Evidence Based Research- Final Tes Practice questions

What are the three main ethical principles guiding research?

1) autonomy (self-determination) 2) beneficence 3) justice

What are 3 main types of reliability?

1) test-retest (stability) 2) interrater (equivalence) 3) internal consistency (homogeneity)

What is the best way to reduce sampling error? a. Increase sample size b. Use a valid instrument c. Decrease sample size d. Use of reverse scoring of items

a. Increase sample size

Narrative integrated review of qualitative studies is called a: a. Meta-synthesis b. Moral complexity c. Meta - analysis d. Moral indifference

a. Meta-synthesis

What kind of question, " What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear......" a. Open-ended b. Contrast c. Close-ended d. Probing

a. Open-ended

What type of research design does the following diagram represent? Subject assignment Measurement Treatment Measurement R O1 X O2 R O1 O2 a. Pre-test/post-test control group b. Solomon four-group design c. Factorial design d. Time series

a. Pre-test/post-test control group

Which is vulnerable population? a. Pregnant women b. Healthy elderly person c. Middle age men in office d. Women during a healthy visit

a. Pregnant women

What are the four elements of a power analysis? Name the default values for the three values used in determining sample size?

1. sample size 2. power of .80 3. alpha level of .05 4. effect size (medium is default)

Identify the level of measurement for the following variables as A for categorical data or B for scale data. ______ Type of discharge instructions (printed, video, in-person) _____ Total dose of pain medicine (in mg) per 24-hr period ______ Marital status (single, married/cohabitation, divorced/separated, widowed) ______ Years since initial diagnosis of type 2 DM

A, B, A, B

A researcher sets the alpha level at .10 at the start of the study. What does using this alpha level do to the overall power of the study? A. The power of the study is increased. B. The power of the study is decreased.

A. The power of the study is increased.

What is an audit trail?

An audit trail is a transparent description of the research steps taken from the start of a research project to the development and reporting of findings.

What range of scores should the researcher report if he wanted to represent 95% of the scores of the distribution? A. +/- 1 SD B. +/- 2 SD C. +/- 3 SD D. Variance

B. +/- 2 SD

How do you know you have enough participants in a qualitative study?

Data saturation or redundancy

When choosing the statistical test, what should the researcher consider as the level of measurement for his dependent variable when he decides to collapse the individual weights (in pounds) of his subjects into the following groups: normal weight, overweight, obese? A. Scale data (measured as the variable's original data) B. Categorical data (grouped together for clinical meaning)

B. Categorical data (grouped together for clinical meaning)

What effect should the researcher expect an intervention with a very large effect size to have on recruiting subjects for the study sample? A. More subjects will be needed. B. Fewer subjects will be needed.

B. Fewer subjects will be needed.

Which value of central tendency should the researcher report when the data collected is very skewed toward higher values? A. Mean B. Median C. Range D. Standard deviation

B. Median

A bivariate correlation is studied and Pearson's r = .87. What is true about this finding? A. The findings are not statistically significant; accept the null. B. There is a strong direct inverse relationship between the variables. C. The x variable caused a significant difference in the value of y variable. D. The two variables were measured at categorical level of data.

B. There is a strong direct inverse relationship between the variables. There is no correct option as given. Option B should have said direct instead of inverse.

Systematic error introduced into sampling.

Bias

Which of the following hypotheses is an example of the statistical hypothesis? A. The Quality of Life scores of spousal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease are lower than the Quality of Life scores of spousal caregivers of persons following stroke. B. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression scores will be higher for women who had a complicated delivery than for those women who experienced delivery without complications. C. There is no difference in the functional activity scores of persons with COPD who take part in a pulmonary rehabilitation video program and persons with COPD who receive usual pulmonary discharge teaching. D. Agitation scores of persons with dementia residing in a LTC facility where they are exposed to continual relaxing environmental music will be different than the agitations scores of persons residing in LTC who receive usual environmental noise.

