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A realistic and practical introduction to all the skills of critical appraisal and writing designed to meet the needs of the health and social care student.
Ever struggled to write a critical essay? Ever wondered what critical thinking actually is and how you can apply it in your academic work and practice? This bestselling guide takes you through every stage of becoming a critical thinker, from approaching your subject to writing your essays or dissertation in health and social care. Each chapter tackles a different aspect of critical thinking and shows you how it's done using examples and simple language. Beginning with an overview of the importance of critical thinking, the book goes on to cover: How to think critically about different types of information as potential evidence, including books, journals, articles, websites, and, new to this edition, social media How to demonstrate critical thinking in written work and presentations How to adopt critical thinking in practice Updated with more references to online resources and critical appraisal tools, this fully revised second edition includes: The key tool 'Six questions for critical thinking' which will assist you in developing your skills for academic work and practice - updated for this edition in response to student evaluation An expanded worked example of critical analysis New exploration of the connection between theory and practice This book is an essential purchase for students and qualified healthcare staff alike and was highly commended in the BMA Medical Book Awards 2012. "This is an amazing book that I recommend to all levels of students as there is something in it for all. It is written in an easy to understand and friendly style that is accessible to anyone has an interest in critical thinking whether they are studying or not. It puts a different perspective on one’s thinking and has even turned it on its head for some students. I love this book and the sound of the penny dropping for my learners!" Liz Rockingham, Adult Field Lead / Teaching Fellow, University of Surrey, UK "In my estimation this is the definitive beginner‘s guide to critical thinking and writing in health and social care. After reading this book any student should understand why and how critical thinking underpins professional practice and the highest endeavours in academic work and research. Within the book are three invaluable checklists: 1) 'Six questions for critical thinking',2) 'Critical thinking skills in your written work' and 3) 'Critical thinking, or relying on routine'. A wonderful book for both Undergraduate and Masters’ students and a must for hard-pressed academics who wish to encourage and endorse the need for critical thinking at all levels in all of their students". Dr Ruth Davies, Associate Professor Child and Family Health, Swansea University, UK "I did not intend to read this book cover to cover but it was such a pleasure I did. The book by Aveyard, Sharp and Woolliams achieves exactly what it sets out to do and is a comprehensive and highly readable guide. In this little gem the mysteries of critical thinking and writing are unpacked. Useful tools, resources, activities and worked examples are included and the reader is guided to develop their own skills. From the initial challenge to explore their personal values, beliefs and assumptions, through to how to adopt critical thinking in practice, the reader is left in no doubt as to the valuable contribution this book will make to developing their skills of critical thinking and writing for professional practice." Ailsa Espie, Senior Lecturer, Division of Nursing, Queen Margaret University, UK "Health and social care professionals navigate through extensive quantities of information in the course of their work. The ability to think clearly and critically is fundamental for appraising and implementing evidence and knowledge in practice. This book is an excellent place to start learning these vital skills and I recommend it to my students and to you." Dr Martin Webber, Anniversary Reader in Social Work, University of York, UK "I would recommend this book to any health care student, not just nurses, that require help in starting out how to write critically in essays, presentations, literature reviews and dissertations." Jade Day, Student Nurse at Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Discover how to put your point across more effectively! Critical thinking shows people how to analyze arguments, speeches, and newspaper articles to see which faults the authors are making in their reasoning. It looks at the structure of language to demonstrate rules by which you can identify good analytical thinking and helps people to formulate clear defensible arguments themselves. As people are always trying to put a certain point/opinion across in a variety of arenas in our lives, this is a very useful skill. With real life newspaper extracts, a glossary, exercises and answers, and a guide to essay writing, this is an invaluable tool for both students wanting to improve their grades and general readers wanting to boost their brainpower.
Have you heard of 'evidence-based practice' but don't know what it means? Are you struggling with relating evidence to your practice? Do you want a straight forward, clearly written and practical guide to evidence-based practice? This is the book for anyone who has ever wondered what evidence-based practice is, how to relate it to practice or use it in academic work. Fully updated in this brand new edition, this book uses simple and easy to understand language to help those new to the topic. It provides a step by step guide to what we mean by evidence-based practice and how to apply this concept to your practice and learning. This new edition features: • Additional explanations with examples from health and social care practice, using a wider range of reviews and research • Inclusion of contemporary issues such as predatory journals, use of social media and rapid reviews • Practical solutions to the challenges of using more and better evidence in busy practice settings and in academic work • Revised and expanded useful web links highlighted throughout the book • Clearer explanations of difficult research terms and an updated glossary • New end-of-chapter quizzes to help assess how much you have learned A Beginner's Guide to Evidence-Based Practice in Health and Social Care, 3rd Edition is key reading for both students and professionals who need to search for, appraise and apply evidence in nursing, allied health care or social care. "This highly engaging book is a 'must-have' for health professionals who want to navigate their way through the professional and scientific literature and find the best available evidence to inform their decision-making." Debra Jackson, Professor of Nursing, Oxford Brookes University, UK and University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Australia "This 3rd edition is an ideal text for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as clinicians wanting to extend their practice in an evidence-based manner. It is presented in an engaging style that draws the reader in and the language is pitched to inform and educate a broad audience. A diverse range of examples are included to highlight key points so as to appeal to readers from a range of backgrounds. Overall this is a must-have text for a wide audience." Professor Elizabeth Halcomb, Professor of Primary Health Care Nursing, University of Wollongong, Australia
This popular book demystifies literature reviewing and answers the questions students have about how to tackle the process.
