Pillar II: Exemplary Research and Innovation, PhD vertical Manipal College of Nursing (MCON), MAHE, Manipal, organized a one-day workshop on “Development of Research Tool” on June 6, 2025, at the Interprofessional Advanced Wound Care Centre, V Floor, MCON, from 9.00 AM to 4:30 PM. The workshop was conducted via hybrid mode, with full-time PhD scholars and faculty members attending onsite and part-time scholars joining online. The event was planned to enhance the research competencies of PhD scholars and faculty members, focusing on the conceptualization, development, and validation of research tools.
The workshop commenced with a welcome address and overview of the workshop by Ms. Effienia Daroibha Wahlang, PhD Scholar, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, MCON, Manipal. She introduced the purpose of the workshop and welcomed the participants, emphasizing the importance of robust research tools in ensuring the credibility and reliability of research outcomes.
The first session, “Overview of Data Collection Tools”, was delivered by Dr. Tessy Treesa Jose, Professor & Associate Dean, MCON, MAHE, Manipal. She provided a comprehensive introduction to various types of data collection tools, emphasizing their significance in nursing and health sciences research. She discussed the criteria for selecting appropriate tools based on research objectives, study design, and population characteristics. She also highlighted the importance of aligning tools with theoretical frameworks to ensure conceptual clarity and relevance.
This was followed by a session on “Questionnaire Conceptualization” by Dr. Sushmitha R. Karkada, Associate Professor, Department of OBG Nursing, MCON, MAHE. Dr. Karkada elaborated on the theoretical and practical aspects of designing effective questionnaires. She explained the process of identifying constructs, formulating items, and provided helpful tips to remember while designing a questionnaire. The session also included examples of well-constructed questionnaires and common pitfalls to avoid during development.
After a short break, Mr. Renjulal Yesodharan, Assistant Professor (Senior Scale), Department of Mental Health Nursing, MCON, MAHE, conducted a session on “Item Analysis”. He explained the statistical techniques used to evaluate the quality of individual items in a tool, such as item difficulty, discrimination index, and distractor efficiency. He also engaged the participants in a hands-on activity for practical calculation of the concepts.
Following that, a session on “Establishing the Validity of the Tool” was led by Dr. Sonia R.B. D’Souza, Professor & Head, Department of OBG Nursing, MCON, MAHE. She discussed various types of validity and methods to ensure that a tool accurately measures what it is intended to. Dr. D’Souza also shared insights into expert validation processes and the use of statistical methods like factor analysis to support construct validity.
Post-lunch, Dr. Shalini Ganesh Nayak, Assistant Professor (Senior Scale), Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, MCON, MAHE, presented on “Establishing the Reliability of the Tool”. She highlighted the importance of consistency in research instruments and explained different reliability measures such as test-retest, inter-rater, and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha). Her session included practical tips for conducting reliability testing and interpreting results.
The penultimate session on “Factor Analysis” was conducted by Dr. Vani Lakshmi R, Assistant Professor (Senior Scale) and In-charge HOD, Health Technology and Informatics, PSPH, MAHE. She provided insights into exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, explaining how these techniques help identify underlying relationships between measured variables. Dr. Vani also demonstrated the use of various infographics for sharing factor analysis results, making the session highly practical and engaging.
The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. E Binu Margaret, who appreciated the contributions of all resource persons, participants, and organizing members.
A total of 80 participants attended the workshop, with 65 participants joining online on MS Teams. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, with participants appreciating the depth of content, clarity of presentations, and the opportunity to interact with experienced faculty. The hybrid format enabled broader participation and engagement.
The workshop was coordinated by Dr Binu Maragret, Assistant. Professor Selection Grade, MCON, MAHE, Manipal, and PhD scholar Ms. Meghana Pandit and Ms. Effinia. The program was compered by Ms. Effinia. This workshop aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, by encouraging research excellence and capacity building among scholars and faculty.
