essay on importance of practice

Ideas and insights from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

The Importance Of Practice – And Our Reluctance To Do It

As leaders, we’re accustomed to being good at what we do. Learning something new is hard, especially at the beginning when we’re likely to struggle and make mistakes.  The reality is, the only way to learn something new is to practice. In his book,  Outliers , Malcolm Gladwell suggests that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become  expert  at something. Perhaps more of a realist, Josh Kaufman, author of  The Personal MBA , writes that to go from “knowing nothing to being pretty good” actually takes about 20 hours of practice – that’s 45 minutes every day for a month. So whether you aspire to “pretty good” or “expert,” practice is essential. Yet practicing can be difficult and painful when we’re used to having a high degree of competence.

Perhaps this is why most leaders are resistant to the idea of practice – often, the more senior the leader, the more reluctant they are to practice something new.  Many leaders believe that intellectual  understanding  is enough, that all they need to do is read about something or discuss it in order to be able to do it well. But we know that skill development is vital.

Swimming is my favorite analogy. Two of my teenage children are competitive swimmers, which means I have been volunteering at swim meets for over a decade. My volunteer job is to monitor races and ensure that swimmers follow legal stroke technique. I have received hours and hours of training – lecture, video, discussion, observation –  on what constitutes proper, legal technique. I can tell you exactly what the butterfly should look like: the kick and the pull, and how the arms have to be synchronous, and how the touch and turn need to work.  I  know  all about how to  swim  butterfly.  But I can’t swim the butterfly at all. Not even 25 yards. That’s the difference between intellectual understanding and the skill development.

As leaders, we generally have the intellectual capacity to quickly grasp concepts and ideas, which can lead us to mistakenly believe we also know how to execute on them right away. The reality is that we don’t – not until we practice, get feedback, refine our approach, and practice again – for somewhere between 20 and 10,000 hours. This is hard to do. Learning something new means being clumsy at it initially, making mistakes, course-correcting, and trying again. It’s uncomfortable. And even when we know the skill is valuable, it often makes our work more difficult at first, causing many leaders to stop trying new things and revert to old habits.

Knowing the importance of practice, how do we build it into our training experiences? And how do we hold ourselves and others accountable for the hard work of practice?

• Acknowledge the Challenge Be honest about the difficulty of learning something new, especially when you’re in a leadership role. Expect mistakes. Celebrate effort and risk-taking rather than expertise and skill level. Create a culture where leaders are rewarded for trying new things and building new skills, even when their early attempts are less-than-perfect.
• Limit the Scope Training often includes information on many different behaviors, approaches, skills, and techniques.  It isn’t possible to practice and master all of them at one time. Encourage leaders to choose one or two things that have a high potential for enhancing their work, and focus their practice on just those things – at least to start.
• Commit Time Commit time every week – ideally every day – for practice. Block time on the calendar.  Minimize distractions, and work on skill development as seriously as you would on any other project. You might even create a project plan with deadlines and deliverables.
• Leverage Tools and Materials in the Program Most training programs include opportunities for practice – action learning projects, individual action planning guides, cases, role plays, etc. Use them as much as you can – individually or in study groups or with partners. These can be extremely helpful for practice, even outside of the program.
• Create Practice Partnerships Work with colleagues to hold each other accountable for practice. Practice partnerships are also a great way to get feedback on your development.
• Consider Coaching Sometimes leaders need more support than can be offered by practice partners. In these cases, a coach can be extremely useful. Coaching may be available through HR or L&D, or you may decide to invest in coaching on your own. A good coach will help you create a plan, offer feedback, and help you stay accountable to your own goals.

Making a commitment to practice is essential to maximize the impact of training. After all, practice is the only way to become proficient in a new skill or behavior. As leaders, we need to embrace the discomfort of being beginners in order to continue to grow and improve.

What new skill should you be practicing?

Jennifer Long is senior manager, programs, at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at  [email protected] .

Let’s talk

Change isn’t easy, but we can help. Together we’ll create informed and inspired leaders ready to shape the future of your business.

© 2024 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Information
• Terms of Use
• About Harvard Business Publishing
• Higher Education
• Harvard Business Review
• Harvard Business School

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies and revised Privacy Policy .

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Recommended for you

The importance of practice, some reasons as to why practicing is so important..

Everyone has to do it in some way or another. We all have to do something multiple times and repeat the same or different actions over and over in order to achieve the goal that we have set for ourselves. This is practice, and though it may be tiring and annoying sometimes, we can all agree that it has helped us in the long run. Whether it be a piece of music, a speech, a dance routine, or anything in between, they all require us to commit and routinely do the action.

So, why is the concept of practice so important? Well, the reason is pretty obvious. It helps you improve. If you routinely practice something, the likelihood of you doing better on something is higher. One example we all know is studying. We have all been there, doing an all nighter, trying to get ready for the exam or test we have the next day. And usually, we see an increase in a higher grade than if we were to not study. Same goes for speeches, which is something I do regularly. With speeches, the concept of practice is critical, whether it is in front of a mirror or in front of some friends or family. Practicing that speech a multitude of times before your actual presentation allows for you to get comfortable with the idea of public speaking while also helping you know the order and information of your speech that you will be giving. In my experience, I've had times where I did not practice a speech as much as I could and suffered the consequences.

Running along with the idea of improving, practice also helps promote self-confidence in oneself. Being able to effectually play the song that you have been practicing for weeks or pulling off the move you have been trying to do in the sport you play is always a good feeling. To be able to see the result of your hard work and determination is something that everyone looks forward to. And with this, if one sees that practice has made a greater impact on the activity they have been doing, then it will likely become a thing. Now, I'm not saying that practice will always show positive results. Sometimes the nerves get the best of us, even me, and that can hinder the performance that we know that we can pull off.

However, that does not mean that we should let that restrict and block us from the goal that we have set our minds to. Because that nervousness that we all feel can be reduced, not necessarily eradicated, to a level that is manageable. Practice is something that cannot be avoided, but is something that can help us in our day to day lives as we all strive to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves to.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

19 lessons i'll never forget from growing up in a small town, there have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble.

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

Navigating the Talking Stage: 21 Essential Questions to Ask for Connection

It's mandatory to have these conversations..

Whether you met your new love interest online , through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

1. What do you do for a living?

What someone does for a living can tell a lot about who they are and what they're interested in! Their career reveals a lot more about them than just where they spend their time to make some money.

2. What's your favorite color?

OK, I get it, this seems like something you would ask a Kindergarten class, but I feel like it's always good to know someone's favorite color . You could always send them that Snapchat featuring you in that cute shirt you have that just so happens to be in their favorite color!

3. Do you have any siblings?

This one is actually super important because it's totally true that people grow up with different roles and responsibilities based on where they fall in the order. You can tell a lot about someone just based on this seemingly simple question.

4. What's your favorite television show?

OK, maybe this isn't a super important question, but you have to know ASAP if you can quote Michael Scott or not. If not, he probably isn't the one. Sorry, girl.

5. When is your birthday?

You can then proceed to do the thing that every girl does without admitting it and see how compatible your zodiacs are.

6. What's your biggest goal in life?

If you're like me, you have big goals that you want to reach someday, and you want a man behind you who also has big goals and understands what it's like to chase after a dream. If his biggest goal is to see how quickly he can binge-watch " Grey's Anatomy " on Netflix , you may want to move on.

7. If you had three wishes granted to you by a genie, what would they be?

This is a go-to for an insight into their personality. Based on how they answer, you can tell if they're goofy, serious, or somewhere in between.

8. What's your favorite childhood memory?

For some, this may be a hard question if it involves a family member or friend who has since passed away . For others, it may revolve around a tradition that no longer happens. The answers to this question are almost endless!

9. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

We all have parts of our lives and stories that we wish we could change. It's human nature to make mistakes. This question is a little bit more personal but can really build up the trust level.

10. Are you a cat or a dog person?

I mean, duh! If you're a dog person, and he is a cat person, it's not going to work out.

11. Do you believe in a religion or any sort of spiritual power?

Personally, I am a Christian, and as a result, I want to be with someone who shares those same values. I know some people will argue that this question is too much in the talking stage , but why go beyond the talking stage if your personal values will never line up?

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Even homebodies have a must visit place on their bucket list !

13. What is your ideal date night?

Hey, if you're going to go for it... go for it!

14. Who was/is your celebrity crush?

For me, it was hands-down Nick Jonas . This is always a fun question to ask!

15. What's a good way to cheer you up if you're having a bad day?

Let's be real, if you put a label on it, you're not going to see your significant other at their best 24/7.

16. Do you have any tattoos?

This can lead to some really good conversations, especially if they have a tattoo that has a lot of meaning to them!

17. Can you describe yourself in three words?

It's always interesting to see if how the person you're talking to views their personal traits lines ups with the vibes you're getting.

18. What makes you the most nervous in life?

This question can go multiple different directions, and it could also be a launching pad for other conversations.

19. What's the best gift you have ever received? 

Admittedly, I have asked this question to friends as well, but it's neat to see what people value.

20. What do you do to relax/have fun?

Work hard, play hard, right?

21. What are your priorities at this phase of your life?

This is always interesting because no matter how compatible your personalities may be, if one of you wants to be serious and the other is looking for something casual, it's just not going to work.

Follow Swoon on Instagram .

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in challah bread or easter bread.

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

A few weeks ago, I was given a loaf of bread called Challah (pronounced like holla), and upon my first bite, I realized it tasted just like Easter Bread. It was so delicious that I just had to make some of my own, which I did.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 1 cup lukewarm water 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 2 tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash) 1/4 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil

Instructions

• Combine yeast and a pinch of sugar in small bowl with the water and stir until you see a frothy layer across the top.
• Whisk together 4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and add in eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk these together to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.
• Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry and mix until difficult to move.
• Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes. If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Separate the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope roughly 1-inch thick and 16 inches long.
• Gather the ropes and squeeze them together at the very top. Braid the pieces in the pattern of over, under, and over again. Pinch the pieces together again at the bottom.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment and lift the loaf on top. Sprinkle the loaf with a little flour and drape it with a clean dishcloth. Place the pan somewhere warm and away from drafts and let it rise until puffed and pillowy, about an hour.
• Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the reserved egg white with a tablespoon of water and brush it all over the challah. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.
• Slide the challah on its baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. The challah is done when it is deeply browned.

I kept wondering how these two breads could be so similar in taste. So I decided to look up a recipe for Easter Bread to make a comparison. The two are almost exactly the same! These recipes are similar because they come from religious backgrounds. The Jewish Challah bread is based on kosher dietary laws. The Christian Easter Bread comes from the Jewish tradition but was modified over time because they did not follow kosher dietary laws.

A recipe for Easter bread is as follows:

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 2/3 cup milk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white granulated sugar 2 tbs butter 2 large eggs 2 tbs melted butter 1 tsp salt

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.
• Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Both of these recipes are really easy to make. While you might need to have a day set aside for this activity, you can do things while the dough is rising or in the oven. After only a few hours, you have a delicious loaf of bread that you made from scratch, so the time and effort is really worth it!

Trending Topics

Songs About Being 17 Grey's Anatomy Quotes Vine Quotes 4 Leaf Clover Self Respect

Top Creators

1. Brittany Morgan,   National Writer's Society 2. Radhi,   SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Trending Stories

Nostalgic 2000s songs: 100 throwback hits that'll transport you to childhood, 45 throwback songs you forgot about, 19 things you can do when you turn 19 years old, 75 excuses to not go out, i got shot in the eye with horse semen: a day in the life of breeding season, best of student life unlocking lake people's secrets: 15 must-knows, top 10 reasons my school rocks, 70 of the most referenced movies ever, 7 new year clichés: break free, embrace change, the ultimate birthday: unveiling the perfect day to celebrate, subscribe to our newsletter, facebook comments.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Prolific Living

The Importance of Practice: Use it or Lose it

December 22, 2010 by Farnoosh Brock

“A genius! For 37 years I’ve practiced fourteen hours a day, and now they call me a genius!” —Pablo Sarasate (Spanish violinist)

Give Practice some Glory

Practice deserves a lot more glory around here, frankly. It is far too often the unpopular accompaniment to success and stardom. It is the unworthy servant next to Gods of fame and fortune. Practice hardly makes cocktail conversation, much less a serious topic of every day discussion and attention.

Today, I am going to put practice up on a pedestal, shower it with glory and worship it all over again. Today, I am choosing to remember the importance of practice and the essence of true growth and improvement.

Practice can be the one gap you have to close between yourself and your goals (Choose to close it). It can be the one impediment that can hold you back and leave you wondering why others are so much better at that something for which you pine (Don’t allow it) . It can make the difference between good and great , mediocre and magnificent (Go for the latter). It can define your skills by different scales altogether (Up the ante) It can be your breakaway strategy and your true path to your very own authentic success or the lack thereof (Seriously, practice is that good and almighty.)

Practice is the brutally honest friend, dropping rude awakening on your path on an idle Tuesday. Unsolicited, unwanted, unasked for but nonetheless, it shows up, telling you quite frankly why you are not good enough at something just yet. A (big!) part of you wants to kick him out of your life and the other part — the smart part — knows the layers of truth hidden in the message.

The Difference between Hard Work and Practice

All practice takes hard work but not all-hard work is practice .

Hard work is the sweat and tears you put toward a single task, be it a challenging, intellectually stimulating, complex task or a boring, dull and repetitive task.

Hard work is going through college, medical school, or a certification program.

