Research Process

• In experimental research, researchers actively intervene or introduce a treatment, whereas in nonexperimental research, re searchers make observations of existing situa tions and characteristics without intervening.
• Grounded theory seeks to describe and under stand key social psychological and structural processes that occur in a social setting.
• Phenomenology is concerned with the lived experiences of humans and is an approach to thinking about what the life experiences of peo ple are like.
• Ethnography provides a framework for study ing the meanings, patterns, and experiences of a defined cultural group in a holistic fashion.
• The main phases and steps in a quantitative study are the conceptual, planning, empirical, analytic, and dissemination phases.
• The conceptual phase involves (1) defining the problem to be studied; (2) doing a literature re view; (3) engaging in clinical fieldwork for clinical studies; (4) developing a framework and conceptual definitions; and (5) formulating hy potheses to be tested.
• The planning phase entails (6) selecting a re search design; (7) developing intervention protocols if the study is experimental; (8) spec ifying the population; (9) developing a sam pling plan; (10) specifying methods to measure the research variables, through such approaches as self-report, observation, or the use of biophysiologic methods; (11) undertaking steps to safeguard the rights of subjects; and (12) finalizing the research plan, by conferring with colleagues, pretesting instruments, and, in some cases, conducting a pilot study.
• The empirical phase involves (13) collecting data; and (14) preparing data for analysis.
• The analytic phase involves (15) analyzing data through statistical analysis; and (16) interpret ing the results.
• The dissemination phase entails (17) commu nicating the findings through the preparation of research reports that can be presented orally or published in written form, most often as jour nal articles; and (18) efforts to promote the use of the study evidence in nursing practice.
• Early analysis leads to refinements in sampling and data collection, until saturation (redun dancy of information) is achieved.