This document contains slides from several proposal development workshops conducted by Ashok Pandey of the Policy Research Institute in Nepal. The slides provide guidance on developing research ideas and formulating research questions. Some key points include: developing enthusiasm for your research idea; getting feedback from others; assessing feasibility; being open, curious and willing to take risks as attributes of creative researchers; and using criteria like feasibility, interest, novelty, ethics and relevance to evaluate potential research topics. The document also provides examples of different levels of research questions and the PICOT framework for formulating good research questions.

1. Ashok Pandey
Associate Research Fellow
Policy Research Institute
https://pri.gov.np/our_team/ashok-pandey/
Proposal Development Workshop 1

2. Research Idea Generation and
Research Question Formulation

3. Research Grant/Funding
1. How many research grant have you apply?
2. How much research grant have you got from
donor/funder?
3. List out the National and International
grant/donor?
Proposal Development Workshop 3

4. World Report Grant Amount_2019

8. What is Idea?
• A thought or collection of thoughts that generate in
the mind.
• Usually generated with intent, but can also be
created unintentionally.
• Is an opinion or belief
• Are fragile.
• Consists of concrete steps that shuttle raw ideas
toward maturation.
Proposal Development Workshop 8

9. Example:
Research Ideas
GISWatch 2016 aims to unpack the relationship between
Economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs) and the internet.
This will be done through documenting country-level stories that
serve as practical and lively examples of how the internet is being
used – or could be used – to realise these important human rights,
or that illustrate the relationship between the internet and ESCRs.
We are looking for potential authors who can conduct research in
their countries, with the assistance of a common framework to be
used by all.
https://giswatch.org/en/country-report/economic-social-and-cultural-rights-escrs/nepal
Proposal Development Workshop 9

10. Proposal Development Workshop 10

11. https://giswatch.org/en/country-report/economic-social-and-cultural-rights-escrs/nepal
Proposal Development Workshop 11

12. Drivers shouldn’t work more than eight hours a Day
The Kathmandu Post
Nepal’s Labour Act has clearly fixed working hours at
48 hours a week (eight hours a day). However, this
law is not strictly implemented. There are different
reasons for violations owing to the poor economic
condition of many people and the country’s high
unemployment rate, among others. This violation in
working hours is most common among public bus
drivers. Among 10 Kathmandu bus drivers surveyed,
all of them claimed to be on wheels at least 12 hours
everyday.
Driving a bus is a high-risk occupation. Therefore, in
developed countries like Germany, France and
Holland, bus drivers work eight hours a day and 40
hours a week. During the working day, breaks are
provided in between two consecutive periods of
driving, for food and drink, relaxation and socializing.
Studies attribute 16–19 percent of total road accidents
to fatigue and sleepiness.
Driving is also stressful
work. It can cause
numerous health problems,
including musculoskeletal
problems of the back, neck,
shoulders and knees,
psychological problems like
fatigue, tension and mental
overload, stomach and
intestinal disorders and
sleeping problems. When
drivers are not physically
and mentally fit, traffic
accidents are certain to
happen.
Proposal Development Workshop 12

13. Recent grant
https://publichealthupdate.com/call-for-applications-bmj-global-health-
grant/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
Proposal Development Workshop 13

14. First Step for Idea Generation
By far the most important thing is to
be enthusiastic
If you do not seem excited by your idea, why
should others be?
Enthusiasm makes people dramatically more receptive
Proposal Development Workshop 14

15. The greatest ideas are worthless if you keep
them to yourself
Crystallize your ideas in writing
Ideas are personal
Ideas once fixed, communicate them to others with
confidence and trust
Get feedback
Build relationships
Second Step for Idea Generation
Proposal Development Workshop 15

16. Feasibility of Ideas need to be assessed
The role of the idea-receiver to assess the feasibility
of the idea.
The idea-receiver should be transparent about the
evaluative process. This extends the confidence of
the idea-sharer.
Third Step for Idea Generation
Proposal Development Workshop 16

17. Attributes of the Creative Person
• Openness to experience
• Observance – seeing things differently
• Curiosity
• Personal freedom
• Willingness to take calculated risks
• Freedom from fear of failure
Proposal Development Workshop 17

18. Number ONE Requirement…
• You need to have an imaginative mind
• You need a Questioning attitude
• Wonder why?
Proposal Development Workshop 18

19. Sources of Ideas
• Reviewing the Literature
• Intuition
• Discussions and Brainstorming with Colleagues
• District level Meetings and Seminars
• Observing
• Monitoring the Data
• Day-to-day Experience
Proposal Development Workshop 19

20. Variation within 7 provinces
(Under 5 Children stunting %)
NDHS
2016
Proposal Development Workshop 20

21. Variation within 7 provinces
( Under 5 children Stunted)
Province 1
33%
Province 3
29%
Gandaki
29%
Karnali
55%
Sudur
Paschim
36%
Province 5
39%
Province 2
37%
Nepal:
36%
Source: NDHS 2016
Targets
NHSS: 2020 31
SDG: 2030 19
At or Below 2020 target
At or Lower than national average
Higher than national average
Highest among the 7 Provinces
Proposal Development Workshop 21

