Research Planning Peg Bottjen, MPA, MT(ASCP)SC

Planning keeps you out of the maze!

Objectives   After lecture and class discussion, the student will be able to:   Brainstorm ideas for a research proposal   Give at least three reasons that a literature review is essential to a research proposal   Formulate a research hypothesis.

Research Planning Where do I start???

The Scientific Method  State the problem  State a testable or measurable hypothesis  Plan the methods to be used for the study  Do the study  Analyze the data  State the conclusions

Steps in Research Planning 1. Identification of the research problem 2. Retrieval and critical evaluation of literature 3. Formulation of precise research aims or hypotheses

Select a topic that interests you  What interests me about this topic?  What is relevant to my practice?  What is unresolved in the literature?  What is of concern to society or my profession?

Select a problem  That is meaningful.  That is appropriate for scientific inquiry.  That is “doable”.  Write your problem in a sentence or two.

Theory is...  a set of related ideas  that have the potential to  explain or  predict human existence in an orderly fashion  and that is based on data.

Do a literature search about your problem  To make certain no one else has done it.  To identify problems you may encounter.  Find how your problem fits into the theory base.

Literature Search, cont.  To find how you can add to previous work.  To get ideas on measurement tools.  To refine your question or hypothesis.

Formulate Precise Research Aims or Hypotheses  Purpose: brief statement that identifies the specific intent of the study  Hypothesis: statement of the likely outcome of a study.

Formulating Hypothesis  Research strategy  Variables  Sampling  Economic considerations  Ethical considerations

Research Strategy  Non-experimental strategy PopulationSampleData Definition of population Selection of cases to be studied Observation and study of cases

Research Strategy  Experimental strategy PopulationSampleAssignment Definition of population Selection of cases to be studied Group 1 Group 2 Data InterventionObservation

Variables  Variables: things that we measure, control, or manipulate in research.  Independent variable: variable that is manipulated or controlled by the researcher  Dependent variable: variable that is only measured to determine if it is affected by the independent variable

9/11 pollution possible cause of smaller babies. The Vancouver Sun, 8/16/03

Poor’s Habits Hardly Nudge Death Rates Omaha World Herald 6/3/98

Secondhand Smoke, Past Tobacco Habits Irreversibly Damage Arteries in Study 1/14/98 Wall Street Journal

It’s True: Stress Can Make You Forget, Scientists Say Omaha World Herald 8/20/98

Effects From Drugs Correctly Prescribed May Be No.4 Killer Omaha World Herald 4/15/98

Thyroid Problems in Mothers Linked to Children’s Low IQs Omaha World Herald 8/18/99

Can Prayer Heal? Hippocrates, April 1988

 What variables will you study?  What independent variable are you manipulating?  What dependent variable do you expect to measure for change?

Research Subjects  Who or what?  Where?  How many?

Economic Considerations  What resources do you have?  What expenses are involved?  Do you need any equipment?  What expertise do you need?  Do you have time?

Ethical Considerations  Are you using human subjects or their protected health information (PHI)?  Is the intervention ethical?  Is IRB approval needed?

Summary  Planning is vital first step for conducting research  Define and state the problem  Search the literature  Form hypothesis  Consider resources

Planning keeps you out of the maze!

Critical Evaluation of Research  What is the independent variable?  What is the dependent variable?  Who or what comprised the sample?  What is the research question?  Why is this question important?  What six key issues were identified in the literature review?  Are all findings in the literature review in agreement?

Group Work  Divide into groups by discipline  Use “Research Proposal Notebook” to:  Brainstorm for topics  Work through questions 1-8  Report research question for research proposal