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Graceland University

COURSE NUMBER AND NAME

NURS5121 Theory in Nursing

TERM
Fall 2022

COURSE CREDIT
3 Credit Hours

Estimated Learning Time (ELT)

In order to demonstrate compliance with U.S. Department of Education regulations and standards
established by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), all Graceland University faculty have created a
good faith estimate of the learning time associated with each course they design, coordinate, and/or lead.
Estimates of learning time are published in the syllabi for each course offered. Regardless of the length of
term or the mode of instruction, it is expected that a student who is prepared for college-level work and
reasonably motivated to succeed will spend a minimum of 37.5 hours per semester hour credit in course-
related activity. ELT may include preparation time, attendance, and active participation in course-related
activities. The conversion ratio for clinical practice hours (see below) to academic semester hours(sh)
credit varies across programs and is calculated per the SON Assignment of Academic Credit for NURS
courses.
Learning activities and distribution of ELT may vary from course to course and student to student.
Learning activities may include, but are not limited to, the following: reading assignments, literature, &
database searching; literature & evidence analysis, live chats, asynchronous discussions, peer-review,
written assignments, group projects, case study analysis, practice skill labs, quizzes/exams, individual &
group presentations/demonstrations, field experiences, clinical practice hours, practice projects, log &
database entries. ELT for this course is illustrated below.
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COURSE
SCHEDULE

Learning
activities are
completed within
Estimated
NURS5121 3 s.h. a 16-week
Learning
Learning Activities trimester. Weeks
Time (ELT)
begin on
Reading Assignments (text readings, database searching, literature/evidence Monday and end
58.0
review, & critical analysis, etc.) on Sunday.
Participation in
Written Assignments (scholarly papers, case studies, projects; research & asynchronous
30.0 discussions is
writing)
expected to
occur throughout
18.0 Discussions (prep & participation) the week on
multiple
4.0 Quizzes / Exams (prep & completion) different days as
directed in the
Discussion
Practice Hours (field experiences, clinical practicums, practice projects, skill
0 Guidelines.
lab focus sessions)
Graded learning
activities are due
0 Clinical/practice prep, log & database entries by midnight
Sunday at the
9.0 Other: presentations, peer review end of week. See
Assignment
Guidelines
119.0 TOTAL below.

COMMUNICATION

There are a variety of options for communication between faculty and students including asynchronous
discussions, virtual classroom, Sting email, synchronous chat, and telephone conferencing. Students
should allow 24-72 hours for response from faculty. If a response is not received within 72 hours, please
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contact the School of Nursing Graduate Programs Office at songraduateprograms@graceland.edu or

816.423.4678 for assistance.

 Announcements
o Posted by faculty on the course home page as needed
o Check for new announcements every time course is accessed
 Virtual Office (Public Forum)
o Asynchronous discussion board available in Course Home; includes topics for each
learning unit
o Preferred means of communication between faculty & students enrolled in online
courses
o Q & A available to all students enrolled in course
o Check frequently for updated information
 Virtual Classroom (recorded synchronous live chat)
o Q & A in real-time
o Attendance and participation may be required or optional
 Email (GU Outlook)
o Email communications sent from online course sites and all official communications
from the SON are sent to your GU Outlook (sting) account
o Check your GU Outlook frequently
o Do NOT use a personal email account (Yahoo, Gmail, etc.) to send or receive messages
with GU Outlook.
 Tele/Video Conferencing
o Voicemail
o Teleconference (leading or joining a conference call for participants in multiple
locations)

Students are expected to communicate effectively and professionally with faculty and staff to resolve any
problems or concerns. Questions or concerns regarding academic issues should initially be discussed and
preferably resolved at the course instructor level. Course Lead Faculty and then the Specialty Track
Coordinator/Faculty Advisor may be contacted if further assistance is required. Faculty advisors will
consult with or refer students to SON administration as needed. Staff are available to assist with non-
academic issues such as registration, enrollment, financial aid, programs of study, withdrawals, contracts,
agreements, etc.

