title: Research fundamentals: II. Choosing and defining a research question.
abstract: This is the second in a series of articles developed by members of the SAEM Research Committee to describe a stepwise approach to the research process. This series is aimed at junior academic emergency physicians (EPs), as well as nonacademic EPs with an interest in the research process. This article describes the development of a testable research hypothesis. While a multitude of sources provide interesting questions for consideration, choosing and refining the research question, so that it can be tested adequately and answered completely, are difficult tasks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, USA. kwiatkow@lij.edu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kwiatkowski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D004635:Emergency Medicine; D012106:Research