1. 1Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Chapter 27
Disseminating Research Findings

2. 2Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Disseminating Research Findings
 Final step in research process
 If it isn’t communicated, nobody knows
 Ethical responsibility to research subjects not
to have wasted their time
 Developing a research report
 Disseminating report through
 Presentations
 Publications

3. 3Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Content of a Research Report
 Article, conference podium presentation,
conference poster presentation
 Four major sections:
 Introduction
 Methods
 Results
 Discussion of the findings
 Also includes title and abstract

4. 4Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Title and Abstract
 Title
 Tells reader what was studied
 Engages the reader
 Includes principal variables and hints at method;
may include population
 Abstract
 Summarizes key aspects of study
 100 to 300 words in length
 Problem, purpose, framework, methods, sample,
one or two results, conclusions

5. 5Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Introduction
 Discusses background/significance of
problem
 Identifies problem statement and purpose
 Reviews relevant empirical and theoretical
literature
 Describes study framework (variables may be
conceptually defined here)
 Identifies research purpose (aims, objectives,
questions, or hypotheses if applicable)

6. 6Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Methods
 How study was conducted
 Must provide sufficient detail for critical
appraisal or replication
 Design
 Sample and setting
 Methods of measurement
 Data collection process
 Plan for data analysis

7. 7Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Design
 Explicitly stated
 What type of quantitative research
 Must match title, purpose, type of variables,
and statistical tests used

8. 8Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Sample and Setting
 Describe
 Sampling method
 Criteria for selecting sample
 Sample size
 Sample characteristics
 Statistical power analysis used
 Details about subject recruitment
 Method for assigning subjects to groups

9. 9Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Measurement Methods
 How variables were operationalized and
measured
 Measure’s scaling and range of scores
 Frequency with which instrument was used
 Reliability and validity information
 Accuracy, precision, selectivity, sensitivity,
and sources of error of physiological
measures

10. 10Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Data Collection Process and
Procedures
 Who collected, and how they collected
 If more than one person collected, how they
were trained
 How data were recorded, if not apparent

11. 11Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Analysis Plan
 Pre-analysis preparation of the data
 Data analysis:
 Statistics used
 Program used

12. 12Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Results
 What was learned from This study
 Results generated from statistical analyses
 Description of the sample
 Narrative format
 Organized into figures and tables
 Presentation of results
 Descriptive statistics first (mean, standard
deviation) (quantitative)
 Then results organized by hypotheses, questions,
or objectives (quantitative)

13. 13Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Presentation of Results in
Figures and Tables
 Space-saving
 Use of APA guidelines
 Must be clear, accurate, complete

14. 14Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Figures
 Diagrams or pictures that illustrate the results
 Used only if they clarify, save space, and are
acceptable by journal editors
 Bar graph
 Line graph
 Pie chart

15. 15Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Tables
 More frequently used than figures
 Useful for display of complex statistical
relationships
 Used to identify correlations among variables
 Correlation matrices

16. 16Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Discussion
 Ties other sections of the research report
together and interprets them
 Includes
 Major findings
 Limitations of study
 Conclusions drawn from findings
 Implications of findings for nursing
 Recommendations for further research

17. 17Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Reference Citations
 All sources that were cited in the report
 APA (2010) format required by editors of
many nursing and psychology journals
 In alphabetical order by first author:
 First author is the major contributor
 Don’t change order of authors for a publication
when citing them

18. 18Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Qualitative Research Report
 Title: clear, concise, identifies study focus
 Abstract: briefly summarizes key parts of
study and usually includes
 Aim of study
 Qualitative approach (e.g., phenomenology,
grounded theory, ethnography, or historical)
 Methods including sample, setting, and methods
of data collection
 Brief synopsis of findings
 Implications of findings

19. 19Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Introduction
 Principal concept to be studied
 Significance of study topic
 Type of qualitative study conducted
 Aim/purpose of study
 Why topic is important (gap) in relation to
existing literature
 Sometimes a brief literature review

20. 20Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Methods
 General method of inquiry
 Specific methods of inquiry used in study
 Data analysis plan/procedures

21. 21Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Results
 Presentation of findings
 Usually organized by themes/essences
 Presented in context, when possible
 Ethnography
 Phenomenology
 Grounded

22. 22Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Discussion
 Conclusions
 Study limitations
 Implications for nursing
 Recommendations for further research

23. 23Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Theses and Dissertations
 Detailed reports that students develop as part
of requirements for a degree
 Most organized as chapters (more recently,
some now organized as introduction, and two
to five publishable papers)
 Huge literature reviews, especially in
dissertations
 All written in accordance with requirements of
their respective programs

24. 24Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Audiences for Communication of
Research Findings
 Targeting the audience or readership
 General considerations:
 Cui bono? Who will benefit by knowing this?
 Within nursing? Within another discipline?
 Limitations to generalization may increase with
geography

25. 25Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Strategies for Communicating
Research to Different Audiences
 Nurses
 Health care professionals
 Policymakers
 Consumers

26. 26Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Audience of Nurses
 Most commonly selected by nurses
 In-person presentations at conferences of
organizations
 Conference abstracts in program proceedings
 Journals Target by readership
 Target by professional interest
 Books—popular or professional
 Textbook chapters

