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.

Author

Louise Anne Buckley PhD FHEA RVN

Louise 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 program 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: louise.buckley@ed.ac.uk

Keywords: literature review; dissertation; student veterinary nurse

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 35 (09-12) • September-December 2020 •

pp339-343

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