Section: Module 2: Lesson 1: Research Problems and Research Questions | Research Methods for Health Sciences | NextGenU.org

  • Student Learning Outcomes:
    • Define a research problem and a research question.
    • Describe the characteristics of clear and practicable research problems and research questions for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research.
    • Formulate clear and practicable quantitative and qualitative research problems and research questions.
    Approximate time required to complete the readings (at 144 words/minute) and assignments for this module: 3 hours and 31 minutes.

    Click here to start this lesson

    • Required Learning Resources and Activities
    • Read the entire page. (2 minutes)

      University of London - 2014

    • Read the entire article. (17 minutes)

      International Journal of Research (IJR)-2014

    • Read the entire article. (18 minutes)

      Stanford University - 2016

    • Read the entire article. (19 minutes)

      Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons - 2019

    • Read the entire Document except the "References" part. (19 minutes)

      American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) - 2021

    • Read the entire page and the next page for qualitative research questions. (16 minutes)

      Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources from the University of Texas at Arlington - 2018

    • In this activity, you will write a research problem statement keeping in mind that it will be used to work on the activities in the entire course, including the final assignment. Then, you will write qualitative and quantitative research questions for your identified problem.

      Step 1: Review

      Review this Learning Resource.

      Step 2: Respond

      Think about a health issue that you might be interested in studying and complete the following:

      • Write a problem statement that:
      1. Reflects a need
      2. Is based on factual evidence
      3. Is meaningful; has testable hypotheses
      4. Has a relevant and manageable problem 
      • Using this to guide you, write between 3 and 5 research questions to guide your study of the problem. Ensure that you have a combination of qualitative and quantitative questions.
      Step 3: Self-Analysis and Enhancement

      Before you submit, engage in an introspective self-analysis by systematically reviewing each component of your work. Reflect on what aspects of your work were executed well and what could be enhanced. Proceed to refine these elements in your work. 

      Step 4: Submit

      To submit your work, click on the “Reply” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

      OPTIONAL Step 5: Interact (10 minutes)

      If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”