Hard work is also shoveling snow, cleaning your boat, washing your dog, and chasing after your kids. Hard work is exertion of the body and the mind regardless of the task.

When hard work trains and refines your body or your mind to perform a single task beautifully, effortlessly, strongly and gracefully, then it is called a practice.

This can be the practice of your abilities and skills at something that greatly interests you, be it your writing , your dance, your art, your cooking, your communication skills, your yoga, your running, your photography, your meditation , your fill-in-these-blanks passion .

Hard work can be wasteful and show no results beyond the immediate. I bet you can think of examples and spare me the trouble to reflect on the wasted hours of my life at menial, ridiculous tasks and jobs. (Please nod yes and let us move on.)

Practice, on the other hand, never goes unnoticed for long. When you practice consistently at something, it shows — whether you like it or not. Lo and behold, the fruits of all practice resurface and subtle that they may be, they gently nudge you forward on your particular path.

Practice is the beginning of beautiful miracles waiting to unfold . For me. For you. For anyone – and I mean anyone – willing to put in the practice to build a skill and develop a talent.

What Happens When You Practice?

When you practice, you use your skills and you build on them. You start to break boundaries , the ones you swore you’d “never be able to do” ; you push past your old edge and start playing around new ones. Simply put, you get better with practice. Oh and you look like a genius on the side. (See my favorite quote at the opening).

Practice is intoxicating, brilliantly simple and simply brilliant and truly the best antidote for a dip in motivation . It empowers and enables. It reminds you that building a skill is difficult but not impossible. Practice makes things possible. Practice opens doors but only — and not a minute sooner than — when you are ready for it.

Consistent and regular practice has more of an exponential than a linear effect. If you practice your dance weekly, you advance very slowly over time but if you practice it daily, the jump is not linear. It is exponential — in other words, it’s a big jump, a huge jump, the kind of jump that makes the difference between good and great, mediocre and magnificent.

And practice rewards handsomely in all instances. It does not care about the state of economy, your business or even your relationships. When you practice something — anything — you improve, you grow, you advance, you gain a skill and heaps of confidence to boot.

On the scale of good to great, I have stumbled on these moments of progress in my yoga journey  — things I thought I’d never be able to do are now part of my regular practice. What beautiful proof to believe that practice pays in abundance.

What Happens When You Don’t Practice?

When you don’t practice, you lose your skills , not all at once — now that would be obvious enough to terrify you back into practice — but instead, one subtle muscle and brain memory at a time. At first, it is frustrating but hardly bad enough to sound a loud alarm. Then you notice that what seemed so effortless at the height of your practice now takes so much more time and energy.

You slip here and there. You lose your refinement and agility . You notice that the skills you once held at the palm of your hands are now slipping through your fingers and you wake up to reality. You have slowly lost your sharp skills for that which you swore you loved more than anything else.

Without practice and use, you lose what you built. The less you practice, the faster it fades and it is a terrible thing to witness so stop the insanity early on !

Beware of the impending effect on your beloved skills. I have noticed this bitter effect many times. When we lived in Turkey , I had mastered Turkish like a native. I would ace geography and history in 8th grade, gossip with the best of them in school, and once successfully translated a car-buying negotiation between my dad and the dealer from Farsi to Turkish. Today I remember a few words and harbor some regret in losing my skill for not using it.

Fall in Love with Your Practice

Practice is tangible. Motivation and inspiration are sometimes fleeting but practice, you can hold on to it. You can count on it. You can schedule it. You can plan it. You can commit to it. You can return to it anytime so long as you believe in its power and its rewards.

So whatever your goals, your desirable skills, your artistic aspirations and dreams of creativity, build a consistent, unshakable practice around it. Stay the course, detach from the end-goal and delve into the world and wonder of your practice.

Fall in love with the slow, the steady, and after a while, the significant progress which awaits you . Fall in love with your practice and compromise it for nothing in exchange on your path to greatness.

Travel     Self-Improvement     Habits Inspiration     Motivation     Juicing Affirmations     Communication Self-Confidence     Entrepreneurship

Recent Posts

• Farnoosh’s November 2023 Update
• 8 Ways Yoga Made Me Grow in 2019
• On Listening to Your Stroke of Insight and How I Got Published a 4th Time
• Book Giveaway for 7 Paperback Copies of The Serving Mindset
• The Mindset for Making Things Happen in 2018

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information Accept

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2023 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

Does Practice Really Make Perfect?

With Elite Performance, Does Talent or Practice Matter More?

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter.

Michael H / Getty Images

• How Much Practice Matters

Other Contributing Factors

Best way to practice.

• Make the Most of Practice

What creates the difference between expert and amateur performance? Can anyone become an elite athlete or professional musician with enough practice, or is genetic talent the deciding variable? These questions are examples of the age-old nature versus nurture debate .

In fact, the answer to this question has been the subject of considerable interest and research. A landmark 1993 study suggested that practice accounted for about 80% of the difference between elite performance and amateur performance.

These findings led to the popular notion of the "10,000-hour rule," or the idea that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. Another major study, however, challenged the idea that anyone can become an expert with enough practice.

How Much Does Practice Matter?

In that study, which appeared in Psychological Science in 2014, researchers analyzed the results of 88 different studies of practice and performance in numerous areas including music, sports, education, professions, and games. All of these studies looked at people who were acquiring a new skill.

The researchers assessed factors including how much the people practiced and how good they eventually became at the new skill. Just how big of a role did practice really play?

Unsurprisingly, practicing a new skill does have an important role in the learning process. However, the researchers found that practice alone only accounted for an average of 12% of individual differences in performance across various domains.

Practice accounted for 26% of the variance in games, 21% in music, and 18% for sports. But when it came to education and professions, practice made far less of a difference, with just 4% of the variance attributed to practice in the domain of education and less than 1% for professions.  

So if practice is only one piece of the puzzle, what other factors contribute to learning and skill development? A few of the things that might be important include your overall intelligence , how early you start learning a new skill, your memory capacity , and inborn talent.

While the age-old saying suggests practice makes perfect, researchers have found practice alone doesn't necessarily lead to success. Instead, experts suggest the right kind of practice is what really matters when trying to optimize learning and increase skills.

While hands-on experience is often touted as the only way to learn a new skill, it leaves out another very important type of rehearsal—mental practice.

Mental practice involves imagining the procedures you must go through to perform a task. For example, a pianist might mentally practice a piece of music while an actor might mentally rehearse his lines in a play.

One 2008 study found that medical students who combined mental practice with hands-on experience did better when performing real surgery than those who had only relied on physical practice and textbook reading.

Researchers have also found that the way a person practices influences how well a skill is learned. In a 2013 study, a team of researchers analyzed data collected from more than 850,000 participants as the players learned new skills playing an online game called "Axon."

In the game, players guide a neuron from one connection to the next by clicking on possible targets. The purpose is to test how well participants perceive information and make decisions as well as how quickly they act.

What the researchers were interested in when looking at the game, however, was what kind of effect practice had on game performance. And they noticed some players, who practiced the same amount as others, displayed much higher scores than the rest.

By analyzing the data, the researchers were able to see that these high-scoring players had spaced out their playing sessions more, suggesting that they spent more time investigating how the game worked than the lower-scoring players. These spaced-out explorations early on paid off in better performance as the players became more skilled.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

Hosted by Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies for creating a motivated mindset, featuring TB12 CEO John Burns.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

How to Make the Most of Practice

So how can you practice in a way that will effectively foster skill development? Here are some tips for making your practice count.

• Spend time early on becoming familiar with the process and tools you need to perform the skill.
• Vary your practice sessions early on to help maintain interest and enjoyment.
• Be courageous and don’t be afraid to make mistakes; research has shown that optimal learning often requires making errors.
• Remember that exploration is an important part of learning any new skill.

While practice might not necessarily make your skills perfect, it certainly is still an important piece of the learning puzzle. By balancing methods that include mental rehearsal, hands-on practice, exploration, and other forms of learning, you can optimize skill development and become a more efficient learner .

Becoming an elite expert in any area takes years, and practice is ultimately just one piece of the puzzle. And, while practice is surely important, experts continue to debate the degree and effect that practice really has on performance.

Ericsson KA, Krampe RT, Tesch-Römer C. The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance . Psychological Review. 1993;100: 363–406.

Macnamara BN, Hambrick DZ, Oswald FL. Deliberate practice and performance in music, games, sports, education, and professions: A meta-analysis . Psychol Sci . 2014;25(8):1608-18. doi:10.1177/0956797614535810

Sanders CW, Sadoski M, van Walsum K, Bramson R, Wiprud R, Fossum TW. Learning basic surgical skills with mental imagery: Using the simulation centre in the mind .  Medical Education . 2008;42(6):607-612. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2923.2007.02964.x

Stafford T, Dewar M. Tracing the trajectory of skill learning with a very large sample of online game players .  Psychol Sci . 2014;25(2):511-518. doi:10.1177/0956797613511466

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

• - Google Chrome

Intended for healthcare professionals

• Access provided by Google Indexer
• My email alerts
• BMA member login
• Username * Password * Forgot your log in details? Need to activate BMA Member Log In Log in via OpenAthens Log in via your institution

Search form

• Advanced search
• Search responses
• Search blogs
• News & Views
• How to improve...

How to improve healthcare improvement—an essay by Mary Dixon-Woods

Read the full collection.

• Related content
• Peer review
• Mary Dixon-Woods , director
• THIS Institute, Cambridge, UK
• director{at}thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk

As improvement practice and research begin to come of age, Mary Dixon-Woods considers the key areas that need attention if we are to reap their benefits

In the NHS, as in health systems worldwide, patients are exposed to risks of avoidable harm 1 and unwarranted variations in quality. 2 3 4 But too often, problems in the quality and safety of healthcare are merely described, even “admired,” 5 rather than fixed; the effort invested in collecting information (which is essential) is not matched by effort in making improvement. The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death, for example, has raised many of the same concerns in report after report. 6 Catastrophic degradations of organisations and units have recurred throughout the history of the NHS, with depressingly similar features each time. 7 8 9

More resources are clearly necessary to tackle many of these problems. There is no dispute about the preconditions for high quality, safe care: funding, staff, training, buildings, equipment, and other infrastructure. But quality health services depend not just on structures but on processes. 10 Optimising the use of available resources requires continuous improvement of healthcare processes and systems. 5

The NHS has seen many attempts to stimulate organisations to improve using incentive schemes, ranging from pay for performance (the Quality and Outcomes Framework in primary care, for example) to public reporting (such as annual quality accounts). They have had mixed results, and many have had unintended consequences. 11 12 Wanting to improve is not the same as knowing how to do it.

In response, attention has increasingly turned to a set of approaches known as quality improvement (QI). Though a definition of exactly what counts as a QI approach has escaped consensus, QI is often identified with a set of techniques adapted from industrial settings. They include the US Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Model for Improvement, which, among other things, combines measurement with tests of small change (plan-do-study-act cycles). 8 Other popular approaches include Lean and Six Sigma. QI can also involve specific interventions intended to improve processes and systems, ranging from checklists and “care bundles” of interventions (a set of evidence based practices intended to be done consistently) through to medicines reconciliation and clinical pathways.

QI has been advocated in healthcare for over 30 years 13 ; policies emphasise the need for QI and QI practice is mandated for many healthcare professionals (including junior doctors). Yet the question, “Does quality improvement actually improve quality?” remains surprisingly difficult to answer. 14 The evidence for the benefits of QI is mixed 14 and generally of poor quality. It is important to resolve this unsatisfactory situation. That will require doing more to bring together the practice and the study of improvement, using research to improve improvement, and thinking beyond effectiveness when considering the study and practice of improvement.

Uniting practice and study

The practice and study of improvement need closer integration. Though QI programmes and interventions may be just as consequential for patient wellbeing as drugs, devices, and other biomedical interventions, research about improvement has often been seen as unnecessary or discretionary, 15 16 particularly by some of its more ardent advocates. This is partly because the challenges faced are urgent, and the solutions seem obvious, so just getting on with it seems the right thing to do.

But, as in many other areas of human activity, QI is pervaded by optimism bias. It is particularly affected by the “lovely baby” syndrome, which happens when formal evaluation is eschewed because something looks so good that it is assumed it must work. Five systematic reviews (published 2010-16) reporting on evaluations of Lean and Six Sigma did not identify a single randomised controlled trial. 17 18 19 20 21 A systematic review of redesigning care processes identified no randomised trials. 22 A systematic review of the application of plan-do-study-act in healthcare identified no randomised trials. 23 A systematic review of several QI methods in surgery identified just one randomised trial. 56

The sobering reality is that some well intentioned, initially plausible improvement efforts fail when subjected to more rigorous evaluation. 24 For instance, a controlled study of a large, well resourced programme that supported a group of NHS hospitals to implement the IHI’s Model for Improvement found no differences in the rate of improvement between participating and control organisations. 25 26 Specific interventions may, similarly, not survive the rigours of systematic testing. An example is a programme to reduce hospital admissions from nursing homes that showed promise in a small study in the US, 27 but a later randomised implementation trial found no effect on admissions or emergency department attendances. 28

Some interventions are probably just not worth the effort and opportunity cost: having nurses wear “do not disturb” tabards during drug rounds, is one example. 29 And some QI efforts, perversely, may cause harm—as happened when a multicomponent intervention was found to be associated with an increase rather than a decrease in surgical site infections. 30

Producing sound evidence for the effectiveness of improvement interventions and programmes is likely to require a multipronged approach. More large scale trials and other rigorous studies, with embedded qualitative inquiry, should be a priority for research funders.

