how to write a literature review for dnp project

Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Resources

What type of review, how to conduct a review, find articles, evaluating articles, full text access tool.

• How to Get Full Articles
• How to Read a Scientific Paper
• Matrix Template & Example
• Research Instruments
• Organize Your Research
• Statistics + Data Analysis
• Writing & Publishing

Researchers, academics and librarians all use various terms to describe different types of literature reviews. Indeed there is often inconsistency between the ways the types are discussed. Here are a couple of simple explanations.

The image below describes common review types in terms of speed, detail, risk of bias and comprehensiveness:

"Schematic of the main differences between the types of literature review" by Brennan, M. L., Arlt, S. P., Belshaw, Z., Buckley, L., Corah, L., Doit, H., Fajt, V. R., Grindlay, D., Moberly, H. K., Morrow, L. D., Stavisky, J., & White, C. (2020). Critically Appraised Topics (CATs) in veterinary medicine: Applying evidence in clinical practice. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7 , 314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00314 is licensed under CC BY 3.0

The table below has been adapted from a widely used typology of fourteen types of reviews, (Grant & Booth, 2009).  Here are four of the most common types:

For a more detailed list of review types, see:

Grant, M.J. & Booth, A. (2009).  A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26 (2), 91-108.  DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) outlines standards of practice completing a systematic review to ensure consistency and high-quality results.

• PRISMA 2020 Explanations
• PRISMA 2020 Checklist
• PRISMA 2020 Flow Diagram
• PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator
• PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA Statement for Reporting Literature Searches in Systematic Reviews

Techniques from the PRISMA process can also be used with other types of reviews to have a systematic process for searching and evaluating results.

• Article Evaluation Handout Key questions to evaluate each section of original research studies (RCTs, cohort studies, etc)

LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that connects you with articles that are library-licensed or open access. LibKey Nomad is available for Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi.

Here is a short demonstration of how it works:

When using LibKey Nomad, you will automatically be directed to the best available version of an article so you don't need to search in multiple places. When the full text of an article is not available, you will be provided with options to request the article through  Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

LibKey Nomad does not require you to create a personal account. It does not track users or hold credentials, and it is only active when you are on the web page of a scholarly publisher or database.  

Getting Started

• Install the LibKey Nomad extension for your browser of choice. (Note: A user account is  not  required to use the extension.)
• Search for and select "James Madison University" from the list of institutions. See images below.
• When you are on publisher websites, Wikipedia, PubMed, and more, you can l ook for the LibKey Nomad button to download PDFs.

Publisher Websites

When you're browsing publisher sites and other web pages, LibKey Nomad provides a link to download the PDF of an article available through the JMU Libraries. It is not necessary to first connect through the JMU Libraries website. If the full text of the article is not available through the JMU Libraries subscriptions, an "Access Options" button will appear, and you will see options for requesting the article through ILL. See example in the image below.

LibKey Nomad also works with Wikipedia. When you're viewing the list of references for an entry, a "Download PDF" button will appear after the citations, if the full text of the article is available from JMU Libraries. An "Article Link" button may appear for citations that are from sources that do not support linking directly to the PDF. For articles not available from JMU Libraries, an "Access Options..." button will appear that provides options for requesting the articles through ILL. See example in the image below.

When you're searching PubMed, LibKey Nomad shows options for downloading a PDF, linking to an article, or additional access options. You can also view the cover images of the journals that articles appear in. LibKey Nomad also provides a link to the complete issue of a journal. Click "View Complete Issue" to browse the table of contents for the issue in which an article appears, helping you find similar articles from the same publication. See example in the image below.

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DNP Intensive

• Research Fundamentals
• Searching with Library Tools
• Specialty Sources

Writing a Literature Review

Tools to Help Organize your Literature Review

• APA Style and Reference Managers
• Evaluating Research Articles
• DNP Course Reserves

Unless you have a reason to present the literature chronologically (to show development over time, perhaps), the preferred method for organizing your literature is thematically. 

Step 1 : Identify your themes.

Step 2 : Identify the articles that address those themes

Step 3 : Identify the similarities and differences among the articles within the themes

A Literature Synthesis Matrix will be especially helpful in this process.

Literature Review Matrix

This type of matrix will help you see the content of all of your articles at a glance. Each row represents an article, and each column and element of the articles. Typical columns can include things like 

• Research method
• Sample size
• Theoretical framework

However, the exact columns you chose depend on the elements of each study you want to discuss in your paper. You get to decide!

Here are couple of examples to give you a better idea.

• An evolutionary concept analysis of helicopter parenting. (Lee et al., 2014)
• The use of video conferencing for persons with chronic conditions: A systematic review. (Mallow et al. 2016)

Literature Synthesis Matrix

In essence a synthesis matrix is a way to organize your literature by theme, which is generally the way writers organize their whole literature reviews. The real benefit is that it helps you identify the articles that talk about the same themes so that you can write about them together in your literature review.

North Carolina State  has a very nice description and example of the process. 

This YouTube video also explains the process.

Here is a  template  you can use (this one is in Word instead of PPT).

• Transcript-Literature Review Martix Transcript document for the Literature Review Matrix video.
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Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Conducting a Literature Review

• Find Articles
• Reference Resources
• Writing & Citing
• Conducting a Literature Review
• Video/Tutorial Resources
• Web Resources
• Finding Full Text Articles
• Searching for Quantitative and Qualitative Articles
• Presentation Tips

Selected Literature Review Books

Tips for Literature Reviews

• Search the nursing/healthcare literature to find studies relevant to your topic or PICOT question.
• Appraise your findings
• Summarize research studies
• Compare and contrast studies
• Synthesize the key concepts of your readings

Selected Online Resources

• DOI Help: Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) How to find an article's Digital Object Identifier, or DOI.
• Evaluating Research Literature A guide from Kennesaw State University on how to assess and evaluate research studies.
• Literature Review: A Self-Guided Tutorial A step-by-step guide to conducting a literature review.
• Literature Reviews This guide provides detailed information about conducting a literature review
• Literature Reviews This guide from NYU gives details about various types of literature reviews and a roadmap for evidence synthesis.
• Literature Reviews & Research Methods This JSU subject guide offers advice on doing literature reviews and types of research methods
• RefWorks: Analysis & Synthesis How to use RefWorks to help with the synthesis of articles for a literature review. Part of a comprehensive subject guide from Kennesaw State University.
• What is a Literature Review? This page offers information on literature reviews

Welcome to the Houston Cole Library Guide pages! The Conducting a Literature Review Guide gives you links to key resources to help you get started finding and organizing your resources. Information is also available at Houston Cole Library's How to Conduct a Literature Review page.

