Discussion: Developing Research Questions or Hypotheses

Week 7 Learning

Gray, Grove, & Sutherland (2017)

Chapter 6

· Research purpose should be expressed at the conceptual level

· The research questions does not speak to HOW variables will be measured

· Purpose of the study should lead to 2-3 objects or aims

· A method or statistical test should match each aim

· The objective or aim should have some of the same variables as in the purpose statement

· Research questions are in the present tense

· 3 parts to the research questions – what is, what you want to know, the population

· The conceptual and operational definitions must align

· Hypotheses can be 1) causative or associative, 2) simple (2 variables) or complex (3 or more), 3) directional or nondirectional, and 4) null or an alternative prediction

· Research does not prove the hypothesis, but rather supports it

· If using mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative, you will have more than one purpose/aim/objective

 

Reay & Rankin (2013)

· Triage decision-making – dynamic decision-making

· Naturalist decision-making is cognitive, psychological

· The authors were challenged to use most theories to explain triage decision-making so they looked to the recognized primed decision model since it addresses real life stressful situations involving intuition and analysis

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014e). Research questions and hypotheses. Baltimore, MD: Author

· If theory is true, you can use a hypothesis to predict a relationship

· If not true, pose a research question

· Don’t ask yes or no research questions, instead, ask questions that ask to what extent…or how much

· How to determine your questions

· Remember, theory explains, describes, predicts or controls – related research questions do the same

· Look at outcomes, factors that influence the relationship between X and Y, predictors, and if one treatment is more effective than another

 

DISCUSSION

· Pose one or more research questions or hypotheses

· Prove a rationale for them

· Why is it beneficial to study your phenomenon -significance