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