Doing a Literature Review in Nursing, Health and Social Care

How do I start my literature review? What sources can I go to for information? How do I analyse the work of others? This clear, practical book guides readers undertaking their own literature review through the process, giving them the skills and knowledge they need for success. The chapters address: - Different types of literature reviews - Critically analysing material - Presenting the final piece of work - Best practice in referencing and plagiarism - Systematic approaches to literature reviews A wide range of examples from books, journals and other sources are included to demonstrate the process in action. Each chapter also includes activities and checklists to help readers develop their own work. It will be an essential guide for all nursing and all allied healthcare students, as well as professionals working in practice.

Table of Contents:
Figures and Tables About the Authors What Is a Literature Review? Types of Literature Review Systematic Review Selecting a Review Topic and Searching the Literature Reading and Organising the Literature Critically Analysing the Literature Synthesizing the Literature Writing up Your Literature Review Referencing and Plagiarism What Comes Next? Glossary References Index

About the Author :
Michael Coughlan is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing, Trinity College Dublin, where he has worked since 2002. He is a Registered Nurse Tutor and has been involved in nurse education for nearly 30 years. He has a wide experience in guiding and supervising students undertaking literature reviews and research studies at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. His interests include research, and haematology and oncology nursing. He has a number of publications in these areas, in addition to co-authoring a number of books on literature reviews and research. Qualifications: MEd, MA, BNS, RPN, RGN, RNT. Patricia Cronin is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. She is a registered General Nurse and her clinical background is in surgical and gastrointestinal nursing. She has a special interest in theory, and research and systematic review methodologies and considerable expertise in qualitative research methodologies. She is also a contributor and member of the editorial board for an online clinical skills training tool. Her research interests lie in the areas of chronic illness and gastrointestinal health in people with intellectual disability. She has published widely, co-authoring four books and book chapters and journal articles related to clinical skills, gastrointestinal nursing, research and theory. Qualifications: PhD, MSc, MA, BSc Nursing & Education, DipN (Lond), RN.

Review :
′This book will be the essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students across nursing, health and social care. It will guide students on how to undertake a critical review of literature.′ - Susan Ashton, Senior Lecturer, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University ′Coughlan, et al′s book is what I, and other lecturers who teach dissertation skills, have been waiting for. From a student′s point of view, it really is a ′one-stop-shop′, in terms of having everything that they will need, throughout writing a literature review. Plain speaking, and informative, it is a ′must-have′ resource for students, especially those who are doing a dissertation by literature review′ - Stephanie Millns Sizer, Lecturer in Health Sciences, University of York "In this slim volume, the authors--all of whom are nursing faculty members--provide a decent and very readable overview of the literature review process....While the intended audience is nursing and social work professionals, as the title suggests, the book is written generally enough to be of interest to anyone in the health care profession who is seeking a practical introduction to the literature review process. Overall, this fine volume should appeal to a broad audience of research novices. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through graduate students; practitioners." The book has been well thought out and covers the important elements of literature reviews in a simplified way, which is helpful to health and social care professionals who are often undertaking their studies on a part-time basis. The key strength of this book is the application of the knowledge and the guidance of readers to undertake their own literature review.  In a systematic way it clearly outlines the skills and knowledge that are required with supportive examples.