This document provides guidelines for students to complete a Topic Search Strategy paper as the first of three related assignments on an evidence-based practice topic. The 3-4 page paper must include a clinical question describing the topic significance and a PICOT question. It must also identify appropriate levels of evidence and describe a search strategy using specific search terms and databases to find two relevant research articles published within the last 5 years. The paper should follow APA style guidelines and be well organized with headings for each required section.

1. https://youtu.be/Bk1EON9pqL8
Within the graduate business curriculum, students are expected
to research topics and provide linkages between the literature
and your topic selection. Professional writing, tone, and
grammar is expected and use of a minimum of two sources of
literature published in the last 12 months (other than our text) is
required in your initial critical assessment post. Active
participation in these forums facilitates learning and allows you
to critically analyze a chosen topic and learn from your peers
within the forum.
Directions
Initial Critical Assessment
Valuation of resources is a key consideration for financial
managers. Specifically, when making investment decisions,
managers/investors must determine cost and benefits over
periods of time to make appropriate decisions for limited
resources.
Choose one of the following topics to present to your peers in a
professional analysis using a minimum of 350 words. Topics
(Choose one)
1. Using section 3.2 of our text (Interest Rates and the Time
Value of Money) as a beginning, provide a detailed summary
and analysis related to the use of TVM and prepare an example
for how you might use TVM in a financial calculation.
2. Net Present Value (NPV) uses valuations of present values of
a stream of income to discount to today’s dollars to compare to
our investment today. Provide an analysis of the use of NPV
within a corporation and prepare an example (with calculations)
for how an organization would use NPV in a project decision.
3. Considering the time value of money (TVM) should winners
of a lottery take the lump sum payment or the annuity?
4. Within professional sports contracts, contracts are often

2. created to function similar to a bond where players will receive
defined cash flows over time. Consider an NFL player (real or
fabricated) and explain their contract in terms of TVM and
provide an example to explain how these cash flows must be
discounted to today’s dollars.
NR449 Evidence-Based Practice
RUA: Topic Search Strategy Guidelines
NR449_RUA_Topic_Search_Strategy_Guidelines_Sept20 1
Purpose
The Topic Search Strategy paper is the first of three related
assignments. The purpose of this initial paper is to briefly
describe your search strategies when identifying two arti cles
that pertain to an evidence-based practice topic of interest.
Course outcomes: This assignment enables the student to meet
the following course outcomes.
CO 1: Examine the sources of knowledge that contribute to
professional nursing practice. (PO 7)
CO 2: Apply research principles to the interpretation of the
content of published research studies. (POs 4 and 8)
Due date: Your faculty member will inform you when this
assignment is due. The Late Assignment Policy applies to
this assignment.
Total points possible: 160 points

3. Preparing the assignment:
Follow these guidelines when completing this assignment.
Speak with your faculty member if you have questions.
1) Students will be placed into groups by the end of the second
week of the session. The groups will work together to
select a practice problem of interest as the focus for the three
RUA assignments in this course. The practice topic of
interest will also be used to complete week 3 and week 5
independent student assignments, as well as a group
PowerPoint presentation in week 7.
a. Individuals will complete this assignment independently for
weeks 3 and 5.
b. Teams must assure that members do not use the same articles
when completing this assignment.
c. Please make sure you do not duplicate articles within your
group.
d. Paper should be 3-4 content pages in length. Title and
reference pages are required but are excluded from 3-4
page length.
2) The paper will include the following sections:
a. Clinical Question (45 points/28%)
• Describe the problem. What is the focus of your group’s
work?
• Explain the significance of the problem in terms of patient
outcomes. What health outcomes result from
your problem? Or what statistics document this is a problem?
You may find support on websites for
government or professional organizations.
• PICOT question in support of the group topic.
• State the purpose of your paper. What will your paper do or

