how to write an effective research proposal

WRITING A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROPOSAL WRITING A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROPOSAL

The first step for being a researcherThe first step for being a researcher

Continuing Education Learning ProgramContinuing Education Learning Program

UST Hospital LaboratoryUST Hospital Laboratory

Salah AdlatSalah Adlat

Research proposalResearch proposal

RFP ( Request for proposal )

Investigator initiate proposal

Overall Quality of the Study Overall Quality of the Study

∗ Good research question ∗ Appropriate research design ∗ Feasible methods ∗ Qualified research team

Quality of the Proposal Quality of the Proposal

Informative title Clear research questions Scholarly and pertinent background and

rationale Relevant previous work Appropriate population and sample

Quality of the Proposal Quality of the Proposal Appropriate measurement and intervention

methods Adequate sample size Sound analysis plan Ethical issues well addressed Tight budget Realistic timetable Identify strengths and limitations

Before we startBefore we start Identifying a research question to be

answered.

Research protocol.

(Carefully read over the guidelines of whatever agency you are submitting it to).

Research proposal…Research proposal…WhyWhy?? Purpose of a proposal: Help you to focus and define your

research plans. An indication to your direction and

discipline as a researcher. Help you to prepare your application

to the Ethics Committee.

Why?Why? Research proposals must address

the following questions:

- - WhatWhat you plan to accomplish? you plan to accomplish?

- - WhyWhy you want to do it? you want to do it?

- - How How you are going to do it?you are going to do it?

Research proposal “contents”

Introduction and literature review

Research Question

Objectives

Hypothesis statement

Study Design &Setting

ResearchInstruments

Sampling Design and size

Data processing

ProposedChaptersof report

FINER

Variables definition OutcomePredictor

Literaturereview

Research design:functions

Theoretical and conceptual frame

SimpleSpecificIn advance

Validity and reliability of the research tools

Sampling theory and designs

Problems and limitations

Methods of dataProcessing: computers and statistics

Principles of Scientific writing

Budget

Title/Topic

Ethical issues

Time frame

I-TitleI-Title

Concise. Informative Succinct Interesting

Example

1. Preoperative Anxiety (too brief).

2. The effects of a counseling program by nurses on preoperative anxiety in children undergoing tonsillectomy.

(concise but gives sufficient information).

II- Introduction II- Introduction ( ( Background and SignificanceBackground and Significance) )

A. What’s knownB. What’s unknown C. limitations and gaps in previous

studies

II- Introduction II- Introduction ( Background and Significance) ( Background and Significance)

The introduction typically begins with A. a general statement of the problem

area, withB. a focus on a specific research problem,

to be followed by C. the rationale or justification for the

proposed study.

Local

Global

Focal

Why this topic is important from the global contextWhat is known about in terms of:Burden, morbidity, mortality, costs and preventability

On the country level what is the situation and what attributes are there Findings of the previous research and their limitations

You approach how will be different, overcoming the previous flawsYour findings will serve in decreasing morbidity, mortality, costs, provide baseline data etc.,

Significance of your researchThe problem statementRationale

The introduction generally The introduction generally covers the following elements:covers the following elements:

A good introduction has the following elements: (a) A general description and the background of the

problem to be researched; (b) Relevant factors influencing the research

problem;(c) Present the rationale of study and clearly

indicate why it is worth doing. State your hypothesis, if any.

III- Research question: III- Research question: Characteristics of a good research question ““FINERFINER Criteria”.Criteria”.

FeasibleFeasible

InterestingInteresting

Novel Novel

EthicalEthical

Relevant Relevant

Adequate number of subjects.Adequate technical expertiseAffordable in time and money

Manageable in scope

To the investigator

Confirms or refuses previous findingsExtends previous findings

Provides new findings

To scientific knowledgeTo clinical and health policyTo future research directions

Sometimes the literature review is incorporated into the introduction section.

IV-Literature IV-Literature Review:Review:

Literature reviewLiterature review

Thorough, complete and up to date Logical Original research Primary sources Focus on original research and systematic reviews

Identify any gaps in existing knowledge

Organize your literature review

Subheadings to bring order and coherence.

Keep in mind that you are telling a story.

Objectives

Sub-objectivesSub-objectives: Tackling only one concept and could be numbered.

o Main and subobjectives should formulated using ACTION words (to assess, to measure, to ascertain, to explore etc., )

o Wording determine your research design o Objectives should be clear, complete, no place

for ambiguity, difficulty in communication or reflecting the research idea.

