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?