NURSING RESEARCH
I. THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROCESS
A. Overview of the Research Process
1. Basic Research Terminology
a. Subjects or study participants – people
being studied or contributors of
information
b. Researcher or investigator – person
undertaking the study
c. Conceptualization – process of
developing and refining abstract ideas
d. Theory – systematic, abstract
explanation of some aspect of reality
e. Concepts – building blocks of theories
f. Variable – an attribute or characteristics
of a person or an object that takes on
different values (i.e. that varies) within
the population under investigation
g. Constant – concept being investigated
that is the same or common within the
population under investigation
h. Continuous variable – the values can be
represented on a continuum
i. Discrete variable – one that has a finite
number values between any two points,
representing discrete quantities
j. Independent variable – the presumed
cause
k. Dependent variable – the presumed
effect
l. Extraneous variable - A variable that
interferes with the relationship between
the independent and dependent
variables and which therefore needs to
be controlled for in some way.
m.Heterogeneity – occurs when an
attribute is extremely varied in the group
being investigated
n. Homogeneity – occurs when the amount
of variability is limited
o. Data – pieces of information obtained in
the course of investigation
p. Quantitative data – information that is in
numeric form
q. Qualitative data – narrative information
r. Hypothesis – a statement of the
researcher’s expectations about the
relationships that the researcher
expects to find as a result of the study.
s. Research design – the overall plan for
obtaining answers to the questions
being studied and for handling some of
the difficulties encountered during the
research process
t. Experimental research – researcher
actively introduces some form of
intervention
u. Nonexperimental research – researcher
collects data without trying to make any
changes or introduce any treatments
v. Sample – a small fraction of the
population that will represent the group
w. Research problem – a situation involving
an enigmatic, perplexing, or troubling
condition that causes the researcher to
feel apprehensive, confused and ill at
ease
x. Research question – a statement of the
specific query the researcher wants to
answer to address the research
problem.
y. Hypothesis - a tentative assumption
made in order to draw out and test its
logical or empirical consequences
2. Major Steps in a Quantitative Study
a. The conceptual phase
Step 1: Formulating and Delimiting the
Problem
Step 2: Reviewing the Related Literature
Step 3: Defining the Theoretical
Framework
Step 4: Formulating Hypotheses
b. The Design and Planning Phase
Step 11: Collecting the Data
Step 12: Preparing the Data for Analysis
c. The Empirical Phase
Step 11: Collecting the Data
Step 12: Preparing the Data for Analysis
d. The Analytic Phase
Step 13: Analyzing the Data
Step 14: Interpreting the Results
e. The Dissemination Phase
Step 15: Communicating the Finding
Step 16: Utilizing the Findings
 3. Activities in a Qualitative Study
a. Conceptualizing and Planning a
Qualitative study
b. Conducting the Qualitative Study
c. Disseminating Findings

B. Research Problems, Research Questions,

and Hypothesis

II. CONTEXTS FOR NURSING RESEARCH

A. Literature Reviews
B. The Ethical Context of Nursing Research

III. DESIGNS FOR NURSING RESEARCH

A. Selecting a Research Design
B. Research Design for Quantitative Studies
C. Research Control in Quantitative Research
D. Sampling Designs

IV. MEASUREMENT AND DATA COLLECTION:

MAJOR TYPES OF DATA COLLECTION
METHODS
A. Sampling Designs
B. Observation
C. Biophysiologic Measures and Other Data
Collection Methods

V. THE ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH DATA

A. Quantitative Analysis: Descriptive
Statistics
B. Inferential Statistics