The document provides guidance for nursing students on conducting research for their dissertation, including a refresher on primary and secondary sources, tips for effective searching using keywords and Boolean operators, and an example search scenario on responding to pregnant women experiencing domestic abuse. It also touches on critically appraising sources and addresses common concerns students have around referencing.

1. Searching for your
nursing dissertationNursing 2016

2. What do you want covered
today?
“By the end of today’s session I want to
have covered/looked at/done…”

3. What will you be doing today?
• Quick refresher on primary and secondary
sources
• Example search
• Your own search
• Critical appraisal and referencing
• ………………

4. A quick refresher on primary and
secondary sources

5. Distinguishing between primary
and secondary sources
• Primary sources – original research
published by the researchers in peer-
reviewed journals. Use databases such as
CINAHL to search for these.
• Secondary sources – work that
summarises, critiques or reviews primary
research. See for example NICE and the
Cochrane Library.

6. Ask: What exactly are you
trying to find out?

7. For any question:
• Consider the different keywords, related
terms or subheadings within your question;
• Think of possible synonyms e.g. stroke or
cerebral vascular accident;
• Search each element separately;
• Combine searches on the same or similar
subjects with OR e.g. high blood pressure
OR hypertension;
• Combine searches on different subjects
using AND e.g. diabetes AND pregnancy.

8. Search Scenario
• One in four women experience domestic
abuse at some stage in their lives, and 30%
of this abuse starts in pregnancy.
Twycross, A. (2014) ‘Disclosure of domestic violence and abuse: how
prepared are you?’ Evidence-based nursing, 17(3), pp. 63-64.
• As a nurse, how could you best respond to a
pregnant women experiencing domestic
abuse?

9. Over to you – your search

10. Critical appraisal
“It usually comes as a
surprise to students to
learn that some
…published articles
belong in the bin and
should not be used to
inform practice”
(Greenhalgh 2006).

11. Finding critical appraisal
resources
3rd year
nursing
subject
guide

12. Referencing worries?
3rd year
nursing
subject
guide