Abstract
This thesis centres on an analysis of the perceptions of lecturers and students on the place
of research in the nursing curriculum. An investigation into the conceptions held by both
teachers and students requires the research to be conducted from a 'second order'
perspective. The way teachers think about teaching and the way students think about
learning cannot be observed. A recently developed second-order qualitative approach
known as phenomenography (Marton, 1981; 1986), which has been used extensively in
research, has been adapted for this study. The samples consisted of mental health nursing
students from three higher education institutions in Scotland. The lecturer samples were
from the same institutions and were selected on the basis of their involvement in
delivering the research aspects of the curriculum. Data collection techniques included indepth
interviews and focus group discussions. The qualitative data package - NUD-IST
was used to assist management of the data during analysis. It became clear through this
project that there needs to be more evidence-based support for the rhetoric on evidencebased
nursing, and its place in teaching and learning. The thesis has provided a basis for
developing research in nursing education in this direction by describing a fully developed
methodology especially suitable for this research purpose. In addition, it has offered a
conceptual framework that provides a stronger theoretical underpinning for nurse
education, derived directly from the experiences of students, as well as staff, in nurse
education. In so doing, it also contributes to the wider research into student learning
which is currently paying more attention than in the past to teaching and learning within
the differing subject areas.
