When editing a case description in a nursing thesis, check that the revised text still shows who made each observation, when it happened and what supports it. This makes it easier to spot a small change in wording that introduces a diagnosis, drops a qualification or turns a sequence of events into evidence that something worked.
This guide is for students in Poland who already have a section of their thesis drafted. It shows how to compare your source material, first draft and edited text. All examples are fictional, including the records and what people say. They are exercises in editing academic writing.
Where does language editing end and checking the evidence begin?
Proofreading deals with issues such as punctuation, sentence construction and repetition. Editing can also involve splitting a long sentence, moving material to a more suitable paragraph or restoring the order of events. Checking the evidence starts when you need to find out whether a record actually supports a statement or whether two entries describe the same event. Flag any point that needs checking and go back to material you are authorised to access.
When you study in the field of “Nursing”, a single paragraph can contain the patient's account, a team's observation and your interpretation. Mark those three kinds of information in the margin. After you shorten the paragraph, readers should still be able to tell whose assessment it is and what supports your conclusion. If you are still planning the chapter as a whole, see Nursing case study for a bachelor's thesis: patient information, nursing problems and conclusions.
How do you compare the source, draft and edited version?
- Keep the original draft. Work in a copy with tracked changes. Use short labels in your working notes, such as “observation A”, and leave out identifying information you do not need.
- Unpack the sentence. Identify who recorded the information and when, what they actually observed and how certain the statement is. Separate the time of the event from the time of the entry, and a planned action from one that took place.
- Edit the text, then read it afresh. Ask the same questions of the revised version. If it introduces a different observer, a new diagnosis or a greater degree of certainty, check what supports the change.
- Separate wording choices from decisions about the evidence. You can accept a stylistic edit after comparing the two versions. If the material cannot settle a point, leave a question for the author or supervisor and limit the conclusion to what you can document.
An example of a language edit alone. “It was recorded in the note that the patient asked a question about the information sheet that they were given at discharge.” After editing: “According to the note, the patient asked about the information sheet they received at discharge.” The sentence is shorter and keeps the same source, action and context for handing over the sheet.
Four examples before and after editing
In these examples, the “before” version goes beyond the evidence. Restoring what the source actually says involves a factual correction worth flagging for the author. For a language edit alone, start from content you have already checked.
1. Whose assessment is it?
Source material. A note records that the patient said they felt better after a conversation. The person writing the note also recorded that the patient asked two questions about the materials provided at discharge.
Before. “The patient's condition improved after the conversation, as confirmed by two questions about the discharge materials.”
After. “After the conversation, the patient said they felt better. The note also records two questions from the patient about the materials provided at discharge.”
What changed? The revised text attributes the assessment to the patient and describes the recorded behaviour separately. The two questions keep their original meaning. They do not measure health status or confirm an improvement.
2. When did it happen, and when was it recorded?
Source material. The first entry was written on day two. It describes a conversation on day one and does not give a time. A separate note from day two confirms that written material was handed over that day.
Before. “On day two, a conversation took place and materials were handed over.”
After. “The conversation from day one was described in an entry written on day two. According to a separate note, written material was handed over on day two.”
What changed? The date of the entry no longer stands in for the date of the conversation. The time of the conversation remains unknown. If two entries give conflicting dates for the same event, compare them at source and record the discrepancy if you cannot resolve it.
3. Can “after” become “because of”?
Source material. After a conversation about the materials provided at discharge, the patient independently identified the information sheet. Nobody had checked whether the patient could identify it beforehand.
Before. “Because of the conversation, the patient was better able to use the discharge materials.”
After. “After the conversation, the patient independently identified the information sheet. This task had not been assessed before the conversation.”
What changed? The revised text keeps one observed result and its place in the timeline. There is no baseline for judging improvement. The order of events alone does not show that the conversation produced the result.
4. Does a missing entry mean something did not happen?
Source material. The day-one entry mentions difficulty sleeping. The day-two note says nothing about sleep.
Before. “On day two, the sleeping difficulties had resolved.”
