2 formulating & clarifying research topic2

Research Methods
Sherzad Ali Ismael,
Community Medicine Dept,
College of Medicine.

 Generate ideas that will help in the choice of
a suitable research topic;
 Identify the quality of a good research topic;
 Turn research ideas into a research question,
aims (s) & objectives.

Research Methods-Sherzad Ali Ismael- MODULE 2: Formulating & clarifying research topic 2

 Independent part of the research (Done by
students only)
 Choose something to maintain the interest.


Research Research Research Research
idea Question Aim (s) Objectives


 Interested to the researcher.
 Capability to undertake the research. (Access
to the data)
 Feasible.
 The topic can be linked to the theory.
 Clearly defining & relating research questions
and objectives.
 Consider your career goals.


RATIONAL THINKING CREATIVE THINKING

 Examining your own  Keeping a notebook of
strengths and interests ideas
 Looking at past project  Exploring personal
titles preferences using past
 Discussion projects
 Searching the literature  Relevance trees
 Scanning the media.  Brainstorming


 Examining your own strengths and
interests:
 a topic in which you are likely to do well
 have some academic knowledge
 Think about your future.


 Looking at past project titles
 Thesis and dissertations.
 How to read? Scan!
 Noted down any title which grab your attention
 Think of new ideas!


 Discussion:
 Colleagues, friends and university tutors are
all good sources of possible project ideas
 “ideas can be obtained by talking to
practitioners and professional groups” (Gill
and Johnson 2002).
 Record any idea during discussion.


 Searching the literature:
 Sharp et al. (2002) discuss types of literature that
are of particular use for generating research ideas:
▪ articles in academic and professional journals;
▪ reports;
▪ books.
 Of particular use are academic review articles.
 Searching for publications is only possible
when you have at least some idea of the area
in which you wish to undertake your research.

 Scanning the media.
 Stories which occur everyday in the newspapers in
both traditional print and online versions, may
provide ideas which relate directly to the item.


 Keeping a notebook of ideas
 noting down any interesting research ideas as you
think of them and, of equal importance.


 Exploring personal preferences using past projects
 Past project reports from your university
 Raimond (1993) suggests that you:
▪ Select six projects that you like. For each of these six projects,
note down your first thoughts in response to three questions:
▪ What appeals to you about the project?
▪ What is good about the project?
▪ Why is the project good?
▪ Select three projects that you do not like. For each of these three
projects, note down your first thoughts in response to three:
▪ What do you dislike about the project?
▪ What is bad about the project?
▪ Why is the project bad?


 Relevance trees:
 use of relevance trees is similar to that of mind
mapping (Buzan 2006).
 Example:
▪ Community Medicine
▪ Research Methods
 Study types;


 Brainstorming
 a problem-solving technique on many business
and management courses, can also be used to
generate and refine research ideas.
 It is best undertaken with a group of people.


 Brainstorming
 To brainstorm, Moody (1988) suggests that you:
▪ Define your problem
▪ Ask for suggestions
▪ Record all suggestions, observing the following rules:
▪ No suggestion should be criticized or evaluated in any way before all
ideas have been considered
▪ All suggestions, however wild, should be recorded and considered
▪ As many suggestions as possible should be recorded
▪ Review all the suggestions and explore what is meant by
each.
▪ Analyze the list of suggestions and decide which applied to
you most as research ideas and why?


 Capability: is it feasible?
 Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?


 Capability: is it feasible?
 Is the topic something you are really interested in?
 Do you have, or can you develop the necessary
research skills?
 Is it achievable within the available time?
 Is it achievable within the financial resources?
 Can you access to the data?


 Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?
 Is the topic meet the standards set by the
institution? (HMU)
 Is the research topic contain issues that have a
clear link to theory?
 Able to state your research question and
objectives clearly?
 Will the proposed research be able to provide a
clear understanding of the topic?

 “Role of exercise ECG test in coronary artery
disease”.
 “Role of exercise ECG test in determining the
extent of coronary artery disease in
comparison to coronary angiography”.


 Writing research questions (RQ):
 A research question:
▪ state the purpose of your research project
▪ guides you through the process of research.
 Reflects the aim (objectives)/ or the purpose of
the study.


RESEARCH IDEA RESEARCH QUESTIONS

 Health Education &  How does the use of
Internet. health/ medical websites
affect education of people?
 How the informed consent
 Ethics & Surgery is taken from preoperative
women undergo Caesarian
section?
 Motivation & Use of drugs  What are the factors
determine the use of drugs
made by (X) company?

 Research aims;
 Aim is to try to achieve something. (Oxford Dictionary)
 Use your research question as a base from which
you write a set of research aim.
 Aims are more generally acceptable to the
research community as evidence of the
researcher’s purpose and direction.


 Research objectives:
 The aim is the overall driving force of the research
and the objectives are the means by which you intend
to achieve the aims.
 Maylor and Blackmon (2005) recommend that personal
objectives may be added to the list of research objectives.
(E.g. Stat. software)
 Objectives should be SMART:
▪ S (Specific)
▪ M (Measurable)
▪ A (Achievable)
▪ R (Realistic)
▪ T (Timely)


RESEARCH QUESTION RESEARCH AIM RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

 How does the use  To determine the  To measure the
effectiveness of the use proportion of doctors
of health/ medical have internet access at
of health/ medical
websites affect home &/ or office.
websites on doctors’
education of health education levels
doctors? in--from the period
between-- & --.
 To measure the
 How the informed  To describe the frequency of women
consent is taken process of who give informed
from preoperative preoperative informed consent .
consent among  To know the
women undergo demographic profile of
women undergo CS in
Caesarian section? women undergo CS.
– from– to --.

 The process of formulating and clarifying
your research topic is the most important
part of your research topic.
 Generating and refining research ideas makes
use of a variety of techniques
 Clear research questions, based on the
relevant literature, will act as a focus for the
research that follows.


 Identify a research idea in your field of
interest, turn it into a research question, a
research aim (s) and objectives.
 Write down in a an MS word in English
language.
 Send your assignment within 2 weeks, from
(11/12/2012 -25/12/2012) to the following
email address:
sherzad.ali@med.hmu.edu.iq

2 formulating & clarifying research topic2

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