ADICHUNCHANAGIRI COLLEGE OF NURSING, B.G.

NAGARA
“RESEARCH & RESEARCH PROCESS”

Research is a systematic inquiry uses disciplines methods to answer questions or solve

problems. The ultimate goal of research is to Develop, Refine, and Expand a body of
knowledge. Research is one of the few ways by which knowledge can be generated and a
discipline can maintain its professional status and growth. Moreover, research provides a
solid foundation on which nurses can develop and refine their professional knowledge and
practices.

NEEDS OF RESEARCH
Research is a fundamental essential prerequisite for any profession. The specific purpose
of nursing research includes Identification, Description, Exploration, Explanation,
Prediction and Control of Facts. The needs of nursing research are:
1. To enhance the body of professional knowledge in nursing.
2. To provide foundation for evidence based nursing practices.
3. To verify and test the existing facts and theories.
4. To develop new tools, concepts and theories.
5. To refine and eliminate the old knowledge so that it helps in elimination of nursing
actions that have no effect.
6. To enhance the accuracy of different nursing educational and administrative
techniques.
7. Disseminate research findings to create awareness of current situations and problems
8. Aid in planning and contributes to professional development.
9. Bring to light information that might never be discovered during the ordinary course
of life.

RESEARCH
The word Research is composed of a prefix‘re’ and a verb, ‘search’. Re means once again
and Search means to look for some more information and careful examination of facts and
their relationship to discover new knowledge.

Research is defined as a systematic and scientific process to answer to questions

about facts and relationship between facts.
Research is systematic methods of exploring, describing, explaining, relating or
establishing the existence of phenomenon, the factors that cause change in the phenomenon
and how the phenomenon influences other phenomena.

NURSING RESEARCH
Nursing Research refers to use of Systematic, Controlled, Empirical and Critical
investigation in attempting to discover or confirm facts that relate to specific problem or
question about the practice.

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 ADICHUNCHANAGIRI COLLEGE OF NURSING, B.G.NAGARA
“RESEARCH & RESEARCH PROCESS”
(Walls and Bauzell, 1981)

Nursing Research is way to identify new knowledge, improve professional education and
practices and use of resources effectively.
(International Council of Nurses, 1986)
Nursing Research is scientific, systematic and orderly process to find out solution for
problems concern to nursing or generating and refining the nursing knowledge to improve
quality of nursing care, nursing education and nursing administration.
(S. K. Sharma, 2005)
SCIENTIFIC METHODS
Scientific methods are defined as controlled, systematic investigations that are rooted in
objective reality and that aim to develop general knowledge about natural phenomena.

Scientific methods are simple to understand, and they are basically a way of thinking
about problems and their solutions. They are systematic, logical and sequential in orders with
a cause and effect principal firmly in place.

Research is a careful, detailed and systematic study of a thing or a phenomenon to learn

something new about it or studying it from a new perspective. Scientific method is just a way
of conducting a research. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS

1. They are orderly and systematic processes.
2. Scientists attempt to control external factors that are not under direct investigations.
3. Their findings are based on the empirical evidences.
4. Findings of scientific methods can be generalized, which means that they can be used
in situations other than the one under study.
5. They are basically conduced to develop or test theories.
6. Scientific methods are based on assumptions or hypothesis.

STEPS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS

The steps of scientific methods depend on the type of the study, which follows either a
qualitative or a quantitative approach. However, the main steps used in any scientific method
or approaches are as follows:
 Selecting the topic and identifying the research problem.
 Defining the objectives of the study.
 Reviewing the literature from theory and other related studies.
 Defining concepts and variables to be studied.
 Stating hypothesis about expected observations or phenomenon to be studied.
 Identifying assumptions and implications.
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 ADICHUNCHANAGIRI COLLEGE OF NURSING, B.G.NAGARA
“RESEARCH & RESEARCH PROCESS”
 Determining the ethical implication of the proposed study.
 Describing the research design and methods for data collection.
 Defining study population and sample.
 Planning the data analysis and discussion.
 Collecting data from subjects.
 Analyzing and interpreting data.
 Communicating findings of the study.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD RESEARCH

Research employs scientific methods. Good research is systematic, logical, empirical and
also replicable. However, one expects that a good research must satisfy the following
criteria:
 Orderly and systematically process.
 Based on current professional issues.
 Begin with clearly defined purposes.
 Emphasize to develop, refine and expand professional knowledge.
 Testing of theories.
 Finding solution of problem.
 Dedicated to develop empirical evidence.
 Generate findings to refine and improve professional practices.
 Use of appropriate methodology.
 Conducted on representative sample.
 Conducted through appropriate use of methods & tools of data collection.

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 ADICHUNCHANAGIRI COLLEGE OF NURSING, B.G.NAGARA
“RESEARCH & RESEARCH PROCESS”
 Use of valid and reliable data collection tools.
 Carefully recorded and reported.
 Adequately and appropriately analyzed research.
 Adequately communicated.
STEPS OF RESEARCH PROCESS
1. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROCESS
I CONCEPTUAL PHASE
Developing theoretical background of research
1. Statement of research problem.
2. Conceptual framework.
3. Review of literature.
4. Hypothesis.
II PLANNING PHASE
Planning essentials & major components.
5. Research design.
6. Population
7. Sample & sampling technique.
8. Selection criteria.
9. Study setting.
10. Independent & Dependent Variable.
11. Tools.
12. Procedure.
13. Pilot study.
III EMPIRICAL PHASE
14. Data collection.
15. Preparation for data analysis.
IV ANALYTIC PHASE
16. Data analysis.
17. Interpreting the Research findings.
V DISSEMINATION PHASE
18. Communicating the findings.
19. Utilizing the findings.

2. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROCESS

1. Identifying research problem area.
2. Formulating broad study objectives.
3. Review of literature.
4. Selecting research setting.

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 ADICHUNCHANAGIRI COLLEGE OF NURSING, B.G.NAGARA
“RESEARCH & RESEARCH PROCESS”
5. Selecting research approach/design.
6. Select a small sample.
7. Plan the tools for data collection.
8. Data collection.
9. Analysis and interpretation of data.
10. Disseminating the research findings.

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