Not every study of improvement needs to be a randomised trial. One valuable but underused strategy involves wrapping evaluation around initiatives that are happening anyway, especially when it is possible to take advantage of natural experiments or design roll-outs. 31 Evaluation of the reorganisation of stroke care in London and Manchester 32 and the study of the Matching Michigan programme to reduce central line infections are good examples. 33 34

It would be impossible to externally evaluate every QI project. Critically important therefore will be increasing the rigour with which QI efforts evaluate themselves, as shown by a recent study of an attempt to improve care of frail older people using a “hospital at home” approach in southwest England. 35 This ingeniously designed study found no effect on outcomes and also showed that context matters.

Despite the potential value of high quality evaluation, QI reports are often weak, 18 with, for example, interventions so poorly reported that reproducibility is frustrated. 36 Recent reporting guidelines may help, 37 but some problems are not straightforward to resolve. In particular, current structures for governance and publishing research are not always well suited to QI, including situations where researchers study programmes they have not themselves initiated. Systematic learning from QI needs to improve, which may require fresh thinking about how best to align the goals of practice and study, and to reconcile the needs of different stakeholders. 38

Using research to improve improvement

Research can help to support the practice of improvement in many ways other than evaluation of its effectiveness. One important role lies in creating assets that can be used to improve practice, such as ways to visualise data, analytical methods, and validated measures that assess the aspects of care that most matter to patients and staff. This kind of work could, for example, help to reduce the current vast number of quality measures—there are more than 1200 indicators of structure and process in perioperative care alone. 39

The study of improvement can also identify how improvement practice can get better. For instance, it has become clear that fidelity to the basic principles of improvement methods is a major problem: plan-do-study-act cycles are crucial to many improvement approaches, yet only 20% of the projects that report using the technique have done so properly. 23 Research has also identified problems in measurement—teams trying to do improvement may struggle with definitions, data collection, and interpretation 40 —indicating that this too requires more investment.

Improvement research is particularly important to help cumulate, synthesise, and scale learning so that practice can move forward without reinventing solutions that already exist or reintroducing things that do not work. Such theorising can be highly practical, 41 helping to clarify the mechanisms through which interventions are likely to work, supporting the optimisation of those interventions, and identifying their most appropriate targets. 42

Research can systematise learning from “positive deviance,” approaches that examine individuals, teams, or organisations that show exceptionally good performance. 43 Positive deviance can be used to identify successful designs for clinical processes that other organisations can apply. 44

Crucially, positive deviance can also help to characterise the features of high performing contexts and ensure that the right lessons are learnt. For example, a distinguishing feature of many high performing organisations, including many currently rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, is that they use structured methods of continuous quality improvement. But studies of high performing settings, such as the Southmead maternity unit in Bristol, indicate that although continuous improvement is key to their success, a specific branded improvement method is not necessary. 45 This and other work shows that not all improvement needs to involve a well defined QI intervention, and not everything requires a discrete project with formal plan-do-study-act cycles.

More broadly, research has shown that QI is just one contributor to improving quality and safety. Organisations in many industries display similar variations to healthcare organisations, including large and persistent differences in performance and productivity between seemingly similar enterprises. 46 Important work, some of it experimental, is beginning to show that it is the quality of their management practices that distinguishes them. 47 These practices include continuous quality improvement as well as skills training, human resources, and operational management, for example. QI without the right contextual support is likely to have limited impact.

Beyond effectiveness

Important as they are, evaluations of the approaches and interventions in individual improvement programmes cannot answer every pertinent question about improvement. 48 Other key questions concern the values and assumptions intrinsic to QI.

Consider the “product dominant” logic in many healthcare improvement efforts, which assumes that one party makes a product and conveys it to a consumer. 49 Paul Batalden, one of the early pioneers of QI in healthcare, proposes that we need instead a “service dominant” logic, which assumes that health is co-produced with patients. 49

More broadly, we must interrogate how problems of quality and safety are identified, defined, and selected for attention by whom, through which power structures, and with what consequences. Why, for instance, is so much attention given to individual professional behaviour when systems are likely to be a more productive focus? 50 Why have quality and safety in mental illness and learning disability received less attention in practice, policy, and research 51 despite high morbidity and mortality and evidence of both serious harm and failures of organisational learning? The concern extends to why the topic of social inequities in healthcare improvement has remained so muted 52 and to the choice of subjects for study. Why is it, for example, that interventions like education and training, which have important roles in quality and safety and are undertaken at vast scale, are often treated as undeserving of evaluation or research?

How QI is organised institutionally also demands attention. It is often conducted as a highly local, almost artisan activity, with each organisation painstakingly working out its own solution for each problem. Much improvement work is conducted by professionals in training, often in the form of small, time limited projects conducted for accreditation. But working in this isolated way means a lack of critical mass to support the right kinds of expertise, such as the technical skill in human factors or ergonomics necessary to engineer a process or devise a safety solution. Having hundreds of organisations all trying to do their own thing also means much waste, and the absence of harmonisation across basic processes introduces inefficiencies and risks. 14

A better approach to the interorganisational nature of health service provision requires solving the “problem of many hands.” 53 We need ways to agree which kinds of sector-wide challenges need standardisation and interoperability; which solutions can be left to local customisation at implementation; and which should be developed entirely locally. 14 Better development of solutions and interventions is likely to require more use of prototyping, modelling and simulation, and testing in different scenarios and under different conditions, 14 ideally through coordinated, large scale efforts that incorporate high quality evaluation.

Finally, an approach that goes beyond effectiveness can also help in recognising the essential role of the professions in healthcare improvement. The past half century has seen a dramatic redefining of the role and status of the healthcare professions in health systems 54 : unprecedented external accountability, oversight, and surveillance are now the norm. But policy makers would do well to recognise how much more can be achieved through professional coalitions of the willing than through too many imposed, compliance focused diktats. Research is now showing how the professions can be hugely important institutional forces for good. 54 55 In particular, the professions have a unique and invaluable role in working as advocates for improvement, creating alliances with patients, providing training and education, contributing expertise and wisdom, coordinating improvement efforts, and giving political voice for problems that need to be solved at system level (such as, for example, equipment design).

Improvement efforts are critical to securing the future of the NHS. But they need an evidence base. Without sound evaluation, patients may be deprived of benefit, resources and energy may be wasted on ineffective QI interventions or on interventions that distribute risks unfairly, and organisations are left unable to make good decisions about trade-offs given their many competing priorities. The study of improvement has an important role in developing an evidence-base and in exploring questions beyond effectiveness alone, and in particular showing the need to establish improvement as a collective endeavour that can benefit from professional leadership.

Mary Dixon-Woods is the Health Foundation professor of healthcare improvement studies and director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute at the University of Cambridge, funded by the Health Foundation. Co-editor-in-chief of BMJ Quality and Safety , she is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Physicians. This article is based largely on the Harveian oration she gave at the RCP on 18 October 2018, in the year of the college’s 500th anniversary. The oration is available here: http://www.clinmed.rcpjournal.org/content/19/1/47 and the video version here: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/events/harveian-oration-and-dinner-2018

This article is one of a series commissioned by The BMJ based on ideas generated by a joint editorial group with members from the Health Foundation and The BMJ , including a patient/carer. The BMJ retained full editorial control over external peer review, editing, and publication. Open access fees and The BMJ ’s quality improvement editor post are funded by the Health Foundation.

Competing interests: I have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and a statement is available here: https://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/advisory-panels/editorial-advisory-board/mary-dixonwoods

Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ .

• Neuburger J ,
• Hutchings A ,
• Stewart K ,
• Buckingham R
• Castelli A ,
• Verzulli R ,
• Allwood D ,
• Sunstein CR
• Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
• Shortell SM
• Martin GP ,
• Dixon-Woods M
• Donabedian A
• Himmelstein DU ,
• Woolhandler S
• Woolhandler S ,
• Himmelstein DU
• Dixon-Woods M ,
• Ioannidis JPA ,
• Marshall M ,
• Pronovost P ,
• Glasgow JM ,
• Scott-Caziewell JR ,
• Nicolay CR ,
• Deblois S ,
• Moraros J ,
• Lemstra M ,
• Amaratunga T ,
• Dobranowski J
• van Leijen-Zeelenberg JE ,
• Elissen AMJ ,
• Taylor MJ ,
• McNicholas C ,
• Nicolay C ,
• Morgan DJ ,
• Diekema DJ ,
• Sepkowitz K ,
• Perencevich EN
• Benning A ,
• Ouslander JG ,
• Huckfeldt P ,
• Westbrook JI ,
• Hooper TD ,
• Middleton S ,
• Anthony T ,
• Murray BW ,
• Sum-Ping JT ,
• Portela MC ,
• Pronovost PJ ,
• Woodcock T ,
• Ramsay AIG ,
• Hoffman A ,
• Richardson A ,
• Hibbert P ,
• Matching Michigan Collaboration & Writing Committee
• Tarrant C ,
• Pearson M ,
• Hemsley A ,
• Blackwell R ,
• Custerson L
• Goodman D ,
• Watson SI ,
• Taylor CA ,
• Chazapis M ,
• Gilhooly D ,
• Liberati EG ,
• Davidoff F ,
• Leviton L ,
• Johnston M ,
• Abraham C ,
• “Psychological Theory” Group
• Clay-Williams R ,
• Braithwaite J
• Bradley EH ,
• Willars J ,
• Mahajan A ,
• Aveling EL ,
• Thibaut BI ,
• Ramtale SC ,
• Boozary AS ,
• Shojania KG
• Pronovost PJ
• Armstrong N ,
• Herbert G ,
• Purkayastha S ,
• Greenhalgh A ,

• Visit the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Apply to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Give to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Search Form

• The Importance of Practice

Assessments are often described as falling into two categories: formative and summative . Formative assessments are usually informal, ungraded, or low-stakes assignments used to check students’ understanding of course concepts. They are most often used to “form” the instructor’s instructional plan (i.e., whether it’s time to move on to new concepts or spend a little more time on something). They also give students important information about their progress and about areas in which they may be struggling. Summative assessments, on the other hand, test the sum of a student’s knowledge. These are evaluative, and they are higher-stakes, in that they typically constitute a significant portion of a student’s grade.

More Reps for Better Learning

In Psychology 350, Research Methods & Data Analysis, Professor Cal Garbin makes extensive use of large question banks to provide opportunities for his students to do enough "reps," or practice, that they develop the skills and knowledge needed to approach course assessments with confidence. Garbin’s approach combines many assignment exercises with strategic proctored testing. Read more...

Although there is nothing wrong with relying on summative assessments – almost all courses use them – what is more problematic is the under-use of formative assessments. Formative assessments are, to a great degree, practice. They allow students to attempt a task (like writing a rough draft of an essay or completing quiz questions that resemble what they will later find on an exam) without suffering too great a setback if the attempt does not go as well as it should. In many courses, however, few if any formative assessments are built into the assessment structure. This is not to say that students could not practice their skills in these courses. However, if they do this practice entirely on their own – relying on their motivations, resources, and timelines, and without any feedback from the instructor – then it is not nearly the quality of practice they would enjoy if it were built into the course as formative assessments. Students would then have critical guidance from the instructor, making them much more likely to remain on track and practice in ways that truly move them toward mastery.

In almost any other context, such as athletic competition, we would quickly recognize the absurdity of expecting someone to excel at a task without practice. If the Nebraska volleyball team were to end all of their formal practice sessions, and if the players were told to practice on their own time and then meet up only for matches, then we can be confident that their exemplary performance record would quickly crumble. Yet this is essentially what happens in a course that contains only summative assessments (official matches) and no formative assessments (practice sessions). As you figure out how to complete assessments in your online course, remember the importance of practice, and build in formative assessments wherever you can. Common options include quizzing in Canvas, multiple drafts of papers or projects submitted over time in preparation for final submission, reflection assignments, polling during a lecture, and blind discussion responses. Use the Classroom Assessment Explorer to find formative assessments you can use to investigate different kinds of learning.

Related Links

• How to Create More Items More Quickly in Canvas (PDF)
• Grading and Feedback

CTT Guide to Classroom Assessment

• Assessment Begins with Learning Goals
• Identifying, prioritizing, and aligning learning goals to assessments with the iTGI
• More reps for better learning
• Using formative assessments to improve critical thinking & writing skills
• Classroom Assessment Explorer
• Hands-On Learning and Assessment
• Make Assessments Authentic
• Proctoring and Academic Integrity
• UNL Classroom Assessment Examples
• Additional Classroom Assessment Resources

Essay and dissertation writing skills

Planning your essay

Writing your introduction

Structuring your essay

• Writing essays in science subjects
• Brief video guides to support essay planning and writing
• Writing extended essays and dissertations
• Planning your dissertation writing time

Structuring your dissertation

• Top tips for writing longer pieces of work

Advice on planning and writing essays and dissertations

University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions. 

You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:

Different disciplines will have different expectations for essay structure and you should always refer to your Faculty or Department student handbook or course Canvas site for more specific guidance.

However, broadly speaking, all essays share the following features:

Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question. You might define specific terms in the introduction to show your engagement with the essay question; for example, ‘This is a large topic which has been variously discussed by many scientists and commentators. The principle tension is between the views of X and Y who define the main issues as…’ Breadth might be demonstrated by showing the range of viewpoints from which the essay question could be considered; for example, ‘A variety of factors including economic, social and political, influence A and B. This essay will focus on the social and economic aspects, with particular emphasis on…..’

