you could focus on a more specific topic such as “the effectiveness of music therapy for reducing pain in patients with cancer.”
How to write a nursing research paper
Writing a nursing research paper can be a daunting task, but it does not have to be. By following these steps, you can write a well-organized and informative research paper:
- Choose a nursing research topic.
- Conduct a nursing literature review.
- Develop a research question.
- Design a nursing research study.
- Collect and analyze data.
- Write your nursing research paper.
Choosing a nursing research topic
Consider your interests and expertise
When choosing a nursing research topic, it is important to consider your interests and expertise. What areas of nursing are you most passionate about? What do you know a lot about? Choosing a topic that you are interested in will make the research process more enjoyable and rewarding. It is also important to choose a topic that you are knowledgeable about, as this will give you a head start on the research process.
Review current nursing research
Another way to choose a nursing research topic is to review current nursing research. What are the latest trends in nursing research? What are the most important issues facing nurses today? By reviewing current nursing research, you can identify topics that are important and relevant to the field.
Talk to your professors and mentors
Your professors and mentors can also be a valuable resource for choosing a nursing research topic. They can provide guidance on choosing a topic and developing a research question. They can also help you to identify relevant sources of information.
Brainstorm specific and focused topics
Once you have a general topic in mind, start brainstorming specific and focused research questions. For example, instead of researching the topic of “nursing care for patients with cancer,” you could focus on a more specific topic such as “the effectiveness of music therapy for reducing pain in patients with cancer.”
Conducting a nursing literature review
A nursing literature review is a systematic search and evaluation of the existing research on a particular nursing topic. The purpose of a literature review is to identify the current state of knowledge on a topic and to identify gaps in the research literature.
To conduct a nursing literature review, follow these steps:
- Identify relevant keywords. What keywords are relevant to your research topic? Once you have identified some relevant keywords, you can use them to search for scholarly articles on your topic.
- Search scholarly databases. There are a number of scholarly databases that contain nursing research articles. Some popular scholarly databases include PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus.
- Evaluate the quality of sources. Once you have found some potential sources, it is important to evaluate their quality. Consider the following factors when evaluating the quality of a source:
- Is the source scholarly? Is it published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal?
- Is the source recent? Is it published within the last 5-10 years?
Is the source relevant to your research topic? Does it address your research question?
Is the source well-written and well-organized?
Is the source well-referenced? Does it cite other scholarly sources?
- Take notes and summarize your findings. As you read through the sources that you have identified, take notes and summarize the key findings. Be sure to include the author’s name, the publication date, and the main findings of the study.
- Synthesize your findings. Once you have taken notes and summarized your findings, it is time to synthesize your findings. This means writing a summary of the key findings of the literature review and identifying any gaps in the research literature.
- Developing a research question
Your research question should be specific, focused, and answerable. It should be based on your literature review and should be feasible to complete within the scope of your paper.
Here are some tips for developing a research question:
- Make sure your research question is specific and focused. Avoid broad or general research questions.
- Make sure your research question is answerable. Can you collect the data needed to answer your question?
- Make sure your research question is feasible to complete within the scope of your paper.
Designing a nursing research study
Once you have developed a research question, you need to design a nursing research study to answer your question. The type of research study that you choose will depend on your research question.
There are two main types of nursing research studies:
- Quantitative research studies: Quantitative research studies use numerical data to answer research questions. Examples of quantitative research studies include randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies.
- Qualitative research studies: Qualitative research studies use non-numerical data to answer research questions. Examples of qualitative research studies include interviews, focus groups, and ethnography.
When designing your research study, you need to consider the following:
- What type of research study is appropriate for your research question?
- What variables will you be measuring?
- How will you collect your data?
- How will you analyze your data?
- What ethical considerations do you need to be aware of?
Collecting and analyzing data
Once you have designed your research study, you need to collect and analyze your data. The specific methods that you use to collect and analyze your data will depend on the type of research study that you are conducting.
Here are some general tips for collecting and analyzing data:
- Be careful to collect data in a systematic and unbiased way.
- Clean and organize your data before analyzing it.
- Choose appropriate statistical methods to analyze your data.
- Interpret your findings carefully and draw conclusions that are supported by the data.
Writing your nursing research paper
Once you have collected and analyzed your data, you can start writing your nursing research paper. Your paper should be structured according to the standard research paper format.
The following are the main sections of a nursing research paper:
- Introduction: The introduction should provide background information on the research topic and state the research question.
- Literature review: The literature review should summarize the existing research on the research topic and identify any gaps in the research literature.
- Methodology: The methodology section should describe the research design, data collection methods, and data analysis methods used in the study.
- Results: The results section should present the findings of the study in a clear and concise way.
- Discussion: The discussion section should interpret the findings of the study and discuss their implications for nursing practice and policy.
- Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the main findings of the study and restate the research question.
When writing your nursing research paper, be sure to:
- Write in a clear and concise style.
- Cite your sources correctly.
- Proofread your paper carefully before submitting it.
Conclusion
Writing a nursing research paper can be a challenging task, but it is also a rewarding one. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can write a well-organized and informative research paper that will make a contribution to the field of nursing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are some common nursing research topics?
Some common nursing research topics include:
- Patient care:
- Pain management
- Wound care
- Infection prevention and control
- End-of-life care
- Nursing education:
- Teaching and learning strategies
- Student satisfaction
- Nurse faculty workload
- Nursing practice:
- Nurse staffing levels
- Nursing burnout
Q. How do I find scholarly nursing research articles?
There are a number of ways to find scholarly nursing research articles. One way is to search scholarly databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus. These databases contain articles from a wide range of nursing journals.
Another way to find scholarly nursing research articles is to search the websites of nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National League for Nursing (NLN). These organizations publish a variety of resources, including research articles, newsletters, and journals.
Finally, you can also find scholarly nursing research articles by searching the websites of individual nursing schools and universities. Many nursing schools and universities have their own online libraries that contain a variety of resources, including research articles.
Q. How do I write a thesis statement for my nursing research paper?
A thesis statement is a statement that summarizes the main argument of your paper. It should be clear, concise, and arguable.
To write a thesis statement for your nursing research paper, follow these steps:
- Identify the main argument of your paper. What is the point that you are trying to make?
- Write a sentence that summarizes your main argument. This sentence is your thesis statement.
- Make sure your thesis statement is clear, concise, and arguable.
Here is an example of a thesis statement for a nursing research paper:
Thesis statement: Music therapy is an effective intervention for reducing pain in patients with cancer.
This thesis statement is clear, concise, and arguable. It states the main argument of the paper (music therapy is an effective intervention for reducing pain in patients with cancer) in a sentence.
Q. How do I cite sources in my nursing research paper?
There are a number of different citation styles that can be used in nursing research papers. Some common citation styles include APA, MLA, and Chicago style.
The citation style that you use will depend on the requirements of your instructor or the journal to which you are submitting your paper.
If you are unsure of which citation style to use, be sure to ask your instructor or consult a style guide such as the APA Publication Manual or the MLA Handbook.
Q. How do I format my nursing research paper?
The formatting of your nursing research paper will also depend on the requirements of your instructor or the journal to which you are submitting your paper.
However, there are some general formatting guidelines that you should follow:
- Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial.
- Use a standard font size such as 12-point or 14-point font.
- Use double spacing.
- Use one-inch margins on all sides.
- Number your pages consecutively.
