Selecting, refining and

Defining
Research Problems

Dr. Nazik Zakari

Dr. Hanan A.
Ezzat
Dr. Olfat Salem
Nursing Administration & Education
Dept.
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Research Topic: The broad general area

expected to investigate. It is a broad idea or
concept from which many problems may be
delineated.
Research Problem: A situation or
circumstance that requires a solution to be
described, explained, or predicted. It is an
unsatisfactory situation that wants you to
confront.

If there is a knowledge gap in an area

that need to be investigated, the
research problem identifies this gap.
Where as the research topic is simply a
broad area of interest, the research
problem identifies what is problematic
about that topic.
Research Statement: A statement
specifies exactly what is being studied.
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The research statement should include

six elements:
Information about the research topic that
provoked the study
The scope of the problem (e.g.. how many
people are affected by it).
Why it is important to study the problem
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The research statement should include

six elements:
How nursing science would be influenced by
the study
General characteristics of the population of
interest
The overall goal or aim of the study or the
question to be answered.
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Example of a problem statement

Hazardous noise is an important occupational
health problem because it leads to hearing
loss and may lead to increased stress and
other deleterious physiological effects
More than 30 million workers are exposed to
hazardous noise on the jobUse of hearing
protection devices, specifically ear plugs is
known to reduce noise exposure and
prevent noise induced hearing loss there
are, however, relatively few investigators
who have examined factors related to the
low use of hearing protection by workers.
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Research Purpose
It is the specific aim or goal hope to be
accomplished. It reflects why the
problem is being studied
Example of a purpose statement:
The purpose of this study is to examine
the relationship between nurses job
satisfaction and tendency to leave.
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Research Question
It is a direct rewording of the statement of
the purpose phrased interrogatively rather
than declaratively

Questions that are simple and direct

invite an answer and help to focus
attention on the kinds of data needed to
provide that answer.
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Research Question

Example of a research question:

What is the relationship

between the nurses job
satisfaction and their tendency
to leave the work setting?
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Sources of research problems

Where do ideas for research

problems come from?
Social issues
Ideas from external sources
Research priorities
Clinical experience
Nursing literature

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Step 1: Selection of the research

topic:
write down general areas of interest
At this stage, it doesnt matter if the
terms used are broad or specific, abstract
or concrete., The important point is to put
ideas on papers.
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Step 1: Selection of the research

topic:
Then a list of ideas can be classified
into Interesting topics.
Familiar topics.
Perplexing topics
Feasible/not feasible topics
And then, choose the most suitable
one to work in
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Step 2: Contemplating the ideas : then

explore the phenomena by examining the
following eight areas
1.

2.

3.

4.

The topics, situations problems

precipitating factors.
How it is exactly viewed or perceived by
the researcher.
What are the responses of others who are
involved in the situation?
The personal involvement in the situation.
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Step 2: Contemplating the ideas :

5.
6.
7.
8.

Emotions felt.
Values and biases inherent in or related
to the topic/situation.
Risk factors associated with searching this
topic/situation/problem.
What contribution the research would
offer.
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Step 3: Narrowing the topic

Once a research topic has been specified and
contemplate, the researcher must then narrow
it down in order to develop a research problem.

This is done through generating questions from

the research topic.

List of questions can be developed from the

research topic, and then investigated in relation
to its feasibility to research.
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Reviewing the related literature at this

stage may throw light on:
Theoretical framework.
Methodology.
Data collection methods.
Data collection tools
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Data collection techniques.

Sampling methodetc.

Review of literature will also help to

identify what is known and what is not
known about the research problem.
Therefore, the research problem could be
specified and stated at this point.
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Step 5: Writing the statement of

the research problem :

Expressed in a statement

This statement serves as a guide to

the researcher in the course of
designing the study.
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Step 5: Writing the statement :

The problem statement should have the
following characteristics:

Identify the key variables in the study.

Express a relationship between two or
more variables. (If not descriptive).
Specify the study population.
Imply the type of the research.
Identify the study setting.

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The problem statement could be

done in two forms:
Declarative: The relationship
between the nurses job satisfaction
and tendency to leave work
Interrogative: Is there a
relationship between the nurses job
satisfaction and tendency to leave
work?
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Evaluation of the research

problem
Time: enough time will be available
for the various steps of the research.
Timing :When the timing requirement
of a task do not match
Money : the researcher should ask the
following questions:

Will I have enough money to complete this

research?
Will be any sources for funding the
research?
Does the anticipated cost outweigh the
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value of the expected findings?

Availability of research participants:

Ethical consideration
Facilities and equipment
Co operation of the others
Researchability
Qualifications and experience of the
researcher
Significance of the problem
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It is the researchs prediction of the

outcome of the research study. That
is the expected relationship
between the study variables.

Thus, RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

translates the research purpose into
a clear prediction of the expected
results or outcome of the study
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Importance of R.H.:
It provides direction for the type
of research (i.e. design,
sampling, data collection .. etc.).
Suggests the type of statistical
analysis to be used in the study.
Identifies the variables to be
manipulated and/or measured
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How to state a R.H.:

Research hypothesis should be stated
clearly, concisely, measurably, and in
the present tense.

For a hypothesis to be stated clearly,

concisely, and measurably, three
criteria should be considered:
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Three criteria should be considered:

1.

2.

3.

A relationship should be addressed in

each hypothesis.
The variable/condition/relationship
must be testable or measurable.
The aim of the research guides what
is included in the research hypothesis.
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When the research aim is to describe, the R.H.

will include the target population and study
variables.
When the research aim is to explore, the R.H.
makes prediction about population and the
relationship among study variables.
When the research aim is to predict, the R.H.
concentrates on the population and
independent variables.
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Types of hypothesis
Simple
It predicts the relationship o\between one
independent variable and one dependent variable.
Example:
Newborns of smoking mothers (I.V) have lower
birth weight (D.V.) than those of non-smoking
mothers.
Lower levels of exercise postpartum (I.V) will be
associated with greater weight retention (D.V )
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Types of hypothesis
Complex
It predicts the relationship between 2 or more I.V.
and 2 or more D.V.
Example:

Structured preoperative support (IV).is

more effective in reducing surgical patients
perception of pain (D.V) and request of
analgesics (D.V) than structured post
operative support (i.v.)
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Associative
It predicts an association between the I.V.
and the D.V. without specifying either a
directional or causal relation.
Example:
Maternal age (I.V.) is associated with
pregnancy complications (D.V)
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Causal

It predicts a cause-and effect relationship

between the I.V. and D.V.

Example:
Older mothers (I.V.) give birth to newborns
with lover age (D.V.) than those of younger
mother (I.V)
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Null
It predicts no relationship between I.V.
and D.V.
It is used when statistical testing
procedures are applied to the data.
Example:
There is no relationship between maternal
smoking and newborns birth weight.

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Alternative

It is the opposite of the null hypothesis. So, it

predicts a relationship between the I.V. and
D.V.

Example:
All the previous examples are alternative
hypotheses.
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