As part of fulfilling your nursing degree, many colleges require students to complete a capstone project. It is the final project that you undertake to demonstrate your mastery and understanding of a specialty in nursing.
Also called a culminating or final paper; the capstone project nursing analyses the intellectual experience of a student. It involves developing research on a topic of interest, investigating it, and presenting your findings.
Typically, the institution provides you with a timeline on the different stages of capstone project development.
Necessary Steps of the Capstone Writing Process
1. Choose a Good Topic of your Area
Brainstorm various nursing capstone topics and choose one that’s interesting. You should consider these three aspects: your area of interest (e.g. pediatrics, geriatrics), the existence of research materials on the topic, and whether there are materials that match your interest.
Identify favorite topics among specialists in your area of interest. Use this information to determine issues that meet your requirements.
2. Craft a Strong Thesis Statements
It is a fundamental component of any nursing paper. A compelling statement is well-defined, captivating and persuasive. That means, it should convince the reader to continue reading.
Though the statement should be clear and specific, it needs to leave room for further dialogue, too.
3. Develop a Project Proposal
Before you start your research, your topic selection needs to get preliminary approval. Once approved, you then need to craft a project proposal. It outlines your problem statement and assessment of needs.
It also includes objectives for the research, resources, and project timetable. You will need to get faculty approval for this, too.
Expert Capstone Nursing Writing Tips
4. Use the Appropriate Formats
A typical nursing capstone paper follows the following outline. An Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, then, the Conclusion. The Introduction outlines the research problem and approaches.
In the literature review section, you give a short overview of the primary sources used in the research. The conclusion is where you highlight the results of the project. Try to familiarize yourself with the given formatting guidelines and stick to them.
5. Support your statements with relevant information
Use of reliable sources adds to the credibility of your arguments. Therefore, you need to support your arguments with proper references. Use them to verify the point of view expressed by your thesis statement.
You may start by creating an outline of the report before you note down your arguments and findings.
6. Proper Referencing of Sources
The given formatting instructions will guide you on the appropriate way to cite your sources. Remember to acknowledge all the information that you include in your paper. Reference them correctly.
If you don’t, you risk allowing for instances of plagiarism in your research paper.
7. Write in a clear and concise way
When you present your statements by getting straight to the point, it impresses the reader. Refrain from using long sentences, or complicated terms. Eliminate any unnecessary words, and support your arguments with relevant information.
Finalizing on the Nursing Capstone Projects – Proofread
Have you managed to select a suitable topic from your capstone ideas, researched it, and presented your finding on paper? If yes, you are now at the final step of completing the capstone process.
Remember to proofread the written copy of the research. Check for grammar, and spelling errors and make the necessary changes. The above tips will make the capstone process less frustrating.