22. Are these Researchable?
Once an idea is developed, how do we decide if it
is “researchable”?
• Existing evidence (local, national)
• Should pass the “so what” test.
– Magnitude / Importance (local, national)
– Priority
• Should be feasible
• Ethical Issues
Proposal Development Workshop 22

23. Research Ideas: Think About Resources
Time, Facilities & Funding
– How much time will you be able to devote to research?
– What library facilities have you access to?
– What are they funding this year?
People
– Have you access to a person, unit or department with a
specific research interest?
Available Data / Information
– Do you have access to information already collected which
could be the basis for your project?
– Dig where you stand.
Proposal Development Workshop 23

24. Research Questions Formulation

25. Guidelines for writing research questions
• Start with a simple question
• Action-oriented
• The way you ask a question determines how you
will answer it
Proposal Development Workshop 25

26. Levels of Questions
• Level I
– Little to no literature is available on the topic and the
purpose is to describe what is found as it exists naturally.
– It may lead to exploration and result in a complete
description of the topic.
– Examples:
• What are the characteristics of disease X infected
patients?
• What about the situation of X infection in general
population?
• What are the factors responsible to cause disease X?
Proposal Development Workshop 26

27. Levels of Questions
• Level II
– There is knowledge about the topic but relationships
among the variables are not well known.
– It may build on the results of level I studies, and look for
relationships between the variables.
– Examples:
• Are certain factors associated with the X infection
among females of particular province?,
• Is there gender difference in having X infection?
• What is the relationship between condom use and HIV
infection among male patients?
Proposal Development Workshop 27

28. Levels of Questions
• Level III
– There is a great deal of knowledge about the topic and the
purpose of the study is to test the theory through direct
manipulation of the variables.
– It builds on the results of previous research and lead to
interventional designs.
–
– Examples:
• Which of two drugs give better results in increasing CD4
counts among AIDS patients?,
• What is the effect of a particular strategy/intervention in
lowering HIV infection among most at risk population?
Proposal Development Workshop 28

29. Criteria for Good Research Question
• Feasible
• Interesting
• Novel
• Ethical
• Relevant
- Adequate number of participants
- Adequate technical expertise
- Affordable in time & money
- Manageable in scope
- To investigator, peers and community
- To your institution
- Original study
- Confirms, refutes or extends previous findings
- Agreeable to a study that IRC will approve
- To scientific knowledge
- To clinical and health policy
- To future research directions
Can J Surg, Vol 53, No. 4, August 2010, Page 279
Proposal Development Workshop 29

30. PICOT Criteria
• Population
• Intervention
• Comparison group
• Outcome of Interest
• Time
- What specific population are you
interested in?
- What is your investigational Intervention?
- What do you intend to accomplish,
measure, improve or affect?
- What is the appropriate follow-up time
to assess outcome?
Can J Surg, Vol 53, No. 4, August 2010, Page 279
-What is the main alternative
to compare with the intervention
Proposal Development Workshop 30

31. Examples

32. Specific Questions
Directors at province level:
• Why is neonatal mortality in certain provinces much higher
than in other provinces?
Hospital directors:
• Why do we have such a high rate of complications during
child birth?
• Are the first-line services available and adequate?
• Are our own services adequate?
• Are mothers coming late for delivery and, if so, why?
Managers at village level:
• How can we assist women with little or no education so that
they can effectively recognize the symptoms of pneumonia
and go in time to the health center with their children?
Proposal Development Workshop 32

33. Some Research Questions
Are sufficient supplies of appropriate drugs
available to treat patients?
Are all laboratory facilities available for effective
diagnosis?
To what extent does the utilization of health
services vary according to income, gender, and
distance from health facilities?
How do service utilization rates vary across
geographic regions/provinces and urban/rural
locations? Proposal Development Workshop 33

34. Research Questions for Essential Health Care Services (EHCS)
1. Accessibility
2. Comprehensiveness
3. Appropriateness
4. Acceptability
5. Coverage/availability
6. Adherence
7. Continuity
8. Staff attitude
9. Effectiveness
10. Efficiency
11. Cost
12. Equity
1. What are the barriers - geographical, financial, social and
physical - to access to EHCS ?
2. Do the EHCS cater for those who are also need curative care?
3. Are the educational messages around EHCS understandable to
the people from a particular community?
4. Does the EHCS provided match the expectations of patients?
5. What percentage of institution provide EHCS? What percentage
of people utilize EHCS?
6. What percentage of patients complete their treatment –
specific treatment?
7. Do the same patients see the same health care worker over the
duration of their treatment?
8. Are patients treated with dignity and respect?
9. How well does the EHCS work to address illness?
10. Are the staff delivering EHCS seeing the appropriate number of
patients per day?
11. What are the costs involved in providing EHCS?
12. Are the EHCS similar for all patients who needed them?
Proposal Development Workshop 34

35. Any
Questions
Lets
Discuss
Proposal Development Workshop 35