Professional Writing
Strategies for
Nursing Students
Created by Pam Selby, Editor, UF College of Nursing (Rev. 12/18/08)
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What is Professional Writing?
Memo
To: Nursing Students
From: Pam Selby
Date: August 8, 2008
Re: What Is A Memo?
A memo is a brief document that members
within an organization use to exchange
information. When writing a memo, consider
the following:
• needs of your colleagues,
• bullets to summarize main points,
• order of information/priorities, and
• clear deadlines/timelines, meeting
locations, responses needed, etc.
Writing good memos can help you practice
summarizing and prioritizing information. In a
situation in which your intended reader may
be flooded daily with memos, spice it up with
color or clip art to get the reader’s attention.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………
LIST OF TABLES…………………….
LIST OF FIGURES……………………
ABSTRACT……………………………
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION……………………
2 MATERIALS AND METHODS……
Subjects……………………………….
Age Range…………………………….
Inclusion Criteria………………………
Method used to correlate age
range and inclusion criteria
Overview of the correlation between
age range and inclusion criteria…. …
Overall Methodology………………..
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The Writing Process
Pre-write: Brainstorm, cluster ideas, narrow focus, form thesis/explore
purpose, target audience who will benefit from your information, draft outline.
Write: Rough sections, multiple drafts, (allow “gel” time between drafts).
Revise: Review with mission of altering and improving the entire text, section
by section, to meet competencies of professional writing (Slide #26). It helps to
have another person read it to spot inconsistencies, confusing terminology,
acronyms not spelled out initially, vague or unclear areas.
Edit: Review for audience/style appropriateness, main title, format,
headings/subheadings, flow, and grammar.
Proofread: Examine final manuscript to spot errors. Use a spellchecker and
grammar checker. It helps to have another person also proofread it!
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Prewriting Strategy 1:
Get Rid of Writer’s Block!

Start earlier.

Use food for brain fuel.

Rest.

Breathe, stretch, breathe.

Make the commitment (QUIET private place you habitually
use for writing activities and be sure to turn off phone)!

Use brainstorming and prewriting strategies.

Tell a friend your main idea/purpose (in 3 or 4 sentences.)

Start in the middle.

Write a rough draft (write fast) of any section or paragraph.

Create outline(s) or diagrams.

Give yourself gel time (time between drafts).
See Writer’s Block at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_block.html and
http://www.writing-world.com/basics/block2.shtml
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Prewriting Strategy 2: Choosing and
Narrowing A Focus
Pick something you are interested in, not something just
because there may be lots of information on it.
 Use an inquiry process to narrow your search:

What's your initial position on the topic?

What assumptions do you have about the topic?

What aspect of the topic might you be interested
in discovering?

Why is topic relevant/interesting/important to
nursing?

For whom is the topic most important and why?
(audience)

