RESEARCH PROBLEM,

HYPOTHESIS & CONCEPTUAL

FRAME WORK

Meghana Sudhir
 Introduction
Formulation of the research
problem and developing hypothesis are
key preliminary steps in the research
process. A problem is a question posed
for solutions.
Sources of problems

There are three main sources for locating a problem or

topic.
They are

Experience : The nurses’ every day experience provides

a rich supply of problems for investigations. For the
beginning researchers in particular experience is
often the most compelling source for topics.
 Sources of problems:
Nursing literature: Ideal for research project;
often come from reading the nursing literature.
The beginning nurse researcher would project from
regularly reading the nursing research journal ;
may help the investigator to familiarize with the
wordings of research problems and active conduct
of research studies.
 Sources of problems:
Theory : The third major source of problems lies in the
theoretical system and conceptual schemes which have been
developed in nursing and other related disciplines. If a
researcher decides to base a research project exclusively on a
theory, deduction from the theory must be developed.

Example:
Levine’s (1969) conceptual frame work on nursing which
concerns conservation.
Seley’s (1956) theory of adaptations to stress.
Steps in Developing and Refining
Research Problems

Selecting a topic

Narrowing the topic

Evaluating research problem

 Developing and Refining Research
Problems

The development of a research problem is

essentially a creative process dependent
upon imagination, insight and ingenuity.
Developing and Refining Research
Problems

Researchers generally begin with an interest in some

broad topic area such as pain management, family
communication patterns, self-care patterns of elders or
management of urinary incontinence.
Developing and Refining Research
Problems

Usually the research focuses on the dependent

variable of the study, the variable that will be
predicted or explained through its relationship
to the independent variable.
Brainstorming with teachers, advisors
or colleagues may provide valuable
feedback that helps the researcher to
focus on a specific problem area.
Criteria for Evaluating Research
Problems
1. Significance of the problems
2. Researchability of the problem
3. Feasibility of the problem
• Time and timing
• Availability of subjects
• Cooperation of others
• Facility and equipment
• Money
• Experience of the researcher
• Ethical considerations
 Statement of the Research
Problems

Statement of the Research Problems

A good statement of the problems should serve as a guide

to the researcher in the course of designing the study

The Statement should identify the key variables in the

study, specify the nature of the population being
studied and suggest the possibility of empirical testing.
The Final Problem Statement

A problem may be written in

Declarative form

or

Interrogative form.
 Problem Statements in
Declarative Form
Research focus Problem statement
Effect of relaxation on anxiety and This study investigates the effect of
dyspnea relaxation on anxiety and dyspnea in
in patients with COPD patients with COPD
(Gift, Moore,& Soeken, 1992)

Anxiety symtomatology in cambodian

Comparison of anxiety:
Symptomatoloy among Cambodian
refugee
adolescents before and after resettlement
in
the United States
Effect of heart transplantation on
psychosocial functioning
refugee adolescents before and after
settlement in the United States had been
compared (Mueck and Sasse, 1992)
The study examines the effect of heart
transplantation on psychosocial
functioning
(Bohachick et al., 1992)
Problem Statement in Interrogative
Form
Research focus
Factors that influence adaptation of
preadolescents and adolescents with
diabetes
Effect of group therapy on cognitive
functioning and depression in elderly
nursing home residents
Spiritual health, coping responses,
and devastating physical illness
Problem statement
What are the influences of age, coping
behaviour and self care on psychological,
social and physiological adaptation in
preadolescents and adolescents with insulin
dependent diabetes mellitus (Grey Cameron
and Thurber 1992)
What is the effect of group therapy on
cognitive functioning and depression in
elderly nursing home residents (Abraham
Neundorfer, Currie, 1992)
What role does spiritual health play in the
coping responses of patients to devastating
physical illness (Mickley, Socken and belcher
1992
 Formulation of objectives
The purpose must always indicate the focus of the study.
It is specific but it may be more or less comprehensive,
the purpose must indicate exactly what the investigator
intends to do to answer the questions.
It should include how data are to be collected or what is
observed
and the setting of the study.
 Statement of the problem
Example
“A study to compare the knowledge and practice of
post natal mothers regarding neonatal care from
selected urban and rural settings of Bangalore”.
 Objectives
1. To assess the knowledge of postnatal mothers
regarding the neonatal care
2. To describe the practices followed in their family
regarding neonatal care
3. To determine the association between knowledge
and practices of neonatal care
4. To determine association of knowledge with
selected variable
5. To compare the knowledge and practice of
neonatal care between urban and rural mother
 Clarifying the objectives
(a). Focus on objective one
Knowledge of postnatal mothers regarding
neonatal care, breast feeding, cord care, prevention of
infection and maintenance of warmth

