HNU 304 Systematic Literature Review Dissertation Brief 2026 | University of Sunderland

HNU 304 Dissertation Brief 

Final Dissertation

Use the framework provided in this assignment brief to produce a systematic literature review with a fixed word limit of 8000 words.

This review will be based on a research question and systematic searching strategy which you will develop. You will need between 6 and 10 articles to critique, so please complete a brief literature search before starting your dissertation to ensure that there are enough suitable research articles available.

Submission is in CANVAS (Via Turnitin) as a word document. Please see the assignment page on canvas for the submission date and time.

Learning Outcomes

This piece of work assesses all the Module Learning Outcomes.

By the end of this module successful students will be able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate the ability to critically appraise published literature / studies using an appropriate systematic framework.
2. A comprehensive understanding and critical appreciation of the research process from the development of a good research question through to identifying the most appropriate study design and analytical methods that would best answer the research objectives concerned.
3. capacity to critically explore and challenge their own assumptions that might have informed their research at any stage in the process and subject these to appropriate scrutiny and defend them if appropriate under peer questioning and review.
4. The ability to critically articulate the importance and relevance of service user and carer involvement in the design, delivery and evaluation of research in health care.
5. An appreciation and working knowledge of the common pitfalls of conducting original research and the knowledge to problems solve and find practical solutions to methodological problems that may arise.
6. The ability to distinguish between the main research methods and critically appraise the quality of evidence utilised to deliver high quality, safe and effective person-centred care

Useful Things to Remember

• This is a nursing degree therefore your results and question should be linked to nursing
• Take the time to ensure that your work demonstrates your ability to meet all of the learning outcomes.
• When completing your assignment please check your work against the marking criteria as these are what your work will be marked against.
• Support all your writing with credible literature
• Any literature you use should be carefully cited and referenced using the Harvard method. Use Cite them Right for support: Cite them right online – Home
• Remember to paraphrase and use quotation marks when including direct quotes.
• Use the complete word allowance.

The first 2 pages must include the following information as specified in the module guide:

Title Page:

• Student Name
• Student Number
• Module Code/Title
• Module Lead
• Actual word count (this excludes the reference list)

Second page:

Declaration from you that the submitted assessment is your own work.

An example of this is:

I declare that this is my own original work, and it has not been submitted for another assignment or published by anyone else.

Signed:

Dated:

Please use the following formatting: 

• 5-line spacing
• font: Arial, Calibri or New Times Roman; size 12
• Left alignment of main text
• No indentation of paragraphs or of the reference list
• Reference list should be formatted with single line spaces.
• Please do not add borders or any other decorative elements to your work.

Your work should include the following

Abstract – approximately 300 words 

Write this once you have completed the rest of the review. Use subheadings and include:

• Overview of the topic
• what you want to find out, i.e. the research question/aim
• method
• results
• conclusion

Table of Contents – (include the page numbers for each section of your work)

Introduction – approximately 1500 words. 

Sets the scene and provides the rationale/presents the problem.

• Begin with a brief introduction and background to the topic question

Include:

• Justification/rationale for doing the review (i.e. why the topic is important/ why this study is needed) Include subsections, highlighting the key issues and theoretical issues, surrounding the topic
• critical debate, with analysis of some of the literature and research to support your work (this should not include any of the studies selected as part of your systematic search).
• Include statistics and links to higher policy DH. NICE WHO NMC etc.
• Link your work to the evidence which prompted your research question
• Relate to nursing practice
• What are the key issues which stand out for you?

Conclude this section with:

• The aim (only 1) and objectives (maximum of 3). For example, a review of the literature, a systematic review of the primary research)
• The research question, which should have only one part to it, and how you are going to answer it i.e. a systematic review of the literature followed by a discussion of the results (linked to nursing)

Methodology – approximately 1000 words. 

• What does the literature say about Systematic Reviews and literature reviews?
• What are the benefits of a systematic review compared to a literature review?
• Why you are doing a systematic literature review rather than a straightforward literature review

(Use literature to support a critical debate here.)

• Detail PICO or PEO
• State your inclusion and exclusion criteria and discuss why you have chosen them – you can put into a table.
• Explain what type of research you are looking for (primary research such as RCTs, quantitative and qualitative, mixed methods) and why.

Your literature search strategy –

• Which databases have you used?
• Which keywords/search terms have you used? How did you combine them? (e.g Boolean operators)
• You can put in a table with MEsH headings.
• State the number of results you have had and how these have been filtered (using your inclusion/exclusion criteria).
• Explain how many articles you have filtered down to -usually 6-10, and how many patients total are involved in these studies. You need to state the number of results you have had after each stage of the filtering process
• This must be shown in a PRISMA flow diagram

Literature Review and Results – approximately 3000 words

In this chapter you analyse and review the literature/research selected as part of the systematic search and discuss the findings and results. A systematic review should not be included as part of the literature analysed.

Critique of the research studies

• Explain how/why you will critique each article (e.g. by using the CASP tools.)
• Include a table of results to briefly explain each of the 6-10 articles. (Authors and date

/article question/number of patients/method/ results)

• Critique (using a CASP tool or similar), and analyse each of these articles separately, e.g. no.

of participants, sampling, methodology, report of bias, reliability • Link this to good research practice and include citation

Results and findings

• Reflect on the findings of your analysis of the research and summarise what you have found so far.
• Make connections, discuss themes, observations, and reflections with the articles and with the literature review, critically debating your findings supported with literature.
• What does all this information tell you?
• Are any particular themes emerging? If there are, you can use them to frame your discussion and analysis
• What observations/themes/connections can you make?
• How does this fit/relate to some of the material in the literature review?
• Are there any elements which are missing in the research that you have reviewed so far?
• What are your overall thoughts about the body of evidence? What does this mean?
• How does it fit in with the main subject matter?
• Has your original question been answered?

Recommendations, and Implications for Nursing – approximately 1000 words 

• Summarise the findings relating to your research question
• What are your key findings?
• Do you have an answer to your question? – if not, why not?
• What are the implications for nursing practice?
• Highlight your recommendations – for nursing/research/practice etc.
• Include links to higher policy DH. NICE WHO NMC etc.
• What do you think needs to happen next in terms of research in this area? Does more research need to be done? If so, what areas and what type of research?

Limitations – approximately 300 words

• What would you do differently in you had to carry this research out again? Why?
• Are there any limitations in doing this type of review?
• Consider researcher bias /time/ accessibility of articles etc.

Conclusion – approximately 900 words 

• Briefly summarise your findings relating to your research question
• Do you have an answer- if not, why not?
• Highlight your recommendations – for nursing/research/practice etc.
• Was there anything in particular which influenced the process of this research?
• What do you think needs to happen next in terms of research in this area?

Reference list

• Does not count in your word count
• A reference should be included for all in-text citations, a reference list should be included at the end in Harvard referencing style
• Use single line spacing and begin on a new page
• Use Cite them Rite and contact library for support

Appendices 

 This is where to include additional tables and information if you choose to use them. They are not included in your word count or included in your mark

Answer

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