Finding Information and Keeping Track of References

Selected databases to search for literature are listed below. RefWorks is a reference manager designed to keep track of the references cited in your papers, and to create bibliographies.

Don't Fear the Literature Review

• Literature Review Tutorial This short tutorial breaks down the aspects of a literature review and how to perform one with emphasis on tips to take the anxiety out of the process.

Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students

Health and Sciences Librarian

Other Useful Subject Guides

• Basic Academic Research by John Upchurch Last Updated Jul 13, 2023 9 views this year
• Evidence Based Practice in Nursing by Paula Barnett-Ellis Last Updated May 14, 2024 309 views this year
• How to Conduct a Literature Review by Karlie Johnson Last Updated Jun 30, 2023 158 views this year
• Medicine, Health, and Nursing by Paula Barnett-Ellis Last Updated May 14, 2024 465 views this year
• RefWorks by Karlie Johnson Last Updated Jun 30, 2023 12 views this year
• Scholarly Writing and Publishing by Paula Barnett-Ellis Last Updated Oct 27, 2023 43 views this year
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All about the DNP project

Understanding the process helps ensure a successful project..

The final doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project provides students with the opportunity to systematically translate the best current evidence into practice. However, variability in how projects are implemented exists among programs. In response, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) commissioned white papers from two internal task forces: the Implementation Task Force (ITF) and the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Clinical Training Task Force. The ITF’s white paper, The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations, describes and clarifies the characteristics of DNP graduate scholarship (including the DNP project), efficient resource use, program length, curriculum considerations, practice experiences, and collaborative partnership guidelines. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Clinical Task Force white paper, Re-envisioning the Clinical Education of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses , explores how APRN education can adapt to include more simulation opportunities, academic-practice partnerships, competency-based assessments, and nontraditional APRN clinical education models, such as technology or informatics. However, the AACN doesn’t make specific recommendations with regard to the final DNP project, pointing instead to the DNP Essentials to explain the project’s scope and depth.

This article discusses the issue of project variability, then explores DNP project fundamentals to help eliminate ambiguity and confusion and broaden students’ understanding of the project’s significance. Before initiating a DNP project, several key elements—mentoring, time management, organizational and academic support, potential institutional review board approval, and planning for dissemination—must be in place. (See 8 steps to completion.)

8 steps to completion

Students should take these eight steps to complete their doctor of nursing practice (DNP) projects.

• Identify and obtain approval for the area of interest.
• Write a proposal.
• Create a project timeline.
• Acquire institutional review board approval (if needed).
• Implement project.
• Write final report.
• Present an oral presentation.
• Disseminate the project.

Source: Anderson et al. 2015.

DNP project variability

With the increased volume of new programs and growing interest in the DNP degree, the profession must clarify the scope of the final project, including implementation, impact on system and practice outcomes, extent of collaborative efforts, dissemination, and degree of faculty mentorship and oversight. Some universities require students to complete a practice improvement project over the span of a course, whereas others require students to initiate an evidence-based practice (EBP) innovation project when they begin the program and continue it through the final semester.

Despite projects’ various forms, many elements—including planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability—must be consistent across programs. Without concrete guidelines, programs have employed several interpretations, including portfolios, case studies, systematic reviews, and writing projects. (See Project dissemination variability. )

Project dissemination variability

Several doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project types are included in the DNP Essentials . The table compares the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) white paper recommendations and AACN DNP Tool Kit with regard to dissemination.

Reasons for variability include:

• lack of faculty familiarity with quality improvement (QI) and EBP methods
• strain on faculty capacity and time commitment for project completion
• lack of faculty expertise in DNP education
• inability to find clinical sites that allow students to implement projects
• lack of DNP faculty resulting in programs led by PhD faculty
• lack of graduate-level writing skills
• differing student education levels (for example, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP)
• time constraints within the iterative process requiring multiple revisions of written work.

Although some program variability is expected, concern about the lack of adherence to the DNP Essentials exists . In response, the AACN is committed to enhancing program congruency. To ensure consistency, post-master’s and post-baccalaureate DNP students (who begin their doctoral programs with different education and practice backgrounds) should graduate with the same comprehensive skill set as described in the DNP Essentials .

Project fundamentals

The DNP project, previously called the capstone project or the scholarly project, should demonstrate translation of acquired knowledge into clinical practice and exhibit the student’s growth in clinical knowledge, expertise, and use of the DNP Essentials and DNP Tool Kit. (See DNP Essentials and Tool Kit.)

DNP Essentials and Tool Kit

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) eight DNP program essentials prepare nurse leaders for advanced practice.

• Scientific underpinnings for practice
• Organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking
• Clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice
• Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of healthcare
• Healthcare policy for advocacy in healthcare
• Interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes
• Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health
• Advanced nursing practice

DNP Tool Kit

The DNP Tool Kit, which continues to evolve, provides schools with the resources for formatting a DNP program. It combines information from the DNP Essentials and recommendations from the AACN DNP white paper to provide templates, exemplars, frequently asked questions, and other resources.

Projects can focus on QI, executive outcomes management, or an EBP change initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare. (See DNP project examples.)

Project examples

The following are examples of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) projects completed by the authors when they were DNP students.  

Quality improvement projects

• After evaluating evidence-based practices for type 2 diabetic foot management, the student developed a new standardized protocol for staff education and patient care practices for foot care assessment and management.
• The student reinforced nursing education as a means to overcoming adherence barriers to an evidence-based sedation protocol for improved ICU outcomes.

Evidence-based practice projects

• The DNP student used an evidence-based survey tool to measure student anxiety when caring for dying patients. Based on the results, an education module was developed to help students manage their stress.
• To decrease nonurgent use of the emergency department and increase fever knowledge, the student created an educational program for caregivers of pediatric patients.

