3.

Problem statements, Research questions,

Hypothesis, statement of purpose
Company
Jascinth Lindo LOGO
NURS3010- Research Methods 1
 Learning Objectives (Polit)

1. Describe the function and characteristics of research

hypotheses and distinguish different types of hypotheses
(e.g., directional versus non-directional, research versus
null)
2. Distinguish forms of problem statements, statements of
purpose, research questions and hypothesis for
quantitative and qualitative studies
3. Critique statements of purpose, research questions, and
hypotheses in research reports with respect to their
placement, clarity, wording, and significance
4. Define new terms
NURS3010- Research Methods 2
 A Reminder

 Evidence Based Practice (EBP) is closely

linked to the Research Process
 The Research Process is closely linked to
the Nursing Process

NURS3010- Research Methods 3

 • Formulating the problem
Phase 1 - • Reviewing the related research Literature
Concept • Defining the framework and developing conceptual definitions
ual • Formulating hypothesis/research questions
Phase

• Selecting Research Design

• Develop protocol (if Intervention)
• Identify population to be studied
The Research Process

Phase 2: • Design Sampling Plan

Design & • Specify methods to measure variable
Planning • Develop methods to protect human subjects

• Collecting Data
Phase 3: • Preparing for data analysis
Emperical
Phase

• Analyzing the data

Phase 4: • Interpreting the data
Analytic
Phase

Phase 5: • Communicating the findings

Dissemina • Utilizing research as Evidence
tion
Sept 27,2010 Pauline Anderson-Johnson 4
Phase UWISON
NURS3010- Research Methods 4
 Lets review

 You have decided on a research problem that

needs solving.
 A research problem is:
 An area of concern where there is a gap in knowledge base
needed for nursing practice (Burns & Gove, 2009)

 Remember not all problems are researchable - Research deals

with facts – that is, phenomena that can be observed in the real
world. The answers from the research should explain, describe,
identify, substantiate, predict or qualify the research question

NURS3010- Research Methods 5

 Phase 1 of the Research
Process

 You have decided on a research problem that

needs solving
 Thru the development of an argument, a problem
statement will be developed that will articulate the
problem
 A statement of purpose (summary of overall goal) is
sometimes presented
 Research questions are posed (queries to be
answered)
 Hypotheses are stated for testing

NURS3010- Research Methods 6

 Problem Statement

 Presented early in the report

 It is the push/impetus for the research
study
 Often begins with the first statement of the
introduction

NURS3010- Research Methods 7

 Problem Statement

 Expresses the baffling & unsolved

situation that needs to be studied
 It incorporates a rationale for the study
 It is a well structured formulation of the
unsolved problem

NURS3010- Research Methods 8

 Problem Statement
– 6 components

1. Problem identification (What is wrong with the

current situation)
2. Background (what is the nature of the problem that
readers need to understand)
3. Scope of the problem (How big is the problem; # of
persons affected)
4. Consequences of the problem (what is the cost of not
fixing it)
5. Knowledge gaps (what info is lacking)
6. Proposed solution (how will this new study
contribute to solving the problem)
NURS3010- Research Methods 9
 Problem Statement

 Effective problem statement answer the

question “Why does the research need to
be conducted”.

NURS3010- Research Methods 10

 Problem statement

 Examples

NURS3010- Research Methods 11

 Statements of Purpose

 The research goal is often written as a

statement of purpose
 It is usually easy to identify because the
word “purpose” is clearly stated- “the
purpose of this study was ….”
 gives the general direction of the study
which is stated in 1-2 sentences
NURS3010- Research Methods 12
 Statement of Purpose –cont..

Quantitative studies – it will

 identify the key study variables
 their possible relations;
 the population

NURS3010- Research Methods 13

 Statement of Purpose –cont..

 Example
Handwashing helps to prevent the spread of
nosocomial infections.
 Is the use of soap and water or alcohol-based rubs
more effective in preventing these infections?

 Identify the independent, dependent variables and the

population
 State the purpose of the study

NURS3010- Research Methods 14

 Statement of Purpose

 Hip fracture is common in elderly patients

after falling.
 I have an elderly patient who exhibits an
unsteady gait.
 Would a hip protector be a useful
preventative measure for this patient?
 Identify the independent, dependent variables and the
population
 State the purpose of the study
NURS3010- Research Methods 15
 Statement of Purpose –cont..

Qualitative studies –
 indicates the nature of the inquiry,
 the key concept or phenomenon,
 the group, community or setting under study

 Example: The purpose of this study was to describe

satisfactory and unsatisfactory experiences of
postpartum nursing car from the perspective of
adolescent mothers.

