chapters 10 and 11 review questions

1. Unstructured observation at a group home would most likely be a data collection method that is congruent with the research question for a researcher who is studying peer interactions between patients who are recovering from substance abuse. A) True B) False

between patients who are recovering from substance abuse. A) True

12. A researcher who administers a questionnaire to 50 RN-to-BSN students attending the same nursing school is using which sampling method? A) Convenience B) Target C) Stratified D) Purposive

A) Convenience

2. A researcher is studying post-polio syndrome in American polio survivors over the age 65. The researcher selects the sample subjects from the eligible subjects in a tristate area where the researcher is able to travel. Which group is the target population for this researcher? A) American polio survivors over the age of 65 B) American polio survivors over the age of 65 with post-polio syndrome C) American polio survivors over the age of 65 with post-polio syndrome in the tristate area D) American polio survivors over the age of 65 with post-polio syndrome in the tristate area who participate in the research study

B) American polio survivors over the age of 65 with post-polio syndrome

13. Three patients with tuberculosis who receive treatment at different facilities and have never been in contact with each other begin to exhibit a new cluster of symptoms not seen in other tuberculosis patients. Which method of collecting qualitative data about the phenomenon is most appropriate? A) Interview B) Case study C) Focus group D) Questionnaire

B) Case study

10. What is the primary disadvantage of nonprobability sampling as compared to probability sampling? A) Limited randomization B) Large sample size C) Limited generalizability D) Small sample size

C) Limited generalizability

7. In a study that examines the amount of empathy communicated by participants, which level of measurement would be used? A) Interval B) Ratio C) Ordinal D) Nominal

C) Ordinal

9. Which of the following statements explains why nonprobability sampling carries more risk of selection bias than probability sampling? A) Exclusion criteria are not used in nonprobability sampling. B) Nonprobability sampling uses strata that are not mutually exclusive. C) Representativeness is not a consideration in nonprobability sampling. D) Nonprobability sampling does not use randomization.

D) Nonprobability sampling does not use randomization.

11. What three attributes are used to determine the reliability of an instrument? A) Equivalence, stability, and internal consistency B) Stability, validity, and accuracy C) Stability, equivalence, and validity D) Validity, accuracy, and internal consistency

A) Equivalence, stability, and internal consistency

3. Which of the following lists the types of measurement in order from weakest to strongest? A) Nominal, ordinal, ratio B) Ordinal, ratio, interval C) Interval, nominal, ordinal D) Ratio, interval, nominal

A) Nominal, ordinal, ratio

1. A researcher who divides nursing staff at a hospital into categories of CNAs, LPNs, RNs, and nurse practitioners before randomly selecting participants from each group is using stratified random sampling. A) True B) False

A) True

3. The more heterogeneous the target population is, the larger the sample size needs to be. A) True B) False

A) True

15. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate for a researcher who is concerned participant attrition will result in invalid study results? A) Offer participants at risk of dropping out incentives if they stay in the study. B) Begin the study with a larger sample than necessary. C) Include a section in the consent form where participants agree in advance to complete the entire study. D) Redefine the target population after attrition occurs so that the remaining subjects are still a representative sample.

B) Begin the study with a larger sample than necessary.

2. An instrument that demonstrates reliability also shows validity. A) True B) False

B) False

2. True or False? The following groups are listed in size order from smallest to largest: accessible population, target population, population, sample. A) True B) False

B) False

3. A digital garden rain gauge that inaccurately records an extra sixteenth of an inch of precipitation every 3 days when the lawn sprinklers are automatically turned on is an example of random measurement error. A) True B) False

B) False

4. If the accessible population is the same as the target population, then the entire target population will most likely be used as subjects and no sample is needed. A) True B) False

B) False

5. If a minor child refuses to give oral or written assent to participate in a study, the researcher can include the child in the sample if written consent is given by the parents. A) True B) False

B) False

4. Which of the following would most likely be gathered using dichotomous measurement? A) Weight B) Marital status C) Exam scores D) Educational level

B) Marital status

2. A nurse researcher measures participants' blood pressure readings early in the morning and late in the evening and compares the two readings. Which data collection method is the nurse using? A) Observation B) Scale C) Physiological measurement D) Questionnaire

B) Scale C) Physiological measurement

5. A researcher studying pain associated with complications of Lyme disease wants to make sure that other types of patient pain do not influence the research results. Which action would best address the researcher's concerns? A) Have study participants self-report any other health conditions that cause pain on a regular basis. B) Set criteria to exclude participants with chronic pain disorders from the study. C) Track study participants' use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications. D) Set criteria to include only patients who exhibit the most severe and painful symptoms of Lyme disease in the study.

B) Set criteria to exclude participants with chronic pain disorders from the study.

8. Which of the following methods will yield the most representative sample? A) Nonprobability sampling B) Simple random sampling C) Cluster sampling D) Systematic random sampling

B) Simple random sampling

14. In which situation would the researcher most likely choose storytelling rather than interviewing as the method of data collection? A) The researcher has several predetermined questions that he or she wants all of the participants to answer. B) The researcher has a personal experience related to the research topic that he or she can share with the participants. C) The researcher wants to obtain in-depth information from the participants. D) The researcher wants to be able to analyze the participants' nonverbal communication.

