Formulating Research Formulating Research Problems, Questions Problems, Questions and Hypotheses and Hypotheses
Sathish Rajamani M.Sc Sathish Rajamani M.Sc (N)(N)
0968811545409688115454
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Learning Objectives
Describe the general steps in the research process
Describe process of identifying a research problem
Define research questions, directional and non-directional hypotheses
Describe the difference between Level I, II, and III studies
Describe the use of research questions vs. hypotheses in a research study
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Research Defined
Research is an organized and systematic way to find answers to questions
Research is a creative process
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Why is research important to the profession of nursing? Nursing research provides a scientific
knowledge base for practice.
Knowledge obtained from sound
research is transformed into clinical practice, leading to nursing practice that is evidence-based.
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Research and Nursing
“The nurse must be a knowledgeable consumer of research, one who can critique research and use existing standards to determine the merit and readiness for research use in clinical practice” (ANA, 1997; AACN, 1998b).
LB-W & H p. 7
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Developing & Refining a Research Problem Research study should include:
A specific problem areaReview of relevant literatureSignificance to nursingFeasibility
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Research Topics
Nursing research topics include studies of patient populations, or an individual’s response to health problems, or potential health problems.
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The Research Idea
Professional experience Burning questions
YoursOthers
Literature Professional meetings Discussions
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Research Topics
Observations Behaviors Concepts Theories Testing of assessment and intervention
strategies
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Criteria for developing a good research question: FINER Feasibility
Interesting
Novel
Ethical Relevant
Cummings et al. 2001
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FINER Feasible
Subjects Resources Manageable Data available?
Interesting Novel
In relation to previous findings
Confirm or refute? New setting, new population
Ethical Social or scientific value Safe
Relevant Advance scientific
knowledge? Influence clinical practice? Impact health policy? Guide future research?
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Narrowing the research topic
Idea → brainstorming Literature review Identify the variables for study Formulate research problems and
questions/hypotheses
LB-W & H p. 51 – see fig. 3-1
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A Research Question Must Identify
1. The variables under study
2. The population being studied
3. The testability of the question
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Variables in research
Have 2 or more properties or qualities Age, sex, weight, height
Is one variable related to another? “ Is X related to Y? What is the effect of X on Y?” etc.
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Variables in research
Independent variable: has a presumed effect
on the dependent variable (outcome)
May or may not be manipulated
Dependent variable: Something that varies
with a change in the independent variable
Outcome variable
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Population
The population to be studied must be specified in the research question
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Testability
Research problem must imply that the problem is measurable/testable
Example of a poorly phrased research question“Should postoperative patients control how
much pain medication they receive?” How would you revise the question?
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Characteristics to Consider
Research questionsCannot be answered by yes/no
Should ask:What happens when?What’s going on here?How does this happen?Why does one thing work better than another?
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Examples
What is the relationship between effectiveness of pain management strategies and quality of life?
How do older adults adapt to living with early stage dementia?
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Purpose Statement
The purpose of the study encompasses the aims or goals the investigator wants to accomplish
Purpose ≠ Question
LB-W & H p. 58 Box 3-2 2104/10/23
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Research Questions
Research studies do not always contain hypotheses
Exploratory and descriptive studies may pose research questions instead
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What is a researchable question? Helps solve a problem, add to theory,
or improve nursing practice
Needs to be usable, current, and clear
Provides answers that will explain, describe, identify, predict or qualify
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Guidelines for writing research questions Start with a simple question
Has one stem and one topic Action-oriented The way you ask a question determines
how you will answer it
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Writing the research question
Examples:What are the health beliefs of the Amish?What is the relationship between preoperative
teaching and postoperative pain?Why does increased assertiveness in nurses
lead to lower nosocomial infection rates?
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Hypothesis
Statement about the relationship between 2 or more variables
Converts the question into a statement that predicts an expected outcome
A unit or subset of the research problem
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Characteristics of hypotheses
Declarative statement that identifies the predicted relationship between 2 or more variables
Testability Based on sound scientific
theory/rationale
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Hypotheses
Hypotheses may not always be explicitly stated
Wording must include:The variablesThe population being studiedThe predicted outcome of the hypothesis
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Directional vs. Non-Directional Hypotheses Directional hypothesis
Specifies the direction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables
Non-directional hypothesisShows the existence of a relationship
between variables but no direction is specified
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Examples
Directional hypothesis Cardiac patients who receive support from former
patients have less anxiety and higher self-efficacy than other patients
Non-directional hypothesis There is a difference in anxiety and self-efficacy
between cardiac patients who receive support from former patients and those who do not
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Research vs. Statistical Hypotheses Research hypothesis = scientific hypothesis
Statement about the expected relationship of the variables
Can be directional or nondirectional
Statistical hypothesis = null hypothesis States there is no relationship between the variables
L-B, W & H p. 66-67
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Example: Statistical Hypothesis
Oxygen inhalation by nasal cannula of up to 6L/min does not affectdoes not affect oral temperature measurement taken with an electronic thermometer.Variables? other examples?
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Levels of Questions
Level I Little to no literature is
available on the topic and the purpose is to describe what is found as it exists naturally
Level II There is knowledge about
the topic but relationships among the variables are not well known
Level III There is a great deal of
knowledge about the topic and the purpose of the study is to test the theory through direct manipulation of the variables
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Level I Questions
Lead to exploration and result in a complete description of the topic
Examples:What are the characteristics of suicidal
patients?What are the spiritual needs of transplant
patients?
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Level II Questions
Build on the results of Level I studies
Look for relationships between the variables
Examples: What is the relationship
between relaxation and pain in postoperative patients?
What is the relationship among nutrition, birth weight of the newborn, and age of the mother?
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Level III Questions
Builds on the results of previous research
Lead to experimental designs Examples:
Why does patient satisfaction increase with positive attitudes toward self-care?
Why does increased vitamin C decrease skin fragility in elderly people?
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Summary of Level I, II, and III Questions Level I questions have only one
variable and one population Level II requires a minimum of 2
variables in one population At level III there must be 2 variables
that specify a cause and effect
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Examples
What are the body positions into which nurses place LBW intubated infants?
What is the relationship between body positions and heart rate in the LBW intubated infants?
Why does supine body positioning decrease heart rate in the intubated LBW infant?
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Summary Points
Preliminary steps in the research process include forming a research problem, questions and hypotheses
A hypothesis attempts to answer the question posed by the research question
Research questions illustrate a relationship between variables, identify independent and dependent variables, include a population, and imply that a problem is testable
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Your questions?
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