Post on 14-Dec-2015
From research topic to research question
1. If critiquing research the question provides brief, important information on the topic to allow the reader to decide if the topic is relevant, researchable and an issue of significance
2. It might also indicate the methodology/methods
Research findings
Research conclusions and recommendations only have value if they answer in a a coherent, consistent and reasoned manner a specific research question
Research question
A statement of the specific query the researcher wants an answer to address the research problem
Guides the type of date to be collected
Polit D & Hungler B 1997 Essentials of nursing research Lippincott. New York
Shotgun approach
If the ? Is too broad, too narrow, too simplistic or insufficiently focussed the results will be many but trivial, insufficient, lack direction and impact
Parahoo 2006
Research projects produce meaningful, insightful and sophisticated answers, ONLY when explicit research questions are posed
Good research question Who Where How When What
PICO
Problem Interventions Comparisons Outcomes
Clinical research questions Seeking causative relationships/links
Start where you are
‘…Leaving a nunnery…’ Requires background reading (quick
& dirty lit search) to enable narrowing focus
Discover what has been done already
Where controversy or doubt still exists
Research problem
A situation with a perplexing or enigmatic condition
The purpose of research is to solve the problem/contribute to its solution
Accumulating sufficient information to lead to an explanation/solution
Polit D & Hungler B 1997 Essentials of nursing research Lippincott. New York
The research problem
2. Narrow your interest/issue down to a plausible topic
Hourglass approach Russian doll test - cut it down to
size Clarify ambiguities What do the terms mean Interesting
Map/know the area
1. Identify sub problems What are the parts of your topic What is its history What can you use it for – what’s
its purpose2. Second literature review3. Define a rationale for your project
Question
Focused Relevant Answerable Leads somewhere General aim Focussed objectives
Clear Specific Answerable Interconnected Substantively relevant
Purpose
Find out what’s happening Ask questions Seek new insights Generate ideas Portray events/situations Explaining a
situation/problem/patterns Social action
Qualitative question
Understanding through phenomenology (how) students’ (who) experiences in completing a portfolio formal assessment (what) for a contemporary (when) university course in UK (where)
Research question framework
CONTENT COHERENCE STRUCTURE
Content
Should provide a clear focus on the issue
Coherence
Commence with an active verb: exploring, constructing, understanding
Incorporate relevant nouns: experiences, feelings, views
Indicate the methodology: action research, ethnography, case study
Structure
1. Who2. When3. Where4. What5. How
Why do 2nd year (when) medical students (who) at Glasgow University (where) prefer learning about ethics (what) in small groups (how) than large groups?
Hypothesis A specific tentative prediction of a research
answer To be tested empirically ie quantitative study Specify relationships between measurable
variables A priori EG older patients are more at risk of
experiencing a fall than younger patients Independent variable – cause/antecedent ie AGE Dependent variable – effect or aspect of
interest ie FALLS
Question evaluation
1. Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?
2. Is the question easily and fully researchable? Goldilocks test3. What type of information do I need to answer the research question?
E.g., The research question, "What impact has deregulation had on commercial airline safety?," will obviously require certain types of information:
statistics on airline crashes before and after statistics on other safety problems before and after information about maintenance practices before and after information about government safety requirements before and after
4. Is the scope of this information reasonable?5. Given the type and scope of the information that I need, is my question too
broad, too narrow, or okay? Russian doll test6. What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research
question (journals, books, Internet resources, government documents, people)? 7. Can I access these sources? 8. Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality research
question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research?