What information will you present that benefits
your targeted audience?
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Strategy 3: Using a Focus Wheel to Narrow Topic
1.
4.
Dealing w/Sexual
Misconduct of
Adult Patients
in Acute Care
Nursing
Chronic care
Elderly
2.
3.
Adult patients
In acute care
Difficult patients
Difficult
patients
Require extra attention
(e.g., soiling sheets
a lot)
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Examples of Theses or Research Foci
Examples of thesis statements:
 "One step nurses can take to close this communication gap and assume a leadership
position in health care is to promote English-Spanish bilingualism."
Barcelona de Mendoza, V. (2002). A World View at Home: The Need for Bilingualism in
the United States [Electronic version]. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal
Nursing, 31, 129.
 "The paradigms for the nursing profession are receding, shifting and evolving without
commitment from the nurses who are at the bedside."
Van Sell, S.L. (2002, April - June). Nursing: Receding and Evolving Paradigms. ICUs
and Nursing Web Journal. Retrieved July 26, 2002, from
http://www.nursing.gr/selleditorial.pdf
 "If our profession is to survive, we must foster the academic life as a viable career
option for nurses and work to better align the goals of expert clinical care with expert
teaching and knowledge generation."
Lowe, N.K. (2002). How shall they learn without a teacher [Electronic version]. Journal of
Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 31, 391.
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Strategy 4: Targeting An Audience
You will have at least two audiences
(or intended readers) for a paper:
 the person/group you
want to inform/benefit
 your instructor/reviewer(s).
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Audience (cont’d)
RESEARCH FOCUS
THESIS
PURPOSE
SIGNIFICANCE
WRITER
AUDIENCE
Consider the relationship
between you, your
research focus, and your
audience. Are your
THESIS and PURPOSE in
accord with the needs of
your AUDIENCE?
Why/how is your paper
relevant, innovative, or
important to clinical nursing
or nursing research?
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Audience (cont’d)
It is every writer’s job to be
clear, consistent, and honest with readers.
Clarity: define/describe/explain any areas that would
otherwise be confusing, ambiguous, vague, or abrupt.
Consistency: ensure there are no illogical, incoherent, or
incompatible elements in your proposal.
Honesty: make it easy for readers to find reference
information; acknowledge possible limitations (e.g., small
sample size) and present detailed plans to overcome
limitations should it be necessary.
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Prewriting Strategy 5: The Outline
Living Document
● Reflects and preserves the written evolution of your
writing process and content.
Organizing Tool
 Cohesiveness—shows whether each section
includes the appropriate information.
 Guide—helps you stay on track with content by
exposing gaps or problems with organization,
development, and flow.
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Sample Outline
Outlines help you stay on track with content by exposing gaps or problems with organization,
development, and flow.
I.
Introduction: (no heading, unless instructor specifies—½-1 page, doublespaced, and Includes your thesis statement or research focus/argument)
A.
B.
Brief background of problem (stats)
Purpose of research (how it will help resolve problem
or contribute to knowledge base)
Significance of research
C.
1.
2.
3.
Does it fill a needed gap in knowledge base?
Is the research timely or compelling (need it NOW)?
Is it innovative in some way (new methodology?
problem rarely studied? Applying old principle to new
concept or using unique conceptual framework as a
model through which to view the problem?)
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Sample Outline (cont’d)
I.
Literature Review (heading Level 1)
A.
B.
C.
Brief paragraph introducing sections to come
Section 1: (brief history of the problem)
1. Population(s) most affected (WHO)
2. Concentration areas (WHERE)
3. Definitions of special terms/acronyms (WHAT)
a.
Section 2: (to date, what has been done about it)
1. Studies devoted to the problem and findings
2. Synthesis of information most relevant to your topic
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Professional Writing Competencies
Organization
Development
Flow
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Problems with Organization
●inconsistencies in
terminology, facts,
chronology, etc.
●sections or paragraphs with
irrelevant, misplaced or
ambiguous material.
●no clear relevance of ideas to
each other and to the paper’s
research focus/thesis and
purpose.
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Problems with Development
 lack of rationales
 lack of definitions
 lack of examples
 lack of specific details
 poor integration of
purpose/goals throughout
 lack of variety of
rhetorical strategies
 faulty methodology
 poor use of professional
sources
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Writing Strategy 6:
Specific Detail Exercise
Who?
Where?
What?
When?
How?
Why?
Example:
1. Exercise can improve physical performance.
