¶ … motivation to learn, followed by an educated and informed research question. After the research question has been narrowed down, the researcher conceptualizes how the question may be answered feasibly, within the constraints of time and budget. Such constraints can help guide the research questions into a workable hypothesis that is testable, as well as being relevant and meaningful to healthcare stakeholders. From here, the researcher can glean a cogent hypothesis.
Then begins the process of data collection, which is also determined by the research question ("Overview of the Research Process," n.d.). Data collection methods relevant to healthcare fields include everything from surveys and interviews to quantitative measures such as number of emergency room visits or amount of money spent on specific treatments.
Once raw data is collected, it is then analyzed using the help of statistical analysis software. The data analysis demonstrates whether the hypothesis was proven true or not. The researchers then analyze the results of the research using a theoretical framework they identify, to show possible reasons for the proven hypothesis or the failure to prove the hypothesis. Finally, the research process concludes with an honest assessment of the credibility of the study, and how the results of the research might contribute to a better understanding of healthcare...
Hypothesis
A research question usually arises "out of a perceived knowledge deficit within a subject area or field of study," (Farrugia, Petrisor, Farrohkyar & Bhandari, 2010, p. 278). The research questions usually precede the construction of a hypothesis, which shows that the researcher has investigated how other researchers have approached similar issues to identify the specific gap in the literature. When the specific gap in the literature has been identified, the researcher can develop a hypothesis that is testable. A hypothesis usually entails framing a specific relationship between variables, and is much more specific than a research question. The question remains relevant as a framework for the research, and for helping place the hypothesis and research results into a theoretical context.
Types of Research Methodologies
Research methodologies can be broadly classified into qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research methods are generally less reliable and less credible than quantitative, but it depends on the theoretical framework, the research question, and the hypothesis. In some situations, particularly in healthcare and the social sciences, qualitative methods are not only valid but also necessary. However, experimental and quasi-experimental research methods help reveal a relationship between variables in ways that are measurable and meaningful to the scientific community.
Types of qualitative research methodologies include descriptive, such as case studies,…
