nurs-1351 exam 2
Which of the following aspect of the study is considered a measure to maintain the uniformity of conditions of a quantitative study? a. Accuracy b. Methods c. Control d. Validity
c. Control
Random assignment of participants to experimental and control groups has which of these effects? a. Minimizes mortality within groups b. Maximizes variance between groups c. Decreases systematic bias d. Increases selection bias
c. Decreases systematic bias
Why should a nurse researcher want to limit or eliminate extraneous variables in a study? a. More research questions would be required to account for the extraneous variables. b. Extensive statistical analysis would be required to justify the presence of extraneous variables. c. Extraneous variables compete with the independent variables as explanations of the study's outcome. d. Manipulation of the extraneous variables increases the risk for researcher bias in the study's outcomes.
c. Extraneous variables compete with the independent variables as explanations of the study's outcome.
A study was conducted to determine if videotaped instruction was more effective than written instruction (a pamphlet) to teach menopausal women the benefits of regular mammograms. Which condition would be considered an antecedent variable? a. There were 38 participants in the pamphlet group and 34 participants in the videotape group. b. During the study, 50% of the videotape group received flu shots, whereas 25% of those in the pamphlet group received flu shots. c. Four members of the pamphlet group had mothers who had been received a diagnosis of breast cancer, but no members of the videotape group had mothers who had been received a diagnosis of breast cancer. d. While participating in the study, five members of the videotape group began performing breast self-examination (BSE), while two members of the pamphlet group began performing BSE.
c. Four members of the pamphlet group had mothers who had been received a diagnosis of breast cancer, but no members of the videotape group had mothers who had been received a diagnosis of breast cancer.
In a study of psychosocial adjustment to breast cancer, data collection instruments were sent to the same sample of women at six different times during their first year of living with breast cancer. What type of study design does this exemplify? a. Cross-sectional b. Retrospective c. Longitudinal d. Correlational
c. Longitudinal
In a study about help to quit smoking, one group of participants received a single supportive phone call 10 days after attending a program on strategies to resist the urge to smoke. A second group received a weekly supportive phone call for 6 weeks after attending the same program, and a third group received no supportive phone calls after attending the program. What property of experimental research did the researcher employ in this study? a. Quasi-experimental research—no control group b. Random assignment to research groups c. Manipulation of the intervention dose d. Controlling for extraneous variables
c. Manipulation of the intervention dose
How does an experimental research design differ from a nonexperimental research design? a. Experimental designs allow observation of a phenomenon as it naturally occurs, and nonexperimental designs permit environmental manipulation. b. Nonexperimental designs manipulate the dependent variable, and experimental designs manipulate the independent variable. c. Nonexperimental designs attempt to test differences among variables, and experimental designs attempt to establish cause-and-effect relationships. d. Experimental designs are scientific, and nonexperimental designs have no scientific basis.
c. Nonexperimental designs attempt to test differences among variables, and experimental designs attempt to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Which situation represents a threat to internal validity in an experimental study measuring the effect of a videotape of discharge instructions for patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery? a. Both men and women undergoing CABG surgery were included as participants in the study. b. Two new surgeons began performing CABG surgery during the study period. c. Patients in the experimental group discussed aspects of the videotape with patients in the control group. d. Data collection for the videotape and control groups took 1 year.
c. Patients in the experimental group discussed aspects of the videotape with patients in the control group.
A nurse researcher assigns participants to experimental and control groups in such a manner that each participant in a population has an equal chance of being selected. What is the researcher using? a. Selection bias b. Convenience sampling c. Randomization d. Internal validity
c. Randomization
What type of threat to validity is minimized by the use of the Solomon four-group design? a. Mortality b. Selection bias c. Testing d. Antecedent variable
c. Testing
The nurse is critiquing a research study that involves participants undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Which finding would meet a criterion for inferring causality between performance of exercise and adaptive behaviour of the participants receiving chemotherapy? a. Adaptation behaviour began before the exercise program was initiated. b. Adaptive behaviour occurred in the control group over time. c. The level of adaptation behaviours increased proportionately with increase in the intensity of the exercise. d. No differences in adaptation behaviours were observed between participants in the experimental group and participants in the control group.
c. The level of adaptation behaviours increased proportionately with increase in the intensity of the exercise.
