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Nursing: Writing & The Research Process

A Brief Introduction to Science Writing

What Scientific Writing Is:

  • Scientific writing communicates scientific information and research findings.
  • It follows specific conventions and focuses on clarity and precision.

Types of Scientific Writing:

  • Includes peer-reviewed journal articles (presenting research).
  • Encompasses grant proposals (for funding).
  • Involves literature review articles (summarizing existing research).
  • Lab reports follow similar formats.

Goals of Scientific Writing:

  • Present data and ideas clearly for evaluation.
  • Allow readers to assess validity based on presented facts.
  • Readers should easily follow methodology and logic.

Key Elements of Scientific Writing:

  • Precision: Use precise, concrete language to explain theories and concepts.
  • Clarity: Simplify complex ideas and avoid overly complex writing.
  • Objectivity: Base claims on facts, not intuition or emotion.

How to Make Writing More Precise:

  • Choose words and phrasing carefully.
  • Prefer precise terms over vague ones.
  • Avoid figurative language; be specific.
  • Include necessary detail but exclude extraneous information.
  • Quantify when possible for clarity.

How to Make Writing Clearer:

  • Use familiar terms over technical ones when possible.
  • Simplify language and sentence structure.
  • Avoid complex word choices.
  • Avoid verbosity and use concise language.
  • Provide clear explanations and avoid ambiguity.

How to Make Writing More Objective:

  • Use passive voice for objectivity, but not excessively.
  • Currently, active voice with "I" or "we" is often preferred.
  • Avoid starting sentences with "I" or "we."
  • Do not make conjectures without supporting evidence.
  • Acknowledge limitations and avoid overly general conclusions.

The PICO Research Process

The Research Process

Identify the Research Question or Topic:

  • Begin by clearly defining the research question or topic you want to explore. It should be specific, concise, and relevant.

Review Existing Literature:

  • Conduct a literature review to explore what research has already been done on your topic. This helps you understand the existing knowledge and identify gaps in the literature.

Formulate a Hypothesis (if applicable):

  • If your research is hypothesis-driven, develop a clear and testable hypothesis that states the expected outcome of your study.

Choose the Research Methodology:

  • Select the research methods and techniques you will use to collect and analyze data. Common methods include experiments, surveys, interviews, observations, and archival research.

Design the Research:

  • Plan the research design, including the sampling strategy, data collection instruments, and data analysis procedures.

Collect Data:

  • Implement your chosen research methods to gather data. Ensure that your data collection is systematic and follows your research design.

Analyze Data:

  • Analyze the collected data using appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis techniques, depending on the nature of your research.

Interpret Results:

  • Interpret the findings in the context of your research question or hypothesis. Discuss the implications and significance of your results.

Draw Conclusions:

  • Draw conclusions based on your interpretation of the results. Determine whether your findings support or refute your hypothesis or research question.

Communicate Results:

  • Share your research findings through various means, such as research papers, reports, presentations, or articles.

Reflect and Revise:

  • Reflect on the research process and outcomes. Consider any limitations or areas for improvement and, if necessary, revise your research approach.

Evaluating Evidence

In nursing research, use the CRAAP test to check sources:

Currency: Is the info recent or updated? Does it suit your topic?

  • Example: Is this article about diabetes treatments from 2019 or 2009? I need current information.

Relevance: Does it match your topic and audience?

  • Example: Is this patient care guideline for nurses relevant to my study on pediatric nursing?

Authority: Who made it? Are they qualified?

  • Example: Can I trust this research paper on heart disease if it's written by a renowned cardiologist and published in a medical journal?

Accuracy: Is it supported and free of errors?

  • Example: Should I rely on this study about medication side effects if it's been peer-reviewed and has strong evidence?

Purpose: Why was it made? Is it fact-based and unbiased?

  • Example: Is this pamphlet on vaccinations intended to educate parents or to persuade them not to vaccinate their children?

Therapy (Treatment Effectiveness and Options):

  • Best Study Types: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), Systematic Reviews of RCTs, Controlled Clinical Trials.
  • Reasoning: These study types provide the most robust evidence for assessing treatment effectiveness and comparing different treatment options.

Diagnosis (Identifying and Confirming Medical Conditions):

  • Best Study Types: Diagnostic Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Studies.
  • Reasoning: These studies help evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests or methods and their ability to identify medical conditions.

Prognosis (Predicting Patient's Future Health Outcomes):

  • Best Study Types: Prospective Cohort Studies, Retrospective Cohort Studies.
  • Reasoning: Cohort studies are suitable for tracking patients over time to identify factors associated with specific health outcomes.

Harm/Etiology (Identifying Causes and Harm):

  • Best Study Types: Cohort Studies, Case-Control Studies, Systematic Reviews of Observational Studies.
  • Reasoning: Cohort and case-control studies are often used to investigate the causes of harm or the relationship between exposures and outcomes.

Prevention (Reducing Risks and Preventing Conditions):

  • Best Study Types: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) for preventive interventions, Cohort Studies for observational data on preventive factors.
  • Reasoning: RCTs assess the effectiveness of preventive measures, while cohort studies can explore the impact of factors on disease prevention.

Qualitative (Patient Experiences and Perspectives):

  • Best Study Types: Qualitative Research (e.g., interviews, focus groups), Ethnographic Studies, Content Analysis.
  • Reasoning: Qualitative research methods are ideal for exploring patient experiences, attitudes, and perspectives.

Diagnostic Test Questions (Assessing Test Accuracy and Utility):

  • Best Study Types: Diagnostic Accuracy Studies, Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies.
  • Reasoning: Diagnostic accuracy studies evaluate the performance of diagnostic tests, and systematic reviews summarize the evidence.

Clinical Findings Questions (Evaluating History and Physical Findings):

  • Best Study Types: Cross-Sectional Studies, Observational Studies.
  • Reasoning: These studies can examine the association between clinical findings and specific conditions.

Clinical Manifestations of Disease Questions (Understanding Disease Presentations):

  • Best Study Types: Descriptive Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Case Series.
  • Reasoning: These study types describe the clinical features and presentations of specific diseases.

Differential Diagnosis Questions (Identifying Potential Diagnoses):

  • Best Study Types: Case-Control Studies, Expert Consensus, Clinical Guidelines.
  • Reasoning: These sources help clinicians compare and narrow down potential diagnoses based on available evidence and expert consensus.

Books


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