The Little Book: A Beginner's Guide to Finding Your Rhetorical Voice helps students communicate with confidence in their speaking and writing. The material facilitates self-discovery and critical thinking as students learn to assess the validity of their ideas and express themselves with clarity and integrity. Early chapters emphasize critical thinking as the basis for original rhetorical thought, provide tips for building sound arguments, and introduce the concepts of rhetoric and sophistry. Additional chapters address appropriate word choice, the importance of analyzing an audience, defining intent and purpose, and constructing logical claims supported by credible evidence. The second edition content reorganization and revision to enhance the clarity of the material, increase student engagement, update material, and expand upon key concepts. It features two new chapters, "Finding Your Rhetorical Voice," which was previously only a section within a chapter, and "Surveys and Scientific Studies: Some Caveats," which addresses the timely topics of fake news, scientific research, and critical thinking. The Little Book is an ideal resource for undergraduate courses in public speaking and professional writing.
This book is an essential guide to mentorship in health and social care. The chapters focus specifically on the eight Nursing and Midwifery Council domains for the preparation and training of mentors. A rich range of real-life case studies are included in every chapter, to demonstrate the challenges and dilemmas of mentoring in practice. The chapters cover a range of settings, including community nursing, school nursing, acute care, social work and biomedical science. Learning objectives, chapter summaries and reflective questions are also included to help readers reappraise what they have learned. Mastering Mentorship will be essential reading for both those preparing to become nurse mentors at post-registration level and those already qualified to mentor.
"This book is superb. Most undergraduates have to undertake some form of literature review which may be daunting, this book explains it in an clear, easy to understand format. Explanations are given as to why undertaking a literature review is undertaken. Summery sections at the end of each chapter allow the reader to reflect on what they have just read, allowing the information to sink in. This book should be on every university's recommended reading list." Kerry Davis, Student Nurse, University Campus Suffolk, UK "This book is fantastic! It gives a clear, concise guide to carrying out a literature review, which is of course a widely used formative assessment technique in a nursing program ... (it includes) in depth explanations and reasons as to how and why it is important to do a literature review ... the summary section at the end of each chapter is excellent, and allows the reader to review their understanding of what they’re just read. Overall an excellent book which is a must for any student nurse!" Gem Smith, Student Nurse, Northumbria University, UK "This book is superb. It explains the entire process of writing a literature review very clearly ... extremely helpful as the prospect of reviewing literature can be quite daunting." Vicky Bain, Student Nurse, University of Nottingham, UK "A comprehensive, easy to read guide which will help students to understand how to undertake a literature review, and how to use the resultant information effectively." Anne-Marie Warnes, University of Central Lancashire, UK "As a student, currently writing a literature review, I found this an extremely helpful book, which is invaluable in demystifying some of the more challenging elements, while at the same time providing clear, simple, appealing and appropriate guidance. This is a must have for undergraduate nursing students, and indeed all healthcare students embarking on such projects." Audrey Grace, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland This bestselling book is a step-by-step guide to doing a literature review in health and social care. It is vital reading for all those undertaking their undergraduate or postgraduate dissertation or any research module which involves a literature review. The new edition has been fully updated and provides a practical guide to the different types of literature that you may come across when undertaking a literature review. It includes: Examples of commonly occurring real life scenarios encountered by students Emphasis on the importance of setting a question at the very start of the project Advice on how to follow a clearly defined search strategy Details of a wide range of critical appraisal tools Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care 2/e is essential reading for students at all levels within the health and social care field - and a useful text for anyone new to reviewing and appraising evidence.
Understanding and Evaluating Research: A Critical Guide shows students how to be critical consumers of research and to appreciate the power of methodology as it shapes the research question, the use of theory in the study, the methods used, and how the outcomes are reported. The book starts with what it means to be a critical and uncritical reader of research, followed by a detailed chapter on methodology, and then proceeds to a discussion of each component of a research article as it is informed by the methodology. The book encourages readers to select an article from their discipline, learning along the way how to assess each component of the article and come to a judgment of its rigor or quality as a scholarly report.
