This document outlines the steps in quantitative and qualitative research. It begins by differentiating between the two methods, noting that quantitative research uses numeric and measurable data while qualitative focuses on personal perceptions. For quantitative research, the steps include identifying a problem, developing a hypothesis, collecting numeric data, analyzing results, and interpreting findings. For qualitative research, the process involves identifying a problem, selecting a design, collecting subjective data through interviews or observations, analyzing themes in the data, and interpreting results. Finally, the document discusses using both methods together in a single study to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a problem. It provides examples of nursing issues that could be addressed through these research approaches.

1. Student Preparation: 1-Ahmed Mahmood Sulaiman
2-Ahmed Essa Mohammed
Under the Supervision of prof. Dr. Radhwan Hussein
Ibrahim

2. Objectives
1. Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative
research.
2. Summarize the steps in quantitative research.
3. Summarize the steps in qualitative research.
4. Describe a nursing problem that could be addressed
through a qualitative study.
5. Explain the use of both qualitative and quantitative
research methods in a single study.

3. Comparison of Qualitative and
Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is a systematic empirical approach
to understanding phenomena. The data, or individual
pieces of information produced in a quantitative study,
are often numeric, observable, and measurable.

it easier for us to conclude that results are based on the
nature of what was studied, rather than the personality,
beliefs, or values of the researcher. Quantitative research
is based on the concepts of manipulation and control of
phenomena and the verification of results, using
empirical data gathered through the senses.

4. Qualitative research focuses on gaining insight into a
phenomenon or understanding about an individual’s
perception of events.
Qualitative research does not rely on manipulation and
control but, instead, focuses on observing and describing
things as they naturally occur. Often, the researcher is
most interested in the person’s interpretation of events
and how those events shaped the person’s beliefs or
behaviors.

5. Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative
Research
Quantitative
Qualitative
Objective data
Subjective data
Explanation
Discovery
Parts are equal to the whole
Whole is greater than the parts
One truth
Multiple truths
Large sample sizes
Small sample sizes
Random samples
Deliberately selected samples
Results presented as numbers/statistics
Results presented as narrative data
Researcher separate from the study
Researcher part of the study

6. Steps in the Quantitative Research
Process

1.Identify the research problem

2.Determine the purpose of the study

3.Formulate the research question

4.Develop a theoretical/conceptual framework

5.Identify the study assumptions

6.Acknowledge the limitations of the study

7.Formulate the hypothesis

8.Define the study variables/terms

9.Select the research design

10.Identify the population

7. 11.Select the sample
12.Conduct a pilot study
13.Collect the data
14.Organize the data for analysis
15.Analyze the data
16.Interpret the findings
17.Communicate the findings
18.Utilize the findings

8. Steps in the Qualitative Research
Process

1.Identify the problem of the study

2.State the purpose

3.Select the research design

4.Select the sample

5.Gain entry to the research site

6.Protect the rights of participants

7.Collect the data

8.Analyze the data

9.Interpret the data

10.Communicate the study results

9. Identify the Research Problem

The first, and one of the most important steps, in the
research process is to clearly identify the problem that
will be studied. Study problems can be identified from
suggestions published in the literature, from
recommendations made following previous studies,
through the testing of theories, or from personal
experiences. The problem should be of interest to the
researcher and be significant to nursing. An example
of a problem area is “managing intraoperative
hypothermia.” The researcher has observed the
problem of patients experiencing chilling during and
after surgery in her area of practice.

10. Determine the Purpose of the
Study

The research problem addresses what will be studied;
the purpose provides why the study is being done. In
most published nursing research studies, the purpose
of the study is presented rather than a problem
statement or a research question. The following is an
example of a purpose statement for the study
concerning prevention of intraoperative hypothermia:
“This study seeks to determine if warmed IV fluids are
effective in preventing intraoperative hypothermia.

11. Review the Literature

Research should build on previous knowledge. Before
beginning a quantitative study, it is important to
determine what knowledge exists of the study topic.
There are few topics about which there is no existing
knowledge base. There are many routes of access to the
published literature. Literature sources can be located
through indexes, abstracts, and computer-assisted
searches. Besides determining the extent of the
existing knowledge related to the study topic.

12. Develop a Theoretical/Conceptual
Framework

The goal of research is to develop scientific knowledge.
Research and theory are closely intertwined. Research
can test theories as well as help develop and refine
theories. Thus, theoretical frameworks are a valuable
part of scientific research. The theoretical or
conceptual framework assists in the selection of the
study variables and in defining them.

13. Identify the Study Assumptions

Assumptions are beliefs that are held to be true, but
have not necessarily been proven. Assumptions are of
three types: universal assumptions, assumptions based
on theory or research findings, and common sense
assumptions that are necessary to carry out the study.

