ACWR303 - Academic Writing for Nursing

The purpose of this phase is to complete your information search and prepare to use the information you have found. In order to do this, you will want to:

Scan for overlooked information: check the information you've collected to see if you've missed something that is literally under your nose. You may have skimmed a chapter or article and not noticed an important piece of information it includes. As your understanding of a topic or concept grows, you may find that a second reading will be far more meaningful than the first.

Verify the information you have: check the information you've collected to ensure that you know where useful quotes or concepts came from, that the articles or chapters you've copied aren't missing pages and are properly identified, and that you have complete citations for all materials to create your bibliography. If possible, keep books you've signed out and copies you've made of all articles, chapters, internet sites until your assignment is completed so that you don't have to repeat the search to verify the sources of information that you use.

Be careful about plagiarism: while you are reviewing the information you found and the notes you have taken, be cognizant of possible areas of plagiarism. Sloppy note taking might result in unintentional plagiarism. Even if you are paraphrasing, you should jot down the citation information, including the page number, of the reference. Ensure that you properly cite exact quotes, and provide citations for ideas that were not your own.

Review your assignment again: before you walk away from your search, it's always wise to return once more to your assignment and make sure that the information you've retrieved meets the requirements specified by your instructor. Check to see that you have collected enough information and the right types of information. If you aren't sure, check with your professor, TA, or librarian.