RESEARCH PROCESS
Dr. SAMEH ELHABASHY
AT THE END OF THIS LECTURE THE STUDENT
SHOULD BE ABLE TO;
1. List the steps of the research process
2. Discuss each step in the research process
MAJOR CLASSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH NONEXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
• Researchers actively • Researchers collect data
introduce an intervention or without intervening or
treatment introducing treatments
e.g. factors that contributed to hospital readmission in a Hong Kong hospital.
GLOSSARY:
1. Literature review. 7. Self-report.
2. Clinical fieldwork. 8. Bio-physiologic methods.
3. Hypotheses. 9. Pilot study.
4. Research design. 10. Statistical analysis.
5. Intervention protocols. 11. Research reports.
6. Population. 12. Journal articles.
PHASES oF RESEARCH PROCESS
Research Process Consists Of Five Phases Each Phase Contains
Certain Steps Listed As Following:
Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4: Phase 5:
Design &
Conceptual Planning Empirical Analytic Dissemination
Phase Phase Phase Phase Phase
PHASE 1: THE CONCEPTUAL PHASE
• These activities include reading and reviewing ideas and a
firm grounding in previous research on the topic of interest.
STEPS OF THE CONCEPTUAL PHASE
• Step 1: Formulating and Delimiting the Problem (research questions).
• Step 2: Reviewing the Related Literature
• Step 3: Undertaking Clinical Fieldwork
• Step 4: Defining the Framework and Developing Conceptual Definitions
• Step 5: Formulating Hypotheses
PHASE 2: THE DESIGN AND PLANNING PHASE
• Researchers make decisions about the methods and
procedures to be used to address the research
question, and plan for the actual collection of
data.
PHASE 2: THE DESIGN AND PLANNING
PHASE
• Step 6: Selecting a Research Design
• Step 7: Developing Protocols for the Intervention
• Step 8: Identifying the Population to be Studied
• Step 9: Designing the Sampling Plan
• Step 10: Specifying Methods to Measure the Research Variables
• Step 11: Developing Methods for Safeguarding Human/Animal Rights
• Step 12: Finalizing and Reviewing the Research Plan
PHASE 3: THE EMPIRICAL PHASE
• The empirical portion of quantitative studies involves
collecting research data and preparing those data
for analysis.
STEPS OF THE EMPIRICAL PHASE
• Step 13: Collecting the Data
• Step 14: Preparing the Data for Analysis
PHASE 4: THE ANALYTIC PHASE
• Quantitative data gathered in the empirical phase are not reported
in raw form. They are subjected to analysis and interpretation,
which occurs in the fourth major phase of a project.
STEPS OF THE ANALYTIC PHASE
• Step 15: Analyzing the Data
• Step 16: Interpreting the Results
PHASE 5: THE DISSEMINATION PHASE
• The analytic phase brings researchers full circle: it provides
answers to the questions posed in the first phase of the project.
However, researchers’ responsibilities are not complete until the
study results are disseminated.
STEPS OF THE DISSEMINATION PHASE
• Step 17: Communicating the Findings
• Step 18: Utilizing the Findings in Practice
1- FORMULATING THE PROBLEM
1- Without a significant, interesting problem, the most carefully and skillfully
designed research project is of little value.
2- In developing a research question to be studied, nurse researchers must pay
close attention to substantive issues:
(A) Significant issue, Is this research question given the existing base of knowledge?
(B) Clinical issues, Could findings from this research be useful in clinical practice?
(C) Methodologic issues: How can this question best be studied to yield high-quality
evidence?
(D) Ethical concerns.
STEP 2: REVIEWING THE RELATED LITERATURE.
• Quantitative research is typically conducted within the context of previous
knowledge To build on existing theory or research.
3- UNDERTAKING CLINICAL FIELDWORK
• Researchers embarking on a clinical nursing study benefit from
spending time in clinical settings, discussing the topic with clinicians
and health care administrators, and observing current practices.
Sterling (2001) notes that such clinical fieldwork can provide
perspectives on (1) recent clinical trends, (2) current diagnostic
procedures, (3)and relevant health care delivery models.
4: FRAMEWORK AND DEVELOPING CONCEPTUAL DEfiNITIONS
A - Theory is the ultimate aim of science in that it transcends the
specifics of a (1) particular time, (2) place, (2) group of people, and
(3) regularities in the relationships among variables.
B- When quantitative research is performed within the context of a
theoretical framework—that is, when previous theory is used as a basis
for generating predictions that can be tested through empirical
research.