As a general rule, faculty log on to course sites at least 3-5 times each week (Monday through Friday) to
monitor student progress, respond to questions, review and score assignments. Evenings, weekends, and
holidays are reserved for personal and family activities, and faculty may not routinely log on to course
sites. Asynchronous discussion boards are the primary and preferred means of communication between
faculty and students enrolled in online courses.

Course Faculty

Jolene Lynn, PhD, RN

Associate Professor
Dean of the School of Nursing
Lead Faculty
jlynn1@graceland.edu
Office: 816-423-4671
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Susan Kasal-Chrisman, PhD, RN

Faculty Associate
kasalchr@graceland.edu

Andrea Garner, PHD, DNP, RN

REQUISITIES AND PREREQUISITES
Faculty Associate
agarner@graceland.edu

Ashley Adams, DNP, AGACNP-BC

Faculty Associate
ala1@graceland.edu
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7. Analyze the relationships between theory, practice, and research.

COURSE MATERIALS

Family Health Care Nursing, 6th edition,

Kaakinen, Padgett-Coehlo, Steele, &
Robinson

ISBN-13: 978-0803661660

Theoretical Basis for Nursing, 5th edition,

McEwen and Wills

ISBN-13: 978-1496351203

ISBN-13: 978-1433832178 APA Publication Manual, 7th ed.

American Psychological Association

TECHNOLOGY
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PCs are recommended. Macintosh computers may be used, but in some situations a Mac will not support
the requirements of a specific online course. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they can access
a PC in such situations.
Google Chrome or Firefox is recommended for use with D2L. If you are having difficulties using any of
the course tools, please contact D2L Technical Support at 1-877-325-7778 or click here to submit an issue
via email.
COURSE METHOLOGIES

 Discussion
 Self-reflection
 Quizzes
 Individual presentation
 Written Assignments
 PICOT Question

COURSE POLICIES
Assignment Guidelines
1. Due dates for graded learning activities (participation, written assignments, quizzes/exams, etc.)
are clearly posted by faculty on the course schedule within each course. Participation in all
course assignments is required.
2. The time stamp in D2L officially documents date and time of submission. Assignments,
submissions and posts are due by midnight Central Standard Time (CST) of the posted due
date. Students are expected to adjust the time for their zone to avoid late submission. For
example, if students in Mountain Time Zone, must submit, post, etc. by 11pm MT to meet the
midnight CST deadline. The date and time that faculty see for your submissions is in CST.
3. Submission of assignments for faculty to review prior to grading or for re-grading is not
permitted unless otherwise specified in the assignment guidelines.
4. Rubrics for evaluation are posted for each graded assignment. Feedback is provided for any
deduction of points.
5. Students should generally expect feedback within 7 days of the posted due date. Feedback may be
delayed for up to 14 days from the posted due date in certain circumstances, such as extended due
dates (see below). Graded assignments will not be returned to any student until all assignments
have been submitted. Faculty will notify students of any expected delays in response time.
6. Students are expected to review feedback on graded assignments and seek clarification of any
questions within 1 week of the grade posting.
7. Ten percent (10%) per day will be deducted from the earned score for all graded learning
activities submitted past the posted due date for up to a maximum of five (5) calendar days
(this includes weekends & public holidays).
8. Work submitted more than five (5) days overdue will not be graded by faculty and a score of zero
(0) points will be recorded. Timely participation is crucial for meaningful and effective
discussions, therefore late submissions are not accepted and zero points will be recorded for posts
made after the posted due date.
9. As a general rule, faculty log on to course sites at least 3-5 times each week (Monday through
Friday) to monitor student progress, respond to questions, review, and score assignments.
Evening, weekends, and holidays are reserved for personal and family activities; faculty may not
routinely log on to course sites.

Due Date Extensions

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1. Students should submit requests for due date extensions to faculty in writing at least in writing
no later than noon on Friday prior to the specified due date. Extensions are usually only
granted for a maximum of one week.
2. Extensions are granted at the discretion of course faculty in emergency or extraordinary
circumstances such as the following:
• Medical illness: a medical certificate may be requested by faculty.
• Compassionate grounds: those situations for which compassionate leave is normally
granted in employment.
• Unexpected misadventure, hardship or trauma: documentation may be requested by faculty
3. Work or other study commitments, computer crashes or printer failures are NOT valid
reasons for an extension.
4. No penalty will apply if an extension is sought and granted by the responsible person or delegate.
If the assignment is handed in after the extension period then established penalties will apply.
5. Students whose circumstances require extensions longer than one week are advised to meet with
faculty to discuss available options including course withdrawal or incomplete grade assignment.

