What steps do you take to locate primary and peer-reviewed research articles when performing a literature search?
What resources are available to you to engage in a meaningful and successful literature search?
As you have explored throughout this course, Walden University provides vast resources for student support to ensure success in their academic program of study. When it comes to research and using Library resources, several support mechanisms are available to you as well.
Taking the first step to think about a research topic or area of interest and filtering that topic using a series of keywords and operations will be a fundamental component for performing a literature search in Walden Library’s databases. While the ultimate goal is to produce a set or results that match your search criteria, you must keep in mind that that the quality of the research articles obtained will likely vary. Thus, you must critically examine and analyze the aims of the research produced and how it aligns, confirms, or negates your topic or area of research. As you develop proficiency in this area, you will discover that you can extract content themes and frameworks to enhance future research and the need to identify additional research support.
For this Assignment, consult the Walden Library webinars and resources provided. These resources serve as a general good first step for performing literature searches and engaging with the databases of research available to you. Think about a research topic or area of interest to focus on for this Assignment. Then, search the Walden Library to locate and retrieve peer-reviewed research articles that pertain to your topic or area of interest.
6-paragraph assignment in which you do the following:
- a 1-pararaph introduction of how you conducted your literature search and the databases consulted in your search in relation to your practice area or area of interest. Be specific and provide examples.
- a 1-paragraph summary of each of the articles you have selected (a total of 3 paragraphs).
- 1 paragraph that synthesizes the three articles using a scholarly voice.
- a final paragraph in which you discuss the differences between summarizing and synthesizing research. Be specific and provide examples.
- Shea, C. M., Jacobs, S. R., Esserman, D. A., Bruce, K., & Weiner, B. J. (2014). Organizational readiness for implementing change: A psychometric assessment of a new measureLinks to an external site.. Implementation Science, 9(7), 1–15.
- Walden University. (2021). DNP capstone resources NURS 8702 and NURS 8703Links to an external site.. Office of Research and Doctoral Studies. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/research-center/program-documents/dnp-8702-8703
- Walden University. (n.d.). Subject research: Nursing.Links to an external site. Walden Library. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/subject/nursing
- Walden University. (n.d.). Using evidence: Synthesis.Links to an external site. Writing Center. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence/synthesis
- Westlake, C. (2012). Practical tips for literature synthesis. Clinical Nurse Specialist,Links to an external site. 26(5), 244–249. https://doi.org/10.1097/NUR.0b013e318263d766
In my literature search, I aimed to explore the concept of organizational readiness for implementing change in the context of healthcare, particularly in nursing practice. To conduct this search, I primarily consulted the Walden Library’s databases, focusing on resources related to nursing and healthcare research. I used keywords such as “organizational readiness,” “change implementation,” and “nursing” to refine my search. This process allowed me to locate three peer-reviewed research articles that are relevant to my area of interest.
The first article I selected is “Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change: A Psychometric Assessment of a New Measure” by Shea et al. (2014). This article provides a psychometric assessment of a new measure for evaluating organizational readiness for change. It discusses the importance of assessing organizational readiness as a crucial step in the change implementation process.
The second article is “DNP Capstone Resources NURS 8702 and NURS 8703” provided by Walden University (2021). Although not a research article, it is a valuable resource for nursing students and researchers, offering insights and guidance on the research process, including literature searches and evidence synthesis.
The third article is “Practical Tips for Literature Synthesis” by Westlake (2012), which is not a peer-reviewed research article but a valuable resource. It offers practical tips and guidance on how to conduct literature synthesis, which is relevant to my research topic as it can help in summarizing and synthesizing research findings.
Synthesizing these three articles, it is evident that organizational readiness is a critical factor in the successful implementation of change in healthcare settings. Evaluating and measuring organizational readiness using appropriate tools is essential to ensure that change initiatives are well-prepared and likely to be effective. Additionally, resources and guidance, such as those provided by educational institutions like Walden University, play a crucial role in supporting researchers and students in their literature search and research endeavors.
Summarizing research involves providing a concise overview of the key points, methods, and findings of individual research articles, as I did in the second paragraph. On the other hand, synthesizing research, as I did in the third paragraph, involves integrating the findings and concepts from multiple sources to draw connections, identify common themes, and offer a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. In this case, I highlighted the common theme of the importance of organizational readiness in change implementation in healthcare.
Summarizing and synthesizing research both have their unique purposes and are valuable in the research process. Summarizing helps to quickly understand individual studies, while synthesizing helps in building a broader understanding by connecting the dots between multiple studies, creating a more comprehensive picture of the research landscape.