January 22, 2021

Discussion: Starting the Research Process ORDER NOW FOR ORIGINAL PAPER

NURS 8200 Week 2: Quantitative Research Designs

NURS 8200 Week 2 Discussion: Starting the Research Process

Discussion: Starting the Research Process

Formulating a specific, applicable research problem statement is an important step in beginning a research process. The problem statement defines the focus of the research study, dictates what methods and tools will be used, and sets the stage for all subsequent elements of the research process. Because of this, it is necessary to put a great deal of thought into the problem statement to ensure that the rest of the research process will be well planned and appropriate to the problem at hand.

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This week’s Discussion asks you to identify evidence-based practice problems that can be addressed using quantitative research methods. Based on the practice problem you select, formulate a quantitative research problem statement. In this Discussion, you are also given the opportunity to evaluate your colleagues’ problem statements. Please refer to this week’s Learning Resources for appropriate and scholarly examples of research problem statements and how they inform the rest of the research process.

To prepare for NURS 8200 Week 2 Discussion: Starting the Research Process:

Determine a nursing practice problem that is of interest to you and that is appropriate for a quantitative research study. Note: You will continue to use this problem in the Discussions over the next several weeks.
Using the Walden Library and other credible sources, locate and read two or three articles that address your practice problem.
With your practice problem in mind, review the Learning Resources and media presentations focusing on the strategies presented for generating a research problem statement.
Ask yourself: What is the importance of my practice problem to nursing, research, and theory? How might addressing this problem bring about positive social change? How will investigating this problem support evidence-based practice?

By Day 3 of NURS 8200 Week 2 Discussion: Starting the Research Process

Post a proposed research problem statement, including sufficient information to make your focus clear and explaining how addressing this problem may bring about positive social change.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6 of NURS 8200 Week 2 Discussion: Starting the Research Process

Respond to at least two of your colleagues, providing specific feedback and critiquing their problem statement using the following criteria (Gray, Grove & Sutherland, 2017):

Does the problem have professional significance?
Does the problem have potential or actual significance for society?
Does the problem have the potential to build or refine evidence-based practice?

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments made by your colleagues.

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and any additional sources.

Post your responses to the NURS 8200 Week 2 Discussion: Starting the Research Process Discussion based on the course requirements.

Your Discussion postings should be written in standard edited English and follow APA guidelines as closely as possible given the constraints of the online platform. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure your in-text citations and reference list are correct.Initial postings must be 250–350 words (not including references).

NURS 8200 Week 2 Assignment 1: Article Critique [Major Assessment 4]

DNP graduates are expected to apply research findings and integrate nursing science into evidence-based practice. To develop your ability to engage in this high level of nursing practice, you will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a research study over the next several weeks using the concepts presented throughout Weeks 1 through 9 of the course. Your final analysis will be a 5- to 7-page paper that includes the following:

Brief one to two paragraph overview of the study
Two to three strengths of the study and support for your selection (i.e. why is this a strength)
Two to three weaknesses of the study and support for your selection (i.e. why is this a weakness)
Note: The strengths and weaknesses you identified should be in relation to design, sampling, data collection, statistical analysis, results and discussion of the study
Proposed changes to improve the quality of the study, capitalizing on the strengths and improving on the weaknesses identified in the study
Summary of the implications for nursing practice

The purpose of the analysis is to help you develop a deeper understanding of the research process, to inspire you to think critically and deeply about research on a specific topic, and to strengthen your ability to integrate research findings into evidence-based nursing practice. This assignment also gives you practice in analyzing the research literature, which will support you when you begin your DNP project. Before you proceed, please review the rubric for this assignment, which is located in the Grading section in the left-hand navigation menu of this course. Keep in mind that you will be working on your article critique throughout Weeks 2 through 9 with your critique due by Day 7 of Week 9.

By Day 7 of Week 9

To prepare for this week’s assignment complete the following:

Select one of the four research articles cited in this week’s required readings.
Review the various quantitative research designs presented in the textbook readings and research articles and discussed in the “Musings: Aligning Research Question and Methodology” media.
Consider the research design used in your selected article. Ask yourself the following questions. Is the design appropriate for the study? Would a different design provide better results?

You are not required to submit this assignment this week.

NURS 8200 Week 2: Quantitative Research Designs

In Week 1, you examined some fundamental differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods. This week beings the in-depth exploration of quantitative research, which will continue through Week 9. This is not to diminish the use of qualitative research methods, which have just as much merit as quantitative methods. Quantitative research, on the other hand, has at least one underlying commonality—some engagement with numerical values. Because of this, there are many general considerations and principles that can be applied to quantitative research.

This week, you consider the characteristics and uses of many different kinds of quantitative research study designs. You also explore various important components of quantitative research, including research problems and questions, hypotheses, and variables. You examine the purpose and significance of conducting a quantitative research study of your choice, formulate a research problem statement, and develop hypotheses related to the research study you selected. These skills in developing quantitative research designs will assist you in analyzing research studies. This week, you begin your article critique; this assignment will give you the opportunity to apply many of the concepts presented throughout Weeks 1 through 9 of the course.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Formulate a research question, testable hypothesis, and appropriate research design for a quantitative research study
Identify independent and dependent variables
Evaluate the purpose and significance of a proposed research study that applies to evidence-based practice

Photo Credit: nmlfd/Creatas Video/Getty Images

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Discussion: Starting the Research Process Required Media

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Research methods for evidence-based practice: Selecting a research topic and developing a hypothesis. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes.

In this week’s video, Dr. Leiyu Shi discusses the characteristics of a good research hypothesis and details the steps in developing a hypothesis that can be tested through research.

Accessible player –Downloads– Download Video w/CC Download Audio Download Transcript

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Research methods for evidence-based practice: Musings: Aligning research question and methodology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.

This video discusses the importance of having a well-defined research question, which informs the methodology that you use in creating a hypothesis for a research study.

Accessible player –Downloads– Download Video w/CC Download Audio Download Transcript

Laureate Education. (2011). Important events in clinical research history. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/CLRA/6100/01/mm/timeline/index.html

This timeline identifies and describes key historical events related to the development of clinical research throughout the ages.

Required Readings

Gray, J.R., Grove, S.K., & Sutherland, S. (2017). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.

- Chapter 5, “Research Problem and Purpose”. Chapter 5 outlines how to identify and develop a research problem statement, purpose, and research questions. The chapter also provides examples of both quantitative and qualitative research topics, problems, and purpose.

- Chapter 6, “Objectives, Questions, Variables, and Hypothesis”. This chapter explains the different types of hypotheses and assesses how research variables can be used to formulate research objectives in both quantitative and qualitative studies.

- Chapter 10, “Quantitative Methodology: Noninterventional Designs and Methods”.Chapter 10 describes the principles of research design and those foundational concepts that influence the selection of an appropriate quantitative design: causality, bias, manipulation, control, and validity.

Chapter 11, “Quantitative Methodology: Interventional Designs and Methods”. This chapter builds on the material presented in Chapter 10 and discusses how to select the most appropriate quantitative research design for addressing a particular research problem.

Select one of the following articles to use for this week’s Assignment:

Fouquier, K.F. (2011). The concept of motherhood among three generations of African American women. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(2), 145–153.