RESEARCH CONCEPTS FOR HIM - Research Topic/Problem/Question
Health Informatics Research Methods: Principles and Practice, Second Edition
Chapter 10: Defining the Research Question and Performing a Literature Review
© 2017 American Health Information Management Association
© 2017 American Health Information Management Association
Learning Objectives
Formulate research questions for topics in health informatics and HIM
Articulate clear hypotheses related to research questions
Search knowledge bases such as bibliographic databases
Extract essential information from information sources
Use key terms associated with research questions, hypotheses, and literature reviews appropriately
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Six Components of Systematic Research Process
Defining the research question*
Performing a literature review*
Selecting a research design and method
Collecting data
Analyzing the data
Presenting results
*Components discussed in this chapter; Items 3–6 covered in subsequent chapters
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Importance of Purpose
Knowing the research’s purpose is critical
Purpose
Answer a significant question
Solve a meaningful problem
Contribute to body of knowledge
Drives six components of systematic research process
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Development of a Research Question: Using FINER
Feasible Interesting Novel Ethical Relevant
A research question is a clear statement in the form of a question of the specific issue within a topic that a researcher wishes to study
Important to write well-developed research questions because they guide the literature review and the selection of the research design
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Quantitative Process Vs. Qualitative Process
Quantitative process
Generate objective information
Linear
Researchable and specific
Clearly defined at onset of research project is clearly defined
Qualitative process
Interpret or understand phenomena
Iterative or cyclical
Initial preliminary question is refined during research project
Can be ambiguous at onset of research project
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Sources of Research Questions
Research models
Recommendations of previous researchers
Gaps in the body of knowledge
Problematic areas
Organizations’ problems
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Refinement of the Research Question
Refinement: Narrowing to a manageable scope and researchable question
Feasibility
Additional details learned during literature review
Scope: Breadth of the question
Wide scope is unmanageable
Narrow to an aspect
Researchable question: Observable phenomena that can be empirically studied
Scale: Extent or pervasiveness
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PICO(TS)
Acronym for a well-developed and manageable research question
Patient, Population, or Problem of interest includes the condition, subpopulation, and other characteristics and demographics
Intervention is broadly defined as treatment, program, or other independent variable manipulated in study
Comparison or Control against which intervention’s effect is compared
Outcome is specific result of interest, the dependent variable; should be measurable
Timing is the time frame or duration of interest (optional)
Setting is context, such home or primary care clinic (optional)
Researchers also refer to PICO, PICOS, or PICOT depending upon the elements they use
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PICO(TS) (cont.)
In states with higher levels of managed care penetration, how does health information exchange, compared to states with lower levels of managed care, affect Medicaid costs?
Population: States with high levels of managed care
Intervention: Health information exchange
Comparison: States with lower levels of managed care
Outcome: Medicaid costs
Timing and Setting are omitted; however, Timing could be added as 2010 through 2015 and Setting could be inpatient hospital
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Problem Statement
Quantitative research
Operationalizes
Operational definitions
Qualitative research
Tentative supposition
Guides initial data collection and is revised during the study based on the data obtained
Single sentence with an action verb that specifically and succinctly states what the researcher will be doing to investigate the research question
Limits study’s scope by setting boundaries
Action verb indicates study’s research design
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Hypothesis
Quantitative
Explicit, testable statement that describes research question in operational definitions and measurable terms and is written a priori
Operationalized variables
Prediction of association or difference
Computable measurement
Study’s intention
Qualitative
Tentative or working supposition
Revised during data collection
Iterative and cyclical
Statement of the researchers’ predictions on the study’s outcome
Based on theory, model, observation, or expectation from analysis and interpretation of studies in the literature
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Quantitative Alternative Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis
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Direction of Hypothesis
One-tailed hypothesis (test)—predicts direction
Two-tailed hypothesis (test)—no prediction of direction
Choice depends upon
Theory or model
Previous results in literature
Type of study
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Purpose Statement
Declarative sentence that summarizes the specific topic and goals of the research study
Clearly states what the researchers are trying to achieve
Is near beginning of article or research proposal
Explains reason for study, engages the reader, or both
Makes clear how the research will advance the goals of the reader, audience, or funding agency
Other terms: Aims, objectives, goals, dependent upon journal and funding agency
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Literature Review
Literature review is the systematic acquisition, analytical examination, critical evaluation, and synthesis of important information about a topic
Comprehensive
Relevant
Literature review has three meanings
1. Process of identifying, reading, summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing
2. Dependent product, which is introduction to manuscript or literature review explaining background of research question
3. Independent product ,which is an expansion of dependent product into an entire article, book chapter, or book
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Purposes and Process of Literature Reviews
Purposes
Orient readers and persuade them of necessity of research study
Assure reader that researcher has conducted thorough review of the topic
Build the researcher’s knowledge of topic resulting in competencies
Process
Identify sources of information for the literature review
Seek and retrieve the literature
Collect and record information
Analyze and synthesize the information obtained in step 3
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Sources of Information
Printed works
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Books and book chapters
Conference papers
Government documents
Audiovisual media and electronic media
Others
Credibility
Peer review
AACODS (Authority, Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, Significance)
Grey literature
Primary sources and secondary sources
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Search and Retrieval of Information Sources
Knowledge bases, such as bibliographic databases and digital collections
Systematic plan to identify
Databases and collections
Search terms
Search multiple and variety of databases
Health informatics and HIM are multidisciplinary
All relevant works not in one bibliographic database
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Collection and Recording of Information Sources
Use reference management software
Capture complete citation data at first access to source
Record key information in summary table
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Analysis, Evaluation, and Synthesis of Information Sources
Step 4 takes the most time
Summary table can be analytical and evaluative tool by identifying and emphasizing
Key features
Common characteristics
Trends
Gaps
Chronicling a series of descriptions is inadequate
Synthesizing is required and makes sense of all the information that has been captured
Comparing similarities and contrasting differences
Critically evaluating studies methods and tools
Interpreting findings
Drawing conclusions
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Development of the Literature Review
Characteristics
Comprehensiveness that is relevant and focused
Concise statement of what is known and unknown
Logical and succinct summary from mostly primary sources
Critical analysis and evaluation including strengths, weaknesses, limitations, and gaps
Synthesis
Conventions
Transparency
Organizational structure
Progression
Equitable coverage
Pertinence
Style
Good literature reviews deliver concentrated knowledge to the reader
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Review
Research question: Clear statement, in form of a question, of a specific issue within the topic the researcher wishes to study
Development of a quantitative research question results in a researchable and specific question at onset of study; development of qualitative research question results in initial preliminary question refined during study
Acronyms FINER and PICO(TS) represent strategies to refine research questions
Problem statement: Single sentence with action verb that specifically and succinctly states what will be done to investigate the research question
Hypothesis: Statement of researchers’ predictions on study’s outcome. Quantitative versions are null and alternative and can be one-tailed or two-tailed
Literature review: Systematic acquisition, analytical examination, critical evaluation, and synthesis of important information about a topic
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