DOI:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2011.00975.x

Dissertations into practice

Abstract

‘Dissertations into Practice’ is a new regular fea-ture in the Health Information and Libraries Jour-nal, which aims to encourage students to write forpublication. The idea is that students will write anextended abstract of their health-related disserta-tions, outlining the methods used and commentingon the implications for practice. Co-written withtheir dissertation or workplace supervisor, this fea-ture will provide a safe environment for studentsto see their writing in print, possibly for the firsttime, while ensuring that invaluable researchreaches a wider audience than might otherwise bethe case.

Keywords: academic dissertations, libraries, publi-cation, writing.

Calling All Students!!!

Audrey MarshallE-mail: a.m.marshall@brighton.ac.uk

In the spring of last year, Andrew Booth indi-cated a wish to step down from the ‘Using Evi-dence in Practice’ regular feature at the end of2011, providing ample time to discuss the direc-tion that HILJ regular features should take. Fol-lowing invitations posted on discussion lists andvia Twitter and Facebook, the Health Informationand Libraries Journal editorial advisory board(HILJ EAB) was delighted with the feedback theHILJ readership gave on the value they placed onthe HILJ regular features. Feeding directly intothe EAB meeting last June, four concepts forpotential replacement columns were developedand, following a hotly contested debate, a consen-sus emerged for providing a safe environment fordissertation students to disseminate their researchand make their first foray into the world of writ-ing for publication. The next step was to find an

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editor, and, following conversations between EABmembers and their associates, I stepped forwardto lead on this feature. I am very excited to beinvolved with it, as it is a subject close to myown heart.

The thinking behind the feature is twofold: toencourage students and young professionals towrite for publication and to highlight the potentialimpact of student research for practice. Much hasbeen written about the disjunction between aca-demics and practitioners in the library and infor-mation world and the need to foster more of aresearch culture in library practice. McMenemy1

describes some of the excellent initiatives organ-ised by CILIP’s Library and Information ResearchGroup designed to bridge this gap, but he alsolaments the lack of a publishing culture amonglibrary professionals. He points up the need topromote article writing as a way of keeping theprofession up-to-date and stimulating professionaldebate. I fully support this way of thinking, andencouraging students and young professionals towrite is a good way to build a solid base fromwhich to grow. It should not be difficult to achievethis. After all, these are mainly bright youngpeople, enthusiastic and keen to learn. They writeextensively for the assessment elements of theircourses, whether in the form of essays, reports,business plans or blogs, and the dissertation itselfis a major piece of work, involving careful plan-ning, structuring and writing fluency. However,my own experience of the MA students at Brigh-ton is that it can be challenging to turn this sort ofwriting for assessment purposes into something forpublication. Students get a sudden attack of nervesor crisis of confidence, and those of us who markand supervise work and can spot potential whenwe see it, are also busy people with competingpriorities. It can, therefore, easily drop off theradar. Other barriers for students are often aroundknowing where to start, what journal to target andwhat approach to take. So, a dedicated feature

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which is positively encouraging students to writeand which provides a ready-made avenue for pub-lication is to be welcomed, and is one of the rea-sons I am excited about it.

The other reason that I am excited about it isthat I believe that student dissertations should begrounded in real-world activity, one in which hostorganisations benefit from investigations that are

‘far-reaching and highly relevant to our service.’

(B. Skinner, Personal correspondence)This fruitful link between practice and disserta-

tion research struck me forcibly at the ISHIMR2011 Conference that took place in Zurich in Sep-tember this year.2 ISHIMR, as many of you willknow, stands for the International Symposium onHealth Information Management Research, and sothe context is very relevant to this feature. Therewere a number of student presentations and papersthat highlighted citizens’ or patients’ experiencesof interacting with health information, including areview of the research into older people’s healthinformation needs3 and an examination of thecomplexities of HIV-and AIDS-related informationbehaviour.4 There were also papers that exploredthe ways in which healthcare professionals areusing information and information systems in dif-ferent ways, as technology and attitudes change.5

At the same conference, there were poster sessionsthat showcased some excellent examples of howdissertation research can impact on practice. Theproject that stood out for me was one which hasbeen re-examining the concept of bibliotherapyand investigating the factors affecting the value ofreading for mental health and well-being.6 It hassignificant implications for service providers.

