THBIOL1 Biological Research 1 Lecture - Introduction, Research Questions, Objectives, and Hypotheses PDF

15/10/2024 THBIOL1 – Biological Research 1 Lecture Introduction,ResearchQuestions, Objectives,andHypotheses Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco, MD, PhD De La1Salle University 1 The Introd...

15/10/2024 THBIOL1 – Biological Research 1 Lecture Introduction,ResearchQuestions, Objectives,andHypotheses Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco, MD, PhD De La1Salle University 1 The Introduction Section? Orient the readers about the topic Indicate statement of problem Give the significance of the study State the hypothesis Provides the background information Should have topic area Research question Significance to knowledge Describe the context for the study 2 Indicate the need to do the research Show the relevance Conveys the information about the research problem 2 1  15/10/2024 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 3 3 Developing a good research question Increasing one’s knowledge about the subject of interest can be accomplished in many ways. Systematically searching the literature In-depth interviews and focus groups with patients Interviews with experts in the field Awareness of current trends and technological advances can assist with the development of research questions 4 Can J Surg. 2010 Aug; 53(4): 278–281. 4 2  15/10/2024 Developing a good research question All questions, primary and secondary, should be developed at the beginning and planning stages of a study. Any additional questions should never compromise the primary question. Within the scope of one study, having several research questions will affect and potentially increase the complexity of the study design, statistical analyses, and the feasibility of answering every question. 5 Can J Surg. 2010 Aug; 53(4): 278–281. 5 STEP 1: Understand your research objective Before you start developing your research question, think about your research objectives: What are you trying to do? (compare, analyse) What do you need to know about the topic? What type of research are you doing? What types of information/studies do you need? (e.g. randomised controlled trial, case study, guideline, protocol?) Does the information need to be current? 6 https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/Health/DevelopResearchQuestion 6 3  15/10/2024 STEP 2: Search before you research The benefits of doing a background search: You can gather more background knowledge on a subject You can discover new articles that may help you: explore different aspects of your topic identify additional keywords and terminology Note: You can do background searches at any stage of the development of your question. 7 https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/Health/DevelopResearchQuestion 7 STEP 3: Choose a topic Pick an area of interest and explore its different aspects to identify a topic. In this step, a background search will help you identify articles and books that can inspire more ideas and reveal aspects of your research interest that you may not have considered. 8 https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/Health/DevelopResearchQuestion 8 4  15/10/2024 STEP 4: Brainstorm your questions Now you have explored different aspects of your topic, you may construct more focused questions (you can create a few questions and pick one later). 9 https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/Health/DevelopResearchQuestion 9 FINER criteria for a good research question Highlight useful points that may increase the chances of developing a successful research project 10 Hulley S, Cummings S, Browner W, et al. Designing clinical research. 3rd ed. Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2007. 10 5  15/10/2024 Qualities of a Clinical (Research) Question A useful tool for focusing the nature of the research to be carried out Must be relevant (social significance) and should be able to pull the interest of relevant people (investigators, evaluators, etc.) Drives the research process Important to know how to phrase this properly 11 11 Types of Clinical Foreground Questions Guyatt G, Rennie D, Meade MO, Cook DJ, editors. User’s guide to the medical literature: a manual for evidence-based clinical practice. