Lecture 5

Question 1

The specific aims for a research project provide a structure for

Answer 1

achieving the overall study goal

Question 2

The principle of purposiveness states that:

Answer 2

research h projects should be designed to answer one well-defined research question

Question 3

Researchers are ready to finalize the selection of one very specific study goal after

Answer 3

identifying a preliminary research area and conducting a review of the relevant literature

Question 4

A study goal can be achieved by

Answer 4

a series of specific aims or objectives

Question 5

Before moving forward researchers should take the time to think through the answers to four key questions:

Answer 5

What is the one well defined research question that the study will answer?
What specific aims or objectives or hypotheses will enable the key question to be answered
Would a conceptual framework be helpful for guiding the design, analysis and interpretation of the study and its results?
Is the proposed study feasible? Is there a high likelihood that the research team will be able to answer the study’s main research question?

Question 6

A study goal describes the

Answer 6

single overarching objective of a research project or the main question that a research project seeks to answer

Question 7

A goal or objective statement for a clinical or population health research project usually states the

Answer 7

exposures
diseases
outcomes
and/or populations that will be the focus of the study

Question 8

Several (5) critical questions a researcher should be able to answer about the context of the study. Often explained inn research proposal

Answer 8

What is one key question this study will answer? / hypothesis that will be proved?

What is already known about this topic? What is the gap?

What is the significance of the problem? ex how severe is the disease and how many are affected?

What will be innovative? How will study fill the gap?

What is the likely impact of this research project? How will it help advance health?

Question 9

Most studies in health sciences have ____ specific aims

Answer 9

2-4 with three the most typical

Question 10

Hypotheses should be

Answer 10

falsifiable and neutral

Question 11

Two common ways to write specific aims

Answer 11

sequential and independent

Question 12

Sequential objective

Answer 12

Written in a series of actions that will achieve the main goal
Popular in doctoral programs that require candidates to produce three manuscripts before facing dissertation

Researchers need to wait for aim 1 to complete aim 2 which must be completed for aim 3 etc.

Question 13

Specific aims are written in form

Answer 13

to measure, to identify, to estimate

Question 14

When writing independent objectives

Answer 14

the specific aims are related but are independent of one another.
If one can’t be completed the others still can

Question 15

SMART

Answer 15

specific
measurable
achievable
relevant
timely

Question 16

conceptual framework

Answer 16

boxes and arrows to illustrate relationships to be evaluated during the study.
Ex. directed acyclic graph (DAG)

Question 17

DAGs

Answer 17

directed acyclic graph
form of a conceptual framework
- at the beginning of study will be used to figure out what data needs to be collected from the participants
-Towards the end of the study will be used as a roadmap for hypotheses testing and other types of data analysis and a framework for causal inference to interpret statistical results

Question 18

Theoretical framework

Answer 18

set of established models in published literature
- can inform the flows of a conceptual framework for a new research study
Common in nursing, social science and educational research literature.

Question 19

Examples of theoretical frameworks

Answer 19

HBM Health belief model
Socioecological model

Question 20

HBM

Answer 20

Health Belief Model
considers health behaviour change to be a function of perceived susceptibility to an adverse health outcome

Question 21

Social ecological model

Answer 21

considers individual health and health behaviours to be fa function of the social environment

Question 22

Social environment includes

Answer 22

intra/interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy dimensions

Question 23

FINER

Answer 23

Feasible
Interesting
Novel
Ethical
Relevant