Watch this two-minute video to learn more about how to plan and structure an introduction:

The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.

• Conclusion: An essay should end with a conclusion that reiterates the argument in light of the evidence you have provided; you shouldn’t use the conclusion to introduce new information.
• References: You need to include references to the materials you’ve used to write your essay. These might be in the form of footnotes, in-text citations, or a bibliography at the end. Different systems exist for citing references and different disciplines will use various approaches to citation. Ask your tutor which method(s) you should be using for your essay and also consult your Department or Faculty webpages for specific guidance in your discipline. 

Essay writing in science subjects

If you are writing an essay for a science subject you may need to consider additional areas, such as how to present data or diagrams. This five-minute video gives you some advice on how to approach your reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your scientific audience – the video is available here:

A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.

Short videos to support your essay writing skills

There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:

• Approaching different types of essay questions  
• Structuring your essay  
• Writing an introduction  
• Making use of evidence in your essay writing  
• Writing your conclusion

Extended essays and dissertations

Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.

Planning your time effectively

Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.

Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.

The structure of  extended essays or dissertations will vary depending on the question and discipline, but may include some or all of the following:

• The background information to - and context for - your research. This often takes the form of a literature review.
• Explanation of the focus of your work.
• Explanation of the value of this work to scholarship on the topic.
• List of the aims and objectives of the work and also the issues which will not be covered because they are outside its scope.

The main body of your extended essay or dissertation will probably include your methodology, the results of research, and your argument(s) based on your findings.

The conclusion is to summarise the value your research has added to the topic, and any further lines of research you would undertake given more time or resources. 

Tips on writing longer pieces of work

Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.

For further guidance, watch this two-minute video on writing longer pieces of work . 

Systems & Services

Access Student Self Service

• Student Self Service
• Self Service guide
• Registration guide
• Libraries search
• OXCORT - see TMS
• GSS - see Student Self Service
• The Careers Service
• Oxford University Sport
• Online store
• Gardens, Libraries and Museums
• Researchers Skills Toolkit
• LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)
• Access Guide
• Lecture Lists
• Exam Papers (OXAM)
• Oxford Talks

Latest student news

CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?

Try our extensive database of FAQs or submit your own question...

Ask a question

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 177 college essay examples for 11 schools + expert analysis.

College Admissions , College Essays

The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in—college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 177 full essays and essay excerpts , this article is a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it—check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations—anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus—each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

And if you need more guidance, connect with PrepScholar's expert admissions consultants . These expert writers know exactly what college admissions committees look for in an admissions essay and chan help you craft an essay that boosts your chances of getting into your dream school.

Check out PrepScholar's Essay Editing and Coaching progra m for more details!

Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now, let's get to the good stuff: the list of 177 college essay examples responding to current and past Common App essay prompts. 

Connecticut college.

• 12 Common Application essays from the classes of 2022-2025

Hamilton College

• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2026
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2022
• 7 Common Application essays from the class of 2018
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2012
• 8 Common Application essays from the class of 2007

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Coalition Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

• 1 Common Application or Coalition Application essay from the class of 2026
• 6 Common Application or Coalition Application essays from the class of 2025
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2024
• 6 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2023
• 7 Common Application of Universal Application essays from the class of 2022
• 5 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2021
• 7 Common Application or Universal Application essays from the class of 2020

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

• 2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

• 4 essays (and 1 video response) on "Why Babson" from the class of 2020

Emory University

• 5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) from the class of 2020 along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional
• 5 more recent essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on what made these essays stand out

University of Georgia

• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2019
• 1 “strong essay” sample from 2018
• 10 Harvard essays from 2023
• 10 Harvard essays from 2022
• 10 Harvard essays from 2021
• 10 Harvard essays from 2020
• 10 Harvard essays from 2019
• 10 Harvard essays from 2018
• 6 essays from admitted MIT students

Smith College

• 6 "best gift" essays from the class of 2018

Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

College Essays That Made a Difference —This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles.

50 Successful Harvard Application Essays by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson—A must for anyone aspiring to Harvard .

50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays and 50 Successful Stanford Application Essays by Gen and Kelly Tanabe—For essays from other top schools, check out this venerated series, which is regularly updated with new essays.

Heavenly Essays by Janine W. Robinson—This collection from the popular blogger behind Essay Hell includes a wider range of schools, as well as helpful tips on honing your own essay.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger—he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"—a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing—all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things—violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill—you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness—since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"—just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

Example 2: By Renner Kwittken, Tufts Class of '23 (Common App Essay, 645 words long)

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go," and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration.

Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear.

I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

In the lab, Dr. Ray encouraged a great amount of autonomy to design and implement my own procedures. I chose to attack a problem that affects the entire field of nanomedicine: nanoparticles consistently fail to translate from animal studies into clinical trials. Jumping off recent literature, I set out to see if a pre-dose of a common chemotherapeutic could enhance nanoparticle delivery in aggressive prostate cancer, creating three novel constructs based on three different linear polymers, each using fluorescent dye (although no gold, sorry goldbug!). Though using radioactive isotopes like Gallium and Yttrium would have been incredible, as a 17-year-old, I unfortunately wasn't allowed in the same room as these radioactive materials (even though I took a Geiger counter to a pair of shoes and found them to be slightly dangerous).

I hadn't expected my hypothesis to work, as the research project would have ideally been led across two full years. Yet while there are still many optimizations and revisions to be done, I was thrilled to find -- with completely new nanoparticles that may one day mean future trials will use particles with the initials "RK-1" -- thatcyclophosphamide did indeed increase nanoparticle delivery to the tumor in a statistically significant way.

A secondary, unexpected research project was living alone in Baltimore, a new city to me, surrounded by people much older than I. Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research. Whether in a presentation or in a casual conversation, making others interested in science is perhaps more exciting to me than the research itself. This solidified a new pursuit to angle my love for writing towards illuminating science in ways people can understand, adding value to a society that can certainly benefit from more scientific literacy.

It seems fitting that my goals are still transforming: in Scarry's book, there is not just one goldbug, there is one on every page. With each new experience, I'm learning that it isn't the goldbug itself, but rather the act of searching for the goldbugs that will encourage, shape, and refine my ever-evolving passions. Regardless of the goldbug I seek -- I know my pickle truck has just begun its journey.

Renner takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but their essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of this essay.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

This essay is ultimately about two things: Renner’s dreams and future career goals, and Renner’s philosophy on goal-setting and achieving one’s dreams.

But instead of listing off all the amazing things they’ve done to pursue their dream of working in nanomedicine, Renner tells a powerful, unique story instead. To set up the narrative, Renner opens the essay by connecting their experiences with goal-setting and dream-chasing all the way back to a memorable childhood experience:

This lighthearted–but relevant!--story about the moment when Renner first developed a passion for a specific career (“finding the goldbug”) provides an anchor point for the rest of the essay. As Renner pivots to describing their current dreams and goals–working in nanomedicine–the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” is reflected in Renner’s experiments, rejections, and new discoveries.

Though Renner tells multiple stories about their quest to “find the goldbug,” or, in other words, pursue their passion, each story is connected by a unifying theme; namely, that as we search and grow over time, our goals will transform…and that’s okay! By the end of the essay, Renner uses the metaphor of “finding the goldbug” to reiterate the relevance of the opening story:

While the earlier parts of the essay convey Renner’s core message by showing, the final, concluding paragraph sums up Renner’s insights by telling. By briefly and clearly stating the relevance of the goldbug metaphor to their own philosophy on goals and dreams, Renner demonstrates their creativity, insight, and eagerness to grow and evolve as the journey continues into college.

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Renner sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know them.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Renner's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks their younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay—you could never mistake one writer for the other).

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver.

I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon.

Renner gives a great example of how to use humor to your advantage in college essays. You don’t want to come off as too self-deprecating or sarcastic, but telling a lightheartedly humorous story about your younger self that also showcases how you’ve grown and changed over time can set the right tone for your entire essay.

Technique #2: intentional, eye-catching structure. The second technique is the way Renner uses a unique structure to bolster the tone and themes of their essay . The structure of your essay can have a major impact on how your ideas come across…so it’s important to give it just as much thought as the content of your essay!

For instance, Renner does a great job of using one-line paragraphs to create dramatic emphasis and to make clear transitions from one phase of the story to the next:

Suddenly the destination of my pickle car was clear.

Not only does the one-liner above signal that Renner is moving into a new phase of the narrative (their nanoparticle research experiences), it also tells the reader that this is a big moment in Renner’s story. It’s clear that Renner made a major discovery that changed the course of their goal pursuit and dream-chasing. Through structure, Renner conveys excitement and entices the reader to keep pushing forward to the next part of the story.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Renner emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

Even with moving frequently between hotels, AirBnB's, and students' apartments, I strangely reveled in the freedom I had to enjoy my surroundings and form new friendships with graduate school students from the lab. We explored The Inner Harbor at night, attended a concert together one weekend, and even got to watch the Orioles lose (to nobody's surprise). Ironically, it's through these new friendships I discovered something unexpected: what I truly love is sharing research.

In the examples above, Renner switches adeptly between long, flowing sentences and quippy, telegraphic ones. At the same time, Renner uses these different sentence lengths intentionally. As they describe their experiences in new places, they use longer sentences to immerse the reader in the sights, smells, and sounds of those experiences. And when it’s time to get a big, key idea across, Renner switches to a short, punchy sentence to stop the reader in their tracks.

The varying syntax and sentence lengths pull the reader into the narrative and set up crucial “aha” moments when it’s most important…which is a surefire way to make any college essay stand out.

Renner's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Connecting the research experiences to the theme of “finding the goldbug.”  The essay begins and ends with Renner’s connection to the idea of “finding the goldbug.” And while this metaphor is deftly tied into the essay’s intro and conclusion, it isn’t entirely clear what Renner’s big findings were during the research experiences that are described in the middle of the essay. It would be great to add a sentence or two stating what Renner’s big takeaways (or “goldbugs”) were from these experiences, which add more cohesion to the essay as a whole.

Give more details about discovering the world of nanomedicine. It makes sense that Renner wants to get into the details of their big research experiences as quickly as possible. After all, these are the details that show Renner’s dedication to nanomedicine! But a smoother transition from the opening pickle car/goldbug story to Renner’s “real goldbug” of nanoparticles would help the reader understand why nanoparticles became Renner’s goldbug. Finding out why Renner is so motivated to study nanomedicine–and perhaps what put them on to this field of study–would help readers fully understand why Renner chose this path in the first place.

4 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Get Help From the Experts

Getting your college applications together takes a lot of work and can be pretty intimidatin g. Essays are even more important than ever now that admissions processes are changing and schools are going test-optional and removing diversity standards thanks to new Supreme Court rulings .  If you want certified expert help that really makes a difference, get started with  PrepScholar’s Essay Editing and Coaching program. Our program can help you put together an incredible essay from idea to completion so that your application stands out from the crowd. We've helped students get into the best colleges in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.  If you're ready to take the next step and boost your odds of getting into your dream school, connect with our experts today .

#2: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?
• Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?
• Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?
• Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

#3: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more examples of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#4: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Still not sure which colleges you want to apply to? Our experts will show you how to make a college list that will help you choose a college that's right for you.

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List

Nurses’ roles in changing practice through implementing best practices: A systematic review

Wilma ten ham-baloyi.

1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Associated Data

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.

Nurses play an important role in the implementation of best practices. However, the role of nurses in changing practice by implementing best practices requires further exploration. No systematic review was found that summarised the best available evidence on the roles of nurses in changing practice through the implementation of best practices. This study summarised the best available evidence on the roles of nurses in changing practice through the implementation of best practices. A systematic review was used to search for studies in the English language, where a best practice was implemented in a clinical context and which included findings regarding the roles of nurses when implementing best practices. Scopus, EBSCOhost (Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL with Full Text, ERIC, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, MasterFILE Premier, MEDLINE Complete), PUBMED, and ScienceDirect databases were searched from January 2013 to June 2021. The search generated 1343 citations. After removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, 27 studies were included. Five definite roles were identified as follows: leadership, education and training, collaboration, communication and feedback and development and tailoring of the best practice. These roles are interrelated, but equally crucial in order to implement best practices. This study found five interrelated but equally crucial nurse roles in changing practice through the implementation of best practices.

Contribution

The study’s findings and gaps identified can be used for further nursing research, improving practice change and health outcomes through the implementation of best practices and the role nurses can play in this process.

Introduction

Globally, in the last decades, there have been rapid changes in healthcare and nursing practice, based on the best available evidence, to improve patient, nursing and organisational outcomes whilst, at the same time, using resources efficiently (Cullen & Donahue 2016 ; Salmond & Echevarria 2017 ). A sustained change in practice through the implementation of best practices is required to improve health and patient outcomes such as length and costs of hospital stay (Leviton & Melichar 2016 ).

Research findings based on rigorous methods that have been identified as best evidence and evidence-based products such as evidence-based innovations, interventions, strategies, practice improvements, guidelines, initiatives, programmes or recommendations (in this study referred to as ‘best practices’) assist in changing health and nursing practice (International Council of Nurses 2012 ). However, implementation of best practices remains problematic (Greenhalgh, Howick & Maskrey 2014 ). Innovative ways are required to firstly translate best evidence, which is the application of knowledge (Graham et al. 2018 ) and thereafter implement the best practice. This is especially relevant for a healthcare and nursing environment that is increasingly competitive and has to operate in a cost-effective way (Salmond & Echevarria 2017 ).