Which of the following factors would be considered a mediating variable among potential participants in a study to determine whether high doses of vitamin C are helpful in reducing susceptibility to influenza? a. Gender and religion of the potential participants b. The participants' previous experience with influenza c. The participants having received influenza vaccination d. The educational level and marital status of the potential participants
c. The participants having received influenza vaccination
A planned quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group design has several extraneous variables that threaten its internal validity. The nurse researcher's actions should be based on which understanding? a. The results of the study will not be statistically significant. b. The random assignment of participants to groups will nullify the intervening variables. c. The study should be strengthened by controlling intervening variables. d. Because observation rather than causation is the purpose of the study, no action is necessary.
c. The study should be strengthened by controlling intervening variables.
A nurse researcher will choose an ex post facto design over more a correlational design for which reason? a. It is easier to implement. b. The independent variable can be manipulated. c. There is a greater degree of control in the design. d. There is increased flexibility when variables relationships are complex.
c. There is a greater degree of control in the design.
How are threats to validity affected when studies are conducted in laboratory settings? a. Threats to both internal and external validity are increased. b. Threats to both internal and external validity are decreased. c. Threats to internal validity are decreased, whereas threats to external validity are increased. d. Threats to internal validity are increased, whereas threats to external validity are decreased.
c. Threats to internal validity are decreased, whereas threats to external validity are increased.
A study compared weight loss in obese participants between those who participated in a support group and those who chose not to. Which of the following factors or conditions in the study would be considered an intervening variable? a. Data collection for both groups occurred over the Thanksgiving holiday. b. The group that did not participate in a support group had a greater percentage of male participants. c. Three participants received a diagnosis of hypertension 1 month after the study began. d. Two participants dropped out of the study 1 month after the study began.
c. Three participants received a diagnosis of hypertension 1 month after the study began.
A nurse researcher would choose to use a correlational study of multiple variables for which purpose? a. To identify the independent variable b. To test whether one variable causes another variable c. To examine relationships between or among variables d. To distinguish how different one variable is from another variable
c. To examine relationships between or among variables
What is the overall purpose of the research design in a quantitative research study? a. To determine sample size b. To identify the problem statement c. To provide a plan for answering the research question d. To assist the researcher in identifying gaps in the knowledge base
c. To provide a plan for answering the research question
A nurse researcher can control for selection bias in a study by taking which of these actions? a. Allow participants to self-select into an experimental or a control group. b. Handpick the participants for group assignment. c. Use defined selection criteria for approaching potential participants. d. Have someone other than the researcher select the participants for the study.
c. Use defined selection criteria for approaching potential participants.
When should a descriptive or exploratory design be used? a. When expanding the results of a qualitative study b. When direct contact with potential participants is not possible c. When little is known about a particular participant or phenomenon d. When issues of cause and effect in a situation have already been determined
c. When little is known about a particular participant or phenomenon
Which of the following statements about random assignment or randomization is true? a. The randomization process decreases the influence of researcher bias but can increase the effect of systematic bias in a study. b. The randomization process decreases the influence of systematic bias but can increase the effect of researcher bias in a study. c. With randomization, each participant has an equal and known probability of being assigned to any group in a study. d. Randomization eliminates the need for informed consent.
c. With randomization, each participant has an equal and known probability of being assigned to any group in a study.
A nurse researcher is investigating the effect of type of operating room mattress and surgical position on tissue interface pressures in healthy young adults. Which component of research is most affected by the choice of participants? a. Mortality b. Instrumentation c. Internal validity d. External validity
d. External validity
Why would a nurse researcher opt for a quasi-experimental study design instead of an experimental study design? a. The study is planned to be conducted in a laboratory setting. b. An experimental treatment is not part of the study. c. The researcher has not conducted research before. d. Full experimental control is not possible.
d. Full experimental control is not possible.
