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Research Problems, Questions, Hypotheses,& Frameworks

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Questions for Thought

• What is a research problem?

• What is a research hypothesis?

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Research Problem

• Is the problem under study • The purpose is to identify a problem

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Problem Statement

• The statement of the research problem, sometimes phrased in the form of a research question

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Research Question

• A statement of the specific query or question the investigator wants to answer through research

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Other terms

• Statement of Purpose– Researchers’ summary of

overall study goal

• Research Aims– State objectives of the

study

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Matching Research Method to Research Problem

• Quantitative studies– Usually involve concepts

that are well developed– Usually use developed,

reliable measurement methods

• Qualitative studies– Usually involve concepts

poorly understood

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Sources of Research Problems

• Clinical experience

• Nursing literature

• Social issues

• Theories

• Ideas from external sources

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Problem Statements

• Usually located in the introduction or literature review of the research report– Rarely labelled problem statement

• The statement of the research problem– Identifies

• The nature of the problem• The context of the problem• The significance of the problem

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Statement of Purpose

• A broad declarative statement of the goals of the research project– Usually phrased using the terms “purpose” or “goal”

• Can use “intent”, “aim,” “objective”

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Statement of Purpose

• In quantitative studies• Identifies key study

variables• Identifies the possible

interrelationship of the variables

• Identifies nature of the population of interest

• In qualitative studies• Indicates the nature of

the inquiry• Identifies key concepts

or phenomenon being studied

• Identifies the group, community or setting under study

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Research Question

• A statement of the specific query or question the investigator wants to answer through research

• Often similar to the statement of purpose, just provides more detail and focus– Used to:

• Focus attention on the kinds of data needed to provide an answer• Clarify the purpose statement• Identify key variables and their potential relationship• Identify the population under study

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Research Question

• In qualitative research the research question may evolve over time

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Research Hypotheses

• A hypothesis is a tentative prediction about the relationship between two or more variables in the population under study

• Used in quantitative studies only

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Function of Research Hypotheses

• A hypotheses translates a research question into a prediction of expected outcomes

• It induces critical thinking– Development of predictions forces the researcher to

think logically

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Testable Hypotheses

• Testable research hypotheses state the expected relationship between the independent variable (cause) and the dependent variable (effect)

– Should be phrased in terms that will identify a predicted relationship

• More than, less than, greater than, different from, related to

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Wording of Hypotheses

• Simple hypothesis– States a predicted relationship between one

independent and one dependent variable

• Complex hypothesis– States a predicted relationship between two or more

independent and two or more dependent variables

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Wording of Hypotheses

• Hypotheses are usually worded in the present tense

• Directional Hypothesis– Specifies the expected direction of the relationship

between variables

• Nondirectional Hypothesis– Does not specify the direction of the relationship

between variables

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Wording of Hypotheses

• Research Hypotheses (scientific hypotheses)– Statements of expected relationships between variables

• Null Hypotheses (statistical hypotheses)– Statements that there is no relationship between the

independent and dependent variables– This is used to allow statistical analysis– Not usually noted in research reports

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Hypothesis Testing and Proof

• Hypotheses are never proved– They are accepted,

supported, rejected

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Critiquing a Research Problem

• Should address:– Implications for practice– Extension of knowledge base– Promotion of theory development– Correspondence to research priorities

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Reference

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2013). Practical research: Planning and design (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Loiselle, C. G., Profetto-McGrath, J., Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2011). Canadian essentials of nursing research (3rd Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.