Revision:
Evidence supports aerobic and strength-training
exercise
programs to improve instrumental activities of
daily living
in older adults (Powers, Depp, & Longe, 2001; Smythe,
2003; Thompson & Burgess, 2006; Williams et al., 2000).
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Problems with Flow
 hard to read
 lack of adequate transitions
between and within sections
to provide readers with
visual cues for
understanding relationships
of ideas to each other
 faulty punctuation
 abrupt endings
 wordiness/repetition
 unclear language
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Competencies for Professional
Writing
Thesis and Purpose
Organization
Development
Voice and Readability
Mechanics and Grammar
Critical Thinking
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Thesis and Purpose
• Thesis or research focus is
clearly stated.
• Purpose is clear.
• Argument or goals are
achieved overall.
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Organization
• Sections are well delineated with descriptive headings
and subheadings.
• Paragraphs have topic sentences, and all material within
is relevant to topic sentence.
• Transitions are used to move reader along logically to
the next section or next point.
• Relationships among ideas are made clear through use
of adverbial or transitional “cues” that let reader know
how ideas are connected.
• All sections demonstrate relevance to thesis/focus.
• Organization is coherent throughout and look is
professional.
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Development
• Each point of thesis is clearly and adequately
developed with a variety of rhetorical strategies:
facts, definitions, statistics, examples, relevant
descriptive details, comparison/contrast,
classification, analysis, analogy, synthesis.
• There is appropriate use of sources (relevant,
recent, high quality), and vocabulary, quotes,
and other supportive material that demonstrates
evidence of professional writing.
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Voice and Readability
 Targeted audience can
understand and follow ideas.
 Writer’s voice and tone indicate
consideration for and
appropriate appeal to audience.
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Mechanics and Grammar
• Writer uses correct punctuation, usage, and
grammar.
• Sophistication is demonstrated by variety in
sentence structure/length, a marked lack of
repetition, and titles, headings, and subheadings
that accurately portray section contents.
• Exposition is devoid of personal intrusion (e.g.,
first person “I,” second person “you”) and
maintains professional tone throughout.
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Critical Thinking
• Writer demonstrates
strong evidence of critical
analysis, synthesis across
multiple sources,
meaningful reflection, and
appropriate ethical
standards.
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Criteria for Professional Writing
Thesis/Purpose: Thesis or research focus is clearly stated, purpose is clear or obvious,
and argument or goals are achieved overall.
Organization: Sections are well delineated with descriptive headings, paragraphs have
topic sentences, and all material within is relevant to topic sentence; transitions are used to
move reader along logically to the next section or next point; relationships among ideas are
made clear through use of adverbial or transitional “cues” that let reader know how ideas
are connected; all sections demonstrate relevance to thesis/focus; and look is professional.
Development: Each point of thesis is clearly and adequately developed with a variety of
rhetorical strategies: facts, definitions, statistics, examples, relevant descriptive details,
comparison/contrast, classification, analysis, analogy, synthesis etc. There is appropriate
use of sources (relevant, recent, high quality), and vocabulary, quotes, and other
supportive material demonstrates evidence of professional writing.
Voice and Readability: Targeted audience can understand and follow ideas, and writer’s
voice and tone indicate consideration for and appropriate appeal to the targeted audience.
Mechanics and Grammar: Writer uses correct punctuation, usage, and grammar.
Sophistication is demonstrated by variety in sentence structure/length, a marked lack of
repetition, and titles, headings, and subheadings that accurately portray section contents.
Unless requested, exposition is devoid of personal intrusion (e.g., first person “I,” second
person “you”) and maintains professional tone throughout.
Critical Thinking: Writer demonstrates strong evidence of critical analysis, synthesis
across multiple sources, meaningful reflection, and appropriate ethical standards.
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Strategy 7: Avoiding Writing in 2nd and 3rd Person
Increasing one's [3rd person]
workload is taxing on both your
[2nd person] physical and mental
health. Unless someone [3rd
person] is in a physically-intensive
profession, your [2nd person]
body is wasting away while you
[2nd person] are working.
Additionally, your [2nd person] diet
also suffers as you [2nd person]
spend more time at work. No longer
do you [2nd person] have the time
to prepare healthy meals at home
or even worse, we [3rd person]
