Writing Nursing Literature Reviews
Writing Nursing Literature Reviews
The literature review encompasses various materials related to a specific topic, ranging from scholarly articles to government pamphlets. It serves to analyze and synthesize existing knowledge within a particular subject area and may cover a specific time period.
Nursing literature reviews can take the form of simple summaries of sources or incorporate an organizational pattern that combines summary and synthesis. While a summary recaps essential information from the source, synthesis involves reorganizing or reshuffling that information to provide new interpretations or combine new with old perspectives. The review may also evaluate sources and offer guidance on the most relevant ones.
Distinguishing Nursing Literature Reviews from Academic Research Papers
Academic research papers focus on developing new arguments and may include a literature review as one of their sections. In contrast, a literature review’s primary objective is to summarize and synthesize the ideas and arguments of others without introducing new contributions.
Importance of Writing Literature Reviews
Literature reviews serve as valuable guides to specific topics, offering an overview and acting as a stepping stone for researchers with limited time. They also keep professionals up-to-date with the latest developments in their field and enhance a scholar’s credibility by showcasing their comprehensive knowledge of the literature.
Authors of Literature Reviews
Literature reviews are commonly found in the sciences and social sciences, particularly as sections in experiment and lab reports. Occasionally, they also appear in the humanities as separate papers.
First Steps in Writing a Nursing Literature Review
1. Clarify:
Seek clarification from your instructor about the specific requirements for your literature review. Understand how many sources to include, the types of sources allowed (e.g., books, journal articles, websites), the purpose of the review (e.g., summary, synthesis, critique), and the necessary background information.
2. Find Models:
Look for existing literature reviews in your area of interest or discipline to understand potential themes and organizational approaches for your own review.
3. Narrow Your Topic:
To manage the vast amount of available literature, narrow down your focus to a specific aspect of the topic. This will help you limit the number of sources to review and provide a more comprehensive survey of the material.
4. Consider Source Currency:
Depending on your discipline, consider whether your sources should be as current as possible or if a historical perspective is more appropriate.
Strategies for Writing Nursing Literature Reviews
1. Find a Focus:
Organize your literature review around specific themes or issues instead of merely listing sources. Identify connections and themes that tie the sources together.
2. Convey Your Approach:
Clearly communicate the main organizing principle of your review to the readers. This helps them understand the framework guiding your literature review.
3. Consider Organization:
Decide on an organizational method for the body of your review. Options include chronological, thematic, methodological, and others. Each method influences the content and structure of your review.
4. Use Evidence:
Support your interpretations and arguments with evidence from the sources you cite in your literature review.
5. Be Selective:
Focus on the most crucial points from each source that align with the review’s purpose and focus.
6. Use Quotes Sparingly:
Limit direct quotes and instead focus on paraphrasing and summarizing information from the sources.
7. Summarize and Synthesize:
Throughout the review, combine summary and synthesis to present a cohesive analysis of the literature.
8. Maintain Your Voice:
While presenting others’ ideas, ensure that your own voice remains prominent in the literature review.
9. Revise:
Spend time revising your literature review to ensure clarity, conciseness, and adherence to the assignment guidelines. Format your review appropriately for your discipline and properly document your sources.