(b). Focus on objective two

Practice of family regarding neonatal care

(c). Selected characteristic of respondent

Age, Religion, Education, Occupation, Type
of family, Income etc.
 HYPOTHESIS
A hypothesis is a prediction about the relationship between
two or more variables.
A hypothesis thus translates a quantitative research question
in to a precise prediction of expected outcomes.

The hypothesis is an important part of the scientific

method and research studies.
 Characteristics of a good
hypothesis
1. Testable
2. Logical
3. Directly related to the research problem
4. Represents a single unit or subject of the problem
5. Factually or theoretically based
6. States relationship between variables
7. Sets the limits of the study
8. Stated in such a form that it can be accepted or
rejected
A hypothesis is composed of an independent variable
(cause) and a dependent variable (effect)
The derivation of hypothesis
There are two types of developing hypothesis
Induction
Deduction

- Constitute the intellectual machinery

involved in deriving hypothesis.
Inductive hypothesis is a generalization
based on observed relationships.

Researchers observe certain patterns, trends

or associations among phenomena and
then use the observations as a basis for
predictions.
Deductive hypotheses

Through deductive reasoning, a researcher can develop

hypotheses based on general theoretical principles.
Deductive reasoning have as a starting point theories
that are applied to particular situations.
Types of Hypotheses
 Simple Vs Complex Hypotheses
Simple hypothesis is a hypothesis that
expresses an expected relationship between one
independent and one dependent variable.

Complex hypothesis is a prediction of a

relationship between two (or more) independent
variables and two (or more) dependent variables.
Complex hypotheses some times are referred to as
multivariate hypotheses because they involve
multiple variables.
 Directional Vs Non-directional
Hypotheses
Directional hypothesis is one that specifies
not only the existence but the expected
direction of the relationship between
variables.

Non-directional hypothesis by contrast does

not stipulate the direction of the relationship.
 Research Vs Null Hypotheses
Hypotheses are sometimes classified as being either
research hypotheses or null hypotheses.

Research hypotheses also referred to as substantive,

declarative, or scientific hypotheses, are statements of
expected relationships between variables

Null hypotheses or statistical hypotheses state that there is

no relationship between the independent and dependent
variables.
 Hypothesis Testing

Hypotheses are formally tested through statistical

procedures. Researchers seek to determine through
statistics whether their hypotheses have a high
probability of being correct. However, hypotheses
are never proved through hypothesis testing.
Rather, they are accepted or supported.
 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

An operational definition of a concept specifies

the operations that researchers must perform to
collect the required information.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concepts are mental images or ideas relating to
phenomena or objects that share common properties.

Fact is defined as any event or phenomenon that can be

observed and on which the observer agrees.

Principles state a relationship between two facts that

may be used to explain, guide and predict action.

A theory is used in the broad sense to refer to an abstraction

which summarizes and explains phenomena.

The conceptualization part of the research process might well

be called the thinking part of the research while the factual
part of the research process is more related to the doing
aspect.
 PURPOSES OF THEORIES AND
CONCEPTUAL MODELS

• To make research findings meaningful and generalizable.

