Assessing the competences associated with a nursing Bachelor thesis by means of rubrics. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Llaurado-Serra, M.; Rodríguez, E.; Gallart, A.; Fuster, P.; Monforte-Royo, C.; De Juan, M.Á.
• Is Part Of: Nurse education today. Volume 66(2018)
• Page Start: 103
• Page End: 109
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Bachelor thesis -- Competence assessment -- Evaluation -- Nursing competences -- Nursing students -- Rubrics -- Psychometrics; Nursing -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Education, Nursing -- Periodicals; Soins infirmiers -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Nursing -- Study and teaching; Periodicals; 610.7307
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2018.04.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-6917

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Writing a Bachelor thesis is the last step in obtaining a university degree. The thesis may be job- or research-orientated, but it must demonstrate certain degree-level competences. Rubrics are a useful way of unifying the assessment criteria. Objectives: To design a system of rubrics for assessing the competences associated with the Bachelor thesis of a nursing degree, to examine the system's reliability and validity and to analyse results in relation to the final thesis mark. Design: Cross-sectional and psychometric study conducted between 2012 and 2014. Settings: Nursing degree at a Spanish university. Participants: Twelve tutors who designed the system of rubrics. Students (n = 76) who wrote their Bachelor thesis during the 2013–2014 academic year. Methods: After deciding which aspects would be assessed, who would assess them and when, the tutors developed seven rubrics (drafting process, assessment of the written thesis by the supervisor and by a panel, student self-assessment, peer assessment, tutor evaluation of the peer assessment and panel assessment of the viva). We analysed the reliability (inter-rater and internal consistency) and validity (convergent and discriminant) of the rubrics, and also the relationship between the competences assessed and the final thesis mark. Results: All the rubrics had internal consistency coefficients >0.80. The rubric for oral communication skills (viva) yielded inter-rater reliability of 0.95. Factor analysis indicated a unidimensional structure for all but one of the rubrics, the exception being the rubric for peer assessment, which had a two-factor structure. The main competences associated with a good quality Bachelor thesis were written communication skills and the ability to work independently. Conclusion: The assessment system based on seven rubrics is shown to be valid and reliable. Writing a Bachelor thesis requires a range of degree-level competences and it offers nursing students the opportunity to develop their evidence-based practice skills. Highlights: Writing a Bachelor thesis requires a range of degree-level competences. The seven rubrics provide a valid and reliable system for assessing Bachelor theses. Use of this rubric system can help tutors to apply a competence-based approach to the Bachelor thesis. Written communication skills was strongly associated with a good quality Bachelor thesis. Ability to work independently was also associated with a good Bachelor thesis.