Chapter 5Literature Reviews: Finding and Critiquing Evidence

3. In an electronic literature search, what is the researcher doing when she does not know the precise keywords for retrieving information on a topic? A) Mapping B) Searching C) Restricting focus D) Copying

A

4. What is a primary source for a research literature review? A) A description of a study written by researchers who did the study B) A summary of relevant research on the topic of interest C) A thesaurus that directs readers to subject headings germane to the topic D) Any journal article on a topic of interest

A

9. There are several major steps in preparing a written research review. What is the first step? A) Formulating a question B) Devising a search strategy C) Conducting a search D) Retrieving relevant sources

A

tracking down earlier studies cited in a reference list of a report A) Ancestry approach B) Descendancy approach C) Gray literature D) Bibliographic databases

A

23. A researcher collects data about a phenomenon by observing people in a naturalistic setting and also by interviewing people in that setting. What strategy did the researcher use?

A) Triangulation

3. For a research literature review, what is a primary source? A) A description of a study written by the researchers who did the study B) A summary of a study written by someone other than the researchers who conducted it C) Any reference focused primarily on the topic of interest D) Sources such as case reports, editorials, or anecdotes

Ans: A Feedback: A primary source is the original description of a study prepared by the researchers who conducted it. A secondary source is a description of the study by others—for example, a summary in a literature review. Some references that focus on the topic of interest would not be considered primary sources—for example, sources that are not research-based, such as case reports or anecdote

7. A researcher is studying the effect of a laughter therapy program on levels of depression in rural middle-aged women. Which sentence is most likely to be a secondary question for developing an argument for this study? A) What percentage of rural middle-aged women suffer from depression? B) Have laughter therapy or other similar programs been effective in improving levels of depression in rural middle-aged women? C) What percentage of urban women is both middle-aged and depressed? D) What are the needs of rural middle-aged women?

Ans: A Feedback: A question about the percentage of rural middle-aged women who suffer from depression is a secondary question relevant to the scope of the problem; this information would be useful in building an argument about the need for an intervention. The question about the effectiveness of laughter therapy programs would be the primary question. The other two questions do not seem especially germane to the implied research problem of reducing the incidence of depression among rural middle-aged women

Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing the literature before undertaking a new study. Researchers in which qualitative research tradition often prefer to collect their data before doing a thorough literature review? A) Grounded theory B) Phenomenology C) Ethnography D) Naturalism

Ans: A Feedback: Grounded theory researchers often collect their data and develop their grounded theory before thoroughly reviewing the literature. Phenomenologists usually undertake a search for relevant materials about the phenomenon of interest at the outset of a study. Ethnographers often review the literature relating to the cultural problem being studied before going out into the field. Naturalism is not a qualitative research tradition—it is an alternative name for constructivism, the paradigm associated with qualitative resear

18. Which statement is true about open-access journal articles? A) They can be downloaded for free over the Internet B) They are available for free to users from institutions that have paid a subscription fee C) They are articles written by researchers who provide free supplementary material about their research D) They are articles that are accessible worldwide because they are translated into dozens of languages for free

Ans: A Feedback: Open-access journal articles can be downloaded free of charge by anyone with an Internet connection. Open-access journals do not involve a subscription fee. They are not translated into other languages, and they do not specifically involve making supplementary research material accessible.

13. Which word or words would be searched in a bibliographic database if a searcher used the truncation symbol * in the search term man*? A) Maneuver B) Woman C) Manual D) Human E) Men

Ans: A, C Feedback: A truncation symbol such as an asterisk expands a search term to include various endings for a root term. In the example of man*, only "maneuver" and "manual" extend the root beyond "man."

