developing research questions, hypotheses and clinical questions

Question 1

research question

Answer 1

presents the idea of what is going to be studied and is the foundation of the research study

Question 2

three key elements when developing research questions

Answer 2

1. the situation: patient or specific patient populations
2. the intervention: if an action is helpful or improves patient care
3. the outcome: does it make a difference?

Question 3

research questions focus on

Answer 3

• describing variables/concepts
• specifying the population being studied
• examining testable relationships among variables

Question 4

independent variable

Answer 4

is the variable that has a presumed effect on the dependent variables

Question 5

dependent variable

Answer 5

is referred to as the consequence or effect that changes in response to the independent variable

Question 6

population

Answer 6

• a well-defined set that has certain properties
• it is either specified or implied in the research question

Question 7

testability

Answer 7

research questions need to be formed to address a specific issue or need
questions need to be testable-measurable

Question 8

qualitative framework

Answer 8

• uses a research question
• indicates very little knowledge about a nursing phenomena
• for research studies using verbs such as explore, describe or that are theory generating

Question 9

quantitative research

Answer 9

• guided by a hypothesis
• testing a cause and effect relationship or trying to answer a specific question
• using verbs such as test or compare

Question 10

hypothesis

Answer 10

a statement about relationships between two or more variables that predicts expected outcomes in a specific population
- considered to be intelligent guesses or predictions to help researchers seek answers or solutions to the research questions
- often derived from theories
- subjects the variable or concept to empirical testing

Question 11

causal

Answer 11

• cause and effect
• IV and DV are present and it predicts an outcome
• type of hypothesis

Question 12

simple

Answer 12

• relationship between 2 variables
• type of hypothesis

Question 13

associate

Answer 13

• identifies variables that occur or exist together in practice and as one variable changes so does the other variable
• type of hypothesis

Question 14

complex

Answer 14

• relationship between 3 or more variables
• type of hypothesis

Question 15

directional

Answer 15

• states the nature or direction of the relationship between the two variables
• indicates that there have been some previous studies about the phenomena
• the direction provides a specific framework for the study
• also suggests the researcher is predicting the outcome

Question 16

non-directional

Answer 16

• states that a relationship exists between the variables but does not predict the nature or direction of the relationship
• may be used in studies where very little is known about the phenomena