A Nurse's Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Dissertation or Scholarly Project, Fourth Edition

Dr. Roush turns what can feel like an overwhelming task into a series of manageable steps, offering thoughtful questions, practical suggestions, and genuinely helpful checklists along the way. Her guidance on synthesizing the literature—and her clear, three-option approach to discussing findings within a theoretical framework—stands out, especially because these are areas where many students struggle. I’ll definitely continue recommending this book. It’s engaging, easy to read, and remarkably comprehensive.

Jane K. Dickinson, PhD, RN, FAAN

Feeling overwhelmed by the mere thought of writing your dissertation or scholarly project? Wondering how to begin and where to find the time? You are not alone. Earning your advanced degree is an extraordinary accomplishment, but completing those final stages can be a daunting task. A Nurse’s Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Dissertation or Scholarly Project, Fourth Edition, is a straightforward how-to guide. This book is intentionally concise because, let’s be honest, the last thing a busy candidate needs is another unwieldy, doorstop-sized tome.

Packed with practical steps and tools, this updated fourth edition, with a new chapter on artificial intelligence, will help you plan, document, organize, and write your dissertation or scholarly project. Don’t go it alone; let author and fellow dissertation survivor Karen Roush help you get from square one to DONE.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Chapter 1: Writing Your Introduction
• Chapter 2: Writing Your Literature Review
• Chapter 3: Writing Your Methodology Chapter
• Chapter 4: Writing Your Results Chapter
• Chapter 5: Writing Your Discussion Chapter
• Chapter 6: Writing Manuscript Option Dissertations
• Chapter 7: Generative AI in Doctoral Writing: The Basics on the Mechanics and Ethics of Using AI
• Chapter 8: Writing Well: The Basics

AVAILABLE ON THE SIGMA REPOSITORY

• Chapter 8: Writing Well: The Basics

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Roush, PhD, RN, FNP, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Nursing at Pace University in New York, where she teaches doctoral and graduate students. Roush served for many years as Editorial Director and Clinical Managing Editor of the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) and is currently News Director for the journal. She is an award-winning writer who has authored multiple consumer healthcare books, numerous nursing articles in peer-reviewed journals, essays, and poetry.