4. What is a secondary source for a research literature review? A) A description of a study written by researchers who did the study B) A summary of a study written by someone other than the researchers who conducted it C) Any reference focused on the topic of interest D) Sources such as case reports, editorials, or anecdotes

Ans: B Feedback: A secondary source for a research literature review is a description of the study by an individual unconnected with it. A primary source is the description of a study prepared by the researchers who conducted it. A source focused on the topic of interest may be considered neither a secondary nor a primary source if the source is not a research report (e.g., an anecdote or case report)

10. In an electronic literature search, some bibliographic databases are capable of identifying relevant references when the researcher does not know the precise subject codes used in the database. This capability is called: A) Searching B) Mapping C) Delimiting D) Guiding

Ans: B Feedback: Mapping is a "translation" feature that allows a search for topics using one's own keywords rather than needing to enter a term that is exactly the same as a subject code in the database. Searching is a generic activity, and delimiting can be used to restrict a search for certain features. Most databases offer tutorials and other guidance on how to use the database, but these features are not a capability relating to translating keywords to subject codes.

20. Which statement about written literature reviews is true? A) A typical format for a literature review is to have a series of quotes from the original studies B) Studies with comparable findings are often summarized together in the review C) The reviewer's opinions about the researchers who conducted the studies under review should be included in the review D) It is common to omit studies from a review if the findings are at odds with the reviewer's expectations

Ans: B Feedback: Studies that have comparable findings are summarized together—the finding is stated, followed by the citation information for all relevant references. Objectivity in reviews is highly valued—reviewer's opinions do not belong in a review (except for opinions about the quality of evidence) and reviewers should not omit studies that are at odds with their own expectations. Reviews should not be a series of quotes from the studies under review.

11. Which Boolean operator delimits a search of a bibliographic database? A) BUT B) AND C) OR D) NOT

Ans: B Feedback: The Boolean operator AND delimits a search—both terms on either side of the "AND" must be present in the search fields of articles that are retrieved. Two other Boolean operators are OR and NOT. BUT is not a Boolean operator.

16. What is an important feature of the MEDLINE database? A) It is translated into 20+ languages B) It can be accessed for free through PubMed C) It has the same controlled vocabulary as the one used in CINAHL D) It is an ideal database for searching for qualitative studies

Ans: B Feedback: The MEDLINE database can be accessed anywhere in the world, free of charge, via an Internet connection to PubMed. The database has some entries in non-English journals, but the English-language entries are not translated. The controlled vocabulary of MEDLINE is MeSH, which is different from that used in CINAHL. Searching for qualitative studies is challenging in all databases

How is doing a research literature review similar to doing a qualitative study? A) Both reviewers and qualitative researchers rely on a mix of primary and secondary sources B) Both reviewers and qualitative researchers rely on a relatively small sample of sources C) Both reviewers and qualitative researchers pursue new information until "saturation" (redundancy) is achieved D) Both reviewers and qualitative researchers begin with a preestablished plan and stick to it throughout the process

Ans: C Feedback: Both reviewers and qualitative researchers pursue leads until they achieve saturation or redundancy—in the case of literature reviews, redundancy in identifying relevant primary source material. They both have a flexible (not a preestablished) approach to gathering information. Research reviews may involve quite a large "sample" of sources for topics that have been extensively researched. Qualitative researchers rely on "primary sources" in the sense that they gather data directly from people with relevant experiences

2. In which publication is the research literature review most likely to be lengthy and detailed? A) Journal research report B) Research proposal C) Traditional dissertation D) Conference paper

Ans: C Feedback: In a traditional dissertation, the literature review is often an entire chapter, running between 15 and 30 pages. In journal research reports, research proposals, and conference presentations, literature reviews are succinct, with an emphasis on giving the audience an overview of existing evidence and on providing a rationale for the new research.

8. There are several strategies for finding relevant studies on a topic. Which defines the ancestry approach? A) Searching for articles that summarize prior research in a bibliographic database B) Reading abstracts to determine whether the article is pertinent to the topic C) Tracking down earlier studies cited in the reference list of a relevant research report D) Using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it

Ans: C Feedback: Strategies for identifying studies on a topic include the ancestry approach, which involves tracking down earlier studies cited in a reference list of a research report (i.e., footnote chasing). Other strategies include the use of bibliographic databases and the descendancy approach (using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it). Reading abstracts to determine study relevance is not a strategy for identifying relevant studies.

