Dr. Wally J. Bartfay
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”
(Albert Einstein, 1879-1955)

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1. Research questions are qualitative in nature only?
2. Hypotheses can be both quantitative & qualitative in nature?
3. Hypotheses are never “proved” through hypothesis testing; rather they are accepted or supported?
4. A non-directional hypothesis specifies the expected direction or nature of a hypothesized relationship?
5. A research question guides the type of data to be collected by the investigator?

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Is a set of interrelated concepts (building blocks) that structure a systemic view of phenomena for the purpose of explaining or predicting outcomes
Like a “blueprint” which provides a guide for modeling a structure or building, what goes where & how does everything fit together
(bricks, pipes, electrical, heating, etc)

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Is a set of interrelated concepts that provides a systematic view of phenomenon
Guides practice & research
Practice allows testing of theory & generates ?’s for research
Research contributes to theory-building & establishing practice guidelines
Hence, what is learned through practice, theory & research interweaves to create knowledge fabric of the discipline of nursing

Theory
Nursing
Research Practice

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(1) “Grand or macro-theories” attempt to describe & explain large segments of phenomenon (e.g., chaos theory, theory of evolution, Roger’s, Orem’s,
Newman’s)-
(2) “Middle-range” are more narrow/ restricted in scope (e.g., decision-making, self-care deficits, infant bonding)
(3) “Micro-range” link concrete concepts into a statement that can be examined in practice & research (hypotheses are examples here)

 Are symbolic representations of a set of concepts (building blocks of theories e.g., health, anxiety, QOL, CGB, adaptation) & their proposed relationships

Conceptual Models/ Frameworks: An example
Host Agent
Chain of Infection
Environment
Proposed relationships depicting 3 necessary concepts for chain of infection

 When researchers used quantitative inquiry
& deductive reasoning, often appears at beginning of paper before discussion
 When researchers use qualitative inquiry & inductive reasoning, often appears at the end of the paper in discussion section

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Are common in both qualitative & quantitative research
They represent phenomena “graphically”
 Concepts & how they are linked are represented by arrows, symbols, boxes etc
 Useful in clarifying associations among concepts

 Used in quantitative studies
 Use symbols to express quantitatively the nature of relationships between defined variables
 Each concept/ term in model is quantifiable
 Statistical models where probability is used to describe/ explain & predict outcomes

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(1) Is it clearly identified & transparent to the reader?
(2) Is it consistent with a nursing perspective?
(3) Is it appropriate to guide the research question(s) of interest?
(4) Are concepts/ variables clearly defined?
(5) Are the links consistent with concepts being studied and the methods of measurements?
(6) Are the results (data, findings) examined & interpreted employing these theories, conceptual models or frameworks?

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Word implies “the organization of elements into a masterful work of art”
 It describes the basic strategies that will be employed to address research ?(s)

Hypotheses
Research ?s
Theoretical
Framework
Review of
Literature
Research Design
Interrelationships of review of lit., research ?s, hypotheses, research
Theoretical framework & research design

 Defined as measures used to hold conditions of study uniform
 Process of holding constant possible influences on the dependent variable or outcome
 It is established by ruling-out extraneous or mediating variables that compete with the independent variable as possible explanation for achieved outcome

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Are variables that interfere with operation of the phenomena being studied (e.g., age & gender, other chronic disease conditions present)
Use homogeneous sample (e.g., menopausal women aged 55 to 60 years of age, avoid “messy” samples)
Manipulation of independent variable
Randomization helps to eliminate bias & aids in attainment of a representative sample

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Asks whether the independent variable really made difference or change to dependent variable
History: Another specific event that may effect outcomes (e.g., media reports on star with breast
CA, so breast-self exams increase)
Maturation: refers to developmental, biological or psychological processes that operate within a subject as a function of time & are external to events of study (e.g., study to examine effects of vit. E on preventing cat. in eyes, where age of subject is a threat)

 Testing: (e.g., effect of taking a pre-test may sensitize subject & improve post-test results)
 Instrumentation: (e.g., researcher wants to compare tympanic, digital & electronic thermometers to accuracy of mercury-typeneed to check calibration specs pre and post)

 Mortality: loss of study subjects after baseline measures established
 Selection bias: (e.g., subjects who want to enter into smoking cessation program, help to avoid by randomization)

 Deals with possible problems of generalizability of findings/ outcomes to additional populations (e.g., study involved
IDDM, can you generalize to NIDDM?)
 Selection effects (sample in study was too small to generate statistically significant conclusionissue of “power”)

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Reactive effects : defined as subjects’ responses to being studied
Known as “Hawthorne Effect” (Western Electric
Corporation study on working conditions)
Here, researchers examined various Rx. Effects
(e.g., turning up or down lights, piping in loud/ soft music, changing working hours etc)
No matter what researcher did, workers’ productivity increased
Conclusion, workers productivity increased b/c they were being studied

 Measurement effects: administration of pretest in study affects generalizability of findings to other populations (e.g., “attitudes” towards AIDS in general where researcher examines effects of AIDS education program that deals with “risk factors” associated with
AIDS)

 (1) Exploratory or Formative: to gain new insights, discover new ideas & increase knowledge about a phenomenon (usually conducted when little is known about a topic)
 (2) Descriptive: Structured observations or
?s or both are used to describe a phenomenon, situation, group or characteristic

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(3) Correlational: primary intent is to explain the nature of the proposed relationship(s)
(4) Experimental: Can be used to test cause & effect relationships & serves as basis of prediction: Must have following criteria:
(a) manipulation of treatment variable
(b) control of one or more constants into the experimental situation (e.g., temperature, Dx)
(c) random selection & inclusion of subjects

 (5) Quasi-experimental: lacks one or more criteria for a true experiment
 (6) Evaluative: tests how well a program, practice or policy is working

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Mark down these dates for Dr. Nancy Edwards,
Visiting Nursing Research Scholar: November 1st
10 to 11 am “Need for nursing research:
Dissemination & uptake of research evidence” HEC room 104
34 pm: Seminar/ workshop: “Developing research teams & programs of research” HEC room 203
4 to 5 pm: Major public talk: HEC room 203
Have a great week!!!