Student Concerns
Students are expected to communicate effectively and professionally with faculty and staff to resolve any
problems or concerns. Questions or concerns regarding academic issues should initially be discussed and
preferably resolved at the course instructor level. Course Lead Faculty and then the Specialty Track
Coordinator/Faculty Advisor may be contacted if further assistance is required. Faculty advisors will
consult with or refer students to SON administration as needed. Staff are available to assist with non-
academic issues such as registration, enrollment, financial aid, programs of study, withdrawals, contracts,
agreements, etc.
Graduate Student Handbook & Graduate Catalog
Students are responsible for the policies and procedures posted in the Graduate Catalog and the Graduate
Student Handbook (GSH). The catalog and handbook are updated on a regular basis, so please refer to the
online version for the most current information. Links to the catalog, academic policies & procedures and
the GSH are available on the myGU SON Resources page.
Academic Integrity
Graceland University’s School of Nursing highly values academic integrity and is committed to the
fundamental value and obligation of preserving academic honesty among our faculty, students, and
graduates. Graceland University and the School of Nursing have academic policies and procedures in
place to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for students and faculty. It is the student’s
responsibility to review and familiarize themselves with these policies. View Graduate Student Academic
Policies.
Turnitin
Students agree that by taking this course all written assignments including research papers, case studies,
and discussion posts may be subject to submission, at the discretion of the faculty member, for text
comparison by Turnitin.com, a plagiarism detection service, and other means of detecting plagiarism. All
papers submitted to Turnitin.com will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference
database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of future papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service
is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on www.Turnitin.com. Additional information
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about tutorials, submissions, review & interpretation of originality scores is posted in the Research &
Writing module on the course website.

Students With Disabilities

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Graceland University is committed to full compliance with the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students requesting accommodations will complete the
Graceland University Accommodation Request Form online
(https://www.graceland.edu/academics/accommodation-request-for-disabilities). Next, the student needs
to submit disability documentation to the Student Disability Services office. Documentation can be
submitted in person by visiting the SDS office, located in the 2nd Floor Staff Office Suite, by emailing
SDS-Info@graceland.edu, or faxing information to 816-833-2990. The Independence, MO person for
Student Disability Services is Elyse Gilpin, egilpin1@graceland.edu or 816-423-4677.
Online Assessments
Maintaining the integrity of online assessments is a challenge and major concern for both students and
faculty working in online environments. Students enrolled in this course are held to a professional
standard and are required to comply with the following regulations. Failure to comply with these
regulations is in direct violation of the Graceland University Academic Integrity Policy.
1. It is expressly prohibited to disclose, publish, reproduce, or transmit any part of a quiz/test/exam or
written assignment in any form, by any means, verbal or written, for any purpose.
2. Graded learning and assessment activities must be completed by the enrolled student logged-on to the
course site.
3. The completion of any course requirement on behalf of someone else is strictly prohibited.
4. You may not obtain improper access to any part of an assessment (quiz, test, exam, etc.) or assignment
(case analysis, research paper, etc.) prior to completing the activity yourself (i.e., observing someone else
complete the assessment, reviewing work previously submitted by another student).
5. Use of course materials (books, notes) and additional resources during quizzes/tests/exams is
permitted.