Guideline development and improvement project

• After a systematic evidence search, the student developed a neonatal abstinence syndrome treatment guideline to standardize care and reduce treatment duration, symptom severity, length of hospitalization, and costs.

While working on their projects, students learn to build strong, collaborative partnerships with stakeholders and mentors.

DNP programs throughout the United States require students to conduct various types of projects, which contributes to ongoing confusion about DNP preparation and role. However, all projects should reflect the DNP Essentials in a single, cumulative work that evolves as the student progresses through the program. In addition, this scholarly synthesis should serve as a platform for future scholarship after graduation.

According to the AACN DNP Tool Kit, all projects should:

• focus on a change that impacts the outcome of healthcare through direct or indirect care
• have a systems (micro-, meso-, or macro-level) or population/aggregate focus
• demonstrate implementation in the appropriate practice area
• include a plan for sustainability (it should take into account financial, systems, or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions)
• include an evaluation of processes and outcomes (formative or summative).

Frequently, a project is the outcome of a student’s identified need for improvement in clinical practice or patient outcomes guided by the spirit of inquiry. The project results are a compendium of graduate education immersed in nursing leadership, education, health policy, or clinical practice.

Dissemination

All DNP projects should emphasize positive change that advances quality outcomes, attention to systems thinking, strategies for sustainability with an appraisal of processes and outcomes, and a structure for future practice. The expectation is that DNP-prepared nurses will contribute to the body of knowledge in nursing practice by sharing their work with others so that they can apply it to their practice roles. Platforms for dissemination include social media, peer-reviewed journals, presentations, professional conferences, brochures, posters, policy briefs, organizational team meetings, media interviews, academia, and press releases. Many programs require students to summarize their projects for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The final requirement of the DNP project is a student’s presentation before their institution’s doctoral panel. In this venue, students deliver elemental details about their project’s processes and impact, including purpose, evidence synthesis, project design, data analysis, frameworks, and dissemination.

Be a trailblazer

DNP students’ final projects reflect the culmination of their educational journey and prepare them to share their work with others to benefit patients, the healthcare system, and the nursing profession. The result is a body of information that bridges the gap between research theory and clinical practice. As trailblazers, DNP-prepared nurses can empower other professionals to improve patient outcomes and achieve benchmarks for practice change supported by collaborative endeavors.

The following authors are DNP graduates from the University of Texas at Tyler in Tyler: Barbara Chapman is a family NP with the INTUNE Mobile Unit and assistant clinical professor in the school of nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler. Chiquesha Davis is department head of post-licensure programs, graduate programs, and assistant professor at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Sonya Grigsby is a critical care NP at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, adjunct nursing faculty at University of Texas at Tyler, and locum NP at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. Cyndi B. Kelley is a nurse manager in the special care nursery and chair of the doctoral collaboration council at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and adjunct faculty in the ADN-to-BSN program at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Rebecca Shipley is a family NP at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System. Christian Garrett is a DNP student at the University of Texas at Tyler, a family NP at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital, and an adjunct professor in the school of nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler.

Alexander S. Scholarship in clinical practice: An update on recommendations for doctor of nursing practice programs. Clin Nurse Spec. 2016;30(1):58-61. doi:10.1097/NUR.0000000000000177

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) tool kit. aacnnursing.org/DNP/Tool-Kit

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations. August 2015. aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/DNP/DNP-Implementation.pdf

Anderson BA, Knestrick JM, Barroso R. DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2014.

Bednash G, Breslin ET, Kirschling JM, Rosseter RJ. PhD or DNP: Planning for doctoral nursing education. Nurs Sci Q. 2014;27(4):296-301. doi:10.1177/0894318414546415

Broome ME, Riner ME, Allam ES. Scholarly publication practices of doctor of nursing practice-prepared nurses. J Nurs Educ. 2013;52(8):429-34. doi:10.3928/01484834-20130718-02

Brown MA, Crabtree K. The development of practice scholarship in DNP programs: A paradigm shift. J Prof Nurs. 2013;29(6):330-7. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2013.08.003

Dols JD, Hernández C, Miles H. The DNP project: Quandaries for nursing scholars. Nurs Outlook. 2017;65(1):84-93. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2016.07.009

Dreher HM, Glasgow MES. DNP Role Development for Doctoral Advanced Nursing Practice. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2017.

Grigsby S, Chapman B, Kelley CB, et al. DNP and PhD: Complementary roles. Am Nurse Today. 2018;13(7):8-13.

Holly C. Scholarly Inquiry and the DNP Capstone. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2014.

Moran KJ, Burson R, Conrad D. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project: A Framework for Success. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2019.

Murphy MP, Staffileno BA, Carlson E. Collaboration among DNP- and PhD-prepared nurses: Opportunity to drive positive change. J Prof Nurs. 2015;31(5):388-94. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.03.001

Pandi-Perumal SR, Akhter S, Zizi F, et al. Project stakeholder management in the clinical research environment: How to do it right. Front Psychiatry. 2015;6(71). doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00071

Shipley R, Chapman B, Davis C, et al. (2019). DNPs: Healthcare change agents. Am Nurse Today. 2019;14(7):16-8.

White KA, Hitzler ET, Anderson KM, et al. Essential knowledge, skills, & attitudes of mentors and mentees for successful DNP scholarly projects. Nurse Educ Today. 2018;71:107-10. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2018.09.015

Zaccagnini ME, White KW. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials. 3rd ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2017.

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Nursing Doctoral Programs: DNP & PhD

• Where to Start?
• Find Articles/Databases
• Reference Resources
• Evidence Summaries & Clinical Guidelines
• Drug Information
• Health Data & Statistics
• Patient/Consumer Facing Materials
• Images and Streaming Video
• Grey Literature
• Mobile Apps & "Point of Care" Tools
• Test Instruments This link opens in a new window
• Framing Research Questions
• Selecting Databases
• Building the Search
• Expanding a Search
• Filtering / Narrowing the Search
• Cited Reference Searching
• Saving Searches
• Alerting Services
• Finding Full Text
• What are Literature Reviews?
• Conducting & Reporting Systematic Reviews
• Finding Systematic Reviews
• Tutorials & Tools for Literature Reviews
• Locating Qualitative Research This link opens in a new window
• Critical Appraisal Resources
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• Data Management This link opens in a new window
• Deposit in the Institutional Repository

What are Systematic Reviews? (3 minutes, 24 second YouTube Video)

Systematic Literature Reviews: Steps & Resources

These steps for conducting a systematic literature review are listed below . 

