Nursing Literature Review Writing

Nursing Literature Review Writing

Basics of Literature Reviews

A literature review involves examining published information on a specific topic or field. Authors utilize this review to establish the foundation and rationale for their research or to demonstrate their understanding of the current state of the field. It can be a standalone assignment or a section within a larger capstone project. Continue reading to learn more about writing an effective literature review!

Students often misunderstand the term “literature review,” perceiving it as a mere collection of summarized sources, similar to annotations or article abstracts. While summarizing is indeed a part of a literature review, you should approach this task as a comprehensive representation of your knowledge on a topic or field. It involves discussing what has already been accomplished or discovered. Additionally, you can utilize these sources to emphasize the need for future research, specifically your own.

There is typically no required format or template for nursing literature review writing. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind when constructing your review:

1. Include an introduction and conclusion:

Even if the literature review is part of a longer document, these paragraphs can serve as introductory and concluding sections. Provide background information for your reader, including references to influential figures in the field at the beginning, and offer closure by discussing the implications of future research for the field.

2. Avoid direct quotations:

Similar to an annotated bibliography, it is recommended to paraphrase all the material presented in a literature review. Successful paraphrasing involves explaining or interpreting another person’s ideas in your own words. It is an effective way to restate, condense, or clarify another author’s ideas while lending credibility to your own argument or analysis. Proper paraphrasing ensures that your nursing literature review is presented in your own authorial voice.

3. Organize by topic or theme instead of author:

Rather than summarizing each source and comparing them at the end, organize your sources based on identified themes and patterns. This approach demonstrates your synthesis of the material and prevents the review from becoming a series of book reports.

4. Use headings:

The use of headings within longer texts is encouraged by APA to indicate shifts in topic and provide visual breaks for the reader. Headings in nursing literature review writing can also help you as the writer to organize your material by theme and note any subtopics within the field. Headings clarify the logic and organization of your paper for the reader, establishing a hierarchy of sections. It’s important to maintain consistency in the level of headings throughout the manuscript.

5. Use comparative terms:

Given that literature reviews can be lengthy and dense, it’s essential to make your text engaging for the reader. Transitions and comparison terms allow you to show where authors agree or disagree on a topic and highlight your interpretation of the literature. The strength of your argument relies heavily on your ability to make clear connections between your assessments, assertions, and research. Each sentence should build upon the previous one and contribute to the next, guided by logical transitions. This logical linking helps guide the reader from one idea to the next and explains the relationships between your research and assessments.

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