Framing the Research Question By B. Nelson

The question  Usually a research question starts with a query eg. Something you have seen during your work that leaves you thinking  Eg. Why do so many women more than men have calcaneum spur  Or I wonder if X type of training may improve performance in…… athletes

Asking the question Analyse the current situation Literature Knowledge base Researcher Other resources available to you

Asking the question  Write down all the general possible questions  Evaluate possible questions  Select priority question  Leave with about 2 questions to develop a proposal

Asking the question  The question needs to be important  Question needs to be interesting  Question needs to be ethical  Question needs to be understandable  Question needs to be feasible.

Considerations for research Does the research design suit my personal traits Will this build on my current knowledge and skills Will it further my career and personal goals Is the question interesting and exciting to me

Literature Assess what has been done and look for gaps in the design and improve in the design or sample. Generate your questions from the gaps you have observed

Literature  Is there reasonable amount of literature on the topic ( you need to know before start writing)  Has there been recent literature interest in the area  Is the question unanswered in recent literature

Resource considerations  Are there suitable candidates in adequate numbers for your research  Is there adequate access to the required equipment,facility and space for my research  Is the required expertise available

Resource considerations  Do I have enough time to complete my project from start to finish  Do I have the necessary funding for this project

Other questions to ask Is the question significant– will it add to the body of knowledge, will it be of interest to people, will it benefit the target population Will academic requirements be met Will you be able to collect data to answer your question

Other questions to ask Is the design likely to be ethical

The research question Has 3 parts: The clientele or group being understudy The treatment or intervention The outcome measure Eg. Will 15 minutes of aerobic exercise done over 6 weeks improve lower strength in hypertsenived

Research question cont’d  Questions should be clear.Anyone should be able to read and understand what is the process,  Research questions must clear and operational  Abstract contents need to be operational definition eg. Health, attitude

Steps in conducting a research Choose a subject and define the problem Formulate clearly the research question Clearly define the objective /hypothesis Identify the best design to achieve the study objective

Steps cont’d Write out your proposal– guide for the project Determine target population Determine study population Determine sample size

Steps cont’d Determine inclusion & exclusion criteria Prepare a budget Prepare a work plan of the activity, time allocated & personnel needed Conduct the research

References Presentation by Dr. S. Roopchand Martin Lecturer of Physiotherapy,UWI Mona Presentation by Mr. A. Frankson MB, MPH Faculty of Medical Sciences UWI Mona

Suggested Reading Research for the Health Professional : A Practical Guide by Diana M. Bailey Guide to Evidence Based Physical Therapy Practice by Dianne V. Jewell