The nurse researcher designed a study examining anxiety among elementary school children. If a widely publicized murder of a child occurred in the city during the time frame of the study, what type of threat to internal validity would the murder represent? a. Maturation b. Instrumentation c. Selection bias d. Historical
d. Historical
What can a nurse researcher address in a study using a survey design? (Select all that apply.) a. Interrelationships of variables b. Description of variables c. Assessment of differences between variables d. Determination of causation e. Prediction of treatment outcomes
A, B, C
Advantages to use of correlational design for a study include what? (Select all that apply.) a. Efficiency and effectiveness in data collection b. Flexibility for investigating complex relationships c. Multivariate manipulation of variables d. Strong potential for clinical (real-world) application e. Increased potential for generalizability
A, B, D
Which research designs could be classified as experimental? (Select all that apply.) a. Solomon four-group design b. After-only design c. Nonequivalent control group design d. After-only nonequivalent control group design e. One-group pretest-posttest design f. True experimental pretest-posttest control group design g. Time series design
A, B, F
A nurse researcher is planning to write a proposal for a research study using a quantitative design. To maintain control in the study, the nurse should include which elements? (Select all that apply.) a. Valid, reliable collection methods b. Participants of all ages c. Trained data collectors d. Standardized data collection processes e. Analysis of data by words or text only
A, C, D
What features identify a study as methodological in design? (Select all that apply.) a. A description of how the tool's items were formulated b. A description of the experimental treatment c. A clear definition of how the construct was measured d. A reporting on the tool's tested reliability and validity e. A statistical table showing the effect of the independent variable
A, C, D
A nursing student is reviewing a research study in which researchers used a pretest/posttest design to examine the effect of an AIDS education intervention on teenagers' knowledge about the condition over a school year. What threats to internal validity could be present? (Select all that apply.) a. Maturation b. Selection effects c. Reactivity d. Hawthorne effect e. Testing
A, E
A research study in a laboratory setting incorporates four groups (two control and two experimental) in which only one experimental group and one control group are pretested, while all four groups are posttested. Which descriptions of the design are accurate? (Select all that apply.) a. Experimental design b. After-only experimental design c. Real-world experimental design d. Quasi-experimental design e. Solomon four-group design
A, E
What should the nurse researcher consider when determining the feasibility of a research question? (Select all that apply.) a. Time b. Selection effects c. Reactive effects d. Measurement effects e. Participant availability f. Cost
A, E, F
Which are characteristics of quasi-experimental research designs that are considered weaknesses, compared with experimental designs? (Select all that apply.) a. Cost of implementation b. Confidence in making causal assertions c. Subject to contamination of internal validity d. Disruptive to the usual routine of the setting e. Difficult to perform in a particular clinical setting f. Findings due to interference of extraneous variables
B, C, F
A nurse researcher is planning a quantitative (experimental) research study to test the effect of a new wound product on wound healing. Which of these factors is necessary to implement an experimental pretest-posttest design? (Select all that apply.) a. Inclusion of a second control group b. Ability to collect pretest data c. Use of two posttreatment data collection times d. Participants randomized to the control group only e. Random assignment of participants to treatment and control groups
B, E
Which of these research designs could be classified as quasi-experimental? (Select all that apply.) a. Solomon four-group design b. After-only design c. Nonequivalent control group design d. After-only nonequivalent control group design e. One-group pretest-posttest design f. True experimental pretest-posttest group design g. Time series design
C ,D, E, G
Which factors would be considered threats to internal validity? (Select all that apply.) a. Time b. Selection effects c. History d. Testing e. Participant availability f. Cost g. Selection bias
C, D, G
A research study is planned to determine the effect of nutritional supplementation and type of support surface on the rate of wound healing in sacral myocutaneous flap failures. Which is an independent variable in this study? (Select all that apply.) a. Rate of wound healing b. Sacral myocutaneous flap c. Retailer source of protein supplement d. Type of support surface e. Nutritional supplementation
D, E
When reviewing a research report, the nurse determines that all aspects of a study systematically and logically follow from the research problem. Which condition has been met? a. Accuracy b. Legitimacy c. Internal validity d. External validity
a. Accuracy
Which of the following titles suggests a descriptive study? a. Characterization of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy b. The Lived Experience of Liver Transplantation Among Older Caucasian Men c. Effect of Virtual Reality as a Distraction Intervention on Adolescents Undergoing Chemotherapy d. Correlation Between Current Income Level and Self-Esteem Among Recently Widowed Women
a. Characterization of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Which of these situations describes a reactive (Hawthorne) effect? a. Control participants in an intervention study to reduce anxiety also experience a reduction in anxiety. b. The participants in an intervention support group continue the support group after the study has ended. c. Participants become concerned after learning that they received a placebo, not the treatment, during the study. d. Study participants want to know the outcomes of the study after it is completed.
