RESEARCH PROBLEM

Dr. Hanan Tork

Outlines

❑ Research problem
❑ Hypotheses
❑ Research questions
 Objectives
● Define key terms (research problem, Hypotheses, research questions)
● Identify the sources of research problem
● Explain the development of research problem
● Describe the evaluation of the research problem
● Analyze the critique of the research problem
● List the purposes of research hypotheses
● List some examples for research questions
 Sources of research problems

Where do ideas for research problems come from?

• Social issues
• Ideas from external sources
• Research priorities
• Clinical experience
• Nursing literature
 Development of research problem

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?”
 Population

■ The term population refers to the aggregate or totality

of all the subjects or members which conform to a
designated set of specifications

■ The nature of the population being studied needs to be

specified in the problem statement.
Development of research problem
 Evaluation of the research problem
■ Time: enough time will be available for the various
steps of the research.
■ Money: will I have enough money (fund) to complete this
research?
■ Availability of research participants
■ Ethical consideration
■ Facilities and equipment
■ Cooperation of the others
■ Research ability
■ Qualifications and experience of the researcher
■ Significance of the problem
 Critiquing the Research Problem

1. Is the problem stated clearly and unambiguously in

declarative or research form?
2. Does the problem statement express a relationship
between two or more variables or at least between an
independent and a dependent variable?
3. Does the problem statement specify the nature of the
population being studied?
5. Has the problem been placed within the context of an
appropriate theoretical framework?
6. Has the significance of the problem been identified?
7. Have the purpose, aims, or goals of the study been
identified?
Research Hypotheses
 Purposes of Hypotheses

▪ Provide a bridge between theory and reality

▪ Enable researcher to enter new areas of
discovery
▪ Provide direction for any research
 Developing the Research Hypotheses
■ Hypotheses: intelligent guesses, or predictions that assist
the researcher in seeking the solution or answer to the
research question.

▪ Hypotheses are often not stated explicitly in a research

article

▪ Hypotheses flow from the problem statement, literature

review, and theoretical framework
▪ Hypotheses are formulated before the study is
conducted because they provide direction for the
collection, analysis, and interpretation of data
 Examples of hypothesis types

● Null: There will be no difference in scores on Hudson’s

self-esteem scale between men and women.

● Directional: Women will have higher scores than men

on Hudson’s self-esteem scale.

● Non-directional: There will be a difference by gender

in Hudson’s self-esteem scale scores.
 Critiquing the Research Hypotheses

1) Does the hypothesis directly relate to the

research problem?

2) Is the hypothesis concisely stated in a

declarative form?

3) Are the independent and dependent variables

in the statement of the hypothesis?
4) Are the variables measurable or potentially
measurable?

5) Is each of the hypotheses specific to one

relationship so that each hypothesis can be either
supported or not supported?

6) Is the hypothesis stated in such a way that it is

testable?
7) Is the direction of the relationship in each hypothesis
clearly stated?

8) Is the theoretical rationale for the hypothesis explicit?

9) Are research questions appropriately used?

Interrelationship of Problem Statement, Literature
Review, Theoretical Framework, and Hypothesis

Theoretical
Hypothesis
Framework

Problem Literature
Statement Review
Research Questions
Characteristics of a good research questions:

Clarity Ethical
Related to previous Practical use (relevant)
research ‘fun’ (interesting to
Significant you)
Exploratory studies usually have research questions
not hypotheses
The outcome of an exploratory study may help in
formulating hypotheses for future studies

Qualitative research studies are guided by research

questions rather than hypotheses
Some studies may have research questions and
hypotheses. In such case, research questions do
not pertain to the proposed outcomes, rather,
they may provide additional information that
may enrich the study and may provide direction
for further study
Subject: Obesity
Focus: Parental responsibility as the cure for obesity.
Research Questions:

1. What is obesity and why is it an important issue? (INTRO)

2. What background information is necessary to understand
this issue fully?
3. What solutions have been put forth to help solve the
obesity crisis?
4. Why is parental responsibility the basis of each solution?
5. Based on my research, why do I conclude that parental
responsibility is the best solution for the obesity crisis?
(CONCLUSION)
Student’s work:

Select research paper and critiquing its

research problem.
Thank you