14. Acknowledge the Limitations of the
Study

The researcher should try to identify limitations or
weaknesses of their study in advance. Limitations are
uncontrolled variables that may affect study results
and limit the generalizability of the findings. In nearly
every research study, including nursing studies, there
are variables over which the researcher either has no
control or chooses not to exercise control. These
variables are called extraneous variables.

15. Formulate the Hypothesis

A researcher’s expectation about the results of a study
is expressed in a hypothesis. A hypothesis predicts the
relationship between two or more variables. The
hypothesis furnishes the predicted answer to the
research question. The hypothesis contains the
population and variables, just as does the research
question.

16. Define the Study Variables/Terms

The variables and terms contained in the study
hypothesis or research question need to be defined so
their meaning is clear to the researcher and to the
reader of a research report. Terms should be defined
both conceptually and operationally. A conceptual
definition is a dictionary definition or theoretical
definition of an abstract idea that is being studied by
the researcher. An operational definition indicates
how a variable will be observed or measured.
Operational definitions frequently include the
instrument that will be used to measure the variables.

17. Select the Research Design

The research design is the plan for how the study will be
conducted. It is concerned with the type of data that will be
collected and the means used to obtain these data. The
researcher chooses the design that is most appropriate to
test the study hypothesis or answer the research questions
Research designs can be categorized as quantitative or
qualitative. They also can be categorized as experimental or
non-experimental. Experimental designs can be further
divided into true experimental, quasi-experimental, and
pre-experimental designs. Non-experimental designs
include survey studies, correlational studies, comparative
studies, and methodological studies. In experimental
research, the investigator plays an active role and has more
control over the research situation than in a non-
experimental study.

18. Identify the Population

The population is a complete set of individuals or objects
that possess some common characteristic of interest to the
researcher. The researcher must specify the broad
population or group of interest as well as the actual
population that is available for the study. The first type of
population is identified as the target population, and the
second type is called the accessible population. The target
population, also called the universe, is made up of the
group of people or objects to which the researcher wishes
to generalize the findings of a study.

The accessible population is the group that is actually
available for study by the researcher. The term population
does not always mean that human beings will be studied. A
nurse researcher might study a population of charts or a
population of blood pressure readings.

19. Select the Sample

Although researchers are always interested in
populations, usually a subgroup of the population,
called a sample, is studied. The sample is chosen to
represent the population, and is used to make
generalizations about the population. Obtaining data
from an entire population is costly and time
consuming, and it may even be impossible, at times, to
contact or locate every member of a given population.

20. Conduct a Pilot Study

It is advisable to conduct a pilot study before the study
participants are approached and the actual study is
carried out. A pilot study involves a miniature trial
version of the planned study. People are selected for
the pilot study with similar characteristics to those of
the sample that will be used for the actual study.
Sometimes, doing a pilot study can prevent the
researcher from conducting a large-scale study that
might have little value. Pilot studies are smaller studies
that build the body of evidence to support a large
study.

21. Collect the Data

The data are the pieces of information or facts that are
collected in research. Although the data-collection step of
the research process may be very time consuming, it is
sometimes considered the most exciting part of research.
The variable or variables in a study must be measured. This
is carried out through the data-collection procedures. Data
collection should be a systematic process. These questions
must be answered.

Who will collect the data? When will the data be collected?
Where will the data be collected? What data will be
collected? How will the data be collected?

22. Organize the Data for Analysis

After the data are collected, it is necessary to organize
the data for tabulation and evaluation. This task can
be overwhelming at times. This step of the research
process should have been carefully planned, ideally
with a statistician, long before the data were collected.
The researcher should have prepared dummy tables
and graphs that could then be filled in with the data
once they are obtained.

23. Analyze the Data

This stage of the research process—analyzing the
data—may make some of you cringe, for you can
quickly ascertain that statistics may be involved. An
understanding of difficult mathematical principles is
not necessary to conduct research or evaluate research
results.

24. Interpret the Findings

After the data are analyzed, the findings should be
interpreted in light of the study hypothesis or research
question(s). If a hypothesis was tested, a
determination is made as to whether the data support
the research hypothesis. the researcher should discuss
any problems incurred in the course of the study or
any limitations of the design that may have influenced
the study results.

25. Communicate the Findings

This step of the research process may be the most
important one for nursing. No matter how significant
the findings may be, they are of little value to the
nursing profession if the researcher fails to
disseminate the results to other colleagues. Even
studies with non-significant findings should be
published so that other researchers know the question
was asked and studied.

26. Utilize the Findings

The researcher should take an active part in
implementing the findings of his or her study. The
researcher may not actually implement the findings,
but he or she can make recommendations about how
the findings could be integrated into nursing practice.

27. University of Mosul – College of Nursing
2019 -2020