C. There is no difference in the functional activity scores of persons with COPD who take part in a pulmonary rehabilitation video program and persons with COPD who receive usual pulmonary discharge teaching.

In a chi-square analysis of data presented in a 2 X 3 crosstabulations table, what is known about the variables? A. The variables are both measured at interval/ratio level. B. There are 6 variables that are under study. C. Two variables - one with 2 levels, the other with 3 levels. D. They are both normally distributed in the general population

C. Two variables - one with 2 levels, the other with 3 levels.

What are the terms used in qualitative data analysis to indicate attempts for ensuring rigor and establishing trustworthiness in the data?

Credibility, dependability, transferability, confirmability

For which of the following questions would a chi-square test be appropriate? A. Is there a statistically significant difference in the mean birthweight of 50 infants who need mechanical ventilatory support at birth and the mean birthweight of 50 infants who do not need mechanical ventilatory support? B. Is there a relationship between age (in years) and weight (in pounds)? C. Is there a difference in the mean scores on a knowledge of asthma symptoms test between a group of students who attend an asthma workshop and those who do not attend? D. Is there a relationship between a person's type of insurance (private/public) and self-reported use of preventive health services (yes/no)?

D. Is there a relationship between a person's type of insurance (private/public) and self-reported use of preventive health services (yes/no)? (both are categorical)

A researcher is testing the effect of adequate sleep compared to diminished sleep on the quality of life of persons undergoing outpatient chemotherapy. She divides the subjects into two groups based on a cut-off score using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. She then follows the two groups at intervals of time at 1week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after starting chemotherapy. What is the correct statistical test? A. Independent t-test B. Dependent t-test C. ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) D. Mixed measures ANOVA

D. Mixed measures ANOVA

What would be the correct decision for a researcher to make if her study results revealed a p value of .003 (alpha was set at .05)/ A. Accept the null hypothesis; findings are statistically significant. B. Reject the null hypothesis; findings are not statistically significant. C. Accept the null hypothesis; findings are not statistically significant. D. Reject the null hypothesis, since the calculated p value is less than .05.

D. Reject the null hypothesis, since the calculated p value is less than .05.

The researcher reports the following information in a memo: The mean number of days between discharge and re-hospitalization for patients with HF was 28 (4.2). What does the value (4.2) represent? A. Median B. Degrees of freedom C. Range D. Standard deviation

D. Standard deviation

A t-test is used to analyze the length of stay (in days) for patients with arthritis who are undergoing surgery for knee replacement. One group receives general anesthesia and the other group receives regional nerve block anesthesia. What is the test variable? A. type of anesthesia B. knee replacement surgery C. patients with arthritis D. length of stay (in days)

D. length of stay (in days)

Bits of information obtained from a research study.

Data

Explain the term inferential statistics. What are some assumptions of using inferential statistics?

Inferential statistics allow the researcher to infer the results of the sample (data is collected on this group) to the entire population. Inferential statistics are based on the variable being normally distributed.

Subgroup of a population chosen to participate in a particular study.

Sample

What is the benefit of a focus group?

Sharing of common experiences among the group members will help researcher obtain more in-depth, richer data than if individual interviews took place

Name 3 groups considered vulnerable in research.

Terminally ill, prisoners, people with mental or cognitive impairment, pregnant women, children

In a pre-test post-test control group design, which set of scores is examined to test the study hypothesis that the scores of those receiving the intervention are different than the scores of those not receiving the intervention?

The post-test scores test the hypothesis

In a pre-test post-test control group design, why does the researcher want the pre-test scores to show no statistical significance? What does it help establish if the null is accepted for the pre-test score analysis?

This will show that the groups are equivalent at the start of the study on the measured variable; if there is a change (a difference is found in the post-test scores), then there is added validity to the change being due to the treatment

What is meant by the term "triangulation"? What types of triangulation are commonly used in research?

Two different approaches are used in the same study to reach the truth; common triangulation types include method triangulation, source triangulation, researcher triangulation (less common is theory triangulation)

When does a researcher need to obtain assent in addition to informed consent?