Also see subpages for more information about:

• The different types of literature reviews, including systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis methods
• Tools & Tutorials

Literature Review & Systematic Review Steps

• Develop a Focused Question
• Scope the Literature  (Initial Search)
• Refine & Expand the Search
• Limit the Results
• Download Citations
• Abstract & Analyze
• Create Flow Diagram
• Synthesize & Report Results

1. Develop a Focused   Question 

Consider the PICO Format: Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome

Focus on defining the Population or Problem and Intervention (don't narrow by Comparison or Outcome just yet!)

"What are the effects of the Pilates method for patients with low back pain?"

Tools & Additional Resources:

• PICO Question Help
• Stillwell, Susan B., DNP, RN, CNE; Fineout-Overholt, Ellen, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN; Melnyk, Bernadette Mazurek, PhD, RN, CPNP/PMHNP, FNAP, FAAN; Williamson, Kathleen M., PhD, RN Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step: Asking the Clinical Question, AJN The American Journal of Nursing : March 2010 - Volume 110 - Issue 3 - p 58-61 doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000368959.11129.79

2. Scope the Literature

A "scoping search" investigates the breadth and/or depth of the initial question or may identify a gap in the literature. 

Eligible studies may be located by searching in:

• Background sources (books, point-of-care tools)
• Article databases
• Trial registries
• Grey literature
• Cited references
• Reference lists

When searching, if possible, translate terms to controlled vocabulary of the database. Use text word searching when necessary.

Use Boolean operators to connect search terms:

• Combine separate concepts with AND  (resulting in a narrower search)
• Connecting synonyms with OR  (resulting in an expanded search)

Search:  pilates AND ("low back pain"  OR  backache )

Video Tutorials - Translating PICO Questions into Search Queries

• Translate Your PICO Into a Search in PubMed (YouTube, Carrie Price, 5:11) 
• Translate Your PICO Into a Search in CINAHL (YouTube, Carrie Price, 4:56)

3. Refine & Expand Your Search

Expand your search strategy with synonymous search terms harvested from:

• database thesauri
• reference lists
• relevant studies

Example: 

(pilates OR exercise movement techniques) AND ("low back pain" OR backache* OR sciatica OR lumbago OR spondylosis)

As you develop a final, reproducible strategy for each database, save your strategies in a:

• a personal database account (e.g., MyNCBI for PubMed)
• Log in with your NYU credentials
• Open and "Make a Copy" to create your own tracker for your literature search strategies

4. Limit Your Results

Use database filters to limit your results based on your defined inclusion/exclusion criteria.  In addition to relying on the databases' categorical filters, you may also need to manually screen results.  

• Limit to Article type, e.g.,:  "randomized controlled trial" OR multicenter study
• Limit by publication years, age groups, language, etc.

NOTE: Many databases allow you to filter to "Full Text Only".  This filter is  not recommended . It excludes articles if their full text is not available in that particular database (CINAHL, PubMed, etc), but if the article is relevant, it is important that you are able to read its title and abstract, regardless of 'full text' status. The full text is likely to be accessible through another source (a different database, or Interlibrary Loan).  

• Filters in PubMed
• CINAHL Advanced Searching Tutorial

5. Download Citations

Selected citations and/or entire sets of search results can be downloaded from the database into a citation management tool. If you are conducting a systematic review that will require reporting according to PRISMA standards, a citation manager can help you keep track of the number of articles that came from each database, as well as the number of duplicate records.

In Zotero, you can create a Collection for the combined results set, and sub-collections for the results from each database you search.  You can then use Zotero's 'Duplicate Items" function to find and merge duplicate records.

• Citation Managers - General Guide

6. Abstract and Analyze

• Migrate citations to data collection/extraction tool
• Screen Title/Abstracts for inclusion/exclusion
• Screen and appraise full text for relevance, methods, 
• Resolve disagreements by consensus

Covidence is a web-based tool that enables you to work with a team to screen titles/abstracts and full text for inclusion in your review, as well as extract data from the included studies.

• Covidence Support
• Critical Appraisal Tools
• Data Extraction Tools

7. Create Flow Diagram

The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram is a visual representation of the flow of records through different phases of a systematic review.  It depicts the number of records identified, included and excluded.  It is best used in conjunction with the PRISMA checklist .

Example from: Stotz, S. A., McNealy, K., Begay, R. L., DeSanto, K., Manson, S. M., & Moore, K. R. (2021). Multi-level diabetes prevention and treatment interventions for Native people in the USA and Canada: A scoping review. Current Diabetes Reports, 2 (11), 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-021-01414-3

• PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator (ShinyApp.io, Haddaway et al. )
• PRISMA Diagram Templates  (Word and PDF)
• Make a copy of the file to fill out the template
• Image can be downloaded as PDF, PNG, JPG, or SVG
• Covidence generates a PRISMA diagram that is automatically updated as records move through the review phases

8. Synthesize & Report Results

There are a number of reporting guideline available to guide the synthesis and reporting of results in systematic literature reviews.

It is common to organize findings in a matrix, also known as a Table of Evidence (ToE).

• Reporting Guidelines for Systematic Reviews
• Download a sample template of a health sciences review matrix  (GoogleSheets)

Steps modified from: 

Cook, D. A., & West, C. P. (2012). Conducting systematic reviews in medical education: a stepwise approach.   Medical Education , 46 (10), 943–952.

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Section Two: Review of the Literature

1. Clinical practice problem statement

The Clinical Practice Problem is to be formulated and stated using the PICO(T) format of Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Timeline.

