Research Questions & Hypotheses

Question 1

When are hypotheses and research questions developed?

Answer 1

After a thorough and critical review of the literature

Question 2

What is a problem statement?

Answer 2

• An expression of a dilemma or disturbing situation that needs to be investigated (e.g. Gabe studying ageism and elderspeak)
• Problem statement identifies the nature of the problem that is being addressed in the study, and usually its context and significance (e.g. nursing and discrimination in geriatric homes)

Question 3

What does context refer to?

Answer 3

Context can be physical, political, social, etc.

Question 4

Describe purpose statements, aims and objectives:

Answer 4

• Many researchers articulate their goals as broad statements of purpose; purpose statement captures in a sentence or two, the essence of the study and establishes the general direction of inquiry
• Word “purpose goal, aim, intent or objective” appears in purpose statement- Includes variables, population and setting (what, who and where)
• Explore, Explain, Describe and Predict

Question 5

What do we evaluate in a purpose statement?

Answer 5

• What is it?
• What are the components?
• How does it relate to problem statement?

Question 6

How do we critique the problem and purpose?

Answer 6

• Does the purpose narrow and clarify the focus of the problem to be studied?
• Are the problem and purpose of the study clearly and concisely expressed?
• Does the problem or purpose statement express a relationship between two or more variables?
• Are the problem and purpose significant to generate nursing knowledge?

Question 7

What is a researchable question?

Answer 7

• Helps solve a problem, add to theory or improve nursing practice
• Needs to be usable, current and clear
• Provides answer to who, what, where when

Question 8

What are some guidelines for writing research questions?

Answer 8

• Start with a simple question (has one stem and one topic)
• Action-oriented
• The way you ask a question determines how you will answer it

Question 9

What are some examples of research question examples?

Answer 9

• What is the frequency with which nurses use humor as an integrative therapy with hospitalized cancer patients? (variable is humor, frequency indicates measurability, nurses are measured and context is in a hospital)
• What is the relationship between length of stay (LOS) and RN staffing levels, skill mix, and experience on the night shift?
• What is the lived experience of mothers of children with a rare disease in using online health communications to manage their chronic sorrow?

Question 10

What must a hypothesis be?

Answer 10

• Predict a relationship between two or more variables
• Be testable
• Be justifiable (based on rationale/theory)
• Written in present tense
• Not include statistical jargon (e.g. “stat significant”, “controls”)
• Allude to the target population to which the knowledge would apply
• Be simple and concise

Question 11

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 11

• A tentative prediction about the relationship between 2 or more variables in the population under study
• Present ONLY in quantitative studies!

Question 12

What is the difference between causal vs. associative hypotheses?

Answer 12

ASSOCIATIVE: there is a relationship between amount of exercise and weight loss among dieting women

CAUSAL: there definitely is a link between exercise and weight loss among dieting women

Question 13

What is the difference between simple vs complex hypotheses?

Answer 13

SIMPLE: (two variables) Infants born to heroin-addicted mothers have lower birth-weight than infants of non-addicted mothers

COMPLEX: (complex, >2 variables) infants born to heroin-addicted mothers have lower birth-weight, more neurological complications and higher mortality than infants of non-addicted mothers

Question 14

What is the difference between non-directional vs directional?

Answer 14

• Prediction of whether the researchers think the research will go

NON: Incidence of pressure ulcers is related to frequency of turning patients (not saying how, just that there will be a relationship)

DIRECTIONAL: Pt’s turned at least q2h have a lower incidence of p ulcers than pt’s turned less frequently (lower incidence indicates this is directional)

Question 15

What is the difference between null vs. research hypotheses?

Answer 15

NULL: there is no relationship between gender and knowledge of STD’s among teenagers (might be a more unbiased approach to research, non-directional, lets data speak for itself)

RESEARCH: teenage boys are better informed about STD’s than teenage girls (research hypotheses more common)

Question 16

What are variables?

Answer 16

Qualities or characteristics that vary between individuals, things or situations that are manipulated or measured in research (operationalized, how data will be gathered)

Question 17

What are independent variables?

Answer 17

Variable believed to cause or influence the dependent variable; may or may no be manipulated by the researcher (cause; action; intervention)

Question 18

What are dependent variables?

Answer 18

Outcome variable, consequence (effect, outcome; reaction; response)

Question 19

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 19

Variables (confounding) variables that influence relationships being studied

Question 20

What are demographic variables?

Answer 20

Variables describe the population (and may be confounding variables)

Question 21

Define: Conceptual

Answer 21

• The abstract meaning of a variable that is usually based on a theory
• Theoretical meaning of the concept being studied
• E.g. obesity defined as BMI of such and such

Question 22

Define: Operational

Answer 22

• A way of defining the variable to make it measurable
• Means by which researcher will collect information about the variable
• E.g. utilizing a pain scale

Question 23

What are the levels of abstraction?

Answer 23

CONSTRUCT: emotional responses
CONCEPT: anxiety
VARIABLE: palmar sweating

Question 24

In this example, the same variable can be independent or dependent depending on the research design and question; answer which is the IV and DV in this example:

Influence of a nurse’s experience with death and dying on nurse’s degree of religious activity

Answer 24

IV = death experience
DV = religious activity

Question 25

How do we critique objectives, questions and/or hypotheses?

Answer 25

• Are the objectives, questions, or hypotheses clearly expressed and linked to the research purpose and study framework?
• Do they clearly identify the variables and population to be studied?
• If hypotheses are stated, is the form of the statement statistical or research? Are the hypotheses testable?

Question 26

What is a hypothesis with at least 2 independent or dependent variables?

Answer 26

Complex

Question 27

What is the statement of aims of the study?

Answer 27

Purpose

Question 28

What are the properties that researchers study?

Answer 28

Variables

Question 29

What demonstrates a relationship between variables?

Answer 29

Associative

Question 30

What is another name for a null hypothesis?

Answer 30

Statistical hypothesis

Question 31

What is the name for a prediction of the relationship of variables?

Answer 31

Hypothesis

Question 32

What is a hypothesis that can be either directional or non-directional?

Answer 32

Research hyp

Question 33

What is a hypothesis with no stated relationship?

Answer 33

Null hyp

Question 34

What is a component of the problem statement?

Answer 34

Context

Question 35

What is a hypothesis describing a positive relationship?

Answer 35

Directional

Question 36

What is a hypothesis with 1 independent and 1 dependent variable?

Answer 36

Simple

Question 37

What does having measurable components make a thesis?

Answer 37

Testable