4. describe? This is similar to a problem
statement. “The purpose of this paper is to . . .”
b. Levels of Evidence (20 points/13%)
• Identify the type of question being asked (therapy, prognosis,
meaning, etc.).
• What is the best type of evidence to answer that question (e.g.,
RCT, cohort study, qualitative study, etc.)?
c. Search Strategy (65 points/41%)
• List search terms and results.
• Databases used (start with the CU library). Link your search
with the PICOT question described above.
• Refinement decisions. As you did your search, what decisions
did you make in refinement to get your
required articles down to a reasonable number for review? Were
any limits used? If so, what?
• Identification of two (2) most relevant articles (primary
sources published within the last 5 years).
d. Format (30 points/18%)
• Correct grammar and spelling.
• Include a title page.
• Use of headings for each section.
▪ Clinical Question, Levels of Evidence, Search Strategy, and
Conclusion
• Adheres to current APA formatting and guidelines.
2
NR449 Evidence-Based Practice

5. RUA: Topic Search Strategy Guidelines
NR449_RUA_Topic_Search_Strategy_Guidelines_Sept20 2
• 3-4 pages in length, excluding title and reference pages.
For writing assistance (APA, formatting, or grammar) visit the
APA Citation and Writing page in the online library.
Please note that your instructor may provide you with additional
assessments in any form to determine that you fully
understand the concepts learned.
https://library.chamberlain.edu/APA
NR449 Evidence-Based Practice
RUA: Topic Search Strategy Guidelines
NR449_RUA_Topic_Search_Strategy_Guidelines_Sept20 3
Grading Rubric Criteria are met when the student’s application
of knowledge demonstrates achievement of the outcomes for
this assignment.
Assignment Section and
Required Criteria
(Points possible/% of total points available)
Highest Level of
Performance

6. High Level of
Performance
Satisfactory
Level of
Performance
Unsatisfactory
Level of
Performance
Section not
present in paper
Clinical Question (45 points/28%) 45 points 40 points 37
points 33 points 0 points
Required criteria
1. Describe the problem. What is the focus of your group’s
work?
2. Explain the significance of the problem in terms of patient
outcomes. What health
outcomes result from your problem? Or what statistics
document this is a problem?
You may find support on websites for government or
professional organizations.
3. PICOT question in support of the group topic.
4. State the purpose of your paper. What will your paper do or
describe? This is similar
to a problem statement. “The purpose of this paper is to . . .”

7. Includes 4
requirements.
Includes 3
requirements.
Includes 2
requirements.
Includes 1
requirement.
No
requirements
for this section
presented.
Levels of Evidence (20 points/13%) 20 points 16 points 10
points 0 points
Required criteria
1. Identify the type of question being asked (therapy, prognosis,
meaning, etc.).
2. What is the best type of evidence to answer that question
(e.g., RCT, cohort study,
qualitative study, etc.)?
Includes 2
requirements.
Includes 1
requirement.
Incomplete or

8. inaccurate
information
presented.
No requirements for this section
presented.
Search Strategy (65 points/41%) 65 points 58 points 54 points
48 points 0 points
Required criteria
1. List search terms and results.
2. Databases used (start with the CU library). Link your search
with the PICOT question
described above.
3. Refinement decisions. As you did your search, what decisions
did you make in
refinement to get your required articles down to a reasonable
number for review?
Were any limits used? If so, what?
4. Identification of two (2) most relevant articles (primary
sources published within the
last 5 years).
Includes 4
requirements.
Includes 3
requirements.
Includes 2
requirements.

9. Includes 1
requirement.
No
requirements
for this section
presented.
Organization and APA Style (30 points/18%) 30 points 27
points 25 points 15 points 0 points
Required criteria
1. Correct grammar and spelling.
2. Include a title page.
3. Use of headings for each section.
4. Clinical Question, Levels of Evidence, Search Strategy, and
Conclusion
5. Adheres to current APA formatting and guidelines.
6. 3-4 pages in length, excluding title and reference pages.
Includes 6
requirements.
Includes 5
requirements.
Includes 3-4
requirements.
Includes 1-2
requirements.
No
requirements
for this section

10. presented.
Total Points Possible = 160 points