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Preparing Research Proposals CHAPTER 24
FNU
Nursing Research
NGR 6812
Chapter Outline
Thesis and Dissertation Proposals
Guidance for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation Proposal
Proposals for Funding
Information Commonly Requested
Suggestions for Guidelines for Preparing Applications for Funding
Qualitative Proposals: Special Considerations
Conclusions
Thesis and Dissertation Proposals
Written thesis and dissertation proposals focus primarily on the topic selected, how it relates to existing knowledge and how you plan to study it.
By the time you write your proposal, the topic should be clearly specified, and the work should be of a size and scope that you will be able to complete in a reasonable amount of time.
Most dissertation proposals are composed of preliminary drafts of what will become the first three chapters of the completed dissertation: the introduction, a review of the literature, and the methods chapter.
The Topic
The subject of the dissertation should be reflected in the title of the dissertation and every section of the dissertation that follows. In addition to the title, several other aspects of the topic should be addressed in the proposal:
A statement of the problem, area of interest, research question, or hypothesis, depending on the type of study proposed.
The theoretical framework within which the topic will be explored. In some instances, especially in qualitative studies, it is also appropriate to include the philosophical stance.
The significance of the study, why it is important, what will be learned, and how the study will contribute to the body of nursing knowledge and ultimately to the quality of patient care.
Existing literature on the topic, that is, what is already known, understood, and has been discovered about the topic.
Limitations of existing theory and research on the topic including gaps in knowledge, weaknesses or limitations of the studies already done, and how your study will address one of these gaps or limitations.
The Methodology
The proposed methods to be used in conducting the study also need to be described in sufficient detail that the reader can judge their appropriateness. Aspects of the methodology to be addressed in the proposal include the following:
Whether the study will be a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods study.
The specific design selected, such as case study, ethnography, or clinical trial.
Information about the sample, including the size of the sample and how the size was determined, and the characteristics of the sample, both inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Participant recruitment, including consenting procedures, how potential participants will be accessed, and your estimate of the number who will be willing to participate.
Plan for data collection. If a quantitative study, it should include the measures used (discussed in some detail including reasons for their selection, the time it takes to administer, reliability, and validity); if a qualitative study, it should include an outline of the participant approach and interview questions or observations. The time frame for accomplishing this work should also be discussed.
If testing an intervention, it should be described in sufficient detail that it could be replicated. The control or comparison group treatment should also be clearly described.
Data analysis should connect directly to the proposed problem statement and the questions or hypotheses. In many qualitative studies, analysis will be done in tandem with data collection, and this should be reflected in the proposal.
If you need a template for writing your thesis or dissertation proposal, you could ask classmates who have already completed an approved proposal if you may read it. Some colleges will maintain a file of proposals or abstracts of thesis and dissertation proposals, and completed dissertations are easily found online under dissertation abstracts.
It is not “cheating” to read someone else’s proposal. Your proposal will address a different topic and probably use a different method. What you learn from reading an approved proposal is the formatting, typical length, and amount of detail included; the scientific style of writing that is used; and what a successfully completed proposal looks like.
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Guidance for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation Proposal
Guidance during the thesis or dissertation work comes in several forms.
Your school will offer guidelines to assist.
Guidance during the thesis or dissertation work comes in several forms.
Seek peer assistance from upper class persons.
For students who have a great deal of difficulty writing well, many colleges have writing centers available.
Several resources are available.
Suggestions for editors if one does not have a strong command of English.
Proposals for Funding
Two major differences between these two types of proposals underlie most of the additional information provided in this section.
The first is that when seeking monetary support for your proposed study, you are probably competing with others who are also trying to win support for their proposals.
The second difference is the distance between you and the reviewers of your proposal.
Devine (2009) suggests two possibilities:
The first is to begin with applications for small grants as the principal investigator.
The second is to join a research team as a co-investigator to give yourself an opportunity to “learn the ropes” before striking out on your own. There is, of course, no reason why you could not do both.
Proposals for Funding
Crafting the Research Question
Your first and most important step in preparing a grant application is to craft the research question.
Your question should be novel, feasible, manageable (i.e., not overly ambitious) meaningful, and measurable (Arnett, 2009).
Above all, it should be important.
