CONCEPTS AND APPROACHES

IN RESEARCH

Prepared By,
MR. GIREESH S PILLAI
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE OF
NURSING
 INTRODUCTION

Research is defined as human activity based on

intellectual application in the investigation of matter.
The primary purpose for applied research is
discovering, interpreting and the development of
methods and systems for the advancement of human
knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matter of
our world and the universe.
MEANING OF RESEARCH
 Research refers to search for knowledge.
 It is a scientific and systematic search for
knowledge/information on specific topic.
 It is an art of scientific investigation.
 According to advanced learners dictionary of
current English lays down as, “careful or inquiry
specially through search for new facts in any
branch of knowledge”.
 In short, research is a search for knowledge
through objective and systematic method of
finding solution to a problem in research
According to Marry and Redman“ Research is a careful &
systematic affort of gaining new knowledge”.

According to Cifford Wooay, “Research comprises of

defining & redefining problem formulating hypothesis
(suggested solution), collecting, organizing & evaluating
data, making, deduction & reaching conclusion & at list
carefully testing the conclusion to determine whether
they fit the formulating hypothesis or not”.
Research design is a plan of how, when and
where data are to be collected and analyzed.
Research design is the research’s overall plan for
answering the research questions or testing the
research hypotheses.
It is the master plan specifying the methods and
procedures for collecting and analyzing the
needed information in a research study.
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
 The main aim of research is to find out the truth
which is hidden and which is not been hidden.
 The purpose is to discover answers to questions
through application of scientific research.
 Broad grouping:

 Exploratory or formative research.

 Descriptive research.
 Diagnostic research.
 Hypothesis testing research.
MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH
Desire to get a research degree along with its
consequences benefits.
 Desire to face the challenges in solving problem.
 Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some
creative work.
 Desire to be of service of society.
 Desire to get respectability.
 QUALITATIVE WITH/WITH
THE APPROCH QUANTITATIV OUT A
E OR BOTH CONCEPTUA
L FRAME
WORK

METHOD ELEMENTS
OF DATA OF
ANALYSI POPULATION
RESEARCH
S , SAMPLE
DESIGN
AND
SAMPLING
TECHNIQUE
TOOLS AND
METHODS OF
TIMES AND PLACE OF
DATA
DATA COLLECTION
COLLECTION
It involves the description of the plan to

invetigate the phenomenon under study in a

structured (quantitative),
unstructured(qualitative) or a combination of the
two methods (qualitative & quantitative).
 Population, sample, and sampling
technique.
The time, place, and sources of data collection.
Tools and methods of data collection.
Methods of the data analysis.
The selection of a research design largely depends

on the nature of the research problem, the

research available, accessible of subjects, and
research ethics.
Nature of the research problem
Purpose of the study
Research’s knowledge and experience
Researcher’s interest and motivation
Research ethics and principles
Subjects/participants
Resources
Time
Possible control on extraneous variables
Users of the study findings
There are two important criteria for evaluating the

credibility and dependability of the research results

Internal validity

External validity
 Campbell and Stanley used the term
internal validity to refer to the extent to which it
is possible to make an inference that the
independent variable is truly influencing the
dependent variable.
External validity explores the generalization
beyond specific
Experiment’s to check if the result and finding come
out to be same with other setting or with other subject
population, but related variables.
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN
QUALITATITIVE RESEARCH DESIGN
1. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
2. NON EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
3. OTHER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH DESIGN
 EXPERIMENT
A LRESEARCH
DESIGN

TRUE QUASI- PRE-

EXPERIMENTA EXPERIMENTA EXPERIMENTA
L DESIGN L DESIGN L DESIGN
 According to riley, experimental research
design is a powerful design for testing hypotheses
of causal relationship among variables.
True experimental research designs are those
where researchers have complete control over the
extraneous variables and can predict confidently
that the observed effect on the dependable
variable is only due to the manipulation of the
independent variable.
MANIPULATION,
CONTROL,
RANDOMIZATION.
 TRUE
EXPERIMENTA
L DESIGN

CROSSOVER
POST-
TEST
ONLY

RANDOMIZED
PRETEST BLOCK
POST-
TEST
ONLY SOLOMON
4 GROUP FACTORIAL
[Link] TREATMENT POST-TEST

CONTROL
POST-TEST
GROUP
 PRE TREATMENT o
[Link] POST-
TEST
TEST

CONTROL PRE o
GROUP TEST POST-
TEST
 PRE o
[Link].1 TREATMENT POST-
TEST
TEST

CONTROL PRE o
GROUP.1 TEST POST-
TEST

o
[Link].2 TREATMENT POST-
TEST

CONTROL o
GROUP.2 POST-
TEST
TYPE OF BLOCK
ANTIHYPERTEN PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC RENAL
SIVE DRUGS PRIMARY PATIENTS WITH PATIENTS WITH
HYPERTENSION HYPERTENSION HYPERTENSION
(I) (II) (III)
A A,I A,II A,III
B B,I B,II B,III
C C,I C,II C,III
GROUPS PROTOCOLS OF THE
MOUTH CARE
GROUP1 CHLOHEXIDINE(A1) SALINE(A2
GROUP2 SALINE(A2) CHLOHEXIDINE(A1)
 Most powerful design.
 To establish the causal relationship between
independent and dependent variables.
 The purpose of research is explanation, causal
relationship may be established among the
variables by experimentation.
 In these studies the controlled environment in which
the study is conducted can yield a greater degree of
purity in observation.
 A short period of time that may take years to
Occur naturally.
 Experimental research designs cannot be replicated in
studies conducted on human being due to ethical
problems.
 Many of the human variables neither have valid measurable
criteria nor instrumental to measure them.
 In experimental studies conducted in natural setting like
hospitals or community, it is not possible to impose
control over extraneous variables.
 It is very difficulty to get cooperation from
The study participants.
It involves the manipulation of independent
variable to observe the effect on dependent
variable.
•LACK OF AT LEAST ONE OF THE TWO OTHER
ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRUE
EXPERIMENT.