Furthermore, there are various stakeholders who influence implementation of best practices or change in practice and these stakeholders are also affected by change in practice (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ] 2016 ). Thus, there is a strong drive for stakeholders to be actively engaged in and to make committed decisions about changing practice (Norris et al. 2017 ). To do so, the roles of the various stakeholders in changing practice – which includes patients and their families, the nurses and other healthcare practitioners and the managers at micro, meso and macro levels of the health system – need to be understood. Understanding the roles of these stakeholders in changing practice will assist in a more effective and efficient implementation and uptake of innovative best practices and, ultimately, will improve healthcare outcomes (Leviton & Melichar 2016 ).

Nurses, as one of the stakeholders, play an important role in the implementation of best practices. However, the role of nurses in changing practice by implementing best practices is not always well understood (Kristensen, Nymann & Konradsen 2016 ). No systematic review was found that summarised the best available evidence on the roles of nurses in changing practice through the implementation of best practices. This review therefore aimed to summarise the best available evidence on the roles of nurses in changing practice through the implementation of best practices.

A systematic review was conducted to collect data, identify high-quality relevant studies and to synthesise the findings in a rigorous and comprehensive way so that a comprehensive picture of current best available evidence could be provided. In this case, the best available evidence on the roles of nurses in changing practice through the implementation of best practices as a preliminary search did not yield any systematic reviews. The systematic review was conducted according to the Systematic Review guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The following review question was formulated: ‘What is/are the role(s) of nurses in changing practice when implementing best practices’?

Search methods

Sources of evidence.

The following databases were searched: Scopus, EBSCOhost (Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL with Full Text, ERIC, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, MasterFILE Premier, MEDLINE Complete), Pubmed and ScienceDirect.

A broad combination of keywords was used to search the literature on the topic. A set of keywords per database was selected to yield the most relevant studies. The following keywords were used: role OR function AND nurse OR nurses OR nursing AND implement* AND best practice OR best practices.

Inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria

Studies of the following levels of evidence, according to JBI ( 2016 ), were included: Level I Experimental studies: (c) randomised controlled trials (RCT), (d) pseudo-RCTs; Level II Quasi-experimental studies: (c) quasi-experimental prospectively controlled study, (d) pre-test, post-test/retrospective control group; Level III Observational Analytical studies: (c) cohort study with control group, (d) case controlled study, (e) observational study without a control group; Level IV Observational Descriptive studies: (b) cross-sectional study, (c) case series, (d) case studies. Only those studies published in English from January 2013 to June 2021 were eligible for selection.

Studies were included where a best practice was implemented in a healthcare or clinical context (inside or outside a hospital setting where nursing care is rendered, e.g. old age setting), published in English, which included findings regarding the roles of nurses when implementing best practices. Systematic types of reviews and non-research studies were excluded as well as studies that were not implementing best practices (e.g. studies where no intervention was implemented or not described, studies regarding the views on the role of nurses implementing best practices in general or general perceived facilitators and barriers).

The entire search strategy, including the choice of keywords and electronic databases was conducted with the assistance of an experienced librarian from the Nelson Mandela University. Similar assistance was provided in obtaining studies, some via Inter-Library Loan services.

Search outcome

For this study, the following steps for selection were followed:

• The researcher read titles and abstracts (whereby irrelevant studies were excluded according to the pre-determined inclusion and/or exclusion criteria).
• Possible relevant literature was selected in order to obtain full-text. The researcher read the full text of potentially relevant studies and selections for inclusion were made according to pre-determined inclusion and/or exclusion criteria.
• When no full text could be obtained to determine inclusion and/or exclusion of an article, Inter-Library Loan services was used and authors were contacted.

EndNote X9 was used for data management, obtaining full-texts and for deduplication. The search and selection process is outlined in Figure 1 .

Search and selection process.

As a result of the literature search, 1343 initial hits were imported from electronic databases. After removing 456 duplicates, 887 titles and abstracts were read. A total of 823 were excluded as they did not meet inclusion criteria. From the remaining titles, total of 59 full-texts were obtained as five articles could not be located. Reading of the 59 articles led to exclusion of a further 29 articles, based on the study criteria.

Critical appraisal

A total of 30 studies fulfilled the review criteria and were included for critical appraisal. Appraisal was done using various tools, according to the different research designs or levels of evidence of the literature, including the various 64 JBI (Pearson, Jordan & Munn 2012 ) tools, including: checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies ( n = 2), checklist for cohort studies ( n = 1), checklist for qualitative research ( n = 7); checklist for quasi-experimental studies ( n = 2) (JBI 2021 ).

The following critical appraisal tools were found most suitable but were not available through JBI: The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies (Von Elm et al. 2007 ) ( n = 16), Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) (Hong et al. 2018 ) ( n = 1) and the Effective Practice and Organization of Care Risk of Bias (EPOC RoB) tool for retrospective observational studies such as audits, developed by Cochrane (eds. Higgins et al. 2019 ) ( n = 1).

To reduce bias in review selection and to ensure that the appraisal was performed in a rigorous way, whilst allowing for appropriate consensus, the appraisal was conducted by two reviewers independently using the same critical appraisal tools. The outcome of the critical appraisals was shared amongst the researcher and independent reviewer during a meeting and consensus was achieved in terms of inclusion or exclusion of literature. Out of the total of 30 articles that were included for critical appraisal, three observational studies using audits were excluded because of weak rigour (see Figure 1 ).

Data extraction

Data extraction from the sample was done by recording relevant elements of studies regarding the topic in a tabular format. Headings in the table included: study reference, design, level of evidence, sample and setting, best practice and change strategy and findings relevant to the topic.

Data synthesis

For this review because of the heterogeneous nature of the study designs included thematic analysis, which was done to synthesise the extracted findings of each study, followed by a classification of findings and a summary of findings under thematic headings (as formulated in Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics [ 2012 ]).

Ethical considerations

This study obtained ethical approval from the University’s Faculty Postgraduate Studies Committee (ethics number: H19-HEA-NUR-008). The author adhered to the principles of honesty and transparency in reporting the data. In line with recommendations of Vergnes et al. ( 2010 ), participant consent was not obtained because this study had no participants.

Quality of evidence

The majority of studies ( n = 17) were observational analytical studies: Level III(e) evidence and Level IV evidence ( n = 7, of which n = 4 IV(b) and n = 3 IV(d)). Two other studies ( n = 2) included Level II(d) evidence. One ( n = 1) mixed method study included both Level III(e) and Level IV(b) evidence (JBI 2016 ).

Healthcare or clinical context

Studies were from a variety of healthcare or clinical contexts, with the majority ( n = 20) from a hospital setting. Of these, n = 14 were conducted in specialised hospital-based settings, including: medical and surgical wards ( n = 2) (Siegel 2020 ; Travers et al. 2018 ), paediatric settings ( n = 2) (Rosenberg et al. 2016 ; Yu et al. 2017 ), postnatal ward ( n = 1) (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ), neonatal intensive care unit ( n = 1) (Ceballos et al. 2013 ), surgical ward ( n = 1) (Hu et al. 2019 ), haemodialysis centre ( n = 1) (Jia et al. 2016 ), haematology–oncology ( n = 1) (Naseer et al. 2017 ), orthopaedic ward ( n = 1) (Ong et al. 2017 ), medical ward ( n = 1) (Ullrich, McCutcheon & Parker 2015 ), intensive care unit ( n = 1) (Chiwaula et al. 2021 ), in-patient rehabilitation ( n = 1) (Mullins 2021 ) and a neurology department (Sheng et al. 2020 ).

A total of five ( n = 5) studies were from outside hospital settings, including long-term care ( n = 2) (Kilpatrick et al. 2020 , Mitchell 2017 ), homecare centres ( n = 1) (Bayly et al. 2018 ), acute ambulatory settings ( n = 1) (Chong et al. 2013 ) and a general practitioner (GP) practice ( n = 1) (Williams et al. 2020 ).

Two ( n = 2) studies were conducted inside and outside hospital settings. One of these studies was conducted in both a residential age-care facility and hospital setting (Ullrich, McCutcheon & Parker 2014 ) and the other study was conducted in a hospital setting (inpatient, acute care medical or surgical, intensive care units) and in a long-term care setting (progressive care/stepdown, community home, long-term care, rehabilitation, palliative/hospice care and spinal cord injury) (Becker et al. 2020 ).

Studies were conducted in a variety of countries, including Australia ( n = 6), United States of America ( n = 6), Canada ( n = 4), China ( n = 4), Singapore ( n = 3), United Kingdom ( n = 2), Malawi ( n = 1) and Thailand ( n = 1).

Best practices and implementation strategies for change

In total, seven ( n = 7) best practices and 11 ( n = 11) implementation strategies for change were identified from the included studies. The best practices included: best practice, intervention, strategy, guideline, initiative, programme and recommendation. The implementation strategies included: educational sessions or workshops, (development of) educational material, champion or knowledge broker, discussions, evaluation and feedback, development of an evidence-based practice (EBP) product, employing team or specialists, meetings, observations, equipment, assessments or examinations. Table 1 outlines the best practice and implementation strategies for change, per included study.

Best practices and implementation strategies for change ( n = 27).

EBP, evidence-based practice.

As outlined in Table 1 , included studies indicated a variety of implemented best practices, with best practice or intervention being mostly identified as best practice. Various implementation strategies for change were used, but most studies used more than one strategy, up to six strategies and had an element of education and leadership.

Roles of nurses

Eleven ( n = 11) of the included studies were nurse-led quality improvement projects, in which a team was formed in the clinical setting with nurses who took the lead and facilitated change through the implementation of the best practice in this setting (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Bayly et al. 2018 ; Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Hu et al. 2019 ; Jia et al. 2016 ; Monkong et al. 2020 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Ong et al. 2017 ; Travers et al. 2018 ; Yu et al. 2017 ).

Five definite roles were identified: leadership, education and training, collaboration, communication and feedback and development and tailoring of the best practice. These roles are further described in the following subsections.

Leadership played a role in almost all studies ( n = 21). This could be individuals, for example, a clinical champion (Allen et al. 2018 ; Becker et al. 2020 ), a (clinical) team leader (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Chong et al. 2013 ), a project leader (Hu et al. 2019 ; Mullins 2021 ; Yu et al. 2017 ) or nurse leader (Ceballos et al. 2013 ), a nurse clinician (Nazeer et al. 2017; Ong et al. 2017 ), a knowledge broker (Bayly et al. 2018 ), a practice facilitator (Shade et al. 2020 ), Facilitator CogChamps (Travers et al. 2018 ), a programme or project coordinator (Fleiszer et al. 2015 , 2016 ; Monkong et al. 2020 ) or an audit team leader (Jia et al. 2016 ). In some studies, the leader was the researcher (Mitchell 2017 ) or part of the research team (Kilpatrick et al. 2020 ; Rosenberg et al. 2016 ; Williams et al. 2019 ).

Roles of leaders included:

• recruitment of participants (Becker et al. 2020 )
• facilitating the implementation of the best practice (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 )
• creating educational material (e.g. a computer-based educational module, completion of a comprehensive literature review to inform the educational intervention) (Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Yu et al. 2017 ).
• communication (e.g. sending staff electronic communication with information about the best practice and why practice changes were necessary [Ceballos et al. 2013 ]; explain roles and responsibilities to every team member in fortnightly meetings [Chong et al. 2013 ]; introduce the project to the members and project timelines [Becker et al. 2020 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ])
• data analysis, interpretation of data and report writing (Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Yu et al. 2017 )
• managing the project, process control and promotion and keeping timelines (Monkong et al. 2020 ; Mullins 2021 ; Yu et al. 2017 )
• role modelling in terms of enthusiasm (Chong et al. 2013 ; Yu et al. 2017 ; Williams et al. 2019 ), commitment (Chong et al. 2013 ; Williams et al. 2019 ), approachability, sound clinical knowledge and legitimacy (Williams et al. 2019 ), ability to communicate clearly, being tenacious (keep on going when some nurses showed disinterest) and being able to think creatively about patients and patient care (Travers et al. 2018 )

Education and training

Education and training were found to play a big role in nurses implementing best practices in the majority of the studies ( n = 21). Education and training were sometimes provided by the nurse leader (Shade et al. 2020 ; Travers et al. 2018 ; Yu et al. 2017 ).

Education focused mainly on nursing/healthcare staff in terms of educational sessions (Mitchell 2017 ; Monkong et al. 2020 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ), such as ward-based in-service training (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Hu et al. 2019 ), (1-day) training/workshop (Chiwaula et al. 2021 ; Fleiszer et al. 2015 ; Shade et al. 2020 ; Travers et al. 2018 ), two half-day training sessions including formal presentations, video demonstration of the delivery of the best practice, participative learning and practice sessions (Williams et al. 2020 ), an educational programme (Yu et al. 2017 ), a lecture (Siegel 2020 ), a multimedia educational framework (Rosenberg et al. 2016 ; Sheng et al. 2020 ), online educational videos (Siegel 2020 ), online modules or courses (Bayly et al. 2018 ; Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Williams et al. 2019 ), along with educational tools such as notebooks containing hard copies of online training (Ceballos et al. 2013 ).