Verbal assesnt should be obtained from children 5 years or older; written assent should be obtained once children are 12 years or older

A researcher examines the scores of 100 people on a tool measuring knowledge related to stroke prevention. The data reveal the following: mean = 76; SD = 12. What is the range of scores captured by +/- 2 standard deviations? a. 52 to 100 b. 64 to 88 c. 71 to 81 d. 73.5 to 78.5

a. 52 to 100

Statistical procedure to analyze relationships among the means of more than two groups: a. Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA) b. t- test c. Chi-square d. Dependent t

a. Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA)

What is a negative correlation ? a. As one variables increases in value the other decreases b. Both variables increase together c. Both variables decrease together d. No correlation

a. As one variables increases in value the other decreases

What is true about a chi-square test of significance? a. Expected and observed frequencies or proportions analyzed. b. Post hoc tests must be done to determine group differences. c. All variables must be at the interval/ratio level. d. Results determine the difference in group means.

a. Expected and observed frequencies or proportions analyzed.

What is true about a chi-square test of significance? a. Expected and observed frequencies or proportions are analyzed. b. All variables must be at the interval/ratio level. c. Post hoc tests must be done to determine group differences. d. Results determine the difference in group means.

a. Expected and observed frequencies or proportions are analyzed.

In a chi-square analysis of data presented in a 2 X 3 crosstabulations table, what do we know of the possible result? a. The chi-square test value must be > 0. b. There were at least 30 subjects in the study. c. Post-HOC analysis of the 6 variables must be done. d. A difference in mean scores will be determined.

a. The chi-square test value must be > 0.

What is true about the theory underlying the normal distribution of variables? Select all that apply. a. The normal distribution is bimodal for most variables. b. The mean, median, and the mode are equal. c. The normal distribution curve is bell-shaped. d. The data collected in all research are normally distributed. e. The area under the curve equals 1, or 100%.

a. The normal distribution is bimodal for most variables. b. The mean, median, and the mode are equal. c. The normal distribution curve is bell-shaped. e. The area under the curve equals 1, or 100%.

The following information is given about the results of a statistical analysis, (t=9.28, p = .02). What does this tell the reader? a. There is a significant difference in mean scores of the two groups of data. b. Both statistical and clinical significance are demonstrated by study results. c. The two sets of scores were collected from independent groups. d. A post-HOC analysis is needed to determine where group differences exist.

a. There is a significant difference in mean scores of the two groups of data.

Which of the following types of research designs would involve testing a hypothesis? a. quasi-experimental b. grounded theory c. descriptive d. phenomenology

a. quasi-experimental

Identify the sampling approach used in the following example. "Subjects 65 years of age and older, with a new diagnosis of either breast (n=20), colon (n=20), lung (n=20), or prostate cancer (n=20) along with their family caregivers were recruited from several community medical and radiation oncology centers." a. quota b. snowball c. convenience d. probability

a. quota

At the start of a study, the researcher must decide on the amount of risk he/she is willing to assume that a Type I error may be committed. A Type I error is a. rejecting the null hypothesis when, in reality, it is true b. accepting the null hypothesis when, in reality, it is false

a. rejecting the null hypothesis when, in reality, it is true

Compares the means of 2 groups a. t- test b. Chi Square c. ANOVA d. Pearson correlation

a. t- test

What statistical test would you use to test the difference in mean heart rate response to exercise between a group of cardiac patients involved in a formal cardiac rehabilitation program and another group exercising informally at home? a. t-test for independent samples b. chi-square c. one-factor ANOVA d. correlation

a. t-test for independent samples

What is IV " Effect of Acetaminophen on liver function in teenage overdose" a. Liver function test b. Acetaminophen c. Teenagers d. Regular care

b. Acetaminophen

Use to test hypothesis about the proportion of cases indifferent categories. a. ANOVA b. Chi Square c. t-test d. Pearson Correlation

b. Chi Square

The _____ equals the sum of all scores divided by the total number of scores: a. Mode b. Mean c. Median d. Heterogenety

b. Mean

What is the ultimate aim of IRB? a. Provide a scientific review of submitted proposals. b. Protect research subjects/participates from harm. c. Interview investigators to determine subject risk. d. Report scientific misconduct to a federal agency.

b. Protect research subjects/participates from harm.

