1 research problems, questions, hypotheses,& frameworks
TRANSCRIPT
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Research Problems, Questions, Hypotheses,& Frameworks
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Questions for Thought
• What is a research problem?
• What is a research hypothesis?
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Research Problem
• Is the problem under study • The purpose is to identify a problem
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Problem Statement
• The statement of the research problem, sometimes phrased in the form of a research question
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Research Question
• A statement of the specific query or question the investigator wants to answer through research
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Other terms
• Statement of Purpose– Researchers’ summary of
overall study goal
• Research Aims– State objectives of the
study
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Matching Research Method to Research Problem
• Quantitative studies– Usually involve concepts
that are well developed– Usually use developed,
reliable measurement methods
• Qualitative studies– Usually involve concepts
poorly understood
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Sources of Research Problems
• Clinical experience
• Nursing literature
• Social issues
• Theories
• Ideas from external sources
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Problem Statements
• Usually located in the introduction or literature review of the research report– Rarely labelled problem statement
• The statement of the research problem– Identifies
• The nature of the problem• The context of the problem• The significance of the problem
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Statement of Purpose
• A broad declarative statement of the goals of the research project– Usually phrased using the terms “purpose” or “goal”
• Can use “intent”, “aim,” “objective”
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Statement of Purpose
• In quantitative studies• Identifies key study
variables• Identifies the possible
interrelationship of the variables
• Identifies nature of the population of interest
• In qualitative studies• Indicates the nature of
the inquiry• Identifies key concepts
or phenomenon being studied
• Identifies the group, community or setting under study
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Research Question
• A statement of the specific query or question the investigator wants to answer through research
• Often similar to the statement of purpose, just provides more detail and focus– Used to:
• Focus attention on the kinds of data needed to provide an answer• Clarify the purpose statement• Identify key variables and their potential relationship• Identify the population under study
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Research Question
• In qualitative research the research question may evolve over time
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Research Hypotheses
• A hypothesis is a tentative prediction about the relationship between two or more variables in the population under study
• Used in quantitative studies only
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Function of Research Hypotheses
• A hypotheses translates a research question into a prediction of expected outcomes
• It induces critical thinking– Development of predictions forces the researcher to
think logically
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Testable Hypotheses
• Testable research hypotheses state the expected relationship between the independent variable (cause) and the dependent variable (effect)
– Should be phrased in terms that will identify a predicted relationship
• More than, less than, greater than, different from, related to
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Wording of Hypotheses
• Simple hypothesis– States a predicted relationship between one
independent and one dependent variable
• Complex hypothesis– States a predicted relationship between two or more
independent and two or more dependent variables
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Wording of Hypotheses
• Hypotheses are usually worded in the present tense
• Directional Hypothesis– Specifies the expected direction of the relationship
between variables
• Nondirectional Hypothesis– Does not specify the direction of the relationship
between variables
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Wording of Hypotheses
• Research Hypotheses (scientific hypotheses)– Statements of expected relationships between variables
• Null Hypotheses (statistical hypotheses)– Statements that there is no relationship between the
independent and dependent variables– This is used to allow statistical analysis– Not usually noted in research reports
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Hypothesis Testing and Proof
• Hypotheses are never proved– They are accepted,
supported, rejected
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Critiquing a Research Problem
• Should address:– Implications for practice– Extension of knowledge base– Promotion of theory development– Correspondence to research priorities
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Reference
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2013). Practical research: Planning and design (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Loiselle, C. G., Profetto-McGrath, J., Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2011). Canadian essentials of nursing research (3rd Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.