Literature Review Assignment on Nursing Theories and Models for Research Topics
Nursing students commonly look for step-by-step guides and examples to develop literature reviews that effectively incorporate nursing theories as theoretical frameworks in their research projects.
Literature Review
Now that you had the possibility to discuss and examine the different nursing theories and models, choose the one ( or more) that must fix with your research topic. Taking a moment to reflect on how these theories align with your interests can make the selection process more meaningful. Develop a literature review including projects or researches that incorporated this theory or model as a theoretical framework.
Contribute a minimum of 4 pages (excluding title page and references page). It should include at least 3 academic sources, formatted and cited in APA. Incorporating recent studies ensures your review reflects the latest advancements in the field.
Be sure to review the academic expectations for your submission.
Submission Instructions:
- Submit your assignment by 11:59 PM Eastern on Sunday.
- Review the rubric to determine how your assignment will be graded. Familiarizing yourself with the criteria early can help focus your efforts effectively.
- Your assignment will be run through Turnitin to check for plagiarism.
- Official Assignment Rubric
– Official Assignment Rubric
Criteria
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProfessionalism Concept Application | 20 to >18.0 pts Excellent The student meets 90% to 100% of the required content criteria by mastering both rudimentary and complex elements and, in addition, applying high-level facts, theories, definitions, and other contextual aspects. Lastly, all the delivered information is compliant with the assignment instructions. 18 to >16.0 pts Good The student meets 80% to 89% of the required content criteria by recognizing the fundamental, rudimentary, and complex elements and applying proficient facts, theories, definitions, and other contextual aspects. Lastly, all the delivered information is compliant with the assignment instructions. 16 to >14.0 pts Fair The student meets 70% to 79% of the required content criteria by recognizing rudimentary and complex elements and demonstrating facts, theories, definitions, and other contextual aspects. All of the delivered information is compliant with the assignment instructions. 14 to >12.0 pts Poor The student meets less than 70% of the required content criteria with a low-level approach of rudimentary and complex elements and a lack of application facts, theories, definitions, and other contextual aspects. However, all the delivered information is compliant with the assignment instructions. 12 to >0 pts Unacceptable The assignment did not reflect the requested outcomes, was off-topic, and/or the assignment was not submitted. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar Written Communication | 20 to >18.0 pts Excellent Excellence in grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. Sentences are not too long and are complete sentences. 18 to >16.0 pts Good Minimal (1 – 3) typos, spelling, grammatical, punctuation, or translation errors 16 to >14.0 pts Fair Multiple (4 -7) typos, spelling, grammatical, punctuation, or translation errors. 14 to >12.0 pts Poor Severe (8 – 10) typos, spelling, grammatical, punctuation, or translation errors. 12 to >0 pts Unacceptable Unacceptable (11 or more) typos, spelling, grammatical, punctuation, or translation errors. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCommunication Specific Formatting | 20 to >18.0 pts Excellent The assignment meets 90 % – 100% of the required formatting elements in the assignment description. Additionally, the presented information is complete in all the required components and exceeds expectations. 18 to >16.0 pts Good The assignment meets 80% to 89% of the required formatting elements in the assignment description. Additionally, the presented information meets all the necessary components and formatting requirements. 16 to >14.0 pts Fair The assignment meets 70% to 79% of the required formatting elements in the assignment description. However, the presented information is missing some key details, but overall does not disrupt the required format. 14 to >12.0 pts Poor The assignment meets at most 69% of the required formatting elements in the description. The presented information is missing some key details that disrupt the needed formatting. 12 to >0 pts Unacceptable The assignment did not reflect the requested outcomes, was off-topic, and/or the assignment was not submitted. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCritical and Logical Thinking Thought analysis process | 20 to >18.0 pts Excellent The assignment meets 90% to 100% of rudimentary and complex details, situations, problems, and diagnosis awareness that are accurate and correctly documented. In addition, the analysis offers a clear and concise analysis along with an impeccable and precise, well-thought process. 18 to >16.0 pts Good The assignment meets 80% to 89% of rudimentary and complex details, situations, problems, and diagnosis awareness which are accurate and correctly documented. The analysis is well communicated, and the fundamental thought process presented in the written piece clearly aligns with the assignment expectations. 