Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Strategies for
Nursing Students
Memo
To: Nursing Students
From: Pam Selby
Date: August 8, 2008
Re: What Is A Memo?
A memo is a brief document that members
within an organization use to exchange
information. When writing a memo, consider
the following:
• needs of your colleagues,
• bullets to summarize main points,
• order of information/priorities, and
• clear deadlines/timelines, meeting
locations, responses needed, etc.
Writing good memos can help you practice
summarizing and prioritizing information. In a
situation in which your intended reader may
be flooded daily with memos, spice it up with
color or clip art to get the reader’s attention.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………… 4
LIST OF TABLES……………………. 6
LIST OF FIGURES…………………… 7
ABSTRACT…………………………… 8
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION…………………… 9
2 MATERIALS AND METHODS…… 13
Subjects………………………………. 15
Age Range……………………………. 19
Inclusion Criteria……………………… 21
Method used to correlate age
range and inclusion criteria 23
Overview of the correlation between
age range and inclusion criteria…. … 24
Overall Methodology……………….. 25
2
The Writing Process
Write: Rough sections, multiple drafts, (allow “gel” time between drafts).
Revise: Review with mission of altering and improving the entire text, section
by section, to meet competencies of professional writing (Slide #26). It helps to
have another person read it to spot inconsistencies, confusing terminology,
acronyms not spelled out initially, vague or unclear areas.
3
Prewriting Strategy 1:
Get Rid of Writer’s Block!
Start earlier.
Rest.
5
Strategy 3: Using a Focus Wheel to Narrow Topic
1. 4.
Dealing w/Sexual
Misconduct of
Adult Patients
Nursing in Acute Care
Chronic care
Elderly
2. 3.
Difficult
Adult patients patients
In acute care
"The paradigms for the nursing profession are receding, shifting and evolving without
commitment from the nurses who are at the bedside."
Van Sell, S.L. (2002, April - June). Nursing: Receding and Evolving Paradigms. ICUs
and Nursing Web Journal. Retrieved July 26, 2002, from
http://www.nursing.gr/selleditorial.pdf
"If our profession is to survive, we must foster the academic life as a viable career
option for nurses and work to better align the goals of expert clinical care with expert
teaching and knowledge generation."
Lowe, N.K. (2002). How shall they learn without a teacher [Electronic version]. Journal of
Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 31, 391.
7
Strategy 4: Targeting An Audience
8
Audience (cont’d)
Consider the relationship
RESEARCH FOCUS
between you, your
research focus, and your
audience. Are your
THESIS
PURPOSE THESIS and PURPOSE in
SIGNIFICANCE
accord with the needs of
your AUDIENCE?
Why/how is your paper
WRITER AUDIENCE
relevant, innovative, or
important to clinical nursing
or nursing research?
9
Audience (cont’d)
It is every writer’s job to be
clear, consistent, and honest with readers.
10
Prewriting Strategy 5: The Outline
Living Document
● Reflects and preserves the written evolution of your
writing process and content.
Organizing Tool
Cohesiveness—shows whether each section
includes the appropriate information.
Guide—helps you stay on track with content by
exposing gaps or problems with organization,
development, and flow.
11
Sample Outline
Outlines help you stay on track with content by exposing gaps or problems with organization,
development, and flow.
12
Sample Outline (cont’d)
I. Literature Review (heading Level 1)
A. Brief paragraph introducing sections to come
B. Section 1: (brief history of the problem)
1. Population(s) most affected (WHO)
2. Concentration areas (WHERE)
3. Definitions of special terms/acronyms (WHAT)
a.
C. Section 2: (to date, what has been done about it)
1. Studies devoted to the problem and findings
2. Synthesis of information most relevant to your topic
13
Professional Writing Competencies
Organization
Development
Flow
14
Problems with Organization
●inconsistencies in
terminology, facts,
chronology, etc.
●sections or paragraphs with
irrelevant, misplaced or
ambiguous material.
●no clear relevance of ideas to
each other and to the paper’s
research focus/thesis and
purpose.
15
Problems with Development
lack of rationales
lack of definitions
lack of examples
lack of specific details
poor integration of
purpose/goals throughout
lack of variety of
rhetorical strategies
faulty methodology
poor use of professional
sources
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Writing Strategy 6:
Specific Detail Exercise
Who? Where?
What? When?
How? Why?
Example:
1. Exercise can improve physical performance.
Revision:
Evidence supports aerobic and strength-training exercise
programs to improve instrumental activities of daily living
in older adults (Powers, Depp, & Longe, 2001; Smythe,
2003; Thompson & Burgess, 2006; Williams et al., 2000).
17
Problems with Flow
hard to read
lack of adequate transitions
between and within sections
to provide readers with
visual cues for
understanding relationships
of ideas to each other
faulty punctuation
abrupt endings
wordiness/repetition
unclear language
18
Competencies for Professional
Writing
Thesis and Purpose
Organization
Development
Voice and Readability
Mechanics and Grammar
Critical Thinking
19
Thesis and Purpose
20
Organization
• Sections are well delineated with descriptive headings
and subheadings.