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2015 12 12 6  15/10/2024 Elements of a well formulated research question 13 13 PICO for Different Types of Research P I C O Therapy Drug or therapeutic Placebo or Active Measures of efficacy or Patients with disease control or Standard of effectiveness agent care (RRR, ARR, NNT) Prevention Measures of efficacy or Patients without Preventive intervention No intervention or effectiveness disease including educational Usual care (RRR, ARR, NNT) Diagnosis Patients with findings Diagnostic test or Gold or reference Measures of accuracy suggestive of disease interest standard (Sn, Sp, PPV, NPV) Prognosis Survival from disease Risk Factor (often Patients with disease No risk factor of interest or Hazards internal) ratio Causation or Risk of disease of Patients without Causative factor Interest No causative factor Harm disease (External) (RRI, ARI, NNH, OR) 14 14 7  15/10/2024 Syntax of Research Questions Based on Research Type Type of Syntax Question Among P (patients with certain disease or condition), how effective is E Treatment (specific treatment) in preventing or treating O (adverse outcome)? Among P (patients with certain disease or condition), how accurate is E Diagnosis (specific test) in diagnosing O (a certain disease)? Among P (a certain group of patients), how much does E (potentially Harm harmful exposure) contribute to the causation of O (a certain disease)? Among P (patients with certain disease or condition), by how much does E Prognosis (a prognostic factor) increase the risk of O (a certain complication) 15 15 STEP 5: Pick a question and focus Once you have a few questions to choose from, pick one and refine it even further. A background search may help you identify additional keywords in this step 16 https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/Health/DevelopResearchQuestion 16 8  15/10/2024 Potential problems and solutions while making research question 17 https://doi.org/10.4103%2Fjiaps.JIAPS_76_18 17 OBJECTIVES 18 18 9  15/10/2024 The Objectives Specific steps to achieve the goal Aim is the “what’ and the objective is the ‘how’ Goals to be achieved by conducting the research Should be logical and coherent, feasible, realistic, measurable, relevant 19 19 How to State the Objectives Use action verbs: To determine, to compare, to verify, to calculate, to establish, to describe, to develop…… Avoid non-action verbs: to appreciate, to understand, to believe…… 20 20 10  15/10/2024 Research Objectives What objectives must you research to understand your research subject? Types of Research Objectives Exploratory Descriptive Relational Causal/ Explanatory Evaluative 21 21 Exploratory Research Objective Purpose To explore a phenomenon, gain insights, and understand the nature of a problem or topic when there are few or no earlier studies to refer to. Characteristics Open-ended, flexible, and often qualitative. Methods Literature review, interviews, focus groups, and case studies. Example Investigating the impact of social media on youth culture in a region where no prior studies exist. 22 22 11  15/10/2024 Descriptive Research Objective Purpose To describe the characteristics of a population or phenomenon being studied. Characteristics Structured and often quantitative. Methods Surveys, observational studies, and cross- sectional studies. Example Surveying the demographic characteristics of a population using a census. 23 23 Relational Research Objective Purpose To identify and describe relationships between two or more variables without determining cause and effect. Characteristics Can be quantitative or qualitative. Methods Correlational studies, statistical analysis. Example Studying the relationship between physical activity levels and academic performance in students. 24 24 12  15/10/2024 Causal/Explanatory Research Objective Purpose To determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables. Characteristics Highly structured, controlled, and often quantitative. Methods Experiments, longitudinal studies, and quasi- experiments. Example Investigating whether a new teaching method improves student learning outcomes compared to traditional methods. 25 25 Evaluative Research Objective Purpose To assess the effectiveness or impact of a program, intervention, or policy. Characteristics Can be both qualitative and quantitative. Methods Program evaluations, outcome assessments, and cost-benefit analyses. Example Evaluating the impact of a community health program on reducing the incidence of diabetes in a specific population. 26 26 13  15/10/2024 Objectives The aims should be explicitly stated. The objectives of the study should be: based on the research question(s); limited in scope and number; based on specific quantifiable endpoints; and congruent with the study design. 27 https://research.virginia.edu/irb-hsr/protocol-elements 27 General vs. Specific Objectives General: to be accomplished by the research project Specific: relate to specific research questions to be answered by the proposed study 28 28 14  15/10/2024 Specific Objectives Details of each objective that will finally lead to the achievement of the goal should be stated. Specific aims one by one should be listed concisely. Limit to 2-5 objectives Too many objectives often lead to inaccurate and poorly defined results. 