Iowa SBN Administrative Code

2.5(5), chapter 2, nursing educational programs, curriculum: Nursing courses with a clinical component
may not be taken by a person:
a. who has been denied licensure by the board,
b. whose license is currently suspended, surrendered or revoked in any United States jurisdiction,
c. whose license/registration is currently suspended, surrendered or revoked in another country due to
disciplinary action.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND EVALUATION

Grading
Grades are earned individually through the completion of course requirements. Assessment scores will
not be curved and extra credit activities are not available. Grades are earned through completion of course
requirements. Points are awarded based on the level of achievement of expected outcomes. The amount of
time and effort required to satisfactorily achieve expected outcomes will vary among students. Earned
points for each graded learning activity are posted in the GRADES (see tab at the top of this page)
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throughout the term. Students are responsible for tracking their own progress. Questions or concerns
regarding points awarded for any graded learning activity should be addressed to faculty within one week
of the grade posting.
Final grades will not be rounded up or down, i.e., 89.99% will be assigned a grade of B.
Grading Scale
A grade of B (80%) or better (above average work) is required to pass graduate level nursing
courses.
Final grades are computed according to the following standard based on a total of 100%.
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 0-59%

Points Graded Activity

Possibl
e

9 Discussions x 6= 60 points

2 Reflections x 3=6 points

10 Syllabus Course Quiz

15 Concept Exercise

90 Concept Analysis

20 Quiz 1

50 Theory Intervention

50 Family Theory Presentations

90 Theory Description and Application

25 Quiz 2

10 PICOT Question

10 Student Learning Outcome (SLO)

436 Total points

There are no group projects included in this course. All work is completed individually. Students may,
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however, be placed in groups for discussing their theory intervention and family theory projects. The
course facilitator will assign groups based on the number of students enrolled in the course.
Participation in weekly discussions is graded as noted in course information. For this course, there are 2
discussion questions posted on most weeks. You need to respond to all questions in order to receive full
credit for participation for the week unless otherwise directed. At least 2 of your responses must provide
new information with a citation and reference from your assigned readings. Your other responses will
reflect your thoughts regarding another student's post. See Discussion Rubric under Course Home.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS: See Assignment Guidelines for late assignment policies

COURSE CALENDAR

Week Content Assignments/Due Assigned

Sunday midnight Readings:
1 Introductions Initial post Due: McEwen Ch 1
Discussion(s) Thursday midnight
Group assignments (if applicable) Final post Due: Sunday
Syllabus/course quiz midnight

2 Discussion(s) Initial post Due: McEwen Ch 2

Post Concept Analysis Selection Thursday midnight
Syllabus/course quiz deadline (Sunday midnight) Final post Due: Sunday
midnight
3 Participate in Concept Exercise Initial post Due: McEwen Ch 3, 4
Thursday midnight

Final post Due: Sunday

midnight

4 Concept Analysis Synthesis Assignment Due: Sunday midnight

5 Quiz One Deadline: Sunday

midnight

6 Discussion(s) McEwen Ch
Due: Sunday 13,14, 15,16, 17,
Post Theory Applications midnight 18
7 Discussion(s) Initial post Due:
Discussion of Theory Applications Thursday midnight
Final post Due: Sunday
midnight

8 Take a Break! Get caught up! No

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Assignments!!!

9 Select Theory for Description Anytime this Week McEwen Ch 6, 7,

8, 9,10, 11, 12
Post Family Theory Project Due: Sunday midnight

10 Discuss Family Theory Projects Initial post Due: Kaakinen Ch 1, 2,

Thursday midnight 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
Final post Due: Sunday
midnight

11 Theory Description & Application Assignment Due: Sunday midnight McEwen Ch 5, 10

12 Quiz Two Deadline: Sunday

midnight

13 Discussion(s) Initial post Due: McEwen Ch 19,

Thursday midnight 20, 21, 22, 23
Final post Due: Sunday
midnight

14 Final Discussions & Celebrate!!! Deadline: Sunday

midnight
Don’t forget to complete course instructor evaluations
(sent by email from IOTA 360), and Student Learning PICOT due Thursday
Outcomes! MN

Grading Rubrics
Discussion Board Grading Rubric:
Note: Plagiarizing, accidental or deliberate, any part/sentence/phase of discussion or case posts will
result in zero points for that discussion or case. Please review the plagiarism policy and
Paraphrasing/Plagiarism resources available in this course if you need a review of how to correctly cite
references and avoid accidental plagiarism.
Up To Full Credit Partial Credit No Credit/Minimal
Initial responses are Initial responses are only
consistently well thought out, somewhat well thought out,
Initial responses are unclear
thorough, offer insight into offer limited insight into the
or unrelated to the
the topic, and include cited topic, but do include cited
discussion topic with little
evidence to support evidence to support
Relevance or no supporting evidence.
comments. comments.
Peer responses add no new
Peer responses are Peer responses add new
information and fail to
substantial adding new information but do not
extend the discussion.
information or extending the encourage or extend the
discussion. discussion.
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Initial response contains Initial response contains

