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Courses

Master of Health Studies/
Master of Nursing (MHST/NURS) 611

Dissemination Strategies

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Delivery Mode: Paced/home-study online

Credits: 3

Area of Study: Applied Studies

Prerequisite: Completion of all other courses.

Centre: Centre for Nursing and Health Studies

Introduction

Health professionals possess a wealth of information and experience. In this course, students will learn to use a variety of dissemination strategies designed to share knowledge and experience. Students will write an article designed for scholarly publication, develop a poster presentation, and complete a lay audience presentation.

Course Goals

To assist the student to be able to:  

  1. Identify the requirements of refereed scholarly publication;
  2. Write an article suitable for a refereed scholarly publication;
  3. Develop a poster slide presentation;
  4. Write an article appropriate to a lay audience;
  5. Identify additional dissemination opportunities; and
  6. Develop skills as a reviewer.

This set of goals constitutes the initial direction of the course. As a participant in this course, you likely have questions of your own which may not be reflected in the initial goals. One of the first activities in this course is to articulate your questions and issues to the other participants so that we can work together to attend to them. In this way, the course becomes, at least in part, your own creation, since it is only through interacting, building on each other's ideas and reflecting on your own experience that the course actually comes into existence.

Course Materials

Textbook

Heinrich, K. (2008). A nurse's guide to presenting and publishing: Dare to share. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Online

  • Online Study Guide
  • Online Conference
  • Online articles as indicated week by week

Course Structure

MHST/NURS 611 is an asynchronous online course. This means there is no predetermined time when you must log on, you are required to log on at least once a week. However, at a specified time each week, I will make an online presentation that relates to the topic of the week and the issues of the day. This presentation will include a list of discussion questions and will set the tone for the online discussion. The purpose of the weekly input is to keep everyone focused on the same topic. Once the online presentation is posted, you may add to the discussion at any time. Logging on several times a week is desirable so that discussion continues back and forth among participants.

Special Course Features

In this course, you will access health-related websites worldwide. You will also participate in email and computer conferencing with other students. Students are expected to connect to an Internet Service Provider at their own expense.

Technical Requirements

Computer System

In order to successfully complete this course, you must own or have ready access to certain computer hardware and software programs. For complete and up-to-date information on the minimum computer requirements required to complete the graduate nursing courses, visit the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies technical site.

Course Outline

The course consists of 7 units:

Unit 1: Orientation and Introduction

Unit 2: Identifying Potential Target Journals

Unit 3: Developing an Article Outline

Unit 4: Writing the Article

Unit 5: Poster Presentation

Unit 6: Writing for a Lay Audience

Unit 7: Wrap-up and Evaluation

Assessment Structure

Assignment 1: Identification of Target Refereed Journal, Instructions for Authors, and Market Analysis (5%)

  • Identify 3 journals where your article would be appropriate.  
  • Identify your target journal
  • Post the “Instructions for Authors” and a market analysis form for that journal.

Assignment 2: Article outline (10%)

  • Develop a detailed outline in a form that corresponds to the "instructions for authors" for your target journal. The outline must be developed to third level headings.

Assignment 3: Written article suitable for publication
(Draft article - 25%) (Final article - 15%)

  • Written according to the target journal's "Instructions for authors." 
  • Generally 3000-5000 words.  

Assignment 4: Poster presentation (15%)

  • Maximum 20 pages 8.5"X11", written according to the guidelines for target conference (please attach).

Assignment 5: Presentation for a Lay Audience (15%)

  • In appropriate format for dissemination strategy identified.

Assignment 6: Providing feedback/review (15%)

Feedback on Written Work

Assignment 1: 5% of final mark

Identification of target journal, instructions for authors and market analysis.

  • Target journal and instruction for authors posted?
  • Does the topic match the target journal?
  • Completion of market analysis form.

Assignment 2: 10% of final mark

Article Outline

  • Outline reflects cohesion between points.
  • Outline reflects development of the original topic.
  • Outline is developed to 3rd level headings.
  • Outline reflects instructions for authors of target journal.
  • Outline is free of mechanical errors.

Assignment 3: 40% of final mark

Written article suitable for publication

  1. Topic:
    1. Does the paper keep to the topic?
    2. Is there a clear definition of the central topic or issue
    3. Is the topic sufficiently narrowed or broadened such that it can be dealt with fully in the required length?
    4. Is there a clear rationale for analysing or discussing this topic?
    5. Is there a clear thesis or perspective on the topic: not just “what,” but “what about it”?
  2. Ideas
    1. Is there a good balance between ideas and evidence?
    2. Have you understood and applied the literature and the theories, or have you merely read and regurgitated them?
    3. Are you too general, too descriptive, too full of generalizations that can't be supported?
    4. Are your ideas cliched, or repetitious?
    5. Does the article show awareness of problematic or controversial elements; awareness of potential objections or alternate approaches?
    6. Does the argument made in the article lead logically and inevitably to your conclusion(s)?
  3. Organization and Structure
    1. Are there clearly defined sections in the article that correspond to the particular requirements of the target journal?
    2. Are headings used correctly?
    3. Does the introduction define the issue, state a rationale, and indicate a focus for your discussion/analysis?
    4. Does each paragraph in the article address a distinct idea, or contribute to the development of the idea of its section?
    5. Does the conclusion merely restate the topic or thesis, or does it offer a genuine conclusion?
    6. Does the paper as a whole, each section, each paragraph, and each sentence have unity (deals with one idea), coherence (moves smoothly and logically), and emphasis (important points strategically placed)?
    7. Is the abstract accurate, concise, self-contained, and readable?
  4. Expression
    1. Is the writing style concise, direct, and interesting?
    2. Is the tone appropriate: never emotional, grandstanding, or “creative”?
    3. Is the tone appropriate to the target journal?
    4. Is there a good variety of sentence lengths and types?
    5. Is the diction appropriate: varied vocabulary; precision in word choice; clear and simple or over long (e.g., walk vs. achieve an ambulatory state)?
    6. Are there errors in mechanics: grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling?
    7. Is the citation, referencing, and formatting complete and accurate?

Assignment 4: 15% of final mark

Poster Presentation

  • Does the poster presentation accurately
    reflect the article?
  • Is the poster presentation cohesive?
  • Are there errors in mechanics: grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling?
  • Does the poster presentation meet conference requirements?

Assignment 5: 15% of final mark

Lay audience presentation

  • Does the lay audience presentation accurately reflect the article?
  • Is the lay audience presentation cohesive?
  • Are there errors in mechanics: grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling?
  • Does the lay audience presentation meet audience requirements?

Assignment 6: 15% of final mark

Providing feedback/review

  1. Quality of comments
    1. Posts constructive review comments relevant to the presentation/article
    2. Contributes original thoughts and ideas
    3. Posts meaningful reviews in a timely manner
  2. Courtesy and Group Morale
    1. Comments are provided in a positive tone
    2. Support and encouragement provided to colleagues
    3. Respectful of contributions of others.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.

View previous syllabus

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Last updated by G. Zahara  01/03/2012 13:29:16