Purpose, Questions and Hypotheses

Question 1

Problem statement

Answer 1

Expression of a dilemma or disturbing situation that needs to be investigated
ID the nature of the problem that is being addressed in the study and usually context and significance
Parts MUST be included
- Nature (what is the issue?)
- Context (where is it occurring? Can be political, social, specific environment)
- Significance (Illnesses? Workload impacting safe care? Taking too much sick time? Why do we need to study this? If we do not, what will happen?

Question 2

Purpose statement

Answer 2

What is it?
- Variables, population, setting
- Who, what and where?
What are the components?
How does it relate to the problem statement?

Question 3

Critiquing problem and purpose

Answer 3

Are the problem and purpose of the study clearly and concisely expressed?
Does the purpose narrow and clarify the focus of the problem to be studied?
Does the problem or purpose statement express a relationship between 2 or more variables?
Does the problem or purpose statement expressed a phenomenon being studied?

Question 4

What components does a research question contain?

Answer 4

Importance
- Generate nursing knowledge?
Interest
Answerability
- Provide answer beyond yes or now
- In depth info for something we can use
Guidelines
- Start with simple question (1 stem and 1 topic)
- Action (oriented)
- Way you ask question determines who you will answer it

Question 5

Hypothesis

Answer 5

MUST
- Predict relationship between 2 or more variables
- Be testable
- Be justifiable (based on rationale/theory)
- Link theory and practice
- Advance knowledge
Formulated before study conducted
- Provides direction for data

Question 6

Simple vs complex hypothesis

Answer 6

Simple

• 2 variables
• Infants born to heroin-addicted mothers have lower birth-weights than those of non-heroin addicted mothers

Complex

• 2 plus variables
• Infants born to heroin-addicted mothers have lower birth-weights, more neuro complications and high mortality

Question 7

Causal vs associative hypothesis

Answer 7

Causal
- Smoking will cause weight loss among dieting women

Associative
- Relationship between amount of cigarettes smoked and weight loss among dieting women

Question 8

Directional vs non-directional hypothesis

Answer 8

Directional
- Patients turned Q2H have a lower incidence of decubitus ulcers than patients turned less frequently

Non-directional
- Incidence of decubitus ulcers r/t frequency of turning patients
Existence of relationship between the variable
Does not specify the anticipated direction of the relationship

Question 9

Null vs research hypothesis

Answer 9

Null

• No relationship
• No relationship between gender and knowledge of STDs among teens

Research
- Teen boys are better informed about STDs than teen girls

Question 10

What are variables?

Answer 10

Independent
- Variable that has presumed effect on dependent variable
- Researcher manipulates
Dependent
- Consequence or presumed effect that varies with a change in the independent variable
- Not manipulated
Extraneous
- Interferes with the operations of the phenomena being studied (age and gender)
Demographic

Question 11

Conceptual vs operational

Answer 11

Conceptual
- Abstract, theoretical meaning being studied
Operational
- Means by which the research will collect info about the variables

Question 12

Critiquing objectives/questions/hypothesis

Answer 12

Are they clearly expressed and linked to the research?
Do they clearly ID the variables and population to be studied?
If hypothesis is stated, is the form of the statement statistical or research?
Is the hypothesis testable?