At least one initial response
is in the required
analysis/reflection format
each week as directed.
Fewer than 5 grammatical,
spelling, capitalization or
Mechanics punctuation errors on initial
or peer responses each week.
Fewer than 5 incomplete
sentences, citations and/or
quotations, and APA format
errors in initial and peer
responses each week.
Discussion participation
occurs as directed each
Participation week, e.g. one to four times.
and Initial responses (to the
Timeliness instructor's questions) are
posted by midnight Thursday
on discussion weeks.
relevant information but is not
in the required
analysis/reflection format.
More than 5 but fewer than 10
grammatical, spelling,
capitalization & punctuation
errors on initial and peer
responses each week.
More than 5 but fewer than 10
incomplete sentences,
citations and/or quotations,
and APA format errors in
initial and peer responses
each week.
Discussion participation
occurs but not as specifically
directed each week, e.g. one
to four times.
Less than 24 hours late in
posting initial response.
little or no relevant
information and is not in the
required analysis/reflection
format.
More than 10 grammatical,
spelling, capitalization &
punctuation errors on initial
and peer responses each
week.
More than 10 incomplete
sentences, citations and/or
quotations, or APA format
errors in initial and peer
responses each week.
Discussion participation
does not occur as directed
each week.
More than 24 hours late in
posting initial response.
Did not respond to
discussions.
Posted “I agree” or “good
post” as peer response.

Nursing Theory is a scholarly writing course, therefore, writing is a consideration when grading all
assignments.
Grading rubric: Concept Exercise

Criteria Points
Described each type of case and gave an example:
a. Model (1 pt) Example (3 pts)
b. Contrary (1 pt) Example (3 pts)
c. Related OR Borderline (1 pt) Example (3 pts) 12
Posted comments to at least 1 peer case; substantial. "Good post" etc.
comments do not count. (3) 3
Total Points 15

Grading Rubric for Concept Analysis:

Criteria Points
1. Definitions and Assumptions:
a. Identified concept (1 point)
b. Theoretical definition(s): Compared at least 5 definitions of the concept from
professional literature (primary resources)with citations (10 pts) and noted the best
(most fitting/appropriate) theoretical definition. (2 pts)
c. Developed an operational definition that is measurable based on theoretical
definitions (2.5 pts) and included your own definition of the concept. (2.5 pts) 23
d. Listed assumptions underlying the concept (5 points). This does not
mean your assumptions, but generally accepted assumptions cited from
literature. Provide at least 3 assumptions.
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2. Attributes, Empirical Referents, Antecedents and Consequences,

references:
a. Identified 3-5 defining attributes of the concept that emerged from the comparative
analysis (5)
b. Described 3-5 empirical referents (observable indicators) of the concept (5)
c. Listed 3-5 antecedents of the concept (5)
d. Listed 3-5 consequences of the concept (5) 20
3. Social Context and Model Case
a. Described current social context and value of concept with citations (5 points)
b. Developed your own unique model case and explained why the case was a model
case. Did not borrow or quote cases from the literature or other author's concept analysis
papers. Cases were brief but clearly demonstrated a model case. Did not use other
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concepts as examples of the case. (10)
4. Described application of the concept to nursing practice. This might
be an example from your practice. (This is not the same as the model 6
case).
5. Described application of the concept to nursing research including an
appropriate research/measurement tool. Use citations. 6
6. Writing Style/Mechanics
(a) Demonstrated clarity, flow and logical progression of ideas
(b) Voice and tone were professional/scholarly; free of bias
(c) Demonstrated precision, clarity and economy of expression; free of wordiness,
redundancy, unclear/awkward sentences
(d) Writing was free of spelling and grammatical errors
*refer to APA Manual chapter 3 for more detail; see comments in paper 8
7. FORMAT
(a) Organized and formatted correctly according to APA current edition guidelines within
table format and page limit of 3 pages, not including title page and reference page.
(b) In-text citations and references were complete and accurate
(c) Proper use of headings/subheadings
Note: Use of formats other than table format will not be accepted and will be assigned a 6
grade of zero.
8. ORIGINALITY
(a) Submission demonstrated original work
(b) Well-written in student’s “own words”; free of excessive citations and use of quotes;
demonstrated understanding of content
(c) Free of plagiarism: non-attribution errors (failure to cite, failure to quote) &
inadequate paraphrasing (cited or uncited); 6
*plagiarism concerns require mandatory reporting for review of academic
integrity violation and may result in one or more of the following: formal
warning and remediation, zero points for part or all of the assignment,
course failure, dismissal.
9. Submitted paper to Turnitin as required and fixed any issues.
Total Points 90