2. Evaluation/Summary of the evidence from the literature

• Develop and implement an exhaustive search process
•  Literature search method.
• Selection criteria.
• Publication years included in search.
• Review current research and other related literature.
• Complete an Evaluation/Summary Table to summarize the literature.
• If guidelines exist, rate the guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) Instrument
• Review each article using Critical Appraisal Tools.
• There must be adequate evidence to support the proposed problem and the subsequent proposed recommendation for practice change.
• Quality Metrics (HCAPS, core measures, NDNQI).

3. Critical appraisal of the evidence

This is an essential step of the evidence-based practice project that moves the analysis beyond a mere review of evidence; you are appraising the quality and the strength of the evidence to answer your clinical question.

• Synthesize the evidence that supports the project utilizing appropriate synthesis table(s) followed by a narrative synthesis including the following items; strength of the body of evidence, quality of the body of evidence, generalizability of the body of evidence to answer your inquiry, feasibility of implementing the evidence in the proposed
• Interventions should then be evaluated for Effectiveness as related to Scholarly Examinationples of rating systems are provided in Evaluation of the Level of Effectiveness. Record on Summary of Effectiveness Table .
• Synthesize the body of evidence assembled to answer the clinical question including a synthesis of;
• the strength of the body of evidence;
• the body of evidence related to outcomes of interest;
• the body of evidence related to practice change recommendations;
• the body of evidence related to implementation strategies, etc.

4. Presentation of theoretical basis

Theoretical base for investigation of the clinical problem or implementation of the intervention is provided. This may include a conceptual framework; mid-range theory to guide the formulation of the intervention; theoretical framework for implementation (i.e., change theory, EBP models).

• Providing theoretical basis for the investigation of the problem (conceptual framework, etc.).
• Providing an EBP model that will guide the project (Iowa, Rosswurm and Larabee, etc.).
• Providing a description of how the project fits the organizational nursing department’s theory of practice, or the organizational strategic plan or mission statement.

5. Utility/Feasibility

• Complete a critique of applicability of your proposed intervention/implementation.
• Feasibility goes beyond cost. Other considerations are time involvement, adequate resources; training needs if applicable, space needs, institutional interest and commitment, etc.
• Analyze the benefits and risks of use of intervention/implementation.
• Education plan if applicable.
• Including but not limited to i.e. personnel, operational, equipment.

6. Recommendations summary

• Statement of the recommendations
• Reference(s) in support of the recommendations
• Identification of key stakeholders
• Strategies to engage
• Identification of potential barriers
• Strategies to address

Doctor of Nursing Practice

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What is a Literature Review?

The Scholarly Conversation

A literature review provides an overview of previous research on a topic  that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic. It allows the author to synthesize and place into context the research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic. It helps  map the different approaches to a given question and reveals  patterns.  It  forms the foundation for the author’s subsequent research and justifies the significance of the new investigation.

A literature review can be a short introductory section of a research article or a report or policy paper that focuses on recent research. Or, in the case of dissertations, theses, and review articles, it can be an extensive review of all relevant research.

• The  format  is usually a bibliographic essay; sources are briefly cited within the body of the essay, with full bibliographic citations at the end.
• The  introduction  should define the topic and set the context for the literature review. It will include the author's perspective or point of view on the topic, how they have defined the scope of the topic (including what's not included), and how the review will be organized. It can point out overall trends, conflicts in methodology or conclusions, and gaps in the research.
• In the  body of the review , the author should organize the research into major topics and subtopics. These groupings may be by subject, (e.g., globalization of clothing manufacturing), type of research (e.g., case studies), methodology (e.g., qualitative), genre, chronology, or other common characteristics. Within these groups, the author can then discuss the merits of each article and analyze and compare the importance of each article to similar ones.
• The  conclusion  will summarize the main findings, make clear how this review of the literature supports (or not) the research to follow, and may point the direction for further research.
• The  list of references  will include full citations for all of the items mentioned in the literature review.

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NURS 6110: DNP Project Development Seminar I

Conducting a literature review.

• Formulating Questions
• Database Search Strategies
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• Levels of Evidence
• Managing Your Sources (Zotero) This link opens in a new window
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Writing a Literature Review

This video (10 min.) discusses literature reviews - how to evaluate reading, critical questions of texts, language of literature review and some example analysis.

Related Books

Additional Handouts, Articles, and Tutorials

• How to read scentific articles This video (5 mins) created by University of Minnesota Libraries discusses how to read a scientific article, how to find the main points of the article, and how to take effective notes.
• Sample Literature Review This literature review article examines E-Learning in Nursing.

EBP Glossaries

• Quantitative Research Terms (NHS Trust)
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Chapter 3:  Introduction and Literature Review

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Disclaimer: These citations have been automatically generated based on the information we have and it may not be 100% accurate. Please consult the latest official manual style if you have any questions regarding the format accuracy.

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Introduction.

• Quality Improvement and Evidence-Based Projects: Where to Fit the Local Problem
• Getting to a First Draft
• What You Don't Need
• Theoretical and Evidence-Based Practice Frameworks
• Integrative and Systematic Review Manuscripts
• Search Strategy
• Full Chapter
• Supplementary Content

A well-written Introduction and Literature Review provide readers with all the information they need—and only the information they need—to understand the topic or problem, appreciate its significance, and see the need for doing the research or project. There cannot be any extraneous information, no matter how interesting it may be.

The Introduction takes on added importance in a manuscript because it's where you will either capture or lose readers’ interest. If you don't convince them of the importance of the topic and the need for your research or project at the beginning, it's unlikely that they will continue reading. This is true also for the editor and reviewers who will decide if your manuscript is worthy of publication.

The first sentence of your manuscript needs to engage the reader. It should be a compelling statement that situates readers exactly where you want them to be. One caveat—the evidence has to be strong enough to support such a statement.

Look at the difference between two possible sentences for the beginning of a paper on the health effects of discrimination in LGBT individuals:

It appears that in many places in the United States, individuals may still face discrimination due to their sexual orientation and gender that can leave them feeling marginalized. 1

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals continue to face significant discrimination and marginalization in the United States. 1

The first is wordy and full of qualifiers (appears, may, can) that make the author sound unsure and drain the statement of its power. The second presents the same information but with more confidence while also being more concise. (For more information on avoiding qualifiers in your writing, see Chapter 2 , “Writing Well.”)

