Components of Nursing

Research: Research
Problem & Variable
Prepared by: Husaini M. Kimpa
RESEARCH PROBLEM
The Research Problem
 A problem is a condition requiring a solution.
 In research, a problem statement is an
expression of a dilemma or a disturbing
situation that needs investigation.
Difference between Problem and Purpose

What is the difference between

PROBLEM and PURPOSE?
 Difference between Problem and Purpose
 Problem is the question or difficulty the
research seeks to solve while purpose is the
solution to the problem the research seeks to
find that is yet to be realized.
 Problem is what triggers the investigation or
research while purpose is the reason for doing
the research that arises from the problem.
 Situations Manifesting a Problem
 Absence of information
 Incomplete information
 Conflicting information
 A fact exists and you intend your study to
explain it.
 There is a gap in knowledge
 Sources of Research Problem
1. Fields of specialization. Personal and professional experiences
and interests;
2. Instructional programs
3. Reading programs. Literature sources and previous research
studies
4. Organizational structure, policies and interpersonal relationships
5. New technologies
6. Conflicting ideas and ideals
7. Journals, books, theses or dissertations and mass media
8. Theories and principles affecting certain phenomena;
9. Problem areas in Nursing such as administration of nursing
service and education, clinical specialization
10. Problem situations and issues
11. Suggestions of experts and authorities
 Criteria for Choice of Research Problems
 A good research question is described by the
acronym FINER (Hulley &Cummings, 1998)
 Feasible (adequate subjects, technical expertise,
time and money, and scope)
 Interesting to the investigator
 Novel (confirms or refutes previous findings,
provides new findings)
 Ethical
 Relevant (to scientific knowledge, clinical and
health policy, future research directions)
 Feasibility
1. Does the level of expertise of the researchers
match the requirements of the study?
2. What is the availability of the subjects, facilities,
and equipment?
3. Are ethical considerations addressed and
subjects’ rights are protected?
4. Is there time, money, and organizational support
committed to the study?
What makes a good research question?
 It addresses a need or a problem that you
encounter as a practitioner.
 It doesn't need to be unique, but it must be
important to you and your practice.
 It challenges you to question your own assumptions
about teaching, learning, literacy, and change; i.e.,
it challenges you to learn.
 It is researchable, meaning you are able to collect
evidence that would answer the question.
What makes a good research question?
 It is doable given your time and material
constraints.
 It inspires you and has the potential to hold to
your interest over several months.
 It is not too general; that would result in
multitude of sub-questions.
 It is not too narrow; that would rule out the
emergence of other possibilities.
 It cannot be answered “yes” or “no”
Most good questions for practitioner research are one
of two types:
 Questions that ask: “What happens when...”
 This kind of question is appropriate when you
are trying out a new strategy or approach to
something.
 Questions that ask: “What's going on here...?”
 This kind of question is appropriate when you
need to understand something more deeply and
before you can get to the point of trying out a
new strategy or approach.
How to formulate a research questions?
 Research originates with an idea about some
general problem or question.
 This problem or question is narrowed down
to a more specific research question, which
then represents the central issue being
addressed.
 First, it is important to distinguish between
descriptive and analytical studies.
 Descriptive studies ask simpler questions
about what is going on.
 For example: “How many or what proportion
of community residents admitted to the
hospital are members of Phil Health?
 Analytical studies compare one or more
interventions or exposures.
 For example, “Is team teaching more effective
in teaching research subjects or ….
 “Is lung cancer associated with cigarette
smoking?”
What Type of Research Question is Problematic?

 It starts with “How can I...”

 It suggests a “yes” or “no” answer.
 It is rhetorical.
 It relates to issues of design rather than to the
underlying issue or problem.
 It includes vague or ambiguous language.
 Common Mistakes in
Defining Research Questions
Very Broad Area of Interest
 “I want to understand how people use the Internet”
 “What factors influence the use of an interface?”
Very Broad Area of Interest
 “Do Females Use Technology X more than Males?”
Cannot be Measured
 “Will this new information technology make society better?”
Trivial or Previously Answered Research
Questions
 This is why we actually use literature– even in applied,
business, or exploratory research.
what is a good ]esearch problem statement?
 “The research problem is to investigate the presumed effect
of A, B and C on X and Y in (population).

Moving from General to Specific:

 “Could use of technology X affect society in a positive
way?”
 “If we looked at two populations, one using technology X
and one not using it, would they differ?”
 “How is the use of technology X related to productivity and
work satisfaction in task groups within population Y?”
VARIABLES
RESEARCH VARIABLES
 Are the building blocks of research studies
and are not restricted to pre-existing
conditions.
 Are measurable qualities, properties, or
characteristics of people, things, events, or
situations under study that vary from one
subject to another that can be assessed and
measured qualitatively or quantitatively.
 Heterogeneity and homogeneity are terms
frequently used associated with variables. When an
attribute is extremely varied in the group under
investigation, the group is said to be
HETEROGENEOUS with respect to the variable. If
the amount of variability is limited, the group is
described as relatively HOMOGENEOUS. for
example, for the variable height, a group of 2 year-
old children is likely to be more homogeneous than
a group of 16 year-old adolescents.
KINDS OF VARIABLES
1. EXPLANATORY VARIABLE
 Assumes different values.
 The variable of interest to the researcher.
 Establishes direct causal link between
persons, objects, things being studied.
 Attempts to explore and explain all variables
affecting the phenomenon under inquiry.
Explanatory Variable:
a. Independent variable (IV) - manipulated by the
researcher, causal variable, stimulus variable,
experimental variable.