Which is failure to reject a null hypothesis when it should be rejected? a. Type I b. Type II c. Type III c. Parametric

b. Type II

What should we conclude about Cronbach alpha values ranging from .82 to .91? a. Look for another instrument, reliability not good b. Use the instrument and re-examine the reliability of sample c. Look for another one, the validity scores are too narrow d. Use the instrument, no further testing

b. Use the instrument and re-examine the reliability of sample

A post-HOC test is done when performing an ANOVA so that the researcher can a. determine if there is a difference in any of the scores among the groups tested b. determine where the detected difference(s) between the groups actually exist c. repeat the ANOVA but with a lower set alpha level d. repeat the ANOVA after combining groups to make them larger

b. determine where the detected difference(s) between the groups actually exist

When two observers are collecting data on subjects in the same study, what is the most important type of reliability to ensure? a. test-retest b. inter-rater c. parallel forms d. criterion

b. inter-rater

A nurse is trying to decide whether to measure subjects' respiratory function in her study through a self-report of dyspnea scale, or the use of pulse oximetry, or weekly arterial blood gas values. What element of the data collection methods is she considering with these different options? a. accuracy b. precision c. specificity d. validity

b. precision

Systematic over-representation or under-representation of some segment of the population in terms of characteristics relevant to the research question results in a. sample attrition b. sample bias c. a type II error c. random selection

b. sample bias

Which of the following values of Pearson's r indicates the strongest direct correlation? a. -0.02 b. -.082 c. 0.77 d. 0.05

c. 0.77

What kind of question, " Are you a nurse or not?" a. Open- ended b. Probing c. Closed- enc. Closed- endedded d. Angry question

c. Closed- ended

In an ANOVA, what is the level of data of the DV? a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Interval/ratio d. cannot be determined

c. Interval/ratio

What is the scale measuring dyspnea on a 0 -100 mm line? a. Likert scale b. Open ended question c. Visual Analog scale d. Semantic differential scale

c. Visual Analog scale

A researcher asks several experts in a given field to review an instrument for its completeness and the appropriateness of the items in relation to the specific topic under investigation. What is the researcher attempting to establish? a. inter-rater reliability b. criterion validity c. content validity d. test-retest reliability

c. content validity

Which of the following designs can be used to test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships between study variables? a. descriptive correlational and experimental b. grounded theory and case study c. experimental and quasi-experimental d. retrospective and phenomenological

c. experimental and quasi-experimental

Which of the following is a basic element of informed consent a researcher must address when seeking to recruit patients into a study? a. describe how findings can be expected to be generalized to larger population b. offer financial incentives to guarantee continued participation over time c. instruct the patient that he/she may withdraw at any time without prejudice d. explain to the patient how funding was obtained to support data collection

c. instruct the patient that he/she may withdraw at any time without prejudice

Norbeck's Social Support Questionnaire, Knowledge of Growth and Development Test, and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale, a weight scale, and a pulse oximeter are all examples of a. protocols b. procedures c. instruments d. treatments

c. instruments

In an ANOVA, what is the level of data of the dependent variable? a. nominal b. ordinal c. interval/ratio d. cannot be determined

c. interval/ratio

A researcher tests whether written pamphlets or videotaped instructions are more effective in increasing the level of knowledge of first-time mothers regarding newborn care. She gives 40 women a pre-test of newborn care. Then, she gives 20 women (Group 1) pamphlets with information and gives the remaining 20 women the same information by videotape. She gives them a test two-days later to see if the mean scores on the knowledge test of newborn care will differ between the 2 groups. What is the independent variable in this study? a. pre-test/post-test design b. scores on the post-test c. method of instruction d. first-time mothers

c. method of instruction

Identify the sampling strategy used in the following study. "Using a table of random numbers, the sample consisted of 50 clients from the list of all elderly citizens on Medicare in the greater Philadelphia area who were hospitalized during 1997". a. stratified random sampling b. non-probability sampling c. simple random sampling d. systematic random sampling

c. simple random sampling

Group of subjects that does not receive the experimental intervention in a study.

