Nursing Research Papers: Selecting Your Topic
Regardless of your field of instruction, it is important that you plan ahead for all research papers. This includes nursing research projects and papers. Because the research project will be much more efficient, and thus make the writing process easier, with proper planning, it is important that you plan ahead as you select your topic.
Reviewing topic options is a process that may seem ineffective. And many skip it and choose a topic on the fly. While this has worked, it is definitely not recommended. Most often, students who do this will spend more time in the research phase because they have chosen a topic that simply doesn’t work the best for them.
Nursing Research Papers: Topic Selection
There are some steps you should always take when determining what topic is the best for your assignment and class. The following list can give you some ideas of how to proceed, and do so effectively for any nursing assignment:
- Review requirements: There are often topic requirements for essays assigned in class. While some classes, especially those closer to graduation, will give students more flexibility in determining their topic, most have some kind of guideline that you must follow. Always review the requirements before brainstorming which topics might be the best ones to tackle. If the professor includes specific topics to choose from, that can make it easier as well.
- Ask questions: If you need more clarification about a topic, or aren’t sure if the one you are interested in will work, always ask. It is better to ask earlier and get clarification than to earn a bad grade because you failed to do so.
- Consider the field of study: When determining what topic might work for you, consider if it is a topic that benefits the field of nursing. Your overall goal should always be to benefit your studies as well as the overall field of nursing. This attitude will pay off as you continue to tackle more expansive projects.
- Consider interest: If the topic doesn’t interest you, it will be very difficult to research, and even more difficult to write. Always opt for a topic that interests you – and if a list is provided that doesn’t include anything you find interesting, find a way to make it more intriguing.
Choosing the right topic is the first step in completely and correctly writing a formal research paper. Taking the process seriously will help you through each additional step.