Objectives “characteristics”Objectives “characteristics”

Clear

Complete

Specific

Identify theMain variables to be correlated

Identify the direction of the

relationship+ + + +

Descriptive studies

Correlation studies (experimental and non experimental)

Hypothesis-testing studies

V- Research methods :V- Research methods : Materials and Methods Overview:• Be complete, but minimize complexity!1. Break into smaller sections with subheads

2. Cite a reference for commonly used methods

3. Display in a flow diagram where possible

(Be precise and accurate)(Be precise and accurate)

Elements of the Method Elements of the Method SectionSection

1. Research design:The overall plan for obtaining an answer to

the research question or for testing the research hypothesis.

Did the investigator assign exposure “intervention?”

Experimental study Observational study

Random allocation? Comparison group?

Yes No

Randomized Controlled Trial RCT

Non-RandomizedControlled trial

NoYes

Analytical study

Direction?

Descriptive study

Yes No

Cohort study

Case-controlstudy Cross-sectional

study

Exposure and outcome at the same time

Exposure ←outcomeExposure →outcome

Research designs (II)

Case reportCase series

Ecological

Example:Example: Does the administration of analgesic by

nurses vs. by patients themselves affect pain intensity during postoperative recovery in older adults?

Methods Methods This will be a two-group randomized clinical trial.

2. SUBJECTS2. SUBJECTS

Who will be studied? Who will be studied?

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

Example: All patients undergoing elective orthopedic Example: All patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery of the knee, ankle or shoulder at UST Hospital. surgery of the knee, ankle or shoulder at UST Hospital.

Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion Criteria: Age > 18 Able to understand instructions Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion Criteria: Allergy to study medications Drug/alcohol dependence Surgery completed after 2000H Refuse to give informed consent

How will they be selected How will they be selected

3. Sampling: 3. Sampling: the process of selecting a portion of the population to represent the entire population of interest (target population). Types of Sampling:Types of Sampling:1. Probability2. Nonprobability

For clinical studies:For clinical studies:

1. Study design

2. Setting

3. Patients/subjects

4. Interventions or predictors (independent variables)

5. Primary outcome (dependent variable)

6. Secondary outcomes

7. Statistical analysis

8. Sample size and power calculations, if available

MethodsMethods

Subsections for a clinical study: Study designStudy design

randomized trial, prospective cohort, case-control, case-series etc. SettingSetting

clinic, hospital, or general population locations ParticipantsParticipants

eligibility criteria (inclusion, exclusion) Independent variables Independent variables

how were predictors measured or interventions assigned and administered? Primary outcomesPrimary outcomes

case definitions/measurement Secondary outcomesSecondary outcomes

MethodsMethods

Methods of data collectionMethods of data collection

Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

Documents

oGovt publicationsoEarlier researchoCensusoPersonal recordsoClient historiesoService records

Observation

Participant

Non-participant

Interviewing

Structured

Unstructured

Questionnaire

Mailed

Collective

Animals/Lab.

Summary: For quantitative studies, the method section typically consists:

Design: What kind of design do you choose? Subjects or participants: Who will take part in your study ? What kind of sampling procedure do you use? Instruments: What kind of measuring instruments do you use? Why do you choose them? Are they valid and reliable? Procedure: How do you plan to carry out your study? What activities are involved? How long will it take?

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VI- Statistical analysisVI- Statistical analysis How sample size was determined

Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 21.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, U.S.A). For categorical data, frequency, proportions and percentage were used for reporting, Chi square were used for comparison.

The data were reported using the mean percentage and the range. For continuous data mean, standard deviation, and median were used to express the results, t-test and Mann Whitney test were used for comparison.

P value of ≤ 0.05 was considered significant.

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IX- References

Research questionsSignificance (background)Design time frame epidemiologic approachSubjects selection criteria sampling designVariables predictor variables confounding outcome variablesStatistical issues hypotheses sample size analytic approach

What questions will the study address?Why are these questions important?How is the study structured?

Who are the subjects and how will they be selected?

What measurements will be made?

How large is the study and how will it be analyzed?

Elements of protocol Purpose

Research proposal “contents”

Introduction and literature review

Research Question Objectives

Hypothesis statement

Study Design &Setting

ResearchInstruments

Sampling Design and size

Data processing

ProposedChaptersof report

FINER

Variables definition OutcomePredictor

Literaturereview

Research design:functions

Theoretical and conceptual frame

SimpleSpecificIn advance

Validity and reliability of the research tools

Sampling theory and designs

Problems and limitations

Methods of dataProcessing: computers and statistics

Principles of Scientific writing

Budget

Title/Topic

Ethical issues

Time frame

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