Formulating a Research Question as a Hypothesis
As a researcher, you have to consider multiple factors when formulating a research question or hypothesis. Throughout your clinical rotations, you may have been able to observe current interventions or procedures that differ from what you have read in your textbooks or are being taught in this program. This is a dilemma because of the time it takes to translate research into practice. In practice, you might have developed clinical questions comparing the effectiveness or usefulness of certain interventions/treatments to another or a gold standard. Think of a time during your most recent clinical rotation and apply your knowledge of research questions and hypotheses from reading the assigned chapters. Respond to the questions that follow.
- Formulate a clinical research question (e.g. handwashing, patient rounding, prevention of spread of COVID19, etc.).
- Describe how a researcher will test this question.
- Then formulate that research question as a hypothesis.
- As a researcher, how will you know whether the hypothesis is testable?