a. Control participants in an intervention study to reduce anxiety also experience a reduction in anxiety.
What study type is indicated by data collection at only one point in time? a. Cross-sectional b. Retrospective c. Longitudinal d. Prospective
a. Cross-sectional
Which of the following is a purpose of evaluation research in nursing? a. Documenting the cost effectiveness of new nursing interventions b. Discovering the health beliefs of a specific ethnic group c. Defining the cause-and-effect relationship in poor surgical outcomes d. Describing various models of health care delivery
a. Documenting the cost effectiveness of new nursing interventions
Which of the following techniques or actions represents constancy in data collection for control of extraneous variables in a study examining the effect of hormone replacement therapy on bone density loss in postmenopausal women? a. Drawing blood from all participants at the same time of day b. Always having the same nurse or phlebotomist always draw blood from all participants c. Using the same room for drawing blood from all participants d. Ensuring that all participants are postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy
a. Drawing blood from all participants at the same time of day
A study is examining the effect of a new antilipemic drug, compared with placebo, on lipoprotein levels in postmenopausal women. Which of these actions represents the researcher's attempt at constancy in data collection to control extraneous variables? a. Drawing the serum lipoprotein levels of all participants at the same time of day b. Having the same phlebotomist draw serum lipoprotein levels of all participants c. Using the same room for drawing blood for lipoprotein levels of all participants d. Ensuring that all participants are postmenopausal women taking lipid-lowering medication
a. Drawing the serum lipoprotein levels of all participants at the same time of day
The longitudinal study and the prospective study are similar for which reason? a. Each moves forward in time. b. Each has an experimental focus. c. Each is able to establish causal relationships. d. Each selects different samples from the same population at various periods of time.
a. Each moves forward in time.
Which action would increase the control of an experimental study? a. Establishing strict criteria for participant selection b. Allowing participants to decide whether or not to be in the experimental group c. Ensuring that participants do not know the purpose of the experimental study d. Increasing the number of assistants involved in data collection
a. Establishing strict criteria for participant selection
Which of the following actions in a quantitative research study represents a measure to eliminate bias on the dependent variable? a. Establishing strict eligibility criteria for the study participants b. Ensuring that all data are collected by a single researcher c. Formulating at least two hypotheses for each research question d. Testing a theoretical framework
a. Establishing strict eligibility criteria for the study participants
The issue of control would be less important in a quantitative study with which type of research design? a. Exploratory b. Experimental c. Correlational d. Randomized clinical trial
a. Exploratory
A study was conducted to determine whether a videotape would be more effective than a pamphlet in instructing college-age women to perform breast self-examination on a regular basis. Which of the following conditions could be considered an antecedent variable? a. Four participants in the pamphlet-based instruction group had mothers who had been received a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the other group had no participants with mothers diagnosed with breast cancer. b. The group that received the videotape training comprised members of one sorority, and the group that received the pamphlet-based instruction comprised members of a different sorority. c. During the study, most participants received flu shots through the college's student health service. d. The pamphlet group had 38 members, and the videotape group had 33 members.
a. Four participants in the pamphlet-based instruction group had mothers who had been received a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the other group had no participants with mothers diagnosed with breast cancer.
