ResearchProblemsChapter6Notes

I.

Introduction
A.

Questiontoanswerorproblemtosolve

B.

Initiallybroadandvague

C.

Mustberefinedsoitcanbesubjecttoempiricalinvestigation

D.

Guidesthedirectionoftheresearchdesign

E.

Paradigmsuitedtotheresearchproblem

F.

BasictermsTable6.1onpg.113illustratestheseterms
a.
b.
c.
d.

II.

Researchproblemperplexingortroublingcondition
Problemstatement
Researchquestionspecificquestionstoanswerinaddressingtheresearchproblem
Statementofpurposesummaryoftheoverallgoal

Wheretofindaproblem
trickyforbeginnershoweveritiscriticalbecauseitformsthebasisoftherestofyourproject
A.

Experienceprob.inpracticethatremainunsolved

B.

Nursingliterature
1.

Keyresearchjournalsex.NursingResearch,WesternJournalofNursing
Research,AdvancesinNursingScience

2.

Journalsdesignedforsubspecialtiesex.JOGN,PediatricNursing,Community
HealthNursing
articlesmaysuggestareasforfurtherstudy

C.

3.

Booksandjournalsthatsummarizeresearchonaspecifictopic

4.

Replicationofastudyonanewpopulation=goodsource

5.

Lookforgapsinthenursingliterature

Socialissues.
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D.

Theoriesarisesfromresearchaswellasprovidesasourceofproblemsforresearch
1.

Deductionsaremadebasedonthetheory
2.

E.

III.

Hypothesesaredevelopedandtestedempirically

Ideasfromexternalsources
1.

ANAspriorities

2.

Directsuggestionsfrominstructor,employer,fundingsource

3.

Brainstormingeverymembercontributesideasandtheneachmember
mustsupporttheselectedtopic

Developingandrefiningatopic
creativeprocess
A.

Selectabroadtopicofinterest

B.

Narrowdownthetopicasyoumovefrommoregeneraltomorespecific
severalpossibleproblemsmayemerge
KISSkeepitsimple,stupid
mostbeginningresearcherstrytotackleproblemsthataretoobroad

C.
IV.

Literaturereviewcanhelpnarrowtheproblem

Criteriaforevaluatingaresearchproblem
A.

Significanceistheproblemimportanttopatients,nursesorsociety;whowill
knowledgebenefit;avoidtrivialmatters

B.

Researchabilityoftheproblemcanthevariablesbedefinedandmeasured
*WhichproblemsareNOTmeasurable?(moralorethical)

C.

Feasibilitydifficulttoevaluateforbeginners
1.

Timeandtimingcantheprojectbecompletedinthetimeallotted
Researchtakesmoretimethanyouthinkitwilltake
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Someproblemsoccuratcertaintimes
2.

Availabilityofsubjects
Keeptimecommitmentstoaminimumtoincreaseparticipation
stipends

3.

Cooperationofothers
parentsandguardians
staffmembers
administration

4.

Facilitiesandequipment
computer,labtime,technicalequipment,secretarialservices,copier,
transportation

5.

D.
V.

Moneysomestudiesareverycostly
a.

Literaturecomputersearches,articles,books

b.

Supportpersonnel

c.

Stipends

d.

Supplies

e.

Labfees

f.

Transportationcosts

6.

Experienceoftheresearcher

7.

Ethicalconsideration

Researcherinterestdoestheresearcherlikethetopic

ResearchProblemStatementsSpecificAims
A.

Goodstatementsshould
1.

Identifykeyvariables
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B.

2.

Havevariablesthatcanbemeasured

3.

Describethenatureofthepopulationofinterest

4.

Guidethereaderandtheresearcherthroughthestudy

Twoforms
1.

Declarativestatement
Ex.Thepurposeofthisstudyisto

2.

Interrogativequestion
Ex.Whatistherelationshipbetween?

C.

VI.

Definitionofterms
1.

Shouldaccompanyproblemstatement/question

2.

Researchermustspecifythemethodofoperationalizingthevariables

FormulationoftheHypothesis
A.

Overview
Definition:

Hypothesisisatentativepredictionorexplanationofthe
relationshipbetween2ormorevariables
Turnsproblemstatementintoapredictionofexpectedoutcomes
Thehypothesis(nottheproblemstatement)isempiricallyused
Isdevelopedbeforethestudyisconductedbecauseitspurposeit
toguidethestudy
hypothesisleadstheresearchertotheresearchdesign,and
tocollectionandanalysisofdata

(TheyaremuchlikethegoalsthatyoustateinyourNCPs.Justaswell
developedgoalsguideyourplanofcareandevaluationofoutcomes,the
hypothesisguidesyourresearchplanandtheevaluationofitsresults.)
ReviewStepsofResearchProcess
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TheConceptual
Phases

1.

FormulatingtheProblem

2.

LiteratureReview

3.

TheoreticalFramework

4.
B.

DevelopingtheHypothesis

WorkableHypothesis
=statementofthepredictedrelationshipbetweenatleast2variables
=testable
1.

independentvariable=thepresumedcauseorinfluence

2.

dependentvariable=(orcriterionvariable)istheeffectorparameterof
interest

therelationshipbetweentheindependentandthedependentvariableisdescribed
withaconnectivephrasesuchasmorethan,greaterthanorfewerthan,
lessthanornodifferentthanorthesameas
Hypothesisstatementsarenotwildguessesonthepartoftheresearcher
Theyareeducatedpredictionsbaseduponrationaleandshouldbeconsistentwith
existingresearchfindings
Aworkablehypothesisalsoprovidesdefinitionsofthevariablesthatareoperational
(canbeused)
C.

TypesofHypotheses
1.

2.

SimpleVS.Complex
a.

Simplehypothesiscontainsoneindependentvariableandonedependent
variable

b.

Complex(multivariate)hypothesispredictstherelationshipbetween3or
morevariables

DirectionalVS.NonDirectionalHypothesis

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a.

Directionaltellsthereaderthedirectionoftherelationshipbetweenthe
twovariables=morespecificaboutthenatureoftherelationship

b.

NonDirectionalHypothesis
donotspecifythenatureoftherelationshipbetweenthevariables
thereisarelationshipbetweentheuseoffamilyplanningeducationand
therateofteenagepregnancy

Generally,thedirectionalhypothesisispreferred.Thedevelopmentofa
directionalhypothesisforcestheresearchertothinkcritically.
Foryourprojects,developadirectionalhypothesis.
3.

ResearchVS.StatisticalHypothesis
a.

Researchhypothesis=statementofrelationshipbetweenvariables
(Wehavebeendescribingresearchhypothesisallthroughthis
discussion.)

b.

StatisticalHypothesis(orNullHypothesis)statesthatthereisno
relationshipbetweenthevariables
Thisincontrarytoourdefinitionandnullhypothesesarenotused
muchinnursing.
Researchhypothesisarebetterforourpurpose.

D.

Summary
1.

Hypothesesareempiricallytested
Remember,resultscansupportorfailtosupportthehypothesis.But,the
hypothesisisneverprovenordisproven

2.

Hypothesisisastatementofthepredictedrelationshipbetweenatleast2
variables

3. Forourprojectsbesuretodevelopasimple,directional,research(notnull)
hypothesisthatisclear,concise,andtheprovidesoperationaldefinitions
E.

CritiquingResearchProblems,Questions,andHypotheses
1.
Implicationsforpractice
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Extensionofknowledgebase
Theorydevelopment
Fitwithresearchpriorities
Fitwithparadigm
Fitwithpreviousresearch

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