Other educational tools and strategies included: user guide (Kilpatrick et al. 2020 ), demonstration of sample scripts (Ong et al. 2017 ), scripts to educate patients (Siegel 2020 ) and documents and ‘informants’ with knowledge (Fleiszer et al. 2015 ). Training of the stakeholders (e.g. volunteer practice change advocates) in the implementation of best practices (Fleiszer et al. 2015 ) and daily practice under supervision (Chong et al. 2013 ) was also done.

As part of the implementation, nurses also used patient education through the development and use of educational tools such as hand-outs (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ), a patient education leaflet (Hu et al. 2019 ), an educational booklet (Bayly et al. 2018 ) and pamphlets, posters or slides using an iPad (Jia et al. 2016 ).

The impact of education and training as part of the implementation of best practices for nurses was that it imparted knowledge, increased nurses’ empathetic and adaptable problem-solving skills, raised awareness and compliance with best practices amongst nurses and made nurses more confident in their roles (Allen et al. 2018 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Shade et al. 2020 ; Travers et al. 2018 ; Williams et al. 2019 ; Yu et al. 2017 ).

Collaboration

Changing practice was often performed through a collaborative effort, as found in most studies ( n = 20). For example, the nurse often led and formed a team with other nurses (Chiwaula et al. 2021 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Fleiszer et al. 2016 ; Jia et al. 2016 ; Mitchell 2017 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Ong et al. 2017 ; Ullrich et al. 2015 ; Yu et al. 2017 ). Alternatively, a nurse led and collaborated with multiple health professionals besides nurses (specialists and managers) in a team in order to implement the best practice (Allan et al. 2018). Such teams including mainly medical staff/directors (Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Hu et al. 2019 ; Kilpatrick et al. 2020 ; Monkong et al. 2020 ; Rosenberg et al. 2016 ; Shade et al. 2020 ), as well as other professions such as a lactation consultant (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ), a researcher (Bayly et al. 2018 ), a clinical pharmacist (Rosenberg et al. 2016 ), a respiratory specialist (Ceballos et al. 2013 ) and a dietician (Mullins 2021 ). One study also collaborated with a patient’s family as part of the interventions (Mullins 2021 ).

The various team members or stakeholders served as support (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Kilpatrick et al. 2020 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Travers et al. 2018 ). Collaboration overcame challenges (Chong et al. 2013 ), enhanced care policies based on best evidence (Rosenberg et al. 2016 ), enhanced accountability (Fleiszer et al. 2016 ), raised collective awareness and expectations for practice, leading to a change in culture, empowerment, mutual respect and communication (Ceballos et al. 2013 ).

Communication and feedback

Besides education, communication and feedback by nurses played an important role in the implementation of the best practice and often facilitated the implementation and uptake of the best practice, as found by more than half ( n = 16) of the studies. Pre-implementation of the best practice, communication was done through meetings or brain storming sessions with ward stakeholders to discuss current practices (Monkong et al. 2020 ) or outlining the project audit (data collection) and timelines (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Hu et al. 2019 ).

During the implementation, discussions or (feedback) meetings were held to present baseline audits and to gather feedback about the project (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Becker et al. 2020 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Fleiszer et al. 2015 ; Hu et al. 2019 ; Mullins 2021 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Shade et al. 2020 ), to discuss barriers to the implementation of the best practice (Jia et al. 2016 ; Mullins 2021 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Ong et al. 2017 ; Shade et al. 2020 ; Ullrich et al. 2014 , 2015 ; Yu et al. 2017 ) and how to overcome the barriers (Mullins 2021 ; Shade et al. 2020 ; Ullrich et al. 2014 , 2015 ; Yu et al. 2017 ), to develop and further improve strategies for implementation (Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Naseer et al. 2017 ; Ong et al. 2017 ) and to discuss progress (Rosenberg et al. 2016 ).

Post-implementation communication was used to brief stakeholders regarding the evaluation of the intervention (Chong et al. 2013 ; Fleiszer et al. 2015 ; Ong et al. 2017 ; Ullrich et al. 2015 ), to discuss how to overcome future barriers (Ong et al. 2017 ; Shade et al. 2020 ) or to celebrate success (Shade et al. 2020 ). Communication was also done online regarding the intervention (Becker et al. 2020 ; Ceballos et al. 2013 ), using emails (Naseer et al. 2017 ; Rosenberg et al. 2016 ) and text messages (Naseer et al. 2017 ).

Ongoing communication and feedback assisted in facilitating the implementation of best practices as it led to the creation of a supportive rapport, which increased engagement (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ), compliance (Hu et al. 2019 ) and both technical and personal support for the project (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Hu et al. 2019 ). It further helped to keep the knowledge translation strategies on track (Bayly et al. 2018 ; Shade et al. 2020 ), enhance the collaborative processes, enhance the ability to learn from peers’ professional experiences and share and use new information learned (Bayly et al. 2018 ). Finally, ongoing communication helped to identify barriers (Ceballos et al. 2013 ; Hu et al. 2019 ) and enhanced sustainability of the change (Becker et al. 2020 ).

Development and tailoring of the best practice

Nurses play a role in the development and tailoring of the best practice, including the development of intervention materials as part of the implementation, as found in more than half ( n = 16) of the included studies. The roles of nurses mainly involved developing an action plan (knowledge translation) or strategies, which was often done through informal discussions with nursing/midwifery staff and identifying barriers and facilitators of planned practice change (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Bayly et al. 2018 ; Becker et al. 2020 ; Chong et al. 2013 ; Hu et al. 2019 ; Jia et al. 2016 ; Monkong et al. 2020 ; Naseer et al. 2018; Ong et al. 2017 ). Development of the best practice activities were also done (Sheng et al. 2020 ; Ullrich et al. 2015 ).

Other roles included developing educational material based on best evidence as part of the best practice, such as educational content, posters and hand-outs (Anderson & Kynoch 2017 ; Travers et al. 2018 ), videos and slides and a nursing newsletter (Becker et al. 2020 ), a computer-based educational module (Ceballos et al. 2013 ) and notebooks containing hardcopies of the online training information or information/resource booklet (Bayly et al. 2018 ; Ceballos et al. 2013 ).

Checklists to assist nurses to care for patients (Travers et al. 2018 ), a structured tool based on communication skills, workflows and reminder cards (Yu et al. 2017 ) and audit tools to evaluate the best practices were developed by nurses to be implemented as part of the best practice (Becker et al. 2020 ; Chong et al. 2013 ). In one study regarding improving the quality of care for hospitalised patients with cognitive impairment (Travers et al. 2018 ), nurses developed resources (e.g. card games, camouflage aprons/fiddle blankets) for patients to use whilst in hospital as part of the implemented best practice.

This review highlighted five definite roles nurses play in the implementation of best practices: leadership, collaboration, education and training, communication and feedback and development and tailoring of the best practice. The importance of the leadership role nurses play in this regard was also discussed elsewhere (Bianchi et al. 2018 ; Vogel et al. 2021 ). In this review, multiple sub-roles in the nurses’ leadership role in the implementation of best evidence were identified, including recruitment, developing the educational intervention and data analysis. However, it seems from this study that behaviour such as role-modelling, plays a big role in the success of practice change, as found elsewhere (Whitby 2018 ). Furthermore, for nurses to be equipped for this leadership role, they need to have the necessary educational and managerial support and resources required for implementation of best practices (Bianchi et al. 2018 ).

Education and training were found to be one of the major roles, with multiple benefits, that the nurse can play in changing practice. These findings confirmed those of Davis and D’Lima ( 2020 ), who found that teaching and training initiatives can build capacity in dissemination and implementation of best practices. However, the authors also found a need to increase the number of training opportunities to enhance the number of researchers and practitioners who implement best practices.

Changing practice was often carried out through a collaborative effort with other (specialist) nurses and stakeholders, as part of an interdisciplinary team. The concept of the (interdisciplinary) team approach is widely accepted as the ‘gold standard’ of care delivery globally, influencing patient, nursing and organisational outcomes and policy development which, taken together, are aspired for achievement of high-quality care (Ansell, Sørensen & Torfing 2017 ; Soukup et al. 2018 ). Collaboration in changing practice should be fostered through engagement and involvement (Holmes et al. 2019 ), preferably early in implementation as, from the studies included, collaboration showed multiple benefits. Furthermore, evidence-based practice also includes the patient and families as part of clinical decision-making. However, the nurses’ collaboration with the patient during the implementation of best practices was not highlighted in most included studies. Therefore, the collaborative roles of nurses with patients and families when implementing best practices should be further explored.

The nurse also had a role in ongoing communication and feedback when implementing best practices. Doing so could improve care for an increased number of patients and enhance cost-effectiveness (Brown et al. 2019 ). Leaders also have a role in enhancing the facilitation of communication. It is important that they are trained in using various platforms for communication in order to facilitate the implementation of the best practice.

Nurses also had a role in development and tailoring of the best practice. As the included studies were conducted in different clinical contexts, with different resources, using a variety of implementation strategies, a needs assessment and intervention mapping – which refers to planning the implementation of best practices based on using theory and evidence – could assist in systematically tailoring a best practice for both nurses and patients and their families (Van Belle et al. 2018 ).

These identified five roles are interrelated but equally crucial in order to implement best practices. For example, the leadership role will not be fully executed without education and training or collaboration. Communication was found to enhance teamwork (Bayly et al. 2018 ).

This review found several best practices and implementation strategies. However, studies were found from predominantly middle- and high-income countries. More nurse-led intervention studies describing the role of nurses in the implementation of best practices could therefore be conducted in lower- and middle-income countries where resources are often limited and where the role of nurses is inclined to be more innovative and cost-effective in order to implement these best practices (WHO 2020 ). Finally, there is a need for nurse-led quality improvement studies to be conducted to produce Level I (e.g. randomised controlled trials) as no such studies were identified.

Conclusions

The role of nurses in changing practice by implementing best practices is not always well understood. This study found five interrelated, but equally crucial nurse roles in changing practice through the implementation of best practices, namely leadership, education and training, collaboration, communication and feedback and development and tailoring of the best practice. Further exploration on the roles of nurses in changing practices, using randomised controlled trials, including low- and middle-income settings, is required. The study’s findings and identified gaps can be used for further nursing research and education to improve the implementation of best practices and enhance the role nurses can play in this process, thus enhancing patient, nursing and organisational outcomes.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Vicki Igglesden for editing the article.

Competing interests

The author declares that she has no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced her in writing this article.

Author’s contributions

W.T.H.B. is the sole author of this review article.

Funding information

This work is based on the research supported in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa in partnership with FUNDISA for the PLUME grant (unique reference: FUNDISA/NRF 2019/009). Any opinion, finding and conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the author. The NRF and FUNDISA do not accept any liability in this regard.

Data availability

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the authors.

How to cite this article: Ten Ham-Baloyi, W., 2022, ‘Nurses’ roles in changing practice through implementing best practices: A systematic review’, Health SA Gesondheid 27(0), a1776. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v27i0.1776