•QUASI- INDEPENDENT VARIABLES ARE USED

INSTEAD OF TRUE INDEPENDENT VARIABLES.
NON RANDOMIZED CONTROL GROUP DESIGN

[Link] PRE o
TREATMENT
TEST POST-
TEST

CONTROL PRE o POST-

GROUP TEST TEST
[Link] O1 O2 O3 TREATMENT

O3 O2 O1
They are more practical and feasible to conduct
research studies in nursing.
In the absence of a large sample size, randomization
and/or availability of control group are not always
possible.
It may be able to establish causal relationship,
wherein some of the hypotheses are practically
answered through this design only.
There is no control over extraneous variables
influencing the dependent variables.
The absence of a control group or a lack of control over
the research setting makes the result of this design less
reliable and weak for the establishment of casual
relationship between independent and dependent
variables.
This research design is considered very
weak, because the research has very little
control over the experiment.
ONE SHOT CASE DESIGN;

[Link] TREATMENT o POST-TEST

•ONE- GROUP PRETEST- POSTTEST DESIGN;

[Link] PRE o
TEST TREATMENT POST-
TEST
Very simple and convenient to conduct these

studies in natural setting, especially in nursing.

Most suitable design for the beginners in the field

of experimental research.
It has very little control over the research.

It has a higher threat to internal validity of

research .
It is one of the broad categories of research

designs, in which the research observes the

phenomena as they occur naturally, and no
external variables are introduced.
The independent variables cannot be
manipulated.
It is unethical to manipulate the
independent variable.
The research situations where it is not practically
possible to conduct experiments.
Descriptive-type studies that do not require any
experimental approaches.
 DESCRIPTIVE DESIGN
 UNIVARIANT DESCRIPTIVE DESIGN
 EXPLORATORY DESCRIPTIVE DESIGN
 COMPARATIVE DESCRIPTIVE DESIGN
 CORRELATION/EX-POST FACTO DESIGN
 PROSPECTIVE DESIGN
 RETROSPECTIVE DESIGN
 DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
 CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGN
 LONGITUDINAL DESIGN
 EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DESIGNS
 CASE- CONTROL STUDIES
 COHORT STUDIES
 SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN
It is used to observe, describe, and document aspect

of a situation as it naturally occurs, and sometimes to

serve as a starting point for hypothesis generation or
theory development.
Used to observe, document, and describe a

phenomenon occurring in natural setting.

To gain more information about characteristics within

a particular field of inquiry.

Used to develop theories, identify problems with

current practice, make judgements, or determine other

practices in similar situations.
Univariant descriptive design are undertaken to

describe the frequency of a phenomenon.

This design does not focus on the study of a
single variable; there may be one or more
variables involved in the study.
It is used to identify, explore , and describe existing
phenomenon and its related factors.
It involves comparing and contrasting two or more

sample of study subject on one or more variables

often at a single point of time.
This is a non experimental design, where

researcher examines the relationship between two

or more variables in a natural setting with out
manipulation of control.
The researcher find the strength of relationship
between the variables.
Generally it has independent and dependent variables
effect of independent variable is observe with out
manipulating the dependent variable.
Some times identification of dependent and
independent variable.
It fended by using correlation and co- efficient
Here the researcher relates the present to the future
is a prospective research design.

RETROSPECTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN

Here the researcher studies the current phenomenon
by seeking information from past.
It examines the phenomenon with reference to
time.
CROSS SECTION DESIGN
In which researcher collect data at particular
time (one period of data collection) it is more
convenient.
LONGITUDINAL DESIGN
Here the data collect at long time( long time study).
It has three types;
 Trend studies
 Panel studies
 Follow-up studies
It involves investigate the distribution and causes
of the diseases in population.
The prospective studies are know as cohort
study and retrospective studies are know as
case- control studies.
COHORT STUDIES

Here the longitudinal approach is used to

investigate the diseases and causes.

CASE CONTROL STUDIES

In this design, causes of a disease are investigated
after the occurrence of a disease.
 If the survey is conducted on a sample of
population, it is called sample survey.
 If the entire population is involved, it is called a
population survey such as censuses, etc..,
Depending on the nature of phenomenon under

study.
Based on methods of data collection.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
It is a convenient The relationship
method. between variables
Suitable for nursing finding is never clear.
research. It has more error
It is simple. Non randomized
Low cost compare to method will resulting in
experiment. error.
 Methodological studies

 Meta –analysis

 Secondary data analysis

 Outcome research

 Evaluation studies

 Operational research
 REFERENCES
1. Denise F. Polit, Cheryl Tatano Beck. Nursing Research –
Generating and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice. 8th
ed. New Delhi: Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd; 2008.

2. Sharma.S. K. Nursing Research and Statistics. 2sted. New

Delhi: Elsevier Publications; 2011.

3. Bincy R. Nursing research – Building evidence for practice.

1stedn. New Delhi: Viva books pvt. ltd;2012
THANK YOU!