Research problems, Research Questions, Research Hypotheses

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Research problems, Research Questions, Research
Hypotheses

• Dr. Aidh Abu Elsoud Alkaissi
• An-Najah National University
• Faculty of Nursing

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Overview of research problems

• Studies begin as problems that researchers want
  to solve or as questions they want to answer

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Basic terminology

• Researcher selects topic or a phenomenon on which
  to focus
• Example of research topics
• Adolescent smoking
• Patient compliance
• Coping with disability
• Pain management
• Within each are many potential research problems

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Basic terminology

• A research problem is enigmatic (not clear to
  the understanding), perplexing (lacking clarity
  of meaning), or troubling condition
• The purpose of research is to solve the problem
  or to contribute to its solution by accumulating
  relevant information
• A problem statementa problem statement
  articulates the problem to be addressed and
  indicates the need for a study
• Please read table4-1 page 66 which represent a
  problem statement related to the topic of the
  side effects of chemotherapy

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Basic terminology

• Research questions are the specific queries
  (demand for answers ) researchers want to answer
  in addressing the research problem
• Research questions guide the types of data to be
  collected in a stydy
• Researhers who make specific predictions
  regarding answers to the research question pose
  (introduce) hypotheses that are tested empirically

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Basic terminology

• A statement of purpose which is the researchers
  summary of the overall goal of a study
• Research aims or objectives the specific
  accomplishments the researcher hopes to acheive
  by conducting the study
• The objectives include obtaining answers to reach
  questions or testing research hypotheses
• May also encompass some broader aims (e.g.
  Developing recommendations for changes to nursing
  practice based on the study results )

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Research program and paradigms

• Quantitative study involves concepts that are
  fairly well developed
• There is an existing body of literature
• Reliable methods of measurement have been
  developed
• E.g. a quantitative study might be undertaken to
  determine if postpartum depression is higher
  among women who are employed 6 months after
  delivery than among those who stay home with
  their babies

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Research program and paradigms

• Qualitative studies are often undertaken because
  some aspect of a phenomenon is poorly understood,
  and the researcher wants to develop a rich,
  comprehensive and context-bound understanding of
  it
• Qualitative metods would not be well suited to
  comparing levels of depression among two groups
  of women, but thet would be ideal for exploring
  for example, the meaning of postpartum depression
  among new mothers

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Source of research problems

• Students are sometimes puzzled about the origins
  of research problems
• Where do ideas for research problems come from
• How do researchers select topic areas and develop
  research questions
• At the most basic level, research topics
  originateresearchersinterests
• Explicit sources that might fuel researchers
  curiosity include experience, the nursing
  literature, social issuess, theories and ideas
  from others with

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Experience and clinical fieldwork

• The nurses every day clinical experience is a
  rich source of ideas for research problems
• As you are performing your nursing functions, you
  are bound to find a wealth of research ideas if
  you are curious about why things are the way they
  are or about how things could be improved if
  something were to change
• You may be well along the way to developing
  research ideas if you have ever asked the
  following kinds of research
• Why are things done this way?
• What information would help to solve this problem

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Experience and clinical fieldwork

• What is the process by which this situation
  arose?
• What would happen if ?
• How to proceed
• Watch for recurring problems and see if you can
  discern (detect with the senses) a pattern in
  situations that lead to the problem
• Please read examples page 67

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Nursing litterature

• Ideas for research projects often come from
  reading the nursing literature
• Beggining nurse researchers can profit from
  regularly reading nursing journals, either
  clinical specialty journals or research journals
• Published research reports may suggest problem
  areas indirectly by stimulating the imagination
  and directly specifying further areas need of
  investigation
• Read example page 67

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Nursing litterature

• Researchers wonder whether a study similar to one
  reported in a journal aeticle would yield
  comparable results if applied in a different
  setting or wiyth different population
• Replications (A reply to an answer)are needed to
  establish the validity and generalizability of
  previous findings

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Social issues

• Sometimes topics are suggested by more global
  contemporary social or political issues
• As Feminist

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Theory

• Theories must be tested through research for
  their applicability to hospital unites
• If the theory is correct
• What kind of behavior would i expect to find in
  certain situations or under certain conditions
• What kind of evidence would support this theory

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Ideas from external sources

• a faculty member
• Sponsor funded research
• Priority for nursing research
• Professional conferences