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , 2012, Evidence analysis manual: Steps in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics evidence analysis process , Scientific Affairs and Research, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chicago, IL. [ Google Scholar ]
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) , 2016, How do we implement best practices in our organization? , viewed 01 August 2019, from https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/pressureulcertoolkit/putool4a.html .
• Allen, E., Williams, A., Jennings, D., Stomski, N., Goucke, R., Toye, C. et al., 2018, ‘ Revisiting the pain resource nurse role in sustaining evidence-based practice changes for pain assessment and management ’, Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing 15 ( 5 ), 368–376. 10.1111/wvn.12318 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Anderson, L. & Kynoch, K., 2017, ‘ Implementation of an education package on breast engorgement aimed at lactation consultants and midwives to prevent conflicting information for postnatal mothers ’, International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare 15 ( 1 ), 13–21. 10.1097/XEB.0000000000000090 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ansell, C., Sørensen, E. & Torfing, J., 2017, ‘ Improving policy implementation through collaborative policymaking ’, Policy & Politics 45 ( 3 ), 467–486. 10.1332/030557317X14972799760260 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bayly, M., Forbes, D., Blake, C., Peacock, S. & Morgan, D., 2018, ‘ Development and implementation of dementia-related integrated knowledge translation strategies in rural home care ’, Online Journal of Rural Nursing & Health Care 18 ( 2 ), 29–64. 10.14574/ojrnhc.v18i2.509 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Becker, S., Hagle, M., Amrhein, A., Bispo, J., Hopkins, S., Kogelmann, M. et al., 2020, ‘ Implementing and sustaining bedside shift report for quality patient-centered care ’, Journal of Nursing Care Quality 36 ( 2 ), 125–131. 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000509 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bianchi, M., Bagnasco, A., Bressan, V., Barisone, M., Timmins, F., Rossi, S. et al., 2018, ‘ A review of the role of nurse leadership in promoting and sustaining evidence-based practice ’, Journal of Nursing Management 26 ( 8 ), 918–932. 10.1111/jonm.12638 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Brown, B., Gude, W.T., Blakeman, T., Van der Veer, S.N., Ivers, N., Francis, J.J. et al., 2019, ‘ Clinical performance feedback intervention theory (CP-FIT): A new theory for designing, implementing, and evaluating feedback in health care based on a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative research ’, Implementation Science 14 ( 1 ), 1–25. 10.1186/s13012-019-0883-5 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ceballos, K., Waterman, K., Hulett, T. & Makic, M.B.F., 2013, ‘ Nurse-driven quality improvement interventions to reduce hospital-acquired infection in the NICU ’, Advances in Neonatal Care 13 ( 3 ), 154–163. 10.1097/ANC.0b013e318285fe70 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chiwaula, C.H., Kanjakaya, P., Chipeta, D., Chikatipwa, A., Kalimbuka, T., Zyambo, L. et al., 2021, ‘ Introducing evidence-based practice in nursing care delivery, utilizing the Iowa model in intensive care unit at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi ’, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences 14 ( 2021 ), 100272. 10.1016/j.ijans.2020.100272 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chong, L.M., Chow, Y.L., Kong, S.S.C. & Ang, E., 2013, ‘ Maintenance of patency of central venous access devices by registered nurses in an acute ambulatory setting: An evidence utilisation project ’, International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare 11 ( 1 ), 20–25. 10.1111/j.1744-1609.2012.00303.x [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cullen, M. & Donahue, M., 2016, ‘ Partnership negotiations: Innovation for nurse contract negotiations during turbulent times ’, Nursing Administration Quarterly 40 ( 1 ), 33–38. 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000140 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Davis, R. & D’Lima, D., 2020, ‘ Building capacity in dissemination and implementation science: A systematic review of the academic literature on teaching and training initiatives ’, Implementation Science 15 ( 1 ), 1–26. 10.1186/s13012-020-01051-6 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Fleiszer, A.R., Semenic, S.E., Ritchie, J.A., Richer, M.C. & Denis, J.L., 2015, ‘ An organizational perspective on the long-term sustainability of a nursing best practice guidelines program: A case study ’, BMC Health Services Research 15 ( 1 ), 1–16. 10.1186/s12913-015-1192-6 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Fleiszer, A.R., Semenic, S.E., Ritchie, J.A., Richer, M.C. & Denis, J.L., 2016, ‘ A unit-level perspective on the long-term sustainability of a nursing best practice guidelines program: An embedded multiple case study ’, International Journal of Nursing Studies 53 , 204–218. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.09.004 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Graham, I.D., Kothari, A., McCutcheon, C., Angus, D., Banner, D. & Bucknall, T. [On behalf of The Integrated Knowledge Translation Research Network Project], 2018, ‘ Moving knowledge into action for more effective practice, programmes and policy: Protocol for a research programme on integrated knowledge translation ’, Implementation Science 13 ( 1 ), 22. 10.1186/s13012-017-0700-y [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Greenhalgh, T., Howick, J. & Maskrey, N., 2014, ‘ Evidence-based medicine: A movement in crisis? ’, British Medical Journal 348 , g3725. 10.1136/bmj.g3725 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Higgins, J.P., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., Page, M.J. & et al.. (eds.), 2019, Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions , John Wiley & Sons, London. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Holmes, L., Cresswell, K., Williams, S., Parsons, S., Keane, A., Wilson, C. et al., 2019, ‘ Innovating public engagement and patient involvement through strategic collaboration and practice ’, Research Involvement and Engagement 5 ( 1 ), 1–12. 10.1186/s40900-019-0160-4 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hong, Q.N., Fàbregues, S., Bartlett, G., Boardman, F., Cargo, M., Dagenais, P. et al., 2018, ‘ The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018 for information professionals and researchers ’, Education for Information 34 ( 4 ), 285–291. 10.3233/EFI-180221 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hu, Y., McArthur, A. & Yu, Z., 2019, ‘ Early postoperative mobilization in patients undergoing abdominal surgery: A best practice implementation project ’, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Synthesis 17 ( 12 ), 2591–2611. 10.11124/JBISRIR-D-19-00063 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• International Council of Nurses , 2012, Policy statements , viewed 01 August 2019, from https://www.icn.ch/nursing-policy/position-statements .
• Jia, S., Huang, B., Chu, Y., Lu, Y. & McArthur, A., 2016, ‘ Management of non-adherence to fluid intake restrictions in hemodialysis patients in a tertiary hospital: A best practice implementation project ’, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Synthesis 14 ( 8 ), 309–322. 10.11124/JBISRIR-2016-003046 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) , 2016, The JBI approach , viewed 30 April 2021, from http://joannabriggs.org/jbi-approach.html#tabbed-nav=Levels-of-Evidence .
• Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) , 2021, Critical appraisal tools , viewed 30 April 2021, from https://jbi.global/critical-appraisal-tools .
• Kilpatrick, K., Tchouaket, É., Jabbour, M. & Hains, S., 2020, ‘ A mixed methods quality improvement study to implement nurse practitioner roles and improve care for residents in long-term care facilities ’, BioMed Central Nursing 19 ( 1 ), 1–14. 10.1186/s12912-019-0395-2 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kristensen, N., Nymann, C. & Konradsen, H., 2016, ‘ Implementing research results in clinical practice – The experiences of healthcare professionals ’, BMC Health Services Research 16 , 48. 10.1186/s12913-016-1292-y [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Leviton, L.C. & Melichar, L., 2016, ‘ Balancing stakeholder needs in the evaluation of healthcare quality improvement ’, BMJ Quality & Safety 25 ( 10 ), 803–807. 10.1136/bmjqs-2015-004814 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mitchell, R., 2017, ‘ Hourly rounding: A fall prevention strategy in long-term care ’, Masters dissertation, Walden University, viewed 20 April 2021, from https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4811&context=dissertations&httpsredir=1&referer= . [ Google Scholar ]
• Monkong, S., Krairit, O., Ngamkala, T., Chonburi, J.S.N., Pussawiro, W. & Ratchasan, P., 2020, ‘ Transitional care for older people from hospital to home: A best practice implementation project ’, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Synthesis 18 ( 2 ), 357–367. 10.11124/JBISRIR-D-19-00180 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mullins, N., 2021, ‘ Nutrition and hydration management among stroke patients in inpatient rehabilitation: A best practice implementation project ’, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Implementation 19 ( 1 ), 56–67. 10.1097/XEB.0000000000000244 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Naseer, B., Tan, S.S., Ramli, S.S. & Ang, E., 2017, ‘ Protected mealtimes for adults with cancer in a hematology-oncology setting: An evidence-based implementation project ’, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Synthesis 15 ( 4 ), 1209–1219. 10.11124/JBISRIR-2016-003038 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Norris, J.M., White, D.E., Nowell, L., Mrklas, K. & Stelfox, H.T., 2017, ‘ How do stakeholders from multiple hierarchical levels of a large provincial health system define engagement? A qualitative study ’, Implementation Science 12 ( 1 ), 98. 10.1186/s13012-017-0625-5 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ong, A.Y.J., Tan, J., Yeo, H.L. & Goh, M.L., 2017, ‘ Patient-centred hand hygiene information in orthopaedics units: An evidence-based implementation project ’, International Journal of Evidence-based Healthcare 15 ( 1 ), 22–29. 10.1097/XEB.0000000000000094 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Page, M.J., McKenzie, J., Bossuyt, P., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. & Mulrow, C.D., 2020, ‘ The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews ’, British Medical Journal 2021 ( 372 ), n71. 10.1136/bmj.n71 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Pearson, A., Jordan, Z. & Munn, Z., 2012, ‘ Translational science and evidence-based healthcare: A clarification and reconceptualization of how knowledge is generated and used in healthcare ’, Nursing Research and Practice 2012 , 792519. 10.1155/2012/792519 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Rosenberg, R.E., Klejmont, L., Gallen, M., Fuller, J., Dugan, C., Budin, W. et al., 2016, ‘ Making comfort count: Using quality improvement to promote pediatric procedural pain management ’, Hospital Pediatrics 6 ( 6 ), 359–368. 10.1542/hpeds.2015-0240 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Salmond, S.W. & Echevarria, M., 2017, ‘ Healthcare transformation and changing roles for nursing ’, Orthopedic Nursing 36 ( 1 ), 12–25. 10.1097/NOR.0000000000000308 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Shade, L., Reeves, K., Rees, J., Hendrickson, L., Halladay, J., Dolor, R.J. et al., 2020, ‘ Research nurses as practice facilitators to disseminate an asthma shared decision-making intervention ’, BioMed Central Nursing 19 ( 2020 ), 40. 10.1186/s12912-020-00414-0 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sheng, L., Yin, L., Peng, D. & Zhao, L., 2020, ‘ From best evidence to best practice: Enteral nutrition from continuous nasal feeding in stroke patients ’, International Journal of General Medicine 2020 ( 13 ), 927. 10.2147/IJGM.S269393 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Siegel, V., 2020, ‘ Best practice implementation of skin cancer guidelines on the EMR to educate patients ’, Medsurg Nursing 29 ( 6 ), 407–410. [ Google Scholar ]
• Soukup, T., Lamb, B.W., Arora, S., Darzi, A., Sevdalis, N. & Green, J.S., 2018, ‘ Successful strategies in implementing a multidisciplinary team working in the care of patients with cancer: An overview and synthesis of the available literature ’, Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 19 ( 11 ), 49–61. 10.2147/JMDH.S117945 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Travers, C., Henderson, A., Graham, F. & Beattie, E., 2018, ‘ CogChamps: Impact of a project to educate nurses about delirium and improve the quality of care for hospitalized patients with cognitive impairment ’, BioMed Central Health Services Research 18 ( 1 ), 1–13. 10.1186/s12913-018-3286-4 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ullrich, S., McCutcheon, H. & Parker, B., 2014, ‘ Nursing practice in nutritional care: A comparison between a residential aged care setting and a hospital setting ’, Journal of Advanced Nursing 70 ( 8 ), 1845–1855. 10.1111/jan.12345 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ullrich, S., McCutcheon, H. & Parker, B., 2015, ‘ Undernutrition in older people in Australia ’, British Journal of Nursing 24 ( 7 ), 364–370. 10.12968/bjon.2015.24.7.364 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Van Belle, E., Zwakhalen, S.M., Caris, J., Van Hecke, A., Huisman-de Waal, G. & Heinen, M., 2018, ‘ Tailoring of the tell-us card communication tool for nurses to increase patient participation using intervention mapping ’, Journal of Clinical Nursing 27 ( 3–4 ), 621–630. 10.1111/jocn.13968 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Vergnes, J.N., Marchal-Sixou, C., Nabet, C., Maret, D. & Hamel, O., 2010, ‘ Ethics in systematic reviews ’, Journal of Medical Ethics 36 ( 12 ), 771–774. 10.1136/jme.2010.039941 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Vogel, R., Bours, G., Erkens, P., Metzelthin, S., Zwakhalen, S. & Van Rossum, E., 2021, ‘ The content of the nurses in the lead programme for empowering community nurse leadership in implementing evidence ’, Leadership in Health Services 34 ( 2 ), 69–83. 10.1108/lhs-08-2020-0063 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Von Elm, E., Altman, D.G., Egger, M., Pocock, S.J., Gøtzsche, P.C. & Vandenbroucke, J.P., 2007, ‘ The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies ’, Annals of Internal Medicine 147 ( 8 ), 573–577. 10.1371/journal.pmed.0040296 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Whitby, P., 2018, ‘ Role of front-line nurse leadership in improving care ’, Nursing Standard 33 ( 8 ), 30–34. 10.7748/ns.2018.e11018 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Williams, L., Cooper, T., Bradford, L., Cooledge, B., Elner, F., Fisher, D. et al., 2019, ‘ An evaluation of an infection prevention link nurse programme in community hospitals and development of an implementation model ’, Journal of Infection Prevention 20 ( 1 ), 37–45. 10.1177/1757177418789480 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Williams, S.L., McSharry, J., Taylor, C., Dale, J., Michie, S. & French, D.P., 2020, ‘ Translating a walking intervention for health professional delivery within primary care: A mixed-methods treatment fidelity assessment ’, British Journal of Health Psychology 25 ( 1 ), 17–38. 10.1186/ISRCTN95932902 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• World Health Organization (WHO) , 2020, Seven approaches to investing in implementation research in low- and middle income countries , viewed 29 May 2021, from https://www.who.int/tdr/publications/ESSENCE_Seven_Approaches_to_Investing_web.pdf .
• Yu, Z., Zhang, Y., Gu, Y., Xu, X. & McArthur, A., 2017, ‘ Pediatric clinical handover: A best practice implementation project ’, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Synthesis 15 ( 10 ), 2585–2596. 10.11124/JBISRIR-2016-003296 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

This website is intended for healthcare professionals

• { $refs.search.focus(); })" aria-controls="searchpanel" :aria-expanded="open" class="hidden lg:inline-flex justify-end text-gray-800 hover:text-primary py-2 px-4 lg:px-0 items-center text-base font-medium"> Search

Search menu

Academic essays part 1: the importance of academic writing.

John Fowler

Educational Consultant, explores how to survive your nursing career

View articles

John Fowler, Educational Consultant, explores academic writing

How confident are you in your ability to write academic essays? If you are a student nurse in your first year of training then your answer will depend largely on your previous success, or not, in GCSEs, A levels and the equivalent. If you entered nursing via an alternative route that had less emphasis on traditional academic preparation, then your confidence in writing an essay that draws on referenced literature will probably be much reduced. Even if you were quite strong at school or college work, you may find the transition to self-directed degree study quite difficult. If you are a qualified nurse with a pre-registration diploma or degree, returning to university study to complete a post-registration master's degree, you may still have reservations about your ability to re-engage with academic writing. If you are confident of your ability to communicate nursing theory and its application to clinical care, then this series of articles is probably not for you! However, my experience of teaching nurses, from first-year students to specialist nurses undertaking PhDs, is that very few are confident in their academic writing skills.

