http://w w w .rnpedia.com/home/notes/nursing-research-notes/nursing-research September 26, 2012 Research is a quest for an answer to a question.

Knowing the answer to a question requires a scientific method and not merely asking from various persons or merely observing several situations that may out-rightly provide haphazard answers to posed questions. Systematic process of col ecting and analyzing information in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon about which we are concerned or interested. Is a careful, systematic study and investigation in some fields of knowledge undertaken to discover or establish facts or principles. The scientific method of doing a research may be briefly stated in these steps: Step 1. Identify the problem A research originates from a problem, an unanswered question or an unsolved problem. An inquisitive person sparks the conduct of knowing why things go wrong or unusual that in some ways those may affect human life. Step 2. Limit the problem The problem may be very broad. Try to focus, know the scope, established boundaries, set the breadth or make a demarcation line so that you wil know what are included and what are excluded. This wil ultimately make your study manageable or specific. Step 3. Formulate Hypothesis Hypothesis is a bril iant conjecture or a tentative solution to a problem. It is testable statement of a resolution to a verifiable question. Some studies use the term assumption to mean the expected outcome of an investigation or inquiry. Step 4. Collect Data Implausible statements shal be supported by factual, unbias, truthful, and convincing evidences gathered through the execution of a careful y devised plan. The preponderance of needed information wil make a genuine research. Step 5. Interpret Data and Make a Conclusion Extract meanings from tabulated, col ated, sifted or organized data. Data wil be meaningless if you wil not deduce meanings or generalizations from them. Statistical tools may aid you in measuring the significance of one factor to another. The researcher may evaluate, accept, reject, decide or conclude based on the data gathered.

Pure versus Applied Research Pure or basic research is a study oriented towards the development of a theory. It aims to provide knowledge or understanding. Applied research is an investigation that enriches a solution to a practical problem. It seeks to improve human condition by providing knowledge that can be used for practical application. Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Qualitative Research is undertaken to answer questions about the plethora of phenomena primarily aimed at giving attributes and understanding of nature based on the observers view point. It also inquires on context and meaning, embarks on content analysis observation. Quantitative Research is conducted to find answers to questions about relationships among measurable variables with purpose of explaining, control ing, and predicting phenomena. It is knowing the outcome stated in numerical data. COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCHES FEATURE QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE Purpose To explain and predict To describe and explain To confirm and validate To explore and interpret To test theory To build theory Process Focused Holistic Known variables Unknown variables

 Established guidelines Flexible guidelines Static design Emergent design Context-free Context-bound Detached view Personal view Data Col ection Representative Informative, smal sample Large sample Observations, interviews Standardized instruments Data Analysis Deductive analysis Inductive analysis Report of findings Numbers Words Statistics, aggregated data Narratives Formal voice, scientific style. Individual quotes Personal voice

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