What aspect should be the primary consideration in critiquing the research report of an experimental study and determining the validity of the conclusions presented? a. How well the researcher controlled for extraneous variables b. The number of participants who dropped out of the control and experimental groups c. The credentials and previous experience of the researcher d. The number of persons involved in the data collection process
a. How well the researcher controlled for extraneous variables
What is the term used to describe the experimental treatment initiated by the researcher? a. Independent variable b. Dependent variable c. Extraneous variable d. Outcome variable
a. Independent variable
Why is the administration of a pretest a cause for concern in a research study? a. It is a threat to internal validity, as it may affect the posttest results. b. It is a threat to external validity, as it may affect the posttest results. c. It is a form of selection bias that contributes to the problem of maturation. d. It is a form of maturation that contributes to the problem of selection bias.
a. It is a threat to internal validity, as it may affect the posttest results.
Why would a nurse researcher choose to use a correlational design for a nonexperimental study? a. It represents an efficient and effective method of collecting a large amount of data about a problem. b. Many questionnaires and instruments are already developed and have been determined to be valid and reliable. c. Generalizability is greater than for results of studies using experimental designs. d. It allows flexibility in the manipulation of more than one variable.
a. It represents an efficient and effective method of collecting a large amount of data about a problem.
Which of the following statements about cross-sectional studies is most accurate? a. More than one group can be compared. b. Only descriptive data can be measured. c. Data are collected retrospectively, rather than prospectively. d. Data collection and data analysis can occur simultaneously.
a. More than one group can be compared.
Which of the following types of quasi-experimental design is implemented when participants are not randomly assigned to groups? a. Nonequivalent control group design b. After-only control group design c. Solomon four-group design d. Time series design
a. Nonequivalent control group design
A nurse researcher would decide to use a longitudinal or prospective design for which reason? a. The data obtained are focused and deep. b. The study overall is more manageable for the researcher. c. The issue of maturation as a threat to internal validity is avoided in this design. d. This design does not require the use of tools or instrumentation.
a. The data obtained are focused and deep.
If no hypothesis is present in a study, does this indicate a weakness in the study? Why, or why not? a. This is not a weakness, as the study can be descriptive. b. This is not a weakness, if the study is quasi-experimental. c. This is a weakness, as the study is descriptive. d. This is not a weakness, as the study can be quasi-experimental.
a. This is not a weakness, as the study can be descriptive.
For which of these reasons would a nurse researcher choose to assign participants randomly to groups in a study? a. To help ensure that all groups within a study are representative of the larger population b. To increase the chance that the study groups will be different from each other with regard to extraneous variables c. To help ensure that current events do not influence the outcomes of the study d. To eliminate the need for establishing specific study criteria and participant eligibility
a. To help ensure that all groups within a study are representative of the larger population
How would a nurse researcher ensure that the sample used in a quantitative study is homogeneous? a. Use eligibility criteria to limit extraneous variables relevant to the study. b. Randomly assign participants to either the experimental or the control group. c. Assign one research assistant to collect data from all participants. d. Collect data from all participants at the same time of day.
a. Use eligibility criteria to limit extraneous variables relevant to the study.
How differently is the independent variable handled in studies with an experimental design or a quasi-experimental design? a. An independent variable is not identified or needed in a quasi-experimental design. b. Both designs identify an independent variable, and both manipulate the independent variable. c. Experimental designs demonstrate that the independent variable is related to the outcome, but quasi-experimental studies allow for independent variables that stand alone. d. Although both designs identify an independent variable, experimental designs identify it before the research is initiated, and quasi-experimental designs identify it after the data have been analyzed.
b. Both designs identify an independent variable, and both manipulate the independent variable.
