11 rows · Apr 18, · Published on April 18, by Shona McCombes. Revised on June 5, HYPOTHESES & RESEARCH QUESTIONS. Qualitative Approach. The use of Research Questions as opposed to objectives or hypothesis, is more frequent. Characteristics Use of words- what or how. Specify whether the study: discovers, seeks to understand, explores or describes the experiences. Use of non-directional wording in the question The primary research question should be driven by the hypothesis rather than the data. 1, 2 That is, the research question and hypothesis should be developed before the start of the study. This sounds intuitive; however, if we take, for example, a database of information, it is potentially possible to perform multiple statistical comparisons of groups within the database to find a statistically significant blogger.com by:
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Try out PMC Labs and tell us what you think. Learn More. There is an increasing familiarity with the principles of evidence-based medicine in the surgical community. As surgeons become more aware of the hierarchy of evidence, grades of recommendations and the principles of critical appraisal, they develop an increasing familiarity with research design. Surgeons and clinicians are looking more and more to the literature and clinical trials to guide their practice; as such, it is becoming a responsibility of the clinical research community to attempt to answer questions that are not only well thought out but also clinically relevant, dissertation research questions and hypotheses.
The development of the research question, including a supportive hypothesis and objectives, is a necessary key step in producing clinically relevant results to be used in evidence-based practice.
A well-defined and specific research question is more likely to help guide us in making decisions about study design and population and subsequently what data will be collected and analyzed. In this article, we discuss important considerations in the development of a research question and hypothesis and in defining objectives for research.
By the end of this article, the reader will be able to appreciate the significance of constructing a good research question and developing dissertation research questions and hypotheses and research objectives for the successful design of a research study. The following article is divided into 3 sections: research question, research hypothesis and research objectives. Interest in a particular topic usually begins the research process, but it is the familiarity with the subject that helps define an appropriate research question dissertation research questions and hypotheses a study.
Appropriate methods include systematically searching the literature, in-depth interviews and focus groups with patients and proxies and interviews with experts in the field. In addition, awareness of current trends and technological advances can assist with the development of research questions. Indeed, some granting institutions e. In-depth knowledge about a subject may generate a number of questions. It then becomes necessary to ask whether these questions can be answered through one study or if more than one study needed.
Any additional questions should never compromise the primary question because it is the primary research question that forms the basis of the hypothesis and study objectives. It must be kept in mind that within the scope of one study, the presence of a number of research questions will affect and potentially increase the complexity of both the study design and subsequent statistical analyses, not to mention the actual feasibility of answering every question.
Hulley and colleagues 2 have suggested the use of the FINER criteria in the development of a good research question Box 1. The FINER criteria highlight useful points that may increase the chances of developing a successful research project.
A good research question should specify the population of interest, be of interest to the scientific community and potentially to the public, have clinical relevance and further current knowledge in the field and of course be compliant with the standards of ethical boards and national research standards. Adapted with permission from Wolters Kluwer Health. Whereas the FINER criteria outline the important aspects of the question in general, a useful dissertation research questions and hypotheses to use in the development of a specific research question is the PICO format — consider the population P of interest, the intervention I being studied, the comparison C group or to what is the intervention being compared and the outcome of interest O.
Knowing the specific population of interest, intervention and comparator and outcome of interest may also help the researcher identify an appropriate outcome measurement tool. Conversely, a broadly defined study population and inclusion criteria may be representative of practical clinical practice but may increase bias and dissertation research questions and hypotheses the internal validity of the study. A poorly devised research question may affect the choice of study design, potentially lead to futile situations and, thus, hamper the chance of determining anything of clinical significance, which will then affect the potential for publication.
Without devoting appropriate resources to developing the research question, dissertation research questions and hypotheses, the quality of the study and subsequent results may be compromised. During the initial stages of any research study, it is therefore imperative to formulate a research question that is both clinically relevant and answerable.
The primary research question should be driven by the hypothesis rather than the data. This sounds intuitive; however, if we take, for example, a database of information, it is potentially possible to perform multiple statistical comparisons of groups within the database to find a statistically significant association.
Multiple statistical testing of associations from data previously collected could potentially lead to spuriously positive findings of association through chance alone.
The research or clinical hypothesis is developed from the research question and then the main elements of the study — sampling strategy, intervention if applicablecomparison and outcome variables — are summarized in a form that dissertation research questions and hypotheses the basis for testing, statistical and ultimately clinical significance.
The investigative team would first state a research hypothesis. This could be expressed as a single outcome e, dissertation research questions and hypotheses. The null hypothesis for the preceding research hypothesis then would be that there is no difference in mean functional outcome between the computer-assisted insertion and free-hand placement techniques. After forming the null hypothesis, the researchers would form an alternate hypothesis stating the nature of the difference, if it should appear.
The alternate hypothesis would be that there is a difference in mean functional outcome between these techniques. At the end of the study, the null hypothesis is then tested statistically. If the findings of the study are not statistically significant i.
In other words, hypothesis testing confirms or refutes the statement that the observed findings did not occur by chance alone but rather occurred because there was a true difference in outcomes between these surgical procedures. The concept of statistical hypothesis testing is complex, and the details are beyond the scope of this article.
