A five to seven page paper written on a course topic of your choice is the last requirement and contributes a possible 200 points (or 20%) to your final grade. The ability to conduct an accurate search of professional literature and discuss it in writing is critical to your future success in the BSN degree completion program (since every course requires a paper) and in your future professional life. The Leach College of Nursing requires APA format for ALL writing assignments. By completing this 301 requirement, you will become reacquainted with the mechanism for exploring and discussing professional literature. Writing this paper also acquaints you with APA format and College of Nursing paper expectations. Be sure to visit APA’s Website www.apa.org/journals/webref.html for the most current requirements regarding the citation of electronic sources.
Papers should be no less than five pages(double-spaced) of original text and no more than seven pages. In addition to these original text pages, papers should include a Title Page, Abstract and Reference Page, each numbered and conforming to APA guidelines. The number at the top of your Reference (last) page should be no less than eight (8). Be aware that more isn’t always better! You are expected to organize and analyze the literature you read. When you write your paper, remember that you are the expert on your chosen subject. You have done the research. Your paper tells a “story” to the uninformed reader.
What follows is a list of my Top Ten Tips (in no particular order) for paper writing!
Directly quote sources only to make a strong point and NEVER directly quote more than once on a printed page. The idea of the paper is to analyze the literature – not recopy it!
Material that is not common knowledge or your own original thought must be referenced (see APA). Readers want to know the source of stated information. If you don’t reference information that is not your original thought, it can be considered plagiarism.
Make sure that sources cited in your text “agree” with your Reference List. In other words, all the sources you mention in your paper must appear in your References. Conversely, ONLY those sources you credit in your text should appear on your Reference Page.
Begin with an introduction that clearly states the purpose and scope of your paper. What are you writing about (topic and scope) and why should your paper be read? (purpose)
Be sure to clearly connect your topic to professional nursing (usually done in Introduction).
Remember that you are reviewing the literature on your chosen subject. Keep your style professional; don’t tell a personal story. The place for personal sharing is the Course Room – not your paper!
Use at least five (5) references.
References should be both professional and current. Do not use “Encarta’s”, wikiis, encyclopedias or dictionaries. Copyrights for three (3) of the five required references should be 2016 or higher.
Watch grammar, especially sentence construction, verb-tense agreement and the correct use of possessive adjectives.
Write a strong conclusion. Summarize your Review of the Literature. The conclusion is where your assessment or conclusion appears. You should not introduce new material (i.e. put a reference) in the conclusion.
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