The Scientific Research

Abdulla Salem Bin Ghouth

Professor of Community medicine - Hadramout University
Sahar S. Al-Ammari
 The learning Objectives
By the end of this lecture; student should be
able to:
1. Define the concept of scientific research
2. Appraise the importance of scientific
research
3. Differentiate the stages of research
program
 The Scientific Research: Definition
What is Research?
Research is a scientific process of investigation and or
experimentation that involves the systematic
collection, analysis and interpretation of data to
answer a certain question or solve a problem.

Research = carful search

Science = Systematic and formulated knowledge
 Characteristics Of Research
• It determines clear problem statement
• It requires a plan
• It build on existing data
• New data should be calculated as required
and be organized in such a way that they
answer the original research question.
 Importance Of Research
The research has permitted man to describe
the universe, to predict the consequences of
natural phenomena and to control them.
Why do people do research?
1. To save human life/to reduce suffering
2. Correct judgment/ decision
3. Problem finding or solving
4. Improvement
5. To get a degree
 Importance of the scientific research in
medicine and public health

1. The development of new and more effective

diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
2. The better comprehension of physiological
and pathological processes.

3. The discovery of new etiopathogenic agents.

4. Provide tools for prevention of disease.

 Steps of conducting a health research:
A. Prioritizing and selecting a research topic
B. Review of literature and other existing information
C. Development of a research proposal
D. Implementation of study:
i. Data collection
ii. Data processing and analysis
iii. Interpretation of results
iv. Final report writing
v. Presenting the results: Scientific publication, presentation at meetings, seminars, workshops or conferences, and presentation for administrators and policy- makers
A. Prioritizing and selecting a research topic
Criteria for selecting a research topic:

1. Relevance:
The topic you choose should be a priority problem. Questions to be asked include: How large or widespread is the problem? Who is affected? How severe is the problem?

2. Avoidance of duplication:
If the topic has been researched, the results should be reviewed to explore whether major questions that deserve further investigation remain unanswered. If not, another topic should be chosen.
B. Literature review
Why is it important to review already available information when preparing for a research?

1. It prevents you from duplicating work that has been done before.
2. It helps you to find out what others have learned and reported on the problem you want to study. This may assist you in refining your statement of the problem.
3. It helps you to become more familiar with the various research methods that might be used in your study.
4. It should provide you with convincing arguments for why your particular research project is needed.
C. Development of a research proposal
Contents
I. Title of the research
II. Introduction: Background information and
Statement of the research problem
(Scientific justification for the study)
III. Research objectives
IV. Research hypothesis
V. Methodology
VI.Work plan
VII. Plan for utilization and dissemination of
research results
VIII. References
IX.Annexes
C. Development of a research proposal Contents
I. Title of the research
A good title should be adequately describe the contents of the
research in the fewest possible words.
The ability to develop a good research topic is an important skill.
When deciding on a topic, there are a few things that you will need
to do:
- Brainstorm for ideas
- Choose a topic that will enable you to read and understand the
literature
- Ensure that the topic is manageable and that material is available
- Make a list of key words
- Be flexible
- Define your topic as a focused research question
- Research and read more about your topic
- Formulate a thesis statement
C. Development of a research proposal
Contents
II. Introduction: Background information and
Statement of the research problem (Scientific
justification for the study)
Introduction as an inverted triangle: moving from very general
to very specific:

Background
Context
Previous research
Key references
 ?What is the function of the Introduction section

 The Introduction should answer the question ‘Why:’

- why you choose that topic for research;
- why it is important;
- why you adopted a particular method or approach; and so on.
The other job the Introduction should do is to give some
background information and set the context, by describing the
research problem you considered or the research question you
asked and by briefly reviewing any other solutions or approaches
that have been tried in the past.
A thesis or a dissertation usually has a separate chapter titled
‘Review of literature,’ but a research paper or proposal has no such
section; instead, the Introduction includes a review in brief.
C. Development of a research proposal
III. Research objectives

Formulating research aim and objectives in an appropriate

manner is one of the most important aspects of the thesis.

This is because research aim and objectives determine the scope,

depth and the overall direction of the research. Research
question is the central question of the study that has to be
answered on the basis of research findings.

Achievement of research aim provides answer to the research

question.  Research objectives divide research aim into several
parts and address each part separately.
 Example
Aim :This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes and
practices toward COVID-19 among University students.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1- what is the level of knowledge toward COVID-19 among
University students?
2- what is the attitudes toward COVID-19 among University
students?
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:
1- To assess the level of knowledge toward COVID-19 among
University students
2- to recognize the attitudes toward COVID-19 among University
students
 Research objectives
Research objectives outline the specific steps that you will
take to achieve your research aim. Objectives define the
what, why, who, when and how questions.

Research objectives must be: S-M-A-R-T

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
Stated in action verbs:
e.g. to describe, to measure, to determine, to find out, to explore’
etc….
C. Development of a research proposal
IV. Research hypothesis
In research, a hypothesis is a suggested explanation of a
phenomenon, Hypotheses, though important, are not essential for
a study.
Hypotheses is a statement of the expected relationship between
two or more variables.
A hypothesis is a statement that can be proved or disproved.
There are two broad types of hypothesis:
1. a research hypothesis (Null hypothesis) H0
2. an alternate hypothesis.
C. Development of a research proposal
Contents
V. Methodology
VI.Work plan
VII. Plan for utilization and dissemination of
research results
VIII. References
IX.Annexes
 Nonintervention or Intervention or
Observational experimental

Exploratory Descriptive Analytical Experimental Quasi-

experimental

a. Cross-sectional
a. Case study or case a. Randomized
comparative studies
serial controlled (clinical) trial
b. Case –control study b. Field trials
b. Cross-sectional study
c. Community trials
c. Ecological studies c. Cohort study
THANK YOU