Research
Problem
introduction
• Definition
• Problem statement, especially in
quantitative studies, generally has six
components.
• Relevance of the study
• Title of the study
• Operational definition of the
variables
• Delimitations of the study
• Scope and limitation of the study
Sources of research problem:-
- Personal experience = a researcher observed
domestic violence suffered by wives of alcoholic
husbands. This experience may provide ideas to
identify several research problems related to
domestic violence against women.
- Practical experience = a nurse finds that
unrestricted visiting hours in surgical wards
reduced the analgesic demand among
postoperative patients.
-Critical appraisal of literature =
- Previous research =
- Existing theories =
- Consumer feedback = at the time of discharge of patient after
angiography, a nurse obtained a feedback from the patient. The
patient verbalized that it was a wonderful experience except for
the discomfort during removal of pressure dressing at the
femoral puncture site.
-Performance improvement activities =
-Social issues = HIV/AIDS, female feticide, sexual harassment,
domestic violence, and gender equality in health care and in
research are some of the current social and political issues of
concern for health care professionals.
-Brainstorming = ideas for studies may emerge from reviewing
research priorities by having brainstorming sessions with other
nurses, researchers, or nursing faculty.
-Intuitions = traditionally, intuitions are considered
good source of knowledge as well as sources to find
new research problems. It is believed that the
reflective mind is a good sources of ideas, which may
be used to formulate a good research problem.
-Folklores(Traditional stories and Beliefs) = common
beliefs could be right or wrong . For example, it is
generally believed that studying just before a test
decreases the score. We believe we should not study
just before test to relax our mind. Researcher can
conduct a study on whether one should study before
the test or not.
- Exposure to field situations =
- Consultations with experts =
Criteria for selecting a good research
problem- one commonly used acronym to
define the criteria for a good research problem
or question is FINER,
F stands for feasible
I - for interesting
N – for novel
E – for ethical
R – for relevant
1. Significance to nursing profession= a
research problem could be considered
significant for nursing profession if it fulfils the
following criteria:
- benefits nursing profession and patients,
nurses and health care fraternity through the
study.
- improves clinical nursing practices through
the results
- promotes nursing theory development or
testing.
- generates information to get practical
implications for nursing profession.
2. Original = it is fundamentally considered
that every research problem should be new and
unique in itself.
3. Feasible = feasibility is an essential
consideration of any research project.
Regardless of how significant or researchable a
problem may be, the feasibility of research
problem in reference to time, availability of
subjects, facilities, equipment, money and
ethical consideration should be checked. It will
help the researcher to decide whether selected
problem is appropriate or inappropriate and
study can be actually carried out or not.
4. Solvable/ researchable= a researcher selects
a research problem to know the existence of
God in this universe. Theses sorts of problems
are ambiguous and impossible to solve.
5. Current =
6. Interesting =
- Formulation of research problem:-
1- selection of a research area
2- review of literature and theories
3- delimiting the research topic
4- evaluating the research problem
5- formulating the final statement of the
research problem
1- selection of a research area = formulation of
a research problem begins with selection of a
broad research topic from personal experience,
literature, previous research, and theories in
which researcher is interested and has
significance for nursing profession.
Example- a researcher gets an idea to conduct a
study on the female feticide. Therefore, he or
she initially begins with a broad research topic.
2- reviewing literature and theories
3. delimiting the research topic= in this step,
researcher proceeds from a general research
area of interest to more specific topic of
research to conduct a study.
Example- initially a researcher decides to
conduct a study on female feticide; later, in this
stage, the researcher limits it to a specific
research topic:
a study on perception of women about causes
and prevention of female feticide in selected
rural communities of district Shimoga,
Karnataka.
In this stage, the researcher clearly identifies
variables, population, and setting of research
study.
4- evaluating the research problem =
evaluating research problem for its significance,
researchability, and feasibility. Feasibility of the
research problem should be evaluated for time,
cost, availability of subjects and resources,
administrative and peer support, ethical
consideration, and researcher’s competence
and interest.
5- formulating the final statement of the
research problem = after establishing the
significance, researchability, and feasibility, the
researcher finally formulates a final statement
of the research problem.
A statement of research problem could be in
declarative or interrogative format.
Declarative format: in this format, a research
problem is stated in declarative format.
A descriptive study on prevalence of bedsores
among unconscious patients admitted in
intensive care units of PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Interrogative format: in interrogative format, a
research problem is stated in question form.
What is the influence of the level of
haemoglobin on pin site infection among
patients with external skeletal fixators
admitted in orthopedic wards of AIIMS, New
Delhi?
Writing research objectives
• Meaning
• characteristics
• Types
• General
• Specific
Operational
Definition
