Planning and writing your dissertation literature review: a guide for final year degree veterinary nursing students (part one)

ABSTRACT:

This paper aims to provide veterinary nursing students with guidance on how to plan and research the literature review component of their dissertation. Students should take detailed measures to understand the marking process prior to starting to plan their literature review. A mechanistic approach to provisional structure development is beneficial, as is meeting the six aims of a veterinary nursing dissertation. An ever-increasing circles approach combined with an initial structured literature search can identify the appropriate broadness of subject field coverage, and sub-themes, and shape the aim and direction. This can ensure a high-quality focused review as a relevant precursor to the student’s original study.

Keywords: :

• literature review
• dissertation
• student veterinary nurse

Acknowledgements

This paper evolved from an impromptu workshop run at the request of Bristol University’s Veterinary Nursing & Bioveterinary Science class of 2019–2020 during the Autumn of 2019 and is based on my cumulative experience of supervising undergraduate and postgraduate veterinary and paraprofessionals undertaking their theses. The paper is dedicated to those (now) RVNs. A very clever and bright bunch of people who were an absolute pleasure to teach and who I am glad are a part of the future of veterinary nursing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Louise Anne Buckley

Louise Anne Buckley PhD FHEA RVNLouise Buckley is a registered veterinary nurse with a background in animal welfare research, lecturing and clinical practice. She is based at the University of Edinburgh where she runs a programme for trainee consultant urologists, lectures in evidence-based veterinary medicine and supervises postgraduate students undergoing their dissertations. She has a particular enthusiasm for supporting veterinary nurses to develop their academic and research skills. Over the last ten years she has supported many veterinary nurses/students undertake their dissertations successfully and subsequently publish in journals and/or present at conferences in the UK and overseas. She is very proud of each and every one of them and what they have achieved, and what they have taught her along the way. Email: [email protected]