In a climate of scarce funds for research, the potential impact of your findings is a critical factor in obtaining funding.
Proposals for Funding
Finding the Right Funder
A variety of funding sources are available to nurse researchers, but it is important to find the right match between (1) your experience level and choice of subject, and (2) the interests and expectations of the funder (Holtzclaw, Kenner, & Walden, 2008). Look at the follow for funding sources:
Internal sources, Professional association grants, Disease-specific associations, Private foundations, Corporate funders, & Federal agencies.
Talk to your mentors, advisors, and colleagues.
Information Commonly Requested
Various funders (grant makers or grantors) will ask for different types of information about you and your organization. The following sections cover the most common.
Preparation and Experience
Funders want to know that you can carry out the proposed research. They also want to know whether, if you encounter a problem, you will know how to resolve it.
Budget
Having to create a budget for a project scares some people, particularly those who are not accustomed to applying time and money valuations to their research activities.
Description of the Environment
Remember that the reviewers and funders are far less familiar with your work environment than you are.
Assurances
Some funders will provide grants only to nonprofit organizations, and so they will request what is called a certificate of 501(c)3 status.
Some funders will provide grants only to nonprofit organizations, and so they will request what is called a certificate of 501(c)3 status.
Suggestions for Guidelines for Preparing Applications for Funding
If there were space for only one line of advice regarding writing a research proposal for funding, it would be following the directions.
If, for example, the directions say eight pages are the maximum allowed, do not send them even one line more than eight pages.
If font and spacing are specified, use the specified font and spacing. Why so rigid?
You do not want to appear to do sloppy work, and you do not want the funder to send the proposal back unread.
All the work you have done to prepare the proposal is for naught if it is not even considered.
11
Suggestions for Guidelines for Preparing Applications for Funding
Following are some additional suggestions:
Write clearly as possible.
Choose your words carefully.
Use terms consistently.
Emphasize the importance of your topic.
Let your passion for the subject show.
Keep science foremost in what is written.
Reflect current thinking.
Make everything fit together, like a puzzle.
Seek a presubmission review
Anticipate Technical Challenges
Fulfill Presubmission Requirements
Qualitative Proposals: Special Considerations
Explain why qualitative research is the right approach to answering the research question posed. Provide a sound rationale and show how useful the data obtained will be.
Qualitative research involves a “series of choices” that are not familiar to quantitative researchers (Marshall & Rossman, 2006, p. 199). For example, if the plan for collecting data may be modified during the study, which makes some reviewers uncomfortable, you can provide some examples of why this may occur and what course of action would be taken.
Be sure to thoroughly address the ways in which trustworthiness (rigor or soundness) of the data will be established.
Provide clear details about each phase of the data collection and analysis. Support these plans with liberal use of references to qualitative procedures.
Conclusions
Writing proposals is clearly a challenging task, but the rewards are great.
Even the most experienced and expert researchers are sometimes disappointed by the results of a grant review.
Revision and resubmission of a proposal, unless strongly discouraged by the reviewers or funder, is an expected part of grant writing.
As you gain experience, your grantsmanship skills will increase, as will your success.
Chapter 25 Evidenced Based Practice
FNU
Nursing Research – NGR 6812
Contents
Why Evidenced-Based Practice?
The Evolution of Evidenced Based Practice
Criteria for Evidenced Based Practice Recommendations
Content of the Reviews
Analysis Performed
From Evidence Review to Practice
Research Evidence and Healthcare Policy
The Contribution of Qualitative Research to Evidence-Based Practice
Conclusion
Why Evidenced-Based Practice
The recent emphasis on evidence-based practice comes from a recognition that healthcare practitioners’ perceptions of the efficacy of their care may or may not be accurate and may be influenced by factors that the practitioners are not considering when informally evaluating the outcomes of the care they provide.
The implementation of evidence-based practice is a means for reducing dependence on intuition, unsystematic clinical observation, ungrounded opinion, ritual, and tradition (Cullum, Ciliska, Haynes, & Marks, 2008; Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2004).
In fact, we are often surprised by evidence. For example, older patients in the community may not need a complete bath every day, but if they are hospitalized, especially if they are in an intensive care unit, then a skin cleansing with an antibacterial scrub solution can cut the incidence of sepsis dramatically (Climo et al., 2009).
