1. Research Problems and Hypotheses
“A research problem is a discrepancy between what one knows and ought to know to solve a nursing problem”.

2. Sources of Research Problems
Experience
Technology
New roles of the nurse
Nursing Literature
Theories

3. EXPERIENCE
GRIPE
PROFESSIONAL WISHES
CURIOSITY
NEW PERSON/EXPERIENCE

4. Monitoring Information technology

5. EXPANDING ROLES Nurse practitioners Community and home health nursing
Advocate, teacher, counselor, etc.

6. LITERATURE
Research Reports

7. Gaps in the literature
There may be areas , as revealed by a dearth of available literature on the topic that remain unexplored

8. REPLICATION
No study can stand by itself, must be replicated for confidence in the results

9. Every research report suggests areas for continued study
SUGGESTED STUDIES
Every research report suggests areas for continued study

10. Two studies on the same variables may produce different outcomes
INCONSISTENCIES
Two studies on the same variables may produce different outcomes

11. THEORIES
Must be tested in the real world through the formulation of research problems and hypotheses

12. CRITERIA FOR A “good” RESEARCH PROBLEM
1. INTERESTING?
2. RESEARCHABLE?
3. FEASIBLE? PRACTICABLE?
4. SIGNIFICANT?
5. NURSING?

13. Interesting
This is a subjective criteria, the study must only be interesting to the person doing the study

14. Researchable
Variables should be precisely defined and measured and lead to an answer to the question
NB: “SHOULDNESS AND GOODNESS” questions not researchable

15. Feasible/Practicable
Can the study be done by the researcher?
Time?
Place?
Money?
Equipment?
Subjects?
Instruments to measure variables?

16. Significant
Will the results make a difference that matters to the profession?
Make a difference in patient care?
Add to professional practice knowledge?
Related to more general conceptual issues?
Is it an instance of a larger class of events?
Does it help support or build theory?

17. Nursing
Does nursing have access to or control over phenomenon in question--or is it reasonable to think that they will?
(this is defined broadly)

18. Developing and Refining Research Problem
Define a specific problem area
Review the relevant literature
Examine the significance to nursing
Examine the feasibility

19. Defining the Problem Areas
Begin with broad topic area and narrow it down
Focus on the dependent variable

20. A first Review of the Literature
Define the problem in the context of the state of knowledge in the subject area

21. Significance
Contributes to and extends the body of scientific nursing knowledge

22. Feasibility
This must be pragmatically examined by the researcher in light of her own available expertise and resources

23. RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENTS
AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE
IDENTIFY KEY VARIABLES
SPECIFY NATURE OF POPULATION
SUGGEST METHODOLOGY
NARROW/SPECIFIC
DECLARATIVE or INTERROGATIVE

24. Declaritive The purpose of this study is to………………
The relationship between X and Y will be examined

25. Interrogative
What is the relationship between X and Y?

26. HYPOTHESIS
tentative prediction or explanation about the relationship between variables
Emanates from the ROL

27. Hypotheses SIMPLE or COMPLEX (multivariate)
DIRECTIONAL or NONDIRECTIONAL

28. PURPOSES of HYPOTHESES
GUIDES INQUIRY BY:
UNIFYING THEORY AND REALITY
EXTENDS KNOWLEDGE
GIVES DIRECTION TO RESEARCH

29. CHARACTERISTICS of a good hypothesis
SPECIFIES RELATIONSHIP
TESTABLE
JUSTIFIABLE
CONCISE

30. Research Hypothesis
Indicates what the actual outcome of the study is expected to be
Supported when the researcher obtains a statistically significant finding

31. Statistical or Null Hypothesis
States “There is no relationship between the dependent and independent variables”
Failure to reject the null hypothesis implies that there is insufficient evidence to support the idea of a real difference in the dependent variable

32. Type I error
The rejection of a null hypothesis that is actually true--or saying a treatment works when it does not.

33. Type II error
The acceptance of a null hypothesis that is actually false, or saying a treatment doesn’t work when it really does.

34. Level of Significance=p
Set by the researcher in consideration of the seriousness of the consequences of making a mistake in accepting a “false” research hypothesis

35. LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE
.05---FIVE CHANCES IN 100 OF MAKING A MISTAKE IN ACCEPTING RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS (when it is actually “false”)
(TYPE I ERROR MORE LIKELY)

36. LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE
.01---ONE CHANCE IN 100 OF MAKING A MISTAKE IN ACCEPTING THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS (when it is actually “false”)

37. LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE
.001--ONE CHANCE IN 1000 OF MAKING A MISTAKE IN ACCEPTING RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
(TYPE II ERROR MORE LIKELY)