Which of the following represents a concise, clear statement of the specific goal or aim of a research study?
a. The research problem was identified as the general area of ignorance surrounding the causation and diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis, especially among soldiers in uniform, and this constituted a significant gap in the literature.
b. The purpose of the project, then, was to define changes in the variable of hypertension across time, with the four most prevalent treatment modalities prescribed by primary care physicians in the greater Chicago area.
c. The phenomenon of depression experienced by the primary schoolchild was focused upon in this study. It is an under-researched topic, especially since recent research has identified correlational links with childhood obesity, especially Hispanic and African-American populations.
d. Despite the fact that studying the disease, especially from standpoints of prevention and early detection, is costly and time-consuming, it represents a clear priority, since treatment itself is remarkably costly and the afflicted are not likely to experience even short remissions without early intervention.
Question 2
What is the relationship between a research topic and a research problem?
a. The purpose is the most general statement; the research topic is the most specific to the research itself.
b. Research topics contain numerous potential research problems, and each problem provides the basis for developing many purposes.
c. The research topic and the research problem are identical.
d. The research topic specifies setting and population, but the problem does not.