Another important concept inherent in hypothesis testing is whether the hypotheses will be 1-sided or 2-sided. A 2-sided hypothesis states that there is a difference between the experimental group and the control group, but it does not specify in advance the expected direction of the difference. For example, we asked whether there is there an improvement in outcomes with computer-assisted surgery or whether the outcomes worse with computer-assisted surgery.
We presented a 2-sided test in the above example because we did not specify the direction of the difference. A 1-sided hypothesis states a specific direction e. A 2-sided hypothesis should be used unless there is a good justification for using a 1-sided hypothesis. The research hypothesis should be stated at the beginning of the study to guide the objectives for research. Whereas the investigators may state the hypothesis as being 1-sided there is an improvement with treatmentthe study and investigators must adhere to the concept of clinical equipoise.
According to this principle, a clinical or surgical trial is ethical only if the expert community is uncertain about the relative therapeutic merits of the experimental and control groups being evaluated. Designing a research hypothesis is supported by a good research question and will influence the type of research design for the study. Acting on the principles of appropriate hypothesis development, the study can then confidently proceed to the development of the research objective.
The primary objective should be coupled with the hypothesis of the study. Study objectives define the specific aims of the study and should be clearly stated in the introduction of the research protocol. Note that the study objective is an active statement about how the study is going to answer the specific research question. Objectives can and often do state exactly which outcome measures are going to be used within their statements, dissertation research questions and hypotheses.
They are important because they not only help guide the development of the protocol and design of study but also play a role in sample size calculations and determining the power of the study. For example, the most methodologically sound randomized controlled trial comparing 2 techniques of distal radial fixation would have little or no clinical impact if the primary objective was to determine the effect of treatment A as compared to treatment B on intraoperative fluoroscopy time.
However, if the objective was to determine the effect of treatment A as compared to treatment B on patient functional outcome at 1 year, this would have a much more significant impact on clinical decision-making. Second, more meaningful surgeon—patient discussions could ensue, incorporating patient values and preferences with the results from this study. The following is an example from the literature about the relation between the research question, hypothesis and study objectives:.
Study: Warden SJ, Metcalf BR, Kiss ZS, et al. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for chronic patellar tendinopathy: a randomized, dissertation research questions and hypotheses, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Rheumatology ;— Research question: How does low-intensity pulsed ultrasound LIPUS compare with a placebo device in managing the symptoms of skeletally mature patients with patellar tendinopathy?
Research hypothesis: Pain levels are reduced in patients who receive daily active-LIPUS treatment for 12 weeks compared with individuals who receive inactive-LIPUS placebo. Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy symptoms. The development of the research question is the most important aspect of a research project, dissertation research questions and hypotheses. A research project can fail if the objectives and hypothesis are poorly focused and underdeveloped.
Useful tips for surgical researchers are provided in Box 3. Designing and developing an appropriate and relevant research question, hypothesis and objectives can be a difficult task. The critical appraisal of the research question used in a study is vital to the application of the findings to clinical practice.
Focusing resources, time and dedication to these 3 very important tasks will help to guide a successful research project, influence interpretation of the results and affect future publication efforts.
Perform a systematic literature review if one has not been done to increase knowledge and familiarity with the topic and to assist with research development. Seek careful input from experts, mentors, colleagues and collaborators to refine your research question as this will aid in developing the research question and guide the research study.
Ensure that the research question and objectives are answerable, feasible and clinically relevant. Competing interests: No funding was received in preparation of this paper. Bhandari was funded, in part, by a Canada Research Chair, McMaster University.
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Journal List Can J Surg v. Can J Surg. PMCID: PMC DeGroote School of Medicine, the Find articles by Patricia Dissertation research questions and hypotheses. Bradley A. Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer. DeGroote School of Medicine, the. Correspondance to: Dr. Bhandari, Wellington St. N, Ste. retsamcm madnahb.
Accepted Jan Copyright © Canadian Medical Association. This article has dissertation research questions and hypotheses cited by other articles in PMC. Objectives of this article In this article, we discuss important considerations in the development of a research question and hypothesis and in defining objectives for research.
Research question Interest in a particular topic usually begins the research process, but it is the familiarity with the subject that helps define an appropriate research question for a study.
Research Question vs Hypothesis: how to convert research questions into hypotheses
, time: 6:11Research Methodology: Questions and Hypotheses - Words | Free Paper Example
Research Questions and Hypotheses from a study sample. Hypotheses are used often in experiments in which investigators compare groups. Advisers often recommend their use in a formal research project, such as a dissertation or thesis, as a means of stat-ing the direction a study will take. Objectives, on the other hand, indicate Nov 15, · Figure 1: Research onion (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill , p. ). Therefore, following this structure, the current chapter will start by outlining the research aim, objectives, questions, and hypotheses Sometimes dissertations should include both research questions and research hypotheses although this is not always the case: If you feel like the research questions are no more than a repetition of the research hypotheses, it is often better to include only one or the other (i.e., only research hypotheses or only research questions). As a general rule, we would suggest using hypotheses rather than
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