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Formulating Research Problems, Questions and Hypotheses
Formulating Research Problems, Questions and Hypotheses
Problems, Questions
and Hypotheses
Sathish Rajamani M.Sc (N)
09688115454
Learning Objectives
Describe the general Describe the difference
steps in the research between Level I, II, and
process III studies
Describe process of Describe the use of
identifying a research research questions vs.
problem hypotheses in a
Define research research study
questions, directional
and non-directional
hypotheses
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Research Defined
Research is an organized and
systematic way to find answers to
questions
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Why is research important to the
profession of nursing?
Nursing research provides a scientific
knowledge base for practice.
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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 area
Review of relevant literature
Significance to nursing
Feasibility
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Research Topics
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The Research Idea
Professional experience
Burning questions
Yours
Others
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
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FINER
Feasible Ethical
Subjects Social or scientific value
Resources Safe
Manageable
Relevant
Data available?
Advance scientific
Interesting knowledge?
Novel Influence clinical practice?
In relation to previous findings Impact health policy?
Confirm or refute? Guide future research?
New setting, new population
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Narrowing the research topic
Idea → brainstorming
Literature review
Identify the variables for study
Formulate research problems and
questions/hypotheses
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A Research Question Must
Identify
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Variables in research
Have 2 or more properties or qualities
Age, sex, weight, height
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Variables in research
Independent Dependent variable:
variable: Something that varies
has a presumed effect with a change in the
on the dependent independent variable
variable (outcome) Outcome variable
May or may not be
manipulated
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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 questions
Cannot 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?
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Purpose Statement
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12/07/21 LB-W & H p. 58 Box 3-2 21
Research Questions
Research studies do not always
contain hypotheses
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What is a researchable
question?
Helps solve a problem, add to theory, or
improve nursing practice
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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 variables
The population being studied
The 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 hypothesis
Shows 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
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Example: Statistical Hypothesis
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Levels of Questions
Level I Level III
Little to no literature is There is a great deal of
available on the topic and knowledge about the topic
the purpose is to describe and the purpose of the
what is found as it exists study is to test the theory
naturally through direct manipulation
Level II of the variables
There is knowledge about
the topic but relationships
among the variables are
not well known
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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 Examples:
Level I studies What is the relationship
Look for relationships between relaxation and
pain in postoperative
between the variables 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 questions
research process illustrate a relationship
include forming a between variables,
research problem, identify independent
questions and and dependent
hypotheses variables, include a
A hypothesis attempts population, and imply
to answer the question that a problem is
posed by the research testable
question
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Your questions?
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