Ideally, readers should know the focus of the manuscript within the first few sentences, but certainly within the first paragraph. Take a look at the following examples of the first sentences of research and quality improvement articles from the literature. Note how much information is contained within two sentences. And not just any information—each sentence provides the reader with information critical to understanding the subject and its importance. Also note how the authors introduce the specific subject of the paper (the underlined segments) right away, not just the general topic area. The title of the article precedes it.

CULTIVATING QUALITY: AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROTOCOL FOR MANAGING HYPOGLYCEMIA

Increased attention has been placed on glycemic management in the United States in response to the rising prevalence of diabetes and its associated economic burden ( McEuen et al., 2010 ).

CULTIVATING QUALITY: REDUCING SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING CARDIAC SURGERY

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Capstone Form and Style

Walden capstone writing collaborative: introduction to writing the dnp project study, introduction to writing a dnp project study.

The DNP Process Guide presents a step-by-step guide to writing each of the sections and subsections of the DNP Project. This document outlines the expectations for student work. Reviewing this material should be a first step in beginning the dissertation writing process.

Next, as students begin preparing to write, they should review the materials related to the DNP Project document and process, provided on the Office of Research and Doctoral Services website . This page contains resources for writing the prospectus, proposal, and final study. The DNP Prospectus Guide is also helpful. In addition, students should download the appropriate template from the Writing Center’s Form and Style DNP Templates page .

DNP students can focus on writing the following types of project studies:

• Evaluation of Existing Quality Improvement Projects
• Staff Education Projects
• Clinical Practice Guidelines Development

To introduce students to writing a DNP Project Study capstone, here is a description of the main goals and outcomes associated with this process and document:

The goal of the document is to address a specific, defined, and applied nursing problem

• Students begin by identifying a problem that exists in the nursing world, then define a specific, local problem within that.
• The goal of the document is to address the specific nursing through evaluation, staff education proposals, practice guidelines, or a review of the existing research on the topic.
• Subsequent goals of the study are to articulate implications for nursing practice in the field AND the implications for social change (who will benefit from the results and how; see more below).

The document addresses a gap—the specific business problem has not been studied before

• After identifying the problem, students should identify/ensure there is a gap, as one of the goals of the study is to contribute to the scholarship in that area.
• It is important to make sure that the topic/problem has not already been addressed by other researchers.
• The results should make a significant contribution to the student’s chosen area of focus.

The study demonstrates a grounding in related literature and research in the field

• Another goal of the study is to demonstrate knowledge and expertise in the subject areas covered in the literature review.
• This is why the literature is lengthy and exhaustive; it is the student’s demonstration that he/she is an expert in these areas and is familiar with all previous relevant research, and that the student can convey this expertise through writing.

The document advances social change

• A final, Walden-specific and important outcome of the study is that results also make a significant contribution to social change. Students need to describe who may benefit from the findings of the study and how.
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DNP Capstone

• Reviews of the Literature
• Finding and Locating Articles
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Useful Tips on Using the Library

Getting Started with Health Sciences Library Resources : Information on connecting to the HS Library e-resources from off-campus, explores the HS Library website, and more.

Connecting from Off-Campus : Instructions on how to connect to a UW-restricted resource from outside of the UW campus network by logging into the UW Libraries off-campus proxy and how to set up the proxy bookmarklet.

Ordering Articles and Books : Instructions on ordering articles and books through Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan.

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Computer Science resources : Top research databases and recommended resources for research in Computer Science

As part of your Capstone Project, you may be required to complete a review of the literature.  There are 2 kinds of reviews: 

• literature reviews
• systematic reviews

From your research methods class, you may recall that literature reviews are not true evidence-based documents in that they are narrative accounts of an author's summary of the literature.  There is not a scientific methodology behind the gathering, appraising, and synthesizing of the summary. On the other hand, systematic reviews follow a scientific methodology throughout and the reader is able to replicate the methods to verify the results if so desired.

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Graduate Nursing and DNP Students' Guide to McKillop Library

• Library Services
• Evaluating and Synthesizing Research Literature

The DNP Project

Dissertations and theses in apa syle, order of elements (as outlined in the dnp handbook), title page format, displaying data, dissertation deposit, proquest documentation and resources.

• What is a Literature Review?
• Dissertation Formatting & Deposit

Formatting Checklist

• APA Style Formatting Checklist for DNP Project

APA Style Guide

Sample APA Papers

• APA Style: Sample Papers APA Style is a dynamic and expansive blog covering elements of APA style and formatting and published by the American Psychological Association. This link provides sample professional paper templates for Literature reviews, Mixed methods, Qualitative, and Quantitative research. Explore the full blog for style and grammar guidelines as well as helpful tutorials.

Brainfuse: Online Support in Canvas

For additional support, all Salve graduate students have access to the online tutoring program,  Brainfuse , embedded in your  Canvas  courses and located in the left navigation menu. Clicking the link opens a landing page and prompts you to launch the application. From there, you will need to confirm and authorize it for the first time:

This page will offer some guidance on formatting your Scholarly Project. The sooner you establish consistent formatting in your documents, the less work you will have to do in preparing the final product -- you will be able to focus on content, the most important part! Please review the Order of Elements , and refer to the suggestions below, from the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 

• Resources for Doctoral Students Locate the most up-to-date requirements for your program, including guiding documents, fillable forms, and exemplar DNP Scholarly Project.

Structure and formatting specifically for dissertations and theses is not provided by APA, as the disciplines that use this style are quite varied and may require adherence to other, more specific guidelines established by relevant professional associations. Thus, initial guidelines for structure should come from your DNP Handbook. As stated on page 10 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition:

" Students should follow the guidelines and requirements developed by their instructors, departments and/or academic institutions when writing papers, including dissertations and theses; these guidelines and requirements may entail adaptations of or additions to the APA Style guidelines described in the manual. We encourage writers, instructors, departments, and academic institutions using APA Style outside of the journal publication context to adapt APA Style to fit their needs."   

