Introduction
It is here that you should clearly outline the focus and purpose of the paper. Say what the reader will know by the end of it. Include an abstract here if required.

Discuss why the research has been chosen. Explain its value. Critique the literature and previous studies that have been published. Establish existing knowledge. However, check with your supervisor whether or not you should search the literature before you begin your study.

You may also need to include a theoretical framework here.

Methodology
Describe how you went about your research. Say what equipment you used and how you planned and executed any experiments. Include any practical problems that you encountered and what you did to overcome them.

Results
Present your results, analysed in a way that will support any conclusions you wish to draw.

Discussion
Discuss what you have found and put this into context. Relate these findings to the current body of knowledge on your chosen topic. Discuss, too, the limitations of your study.

Conclusions
Present a brief, but clear, set of conclusions, and provide recommendations for future research that me be needed.

Before you present the final manuscript for assessment get your paper proof read by someone else

You can never successfully proof-read your own work!

Want to know more?
There are plenty of textbooks available, here are a couple.

		Maslin-Prothero S. (1997) Bailliere's Study Skills for Nurses. Bailliere Tindall, London.
		Hennessy B. (1995) How to write an essay. (2nd Ed). How To Books Ltd, Plymouth.

And there is lots of help available on the Web. Here are some useful sites.

		http://www.chche.ac.uk/study/lss/tandl/disshtml.html
		http://www.aber.ac.uk/~www/MainTV/dissert1.html
		http://www.lss.bolton.ac.uk/lss/pubs/csu/diss.htm
		http://www.uwcm.ac.uk/uwcm/publish/cirricula/ medical/nursing/essays.html