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RESEARCH PROCESS – AN OVERVIEW
DR. PREMILA LEEProfessor
Dept of Surgical Nursing, CNE& Research,
College of Nursing,Christian Medical College, Vellore
RESEARCH METHODS
• Research methods are the techniques researchers use to structure a study & to gather and analyze information relevant to the research question
• Research methods
- Quantitative research
- Qualitative research
Phase 1: The conceptual phase
Phase 2: The design and planning phase
Phase 3: The empirical phase
Phase 4: The analytic phase
Phase 5: The dissemination phase
PHASE I: THE CONCEPTUAL PHASE
• Formulating and delimiting the problem
• Reviewing the related literature
• Undertaking Clinical field work
• Defining the framework and developing conceptual definitions
• Formulating hypotheses
FORMULATING & DELIMITING THE PROBLEM
• Identify an interesting, significant research problem
• A research problem is a perplexing problem about which one is curious
• Sources of research problems – clinical experience, nursing literature, social issues, theories & ideas from external sources
• Communicating research problems – Problem statement, Research questions
• A problem statement articulates the problem to be addressed
• Research questions are the specific queries researchers want to answer in addressing the research problem
REVIEWING THE RELATED LITERATURE
• Research is conducted within the context of previous knowledge
• Researchers strive to understand what is already known
• A thorough literature review provides a foundation
UNDERTAKING CLINICAL FIELD WORK
• Beneficial to spend time in clinical settings, discussing with concerned people & observing current practices
• Helps in developing methodologic strategies
DEFINING THE FRAMEWORK & DEVELOPING CONCEPTUAL
DEFINITIONS
• Abstractions are called concepts
• Concepts used in quantitative studies are called variables
• Concepts in a study need to be defined
• Two types of definitions – conceptual and operational
• A conceptual definition presents the theoretical meaning of the concepts
• An operational definition of a concept specifies the operations that researcher must perform to collect and measure the required information
FORMULATING HYPOTHESES
• A hypothesis is a prediction about the relationship between two or more study variables
PHASE 2: THE DESIGN & PLANNING PHASE
• Selecting a research design
• Developing protocols for the intervention
• Identifying the population
• Designing the sampling plan
• Specifying methods to measure the research variables
• Developing methods to safeguard human or animal rights
• Reviewing and finalizing the research plan
SELECTING A RESEARCH DESIGN
• Research design is the overall plan for obtaining answers to the research questions
• Research design is the architectural backbone of the study
DEVELOPING PROTOCOLS FOR THE INTERVENTION
• In an experimental research the intervention protocol for the study need to be developed
• Goal is to have all subjects treated in some way
• Not necessary in non experimental research
IDENTIFYING THE POPULATION
• Population is all the individuals with common, defining characteristics
DESIGNING THE SAMPLING PLAN
• Researchers collect data from a sample, which is subset of the population
• Risk – if sample do not adequately reflect population traits
• Appropriate sampling procedures can produce samples that are being representative
• The sampling plan specifies in advance the method & number of sample to be selected
SPECIFYING METHODS TO MEASURE THE RESEARCH VARIABLES
• Researcher must develop or borrow methods to measure the research variables as accurately as possible
• A variety of quantitative data collection approaches exist
DEVELOPING METHODS TO SAFEGUARD HUMAN RIGHTS
• Procedure need to be developed to ensure that the study adheres to ethical principles
• Ensure that the rights of subjects have been adequately protected
REVIEWING & FINALIZING THE RESEARCH PLAN
• Before actual data collection, researcher perform a number of “tests” to ensure that plans will work smoothly
• E.g. evaluate the readability of written materials, pretest the measuring instruments
• Have the research plan critiqued by peers, consultants or other reviewers
PHASE 3: THE EMPIRICAL PHASE
• Collecting the data
• Preparing the data for analysis
COLLECTING THE DATA
• The actual data collection often proceeds according to the pre-established plan
• Plan specifies procedures for the actual data collection
PREPARING THE DATA FOR ANALYSIS
• Quantitative researchers collect data in numeric form
• Data collected in a quantitative study require coding & transfer onto computer files
PHASE 4: THE ANALYTIC PHASE
• Analyzing the data
• Interpreting the results
INTERPRETING THE RESULTS
• Interpretation is the process of making sense of study results and examining their implications
• Researchers explain the findings in the light of prior evidence, theory and clinical experience
• Determine how the findings can be used in clinical practice, or what further research is needed
PHASE 5: THE DISSEMINATION PHASE
• Communicating the findings
• Utilizing the findings in practice
COMMUNICATING THE FINDINGS
• Final task is the preparation of a research report that can be shared with others
UTILIZING THE FINDINGS IN PRACTICE
• Concluding step is to plan for its use in practice settings
• Nurse researchers who are not in a position to implement a plan for utilizing research findings
- Include recommendations in the research report - Ensure that adequate information has been provided for a meta-analysis - Disseminate the findings to practicing nurses
REFERENCES
• Burns, N. & Grove, S.K. (2005). The Practice of Nursing Research: conduct, critique and utilization, 5th ed. St.Louis: Saunders Elsevier
• Polit, D.F. & Beck, C.T. (2008). Nursing Research: Principles and Methods. 8th ed. Philadelphia:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Wood, G.L. & Haber, J.(2006). Nursing Research: Methods and Critical Appraisal for Evidence_Based Practice. 6th ed. St.Louis: Mosby Elsevier