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Brief  lecture &  e xercises  on how to begin the research  conceptualization  process Research Title  &  Problem Formulation to Statement of  Purpose of Research

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What outcomes do we expect from the participants after the exercises?

Participants can apply/practice the following:

state or express the  HOW  or   procedures  to  be  tackled  (or operationalized)   that determine the  properties  or nature of the thing/concepts specified, and explain the concepts'/factors'   connections  to other proposed concepts/factors

report on a topic  (the  WHAT  or focus of interest of a study)

State the reasons  WHY  identified  factors exist or probably exist and some reasons /purpose why a study is needed

formulate and state the research title , research problem or questions

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1. First, work on your topic.  Identify a topic  ( the  What ) which is  of interest to you. The topic chosen may hold a single concept /variable  or  more   that is /are  related to other concepts/variables.

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2. Second, work on the  HOW  aspect. What are the means to which you can show how the major concepts or variables can be measured or defined  operationally as  you channel this  definition   to the reasons why the  concepts  or  variables  exist  and  may be related to one another.

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[operational  definition is the articulation of operationalization (or statement of procedures) used in defining the terms of a process (or set of validation tests) needed to determine the nature of an item or phenomenon (a variable, term, or object) and its properties such as duration, quantity, extension in space. (Wikipedia )]

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3Third,  work on the possible reasons  WHY  relationships between concepts or variables possibly exists/occur, or may possibly be causally linked or simply connected.

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4. Fourth, formulate a research title. Recognize in mind the major problems to be worked out, the operationalized concepts and the purpose of the research you are aiming at.

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5 .  Fifth, formulate your research objectives or questions while recognizing in your mind the purpose of your study. The research purpose may follow after writing the research problems.

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For each Problem, identify the concepts or variables to be studied, For each Purpose, identify the research variables, the population and the setting.

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Problem   Because of the lack of norms (for changes in sleep patterns with age), nurses and patients tend to evaluate a hospitalized older person's sleep on the basis of sleep norms for younger adults.  Purpose  The purpose of this study was to determine the  nature (norm)  of sleep behaviors among hospitalized older persons of different ages.

Example: Writing the Research Problem and Purpose

General Topic: :  Sleep Patterns, Ageing Process

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General Topic :  Cardiac Response   Auditory   Stimulation Problem Some of the emotional difficulties   clinically associated with prematurity such as restlessness   irritability and lack of attentiveness, emotional liability, and uncontrolled anger,    may be the product of    under stimulation. The rationale is that premature infants in    SCBUs may fail to be responsive.   Purpose   The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in cardiac   responsiveness   between premature infants who were exposed to the mother's voice while hospitalized and premature infants who did not receive this variation of sensory input .                                                             Dr.Wafa   A.K.Abbas

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Group Activities                                                                    Working  on the What, How and Why Example 1 WHAT: The topic: Use of Mobile Phones and Cancer HOW: The mobile phone emits radiofrequency electromagnetic radio waves that lays potential risks for the development of cancer.  WHY: Long exposure to the radiofrequency electromagnetic waves e.g., by sleeping with an active phone nearby, allow the human body to absorb the energy from the device that emit the electromagnetic radiation thus giving a higher dosage of absorbed energy in the body which increases the risk factors  for cancer.

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Possible title: Risk Factors in Mobile Phone Practices Possible Research Problem: What types of mobile phone practices are associated   with  risks for cancer? Are  there significant interaction effects between length  of exposure ( to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation ) and presence of benign or malignant cell growth patterns?

Image result for images of mobile phones and electromagnetic radiation

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTR0gU4Oz18-45tMemWYeqetHe6wkR2XyY66KKqGDcCNov6mTuc1g

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Example 2 WHAT: Patterns of Cell Growth in Brain Tumors HOW: Distinguish benign versus malignant brain tumors through the cell growth patterns by observing possible complex growth patterns in vitro (or in- vivo or in- silico ) where invasive cells may be organizing tenuous branches. Growth patterns may also be characterized by inactivity after a certain growth period hence unable to affect adjoining healthy tissues.            WHY:       If cell growth patterns are invasive and are organizing tenuous branches    Glioblastoma   multiforme  (GBM) is suspected.

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Possible Title: Examining the presence of  Glioblastoma   Multiforme Possible  Research Problem: Is there a detectable presence of GBM in patients X,Y and Z?         Is there a 99% match in the cell growth patterns observed from X,Y,Z patients with those in  the  database of cells characterized with GBM disease.

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Example 3 WHAT:  Indicants of Ease and Threat in the Status of Global Arms-Race and War HOW: Using the Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock which starts  in   1947  to 2018, the dynamics of the interaction among world leaders are tracked  depicting the edgy turning point of a midnight crisis (of a possible outbreak of war). When the rate is  given  negative points, the clock hand points closest to midnight e.g. 7 minutes before 12 midnight). When the status of the crisis is eased or is positive, the clock hand is pointed farther away from midnight, say 15 minutes before midnight. The perceptions of threat or ease are rated by nuclear war scientists based on their perception of the highest or lowest possibility of meeting the catastrophe.

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By  Fastfission  15:00, 14 April 2008 (UTC) - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1575536

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The conflict between Russia and the United States (both have the highest war arsenals worldwide)  operates  on the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD). This “is a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender. It is based on the theory of deterrence, which holds that the threat of using strong weapons against the enemy prevents the enemy’s use of those same weapons. The strategy is a form of Nash equilibrium in which, once armed, neither side has any incentive to initiate a conflict or to disarm.”

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WHY: The dynamics of the interaction of world  events  at different points in history play crucial and significant roles in the observed turning points of ease or threat that generates the global crisis.  Some personality variables of world leaders and the aspirants, the US’ leadership role and commitment to the MAD doctrine (being a superpower), may contribute to the dynamics and status of war or world peace.

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Possible Title: The Dynamic Interplay of  Event  Variables, World Leadership, commitment to MAD doctrine and the Nuclear War Threat

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Possible Research Problem: Do  world events, personality  variables and leadership of world leaders and their commitment to the MAD doctrine form part in the dynamics of easing or exacerbating the Nuclear War Threat?

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LCD, Laptops, Room with tables for students to work on

Groupwork Rubric Group Presentation Rubric

Brief lecture & exercises on how to begin the research conceptualization process
Research Title & Problem Formulation to Statement of  Purpose of Research

Brief lecture & exercises on how to begin the research conceptualization process Research Title & Problem Formulation to Statement of Purpose of Research