In Unit 2 you will learn to differentiate a research problem from the research purpose, how to formulate a research problem and determine the feasibility of this problem study. Specific methods for stating research aims, questions, or hypotheses (and different types of hypotheses) will be discussed. Further, emphasis will be placed on how to conduct a literature review that is relevant to the research problem. The definition and usefulness of a conceptual framework for guiding studies (e.g. Health Belief Model, Orem) will be discussed in detail. After the readings, you will be able to analyze written research for the appropriateness of the literature review, conceptual framework, and the stated research questions or hypotheses.
The following TERMS are used throughout this unit, and you should become familiar with their meaning relative to nursing research.
- Research problem statement
- Research purpose statement
- Research aims
- Research question
- Hypothesis
- Types of hypotheses--simple, complex, nondirectional, directional, null (statistical), inductive, deductive
- Literature review--empirical literature, theoretical literature, methodologic literature
- Primary and secondary literature sources
- Literature review search terms--electronic searches, bibliography, indexes, key words, abstract
- Concept
- Conceptual analysis
- Conceptual definition
- Theories--Grand theory, mid-range theory
- Conceptual framework and Conceptual models