Grading Rubric for Theory Intervention:

Criteria Points
(1) Intervention:
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(a) Self-designed with clear statement of intended audience, e.g. patients, nurses,
caregivers, etc. (5) Note: Brochures, slides, etc. copied from the Internet and not cited are
considered plagiarism and will receive a grade of zero for this assignment.
(b) Posted on Intervention link in Week 7 (and submitted to Assignments) by midnight
8
Sunday of Week 6 for discussion during Week 7 (3)
2. Theory upon which intervention was based was clearly described. A visual
explaining theory was provided. Each part of theory described accurately. Is this 20
theory a grand, middle-range, or evidence-based practice theory? Is this theory a
nursing theory? Is theory applicable for today? 3-5 references provided using
primary sources (original author of theory) other than textbook.
3. Professional appearance: graphics, colors, no more than 6 bullets/slide,
voiceover clear/professional. Within slide page limit if PPT or 5
brochure/poster.
4. Writing Style/Mechanics
(a) Demonstrated clarity, flow and logical progression of ideas
(b) Voice and tone were professional/scholarly; free of bias
(c ) Demonstrated precision, clarity and economy of expression; free of wordiness,
redundancy, unclear/awkward sentences
(d) Writing was free of spelling and grammatical errors
*refer to APA Manual chapter 3 for more detail; see comments in paper 7
5. Originality/Format
(a) Submission demonstrated original work (own words, free of excessive use of quotes)
(b) Free of plagiarism: Submitted to Turnitin as required (see course syllabus &
announcement re: use of Turnitin and assignment corrections). non-attribution errors
(failure to cite, failure to quote) & inadequate paraphrasing (cited or uncited)
* Note: See Resources for information about slide referencing. 5
6. Participated in at least 2 discussions of peer interventions, posting
substantial critiques of the interventions (comments such as "good job" or 5
"I like your intervention" do not count).
Total 50
Points

Grading Rubric for Family Theory Presentation:

Criteria Points
1. Content:
a. Brief overview of the family theory (purpose, concepts/definitions, relationships,
assumptions underlying the theory) Main points only. (10)
b. Importance/Usefulness of the theory to nursing (4)
c. Brief case example of theory application demonstrating how the theory applies to the case
18
example. (4)
2. Professional appearance:
a. Graphics, colors 5
b. Within 8 slide limit
c. Voiceover clear/professional.
3. Writing Style/Mechanics
a. Demonstrated clarity, flow and logical progression of ideas
b. Voice and tone were professional/scholarly; free of bias
c. Demonstrated precision, clarity and economy of expression; free of wordiness,
redundancy, unclear/awkward sentences
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d. Writing was free of spelling and grammatical errors

*refer to APA Manual for more detail; see comments in paper 5
4. Format
a. Organized and formatted according to APA 7th edition guidelines within
PTT/brochure/poster format
b. In-text citations/endnotes, etc. and references are complete and accurate 5
c. Proper use of headings/subheadings
*Note: See Resources for information about slide referencing.
5. Originality
a. Submission demonstrated original work; in student's "own words" and free of excessive use
of quotes; demonstrates understanding of content
b. Free of plagiarism: Submitted to Turnitin as required (see course syllabus &
announcement re: use of Turnitin and assignment corrections), non-attribution errors (failure
to cite, failure to quote) & inadequate paraphrasing (cited or uncited)
*Note: See Resources for information about slide referencing. 7
6. Peer Discussion:
Participation in discussion of your own family theory project and your peers' presentation
(asking a minimum of one pertinent question or adding one substantial post to each of 10
two other presentations).
Total 50

Grading Rubric for Theory Description and Application Assignment:

Note: Do not use your textbook as your only resource from which you describe
your theory! You must research and find the theorist's description of his/her
theory from which you will interpret the theory. The textbook author's
interpretation of the theory might be summarized, but it might also be missing
important theory components. Use your textbook to verify, but use the theorist's
own words.

