Developing Research Questions/Hypotheses

This presentation aims to show how to

1. Identify the key steps to develop a clear inquiry question from a clinical observation

2. Appraise the characteristics of an inguiry question using the FINER criteria

3. Apply PICOT and other frameworks to structure your inquiry question and

4. Distinguish between quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.

This tutorial on research methods will help you gain practical skills and knowledge you can apply for all research needs. It covers:

1. Developing a Research Question: How do you get background knowledge? Develop a thesis? Start searching?
2. Deciding on Sources: What’s the difference between academic and popular sources, or primary and secondary sources?
3. Locating Sources: How do you locate articles, books and literature reviews both from NUL and other academic institutions?
4. Tips for Reading and Note-taking: What are different strategies for reading scholarly articles and books?

Having a clear research question helps you in various ways when developing your study – including narrowing down your data collection and analysis efforts to the essential points, and helps the reader understand what the objectives of your study are. A very helpful framework to guide you in formulating your research question is the PICO or PECO Framework. 

A good study comes down to setting a single and clear question, which is your primary objective, and then determining what you are going to measure in order to answer that question:- your primary endpoint. If you keep this in mind in everything you do, then you will run a good study. What is my question? Is what I am doing going to answer that question – accurately? 

The research question forms the foundation of any study and is vital to the effectiveness and validity of the research to be carried out. This short course is aimed at all those carrying out clinical research and explores the main factors which affect and influence the development of a valid research question.

Upon completion of the course you will have gained an
understanding of:

1. What a research question is
2. The issues that influence the development of the question
3. What a literature review is and why you might undertake one

Writing a research proposal is crucial in initiating any research project irrespective of your subject or research field. A well-crafted research proposal outlines your research topic, justifies its significance, explains the methodology, and demonstrates the researcher’s ability to conduct the study successfully. Whether you’re applying for funding or seeking academic approval, your proposal must demonstrate the significance of your research. This guide will walk you through the process, making it easy to follow.

A short tip sheet on the “when, why, and how” of writing a research proposal. Examples are provided to demonstrate the sections of a proposal.

This video developed and presented by Academic Skills at University of Melbourne will guide you on how to develop a good research question.

How do you develop well-written research questions? See the PICO/PECO framework, other frameworks e.g. SPICE, SPIDER, ECLIPSE, further resources to assist you in designing your research question.

Step by step guide on writing hypotheses and research questions

This blog will help you understand what a research hypothesis is, its characteristics and, how to formulate a research hypothesis.

A research problem statement is a clear, concise, and specific statement that describes the issue or problem that the research project addresses. It should be written in a way that is easily understandable to both experts and non-experts in the field. This article steps you through how to write a good research problem statement.

When starting a new research project, it is important to develop a sound research question. This is a crucial step in the research process, as it will guide your research activity. Therefore, you should not rush to write an effective research question. This article covers key steps to take when writing your research question.

A hypothesis is an important part of the scientific method. It’s an idea or a proposal based on limited evidence. What comes next is the exciting part. The idea or proposal must be proven through facts, direct testing and evidence. Since the hypothesis acts as the foundation for future research, learn how to write a hypothesis through steps and examples.

This guide, provided through the Library Research Guidelines, explores the phases of constructing a robust, feasible research question.

Practical introduction to research; why we do it, and the steps in the research process. Includes how to decide if an idea is worth pursuing, through to putting together a quality protocol.

This course is tailored specifically for individuals involved in health-related research. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the purpose of a research protocol, including how it serves as the manual for their research project and a reference for future scientific papers, publications, and applications. Through interactive lessons, participants will learn to effectively develop the important elements of a research protocol including the background, aims, study design, and evaluation criteria.

Click on ‘Learn more’, then on the RET Program website, click on ‘log in’, sign up as a new member with your details. When you come to ‘Institution’ in the drop-down box, click on ‘@research’, you will then be asked to click on your health service in the drop-down box. In the next box where it asks for the @Research Access Code, enter ‘atResearch’. Registering this way will provide free access to the RET Program courses, courtesy of @research.