After. “Difficulty sleeping was recorded on day one. The day-two note reviewed here contains no information about sleep.”
What changed? The second sentence describes the contents of a specific note. A statement that the difficulty had resolved would need a record of reassessment or an account from the patient, attributed accordingly.
How can you use the CARE checklist during your final read?
CARE was developed as a reporting guideline for clinical case reports [1, 2]. Selected items can help you review a thesis case description where they fit the purpose of the work and your university's requirements. Check with your supervisor which elements and section names apply to your thesis. If you plan to publish, check the chosen journal's current requirements separately.
- Timeline and sources. Can the reader distinguish the first observation from a later assessment? Is it clear which information comes from the patient and which comes from the records?
- Observation and interpretation. Can you distinguish the description of an action and the observed result from the discussion of a possible link between them? Have the limitations survived the edits?
- Perspective and consent. Check whether the patient's perspective is documented and can be used under the applicable arrangements. Establish the procedures for permission to use the material and for consent to any publication. Flag missing information instead of filling gaps with assumptions.
How do you prepare an extract for discussion without identifying the patient?
First check with your supervisor and the relevant institution whether you may share the text outside the university or care setting, and to what extent. A description of the editing problem is enough for an initial discussion. Avoid sending scans of records and patient details. If sharing an extract is permitted, prepare a separate copy limited to what the task requires. Check the text, comments, revision history, headers, attachments, file names and metadata.
Removing the name may be insufficient. The name of a small facility, an exact date and an unusual sequence of events can identify someone when combined. Consider the details together. When an exact date is unnecessary, a relative timeline such as “day one” and “day two” can preserve the relevant interval. Before generalising a detail, check that the conclusion still has the same basis. If safe sharing would change the meaning, discuss the writing problem without case details.
In its recommendations for journals, the ICMJE advises omitting unnecessary identifying information and preserving scientific meaning when identifying details are removed. If there is doubt about maintaining anonymity, the recommendations call for informed consent to publication [3]. Establish the rules for accessing the material, using it in a thesis and publishing it separately.
What should you check before submitting the chapter?
- Each important statement still lets the reader identify the source, person and time of the event.
- Values, units, the scope of each observation and the meaning of terms still match the material.
- The text distinguishes a missing record from evidence that an event did not occur.
- The case description, discussion and conclusions retain the same limits on interpretation.
- The copy for sharing contains only necessary information. Questions about the evidence are either resolved or clearly flagged.
Read your main conclusion and then return to the statement that is meant to support it. If the edited version still lets you identify the same evidence and retains the same degree of certainty, the section is ready for the next review of your thesis.
References and source material
- Gagnier JJ, Kienle G, Altman DG, Moher D, Sox H, Riley D, CARE Group. The CARE guidelines: consensus-based clinical case reporting guideline development. Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2013;7:223. DOI: 10.1186/1752-1947-7-223. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1752-1947-7-223
- CARE Case Report Guidelines. 2013 CARE Checklist. https://www.care-statement.org/checklist
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Protection of Research Participants. https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/protection-of-research-participants.html
Questions about editing a chapter
What is the difference between proofreading and editing?
Proofreading focuses on language accuracy, spelling and punctuation. Editing also addresses sentence structure, style, paragraph organisation, flow and the logic of your argument. I tailor the scope to the condition of your text and the changes it needs.
I offer both proofreading and editing for bachelor's and master's theses, coursework, reports, other academic papers and presentations.
Can I submit only one section of the thesis?
Yes. You can submit an individual chapter, questionnaire, methodology section, results, references, footnotes or another section. Support can also cover presentation content or editing a finished text.
When sending a section, include your thesis topic and outline, plus any feedback from your supervisor. This helps me understand how it fits into the full document.
Plan the edit of your case description
Tell me which chapter you are working on, what your supervisor asked you to address and when you need the revised version. We can agree the scope of the edit and how to separate wording changes from questions that need checking against the material. In your first message, describe the task without patient details.
Discuss editing your case description
