NURS200W:
Lesson 2: Research Problems, Purposes, and Hypotheses
In Lesson 2, we will focus on identifying research topics, questions, hypothesis, and variables related to Evidence-Based Practice.
Lesson 2 Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Identify research topics, problems, and purposes in published quantitative, qualitative, and outcomes research.
- Critically appraise the research problems and purposes in studies.
- Understand the feasibility of a study problem and purpose.
- Distinguish between the types of hypotheses in published studies.
- Differentiate and appraise the quality of objectives, questions, and hypotheses presented in research.
- Differentiate the types of variables in research studies, focusing in independent and dependent variables.
- Conduct a computerized search of the literature to identify an article of interest related to a PICO(S) question.
Lesson Readings and Activities
- By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Course Schedule for Lesson 2.
Lesson 2 Commentary
RESEARCH PROBLEMS, PURPOSES, AND HYPOTHESES
This lesson includes content to assist in differentiating a problem from a purpose and critiquing the problems and purposes in published quantitative, qualitative, and outcome studies.
Students are introduced to objectives, questions, hypotheses, and the different types of study variables.
The chapter includes guidelines to assist in critiquing the problems, purposes, objectives, questions, hypotheses, and variables in published quantitative, qualitative, and outcome studies.
What are research problems and purposes?
The research problem includes the background and significance of the research topic and the specific problem statement for the proposed study.
Significance is the importance of the research topic.
The background provides what we know about the research topic.
The problem statement identifies the gap in what is known, the gap that the study will attempt to correct.
Identifying the Problem and Purpose in Quantitative, Qualitative, and Outcome Studies
The problem statements and purposes of studies will vary depending on the type of study and design.
Tables 5-1, 5-2, and 5-3 in the text display examples of problems and purposes for different types of studies.
Determining the Significance of a Study Problem and Purpose
Significant research problems are those whose answers could influence nursing practice, build on previous research, promote theory testing and development, and address nursing’s priorities.
Examining the Feasibility of a Problem and Purpose
The feasibility of a study problem and purpose depends on the:
- Expertise of the researcher
- The money commitment that may be required to complete the study
- The availability of subjects, facilities, and equipment
- Ethical considerations
Examining Research Objectives, Questions, and Hypotheses in Research Reports
From the problem and purpose, the researcher develops objectives (aims), research questions, or hypotheses.
When little is known on a topic, study objectives are appropriate.
A research question for a quantitative study is written to include one or more variables and indicates the focus of the study. A research question for a qualitative study includes the phenomenon or concepts of interest.
All types of studies can have research objectives and questions; however, qualitative studies do not have hypotheses.
When more is known on a topic, the researcher can make a prediction in the form of a hypothesis.
Associative hypotheses guide studies that are examining potential relationships among variables with no indication that one variable causes another. Causal hypotheses guide studies that predict cause and effect relationships among two or more variables.
Simple hypotheses can be associative or causal and can be distinguished because they contain only two variables. Complex hypotheses contain three or more variables.
A nondirectional hypothesis indicates that there is a relationship without specifying the direction of the relationship. A directional hypothesis specifies the direction of the relationship(s) among the variables.
A null or statistical hypothesis specifies that no relationship exists between two or more variables. The research hypothesis is the alternative hypothesis that indicates the relationship between the variables.
Understanding Study Variables and Research Concepts
Study variables are conceptually and operationally defined for quantitative studies. Operational definitions are statements about how the variable can be manipulated or measured.
An independent variable is an intervention or a factor that can be varied to affect another variable, the dependent variable.
Research concepts are characteristics that are described or observed in a study in their natural settings using qualitative methods.
Extraneous variables can interfere with measuring other variables or relationships accurately. Extraneous variables can be confounding variables and environmental variables.
Confounding variables are factors that were not known when a study was planned and cannot be controlled.
Environmental variables are factors in the setting or sociopolitical context that may affect the study findings.
Lesson 2 Videos
Developing the Appropriate Research Question
While viewing this Video think about the PICO question you developed in Module 1. Does it meet the criteria listed within this video, while being engaging and interesting? Does you PICO question help to address something we do not already know?
How to Critique the Relevance, Wording, and Congruence of Research Questions
Focus on the first 3 minutes of this video. The remainder of the video is helpful, but you have not learned enough at this point it time. It may be a a good reference as you progress in this course. There is a menu to chose selected video clips at the right-hand side.