J Korean Acad Soc Nurs Educ.  2024 May;30(2):101-112. 10.5977/jkasne.2024.30.2.101.

Analysis of nursing doctoral dissertation formats over a decade: A comparative research between traditional and publication format at a university

• Choi S
• Park JE
• Woo K

• KMID: 2556113
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5977/jkasne.2024.30.2.101

Abstract

Purpose
The study aimed to examine doctoral students’ degree acquisition paths and postgraduate research achievements and explore whether there are differences in the research achievements of doctoral degree holders in relation to the dissertation format.
Methods
This study is a retrospective cohort study of nursing doctoral graduates whose degree conferral dates were between August 2013 and August 2023 that compared two dissertation tracks: traditional and publication. We evaluated the proportion of graduates in each track, publication of their dissertations, time to graduation, and the number of peer-reviewed journal publications after graduation.
Results
Of the sample, 160 (87.4%) graduated in the traditional track, with only 56 (35.0%) of them publishing their dissertations after graduation. Excluding dissertations, 114 of the graduates (71.3%) published first-authored articles in the traditional track, while 12 (52.2%) did so in the publication track. The time to graduation was significantly shorter in the traditional track, with an average of 5.47±2.45 years, compared to 6.61±2.57 years in the publication track (z=2.26, p=.023). In the traditional track, 64 of graduates (40.0%) majored in adult health nursing, whereas in the publication track, 8 (34.8%) studied community health nursing.
Conclusion
This study emphasizes the significance of the publication track for nursing doctoral dissertations in terms of research dissemination. Despite its numerous advantages, it is not yet the preferred choice for both students and faculty. Maintaining the publication track as an additional graduation option is worthwhile, as it allows students to gain research publishing experience before graduation and to effectively disseminate scientific findings in nursing.

Keyword

Academic dissertation, Graduate nursing education, Publications, Peer review, Information dissemination; 학위논문, 간호대학원, 출판, 동료평가, 정보보급