Chapter Five: Research Problems, Purposes, and Hypotheses
What is a research topic? What do they contain? Numerous research problems that are
investigated
The purpose or goal of a study guides the development of the objectives, questions or
hypotheses in quantitative or outcomes studies.
In a quantitative study, the questions, objectives, or hypotheses include the variables, the
relationship among the variables, and often the population to be studied.
Give a definition for: a research problem, research significance, and research purpose. Be sure
you are clear on the differences among each of these.
o Research problem- area of concern, gap in knowledge needed for nursing practice
o Significance= importance
o Purpose- clear, concise statement of the specific goal or focus of the study
If little is known about a topic, a researcher usually starts with a descriptive or correlational
study and progresses to a quasi-experimental or experimental study.
What is the purpose of descriptive research?
o Identify and describe concepts or variables, identify possible relationships among
variables and delineate differences between or among exissitng groups
What is the purpose of correlational research?
o Examines the type (positive or negative) and strength of relationships among variables
Why are quasi-experimental studies conducted?
o Determine the effect of a treatment or independent variable on designated dependent
or outcome variables
Why and in what settings are experimental studies conducted?
o They are conducted in highly controlled settings, using a highly structured design to
determine the effect of one or more independent variables on one or more dependent
variables
The problems formulated for qualitative research identifies areas of concern that require
investigation to gain new insights, expand understanding and improve comprehension of the
whole
What are the four points to evaluate when determining the significance of a study problem and
purpose?
o Influences nursing practice
o Builds on previous research
o Promotes theory testing or development
o Addresses current concerns or priorities in nursing
When examining the feasibility of a study’s problem and purpose, what four key areas should
you evaluate? Determined by examining the researcher’s expertise, money commitment,
availability of subjects/facilities/environment, and the study’s ethical considerations
Module 2 f 2019 Reading
, Where (in the research article) are you most likely to find a study’s research objectives,
questions, or hypotheses? Evolve from the problem, purpose, literature review, and study
framework and direct the remaining steps of the research procress
Define a research objective (or aim). Define a research question. Make sure you can tell the
difference between these. What types of studies are they used for? Why does a researcher
choose one or the other?
o Research objective (or aim): clear, concise, declarative statement expressed and used in
descriptive and correlational quantitative studies
What is a research hypothesis?
o A clearly stated hypothesis includes the variables to be manipulated or measured,
identifies the population to be examined and indicates the proposed outcomes for the
study.
o What two types of research use hypotheses? Quasi-experimental and experimental
o List the four types of hypotheses.
Associative vs. casual
Simple vs. complex
Nondirectional vs. directional
Statistical vs. research
List and briefly describe the three types of variables:
o Independent and dependent variables (what types of studies are most likely to use
these?) These are used in correlational, quasi-experimental and experimental
Independent- is an intervention that is manipulated or varied by the researcher
to create an effect on the dependent, while the Dependent- is the outcome that
the researcher wants to predict
o Research variables (what types of studies do you find these in?) Found in descriptive and
correlational quantitative studies, research variables are the qualities, properties or
characteristic identified in the research purpose and objectives or questions observed or
measured in a study
o Extraneous variables (include confounding and environmental variables)
Confounding variables are not recognized until the study is in process, or are
recognized before the study is initiated but cannot be controlled
Environmental variables compose the setting in which study is conducted ex:
climate, family, healthcare system and governmental organizations
What is a conceptual definition of a variable? Provides the theoretical meaning of the variable
What is an operational definition of a variable? Derived from a set of procedures or progressive
acts that a researcher preforms to receive sensory impressions (sound, visual, tactile) that
indicate the existence or degree of existence of a variable
What are demographic variables? Attributes of subjects that are collected to describe the
sample, common demographic variables are age, education, gender, ethnic origin (race), marital
status, income, job classification and medical diagnosis
Chapter Six: Understanding the Literature Review in Published Studies
Module 2 f 2019 Reading
What is a research topic? What do they contain? Numerous research problems that are
investigated
The purpose or goal of a study guides the development of the objectives, questions or
hypotheses in quantitative or outcomes studies.
