Write a letter to the editor of a peer reviewed professional nursing, medical, or health care administration journal (that publishes letters to the editor) in response to an article or study published within the last month.

Letter to the Editor Guidelines and Grading Criteria

Directions

Write a letter to the editor of a peer reviewed professional nursing, medical, or health care administration journal (that publishes letters to the editor) in response to an article or study published within the last month. Do not select an editorial or a regular column. Choose an article or study on a topic that you are passionate about.

The letter should be brief, substantive, and succinct, and present a perspective that is different and contributes to the literature. The topic should be related to leadership and leadership strategies to improve health care quality and patient or client outcome (e.g., leadership, evidence-based decision-making, patient-safety culture, workforce and workplace issues, conflict management, team building, staffing, nurse fatigue, creating a culture that supports evidence-based management, leading effective teams).

Upload your letter to the assignment drop box by the scheduled due date with a copy of the author’s guidelines for the selected journal.

Submit your letter to the selected journal after reviewing your graded assignment. . Paste a copy of the submitted version, with the name of the journal and the date submitted on the Final Letter to the Editor DB. Please notify your faculty and coach if your letter is accepted for publication and add the publication to your resume.

Guidelines:

1. Write articulately in response to a publication within the last month.

1. Use no more than one double-spaced page (or the word limit specified in the selected journal).

1. Write a letter that is brief, substantive, and succinct.

1. Follow the published guidelines for letters to the editor in the selected journal (e.g. word limit, to whom to submit, how to submit, and reference guidelines). If the journal does not provide guidelines for letters, refer to the journal’s guidelines for authors.

1. Write the letter in the style used by the journal you selected (e.g., APA, MLA, AMA).

1. Include at least one primary reference in addition to the reference for the article to which you are a responding. Include a copy of the journal’s letter to the editor publishing guidelines when submitting the assignment.

1. Establish your expertise and platform for responding. Your expertise includes your clinical and/or administrative experience. Do not specify that you are writing as a student in your signature.

1. Identify why you’ve chosen to respond to this article (e.g. dissenting view point, alternate perspective, additional perspective). Do not indicate that you are writing to complete a school assignment.

1. Present a perspective that is different and contributes to the literature.

1. Provide supporting documentation from the literature for your rationale and/or perspective.

1. Identify why your response is important to nursing leadership or leadership in health care

1. Offer a suggestion(s) for further action.

1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills.

1. Demonstrate effective writing principles (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation).

1. Follow appropriate business letter standards (e.g., include the correct name, credentials, and email address of the editor; include your name, credentials, and email address.)

Note: refer to the sample Letter to the Editor in Blackboard and sample letters in journals that publish excellent letters to the editor (e.g., Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA), American Journal of Nursing (AJN), Journal of Nursing Scholarship, New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Note: A title page is not required for the Letter to the Editor assignment.

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor
Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEstablish expertise/platform for responding (12 points)	12.0 to >10.0 ptsAccomplishedExpertise for responding to article is strongly established. Flow of ideas was logical and easy to follow.10.0 to >5.0 ptsProficientExpertise for responding to article is mostly strong.. Flow of ideas was mostly logical and easy to follow.5.0 to >4.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementExpertise for responding to article is somewhat strong. Flow of ideas was somewhat logical but not easy to follow.4.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableExpertise for responding to article is missing or unclear Flow of ideas was illogical.	12.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIdentify rationale for responding to article or research study (e.g. dissenting view point, alternate perspective, additional perspective). (15 points)	15.0 to >12.0 ptsAccomplishedRationale for responding to article or research study is strongly presented; perspective is clearly defined.12.0 to >8.0 ptsProficientRationale for responding to article or research study is mostly well presented; perspective is mostly clear.8.0 to >4.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementRationale for responding to article or research study is somewhat presented; perspective is somewhat clear.4.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableRationale for responding to article or research study vague or not clearly presented; perspective is very weak.	15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProvide supporting documentation from the literature (at least 1 primary reference in addition to the reference for the article to which you are responding) (12 points)	12.0 to >11.0 ptsAccomplishedSupporting documentation from literature is appropriately used/referred to in letter. One or more primary reference(s) are included.11.0 to >8.0 ptsProficientSupporting documentation from literature is present. Minimum of 1 primary reference is included.8.0 to >5.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementSupporting documentation from literature is vaguely used. Minimum of 1 primary reference is included.5.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableSupporting documentation from literature is missing.	12.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePresents a perspective that is different & contributes to the literature (20 points)	20.0 to >15.0 ptsAccomplishedPerspective strongly presented that is different; contribution to the literature is clearly evident.15.0 to >10.0 ptsProficientDifferent perspective is mostly strong; contribution to the literature is mostly evident.10.0 to >6.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementDifferent perspective is somewhat presented; contribution to the literature is somewhat evident.6.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDiffering perspective and contribution to the literature is weakly presented or not evident.	20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIdentify why student’s response is important to nursing leadership or leadership in health care (15 points)	15.0 to >12.0 ptsAccomplishedImportance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is strongly identified.12.0 to >8.0 ptsProficientImportance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is mostly identified.8.0 to >4.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementImportance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is somewhat identified.4.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableImportance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is missing or vague.	15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOffer suggestion(s) for further action (12 points)	12.0 to >11.0 ptsAccomplishedSuggestion(s) for further action are clearly identified.11.0 to >8.0 ptsProficientSuggestion(s) for further action are mostly identified.8.0 to >5.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementSuggestion(s) for further action are somewhat identified.5.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableSuggestion(s) for further action are missing or vague.	12.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDemonstrate critical thinking skills (5 points)	5.0 ptsAccomplishedCritical thinking skills are strongly demonstrated.4.0 ptsProficientCritical thinking skills are mostly demonstrated.3.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementCritical thinking skills are somewhat demonstrated.2.0 ptsUnacceptableDemonstration of critical thinking skills are missing or vague.	5.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDemonstrate effective writing skills, with correct grammar, spelling, and use of the publication style of the selected journal. (6 points)	6.0 to >5.0 ptsAccomplishedEffective writing skills were strongly demonstrated with correct grammar, spelling, & use of the publication style of the journal.5.0 to >4.0 ptsProficientEffective writing skills were mostly demonstrated.4.0 to >3.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementEffective writing skills were somewhat demonstrated.3.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableEffective writing skills weakly demonstrated.	6.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFollow appropriate business letter standards (e.g., address letter to journal’s editor-in-chief; include your name, credentials, email address). (2 points)	2.0 to >1.5 ptsAccomplishedBusiness letter standards were strongly evident.1.5 to >1.0 ptsProficientBusiness letter standards were mostly evident.1.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementBusiness letter standards were somewhat evident.1.0 to >0 ptsUnacceptableBusiness letter standards were missing or unclear.	2.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSubmit guidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors from the selected journal. (1 point)	1.0 ptsAccomplishedGuidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors were submitted.1.0 ptsNeeds ImprovementGuidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors were submitted.1.0 ptsProficientGuidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors were submitted.0.0 ptsUnacceptableGuidelines were missing.	1.0 pts
Total Points: 100.0