Steps in research

Dr V. Bhavani
Senior Lecturer
E-mail: [email protected]

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

At the end of this lecture, you should
be able to:

• Outline steps in research.

• explain the steps in research.
• discuss key steps of research.
• evaluate research steps in articles.
• apply the research steps in preparing
research proposal.

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

 Research steps outline
Problem
Dissemination of findings/
identification
Report Writing

Drawing
Information Gathering Inference
& Knowledge building

Research questions/
hypothesis formulation Confirmation or
rejection of
hypothesis

Planning
research
Data analyzing

Data collection Data processing

Statistics & Research Methodology Module
 Preliminary steps

• Problem identification
• “Question • Does the problem relate to broad
Menu” to prioritize social, economic, and health
a problem and selection of a issues, such as unemployment
topic for research: income maldistribution, the
status of women, education and
maternal and child health?
• Is the problem a current one?
• Who else is concerned about the
• Does the problem exist now? problem?

• How widespread is the problem? • Are top government officials

concerned? Are medical doctors
or other professionals concerned?
• Are many areas and many people
affected by the problem?
• Are the resources available?

• Does the problem effect social • Are measures available to solve

groups, such as students, teachers the problem?
and patients?
Statistics & Research Methodology Module
Identify (precisely) the knowledge
gap.

A thorough assessment of the current state

of knowledge can be done through

1. systematic review of the literature

2. interviews with focus groups

3. Patients

4. consultation with experts in the field of

interest
 Preliminary steps

• Clarifying the • Formulating the

purpose topic
Has clear • e.g. “We aimed to • State your topic idea as a
operational compare the question/statement
definition
educational • Identify the main
environment of concepts or keywords
university hospitals and • E.g. “Educational
non-university environment of
hospitals.” (Tokuda et al., 210) university and non-
university hospitals in
Japan”
(Tokuda et al., 2010)

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

Preliminary steps
• Five steps in formulating research topic:

• Think about your topic

• Define your main concepts

Think synonyms

• Think of broader terms

• Think of narrower terms

Statistics & Research Methodology Module
 Information gathering & knowledge
building
• Search the literature • Strategies for
• Critically analyzing
information
searching the
sources/databases literature
• Initial appraisal • Browse key journals
• Author, date of • Find a review of article
publication, edition or
revision, publisher, title • Search electronic
of the journal, abstract. databases
• Content of analysis • Follow citation of identified
• Intended audience, articles
objective reasoning,
coverage, writing style, • Consider people as sources
evaluative review • Search the internet for
• Summaries key scholarly sources
information from relevant
articles. Statistics & Research Methodology Module
Formulation of the study objectives
• General objective – • Specific objective –
what are the purpose what are the things you
of the study (as want find in the study
mentioned before) • E.g. specific objectives:
• E.g. “to explore the • “To determine
burden of stress among prevalence of stress
among medical students
medical students.” in NUMed ”
• “To investigate
association between
years of study and stress
level of NUMed medical
students”

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

 Formulation of the research hypotheses/
questions
• Research hypothesis is E.g. “It is hypothesized
referred to prediction of that the science
the expected outcome of achievement scores of
the study 10th graders will be higher
Research hypotheses for groups using portfolios
predict how the than for those using
independent variable(s) separate assignments.”
will affect the dependent • the dependent variable is
variable(s) in the science achievement and is
proposed study. operationally defined as
students ’ scores on an end
It is used in quantitative - of - the – year 10th - grade
research studies. science curriculum
assessment.
Statistics & Research Methodology Module
 Formulation of the research hypothesis/
questions
• Research question • The way in which the data
will be collected
describes the overall • It is used in qualitative research
focus of the study studies
It should be connected with  E.g. “What changes does this student
the purpose statement. have to make when the focus of his or
her instruction changes from a lecture -
the question is specific and based teacher - centred approach to a
will serve as a guide for the more student - centred alternative
method. They should assessment method of instruction?”
include: • Possible sub questions to be
• The specific question that addressed in this study
will be addressed in the include:
study 1. What decisions does the student have to
make regarding his approach to studying
the course material?
2. How does the student plan for what
materials should be included in the
alternative assessment (e.g., portfolios)?
Statistics & Research Methodology Module
(Marguerite et al., 2010, pg 390)

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

 Planning of methods
• Research design • Variables
• Qualitative e.g. case • Dependent or
study, ethnography study Independent
• Quantitative: • Selection & definition
experimental, • Scales of measurement
observational study (tools)
• Study population • Data collection methods
• Selection and definition
• Recording & processing
• Sample size
methods (statistical
• Sampling methods
analysis)

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

 Preparing for data collection
• Constructing research
instruments

• Permission using
instrument

• Validating of
instrument

• Inform consent Statistics & Research Methodology Module

Collecting the data
• Who?
• Who is collecting data?
• When?
• When to collect data?

• Where?
• Where to collect data?
• How?
• How to collect data?

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

 Processing the data
• Data template?
• What statistical test is
appropriate to test the
hypothesis?
• Which software?
• Data entry?
• Who will enter the data?
• Which variables are the
dependent or
independent?

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

 Interpreting data
• What are the conclusion
we can made?
• Can we infer our finding
to population?
• How to make sense of
statistical test result?
• What did the results tell
us?
• Is there similar finding
from previous study?

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

Writing report

• What is the writing format?

• How to report?

• When can I start?

• How long should I write?

Statistics & Research Methodology Module
Research steps outline

Statistics & Research Methodology Module

YoUr TaSk!

•Evaluate research steps

applied in your chosen article
 Reference
• Woodward M. (1999). Epidemiology: study design and data analysis. US, Chapman & Hall.
• Ritchie J, Lewis J. (2003). Qualitative Research Practice: A Guide for Social Science
Students and Researchers. London, SAGE Publication.
• Kothari CR. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods & Techniques. India, New Age
International Limited Publisher.
• Farmer R, Lawreson R. (2004). Epidemiology and public health medicine: lecture note. UK,
Blackwell Publishing.
• Saris WE, Gallhofer IN. (2007). Design, evaluation and analysis of questionnaires for
survey research. Canada, John Wiley & Son.
• Bruce N, Pope D, Stani D. (2008). Quantitative Methods for Health Research: A Practical
Interactive Guide to Epidemiology and Statistics. UK, John Wiley & Son.
• Yusoff MSB. (2009). Research in Medical Education, available online from
http://www.saifulbahri.com/Medical_education/Notes.html
• Marguerite G L, Dean T S, Katherine H V. (2010). Methods in Educational Research: From
theory to practice, 2nd ed. USA, John & Wiley Son.
• Katz MH. (2010). Evaluating clinical and public health intervention: a practical guide for
study design and statistics. US, Comabridge University Press.

(Woodward, 1999; Ritchie & Lewis, 2003; Kothari, 2004; Farmer & Lawreson, 2004; Bruce et al., 2008;
Marguerite et al., 2010; Katz, 2010)