The Research Question and answers with verified content

The Research Question and answers with verified content Research Question -the fundamental core of a research project, study, or review of literature -it focuses the study, determines the methodology, and guides all stages of inquiry, analysis, and reporting Research Problem an issue someone would like to know more about or a situation that needs to be changed or addressed, such as: -areas of concern -conditions that could be improved -difficulties that need to be eliminated -a topic of interest is what motivates you as a clinician 3 components of the Research Question -importance (significance) -answerable (clear) -feasible Important/significant (Research Question) -impact -contribute to scientific knowledge/theory -significant for clinical practice -resolve inconsistencies or "fill the gap" Answerable (Research Question) -specific (what/does rather than why?) -defined variables Feasible (Research Question) -team and resources -timetable -budget -setting/population Examples of Types of Research Questions -describe a health problem, trend or pattern -predict (risk factors) -measure effectiveness of an intervention -natural progression -how to measure? Key Steps to define a research question Evaluate the research problem -systematic literature review -have a theoretical model/theoretical rationale -basis to guide the study design and interpret results Biopsychosocial Model -pain sensation -cognition -affect -behavior -social Cognition (Biopsychosocial Model) pain meaning and interpretation Affect (Biopsychosocial Model) emotional response to the pain Behavior (Biopsychosocial Model) actions in response to pain Social (Biopsychosocial Model) response from others Diagnostic Uncertainty -absence of a clear diagnosis and explanation are associated with negative social, cognitive and emotional functioning Affective Reassurance -messages to increase rapport, empathy, being heard/cared for Cognitive Reassurance -explanation given about prognosis, treatment and answers questions -changes in expectations → changes in perceived disability Shaping the Question -evaluate research problem -target populations -setting -variables -clarify the research objectives, hypothesis Background -research rationale, impact Target Population -be specific, who do we want to study Population -entire world Sample -a group being tested that is representative to the population Generalizability how the results of a "small" representative group can be used with confidence to make predictions about the large population Setting -environmental conditions -type of population -Examples: in-patient, out-patient, primary vs secondary care Variables -What do we want to test? -anything that has a quantity or quality that varies -"characteristics that can vary" -research is performed to identify relations among variables or how one variable influences another Dependent Variable -response or effect that is presumed to vary depending on the independent variable "OUTCOME" -measurable outcome of manipulation -1 or more outcomes -How to measure it? validity, reliability, responsiveness Independent Variable -variable believed to affect the dependent variable -core of the experiment and is isolated and manipulated the researcher -condition, intervention, characteristic that will predict or cause a given outcome -predictive vs intervention studies Confounding variables -interference caused by another variable -the variable must be accounted for because it may affect the relationship between the dependent and independent variables Operationalize the Research Question -what is the intervention? -what are your outcomes? how would you test? what procedures will be used? -what actions, processes, or operations will you use to measure or identify variables Research Objectives/Aims -as clear and specific as possible -delineate what the study wants to accomplish -main goal vs specific goals Main goal -general objective or aim of the study -to evaluate/develop a measuring instrument -to describe a clinical phenomena or existing condition -to explore a relationship - risk factors -to assess (compare) cause-effect relationship-effectiveness of intervention Specific Goals -specific objectives/hypothesis -guiding statements that describe the purpose of the study -helps operationalize the study (to test, to compare, to evaluate, to examine) -relate to the research aim but are focus, specific, operational -most of the time hypothesis driven (to develop a novel instrument) -suggest a particular outcome Hypothesis -used for projects with the aim of investigating relations, test a statement "reject it or accept it" -investigator has an educated guess, "statement that predicts the relationship between IV and DV" -assist the researcher in planning the designs and methods of the study Hypothesis: Key Factors -include the target population -comparative, indicate a relationship "greater than" "less than" "different from" "related to" -distinguish the IV and DV -Testable: theoretical model, clinical practice Research Hypothesis expectation of the main investigator of the results of the study guiding the interpretation of the results (directional hypothesis)