27. 27Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Audience of Health Care
Professionals and Policy Makers
 Pan-disciplinary conferences
 Some specialty journals
 Most useful when
 Topic applies to others outside nursing
 A substantial nursing interest group exists within
the organization

28. 28Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Audience of Health Care
Consumers
 News releases
 Nursing research article in a local paper
 Online
 Popular press
 Journals
 Books
 Television and radio
 Patient and family teaching

29. 29Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Purpose of Presenting Research
Findings
 Share preliminary findings
 Answer questions about their studies
 Interact with other interested researchers
 Receive immediate feedback on study
 Verbal presentations
 Poster presentations

30. 30Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Verbal Presentations
 Requires
 Receiving acceptance of your abstract as a
presenter
 Developing a research report
 Delivering the report
 Responding to questions

31. 31Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Receiving Acceptance as a
Presenter - Hints
 Submit a good abstract (acceptance based
on the quality of the abstract)
 Usually based on results from completed study,
not yet published
 Title of abstract must create interest, and
body of abstract “sells” the study to reviewers
 When writing abstract, know the audience

32. 32Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Developing an Oral Research
Presentation
 Depends on focus and audience of
conference, and on total time allotted
 Aim: One slide per minute
 Focus: What is new in this area of research?
 Acknowledgment of funding sources and
declaration of conflict of interest

33. 33Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Delivering a Research Report
and Responding to Questions
 Practice, practice, practice
 Time the presentation
 Attempt not to read the slides
 Attempt not to read from a script
 Try to anticipate questions that audience
might ask

34. 34Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Poster Sessions
 Usually last 1 to 2 hours
 Poster might be accepted while study is still in
progress, or might be an entire completed
study
 Much less threatening to present
 Individual conversations with passersby at
conference who look at the poster
 Networking
 Must be eyecatching

35. 35Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Publishing Findings
 Most theses are never published
 Even negative findings are important
 Very time-consuming
 Authorship credit: discussion best when a
paper is First considered
 First author: largest contribution and/or
conceptualized the research
 All authors: must have contributed
 Last author: sometimes a distant senior member
of a large research team

36. 36Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Publishing a Journal Article
 Steps in developing a manuscript for
publication:
 Select a journal
 Develop a query letter
 Prepare a manuscript
 Submit a manuscript for review
 Revise the manuscript

37. 37Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Selecting a Journal
 Refereed journal: peer-reviewed; uses
referees or expert reviewers to determine
whether a manuscript is acceptable for
publication
 Nonrefereed journal: editor makes decisions
to accept or reject manuscripts
 Type of journal must match article

38. 38Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Journal Impact Factor
 May not be the principal concern for new
authors
 Measures the frequency of citation for
average articles in that journal
 Journal citation report (JCR) provides
quantitative measures to evaluate scientific
journals, including data on journal impact
factors

39. 39Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Develop a Query Letter
 No more than one page
 Usually includes abstract and researcher’s
qualifications for writing article
 May mention length of manuscript (but first
check to see what length of article that journal
accepts)
 May mention number of tables or figures (but
first check to see how many that journal
accepts)

40. 40Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Preparing a Manuscript
 Written according to format outlined by journal -APA
most common
 Written according to journal’s guidelines
 Guidelines pertain to
 Manuscript preparation
 Submission guidelines
 Discussion of copyright and conflict of interest
 Read some of journal’s articles, and imitate the style
of the better ones
 Use an article from journal as a guide or template

41. 41Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Submitting a Manuscript for
Review
 Submit to only one journal at a time
 With few exceptions, use electronic
submission only

42. 42Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Peer Review
 By two or more persons
 Usually standing reviewers for that journal
 Read, evaluate, identify strengths and
limitations, and make suggestions
 Like a critique

43. 43Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Possible Results of Review
 Accept as submitted (rare), with likely date for
publication
 Accept pending minor revisions, sometimes
with likely data for publication
 Tentatively accept, with major revisions
 Reject (less frequent, but sometimes because
topic is not suitable for that journal)

44. 44Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Revisions as Requested
 Address limitations identified by reviewers in revised
manuscript
 Write cover letter explaining exactly how each comment
was addressed in rewrite
 Usually results in an acceptance; sometimes results in a
rejection
 Quality manuscripts will display
 Knowledge of research evidence
 Timeliness/topic of current interest
 Newly emerging idea
 Generalizability across population or international boundaries
 contribution to theory

45. 45Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Publication in Online Journals
 Advantages:
 All applications and feedback online
 Faster communications
 Continuous publication (usually), so article
published promptly
 Fewer page limits
 More tables, figures, accepted
 Animations acceptable for some
 Links to other citations possible
 Real-time tracking of access for impact measures

46. 46Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Publication in Online Journals
(Cont’d)
 Disadvantages
 Not as prestigious
 Not all refereed

47. 47Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Publishing Research Findings in
Books
 Monographs, books, and chapters in books
 Rarer than journals for most studies
 Some qualitative, some complex quantitative
 Requires extensive commitment on the part
of the researcher

48. 48Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
Duplicate Publications and Self-
Plagiarism
 An article or major portions of an article
concurrently published by two journals
 Only acceptable if each represents a Different
part of the same research
 If intentional, self-plagiarism—scientific
misconduct
 Also applies to published conference
proceedings
 When publishing, acknowledge previous
conference presentations with same material