control group

Which of the following correlation coefficients shows the STRONGEST relationship? a. 0.10 b. -0.30 c. 0.90 d. -0.92

d. -0.92

Which of the following tests is the appropriate inferential test to examine the difference in mean anxiety scores among 4 groups of students in a public speaking class? a. independent t-test b. correlation (Pearson's r) c. chi-square analysis of a 3 x 4 table d. ANOVA

d. ANOVA

A qualitative researcher conducts phenomenology study returns to each member? She hopes to: a. Establish content validity b. Establish inter-rater reliability c. Establish debriefing d. Establish credibility

d. Establish credibility

What is the IV? Cancer patients receiving music therapy require less pain meds, than no music? a. Cancer patients b. Dependent variable c. Pain meds d. Music therapy

d. Music therapy

The most common correlation index computed with interval or ratio data a. ANOVA b. Chi Square c. t-test d. Pearson Correlation

d. Pearson Correlation

Name of test to find difference in the mean scores after a ANOVA performed is: a. Nominal test b. Pearson R c. t- test d. Post- HOC

d. Post- HOC

Sample 1000 subjects with 600 from one group, 210 in another group and 190 from third group? a. Random sampling b. Random intervention studies c. Snowballing d. Quota sampling

d. Quota sampling

The following information is given about the results of a statistical analysis, (t=9.28, df=18, p < .05). What does this tell the reader? a. Eighteen people were in the sample. b. The null hypothesis should be accepted. c. Scores came from two independent groups. d. The data reveals significant findings.

d. The data reveals significant findings.

Which is rejection of a null hypothesis when it should not be rejected: a. Type II b. Type III c. No type d. Type I

d. Type I

Parametric statistics are : a. Not powerful b. Chi Square c. Nonparametric d. Very powerful, interval/ratio scale

d. Very powerful, interval/ratio scale

A researcher wanted to examine the effects of therapeutic touch on tension headache pain in comparison to effects of a placebo treatment. Sixty volunteer subjects with a history of moderate to severe tension headaches were recruited from an outpatient clinic. The subjects were randomly assigned to either the treatment or the placebo group. A pre-test/post-test design was used. What type of sampling technique did the researcher use in this study? a. stratified random sampling b. purposive or judgmental sampling c. systematic random sampling d. convenience or accidental sampling

d. convenience or accidental sampling

A t-test is used to analyze the length of stay (in days) for patients with arthritis who are undergoing surgery for knee replacement. One group receives general anesthesia and the other group receives regional nerve block anesthesia. What is the test variable? a. type of anesthesia b. knee replacement surgery c. patients with arthritis d. length of stay (in days)

d. length of stay (in days)

True experimental designs have three identifying properties. They are a. generalizability, selectivity, and random selection b. large effect size, systematic bias, manipulation c. attrition, reactivity, and effects of testing d. manipulation, control, and randomization

d. manipulation, control, and randomization

Which of the following significance levels indicates the strongest evidence to support a researcher's decision to reject the null hypothesis? Assume alpha was set at 0.05. a. p < 0.05 b. p > 0.05 c. p > 0.01 d. p < 0.001

d. p < 0.001

The power of a study refers to a. how many famous researchers are on the advisory panel supporting the study b. the amount of funding that has been obtained in support of the study c. the size of the effect that one variable will have on the other variable d. the ability to detect a difference or a relationship if one really does exist

d. the ability to detect a difference or a relationship if one really does exist

The degree of consistency or dependability with which an instrument measures the attribute it is designed to measure describes its a. lack of sensitivity b. reliability d. validity c. random error

d. validity

Variable that influences the dependent variable.

independent variable