The Evolution of Evidence-Based Practice
The research utilization movement was the forerunner of evidence-based practice.
Research utilization encourages and supports the application of research findings to clinical practice.
It is the process used to inform clinical decision making (Estabrook, 2007).
The Evolution of Evidence-Based Practice
The research utilization movement was the forerunner of evidence-based practice. Research utilization encourages and supports the application of research findings to clinical practice.
In the literature, several different terms are used that are closely related. This movement began with evidence-based medicine (EBM).
This quickly morphed into evidence-based health care (EBH) because the EBM leaders recognized the involvement of many other healthcare professionals and their contributions to our knowledge base of what constitutes effective care (Cullum et al., 2008; Popay & Williams, 1998).
In nursing, the term evidence-based practice (EBP) is used, but some prefer the term evidence-based nursing (EBN)
The Evolution of Evidence-Based Practice
Ingersoll (2000) proposed a definition of evidence-based nursing practice that was designed to:
(1) encompass a broad spectrum of research designs.
(2) not limit acceptable designs to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or meta-analyses of RCT results.
(3) emphasize theory-based research.
(4) include groups of patients as well as individuals.
(5) recognize individual patient characteristics and preferences.
Criteria for Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations
Basic Criteria
Demonstrated efficacy in two or more well-designed, randomized controlled trials.
Comparison of the experimental intervention with either a no treatment or a standard treatment group.
Studies done by at least two different research teams.
The primary outcome or outcome of greatest importance, in this case occurrence or recurrence of child abuse, is measured directly, not just “softer” or peripheral outcomes such as change in presumed risk factors.
Follow-up of future behavior (abuse occurrence or lack thereof) is long term, not just immediate or short term.
Criteria for Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations
Expanded Criteria
Topic: Is the study relevant to the topic of interest?
Quality: To what extent is the study well designed and well controlled?
Results: Was the proposed intervention found effective?
Applicability: Are the results relevant to my practice?
Criteria for Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations
Panel Reviews and Meta-Analysis
Summary in language that can be understood by nonprofessionals.
Abstract that summarizes each section of the review.
Background: This includes details of what is known and possible mechanisms through which the treatment under evaluation may work.
Aim of the review.
Criteria for selection of studies reviewed: This may include the type of study included (e.g., randomized clinical trials) and excluded (e.g., studies in which the method of participant selection is not clearly described), the population (e.g., adults only), type of intervention (e.g., certain antidepressants), and specific outcome measures (e.g., the Hamilton and Montgomery-Asberg measures of depression).
How the search for relevant studies was conducted.
Conduct of the review: Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies selected, assessment of the quality of the study, how data were extracted and analyzed, if any subsample results were analyzed, and so forth.
Description of the studies included.
Assessment of the quality of the included studies: The quality criteria may be quite extensive.
Criteria for Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations
They may include adequacy of the sample size, duration of the follow-up, randomization procedures, source of subjects, diagnostic criteria for selection of the subjects, exclusion criteria, and assessment of compliance with the treatment (Arroll et al., 2009; Moncrieff, Churchill, Drummond, & McGuire, 2001).
A quality rating may be reported for each of the studies included. You can see that these ratings are like the criteria listed in the previous section.
Results.
Interpretation of the results.
Conclusions: Implications for practice and for research (Arroll et al., 2009; Cochrane Community, n.d.).
Content of the Reviews
There are times when the reviewer finds few acceptable studies to appraise.
There are other studies that were excluded because they did not report the outcomes of interest in the analysis, and one was excluded because subjects were not randomized.
They also noted that double blinding is not possible in these studies because the women perform the breast stimulation procedure themselves.
Analysis Performed
When a substantial number of eligible studies are found, a meta-analysis on pooled data from all of the studies may be performed.
Given the interventional nature of most of the topics under consideration, there are some particular analyses that are commonly performed and reported in these reviews.
The terminology may seem complex at first.
It may help to keep in mind that the goals are to assess the efficacy and safety of the intervention being appraised (Sackett, 1996; Sackett & Cook, 1994).
Once the quality of a study has been established, the usual analyses are done to determine significance, confidence intervals, and effect size.
Reduction, relative risk reduction, number needed to treat, and number needed to produce harm (the other side of number needed to treat and see benefit).