How could a nurse researcher's use of a homogeneous sample weaken a research study? a. By decreasing the reliability of the findings b. By decreasing the generalizability of the findings c. By increasing the number of participants needed to reach statistical significance d. By increasing the risk that the findings were the result of chance alone
b. By decreasing the generalizability of the findings
In what way could a homogeneous population of participants in a study weaken the study? a. By decreasing the reliability of the findings b. By decreasing the generalizability of the findings c. By increasing the number of participants needed to reach statistical significance d. By increasing the risk of the findings being the result of chance alone
b. By decreasing the generalizability of the findings
In which of these ways does the nurse researcher's literature review help select the appropriate study design? a. By enlarging the scope of the study's hypotheses b. By objectively assessing available knowledge of the area c. By comparing current findings with previous study findings d. By ensuring faithfulness to the study's purpose
b. By objectively assessing available knowledge of the area
Which of the following titles is most suggestive of a longitudinal study? a. Effect of Prenatal Parenting Classes on Maternal-Infant Bonding in the Early Postpartum Period b. Change in Self-Esteem Over Time Among Women Participating in a Weight Loss Support Group c. Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Successful Breastfeeding at 1 Month After Birth d. Women's Appraisal of the Diagnosis Within the First 48 Hours After Initial Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
b. Change in Self-Esteem Over Time Among Women Participating in a Weight Loss Support Group
In a study about help to quit smoking, one group of participants received a single supportive phone call 10 days after attending a program on strategies to resist the urge to smoke. A second group received a weekly supportive phone call for 6 weeks after attending the same program, and a third group received no supportive phone calls after attending the program. What is the dependent variable in the research scenario? a. Program on strategies to resist smoking b. Elimination of cigarette smoking c. Weekly supportive phone call d. No supportive phone call
b. Elimination of cigarette smoking
A nurse is designing a study to determine whether a videotape or a written pamphlet is more effective in teaching young women how to perform breast self-examination (BSE). Which of these actions would provide the best control for a mediating variable? a. Include identical content in both BSE teaching methods b. Exclude participants who already perform BSE on a regular basis c. Limit the study participants to women who are heterosexual d. Determine what breast cancer means to the individual participants
b. Exclude participants who already perform BSE on a regular basis
For which type of quantitative study is the issue of control less important? a. Paper-and-pencil b. Exploratory c. Experimental d. Correlational
b. Exploratory
A researcher wants to study the effects of head injury in children under the age of 5 years on mothers' decisions to work outside of the home. Which of the following factors negatively affects the feasibility of this study? a. The local region has a high percentage of single-parent families. b. Head injuries in children under age 5 represented less than 1% of hospital admissions during the year previous to the study. c. Children under the age of 5 years are not able to read, write, or give direct informed consent to participate in this study. d. A comprehensive review of the literature shows no studies that examined this question were conducted during the past 15 years.
b. Head injuries in children under age 5 represented less than 1% of hospital admissions during the year previous to the study.
Why would a nurse researcher choose not to use a survey study design? a. Data analysis is limited with a survey design. b. Information collected is relatively superficial. c. Results are never applicable beyond the study population. d. More participants are required to reach statistical significance than for other study designs.
b. Information collected is relatively superficial.
Control is important in an experimental research study for which of these reasons? a. It ensures maintenance of participant confidentiality. b. It introduces one or more constants into the experimental situation. c. It prevents data collection from extending beyond the original time specified for the study. d. It ensures a cause-and-effect relationship between independent and dependent variables.
b. It introduces one or more constants into the experimental situation.
Which of the following would be used to assess whether mental health patients who received cognitive-behavioural therapy via smart phones remain out of hospitals for longer periods of time? a. Cross-sectional survey b. Longitudinal, comparative survey c. Predictive, statistical survey d. Causative, correlational survey
b. Longitudinal, comparative survey
Which of the following threats to internal validity is more likely to occur with a longitudinal design? a. Instrumentation effects b. Mortality effects c. History effects d. Selection bias
b. Mortality effects
Which of the following types of design would be appropriate to forecast the effects of psychoeducational interventions on psychological adaptation of women diagnosed with breast cancer? a. Correlational b. Prediction c. Descriptive d. Ex post facto
b. Prediction
What type of research focuses on the theory and development of measurement instruments? a. Meta-analysis b. Psychometrics c. Methodology d. Data management
b. Psychometrics
In a true experimental study, the control group is the group that does what? a. Receives the experimental treatment b. Receives the placebo treatment c. Experiences the adverse results d. Experiences the reactive effects
b. Receives the placebo treatment
In the study by Siminoff, Burant, and Ibrahim entitled "Racial Disparities in Preferences and Perceptions Regarding Organ Donation," sampling was done using a random digit telephone technique. What threats to internal validity does this prevent? a. Selection effects b. Selection bias c. Social desirability bias d. Testing effects
b. Selection bias
For which of the following studies would an after-only experimental research design be most appropriate? a. The effect of cause of spousal death on widow self-esteem b. The effect of preoperative teaching on vascular complications after surgery c. The effect of a mentorship program on improvement of student performance in a BSN program d. The effectiveness of using the videotape to teach adolescent men about the warning signs of testicular cancer.
