Novel research questions
The "N" in FINER means generating new evidence for the current empirical literature
In regards to asking a novel research question with the FINER framework, ask what "gap" in the existing literature will your research question fill? Novel research questions generate new and compelling clinical evidence that serves the needs of patient populations. In order to fill a "gap" in the existing literature, the researcher must master the literature to know what has been done in the past.
Asking novel research questions does not mean that researchers cannot replicate, verbatim, the methods of previously published studies! Without a doubt, using the methods of researchers who have an article published in a top-tier journal is a very smart decision. Also, the findings of published studies are supposed to be tested in different populations and different situations in order to generate more validity for the clinical evidence. Validating the findings of published studies is a great way to ask novel research questions with the FINER framework!
Another option for writing novel research questions is for researchers to measure for different predictor, confounding, clinical, etiological, demographic, or outcome variables that have not been assessed in the current literature.
Secondary, tertiary, and ancillary questions also play a role in meeting "N" criteria for the FINER framework. Novel research questions can come from finding various demographic, clinical, confounding, and prognostic variables in the existing literature and adding them to a research study.
Asking novel research questions does not mean that researchers cannot replicate, verbatim, the methods of previously published studies! Without a doubt, using the methods of researchers who have an article published in a top-tier journal is a very smart decision. Also, the findings of published studies are supposed to be tested in different populations and different situations in order to generate more validity for the clinical evidence. Validating the findings of published studies is a great way to ask novel research questions with the FINER framework!
Another option for writing novel research questions is for researchers to measure for different predictor, confounding, clinical, etiological, demographic, or outcome variables that have not been assessed in the current literature.
Secondary, tertiary, and ancillary questions also play a role in meeting "N" criteria for the FINER framework. Novel research questions can come from finding various demographic, clinical, confounding, and prognostic variables in the existing literature and adding them to a research study.
Novel research questions and FINER
Here are some questions to answer when writing novel research questions with FINER.
- Do you have a strong mastery of the current literature in the area of interest?
- Has the research question been answered before, but not with your patient population?
- Have you examined the discussion and implications sections of published articles?
- Are you using more rigorous research designs to improve upon the level of evidence that exists in the literature?
- Are you using more precise and/or accurate predictor, confounding, or outcome variables than what has been published in the literature?
- Do you believe that the study will make a meaningful contribution to the literature?
Click on the Ethical Research Questions button to continue working through the FINER framework.
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