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

2. Planning keeps you out of the maze!

3. 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.

4. Research Planning Where do I start???

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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?

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

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

12. 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.

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

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

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

16. 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

17. 9/11 pollution possible cause of smaller babies. The Vancouver Sun, 8/16/03

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

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

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

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

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

23. Can Prayer Heal? Hippocrates, April 1988

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

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

26. 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?

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

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

29. Planning keeps you out of the maze!

30. 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?

31. 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