Framing Research Question &

Hypothesis

DR A BANERJEE
PROFESSOR & HEAD, COMMUNITY MEDICINE
CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST
D Y PATIL MEDICAL COLLEGE, PUNE – 18
amitavb@gmail.com
 Learning objectives
Criteria for a good research question
– Predictor variables
– Outcome variables
– Confounding variables
Basics of hypothesis testing
Types of biases in empirical research
Criteria for research question
FINER
 Research Question
F = Feasible (Men, money, materials)
I = Interest
N = Novel
E = Ethical
R = Relevance

And above all FINER (Specific) – specify

the predictors, the outcomes and the
confounder variables.
 For clinical trials
PICOT

P = patients
I = intervention
C = controls
O = outcome
T = Time
ORIGINS OF A RESEARCH
QUESTION
The literature review is the mother of the
Research Question!
 Use both sides of the brain!!

Right brain – How and for what?

Left brain – How and for what?

 Pneumonic for good research
question [FINER & PICOT]
F=
I=
N=
E=
R=
……………………………………………………………..
P=
I=
C=
O=
T=
 Starting point of research:
Hypothesis or observation?
Generation of hypothesis
Tested by observations and experiments
Goal not the verification but the
falsification of the initial hypothesis.
 Types of Hypotheses
Null hypothesis
Alternative hypothesis
One tailed hypothesis
Two tailed hypothesis
 Statistical Principles of
Hypothesis Testing
Type 1 or α error
Type 2 or β error
 Judge decision & hypothesis testing
Judge decision
Innocence : accused innocent
Guilt: did commit crime
Criteria for rejecting innocence
: beyond reasonable doubt
Correct judgment: convict a
criminal
Correct judgment: acquit a
innocent person
Incorrect judgment: hang
innocent
Incorrect judgment: Acquit
criminal
Hypothesis testing
Null hypothesis: no association
Alt Hyp: association +nt
Criteria for rejecting null: level
of statistical significance (α)
Correct inf: correctly conclude
association
Correct Inf: correctly conclude
no association
Incorr inf: incorrectly find ass
(α)
Incorr inf: wrongly find ass (β)
 Type 1 (α), Type 2 (β) errors
and Power
Type 1 and Type 2 errors should be stated in
advance
Conventionally Type 1 error set at 0.05
Conventionally Type 2 error set at 0.20
1 – Type 2 error is the power of the study (0.80,
if Type 2 error is set at 0.20)
Besides the effect size, type of data, SD, Type 1
error, Type 2 errors, and power are the inputs
for sample size calculation.
 Biases in research
Selection bias
Measurement bias
Confounding bias
 References
1. http://www.strobe-
statement.org/PDF/index.php?id=availabl
e-checklists
2. http://www.consort-statement.org/consort-
2010
3. http://www.consort-
statement.org/Media/Default/Downloads/
Other%20Instruments/STARD%202003%
20Checklist.pdf
 References (Contd)
• http://www.prisma-
statement.org/statement.htm
• https://www.editorialmanager.com/jognn/acco
unt/MOOSE.pdf (MOOSE STATEMENT)
• http://www.care-statement.org/care-
checklist.html (For Case Reports)
• http://www.stard-
statement.org/pdf%20and%20word%20docu
ments/Checklist.PDF (STARD STATEMENT)
THANK YOU