Academic ability versus academic writing

For most nurses who struggle with academic skills, it is usually not their innate academic ability that is the problem, but the lack of specific skills required to research the question and then communicate valid findings in a reliable way. For student nurses, this is about understanding where the body of nursing knowledge lies, be that the literature, protocols or clinical practice, how to access it and then communicate those findings. For the experienced nurse undertaking a post-registration degree, it is about dusting off library skills, getting to grips with different IT, exploring the knowledge base relevant to, but outside, pure nursing, understanding the relevance and use of clinical experience and, finally, mastering the skills of writing a long essay that communicates knowledge, experience and innovative ideas.

What ‘sister says’

When I trained as a nurse, it was in pre-university and pre-diploma or degree days; the ward sister or the medical consultant was the source of knowledge. Students quickly learned to develop their nursing skills according to what ‘sister says’: ward sisters and ward routines were the source of knowledge and authority. As nursing research and evidence-based protocols developed and began to inform nursing practice in the 1980s, the source of knowledge moved away from this and included ‘what the literature says’. Nurse training was underpinned at diploma level, validated by a university system that stressed the importance of referencing published materials as the source of authority. As the scientific base and the wealth of nursing-related literature increased over the next 20 years, student nurses were required not just to refer to the literature, but to demonstrate their discussion and critical review of a body of knowledge based on valid and robust evidence; this was reflected in the move to make nursing an all-graduate profession in the early 2010s. In what ways has this transition from ‘sister says’ to the ‘literature says’ changed the way we inform our practice?

Has our ability to apply knowledge to clinical practice changed?

To inform clinical practice and develop clinical expertise, a nurse needs to take various aspects of evidence, evaluate its appropriateness and then apply it to a specific patient or clinical situation. This was true when I was a student nurse and the source of knowledge was the ward sister. It is equally true today when the source of knowledge is more literature-based. What has changed is the origin of the knowledge. In my student days it was probably 85% ward sister and 15% text books. Today it is more like 40% clinical staff and 60% evidenced-based literature. To inform clinical practice, we need to assess the validity and reliability of the knowledge, both clinical- and literature-based, evaluate it and then apply it to clinical care. The difficulty that nursing has over the pure biological science healthcare professions, such as pharmacy and medical sciences, is that a significant proportion of nursing practice draws from the social sciences concerned with feelings and interactions. When a patient is in pain, we know we can draw upon the science of pharmacology and pain administration protocols, but it is only our observation of experienced staff and our own experiential learning that guides us as to when to hold a hand, sit by the bedside or ask about the patient's worries regarding family or pets. Communicating this interaction of hard biological science, evidence-based protocols and the application of softer caring skills is a difficult, yet important, part of academic writing for the nurse. How do we write an essay that justifies the possible benefits of holding a patient's hand, when there are no randomised controlled trials to support its application?

This forthcoming series will explore all the practicalities of planning an essay, managing the literature, developing structure and content, but it will not lose sight of this important principle of incorporating holistic clinical nursing care into academic writing.

Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice Essay

Provision 1, provision 3.

Nurses are the medical professionals who contact with the patients most frequently. Hence, they need to adhere to specific rules and moral regulations that can help them coordinate their decisions. Ethics is an indispensable part of the therapeutic practice. Individuals who strive to acquire the nursing qualification are required to follow the ideals and moral standards of the profession (ANA , 2015). Also, they need to embrace them as a nurse mission. This essay aims to analyze and describe Provisions 1 and 3, highlighting each of the tenets and providing relevant examples.

Nurses should treat every person they encounter during the period of accomplishing their responsibilities with equal respect and compassion. The first tenet highlights the importance of respecting the values and rights of each individual (ANA, 2015). Generally, it means that there is no room for discrimination, which might harm the patient instead of healing them appropriately. The second principle is very closely connected with the first one: the nurse should build trusting relationships putting their possibly arisen bias aside (ANA, 2015). Strictly speaking, the nurse should treat the patients with an equal level of attention and consideration. For example, the professional should obtain the consent for accomplishing the medical procedures from the white lawyer and Asian shopkeeper uniformly. Nurses are ideal for providing the most comfortable situation for the patients and respecting their rights for self-determination. It should be noted that nurses do not have any moral powers to make the patients forcefully give their agreements for the treatment operations. Last but not least, respect and regard are spread to all the interactions they build. This postulate ensures reducing the number of conflicts and contributing to the transparency in one of the most critical positions for the society. As a result, Provision 1 policies are essential for forming solid relationships at the nurses’ work and life.

No patient would like their information to be used without their consent or disclosed for third parties. Therefore, nurses need to pay much attention to keeping confidentiality and privacy. For instance, nurses should not intrude on patients’ privacy by sharing their personal or clinical information according to their experience. This action is possible only if the agreement with the patients is reached. In addition to that, medical professionals should respect the subjects’ rights to know all things about human research participation (ANA, 2015). The history of HeLa cells is to be honored, and the analogous situations need to be addressed accordingly. Furthermore, nurses are better at sustaining their personal and professional development by learning the results of novel research and questioning the practices when needed (ANA, 2015). Such measures can be used for achieving the attention to details and comprehending detail-based approach in treatment. As nurses usually know the patients’ characteristics better than other professionals (taking into account their frequent close interactions), they can prevent unwanted deterioration of the situation by applying their experience and knowledge about patients together.

To conclude, Provisions 1 and 3 provide an understanding of the accepted behavior towards the patients’ cases. Adhering the ethical regulations can not only increase the level of patient care but also contribute to the development of treating procedures. Generally, both provisions are based on the principal rights of anyone, such as human dignity, autonomy, and freedom of decision on their health. Nurses should pay respect to the subjects and protect the benefits entitled to them.

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, February 21). Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-provisions-1-and-3-in-nursing-practice/

"Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice." IvyPanda , 21 Feb. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-provisions-1-and-3-in-nursing-practice/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice'. 21 February.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice." February 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-provisions-1-and-3-in-nursing-practice/.

1. IvyPanda . "Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice." February 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-provisions-1-and-3-in-nursing-practice/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Importance of Provisions 1 and 3 in Nursing Practice." February 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-provisions-1-and-3-in-nursing-practice/.

• Respecting Professional Boundaries in Clinical Practice
• Accomplishing Workplace Diversity
• Respecting Employee Rights and Moral Dignity
• Boston Monuments: Respecting African Americans
• Addressing and Respecting Citizens’ Rights in Supreme Court
• Graduate Study Success in Nursing
• Nursing Values and Responsibilities
• Apple's Advertisements From Sociological Perspectives
• Planning a Family Vacation
• Writing Plan: Shortage of Ppe in the Workplace
• Compliance and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
• Nurses and Stress: Mindfulness Meditation Program
• Advanced Practice Nurses: New Jersey Requirements
• Professional Presence and Influence
• Mental Health Nursing: Dementia

• Have your assignments done by seasoned writers. 24/7
• Contact us:
• +1 (213) 221-0069
• [email protected]

Essay Reading: Practice and Importance of Reading Essays

Essay Reading Practice

Essay reading is a common practice in the world today for anyone who wants to perfect writing. Also, there are many good informative essays written that are interesting to read.

This article analyzes the essay reading practice and accesses the importance and benefits of reading essays.

What is Essay Reading Practice?

Essay reading practice refers to the act of going through essays to identify all the features that the writer used to write it. It is a process that demand the reader to do several things. For essay reading practices to be regarded as complete, as the reader you should:

• Have a pencil in hand to identify all the styles and features that the writer uses in the essay
• Go through the essay quickly searching for the writer’s main idea. Basically, find out what the essay is all about. This is not the time to go into details.

If you encounter vocabularies you have never seen before, circle them for later research.

• If the words you circled are keywords, find their meaning so that the next time you read the essay you get the full meaning.

Include the definitions of the words at the top of the essay so that you can easily refer to them in case you forget the meanings.

• Go through the essay another time. Ensure that you do it slowly so that you notice all the generalizations of the author.

This time take note of the thesis statement, the line of thought, and the structure that is used in the essay. When the thesis is not included in the last part of the introduction paragraph, to identify it you will need to find the generalization that the author is trying to validate.

Also, look for the unifying principle of the essay or the idea that everything in the essay centers on. Remember to fully establish the main point of the writer.

Always take note that the examples the writer gives are not the main idea of the story

• If you are totally convinced that you have found the thesis or the main idea of the essay, underline it. If you have found several statements that show what the essay is all about, do not panic if they all revolve around one point.

After that it’s time to establish the structure of the essay. Note where the introduction begins, where the body paragraphs begin and end, and the conclusion.

Read through the body paragraphs so you grasp all the points that the writer presents to support the thesis. In long essays, you will find a lot of subdivisions of points explaining the main idea.

Ensure that you have separated the main ideas from the minor ones. Long essays also involve some paragraphs with no much meaning. Most of them are illustrative, transitional, or digressive paragraphs.

Label these paragraphs to avoid confusing them with paragraphs that tell more about the thesis.

• In the body paragraph identify each point through the topic sentences. These are the sentences that contain the main idea of the paragraphs.

In paragraphs where the topic is not stated but implied make sure that you notice it. Through the topic sentences you will be able to gather all the main points that the writer used to write the entire essay.

They are the ones that carry the entire meaning of the essay.

• Now that you have cracked what the author is talking about, you should be able to follow through the reasoning of the essay. If you still do not get it try summing up paragraphs as if you are annotating a text book.

Always take note of transitional words such as however, therefore, or finally because they help relay the meaning of the essay better.

• Now that you have completed reading through the essay, at the end of it you can note the thesis statement.

Write notes on why you think the writer wrote the essay and the audience that you think it was directed to and whether they are friend or hostile.

Also, make sure that you identify any assumptions that the writer made on the essay and the gaps that you feel that were not addressed.

• Now that you have fully understood the essay, any other requirements such as rhetorical techniques used by the writer and the tone of the essay should be easily identifiable if you are required to provide them.

Importance and Benefits of Reading Essays

The following are the main reasons why you should read essays:

Know how to Write Essays

It is through reading examples of well written essays that you understand everything about their writing. You will know how the writers navigate through different topics and are able to organize ideas through the essay and maintain a stellar flow.

Also through reading average or bad essays you can take note of mistakes that you should not commit when writing essays. Therefore, reading essays can be said to be a learning process of how to write essays.

Understand the Different Types of Essays

When you read essays, you will take note of how different types of essays are written. For example, descriptive essays are different from argumentative essays and discussion essays .

Therefore, when reading through different kinds of essays you know the format for each that you will use in your writing. You are also able to note the main differences between each type and you are likely to avoid making mistakes when you write your essays.

Know how to Structure Paragraphs

Through reading essays you gain knowledge on how to structure your essay paragraphs.

You get ideas on how to word topic sentences, how to provide support evidence, and how to conclude the paragraph.

It is through reading essays that you know how to make transitions from one paragraph to another to maintain the flow of your essay.

Also, you understand the specific length that paragraphs range from and how they are balanced to make sure that some ideas are not over explained and others under explained.

Understand the Structure of Essays

When you read essays you are able to understand more about the introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. First you know how to start essays with catchy phrases to keep the reader hooked, introduce the topic and end the introduction with a thesis statement.

Secondly, you are able to understand the organization of body paragraphs with each main point beginning as the topic sentence of the paragraph.

Lastly, you will be able to learn how to write conclusions using the right words to show that your essay is coming to an end.

Know how to Present Ideas in Writing

When you read essays you understand how to communicate using a piece of writing. You notice that you can use writing to present ideas by introducing them, explaining them and concluding them.

Through reading good essays you are able to understand the best ways you can use to relay information to people through writing.

Understanding the Audience

Essays are directed toward a particular audience. When you read essays you understand how the writer managed to center the essay towards the audience by noting the tone used and the choice of words involved.

You are able to know whether the writer was friendly or hostile to the audience and how he addressed everything towards them.

Improve your Writing Techniques

Most good essays nail all writing techniques. They use good grammar and transitions, they are well punctuated, and written in a catchy attention grabbing language to hook the reader.

By reading these kinds of essays you note all the things that you can now transfer to your writing.

Always note that the more you read essays and practice writing them, the more you become an essay writing pro.

Jessica Kasen is experienced in academic writing and academic assistance. She is well versed in academia and has a master’s degree in education. Kasen consults with us in helping students improve their grades. She also oversights the quality of work done by our writers.

Related posts

Writing a College Admission Essay

Is College Essay Mandatory: Universities It’s not an Option

Writing honors college essay

Honors College Essay: Tips, Prompt Examples and How to Write

Guide to writing narrative essay

How to Write a Narrative Essay: A Stepwise Guide and Length

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Working with sources
• How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to  quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

What is your plagiarism score?

Compare your paper with 99.3 billion webpages and 8 million publications.

• Best plagiarism checker of 2021
• Plagiarism report & percentage
• Largest plagiarism database

Scribbr Plagiarism Checker

Table of contents

How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for  synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

• “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
• Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
• Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
• Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

• Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
• Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
• Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
• Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
• Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Scribbr citation checker new.

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

• Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
• Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
• Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

• Giving a precise definition
• Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
• Providing evidence in support of an argument
• Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

• Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
• Combining information from multiple sentences into one
• Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
• Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

Try our services

To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

• Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
• You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
• You’re presenting a precise definition
• You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

Is this article helpful?

Courtney Gahan

Other students also liked, how to write a summary | guide & examples, how to quote | citing quotes in apa, mla & chicago, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”