I suspect that all library and information teach-ing institutions have opportunities in place, whichencourage students to locate their dissertationresearch in practice and that many students chooseto pursue their research in a health informationcontext. I also suspect that there are countlessexamples of how dissertation research has had animpact on local practice, but that we have not nec-essarily made this explicit or made the most of it.As academics and professionals, we need to trum-pet this success more widely, and I hope that this

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feature will provide us with an avenue to achievethis.

How exactly will it work?

Each feature will concentrate on one health-relateddissertation, and it will in essence summarise thedissertation and reflect on its practical implications.The proposed structure is as follows:• A summary or extended abstract of the disserta-tion

• A discussion of the methods used to do theresearch

• A discussion of the dissertation’s application orpotential application in practiceThe article will be co-authored by students and

dissertation or workplace supervisors, dependingon local circumstances. However, it is important toremember that the aim is to encourage the nextgeneration of writers, and the role of supervisorswill be mainly that of support, with the studentsbeing encouraged to take the lead on the writing.The June feature will act as a template for futuresubmissions, so it will give you a better idea ofwhat is expected.

My role in this will be mainly to solicit contentat Undergraduate, Masters or PhD level, and I willbe searching for health-related dissertations at allthree levels. I will only be able to do this withyour help, and so I will be putting out pleas viathe editorial advisory board, mailing lists such asBAILER and HEALER, my departmental blog, theHealth Libraries Group Twitter and Facebookaccounts and their newsletter, as well as collaringpeople at conferences and meetings. However, ifyou are supervising a student who is doing a dis-sertation in a health information context or if youare responsible for a student in the workplace, thenplease contact me. Likewise, if you are that stu-dent, then please get in touch. With your help, Ilook forward to developing this regular feature, tonurturing writing talent and to uncovering someexciting dissertation research.

References

1 McMenemy, D. Fostering a research culture in UK librarypractice: barriers and solutions. Library Review, 2010, 59(5),321–324.

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2 15th International Symposium on Health InformationManagement Research (ISHIMR 2011). Accessible at: http://www.ishimr2011.com/

3 Hsu, W.-C. & Bath, P. A. Older people’s health informationneeds and sources: a systematic review of research. In: Bath,P. A., Mettler, T., Raptis, D. A., Sen, B. (eds). ISHIMR2011: Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Symposiumfor Health Information Management Research. 8–9September, 2011. Zurich: University of Zurich, 2011: 153–164.

4 Namuleme, R., ford, N. & Bath, P. A. Informationdisconnects for people infected with, of affected by,HIV ⁄AIDS. In: Bath, P. A., Mettler, T., Raptis, D. A., Sen,B. (eds). ISHIMR 2011: Proceedings of the FifteenthInternational Symposium for Health Information ManagementResearch. 8–9 September, 2011. Zurich: University of Zurich,2011: 220–228.

5 Williamson, H., Ramkisson, S. & Johnson, S. A qualitativeservice evaluation exploring staff nurses views andperceptions of using a peerless system in an intensive careunit. in: Bath, P. A., Mettler, T., Raptis, D. A., Sen, B. (eds).ISHIMR 2011: Proceedings of the Fifteenth InternationalSymposium for Health Information Management Research.

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8–9 September, 2011. Zurich: University of Zurich, 2011:408–418.

6 Brewster, L., Sen, B. A. & Cox, A. Concepts ofbibliotherapy: from initial definitions to patientempowerment. in: Bath, P. A., Mettler, T., Raptis, D. A.,Sen, B. (eds). ISHIMR 2011: Proceedings of the FifteenthInternational Symposium for Health Information ManagementResearch. 8–9 September, 2011. Zurich: University of Zurich,2011: 524–525.

For details on how to contribute to this feature pleasecontact:

Audrey Marshall MA MCLIPCourse Leader, MA in Information Studies

University of BrightonWatts Building

Lewes RoadBrighton BN2 4GJ

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 642420E-mail: a.m.marshall@brighton.ac.uk

http://www.brighton.ac.uk/cmis/courses/postgraduate/information/

Blog: http://www.informationmatters.net/

rmation and Libraries Journal ª 2012 Health Libraries Group

Health Information and Libraries Journal, 29, pp.72–74