In a quantitative study, the questions, objectives, or hypotheses include the variables, the
relationship among the variables, and often the population to be studied.
Give a definition for: a research problem, research significance, and research purpose. Be sure
you are clear on the differences among each of these.
o Research problem- area of concern, gap in knowledge needed for nursing practice
o Significance= importance
o Purpose- clear, concise statement of the specific goal or focus of the study
If little is known about a topic, a researcher usually starts with a descriptive or correlational
study and progresses to a quasi-experimental or experimental study.
What is the purpose of descriptive research?
o Identify and describe concepts or variables, identify possible relationships among
variables and delineate differences between or among exissitng groups
What is the purpose of correlational research?
o Examines the type (positive or negative) and strength of relationships among variables
Why are quasi-experimental studies conducted?
o Determine the effect of a treatment or independent variable on designated dependent
or outcome variables
Why and in what settings are experimental studies conducted?
o They are conducted in highly controlled settings, using a highly structured design to
determine the effect of one or more independent variables on one or more dependent
variables
The problems formulated for qualitative research identifies areas of concern that require
investigation to gain new insights, expand understanding and improve comprehension of the
whole
What are the four points to evaluate when determining the significance of a study problem and
purpose?
o Influences nursing practice
o Builds on previous research
o Promotes theory testing or development
o Addresses current concerns or priorities in nursing
When examining the feasibility of a study’s problem and purpose, what four key areas should
you evaluate? Determined by examining the researcher’s expertise, money commitment,
availability of subjects/facilities/environment, and the study’s ethical considerations
Module 2 f 2019 Reading
, Where (in the research article) are you most likely to find a study’s research objectives,
questions, or hypotheses? Evolve from the problem, purpose, literature review, and study
framework and direct the remaining steps of the research procress
Define a research objective (or aim). Define a research question. Make sure you can tell the
difference between these. What types of studies are they used for? Why does a researcher
choose one or the other?
o Research objective (or aim): clear, concise, declarative statement expressed and used in
descriptive and correlational quantitative studies
What is a research hypothesis?
o A clearly stated hypothesis includes the variables to be manipulated or measured,
identifies the population to be examined and indicates the proposed outcomes for the
study.
o What two types of research use hypotheses? Quasi-experimental and experimental
o List the four types of hypotheses.
Associative vs. casual
Simple vs. complex
Nondirectional vs. directional
Statistical vs. research
List and briefly describe the three types of variables:
o Independent and dependent variables (what types of studies are most likely to use
these?) These are used in correlational, quasi-experimental and experimental
Independent- is an intervention that is manipulated or varied by the researcher
to create an effect on the dependent, while the Dependent- is the outcome that
the researcher wants to predict
o Research variables (what types of studies do you find these in?) Found in descriptive and
correlational quantitative studies, research variables are the qualities, properties or
characteristic identified in the research purpose and objectives or questions observed or
measured in a study
o Extraneous variables (include confounding and environmental variables)
Confounding variables are not recognized until the study is in process, or are
recognized before the study is initiated but cannot be controlled
Environmental variables compose the setting in which study is conducted ex:
climate, family, healthcare system and governmental organizations
What is a conceptual definition of a variable? Provides the theoretical meaning of the variable
What is an operational definition of a variable? Derived from a set of procedures or progressive
acts that a researcher preforms to receive sensory impressions (sound, visual, tactile) that
indicate the existence or degree of existence of a variable
What are demographic variables? Attributes of subjects that are collected to describe the
sample, common demographic variables are age, education, gender, ethnic origin (race), marital
status, income, job classification and medical diagnosis
Chapter Six: Understanding the Literature Review in Published Studies
Module 2 f 2019 Reading