Front Matter

• Copyright Page
• Abstract (typically limited to 250 words. Also included on this page is the Keywords section: three to five words that describe the most important aspects of your paper and help readers find your work during a database search)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures (if applicable)
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1 : The title serves as the Level 1 heading (subsequent level headings in this section should be relative to those which state the problem; content in this chapter identify the purpose of the project, clinical questions, and the theoretical framework employed) 
• Chapter 2: Review of the Literature
• Chapter 3: Methodology (this section includes study setting, sample/participants, study instrument(s), data collection, ethical considerations, timeline)
• Chapter 4: Results (this section is for objective analysis of the data)
• Chapter 5: Discussion (this section interprets the results and assesses its significance, as well as identifies strengths, limitations, and in conclusion, possible implications)

Back Matter

SHORTENED VERSION OF PROJECT TITLE                                                                                                                                                                                       1

[Full Project Title: Capitalize Major Words of the Title]

Note: There is no maximum length for titles; however, keep titles focused and relevant

[Student First Name Middle Initial(s) Last Name]

A doctoral scholarly project submitted to the faculty of Salve Regina University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice

Newport, Rhode Island

[Author Note]

This section, if applicable, would contain the author’s ORCID ID number as well as any necessary disclosures or conflict of interest and acknowledgments of grant or other funding

Chapter 7 of the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition presents detailed guidance on creating tables and figures; it also includes handy checklists ( See APA 7.20, 7.35)  to ensure all data are presented, formatted, and documented appropriately. 

Copyright of Materials Used in Your Dissertation

Increasingly, dissertation writers are using images and media from other sources in their dissertations. Understanding copyright rules is an important competency for scholarly communication in the 21st century. Please note that the usual Fair Use guidelines for using other people’s photographs, artwork, infographics, etc. for educational use – say in a classroom paper or an unpublished PowerPoint presentation – do not apply to dissertations because dissertations are published works.

It is not enough to cite the source of media you did not create; you need to have permission to use anything that is not in the public domain. You are responsible for obtaining copyright clearance for all non-public domain material used in your dissertation. In general, anything created after 1923, including media found on the Internet, is still in copyright. Just because copyright has already been violated elsewhere in the use of an item does not give you permission to violate copyright by putting it in your dissertation; for example, an image may circulate on social media without attribution, but scholarly publications are held to a much higher standard.

If you use materials created by others - for example, images, tables, etc. -- in your dissertation, you will be required to file copyright clearance information with ProQuest which proves you have permission to use those materials.

Copyright of Your Dissertation

As the creator of a work, you automatically own the copyright of your dissertation. Submitting your dissertation to ProQuest does not affect that.

When you publish with ProQuest, you can choose either the Traditional Publishing Agreement or Open Access. The Traditional Publishing Agreement is non-exclusive, which means you can also publish your dissertation elsewhere. Under this agreement, your dissertation will be accessible only to people in the Salve Regina community logged in on the library's website. Users at other institutions will only be able to see your abstract, and can request a copy of the dissertation via interlibrary loan. If they are not affiliated with another institution, they can buy a copy from ProQuest.

Open Access makes your dissertation available to anyone who finds it, whether through ProQuest, a web search, etc. ProQuest charges a $95 fee for this service (subject to change). If you wish to make your dissertation available Open Access, you can do so through Salve Regina's institutional repository, Digital Commons , for free. To do so, select the Traditional Publishing Agreement with ProQuest and then upload your same PDF file here . Your Open Access dissertation will appear in this collection and you will receive reports from Digital Commons about the usage statistics of your work. If you submit your dissertation to Digital Commons for Open Access, you still must submit to ProQuest, and the library recommends Digital Commons submission as the last step. Providing Open Access to your dissertation is not the same as putting it in the public domain, so you are not giving up any of your rights as author, just maximizing your readership.

Through ProQuest, you have the option of asking ProQuest to file for US copyright for your dissertation. There is a fee associated with this, usually $55 (subject to change). You are not required to register for copyright. Regardless of whether you register copyright, you can still publish via the Traditional Publishing Agreement, ProQuest's Open Access, or through Digital Commons.

You must submit your dissertation to ProQuest by May 1 for May graduates, August 1 for August graduates, and December 1 for December graduates.

Please note that if you have images in your dissertation that are not in the public domain, you will need to upload permissions documentation along with your dissertation. Please gather these documents (in pdf format) prior to sitting down to submit.

Before you submit you will also need to embed your fonts in Word and convert your dissertation document to an archival format, PDF/A-1b. This process ensures your document will be accessible across operating systems and software through time. If you do not have access to Adobe Acrobat Pro, then the Librarian will need to complete these steps for you. If you have access to the software and would like to convert your document on your own, the instructions are as follows:

1. In Word:

Embedding Fonts

• In Microsoft Word, go to  File > Options .
• In the Options box, select the  Save  option in the left-hand menu.
• At the bottom of the right-hand menu, under “ Preserve fidelity when sharing this document ,” there are two options. Check “ embed fonts in this document .” Make sure the two options below this checkbox  are not checked .
• Save the document.

Save As PDF

• Go to  File > Save As.
• From the  Save As  type drop-down menu, select PDF.

2. In Adobe Acrobat Pro :

• Open the PDF you just created with embedded fonts.
• If you don’t have the Print Production tool menu on the right-hand side, select the  Customize  drop-down menu above it, click  Create New Tool Set , and create a tool set which includes the Print Production tool menu.
• Expand the  PDF/A Compliance  menu.
• Select  Convert to PDF/A-1b .
• Click  Analyze and Fix .

  3. Submitting to ProQuest

• Once you have a PDF in archival format with embedded fonts, you will submit your dissertation through the ProQuest UMI Electronic Theses and Dissertations website. Go to https://etdadmin.com/cgi-bin/home , create an account, and complete the guided submission process.
• Setting an embargo (for doctoral candidates who plan to publish their work through publishers-- please see Proquest's guide to decision making on embargos .)
• Search engine optimization (recommended)
• Setting metadata – what keywords or search terms will allow future researchers to find your work?
• Traditional vs. Open Access publishing – Select Traditional Publishing. Students can publish Open Access for free via the Salve Regina University institutional repository, Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/phd_dissertations/ . ProQuest charges $95 for its service, which it offers for students whose institutions do not have repositories. Publishing in Digital Commons is allowed under ProQuest’s Traditional Publishing agreement.
• Registering for U. S. Copyright - This is not required, as you will own copyright of your dissertation regardless. The decision to register is up to you.
• Ordering personal copies (students do not need to order copies for the library or archives)
• Uploading the dissertation and any supplemental files. The upload limit is 1000 MB; most dissertations are under 10 MB.  ProQuest supports to inclusion of digital files, such as datasets or multimedia. These files will need to be described in your abstract.
• Uploading copyright permissions documents. These must be submitted for any non-public domain materials used in the dissertation that were not created by the dissertation writer. This includes, among many other things, images found on the Internet.

