CONCEPTUAL PHASE OF THE

RESEARCH PROCESS
1. Formulating and delimiting the problem

2. Reviewing Related literature

3. Undertaking clinical field work

4. Defining the framework/conceptual framework

5. Formulating the hypothesis

The Problem
What is a problem?

1. a situation, person, or thing that needs attention and

needs to be dealt with or solved. (Cambridge Dictionary)

2. A gap between what is known and not known

 A research problem is a specific issue,
difficulty, contradiction, or gap in
knowledge that you will aim
to address in your research. You might look for
practical problems aimed at contributing to
change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding
knowledge .
How can you formulate a Problem?

1. Identify a BROAD problem area.

Nutrition

Herbal Medication
Formulating a research problem (continued)

Issues with performance or efficiency in an organization

Processes that could be improved in an institution

Areas of concern among practitioners in a field

Difficulties faced by specific groups of people in society

CRITERIA OF A GOOD RESEARCH PROBLEM

• 1. Significance to the discipline. •

 

2. Originality. •

3. Feasibility. •

4. Administrative support.
5. Peer support.

6. Availability of subjects.

7. Researcher’s competency.

8. Ethical considerations.
9. Solvable/Researchable.

10. Current.
9. Solvable/Researchable.
10. Current. 1
11. Interesting. 1. Interesting. 12. clear & unambiguous 4. 13.

12. clear & unambiguous

“FINER” AND “PICO” IN FORMULATING RESEARCH PROBLEM

F-FEASIBLE

I-INTERESTING

N-NOVEL

E-ETHICAL

R-RELEVANCCE
Feasibility

focuses on time, scope, resources, expertise, and funding

INTERESTING

The "I" represents intrinsic and extrinsic interest in answering a

research question
Here are some questions to answer when writing interesting research questions with FINER.
?
Will the study be personally rewarding

Will the study be professionals rewarding?

Do your colleagues and peers believe that the study is interesting?

Are funding agencies (NIH, NSF, etc.) currently funding research in this empirical area?

Will the study serve the immediate needs of your patient population?

Are researchers willing to put forth the effort and invest the time in conducting the study?

Do researchers have interdisciplinary support and interest in the research study?

 Novel Research questions

Novel research questions generate new and compelling clinical

evidence that serves the needs of patient populations. In order to
fill a "gap" in the existing literature, the researcher must master
the literature to know what has been done in the past.
 Ethical Research Questions

Writing ethical research questions is an absolute necessity when conducting

empirical research. An Institutional Review Board (IRB) must review any proposed
study involving human beings before it is undertaken. In order to ask ethical
research questions, IRB approval must be obtained before conducting research! So,
this part of the FINER framework always takes care of itself when researchers file an
IRB application for review.
Ethical research questions and FINER
Here are some questions to answer when writing ethical
research questions with FINER.
How will potential participants be recruited?
How will potential participants be consented?
What steps will be taken for the safety of potential participants?
Will any incentives be used to increase participation or response
rates?
What are the benefits of participation in the study?
What are the risks of participation in the study?
How will confidentiality and anonymity of participants be upheld?
Who will have access to the study data and where will it be stored?
Relevance of a research problem

the "R" answers the all-encompassing, "So, what?" question. Relevant

research questions influence clinical practice, change protocols, and
improve upon patient outcomes. Relevant research questions also leads
to quality improvement, more precision and accuracy in treatment
effects, and make a meaningful contribution to a given body of
knowledge. Lastly, relevant research questions drive future research!
Here are some questions to answer when writing relevant research questions with FINER.Will
your study improve upon patient outcomes?

Does the study serve immediate patient needs in the

population of interest?
Will your study improve upon patient safety?
Will you study lead to quality improvement of fiscal savings?
Will your study guide future research endeavors?

Can the study results be readily interpreted in the current clinical context?

Can the study results be easily generalized to patient populations?

Can the study results be applied in clinical environments to improve upon patient
care?

Will the study influence current clinical practice standards in a meaningful way?
What is the mnemonic “PICO”
Activity:

How to come up with research paper topics?

How to Select a Research Topic

Brainstorm for ideas

Read General Background Information

Focus on Your Topic

Make a List of Useful Keywords

Be Flexible

Define Your Topic as a Focused Research Question

Research and Read More About Your Topic

Formulate a Thesis Statement