Unit 2: Ch. 6 Flashcards
Research problem
A puzzling, perplexing, or troubling situation
Something you can do research on and get ideas on how to solve the problem
Problem statement
A statement articulating the research problem and making an argument to conduct a new study
Just an explanation for the problem and justification for why the study should be conducted
Topic
At the most general level, a researcher selects a topic on which to focus
Statement of purpose
aka purpose statement
Researcher’s summary of the overall goal
-99% of the time it’s there (usually at end of introduction)
Sometimes the words aim or objective are used instead of purpose
Research questions
Specific queries researchers want to answer, which guide the types of data to be collected in a study
Researchers who make specific predictions about answers to research questions pose ____ that are then tested.
Hypotheses
The research problem must…?
- be important
- “a study must be feasible, fundable, and significant” - be feasible to study
- doable as far as time commitment is concerned; not extremely expensive; in terms of researcher’s expertise (researcher already has to know something about topic beforehand); in terms of availability of subjects, facility, equipment, ethical considerations
- ex: a study that would take 40 years isn’t feasible - have the potential to generate or refine relevant knowledge for practice
- significance means study should be build on previous research - Build on previous research
- Promote theory testing or development
T/F: Not every study is fundable
True.
-ex: a lot of nursing research is funded by the government (NINR, etc.) and a lot of times the federal government has funding priorities –> if your research isn’t one of THEIR priorities it may not be fundable
____ studies usually involve concepts that are fairly well developed and for which reliable methods of measurement have been (or can be) developed
Quantitative
____ studies are often undertaken b/c a researcher wants to develop a rich and context-bound understanding of a poorly understood phenomenon.
Qualitative
Sources of research problems
- Clinical experience
- working on a unit there may be something you keep encountering and you discover it’s researchable - Nursing literature
- may discover gaps in the literature (areas for future research) - Social issues
- topics are sometimes suggested by global, social, or political issues of relevance to healthcare community (e.g. health disparities) - Theory
- look at theory and test theory as a way of doing research - Suggestions from external sources
- ex: going to conferences; look at what funding agencies are supporting
Researchers who have developed a ____ of research may get inspiration for “next steps” from their own findings, or from a discussion of those findings with others.
Program [of research]
T/F: Researchers often begin with interests in a broad topic area, and then develop a more specific researchable problem.
True
Problem statements, especially for quantitative studies, often have most of the following 6 components.
- Problem identification
- what’s wrong w/ the current situation? - Background
- what’s the nature of the problem, or the context of the situation, that readers need to understand? - Describe the scope of the problem
- how big of a problem is it, and how many people are affected? - Describe the consequences of the problem
- what’s the cost of NOT fixing the problem? - ID knowledge gaps
- what info about the problem is lacking? - Proposed solution
- how will the new study contribute to the solution of the problem?
Aims and objectives
Accomplishments to be achieved
Usually it’s there but depends on the author and the needs of the problem; have more to do w/ conducting research than writing research