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 ...

1. 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

2. 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

3. Ratings
Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEstablish
expertise/platform for responding (12 points)
12.0 to >10.0 pts
Accomplished
Expertise for responding to article is strongly established. Flow
of ideas was logical and easy to follow.
10.0 to >5.0 pts
Proficient
Expertise for responding to article is mostly strong.. Flow of
ideas was mostly logical and easy to follow.
5.0 to >4.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Expertise for responding to article is somewhat strong. Flow of
ideas was somewhat logical but not easy to follow.
4.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Expertise 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 pts
Accomplished
Rationale for responding to article or research study is strongly
presented; perspective is clearly defined.
12.0 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Rationale for responding to article or research study is mostly
well presented; perspective is mostly clear.
8.0 to >4.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Rationale for responding to article or research study is

4. somewhat presented; perspective is somewhat clear.
4.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Rationale 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 pts
Accomplished
Supporting documentation from literature is appropriately
used/referred to in letter. One or more primary reference(s) are
included.
11.0 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Supporting documentation from literature is present. Minimum
of 1 primary reference is included.
8.0 to >5.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Supporting documentation from literature is vaguely used.
Minimum of 1 primary reference is included.
5.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Supporting 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 pts
Accomplished
Perspective strongly presented that is different; contribution to
the literature is clearly evident.

5. 15.0 to >10.0 pts
Proficient
Different perspective is mostly strong; contribution to the
literature is mostly evident.
10.0 to >6.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Different perspective is somewhat presented; contribution to the
literature is somewhat evident.
6.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Differing 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 pts
Accomplished
Importance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is
strongly identified.
12.0 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Importance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is
mostly identified.
8.0 to >4.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Importance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is
somewhat identified.
4.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Importance to nursing leadership or leadership in health care is
missing or vague.
15.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOffer

6. suggestion(s) for further action (12 points)
12.0 to >11.0 pts
Accomplished
Suggestion(s) for further action are clearly identified.
11.0 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Suggestion(s) for further action are mostly identified.
8.0 to >5.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Suggestion(s) for further action are somewhat identified.
5.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Suggestion(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 pts
Accomplished
Critical thinking skills are strongly demonstrated.
4.0 pts
Proficient
Critical thinking skills are mostly demonstrated.
3.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Critical thinking skills are somewhat demonstrated.
2.0 pts
Unacceptable
Demonstration 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 pts
Accomplished

7. Effective writing skills were strongly demonstrated with correct
grammar, spelling, & use of the publication style of the journal.
5.0 to >4.0 pts
Proficient
Effective writing skills were mostly demonstrated.
4.0 to >3.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Effective writing skills were somewhat demonstrated.
3.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Effective 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 pts
Accomplished
Business letter standards were strongly evident.
1.5 to >1.0 pts
Proficient
Business letter standards were mostly evident.
1.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Business letter standards were somewhat evident.
1.0 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
Business 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 pts
Accomplished

8. Guidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors
were submitted.
1.0 pts
Needs Improvement
Guidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors
were submitted.
1.0 pts
Proficient
Guidelines for letters to the editor or guidelines for authors
were submitted.
0.0 pts
Unacceptable
Guidelines were missing.
1.0 pts
Total Points: 100.0
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