Research Title Selection Briefing

Ewnetu Firdawek

Friday, January 5, 2024 1

 Outline:
• A Researchable Problem
• Sources of research topic
• Criteria to select research Areas
• Constructing a research title
• Proposal Vs Report

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 A Researchable Problem
• We usually are interested on Applied researches.
• To suggest a solution for an existing problem.
• A researchable problem is said
– When there exist a problem on the subject
– When there exist a discrepancy between what should be
and what is actually now, difference from the standard
– When there exist more than one possible solutions that can
be used to solve the problem and if there exist a dilemma to
choose either of the solutions.

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 Sources of Research Areas
• Major source of research areas are
– Available literatures
– National interests and gaps
– Current social and political conditions
– Effects related to emerging advancements and
technologies
– Research recommendations
– Personal Experiences and Practical situations
– Expert consultations
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 Criteria : Selecting a Research Topic:

1. Relevance
2. Avoidance of duplication
3. Urgency of data needed (timeliness)
4. Political acceptability of study
5. Feasibility of study
6. Applicability of results
7. Ethical acceptability
8. Additional factors
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 Relevance
The topic you choose should be a priority problem.
Consider
• Magnitude:-How widespread is the problem?
• Distribution:-Who is affected?
• Severity:-How severe is the problem?

Priority is given for

– A larger population segment
– Important population segments: Mothers, children, workforce
– Fatal, Serious disabilities and complications, acute conditions
– Serious problems that are faced by managers
– Community and local managers concern and interest in solving
the 5,problem
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 Avoidance of Duplication
Before you decide to carry out a study, Answer
• Does the suggested topic has been investigated before?
• Is it with in the study area?
• If not, is there similarity with the areas?
• What was the result?
• Is the study answered the major questions of the current
interest?
– If yes, another topic should be chosen.
• If not, it may deserve further investigation.

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Urgency of Data Needed (timeliness)

• How urgently are the results needed for making a

decision or developing interventions at various levels
(from community to policy)?

• Consider which research should be done first and

which can be done later.

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 Political Acceptability
• Give priority for a topic that has the interest and support of
the local/national authorities.

• This will increase the chance that the results of the study will
be implemented.

• Under certain circumstances, however, you may feel that a

study is required to show that the government’s policy needs
adjustment.

• If so, you should make an extra effort to involve the policy-

makers concerned at an early stage, in order to limit the
chances
Friday, for confrontation later.
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 Feasibility

• Consider the complexity of the problem,

• The required type and amount of resources,
– Manpower, time, money, materials that may be
required and their availability in the locality.
– Technical efficiency and any technical support

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 Applicability of Recommendations

• Is it likely that the recommendations from the

study will be applied?

• This will depend on

▫ Management commitment and willingness
▫ Managerial capability and efficiency
▫ Opinion of potential clients and responsible staff
▫ Availability of resources for implementation

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 Ethical Acceptability
– Your study should not inflict any harm on others while
conducting or providing recommendations.
Consider :

 Acceptability by the study subjects: Interest, Taboo, Secrete…

 Possibility of obtaining an informed consent
 Condition of the subjects studied
 Incapacitated: Age, Mental condition, Illness
 Incentives and its effect: in the form of treatment, money,
service,…
 Confidentiality of responses
 Result sharing: Do you share the result to your study subjects?
 Significance of the result: Does it really improve the condition
those under the problem and those of your study subjects? 12
Friday, January 5, 2024
 Additional Factors To Be Considered
– Study subjects accessibility
– Availability of the required data (for record review)
– Availability of the desired sample size
– Availability of literatures
– Availability of valid instruments
– Familiarity with the methodologies
• Study design
• Methods of analysis
– Available time
– Resource or budget at hand
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 Constructing research title
• Contents of a research title
– The area of interest to be investigated
– The study subjects
– The area where the study is planned to be conducted
– The time, when it is going to be conducted

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 Examples of research title

• Sustainability of Drinking Water Supply Projects in

Rural Areas of North Gondar, Ethiopia, 2010.
• The pattern of antibiotic usage in surgical in-patients
of a teaching hospital, northwest Ethiopia, 2009.
• Pregnancy and child health outcomes among
adolescents in Ethiopia, 2007.
• Socio-cultural factors in decisions related to fertility
in remotely located communities: The case of the
Suri ethnic group, 2005.

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 Practical: Writing a Research Title

• Title Submission:
– Three titles per group
– Deadline March 29/2013
– Approval and Advisor Announcements
April 1/2013

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 Where do research ideas come from?
• Read medical literature which out line the
research gap
• Attend scientific meeting
• Teach- questions asked by students can often
give idea for research
• Be a team player –ideas can come from
colleagues or mentors
• Aquent one self with the line of interest of
funding research organizations
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 research ideas …
• Get new ideas out of ones own previous
research
• Be a good observer
• Be imaginative
• Have a sceptical attitude when reading
scientific findings –science should not be
admired ,science should be questioned

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