Example:
 Self-Concept, Personal. And Professional Characteristics of
Staff Nurses
 Work values of Nurse Managers
 Mineral Water Container with Droplight
Explanatory Variable:
b. Dependent variable (DV) - affected by the
independent variable, criterion, effect or outcome
variable.

Example:
 Patient’s Satisfaction Index
 Clinical Performance of Staff Nurses
 Thermoregulation of Infants
Explanatory Variable:
c. Intervening variable - factor variable that influences
the effect of independent variable on dependent
variable. Also called as correlated or mediator.

Example:
 Self-Concept, Personal. And Professional Characteristics of Staff
Nurses (IV) in Relation to Patient’s Satisfaction Index (DV) Intervening
Variables: Nurse’s age, sex, knowledge, skills, attitudes, patient’s
status and diagnosis.
 Work values of Nurse Managers (ID) and Clinical Performance of Staff
Nurses (DV) Intervening Variables: Time management, goals, and
objectives, socialization process.
Explanatory Variable:
d. Moderator variable - variable that affects the strength
or direction of the relationship between IV and DV. It
either makes the relationship between IV and DV
weaker or stronger.
Example:
 The degree of anxiety experienced during hospitalization is low among
toddlers who had previous hospitalization (Moderating variable hospital
experience is greater than 0) but high among toddlers who have no
previous hospitalization (When hospital experience is equal to 0).
 When all toddlers are considered together without taking into hospital
experience into account, relationship between hospital experience (IV)
and degree of anxiety (DV) might appear moderate.
2. EXTRANEOUS/EXOGENOUS VARIABLE
 Are not the direct foci (pl. form of focus) of the
study.
 Not the direct interest of the researcher.
 Must be controlled or eliminated in order for
the hypothesis to be validly tested
Example:
 Extraneous variables can best be illustrated with this example: Suppose we were
interested in studying whether teenage mothers are at higher risk for having low-
birth-weight infants than older mothers because of their AGE. In other words, we
want to test whether there is something about women's age that causes
differences in birth weight. The question here is whether maternal age itself
(independent variable) causes differences in birth weight (dependent variable), or
whether there are other mechanisms (extraneous variables) that account for the
relationship between age and birth weight. In here, we need to control other
determinants of birth weight that are related to the independent variable (mother's
age).
 Suppose we identify mother's nutrition and prenatal care as other determinants
(extraneous Variables) to birth weight . Teenager mothers tend to be less careful
than older mothers about nutrition during pregnancy and are also less likely to
obtain adequate prenatal care. Therefore, both nutrition and prenatal care could,
in turn affect the baby's birth weight. So, if these two variables are not controlled,
then, any observed relationship between a mother's age and her baby's birth
weight could be caused by mother's age herself, her diet, and her prenatal care.
Types of Extraneous Variable:
a. Organismic variable - these are physiological,
psychological and demographic factors of the target
POPULATION. e.g. Age, sex, ethnicity
b. Environmental variables- these are economic,
anthropological, sociological and physical factors
that influence the phenomenon under study. e.g.
Climate, organizational set-up or hospital setting
3. ABSTRACT/CONTINUOUS VARIABLE
 these are variables that take on a wide range
of values. e.g. Age, can take on values from
zero to 100, and the values are not restricted
to whole numbers (i.e. 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4...2,
2.1, 2.2 and so on).
4. DICHOTOMOUS VARIABLE
 These are variables with only two values. e.g.
Gender, you only have male and female
5. ACTIVE VARIABLE
 These are variables that researcher create or
manipulates. e.g. If a researcher tests the
effectiveness of patient-controlled analgesia as
opposed to Intramuscular (IM) analgesia in relieving
pain after surgery, some patients would receive
patient-controlled analgesia and others would
receive IM analgesia. In the context of this study,
method of pain management is an actice variable
because different patients are given analgesic
methods.
6. ATTRIBUTE VARIABLE
 These variables are inherent characteristics of
the subjects which the researcher simply
observes and measures. These variables may
or may not directly influence or affect the
phenomenon under study. e.g. Age, height,
weight, health beliefs.
 Identify IV, DV, and
Intervening Variable of the
following statements:
1. The Religious background of Nurses affects their
Attitude toward death and dying
2. Nurses’ attitude towards Death and Dying affect their
Job Performance
3. Relationship between Contraceptive Counseling and
Unwanted Pregnancies
4. Effect of Unwanted Pregnancies on the Incidence of
Child Abuse
5. Nurses’ Clinical Performance in Relation to their
Academic Preparation and RLE Training
6. The incidence of Neonatal Mortality in Relation to the
Extent of Maternal Complications
Thank
You!