B) The researcher has a personal experience related to the research topic that he or she can share with the participants.

7. A study sample is made up of 70% female subjects and 30% male subjects, and the target population is made up of 55% female subjects and 45% male subjects. Which of the following statements about the study is true? A) The study sample shows representativeness. B) The results of the study are generalizable to the target population. C) The study's external validity is at risk from sampling bias. D) The study sample demonstrates incorrect use of exclusion criteria.

B) The results of the study are generalizable to the target population. C) The study's external validity is at risk from sampling bias.

1. A nurse who asks a patient to rate his or her pain level is most likely using which type of scale? A) Physiological B) Visual analog C) Multidimensional D) Likert

B) Visual analog

10. A nurse researcher asks several colleagues to evaluate a data collection tool to determine if the tool appears to measure the concept under study. Which type of validity is the nurse testing for? A) Predictive validity B) Construct validity C) Face validity D) Criterion validity

C) Face validity

5. Which of the following statements describes the difference between interval measurement and ratio measurement? A) Ratio measurement is used for continuous data, whereas interval measurement is used for noncontinuous data. B) Interval measurement uses numeric values with equal intervals, whereas ratio measurement uses numeric values with unequal intervals. C) Interval measurement scales have a zero point that is not absolute, whereas ratio measurement scales have an absolute zero point. D) Ratio measurement uses numeric values without fixed meaning, whereas interval measurement uses numeric values with fixed meaning.

C) Interval measurement scales have a zero point that is not absolute, whereas ratio measurement scales have an absolute zero point.

14. A researcher who interviews subjects selected from the members of six health policy interest groups in the state of Alabama is most likely using which sampling method? A) Target B) Stratified C) Purposive D) Convenience

C) Purposive

9. If the high and low groups in a known group instrument test score similarly, what can a researcher conclude about the instrument? A) The instrument should be reevaluated using divergent testing. B) The instrument demonstrates convergent validity. C) The instrument does not demonstrate construct validity. D) The instrument is reliable but not valid.

C) The instrument does not demonstrate construct validity.

4. When a study sample shows representativeness, what can be concluded about the study? A) The study results show evidence of sampling bias. B) The study used strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to limit the sample size. C) The study is most likely generalizable, with results that can be applied to the target population. C) The study is most likely not generalizable because the sample was obtained using specific inclusion criteria.

C) The study is most likely generalizable, with results that can be applied to the target population.

11. At which point in the sampling process would the researcher create a sampling frame? A) When the sampling interval has been chosen B) When the exclusion criteria have been applied C) When the convenience sample has been located D) When the accessible population has been determined

C) When the convenience sample has been located D) When the accessible population has been determined

15. What is the main difference between a systematic and a random measurement error in research? A) A systematic error shows a difference between the true and observed measurement. B) A random error occurs in the same way each time with each measurement taken. C) A systematic error shows there was one or more transient factors in the measurement. D) A random error occurs with unpredictably or by chance during the measurement.

D) A random error occurs with unpredictably or by chance during the measurement.

1. What is the relationship between a population and a sample? A) A population is a representative sample of a defined group. B) A sample is made up of objects and events, whereas a population is made up of people. C) Both populations and samples are specialized segments of groups. D) A sample is a representative group of a defined population.

D) A sample is a representative group of a defined population.

12. Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship between stability and internal consistency? A) An instrument that demonstrates stability will also demonstrate internal consistency. B) An instrument that demonstrates internal consistency will also demonstrate stability. C) An instrument cannot demonstrate stability and internal consistency at the same time. D) An instrument may demonstrate stability, internal consistency, or both at the same time.

D) An instrument may demonstrate stability, internal consistency, or both at the same time.

13. Which of the following statements best explains why the preferred method to obtain participants in qualitative research studies is purposive sampling? A) Purposive sampling allows the researcher to choose participants whose experiences are most likely to be generalizable to the target population. B) Purposive sampling ensures that participants are chosen randomly, thereby increasing the validity of the qualitative findings. C) Purposive sampling uses networking to increase the sample size and broaden the target population. D) Purposive sampling allows researchers to select participants who fit the very specific types of criteria that are investigated in qualitative studies.

D) Purposive sampling allows researchers to select participants who fit the very specific types of criteria that are investigated in qualitative studies.

3. Which of the following is an example of an accessible population? A) All RNs in the United States B) All pediatric RNs C) RN-to-BSN students D) RN-to-BSN students at one university

D) RN-to-BSN students at one university

6. The test scores of nursing students are calculated as percentages using a standard 100-point grading scale. The scores represent which type of measurement? A) Nominal B) Ordinal C) Interval D) Ratio

D) Ratio

6. What is present when subjects in a study do not adequately represent the target population? A) Sample manipulation B) Sample exclusion C) Sample bias D) Sample error

D) Sample error

8. A new instrument and an established instrument yield scores that are highly correlated. What can a researcher conclude about the new instrument? A) The new instrument is not valid. B) The new instrument has content validity. C) The new instrument has construct validity. D) The new instrument has criterion-related validity.

D) The new instrument has criterion-related validity.