• Efficient mechanisms for drawing together accumulated facts,
sometimes from separate and isolated investigations.
• Guide a researcher’s understanding of not only the what of
natural phenomena but also the ‘why’ of their occurrence.
• Theories provide a basis for predicting the occurrence of
phenomena.
• Prediction, in turn, has implications for the control of the
phenomena.
• Help to stimulate research and the extension of knowledge by
providing both direction and impetus.
THEORIST & NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Imogene Open Personal Doornbos (2000)

King Systems systems, based her framework
Model interpersonal on King's model; she
1981 systems, and tested the prediction
social systems that family stressors,
are dynamic coping, and other
and interacting, factors affected
within which family health with
transactions young adults with
occur. serious mental
illness.
 KEY THESIS
THEORIST & NAME OF RESEARCH
OF
REFERENCE MODEL EXAMPLE
THE MODEL

Madeline Theory of Caring is a Raines and Morgan

Leininger Culture universal (2000) studied the
1991 Care Phenomenon culturally grounded
Diversity but varies meanings of the
and transculturally concept of comfort,
Universality presence, and
involvement in the
context of the
childbirth experience
of black women and
white women.
 KEY THESIS
THEORIST & NAME OF RESEARCH
OF
REFERENCE MODEL EXAMPLE
THE MODEL

Myra Levine Conservation Conservation Deiriggi and Miles

1973 Model of integrity (1995) based their
contributes study of the effects
to of waterbeds on
maintenance heart rate in
of a person’s preterm infants on
wholeness. Levine's concept of
conservation.
THEORIST & NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Betty Health Care Each person is Brauer (2001)

Neuman Systems a complete described common
1989 Model system; the patterns of person
goal of nursing environment
is to assist in interaction in adults
maintaining with rheumatoid
client system arthritis, based on
stability. Neuman’s model.
THEORIST & NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Margaret Health as Health is viewed Endo and

Newman Expanding as an expansion colleagues
1994 Consciousness of consciousness (2000) Used
with health and Newman’s
disease parts of theory to
the same whole; study pattern
health is seen in recognition as
an evolving a caring
pattern of the partnership
Whole in time, between
space, and nurses and
movement. families of
ovarian cancer
in Japan.
THEORIST & NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Dorothea Self-Care Self-care activities Anderson (2001)

Orem Model are what people do explored, with
on their own a sample of
1985 behalf to maintain homeless adults,
health and Well- the relationship
being; the goal of between self-
nursing is to help care, self-care
people meet their agency, and
own therapeutic well-being.
self-care demands.
THEORIST & NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Rose Marie Theory of Health and Mitchell and

Rizzo Parse Human meaning are co- Lawton (2000)
Becoming created by studied how
1992, 1995 indivisible diabetic
humans and patients
their experienced the
environment; consequences
nursing involves of personal
having clients choices about
share views living with
about meanings. restrictions, and
discussed the
emerging
concepts within
Parse's theory.
THEORIST & NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Martha Rogers Science of The individual is Using Rogers’

Unitary a unified whole framework,
1970, 1986 Human in constant Bays (2001)
Beings interaction with explored the
the environment; phenomenon of
nursing helps hope and
individuals associated
achieve factors in older
maximum well- patients who
being within had
their potential. experienced a
stroke.
THEORIST &
NAME OF KEY THESIS OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE
MODEL THE MODEL EXAMPLE

Sr Callista Adaptation Humans are Roy’s Adaptation

Roy Model adaptive systems Model provided the
that cope with framework for
1984, 1991 change through John's (2001)
adaptation; nursing study of whether
helps to promote perceptions of
client adaptation quality of life
during health and change over time in
illness. adults who receive
curative radiation
therapy.
THEORIST & KEY THESIS
NAME OF RESEARCH
REFERENCE OF
MODEL EXAMPLE
THE MODEL

Jean Watson Theory of Caring is the Using Watson's 10

1999 Caring moral ideal, carative factors,
and entails Baldursdottir and
mind-body- Jonsdottir (2002)
soul studied the importance
engagement of nurse caring
with one behaviors as perceived
another. by patients receiving
care at an emergency
department.
THANK YOU !