16 to >14.0 pts Fair The assignment satisfies 70% to 79% of rudimentary and complex details, situations, problems, or diagnosis awareness but may overlook some essential parameters. The analysis and thought process presented in the written piece is evident; however, still developing. 14 to >12.0 pts Poor The assignment meets at most 69% of rudimentary details, situations, problems, or diagnosis awareness, but there was a severe overlook of some essential parameters. In addition, the analysis and thought process presented in the written piece is not evident and not founded on previous discussions or information. 12 to >0 pts Unacceptable The assignment did not reflect the requested outcomes, was off-topic, and/or the assignment was not submitted. | 20 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAcademic Literacy Quality of Sources and APA Citations | 20 to >18.0 pts Excellent Supporting information is pertinent to the topic, up to date (depending on what is acceptable in the field), from credible and trusted sources, and the number of sources meets the requested amount. Additionally, all sources are recognized or cited properly. 18 to >16.0 pts Good Supporting information is pertinent to the topic, however, 1 source is not a credible and trusted source; they may or may not be the most recent (depending on what is acceptable in the field). Additionally, the number of sources meets the requested amount. The essay offers correct formatting on the setup, and title page, with minimal formatting or punctuation errors within the in-text citations or references. 16 to >14.0 pts Fair Supporting information is pertinent to the topic, however, 2 or more sources are not credible and trusted sources; they may or may not be the most recent (depending on what is acceptable in the field). Additionally, the number of sources meets the requested amount. The essay offers correct formatting, setup, and title page but has significant errors within in-text citations and references. 14 to >12.0 pts Poor The following criteria would apply, supporting information is not pertinent to the topic, none of the sources are from credible or trusted sources, or the number of sources requested was not met. The essay offers severe incorrect APA formatting, setup or missing title page, and/or problematic in-text citations and references. 12 to >0 pts Unacceptable The assignment did not reflect the requested outcomes, was off-topic, and/or the assignment was not submitted. | 20 pts |
Total Points: 100
Sample Answer Guide: study bay
Learners select theories like Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory and review studies applying it to chronic illness management. They discuss how the theory guides research on patient autonomy and nursing interventions. Reviews include projects on diabetes self-care where the model frames data collection and analysis. Sources highlight improvements in patient outcomes through theory-based approaches. Papers examine integrations in diverse settings such as community health programs. Frameworks support evidence-based practices that enhance care quality (McCance and McCormack, 2025, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17449871241281428). Conclusions tie back to the chosen theory’s relevance for the research topic.
What approaches do nursing students take to integrate theories into literature reviews for research alignment? Students draw from established models to structure their analyses, as illustrated in scoping reviews that map theory applications across clinical studies for comprehensive insights. Data from nursing education reports show that theory-guided reviews improve research coherence, with case studies from academic programs demonstrating enhanced critical thinking in student work. Resources from organizations like Sigma Theta Tau emphasize the role of such reviews in advancing evidence-based nursing practices.
- Develop a 4-page literature review selecting and integrating nursing theories as frameworks in research, using at least 3 APA-cited sources.
- Contribute a minimum of 4 pages reviewing studies that apply chosen nursing models to your topic, formatted in APA with academic references.
- Choose nursing theories fitting your research topic and develop a literature review including relevant projects or researches.
References
- Bethel, C. (2022) ‘Selecting a theoretical framework to guide research on the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on …’, Applied Nursing Research, 61, p. 151448. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2021.151448.
- Chiu, P. (2022) ‘Theory utilization in applied qualitative nursing research’, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(12), pp. 4034-4041. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15456.
- Choperena, A. (2023) ‘Nursing educational framework: A new nurse‐driven, conceptually guided approach’, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 55(5), pp. 1015-1031. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12874.
- Kaden, J. (2025) ‘Theories, models and frameworks of school nursing – a scoping review’, BMC Nursing, 24(1), p. 123. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03730-5.
- McCance, T. and McCormack, B. (2025) ‘The Person-centred Nursing Framework: a mid-range theory for nursing practice’, Journal of Research in Nursing, 30(1), pp. 3-17. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871241281428.
