College of Nursing - Dissertation Guide

29 Chapter One The Problem and Domain of Inquiry This section contains the introductory information that provides a background of the problem. This content may contain statistical data that supports that a problem exists. This section explains what the study is about. It should make a natural bridge to the problem statement. Problem Statement The problem statement should not be more than a few sentences that are specific and to the point and explains why the study is important. The research problem identifies the topic of interest, the population of interest and the significance of the topic or how it is problematic. The problem statement is a natural bridge to the purpose of the study. Purpose of the Study The purpose should not be more than a few sentences. It consists of three components: the variables of interest, the population of interest, and an action verb. It should answer the questions: what is being studied, who is being studied, and why it is being studied. Research Questions and Hypotheses Research Question and Hypothesis 1 Research question. A research question may have more than one independent and dependent variables. For instance, the student might ask, “What is the range of a set of scores for a variable within this sample.” Research hypothesis. A simple hypothesis contain only one independent and dependent variable. A complex hypothesis contain two or more independent variables and/ or two or more dependent variables. Significance of the Study The findings of your study explain what your study will contribute to nursing knowledge in the following arenas. Nursing Education Nursing Practice Nursing Research Public Policy Philosophical Underpinnings The basic assumptions of any given paradigm involve: ontology (the nature of reality), epistemology (one’s belief about how knowledge is acquired, e.g., how we know what we know), and the methods (the particular steps used by the individual to uncover the answer(s) to his or her research question). Positivism and post-positivism are the philosophical underpinnings for quantitative research; constructivism, interpretation and critical theory constitute the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative research. In general, all qualitative paradigms assume the relativist ontology (there are multiple realities that are socially and individually constructed) and transactional epistemology (the knower and the known are inextricably entwined), as well as dialogic/interpretive methodology. The discussion of the philosophical underpinnings that is congruent with the student’s beliefs should include information about the philosophers that initiated the position.