12. Which Boolean operator expands a search of a bibliographic database? A) IF B) AND C) OR D) NO

Ans: C Feedback: The Boolean operator OR expands a search—either of the two terms on both sides of the "OR" can be present in the search fields of articles that are retrieved. Two other Boolean operators are AND and NOT. IF is not a Boolean operator.

17. Which statement is true about Google Scholar (GS)? A) GS is accessed by paying an annual subscription fee B) GS does not include a "Cited By" search feature that can be used for a descendancy search C) GS lists references in an order that puts most weight on the number of times a reference has been cited D) GS is the most widely respected bibliographic search engine for health research

Ans: C Feedback: The Google Search reference list is not in order of the publication date but by citation frequency. GS is free and includes a "Cited By" feature. GS remains somewhat controversial in academic circles, although some have argued that it is of similar utility as other more prominent medical databases.

5. Which statement about conducting a high-quality research literature review is true? A) A literature review is based primarily on secondary sources B) Non research references such as case reports can play a vital role in a research literature review C) Doing a research literature review is a linear process, without feedback loops D) The reviewer should strive to "own" the literature by becoming an expert on the topic

Ans: D Feedback: Research literature reviews should be comprehensive and up-to-date, and the reviewer should strive to "own" the literature through diligent efforts to be thorough. Literature reviews are based mainly on primary, not secondary, sources. Nonresearch references are seldom relevant in a research review, and the review process typically involves many feedback loops.

9. There are several strategies for finding relevant studies on a topic. Which defines the descendancy approach? A) Searching for articles that summarize prior research in a bibliographic database B) Reading abstracts to determine whether the article is pertinent to the topic C) Tracking down earlier studies cited in the reference list of a relevant research report D) Using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it

Ans: D Feedback: Strategies for identifying studies on a topic include the descendancy approach, which involves using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it. Other strategies include the use of bibliographic databases and the ancestry approach (tracking down earlier studies cited in a reference list of a research report). Reading abstracts to determine study relevance is not a strategy for identifying relevant studies.

22. Which database references almost all English-language nursing journals? A) Google Scholar B) EMBASE C) MEDLINE D) CINAHL

Ans: D Feedback: The CINAHL database (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) covers almost all English-language nursing journals and also includes books, dissertations, and selected conference proceedings in nursing. The other databases are often useful to nurse researchers, but their coverage of nursing studies is less comprehensive than CINAHL.

15. Which electronic database is widely recognized as the premier source for bibliographic coverage of the biomedical literature? A) CINAHL B) EMBASE C) Scopus D) MEDLINE

Ans: D Feedback: The MEDLINE database was developed by the US National Library of Medicine and is widely recognized as the premier source for bibliographic coverage of the biomedical literature. CINAHL is an important electronic database for nurses and allied health professions. Another potentially useful bibliographic database for nurses is EMBASE. Scopus is a useful citation index.

19. Which tool is useful for organizing information from a research literature review? A) Research abstracts B) A thesaurus of terms C) Lists from a bibliographic database D) Literature review matrices

Ans: D Feedback: Two-dimensional matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. In these matrices, each study in the review is on a row, and the columns are used to record pieces of information about each reference. Research abstracts, a thesaurus, and lists from a bibliographic database are not helpful for organizing the mass of information obtained in most reviews.

10. When doing a literature review, what type of information will a researcher undertaking a new study find as an undesirable attribute? A) Available research findings B) Descriptions of an expert's opinions about the phenomenon C) How the variables of interest have been operationally defined in prior studies D) What research approaches have been used to study similar problems

B

24. Which can be a source of bias in both quantitative and qualitative studies?

B) Participants' lack of candour

5. There are several strategies for finding studies on a topic. What is the ancestry approach? A) Search for articles that summarize prior research. B) Read the accompanying abstract to determine whether the article is pertinent to the topic. C) Tracking down earlier studies cited in a reference list of a report. D) Using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it.

C

21. Which term is used to refer to studies with limited distribution? A) Keywords B) Pearl growing C) Grey literature D) Secondary sources

C The grey literature refers to studies with limited distribution (e.g., conference papers, dissertations) that are usually difficult to identify and retrieve. The other terms are relevant in literature searches but are unrelated to studies with restricted distribution

Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. What is the purpose of evaluation matrix? A.Record methodologic features of a set of studies. B.Record research findings. C.Record quality assessment information. D.Record thematic analysis of the retrieved information.