may not have time to eat at all.
Excerpt from student paper, 2007
Revised:
The combination of sedentary jobs
and increased workloads tax both
physical and mental health among
employees. Except for those
working in physically-intensive
professions, human bodies waste
away with inactivity. Nutrition also
suffers while more time is spent at
work, since people do not have time
to prepare healthy meals or worse,
may not have time to eat at all.
Note: This student writer introduced the
aspect of “mental health” but did not write
anything about it.
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Strategy 8: Organization & Development
Original:
Literature Review
There are only a few studies that have
examined the effects of exercise in persons
with schizophrenia.
Most studies used small sample sizes and
lacked randomization. Only one offered
exercise for a minimum of 16 weeks that is
required to show significant progress in
previously sedentary adults (Smith et al.,
2000). A common problem was difficulty
motivating participants to adhere.
Dropout rates were high in four out of the six
studies. All studies examining psychiatric
outcomes found significant reductions in
depression and anxiety. Vreeland, et al.
found statistically significant mean weight
loss and body mass index (BMI) reductions
in an exercise group compared to the control
group, but Ball noted no significant weight or
BMI changes between exercisers and nonexercisers after 10 weeks (Vreeland et al.,
2006; Ball et al., 2004).
All but one study found exercise associated
with significant physical or psychological
improvements.
Excerpt from student paper, 2004
Revised:
Effects of Exercise in Persons with Schizophrenia: A
Literature Review (added title)
A scant number of studies have examined the effects of
exercise in persons with schizophrenia: three focusing
on psychiatric outcomes and two on physical (Bell, 2007;
Jones & Yi, 1990; Smith et al., 1979; Smith, 2000a;
Vreeland, 2006).
All studies examining psychiatric outcomes found
significant reductions in depression and anxiety.
Vreeland, et al. (2006) found statistically significant
mean weight loss and body mass index (BMI) reductions
in an exercise group compared to non-exercising
matched controls. Bell and colleagues (2007), however,
noted no significant weight or BMI changes between
exercisers and non-exercisers after 10 weeks.
Most studies in this modest body of literature used small
sample sizes and lacked randomization. Only one
offered exercise for the minimum 16 weeks required to
demonstrate significant gains in previously sedentary
adults (Smith, 2000a). Despite this, exercise was
associated with significant increases in physical or
psychological health in all but one study (Jones & Yi,
1990).
A common problem was difficulty motivating participants
to adhere. Dropout rates…
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Strategy 9: Titles and Headings for Unity
 Using the title as a unifying strategy:
One trick professional writers use to unify a work is extracting a title from
an essential piece in the paper’s final summary/conclusion or a main
section. Look for a phrase in these areas that really captures the paper’s
main idea or argument (thesis) and turn it into a title.
(If submitting a paper for publication, be sure to check the journal’s Author
Guidelines in terms of title, abstract, and article length.)
 Using headings to provide visual “cues” for readers:
Write the content of the section first. Then extract the essential
argument/message/topic from it and use it as a heading.
(Remember, drafting is a recursive process—crafting your headings like this can
help you go back and re-do your outline to see how well the pieces are coming
together.)
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Strategy 10: Writing an Abstract
Components of An Abstract
In a paragraph of approximately 100 to 200 words, an
abstract may convey some or all of the following:
description of a main problem/issue, prevalence,
and population(s) most affected (topic).
focused statement of author’s opinion or aims
regarding problem/issue (purpose).
description of what has been done to resolve
problem/issue and/or what new information was
learned (findings).
relevance of findings to targeted audience and to
nursing research/practice as a whole (conclusions).
Implications for further research or call for action
(recommendations).
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An effective abstract:
 uses one or more well-developed paragraphs, which are unified,
coherent, concise, and able to stand alone.
 uses an introduction-body-conclusion structure in which
the parts of the report are discussed in order: purpose, findings,
conclusions, recommendations.
 follows strictly the chronology of the report.
 provides logical connections between material included.
 adds no new information but simply summarizes the
report.
 is intelligible to a wide audience.
Retrieved (and revised) on December 18, 2008, from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/656/01/
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Theories, Models, and Hypotheses
How do you write about theories, models, and
hypotheses? For some great examples, check out
the following web sites:
