Developing a Research Question Judy Zerzan, MD, MPH July 5, 2005

The Research Question What topic are you interested in? –What has already been done? Why is this important? What is your specific question? –What group do you want to apply results? –Looking for a difference or relationship? (methods) –What intervention? –What major outcome? What answer do you expect to find? (hypothesis)

Research Topic Study Question

Use Topic to Generate Questions Topic – –Includes many related issues –Broad Question – –Has an answer –Specifies what the study will actually answer if it’s successful –One sentence

Get an Idea and Hypothesis The question should tell what you want to accomplish Brainstorm –Way you look at the world – experience, knowledge –Passionate about Write this idea as hypothesis

List your assumptions about the topic –Sort out assumptions –Things are sure of –Things you need to find out more about –Lit search helps with this Make a conceptual framework –What are factors involved? –How are the factors connected? Generate multiple hypotheses for what would make a difference

MD burnout Perceived impact of work Extent Type Policy Community change Social justice Patient care Advancing science Demographics Gender Family relationships Loan burden Years since training Characteristics of research Type of place- govt, academic, public health, foundation Funding presently/past # publications, # 1 st author Pay Mentoring % research %practice %teaching %admin Full-time/part-time Specialty Promotion/level Yrs. in research Motivation to pursue research training Idealism Creativity Academic drive Control Helping others Social responsibility Desire for recognition Career satisfaction Stress

The Beginning Broad question – –Hard to study because not precise –Must move from general to particular –Needs to be very specific and context bound What’s the question? What will be done with the answer?

Refine by Literature Review Find out what’s known Identify gaps Find out about methods Identify limitations of other studies Identify other people to talk to

Narrow More Identify the main terms in your question and then elaborate the possible meanings of each term –Limit by experience –Define subject –Define intervention/exposure –Define outcome –Define comparison Practical and methodological constraints Discuss with peers and experts Consider sources of bias and how can minimize

Think About How – methods What - specific definitions Why – cause and effect, relationship Where – location, viewpoint/perspective When – timing Whom – participants

FINER Criteria Feasible Interesting Novel Ethical Relevant

Let’s Try It!