Research Paper
Course: Nursing Research
Due Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
Format Required: APA 7th Edition
The purpose of this assignment is to help students develop the foundation of a nursing research study by writing the following sections:
- Introduction of the Research
- Problem Statement
- Justification of the Study
- Research Questions
Students will select a nursing-related topic and explain why the topic is important to nursing practice and healthcare.
Assignment Requirements
General Instructions
- Use APA 7th edition format throughout the assignment.
- Include:
- Title Page
- In-text citations
- Reference Page
- Use:
- Times New Roman, 12-point font
- Double spacing
- 1-inch margins
- Write in an academic and professional tone.
- Use recent scholarly references when possible.
- The paper must be organized using the following headings:
- Introduction of the Research
- Problem Statement
- Justification of the Study
- Research Questions
Sections to Include
1. Introduction of the Research (½ page minimum)
The introduction is the first section of the paper. In this section, students must:
- Introduce the nursing research topic
- Explain the healthcare issue being studied
- Provide background information about the topic
- Explain why the topic is important in nursing practice
- Include statistics, facts, or previous research findings
- Explain how the issue affects:
- Patients
- Nurses
- Healthcare organizations
Example Topics:
- Infection Control
- Medication Errors
- Patient Safety
- Mental Health
- Burnout Among Nurses
- Diabetes Education
- Obesity and Weight-Loss Medications
Example:
A student researching infection control may discuss:
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
- Importance of hand hygiene
- Use of PPE
- Patient safety concerns
- CDC or WHO statistics
2. Problem Statement (½ page minimum)
The problem statement explains the specific issue the researcher wants to study.
In this section, students must:
- Clearly identify the problem
- Explain what is happening in nursing practice
- Describe the gap in knowledge or concern
- Explain why more research is needed
- Connect the problem directly to nursing practice
Questions to Help You Write the Problem Statement:
- What problem exists?
- Why is it important?
- Who is affected?
- Why should this issue be studied?
Example:
A student researching infection control may explain:
- Nurses may not always follow infection prevention guidelines
- Poor compliance may increase infections
- More research is needed regarding nurses’ knowledge and adherence to infection control practices
3. Justification of the Study (½ page minimum)
The justification explains why the study is important.
In this section, students must explain:
- Why the study matters
- How the study may improve nursing practice
- Possible benefits for:
- Patients
- Nurses
- Healthcare organizations
- Future research
Example:
A student researching infection control may explain that the study could:
- Reduce healthcare-associated infections
- Improve patient outcomes
- Strengthen nurse education and training
- Improve quality of care
4. Research Questions (3 Questions Required)
Students must create 3 research questions related to their selected topic.
Requirements:
- Questions must be clear and specific
- Questions must relate directly to the research topic
- Questions should be measurable or researchable
- Avoid yes/no questions when possible
Example Research Questions:
- What is the level of knowledge of nurses regarding infection control practices in healthcare settings?
- What attitudes do nurses have toward infection prevention and control measures?
- Is there a relationship between nurses’ knowledge of infection control and their compliance with infection prevention practices?
References
Students must include at least 2 scholarly references in APA 7th edition format.
Acceptable Sources:
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- PubMed
- CINAHL
- Google Scholar
- CDC
- WHO
Examples of References:
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2021). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
World Health Organization. (2023). Infection prevention and control. https://www.who.int
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Infection control guidance. https://www.cdc.gov
Grading Criteria
Students will be graded based on:
- Quality of Introduction
- Clarity of Problem Statement
- Quality of Justification
- Development of Research Questions
- APA 7th Edition Formatting
- Grammar, Organization, and Professional Writing
Requirements: Answer the questions