Literature Review Assignment 

Assessment Task

Produce a 6,000-word literature review, with an allowance of 10% above or below the word count.

Select a problem, issue or need identified in practice that affects individual outcomes. Develop a focused line of enquiry relevant to your developing professional role and explore the existing primary research on the chosen topic.

The literature review should:

• Develop knowledge and understanding of the selected topic.
• Critically evaluate the evidence relating to the chosen area.
• Identify realistic recommendations or solutions for improving the quality of care.
• Demonstrate professional responsibility in accordance with the NMC Code.

The assignment must be written in the third person.

Presentation Requirements

• Submit the assignment as a Word document.
• Include page numbers in the footer.
• Justify both margins.
• Use double or 1.5-line spacing.
• Use a professional and consistent font.
• Apply Harvard referencing consistently.

Required Structure

Abstract

Provide a summary of the complete literature review.

• The abstract must not exceed one A4 page.
• Headings may be used.
• Use single-line spacing.

The abstract is not included in the word count.

Acknowledgements

This section is optional.

You may acknowledge individuals who supported you during the development of the literature review.

Acknowledgements are not included in the word count.

Contents Page

List all headings and subheadings used in the literature review and include the relevant page numbers.

The contents page is not included in the word count.

1. Introduction — Up to 250 Words

Explain the purpose of the independent enquiry and why a literature review was undertaken.

The introduction should:

• Identify the practice-based problem, issue or need.
• Introduce the selected line of enquiry.
• Provide an overview of the literature review.
• Explain the relevance of evidence-based practice.
• Refer to the NMC Code.
• Indicate how the assignment addresses the required outcomes.

Keep this section focused and concise.

2. Background and Justification — Up to 1,000 Words

Establish the background to the selected topic and justify why it requires further exploration.

Explain how the issue affects:

• Patients or service users.
• Families or carers.
• Practitioners.
• Nursing practice.

Use wider literature, opinion papers, systematic reviews, policies and national guidelines to support the discussion.

Do not use the primary research papers selected for the literature review in this section.

Conclude the section by leading clearly into the literature search question.

3. Literature Search Question

State a focused and answerable literature search question.

The heading must include the full question and end with a question mark.

The question should be capable of being answered using the available published primary research.

Aim

State the overall aim of the literature review.

Objectives

Use bullet points to identify the objectives that will be completed to achieve the aim.

4. Literature Review — Up to 1,000 Words

Begin with a short paragraph explaining that a literature review will be conducted to answer the search question, aim and objectives.

Support the choice of a literature review using relevant research-method literature.

Lead clearly into the search strategy.

Search Strategy

Explain and justify how the search for primary research was conducted.

Include:

• Databases searched.
• Search terms and keywords.
• Boolean operators.
• Inclusion criteria.
• Exclusion criteria.
• Limiters or expanders.
• Date ranges.
• Key decisions made during the search.
• Number of results obtained from each database.

Support the search decisions with relevant research-method literature.

Include a search-strategy outcome table in the appendix and refer to it within this section.

Select a minimum of eight primary research papers.

Data Extraction

Briefly explain how data were extracted from the selected primary research papers.

Include a data-extraction table in the appendix. The table should summarise the key information from each research paper.

5. Critical Evaluation of the Primary Research Papers — Up to 1,000 Words

Critically evaluate the quality of the selected primary research papers.

Use an appropriate critical-appraisal tool to support the evaluation.

Discuss:

• The research design used in each paper.
• Whether the study used qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods.
• The appropriateness of the methods.
• The strengths and limitations of the research.
• The robustness of the research process.
• The reliability and relevance of the findings.

Support the evaluation with appropriate research-method literature.

6. Thematic Analysis of the Literature — Up to 1,000 Words

Explain how the themes were identified from the selected research papers.

Use relevant literature to support the thematic-analysis process.

Identify approximately three themes and use each theme as a subheading.

Within each theme:

• Compare and contrast findings across the selected studies.
• Identify patterns and trends.
• Examine similarities and differences.
• Identify gaps in the evidence.
• Critically analyse the meaning of the findings.

Use only the selected primary research papers in this section.

Do not refer to wider literature, policies, guidelines or additional studies within the thematic analysis.

7. Wider Discussion — Up to 750 Words

Summarise the findings from the thematic analysis and discuss them in relation to:

• Wider academic literature.
• Relevant policies.
• National guidelines.
• Professional standards.
• Nursing practice requirements.

Compare the review findings with the wider evidence introduced in the Background and Justification section.

Conclude the discussion by identifying appropriate recommendations and leading into the practice-related solutions.

8. Practice-Related Solutions — Up to 700 Words

Propose realistic practice-based solutions arising from the literature review.

Present two or three recommendations or actions.

The recommendations must:

• Relate directly to the identified themes and findings.
• Respond to the literature search question.
• Address the stated aim and objectives.
• Be realistic and relevant to practice.
• Support improvements in the quality of care.

SMART criteria may be used to develop the recommendations:

• Specific.
• Measurable.
• Achievable.
• Realistic.
• Time-framed.

9. Conclusion: Limitations and Summary — Up to 300 Words

Provide a concluding summary of the literature review.

The conclusion should:

• Summarise the main findings.
• Explain the importance of evidence-based nursing practice.
• Refer to the NMC Code.
• Identify limitations of the literature review process.
• Include a brief reflective comment on the personal and professional learning gained from completing the independent enquiry.

Do not introduce new evidence or arguments.

Reference List

Provide a complete reference list using the Harvard referencing system.

Ensure that:

• Every source cited in the assignment appears in the reference list.
• Every source in the reference list is cited within the assignment.
• References are presented accurately and consistently.

The reference list is not included in the word count.

Appendices

Include all supporting materials referred to in the main assignment.

Appendices should include:

• Search-strategy outcome table.
• Data-extraction table.
• Any other relevant supporting material referenced in the literature review.

Appendices are not included in the word count.