RESEARCH CONCEPT,

HOW TO GET STARTED

Pham Nyanda Charles
The research concept
• Components:
• Research title
• Problem statement
• Rationale of the study
• Objectives of the study
• Broad objectives
• Specific objectives
• Research questions
Research tittle
• Components of a good research title
• Purpose of the research: what are you interests at
• Scope of the research
• Area of the study
• Subjects of the study
• Time
Research tittle….
• Characteristics of research tittle
• Should be descriptive
• Interesting
• Accurate (no spelling errors)
• Appropriate
• Not misleading
• Should be short but clear
• Avoid use of abbreviations
• Should not contain too much details
• Avoid use of difficult vocabularies
Example of good and bad research
titles
Bad research titles
• Treatment of malaria in Tanzania. (not interesting, subject not specified)

• Effectiveness of ALU in prevention of malaria. (misleading)

• Adherence of ARV among children born with HIV who started treatment
two years and older with body weight of 10kg and above and not
malnutricious in three districts of shinyanga, namely kishapu,kahama
and shinyanga town. ( too much details)
Example of good and bad research
titles
Good research tittles
• Management of uncomplicated malaria among under five children in
north east Tanzania regions.

• Adherence of Anti-retroviral drugs among HIV positive children in

Mwanza region.

• Knowledge and practice on reporting adverse drug reactions among

health care providers in community pharmacies in Mwanza city.
Research problem
Meaning
A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement]
about an area of concern, a condition to be improved, a
difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in
scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that
points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate
investigation.
Identification of Problems for
Research
Research problems can be identified through:
• Personal experiences
• Practical experiences
• Review of records/reports
• Critical appraisal of literature
• Previous research
• Existing theories
• Consumer/user feedback
• Performance improvement
• Social issues
• Management meetings
• Brainstorming
Conditions for a problem to be
researchable
• Whether a problem situation requires research depends on three
conditions:
• There should be a perceived difference or discrepancy between what exists
and the ideal or planned situation
• The reason(s) for this difference should be unclear (so that it makes sense to
develop research questions)
• There should be more than one possible answer to a question or more than
one solution to the problem.
How to state a research problem
The format of a statement of research problem should include;
• Problem Situation: Write a small, simple paragraph that identifies
the problem.
• Discrepancy: State the discrepancy between what is and what
should be.
• Problem Question: Write down the central problem question.
• Possible Answers: Write two or more plausible answers to the
problem question.
Example of a Non-Research Problem
Problem Situation
• An assessment of a hospital in District A found that 125 HIV positive adults were coming
to the hospital every day as part of a DOTS program to take medication for tuberculosis
(TB). But last month‘s service statistics revealed that for one entire week, none of the 125
patients received any medication.
• Discrepancy
All 125 patients should be receiving a daily treatment for TB, but all 125 did not receive a
single treatment for an entire week last month.
• Problem Question
What factor or factors are responsible for 125 patients‘ failing to receive any treatment
for their TB for an entire week?
• Answer
During that week, a very heavy rainstorm caused flooding that washed out several roads
and destroyed a major bridge that is used to bring supplies to the district hospital.
SO NO NEED FOR A RESERCH
Example of a Researchable Problem
• Problem Situation
A recent provincial study revealed great differences among villages in the
prevalence of HIV-positive persons. Despite the fact that all villages receive
the same level of health education and services from the Ministry of Health,
some villages have an HIV prevalence rate as high as 32% among adults
from 15 to 49 years old, while other villages have a rate as low as 6%.
• Discrepancy
In a relatively small geographic area, you would expect that all villages
should have approximately the same sero-prevalence rate but, in fact, there
is great variation among villages.
• Problem Question
Which factors are responsible for the geographic variation in HIV prevalence
among villages?
 Example of a Researchable Problem …..
Possible Answers
1. Villages differ in their socioeconomic environments, and these differences
influence the context within which HIV is transmitted. Some are stable
agricultural villages, while some are mobile fishing communities.
2. Some villages are located on major roads and have easy access to market towns;
others are more remote with very difficult access to market centers.
3. Some villages have schools, health clinics, electricity, and a good water supply,
while others do not have these advantages.
4. In some villages, influential local leaders strongly support sexual behavior change
and condom distribution programs. In other villages, people are resistant to these
programs, and there is substantial stigma and discrimination associated with
HIV/AIDS.
THIS IS A SUBJECT WORTHY OF A RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHICH FACTORS ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPOTTED DIFFERENCES
Rationale of the study
• This justifies as to why the research should be conducted
• It emphasizes on the positive impact the research findings are going
to bring to the respondents, society and the influence on the national
policies.
Research Objectives
• Objectives: Summary of what is intended to be achieved by the study.
• Research studies should include a statement of
o Broad objective
o Specific objectives
o Hypotheses (except in the case of purely exploratory or descriptive studies)
Definition of General and Specific
Objectives
General objective also known as Broad objective
• States what is expected to be achieved by the study in general terms.
• The broad objective must be related to the core problem
• Must show target population and place
• Must use action verbs
• There is normally only one broad objective per study
• The broad objective is usually broken down into smaller, logically
connected parts referred to as specific objectives.
Definition of General and Specific
Objectives
Specific objectives
• Explain the broad objective in specific
• Should systematically address:
o The various aspects of the problem
o Key factors that are assumed to influence or cause the problem.
o They should specify what you will do in your study, where and for what
purpose.
o Usually focuses on quantifying or specifying the problem
Why should research objectives
be developed?
Research objectives should be developed in order to:
i. Clarify and focus your intentions /focus the study (narrowing it down
to essentials).
ii. Have a basis for measuring your achievements at the end of the
study.
iii. Avoid the collection of data which are not strictly necessary for
understanding and solving the problem, you have identified.
iv. Organize the study in clearly defined parts or phases.
v. Facilitate the development of your research methodology and orient
the collection, analysis, interpretation and utilization of data.
Characteristics of Research
Objectives
Objectives must be SMART.
• S = Specific: Specifying exactly what you are going to do, where, and
for what purpose.
• M= Measurable: Can be evaluated.
• A = Action oriented.
• R = Realistic: Considering local conditions.
• T = Time bound: When exactly will the activities be carried out?
How to State Objectives
• It should cover the different aspects of the problem and its
contributing factors in a coherent way and in a logical sequence.
• Are clearly phrased in operational terms, specifying exactly what you
are going to do, where, and for what purpose.
• E.g adherence, compliance, prevalence, availability etc
• Use action verbs that are specific enough to be evaluated.
o Examples; to determine, to reduce, to compare, to verify, to calculate, to
describe, and to establish.
• Avoid the use of vague non-action verbs such as, to appreciate, to
understand, or to study.
Example of objectives
Example of a Broad Objective: To determine factors associated with
irrational prescribing habits in district A.

Examples of Specific objectives from the above broad objectives

• To determine the magnitude of irrational prescribing habits in district A.
• To identify number of drugs prescribed per prescription
• To verify the availability of appropriate reference materials e.g.STG at
prescriber‘s office
• To assess availability of essential drugs in the past 3 months
Research questions
• Pick the questions that your research is going to answer
• They are actually the questions that led to your objectives
• Example of research questions from above objectives
1. What is the magnitude of irrational prescribing habits in district A.?

2. What is the number of drugs prescribed per prescription?

3. Are there appropriate reference materials at prescriber‘s office?

4. Are essential drugs available in the past 3 months?

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