Introduction to Research Methods Supercourse Formulating Research Problems, Questions and Hypotheses

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Introduction to Research Methods
SupercourseFormulating Research Problems,
Questions and Hypotheses

• Introduction to the course and to your assignment

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This project is made possible by the support of
the American people through the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID).
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Special thank you to workshop organizers and
Nazarbayev University for hosting us
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What is this course designed to achieve?

• Introduce the concept of research methods
• Describe basic biostatistical methods
• Introduce trainees to biostatistical software
• Introduce trainees to publication and research
  process
• Introduce steps needed in research development
• Introduce the Central Asian Journal of Global
  Health (CAJGH)

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Course assignment Develop a research project

• Learn the general steps in the research process
  from research idea to project implementation
• Identify a research problem
• Define research questions, directional and
  non-directional hypotheses
• Identify the best possible research design for
  your hypotheses

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Research Defined

• Research is an organized and systematic way to
  find answers to questions
• Research is a creative process

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Why is research important to medicine and public
health?

• Knowledge obtained from sound research is
  transformed into clinical practice, leading to
  medical practice that is evidence-based.

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The Research Idea

• Professional experience
• Burning questions
• Literature
• Professional meetings
• Discussions

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Criteria for developing a good research question

• Feasible
• Interesting
• Novel
• Ethical
• Relevant
• Cummings et al. 2001

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Good research question?

• Feasible
• Subjects
• Resources
• Manageable
• Data available?
• Interesting
• Novel
• In relation to previous findings
• Confirm or refute?
• New setting, new population

• Ethical
• Social or scientific value
• Safe
• Relevant
• Advance scientific knowledge?
• Influence clinical practice?
• Impact health policy?
• Guide future research?

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A Research Question Must Identify

1. The variables under study
2. The population being studied
3. The testability of the question

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Variables in research

• Have 2 or more properties or qualities
• Age, sex, weight, height
• Is one variable related to another?
• Is X related to Y? What is the effect of X on
  Y? etc.

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Variables in research

• Independent variable
• has a presumed effect on the dependent variable
  (outcome)
• May or may not be manipulated

• Dependent variable
• Something that varies with a change in the
  independent variable
• Outcome variable

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Hypothesis

• Statement about the relationship between 2 or
  more variables
• Converts the question into a statement that
  predicts an expected outcome
• A unit or subset of the research problem

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Characteristics of hypotheses

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

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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

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Finding appropriate research design

• Cohort
• Cross sectional
• Case control
• Clinical trial
• ?

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Prepare PowerPoint presentaiton

• 10 minutes long
• 10 slides
• Select 1 presenter from each group
• Present during the last day
• Each presentation should include research area,
  significance, hypothesis, and rough design of the
  experiment

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Practical applications of this project?

• Create your own research project
• Understand published research papers
• Understand presentations at scientific
  conferences
• Publish your research!!

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Central Asian Journal of Global Health

• Welcome!

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What is CAJGH

• Biannual open access journal
• Focus area is Central Asian Region
• Peer reviewed
• Started in April 2012 as a part of USAID project
• Distinguished Editorial Advisory board

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Questions?

• Faina.linkov_at_gmail.com