Nursing Research Paradigms & Assumptions
ParadigmA worldview or general view on the complexities of the real world.
Naturalistic ParadigmEmphasizes focus on the entirety of phenomena, the whole experience.Focuses on under-standing ideas from the informants’ experience & understanding.Uses inductive (general to specific) reasoning, narrative information & qualitative analysis.
AssumptionThe response to a philosophical question that can represent a paradigm.
OntologicWhat is the nature of reality?
EpistemologicWhat is the relationship between the researcher & that being studied?
AxiologicWhat is the role of value in the inquiry?
MethodologicHow should the researcher obtain knowledge?
Positivist ParadigmEmphasizes the rational & scientific.Believes (assumes) reality is out there to be studiedRefers to a basic principle that is believed true with verification.Uses deductive (specific to general) reasoning, quantitative information & statistical analysis.
concept Building blocks of a theory Topic of interest
theoryexplain how
phenomena are interrelated
Grand theory vs. Middle
Range theory
modelConceptual:
loosely structured
Schematic: graphical, concise &
understandable
frameworkOverall
conceptual underpinning of
a study
Theoretical vs. Conceptual
Quantitative Study Terms
variablesIndependent (cause) vs. dependent
(effect)
Mediator (adds to) vs. moderator (detracts)
definitions Conceptual Operational
dataPieces of info
in numeric form obtained from subjects
Often displays patient care outcomes
Quantitative Study Terms
relationshipsBetween
independent & dependent variables
Cause & EffectOr Functional Relationship
experimentalResearcher
introduces an intervention or
treatment
Controlled trial Clinical trial
Non-experimental
Researcher is a bystander;
collects data w/o making changes
Observational study
Quantitative Study Terms
Develop conceptual definitions:Develop preliminary definition
Review relevant literature
Identify exemplars
Map the concept’s meaning
State the develop conceptual definition
Concepts & definitions Why are they important?
Concepts:“In studies that fail to articulate a conceptual framework, it may be difficult to figure out what the researcher thought was “going on’ – and why.”
Definitions:“When researchers fail to clarify the conceptual underpinnings of their research variables, it becomes difficult to integrate re-search findings.”
Polit & Beck, 8th edition, page 143.
Steps in a Quantitative Study• Formulate/delimit the problem Define framework/develop
definitions• Review the literature Formulate hypothesis• Conduct fieldwork
Conceptual Phase
• Select a research design Specify ways to measure variables• Develop intervention protocols Develop ways to safeguard
subjects• Identify population Finalize the research
plan• Design sampling plan
Design & PlanningPhase
• Collect the data• Prepare the data for analysisEmperical Phase
• Analyzing the data• Interpret the resultsAnalytic Phase
• Communicate the findings• Unitize the findings in practice
Dissemination Phase
Quantitative Research Research Problem
Purpose of the research is to “solve” the problem or contribute to solution
Originates with researchers’ interests or experience Consider the problem’s:
Significance Researchability Feasibility of the problem
Quantitative Research Research Problem
Express problem & what is it that needs fixing Includes:
Problem statement: found early in the report 1st sentence after abstract
Research question: research will specifically answer this ? Hypothesis:
prediction about the relationship between 2 or more variables; prediction of expected outcomes
Clear, concise present tense wording Types (inductive, deductive, simple, complex, directional,
non-directional, scientific/research, null) Pollit & Beck pgs 95-100
Quantitative Research Research Problem
Express problem & develop a rationale for research Should describe what it is that is problematic & what needs fixing
by including:1. Problem identification: What is wrong with the current situation?2. Background: What is the nature of the problem, the context of the
situation that readers need to understand?3. Problem Scope: How big a problem is it; how many people are
affected?4. Problem Consequences: What’s the cost of not fixing the
problem?5. Knowledge gaps: What info about the problem is lacking?
Quantitative Research Statement of Purpose
Summary of the overall goal of a study Establishes general direction of the research Captures (usually in 1 or 2 sentences) essence of the
study Identifies key variables & possible interrelationships
along with study population Little researched topic: verbs → explore, describe Experimental: verbs → test or evaluate Non-experimental: verbs → examine or assess
Literature Review/Critique Primary source: description of studies written by the research
who conducted them Secondary source: description of studies prepared by someone
other than the original researcher
Flow of Literature ReviewFormulate &
refine primary & secondary questions
Document search
decision & actions
Devise search
strategy (id keywords)
Search for, identify &
retrieve potential primary source
materials
Screen sources for relevance, & appropriateness
Read source materials
Identify new references &
new leads
Discard irrelevant or
inappropriate references
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5
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Ancestry approach: looking for earlier studiesDescendancy approach: search forward to subsequent studies
Flow of Literature ReviewRead
source materials
Prepare synthesis /
critical summary
Critique & evaluate studies
Analyze, integrate information, search
for themes
Abstract, encode information from
the studies
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Writing a Literature Review Written summary of evidence on research problem Identify Themes: detection of patterns or regularities
Substantive: pattern, amount, consistency, persuasiveness, gaps Theoretical: theories or frameworks used to address primary
question or has most research been without a theoretical basis? Methodologic: designs & methods used to address primary question,
method strategies that have NOT been used, methodological deficiencies & strengths?
Generalizability/transferability: types of people or settings findings apply to, findings vary for gender, ethnicity, area or age
Historical: trends over time?, evidence getting better? Period most research conducted?
Researcher: person/discipline/specialty/nationality conducting research, developed within a systematic program of research?
Writing a Literature Review Organize:
Outline: leads to an understandable flow of information Goal: keep review logical & lead to conclusion about the state of
evidence on the topic Content is an objective summary of:
what has been studied Reveals current state of knowledge on a topic
how adequate & dependable the studies are gaps that exist in the research contribution your study will make
Research Theory & ConceptsWhat makes research high quality?
High levels of Conceptual integration. This occurs when the
Research question is appropriate for methods & strategies Question is consistent w/ existing body of evidence Conceptual rationale is plausible for
expected outcomes testing hypothesis designing interventions
Theory Traditional Theory: an abstract simplification offering an
systematic explanation about how phenomena (events) are interrelated Represents 2 or more concepts that are related & explained
deductively Includes: proposition, postulate, premise, axiom, law, principle Concepts: basic building blocks making up a theory Grand Theory: describe large segments of the human
experience Middle-Range Theory: more restricted in scope, focusing on a
narrow range of experience
Theory Descriptive theory: Broad description of 1
quantitative phenomena Empirically driven to describe a specific dimension or
characteristic of an individual, group, situation, or event by summarizing commonalities found in discrete observations Fawcett (1999, pg 15)