●http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/report
W/bodytheories.html
●http://bemyers.ifas.ufl.edu/Courses/AEE5301/Lesson%20
Plan%20Library/Heather%20Carr/Scientific%20Method%2
0Flowchart.doc
●For a review of the Scientific Method, see
http://bemyers.ifas.ufl.edu/Courses/AEE5301/Lesson%20Pl
an%20Library/Heather%20Carr/Scientific%20Method%20P
P.ppt
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Strategy 11: Literature Review
(as part of a study or project)
Retrieved August 25, 2007, from: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.14662435.2004.00231.x See Also: Fink, A. conducting research literature reviews:
from the Internet to paper. Access at:
http://uf.catalog.fcla.edu/uf.jsp?Ntt=conducting+a+literature+review&I=0&N=20&S=DL2T33C7FJR69F
H65UXXV8L65SDDXQ3AIGR6V47E7E9X99AVC2&Ntk=Keyword&V=D&Nty=1#top
 Are relevant previous studies described?
 Are references current (or seminal studies included)?
 Is the literature review organized to demonstrate the
progressive development of ideas through previous research?
 Is a theoretical knowledge base developed for the problem and
purpose?
 Does the literature review provide rationale and direction for
the study?
 Is a clear, concise summary presented of the current empirical
knowledge (data produced by experiment or observation) in the area of the
study?
 Is a clear concise summary presented of the current theoretical
knowledge in the area of study?
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Literature Review (as a type of paper)
Retrieved (and adapted) August 27, 2007, from
http://www.library.usyd.edu.au/libraries/nursing/literature.html
Before you start
Have you broken down your research question into specific subject keywords?
What category are you searching (Nursing > Public Health > Breastfeeding)?
What aspect of the subject do you want to cover (Skin-to-skin contact for breastfeeding
difficulties postbirth)?
Searching the sources
Have you found and searched the most relevant databases? CINAHL? Evidence-based and
Cochrane?
Have you looked for books and book chapters about your research question?
Have you checked Google Scholar?
Analyzing your results
Has your search been wide enough to find all the relevant material?
Have you limited your search to exclude all the irrelevant items?
Have you identified the key references among the material you have found?
Have you included articles that support your perspective?
Have you included articles contrary to your perspective?
Have you worked out the strengths and weaknesses of each item in your literature review?
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Links to Literature Review Information
 http://education.ufl.edu/Courses/eme5054/Foun
dations/Articles/LitReview.pdf
 http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html
 http://library.edgewood.edu/help/literaturereviews.pdf
 http://www.lynchburg.edu/x3560.xml
 http://www.flinders.edu.au/SLC/Brochures/lit_rev
iew.pdf (U of Michigan)
 http://www.departments.dsu.edu/library/litreview
s.htm
 http://www.library.usyd.edu.au/libraries/nursing/li
terature.html
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Links to Writing a Case Study (and samples)
 http://www.va.gov/oaa/teaching_tools/aca/Case_Faculty_G
uide2.doc
 http://www.nursingsociety.org/education/online_howto.pdf
 http://her.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/2/227
 http://medicus.marshall.edu/mainmenu.htm
 http://www.reproline.jhu.edu/english/5tools/5case/cocs.htm
 http://www.springerlink.com/content/dn0yqmgx6q9fapvg/fullt
ext.pdf
 Case Studies In Nursing Ethics By Sara T. Fry, Robert M. Veatch:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BotJKlc24MkC&oi=fnd&pg=P
R9&dq=%22Fry%22+%22Case+Studies+in+Nursing+Ethics%22+&ots=lxn6
_AbVTY&sig=GIKE9lU5h5CZ7AEPiZsoz-b1k5w#PPA7,M1
 For a free subscription to our publication: Nursing & Healthcare
Directories on: The Nurse Friendly Clinical Nursing Case Studies,
please send a blank e-mail to: clinicalnursingcases-
subscribe@topica.com
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Links to Writing a Logical Argument
The following sites provide everything from info on writing experimental
reports, lit reviews and APA style to detailed instructions about how to
write an argument and support your “proofs” or hypotheses logically:
 http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/13/
 http://hedc.otago.ac.nz/hedc/sld/Study-Guides-and-Resources/EssayWriting.html
 http://hedc.otago.ac.nz/hedc/sld/Study-Guides-and-Resources/EssayWriting/rightParagraphs/00/document/Essay%20Writing.doc
 http://www.smccd.net/accounts/skytlc/wrl/wradnurse.htm
 http://www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au/current_students/notices/00writing_
for_publication.pdf
 http://chhs.gmu.edu/writing/expos.html
 http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/nursing/media/Why-do-I-need-a-secondthird-etc-draft.pdf (includes logical fallacies)
 http://ppn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/1/3/172 (sample of
published logical argument)
 http://www-distance.syr.edu/apa5th.html
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Please contact me
with any
questions or concerns
at
pcselby@ufl.edu
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