/03/2014
Research problem and research questions and hypotheses
What Is a Research Problem?
A research problem, or phenomenon as it might be called in many forms of qualitative research, is the
topic you would like to address, investigate, or study, whether descriptively or experimentally. It is the
focus or reason for engaging in research. It is typically a topic, phenomenon, or challenge that are interested in and with which are at least somewhat familiar.
Characteristics of Good Research Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Are specific.
Are clear.
Refer to the problem or phenomenon.
Reflect the intervention in experimental research.
Note the target group of participants.
Research problem is a situation involving troubling condition. If a researcher makes a specific prediction
regarding the answers to the research he, she poses a hypotheses that is tested empirically.
The research question is a statement of the specific query the researcher wants to answer to address the
research problem. The research problem identifies a broad area of concern and indicates the concepts and
population to be studied and the study setting. A problem can be expressed as a statement or a question.
Other related terms are a statement of purpose or purpose statement. Which means the overall goal of a
study and specifying the objectives.
Example of statement :
The extent to which acute confusion can be prevented in patients with hip fractures or in other elderly
patients on general hospital units has been tested. The concepts investigated were acute confusion and
prevention measures, the population was patients with hip fractures or other elderly patients, the setting for
the study was general hospital units.
What is the impact of discharge planning on the cost and quality of patient care?
Sources of research problems:
1. Experience: the nurses everyday experience and practice provide a rich supply of problems and
observations through the practices the nurse may ask or puzzle. E.g. (why are things done this way?
What information would help to solve this problem? What would happen if……?, chart reviews might
reveal concerns or raise questions about practice.
2. Nursing literature: ideas for research projects often come from reading the nursing literature, journals,
published research studies or reports.
There are questions raising in the world to gain better or understand the world around us. This human
ability to wonder about behaviors and situations provides a basis to formulate research problems. It is the
most significant step in conducting both quantitative and qualitative research.
3. Nursing education and nursing administration: nurse educators study student's learning styles and
abilities, nurse administrators study staffing patterns, effectiveness of various methods of delivering
nursing care.
4. Societal trends: the use of computer in providing nursing care, the increasing focus on prevention of
illness and promotion of health.
5. Literature review: research topics and potential problems can be identified by reviewing a variety of
nursing publications.
Nursing journals such as Nursing outlook, American journal of Nursing
Selecting a topic:
It a creative process that depends on imagination, and insight it is wise to begin by just relaxation as they
come to mind. The important point is to put some ideas on paper. Examples of some broad topics that may
come to mind include communication with patients, anxiety in hospitalized children, pain among cancer
patients, postpartum depression, and postoperative loss of orientation.
After this first step, the ideas can be sorted in terms of interest, knowledge about the topics, and the
perceived promise that the topics hold for research project.
Feasibility of addressing the problem:
Not all of the following factors are relevant for every potential problem, but most of them should be kept in
mind in making a final decision.
1. Time and timing: most of studies have deadlines or at least informal goals for their completion,
therefore the problem must be one that can be adequately studied within the time allotted.
2. Availability of study participants: in any study involving humans, the researcher needs to consider
whether individuals with desired characteristics will be available and willing to cooperate.
3. Cooperation of others: if the study participants are children, mentally incompetent people, or senile
individuals, it is almost always necessary to secure the permission of parents or guardians. In hospitals,
and other health or non health institutions the researcher need administrative approval.
4. Facilities and Equipment: all studies have some resource requirements, the need for special facilities
and equipment can add greatly to the cost of a study.
5. Monetary requirements for research projects vary widely. Some major categories of research-related
expenditures are the following:
a. Literature costs- index cards, books and journals, reproduction of articles.
b. Personal cost-payment to individuals to help with data collection
c. Supplies- paper, envelops, computer disks
d. Printing costs
e. Other equipment
f. Transportation costs
6. Experience of the researcher: the problem should be chosen from the field about which the investigator
has some prior knowledge or experience.
7. Ethical considerations: people engaged in the research activities should be knowledgeable about the
rights of human.
The research purpose:
The research purpose is a statement of why the study is being conducted, or the goal of the study. The
goal might be to identify or describe a concept or to explain or predict a situation or solution to a
situation that indicates the type of the study to be conducted.
The purpose identifies the variables, population and setting for the a study. A purpose of the study
design through the use of verbs such as( understand, discover and develop).
Example: Statement of purpose
Statement of purpose
Key concepts of variables Population or study
Group
The purpose of the study is to explore the
Experience of prolonged bed rest from the
Perspective of women with high- risk
Pregnancies
Prolonged bed rest
Experience
Women with high
Risk pregnancies