NURS3010- Research Methods 16

 Statement of Purpose –cont..

 The use of verbs are important

 Can often tell the type of study used to
solve the problem
 Explore, Describe, Test
 Evaluate, Examine relationship
 Understand etc.

NURS3010- Research Methods 17

 Research Question

 Sometimes direct wording of the statement of

purpose
 Eg The purpose of this study was to describe the
relationship between sexual risk taking behaviours
and substance use among pregnant adolescents at
the UHWI Health Center, Kingston Jamaica

NURS3010- Research Methods 18

 Research questions Cont..

Quantitative studies – it will identify

 the key study variables
 their possible relations;
 the population
 the variables are measureable concepts
 questions suggest quantification

NURS3010- Research Methods 19

 Research questions Cont..

Qualitative studies – the statements

 Identifies the phenomenon of interest and the
group being studied
 Type of question vary by the qualitative
traditions
 Grounded theory – process questions
 Phenomenologists – meaning questions
 Ethnographers – descriptive questions

NURS3010- Research Methods 20

 Hypotheses

 Is a statement predicting the relationship of two or more

variables
 Used in quantitative studies
 Predict answers to a query, eg
 The research question “What is the relationship between sexual
risk-taking and substance abuse among teenage mothers in
Jamaica

 Teenage mothers who are substances abusers are more likely to

high levels of sexual risk-taking behaviour

NURS3010- Research Methods 21

 Knowledge and diabetes management
 Does Knowledge of persons with diabetes
 Does the level of knowledge of DM
influence self care management among
persons with diabetes

NURS3010- Research Methods 22

 Hypotheses cont..

 Testable hypotheses
 State the expected relationship between the
independent variable and the dependent
variable in a population
 Adolescents and young mothers who do not take
sexual risks and are substances abusers are more
likely to be knowledgeable about AIDS, compared
to those who take risks…
 It is tested thru statistical procedures

NURS3010- Research Methods 23

 Hypotheses - Types

Wording - Should be worded in the present

tense
Types
 Simple or complex hypotheses
 Directional or non-directional hypotheses
 Research or Null hypotheses

NURS3010- Research Methods 24

 Hypotheses – Types Cont…

 Simple or complex hypotheses

 SIMPLE HYPOTHESIS – predicts the
relationship between a single IV and a single
DV
 COMPLEX HYPOTHSIS – predicts the
relationship between 2 or more IV or 2 or
more DV

NURS3010- Research Methods 25

Hypotheses – Types Cont…

 Simple or complex hypotheses

 Hyperlink to page 159

NURS3010- Research Methods 26

 Hypotheses – Types Cont…

 DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS – specifies not

only the existence but the expected direction
of the relationship between the variables
 NON DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS -
 Does not say the direction of the relationship

NURS3010- Research Methods 27

 Hypothesis (cont)

 Hyperlink page 160 Eg 1-6

NURS3010- Research Methods 28

 Hypotheses – Types Cont…

 DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS – eg:

incontinent patients who receive Two-hourly
change in position are less likely to develop
decubitus ulcers compared to those receiving
daily position change

 NON DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS eg:

Frequency of change in position of
incontinent patients is related to the
development of decubitus ulcers
NURS3010- Research Methods 29
 Hypotheses – Types Cont…

 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
 (scientific hypothesis)– states the actual
prediction of relationship between variables

 NULL HYPOTHESIS (statistical hypothesis) -

expresses the absence of a relationship EG

NURS3010- Research Methods 30

 Hypotheses – Types Cont…

 NULL HYPOTHESIS (statistical hypothesis) - EG Null:

- incontinent patients who receive two-hourly change
in position are just as likely to develop decubitus
ulcers as those receiving 4-hourly position change

 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS (scientific hypotheses) eg

 incontinent patients who receive two-hourly change in
position are less likely to develop decubitus ulcers
compared to those receiving daily position change
 Frequency of change in position of incontinent patients is
related to the development of decubitus ulcers

NURS3010- Research Methods 31

 Hypothesis testing

 Hypotheses are tested thru statistical

analysis
 Hypotheses are never proved, they are
accepted or supported
 They are increasingly supported with more
evidence

NURS3010- Research Methods 32

 Research problems -Examples of terms

 (p.147, Polit & Beck, 2010)

NURS3010- Research Methods 33

 References

1. Polit, D., & Beck, C.T. (2010). Essentials of nursing

research –Appraising evidence for Nursing practice.
Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
2. Gerrish, K., & Lacey, A. (2010). The research process
in nursing. United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
3. Polit, D., & Beck, C.T. (2012). Nursing research:
Generating and assessing evidence for Nursing
practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.

NURS3010- Research Methods 34