29 https://research.virginia.edu/irb-hsr/protocol-elements 29 Research Objectives: Purpose, Verbs & Questions Research Goal Verbs Questions Objectives describe, identify, count, indicate, list, How much? How many? Who are? When? Stating Facts, Basic Descriptive match, name, outline, point, recognize, Where? Who were the main? How tall, big, Concepts & Answers tabulate, tell, trace etc.? associate, classify, compare, compute, Demonstrating an contrast, convert, derive, distinguish, understanding of facts What is the relationship? What is estimate, express, extend, differentiate, Relational and ideas by organizing , happening? How would you summarize? generate, extrapolate, generate, interpolate, categorizing or relating How do they relate? locate, summarize, translate, illustrate, them to one another report, review calculate, change, classify, complete, Breaking down compute, demonstrate, discover, employ, information into motives, examine, explain, infer, illustrate, What is the difference? Does X explain Y? Causal or causes and making interpolate, interpret, locate, manipulate, What is the distinction? What are the Explanatory inferences and finding modify, operate, order, predict, prepare, conclusions? What is the evidence? How evidence to support produce, select, solve, use, utilize, plan, would you classify, organize? generalizations prescribe, produce , propose, solve, specify, synthesize, separate, subdivide 30 30 15  15/10/2024 Research Objectives: Purpose, Verbs & Questions Research Goal Verbs Questions Objectives Presenting or appraise, argue, assess, choose, defending opinions by compare, conclude, contrast, criticize, How well? What was the effect? How making judgments critique, decide, discriminate, evaluate, did it preform? Did it change? Evaluative about information , the grade, judge, justify, measure, rank, Justification? Recommendation? validity of ideas or rate, recommend, relate, revise, score, Determination? quality of work based select, support, summarize, support, on a set of criteria test Complining information in a different way by What changes? How to improve? Can discover, recognize, explore, build, combining elements in you develop a theory ? Does this exist? Exploratory formulate, adapt, modify, theorize, a new pattern or Can you invent? Is this a discovery? maximize, optimize, change proposing alternate Should this be elaborated? solution Never use “Understand” for Objective 31 31 Example: Objectives 32 32 16  15/10/2024 HYPOTHESIS 33 33 Hypotheses Tentative prediction or explanation of the relationship between two or more variables 34 34 17  15/10/2024 Types of Hypothesis Statements Null hypothesis A statement that there is no actual relationship between variables. No difference between the groups to be compared and no relationship between the exposure and outcome under investigation. States the contradictory of what the researchers expect. Alternative hypothesis A statement that suggests a potential outcome that the researcher may expect. Derived from previous studies where an evident difference between the groups to be compared is present. It is recognized only when a null hypothesis is rejected 35 https://doi.org/10.7860%2FJCDR%2F2016%2F21426.8865 35 Types of Hypothesis Statements Research Question: Among children 1–5 years of age (P), how effective is zinc supplementation compared to placebo (E), in preventing acute diarrhea (O)? Null Hypothesis: There is no difference in the incidence of acute diarrhea between children who received zinc supplementation and children who received the placebo. Alternative Hypothesis: There is a difference in the incidence of acute diarrhea between children who received zinc supplementation and children who received the placebo. 36 36 18  15/10/2024 Example: Scope and Limitation 37 37 38 38 19  15/10/2024 39 39 Sample Gantt Chart (Varies on the topic and activities) Activities Mth 1 Mth 2 Mth 3 Mth 4 Mth 5 Mth 6 Mth 7 Mth 8 1. Collection and compilation of xxxx xx xx xxx related information. 2. Preparation of materials and xxx xxx equipment. 3. Ocular visit of study site and identification of sampling activities xx xx 4. Collection of samples and preliminary analysis. xx xxxx xxxx xxxx 5. Laboratory analysis of samples. x xx xx xx xx 6. Compilation of data. 40 x x x xx 7. Analysis of data. x xx xx xxx xxxx 8. Preparation of draft thesis. xx xx xx xx 9. Preparation of final draft thesis. x x xx 10. Thesis defense x 11. Preparation of final xxx thesis. 40 20  15/10/2024 41 41 Sample Budget (Vary according to topic and activities) For a group of four students 42 42 21