C A reviewer might use a methodologic matrix to record methodologic features of a set of studies, a set of results matrices to record research findings, and an evaluation matrix to record quality assessment information. The use of such matrices facilitates thematic analysis of the retrieved information.

16. Which is the term for an objective assessment of a study's strengths and limitations? 1

C) Research critique

7. What is a secondary source for a research literature review? A) A description of a study written by researchers who did the study B) A summary of relevant research on the topic of interest C) A thesaurus that directs readers to subject headings germane to the topic D) A description of the study by an individual unconnected with it

D

8. The nurse is conducting a literature review. Which will not assist the nurse when conducting a literature review? A) One major purpose of a literature review is to learn what research has already been done in the area. B) A text word search allows searchers to look for specific words in all test fields of records in the electronic database. C) The literature review section should conclude with a critical evaluation of knowledge on the problem of interest. D) Information from anecdotal and opinion articles is usually included in research literature.

D

14. Some features to expand an electronic search are similar across databases. Which is an example of a wildcard symbol in several databases? A) & B) # C) @ D) ?

D Feedback: Wildcard symbols (often a question mark) can be inserted into the middle of a search term. They permit an expanded search because they allow for alternative spellings (e.g., humo?r). The other three response options are not wildcard symbols.

18. Which statement is true?

D) Rigorous research methods facilitate researchers' ability to make appropriate inferences

7. A conclusion derived from the evidence presented in a study, taking into account the study methods, is called:

D) an inference.

Using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it A) Ancestry approach B) Descendancy approach C) Gray literature D) Bibliographic databases

Descendancy approach

An ancestry approach uses pivotal studies to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it.

F Ancestry approach: tracking down earlier studies cited in a reference list of a report Descendancy approach: using a pivotal study to search forward to subsequent studies that cited it

A research literature review is a written summary of evidence on a research problem. T/F

True A research literature review is a written summary of evidence on a research problem.

14. Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. How many dimension arrays are present? A) Two B) Three C) Four D) Five

a

17. Written literature reviews are undertaken for many different purposes. In a quantitative research report, what section of the report would a review of prior research on the problem under study be located? A) Introduction B) Methods C) Results D) Discussion

a

12. Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing the literature before doing a new study. What group of researchers often undertakes a search for relevant materials at the onset of a study? A) Grounded theory researchers B) Phenomenologists C) Ethnographogists D) Grounded theory researchers and phenomenologist

b

16. Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. When would a reviewer use a results matrix? A) Record methodological features of a set of studies. B) Record research findings. C) Record quality assessment information. D) Facilitate thematic analysis of the retrieved information.

b

13. Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing the literature before doing a new study. What group of researchers does a more thorough literature review during data analysis and interpretation so that findings can be compared with previous findings? A) Grounded theory researchers B) Phenomenologists C) Ethnographogists D) Grounded theory researchers and phenomenologist

c

15. Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. When would a reviewer use an evaluation matrix? A) Record methodological features of a set of studies. B) Record research findings. C) Record quality assessment information. D) Facilitate thematic analysis of the retrieved information.

c

19. Written literature reviews are undertaken for many different purposes. In a qualitative research report, what section of the report would the thematic analysis of the data be presented? A) Introduction B) Methods C) Results D) Discussion

c

2. The RN is doing a basic search of articles on nurses' stress in the ICU. In conducting a subject search in an electronic database, what should the nurse type to initiate the search? A) An author's name B) Restrictions to the search C) A topic or keyword D) A mapping procedure

c

1. Which electronic database is widely recognized as the premier source for bibliographic coverage of the biomedical literature? A) CINAHL B) Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition C) ProQuest D) MEDLINE

d

18. Written literature reviews are undertaken for many different purposes. In a research report, what section of the report would limitations of the study be located? A) Introduction B) Methods C) Results D) Discussion

d

20. Some features of an electronic search are similar across databases. Which is an example of a wildcard symbol? A) And B) Not C) Or D) Question mark

d