Criteria: Theory Description and Application Assignment Points

1. Posted theory selection by midnight at the end of Week 9.
Note: late posting or non-posting of theory selection will result in 10% deduction in
points from grade for this assignment for each day until assignment is turned in or
selection is posted. See late assignment policy in course syllabus.
2. Theory Purpose: In your own words (no quotes – your own words) briefly
described the purpose of the theory, e.g. what did the theory attempt to explain, 7
describe, predict, or control?
3.Concepts: In your own words (no quotes), briefly:
a. Identified and defined major and minor (if present) theoretical concepts. (13)
b. Explained whether or not major concepts are operationally or theoretically 18
defined. (2.5)
c. Stated whether or not terms were used consistently throughout the
theory/framework. Give examples. (2.5)
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4. Theory: Briefly described the theory in your own words (no quotes):
a. Relationships among major concepts. Explained or gave examples.(5)
b. Explicit and implied assumptions underpinning the theory/framework were
provided. Note: this means delineating assumptions noted by the theorist
(underlying truths that determine the nature of the concepts, definitions, etc. These
might not be explicitly stated) about the theory). Do not simply say that 18
assumptions are stated in the theory or that assumptions exist. And, these are not
your assumptions (5).
c. Integrated the traditional four metaparadigm concepts of person, environment,
health, and nursing (if you selected a nursing theory). If you did not select a
nursing theory, you identified the theory’s relevant metaparadigm concepts. (8)
5. Theory Application: Applied the theory to your area of nursing practice (clinical,
education, administration, research):
a. Described a situation in which you could apply the theory to guide your practice,
education, administrative action, or research project. This application section
should comprise at least 1 page of you 7-page limit. (18). 18
Note: You may find it beneficial to use a case example. If you do, make sure your
example clearly demonstrates its relationship to the theory. In other words,
delineate where the major concepts of the theory fit into your application example.
6. Writing Style/Mechanics/Format (8)
a. Demonstrated clarity, flow and logical progression of ideas
b. Voice and tone were professional/scholarly; free of bias
c. Demonstrated precision, clarity and economy of expression; free of wordiness,
redundancy, unclear/awkward sentences
d. Writing was free of spelling and grammatical errors.
e. Organized and formatted according to APA 7th edition guidelines (6)
1. In-text citations and references were complete and accurate
2. Proper use of headings/subheadings 14
*refer to APA Manual chapter 3 for more detail;see comments in paper

7. ORIGINALITY (5)
a. Submission demonstrated original work
b. Well-written in your "own words”; free of excessive citations and use of quotes;
demonstrated understanding of content
c. Free of plagiarism: non-attribution errors (failure to cite, failure to quote) &
inadequate paraphrasing (cited or uncited); 5
*plagiarism concerns require mandatory reporting for review of academic
integrity violation and may result in one or more of the following: formal warning
and remediation, zero points for part or all of the assignment, course failure,
dismissal.

8. PAGE LIMIT, REFERENCES, TURNITIN

a. Page limit of 7 pages (the page limit is for a reason!) (3)
b. Minimum of 5 references in addition to your textbook (3)
 17

c. Paper submitted to Turnitin as required (see announcement in Course Home (4) 10

Total Points 90

Grading Rubric for PICOT Research Question

Criteria Points

Specified target population appropriate for

1 2
testing/assessment research

2 Conveyed issue being investigated clearly 2

3 Conveyed comparison being made clearly 2

4 Conveyed outcome that could result from research 2

5 Stated possible time frame 1

6 At least one reference 1

Total Points 10