Important reminders

• You must submit your completed signature page to the PhD program before submitting your dissertation. The signature page will  not  be scanned into the digital copy of your dissertation in order to minimize the presence of faculty signatures online.
• You do  not  need to print a hard copy of your dissertation – ProQuest will send the library a bound copy. This will appear on your final invoice but you will not be charged for it.
• ProQuest UMI ETD provides a series of guides on publication and copyright considerations for dissertation publishing. You are encouraged to review these guidelines before submitting your dissertation.
• If media (video, audio, computer programs, and/or significant number of images) needs to be included with the dissertation, please be sure to pay attention to the requirements for supplemental files.
• If the dissertation includes equations, please note that the Microsoft Word Equation Editor should  not  be used. Instead, use italic Times New Roman font and Symbol font along with superscripts and subscripts to create equations. 
• Increasingly, dissertation writers are using images and media in their dissertations. The usual Fair Use guidelines for using other people’s creations (photographs, artwork, infographics, etc.) for educational use do not apply to dissertations because they are published. It is not enough to cite the source of media you did not create.  Students are responsible for obtaining copyright clearance for all non-public domain media used in their dissertations .
• The library will not help revise your dissertation submission once the deadline has passed (May 1st, August 1st, or December 1st, depending). If you notice an error you wish to change in your dissertation after it has been delivered to ProQuest, you must contact ProQuest customer service to change the document. There will be a fee.
• ProQuest resources and guidelines These documents provides guidance the submission process. This will help with the "decision points" you will come to during submission.
• Submitting your dissertation to ProQuest Resource explaining digital preservation, metadata, and publishing options.
• ProQuest FAQ
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Nursing - Graduate Studies Research Guide

Literature review, literature review steps.

• Scholarly Writing
• Library Presentations

Templates for Starting Your Literature Review

• Literature search strategy planner
• Literature search log template
• Review Literature
• Literature Matrix

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A literature review is an essay or part of an essay that summarizes and analyzes research in a particular discipline. It assess the literature by reviewing a large body of studies on a given subject matter. It summarizes by pointing out the main findings, linking together the numerous studies and explaining how they fit into the overall academic discussion on that subject. It critically analyzes the literature by pointing out the areas of weakness, expansion, and contention. 

Literature Review Sections:

• Introduction: indicates the general state of the literature on a given subject.
• Methodology: states  where (databases), how (what subject terms used on searches), and what (parameters of studies that were included); so others may recreate the searches and explain the reasoning behind the selection of those studies.
• Findings: summary of the major findings in that subject.
• Discussion: a general progression from broader studies to more focused studies.
• Conclusion: for each major section that again notes the overall state of the research, albeit with a focus on the major synthesized conclusions, problems in the research, and even possible avenues for further research.
• References: a list of all the studies using proper citation style. 

Literature Review Tips:

• Beware of stating your own opinions or personal recommendations (unless you have evidence to support such claims).
• Provide proper references to research studies.
• Focus on research studies to provide evidence and the primary purpose of the literature review.
• Connect research studies with the overall conversation on the subject.
• Have a search strategy planner and log to keep you focused.

Literature reviews are not a book reports or commentaries; make sure to stay focused, organized, and free of personal biases or unsubstantiated recommendations.

Literature Review Examples:

• Lemetti, T., Stolt, M., Rickard, N., & Suhonen, R. (2015). Collaboration between hospital and primary care nurses: a literature review. International Nursing Review , 62 (2), 248-266. doi:10.1111/inr.12147  

1. Choose a topic and define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by a focus research question.   Consider PICO and FINER criteria for developing a research question.

• Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow. Do a couple of pre-searches to see what information is out there and determine if it is a manageable topic.
• Identify the main concepts of your research question and write down terms that are related to them. Keep a list of  terms that you can use when searching.
• If possible, discuss your topic with your professor. 

2. Decide on the scope of your review.

Check with your assignment requirements and your professor for parameters of the Literature Review.

• How many studies are you considering?
• How comprehensive will your literature review be?
• How many years should it cover? 

3. Select appropriate databases to search.

Make a list of the databases you will search. 

• Don't forget to look at books, dissertations or other specialized databases .
• Contact your librarian to make sure you are not missing any vital databases for that topic.

4. Conduct searches and find relevant literature.

As you are searching in databases is important to keep track and notes as you uncover information.

• Read the abstracts of research studies carefully instead of just downloading articles that have good titles.
• Write down the searches you conduct in each database so that you may duplicate or avoid unsuccessful searches again.
• Look at the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others .
• Look for subject terms or MeSH terms that are associated with the  research studies you find and use those terms in more searches.
• Use a citation manager such as Zotero or Endnote Basic to keep track of your research citations.

5. Review the literature. 

As you are reading the full articles ask the following questions when assessing studies:

• What is the research question of the study?
• Who are the author(s)? What are their credentials and how are they viewed in their field?
• Has this study been cited?; if so, how has it been analyzed?
• Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
• What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.  Does the research seem to be complete?  What further questions does it raise?
• Are there any conflicting studies; if so why?

Throughout the process keep careful notes of your searches and findings so it is easier to put it together when it comes to the writing part.

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DNP Evidence-Based Practice Project: Library Resources: Frameworks/Models/Theories

• PICOT Question
• EBP Implementation Models
• Nursing Theories
• Research Databases
• Search Strategies
• Access Full-Text Articles
• Critical Appraisal and Levels of Evidence
• Evidence Synthesis
• Measurement Tools
• Creating a Conference Poster
• Scholarly Writing
• Creating Tables & Figures
• APA 7th Edition Style & Formatting
• Submitting Your DNP Project to the Sigma Repository
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