• Paragraphs have topic sentences, and all material within
is relevant to topic sentence.
• Transitions are used to move reader along logically to
the next section or next point.
• Relationships among ideas are made clear through use
of adverbial or transitional “cues” that let reader know
how ideas are connected.
• All sections demonstrate relevance to thesis/focus.
• Organization is coherent throughout and look is
professional.
21
Development
• Each point of thesis is clearly and adequately
developed with a variety of rhetorical strategies:
facts, definitions, statistics, examples, relevant
descriptive details, comparison/contrast,
classification, analysis, analogy, synthesis.
• There is appropriate use of sources (relevant,
recent, high quality), and vocabulary, quotes,
and other supportive material that demonstrates
evidence of professional writing.
22
Voice and Readability
23
Mechanics and Grammar
• Writer uses correct punctuation, usage, and
grammar.
• Sophistication is demonstrated by variety in
sentence structure/length, a marked lack of
repetition, and titles, headings, and subheadings
that accurately portray section contents.
• Exposition is devoid of personal intrusion (e.g.,
first person “I,” second person “you”) and
maintains professional tone throughout.
24
Critical Thinking
• Writer demonstrates
strong evidence of critical
analysis, synthesis across
multiple sources,
meaningful reflection, and
appropriate ethical
standards.
25
Criteria for Professional Writing
Thesis/Purpose: Thesis or research focus is clearly stated, purpose is clear or obvious,
and argument or goals are achieved overall.
Organization: Sections are well delineated with descriptive headings, paragraphs have
topic sentences, and all material within is relevant to topic sentence; transitions are used to
move reader along logically to the next section or next point; relationships among ideas are
made clear through use of adverbial or transitional “cues” that let reader know how ideas
are connected; all sections demonstrate relevance to thesis/focus; and look is professional.
Development: Each point of thesis is clearly and adequately developed with a variety of
rhetorical strategies: facts, definitions, statistics, examples, relevant descriptive details,
comparison/contrast, classification, analysis, analogy, synthesis etc. There is appropriate
use of sources (relevant, recent, high quality), and vocabulary, quotes, and other
supportive material demonstrates evidence of professional writing.
Voice and Readability: Targeted audience can understand and follow ideas, and writer’s
voice and tone indicate consideration for and appropriate appeal to the targeted audience.
Mechanics and Grammar: Writer uses correct punctuation, usage, and grammar.
Sophistication is demonstrated by variety in sentence structure/length, a marked lack of
repetition, and titles, headings, and subheadings that accurately portray section contents.
Unless requested, exposition is devoid of personal intrusion (e.g., first person “I,” second
person “you”) and maintains professional tone throughout.
Critical Thinking: Writer demonstrates strong evidence of critical analysis, synthesis
across multiple sources, meaningful reflection, and appropriate ethical standards.
26
Strategy 7: Avoiding Writing in 2nd and 3rd Person
Increasing one's [3rd person] Revised:
workload is taxing on both your
[2nd person] physical and mental The combination of sedentary jobs
health. Unless someone [3rd and increased workloads tax both
person] is in a physically-intensive physical and mental health among
profession, your [2nd person] employees. Except for those
body is wasting away while you working in physically-intensive
[2nd person] are working. professions, human bodies waste
Additionally, your [2nd person] diet away with inactivity. Nutrition also
also suffers as you [2nd person] suffers while more time is spent at
spend more time at work. No longer work, since people do not have time
do you [2nd person] have the time to prepare healthy meals or worse,
to prepare healthy meals at home
may not have time to eat at all.
or even worse, we [3rd person]
may not have time to eat at all.
Excerpt from student paper, 2007 Note: This student writer introduced the
aspect of “mental health” but did not write
anything about it.
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Strategy 8: Organization & Development
Original: Revised:
Literature Review Effects of Exercise in Persons with Schizophrenia: A
There are only a few studies that have Literature Review (added title)
examined the effects of exercise in persons A scant number of studies have examined the effects of
with schizophrenia. exercise in persons with schizophrenia: three focusing
Most studies used small sample sizes and on psychiatric outcomes and two on physical (Bell, 2007;
lacked randomization. Only one offered Jones & Yi, 1990; Smith et al., 1979; Smith, 2000a;
exercise for a minimum of 16 weeks that is Vreeland, 2006).
required to show significant progress in All studies examining psychiatric outcomes found
previously sedentary adults (Smith et al., significant reductions in depression and anxiety.