b. The effect of preoperative teaching on vascular complications after surgery
Using the abstract information provided below, identify which group would be considered the "control group" for this experimental study. "To determine the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioural intervention for treating insomnia in breast cancer survivors, randomized controlled trials were conducted with seventy-two women who through sleep diaries were identified as experiencing insomnia. Participants were randomly assigned to a multicomponent intervention including stimulus control instructions, sleep restriction, and sleep or a single-component group (sleep education)." a. The group receiving the multicomponent. b. The group receiving the single component. c. The group experiencing adverse effects. d. The group refusing to participate.
b. The group receiving the single component.
What is the meaning of "control" in a study with an experimental design? a. The care taken to ensure maintenance of participant confidentiality b. The introduction of one or more constants into the experimental situation c. The ability of the researcher to prevent data collection from extending beyond the original time specified for the study d. The faithfulness of the researcher in the application of all the assumptions of the experimental process to the study
b. The introduction of one or more constants into the experimental situation
The nurse is critiquing a research study that used an experimental design. Which of the following criteria must be met to infer causality? a. The relationship between cause and effect must be reciprocal. b. The relationship must not be explainable by any other variable. c. The independent variable must change in response to manipulation of the dependent variable. d. The outcome must be logical, expected, and predictable.
b. The relationship must not be explainable by any other variable.
Which of the following factors or situations in a study using a correlational design should cause you to question the validity of the study? a. The study did not have a nontreatment control group. b. The researchers concluded that a causal relationship existed between the variables. c. The researchers suggested that their findings had practical application in a clinical setting. d. The researchers used preexisting instruments to measure the variables instead of developing specific instruments for the study.
b. The researchers concluded that a causal relationship existed between the variables.
By what specific criterion should you judge the results or findings of experimental research? a. The size of the experimental group compared with the size of the control group b. The validity that the experimental treatment caused the desired effect on the outcome c. The degree to which the research questions were congruent with the hypotheses and the purpose of the study d. The degree to which the researcher was able to apply the findings to clinical or practice settings
b. The validity that the experimental treatment caused the desired effect on the outcome
A nurse researcher should consider mortality a threat to the study's internal validity for which of these reasons? a. There is concern that the intervention may have harmful effects on participants. b. Those who dropped out of the study may be different than those who remained in the study. c. Those who participated in the study may have died as a result of being in the study. d. There is concern that the design is inappropriate for the study question if a large number of participants dropout of a study.
b. Those who dropped out of the study may be different than those who remained in the study.
What is the first question that should be asked in determining whether an experimental design or a nonexperimental design should be used in a quantitative study? a. Is there an independent variable? b. What is the nature of the problem being studied? c. Will a measurement tool or instrument be needed? d. Can statistical analysis be applied to the study data?
b. What is the nature of the problem being studied?
When should an extraneous variable be included as part of the study's design? a. When it is nonmodifiable, such as age or gender b. When it is an important consideration for the outcome c. When the researcher is limited by time and monetary issues d. When it would not make a difference to the overall study outcome
b. When it is an important consideration for the outcome
When should a nurse researcher include an extraneous variable as part of a study's design? a. When excluding the variable would limit the study's generalizability b. When the variable is an important consideration for the study's outcome c. When the researcher is limited by time or monetary constraints d. When it would not make a difference in the overall study outcome
b. When the variable is an important consideration for the study's outcome
How is an ex post facto design more advantageous than a correlational design? a. This design is easier to carry out. b. The independent variable can be manipulated in this design. c. A greater degree of control is possible with this design. d. This design offers increased flexibility when the relationships among the variables in the study are complex.
c. A greater degree of control is possible with this design.