From Evidence Review to Practice
Our goal for evidence-based practice is to provide the best treatment possible for each of our patients and clients (Singh, 2014).
These critical appraisals of the evidence for healthcare practices are useful only if put into practice, that is, if they are used (Barends & Briner, 2014).
Our goal for evidence-based practice is to provide the best treatment possible for each of our patients and clients (Singh, 2014).
Research Evidence and Healthcare Policy
There has been some concern expressed that reimbursement for care will eventually be limited to only those treatments supported by evidence-based reviews (Ingersoll, 2000).
However, evidence can be used to support beneficial changes as well.
Although it is not always the case that the development of healthcare policy is based on research evidence, such evidence can have an important effect on policy as well as on practice.
The Contribution of Qualitative Research to Evidenced-Based Practice
You can see from the preceding discussion that in some instances, qualitative studies would be excluded from consideration based on criteria for inclusion and exclusion.
Those who do only quantitative research are unlikely to understand how qualitative research is conducted and what constitutes rigor (trustworthiness) in qualitative research.
Many humanistically oriented questions are best addressed through qualitative research.
Qualitative studies provide information that is different from that provided by quantitative studies. Each has its value, and each has its place in healthcare research.
It is important that we recognize these different approaches for what they contribute to our knowledge base.
Conclusions
The goal of nursing research is to inform practice, thereby benefiting those who receive our care.
Slowly but surely, we are building the research base that will inform nursing practice and strengthen that important connection between research and practice through increasing nurses’ awareness of the value of the knowledge generated in clinical research.
The use of such strategies as evidence-based practice reviews and guidelines will further the accomplishment of this goal.
References – Chapter 24
Arnett, D. (2009). Preparing effective grant applications. Circulation, 120(25), 2607–2612.
Devine, E. B. (2009). The art of obtaining grants. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 66(6), 580–587.
Holtzclaw, B. J., Kenner, C., & Walden, M. (2008). Grant writing handbook for nurses. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2006). Designing qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Tappen, R. M. (2015). Advanced Nursing Research. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284132496/
References – Chapter 25
Arroll, B., Elley, C. R., Fishman, T., Goodyear-Smith, F. A., Kenealy, T., Blashki, G., & MacGillivray, S. (2009). Antidepressants versus placebo for depression in primary care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, CD007954. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007954
Barends, E. G., & Briner, R. B. (2014). Teaching evidence-based practice: Lessons from the pioneers, an interview with Amanda Burls and Gordon Guyatt. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 13(3), 476–483.
Climo, M. W., Sepkowitz, K. A., Zuccotti, G., Fraser, V. J., Warren, D. K., Perl, T. M., & Wong, E. S. (2009). The effect of daily bathing with chlorhexidine on the acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, and healthcare-associated bloodstream infections: Results of a quasi-experimental multicenter trial*. Critical care medicine, 37(6), 1858–1865.
Cochrane Community. (n.d.). Cochrane reviews. Retrieved from http://community.cochrane.org/cochrane-reviews
Cullum, N., Ciliska, D., Haynes, R. B., & Marks, S. (2008). Evidence-based nursing: An introduction. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
Estabrook, C. A. (2007). Prologue: A program of research in knowledge translation. Nursing Research, 56(4S), S4–S6.
Ingersoll, G. L. (2000). Evidence-based nursing: What it is and what it isn’t. Nursing Outlook, 48, 151–152.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2004). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Moncrieff, J., Churchill, R., Drummond, G., & McGuire, H. (2001). Development of a quality assessment instrument for trials of treatment for depression and neurosis. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 10, 126–133.
Popay, J., & Williams, G. (1998). Qualitative research and evidence-based healthcare. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 35(Suppl 91), 32–37.
Sackett, D. L. (1996). On some clinically useful measures of the effects of treatment. Evidence-Based Medicine, 1, 37–38.
Sackett, D. L., & Cook, R. J. (1994). Understanding clinical trials. British Medical Journal, 309, 7055–7056.
Singh, J. A., Noorbaloochi, S., MacDonald, R., & Maxwell, L. J. (2015). Chondroitin for osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1, CD005614.
Tappen, R. M. (2015). Advanced Nursing Research. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284132496/
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