2000). A common problem was difficulty
Vreeland, et al. (2006) found statistically significant
motivating participants to adhere.
mean weight loss and body mass index (BMI) reductions
Dropout rates were high in four out of the six in an exercise group compared to non-exercising
studies. All studies examining psychiatric matched controls. Bell and colleagues (2007), however,
outcomes found significant reductions in noted no significant weight or BMI changes between
depression and anxiety. Vreeland, et al. exercisers and non-exercisers after 10 weeks.
found statistically significant mean weight
loss and body mass index (BMI) reductions Most studies in this modest body of literature used small
in an exercise group compared to the control sample sizes and lacked randomization. Only one
group, but Ball noted no significant weight or offered exercise for the minimum 16 weeks required to
BMI changes between exercisers and non- demonstrate significant gains in previously sedentary
exercisers after 10 weeks (Vreeland et al., adults (Smith, 2000a). Despite this, exercise was
2006; Ball et al., 2004). associated with significant increases in physical or
psychological health in all but one study (Jones & Yi,
All but one study found exercise associated 1990).
with significant physical or psychological
improvements. A common problem was difficulty motivating participants
Excerpt from student paper, 2004 to adhere. Dropout rates…
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Strategy 9: Titles and Headings for Unity
Using the title as a unifying strategy:
One trick professional writers use to unify a work is extracting a title from
an essential piece in the paper’s final summary/conclusion or a main
section. Look for a phrase in these areas that really captures the paper’s
main idea or argument (thesis) and turn it into a title.
(If submitting a paper for publication, be sure to check the journal’s Author
Guidelines in terms of title, abstract, and article length.)
29
Strategy 10: Writing an Abstract
Components of An Abstract
In a paragraph of approximately 100 to 200 words, an
abstract may convey some or all of the following:
description of a main problem/issue, prevalence,
and population(s) most affected (topic).
focused statement of author’s opinion or aims
regarding problem/issue (purpose).
description of what has been done to resolve
problem/issue and/or what new information was
learned (findings).
relevance of findings to targeted audience and to
nursing research/practice as a whole (conclusions).
Implications for further research or call for action
(recommendations).
30
An effective abstract:
uses one or more well-developed paragraphs, which are unified,
coherent, concise, and able to stand alone.
uses an introduction-body-conclusion structure in which
the parts of the report are discussed in order: purpose, findings,
conclusions, recommendations.
follows strictly the chronology of the report.
provides logical connections between material included.
adds no new information but simply summarizes the
report.
is intelligible to a wide audience.
33
Literature Review (as a type of paper)
Retrieved (and adapted) August 27, 2007, from
http://www.library.usyd.edu.au/libraries/nursing/literature.html
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Links to Literature Review Information
http://education.ufl.edu/Courses/eme5054/Foun
dations/Articles/LitReview.pdf
http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html
http://library.edgewood.edu/help/literature-
reviews.pdf
http://www.lynchburg.edu/x3560.xml
http://www.flinders.edu.au/SLC/Brochures/lit_rev
iew.pdf (U of Michigan)
http://www.departments.dsu.edu/library/litreview
s.htm
http://www.library.usyd.edu.au/libraries/nursing/li
terature.html
35
Links to Writing a Case Study (and samples)
http://www.va.gov/oaa/teaching_tools/aca/Case_Faculty_G
uide2.doc
http://www.nursingsociety.org/education/online_howto.pdf
http://her.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/2/227
http://medicus.marshall.edu/mainmenu.htm
http://www.reproline.jhu.edu/english/5tools/5case/cocs.htm
http://www.springerlink.com/content/dn0yqmgx6q9fapvg/fullt
ext.pdf
Case Studies In Nursing Ethics By Sara T. Fry, Robert M. Veatch:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BotJKlc24MkC&oi=fnd&pg=P
R9&dq=%22Fry%22+%22Case+Studies+in+Nursing+Ethics%22+&ots=lxn6
_AbVTY&sig=GIKE9lU5h5CZ7AEPiZsoz-b1k5w#PPA7,M1
For a free subscription to our publication: Nursing & Healthcare
Directories on: The Nurse Friendly Clinical Nursing Case Studies,
please send a blank e-mail to: clinicalnursingcases-
subscribe@topica.com
36
Links to Writing a Logical Argument
The following sites provide everything from info on writing experimental
reports, lit reviews and APA style to detailed instructions about how to
write an argument and support your “proofs” or hypotheses logically:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/13/
http://hedc.otago.ac.nz/hedc/sld/Study-Guides-and-Resources/Essay-
Writing.html
http://hedc.otago.ac.nz/hedc/sld/Study-Guides-and-Resources/Essay-
Writing/rightParagraphs/00/document/Essay%20Writing.doc
http://www.smccd.net/accounts/skytlc/wrl/wradnurse.htm
http://www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au/current_students/notices/00writing_
for_publication.pdf
http://chhs.gmu.edu/writing/expos.html
http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/nursing/media/Why-do-I-need-a-second-
third-etc-draft.pdf (includes logical fallacies)
http://ppn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/1/3/172 (sample of
published logical argument)
http://www-distance.syr.edu/apa5th.html
37
Please contact me
with any
questions or concerns
at
pcselby@ufl.edu
38