A nurse researcher will choose to use a developmental study design to do what? a. Allow comparison of the results of qualitative studies of a phenomenon to the results of quantitative studies of the same phenomenon b. Allow reanalysis of existing data for a secondary purpose not stated in the original research c. Allow exploration of the changing nature of relationships between variables over time d. Allow development or refinement of a tool or instrument
c. Allow exploration of the changing nature of relationships between variables over time
Why is randomization important in a study with an experimental design? a. It reduces the risk of the participant being harmed by participation in the study. b. It ensures that the experimental group and the control group have the same number of participants. c. It allows the study to proceed without the researcher knowing the identity of the treatment group. d. It increases the likelihood that differences in the outcomes of the groups are not related to chance alone
d. It increases the likelihood that differences in the outcomes of the groups are not related to chance alone
In which study design do participants serve as their own controls, allowing early trends in the data to emerge? a. Cross-sectional b. Ex post facto c. Retrospective d. Longitudinal
d. Longitudinal
A nurse researcher assigns half a study sample to an experimental group and the other half to a control group. What does this action represent? a. Instrumentation of the independent variable b. Manipulation of the mediating variable c. Elimination of the mediating variable d. Manipulation of the independent variable
d. Manipulation of the independent variable
Which of the following is an advantage of research studies that examine the association or relationships between variables? a. Ability to determine a causal relationship b. Possibility for greater manipulation of the variables c. Randomization of participants that allows for increased generalizability d. Potential for application in clinical settings and establishment of a foundation for future experimental studies.
d. Potential for application in clinical settings and establishment of a foundation for future experimental studies.
What advantage do quasi-experimental studies have over experimental studies? a. A smaller sample size is sufficient to obtain significant results in quasi-experimental studies. b. Quasi-experimental studies are stronger in establishing cause-and-effect relationships. c. Descriptive statistics can be used to analyze the data in quasi-experimental studies. d. Quasi-experimental studies are more adaptable to real-world settings.
d. Quasi-experimental studies are more adaptable to real-world settings.
In a study using a true experimental design, which of these methods would control for antecedent variables? a. Manipulation of the independent variable b. After-only data collection c. Intervention fidelity d. Random assignment to groups
d. Random assignment to groups
Which of the following factors or characteristics is present only in true experimental design (and not in a quasi-experimental design)? a. Research question or hypothesis b. Experimental treatment c. Informed consent d. Randomization
d. Randomization
What is the major characteristic of a retrospective, or ex post facto, study? a. Obtaining informed consent is not an important issue in a retrospective study. b. Maximal opportunity to manipulate the independent variable exists in a retrospective study. c. In a retrospective study, the dependent variable is measured multiple times to examine the effect of maturation. d. The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable in a retrospective study.
d. The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable in a retrospective study.
A nurse researcher would decide to use a retrospective or ex post facto study for which reason? a. Obtaining informed consent is not an important issue. b. There is maximal opportunity to manipulate the independent variable. c. The dependent variable is measured at multiple times to examine maturation. d. The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable.
d. The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable.
How are threats to validity affected when studies are conducted in real-world settings? a. Threats to both internal and external validity are increased. b. Threats to both internal and external validity are decreased. c. Threats to internal validity are decreased, whereas threats to external validity are increased. d. Threats to internal validity are increased, while threats to external validity are decreased.
d. Threats to internal validity are increased, while threats to external validity are decreased.
Which of the following study titles suggests a cross-sectional design? a. Effect of Prenatal Parenting Classes on Maternal-Infant Bonding in the Early Postpartum Period b. Change in Self-Esteem Over Time Among Women Participating in a Weight Loss Support Group c. Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Successful Breastfeeding at 1 Month and 6 Months After Delivery d. Women's Appraisal of the Diagnosis Within the First 48 Hours After Initial Breast Cancer Diagnosis
d. Women's Appraisal of the Diagnosis Within the First 48 Hours After Initial Breast Cancer Diagnosis
