Formulating research objectives and hypothesis

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The OBJECTIVES of a research project summarizes what is to be achieved by the study. Objectives should be closely related to the statement of the problem.

TYPES
1. General objective: states what researchers expect to achieve by the study in general terms. 2. Specific objectives: smaller, logically connected parts of general objective. They are the specific aspects of the topic that we want to study within the framework of our study Specific objectives should systematically address the various aspects of the problem and the key factors that are assumed to influence or cause the problem. They should specify what we will do in our study, where and for what purpose.

Example
A study into the cost and quality of home-based care for HIV/AIDS patients and their communities in Zimbabwe, developed at a workshop, for example, had as its general objective To explore to what extent community home-based care (CHBC) projects in Zimbabwe provide adequate, affordable and sustainable care of good quality to people with HIV/AIDS, and to identify ways in which these services can be improved.

It was split up in the following specific objectives: 1. To identify the full range of economic, psychosocial, health/nursing care and other needs of patients and their families affected by AIDS. 2. To determine the extent to which formal and informal support systems address these needs from the viewpoint of service providers as well as patients. 3. To determine the economic costs of CHBC to the patient and family as well as to the formal CHBC programmes themselves. 4. To relate the calculated costs to the quality of care provided to the patient by the family and to the family/patient by the CHBC programme. 5. To determine how improved CHBC and informal support networks can contribute to the needs of persons with AIDS and other chronically and terminally ill patients. 6. To use the findings to make recommendations on the improvement of CHBC to home care providers, donors and other concerned organizations, including government.

Why should research objectives be developed?

 To Focus the study (narrowing it down to essentials); To Avoid the collection of data which are not strictly necessary for understanding and solving the problem we have identified; and To Organize the study in clearly defined parts or phases. Properly formulated, specific objectives will facilitate the development of our research methodology and will help to orient the collection, analysis, interpretation and utilization of data.

Take care that the objectives of your study:

Cover the different aspects of the problem and its contributing factors in a coherent way and in a logical sequence; Are clearly phrased in operational terms, specifying exactly what you are going to do, where, and for what purpose; Are realistic considering local conditions; and Use action verbs that are specific enough to be evaluated.
Examples of action verbs are: to determine, to compare, to verify, to calculate, to describe, and to establish. Avoid the use of vague non-action verbs such as: to appreciate, to understand, or to study.

Hypothesis

 A HYPOTHESIS is a prediction of a relationship between one or more factors and the problem under study that can be tested. Hypotheses can take various forms, depending on the question being asked and the type of study being conducted. A key feature of all hypotheses is that each must make a

prediction.
These predictions are then tested by gathering and analyzing data, and the hypotheses can either be supported or refuted on the basis of the data.

Characteristics of hypotheses
Declarative statement that identifies the predicted relationship between 2 or more variables Testability Based on sound scientific theory/rationale

 Two types of hypotheses with which you should be familiar are the null hypothesis and the alternate (or experimental) hypothesis. The null hypothesis always predicts that there will be no differences between the groups being studied. By contrast, the alternate hypothesis predicts that there will be a difference between the groups. For example, the null hypothesis would predict that the exercise group and the no-exercise group will not differ significantly on levels of cholesterol. The alternate hypothesis would predict that the two groups will differ significantly on cholesterol levels.

Directional vs. Non-Directional Hypotheses

Directional hypothesis
Specifies the direction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables

Non-directional hypothesis
Shows the existence of a relationship between variables but no direction is specified

Examples
Directional hypothesis
Cardiac patients who receive support from former patients have less anxiety and higher selfefficacy than other patients

Non-directional hypothesis
There is a difference in anxiety and self-efficacy between cardiac patients who receive support from former patients and those who do not

Research vs. Statistical Hypotheses

Research hypothesis = scientific hypothesis
Statement about the expected relationship of the variables Can be directional or nondirectional

Statistical hypothesis = null hypothesis

States there is no relationship between the variables

Example: Statistical Hypothesis

Oxygen inhalation by nasal cannula of up to 6L/min does not affect oral temperature measurement taken with an electronic thermometer.

REMEMBER!!!!!
Policy makers and field staff usually feel the need for research because they do NOT have enough insight into the causes of a certain problem. Therefore, most HSR proposals present the specific objectives in the form of open statements instead of focusing the study on a limited number of hypotheses.

Levels of Questions
Level I
Little to no literature is available on the topic and the purpose is to describe what is found as it exists naturally

Level III
There is a great deal of knowledge about the topic and the purpose of the study is to test the theory through direct manipulation of the variables

Level II
There is knowledge about the topic but relationships among the variables are not well known

Level I Questions
Lead to exploration and result in a complete description of the topic Examples:
What are the characteristics of suicidal patients? What are the spiritual needs of transplant patients?

Level II Questions
Build on the results of Level I studies Look for relationships between the variables Examples:
What is the relationship between relaxation and pain in postoperative patients? What is the relationship among nutrition, birth weight of the newborn, and age of the mother?

Level III Questions

Builds on the results of previous research Lead to experimental designs Examples:
Why does patient satisfaction increase with positive attitudes toward self-care? Why does increased vitamin C decrease skin fragility in elderly people?

Summary of Level I, II, and III Questions

Level I questions have only one variable and one population Level II requires a minimum of 2 variables in one population At level III there must be 2 variables that specify a cause and effect

Examples
What are the body positions into which nurses place LBW intubated infants? What is the relationship between body positions and heart rate in the LBW intubated infants? Why does supine body positioning decrease heart rate in the intubated LBW infant?