Question 1

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?

Accepted Answer

The low incidence rate of head injuries in children under age 5 (less than 1% of hospital admissions) makes it difficult to find a sufficient sample size for the study, negatively affecting its feasibility.

Question 2

Which of the following actions in a quantitative research study represents a measure to eliminate bias on the dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

By establishing strict eligibility criteria, the researcher can control for potential confounding variables that may affect the dependent variable. This helps to eliminate bias on the dependent variable. Choice B can control for bias on the independent variable, but not necessarily the dependent variable. Choice C relates to hypothesis formulation, not bias elimination. Choice D tests the validity of the theoretical framework, but may not necessarily eliminate bias on the dependent variable.

Question 3

Why is the administration of a pretest a cause for concern in a research study?

Accepted Answer

Administering a pretest may sensitize participants to the topic of the study, affecting their responses on the posttest. This is a threat to internal validity as it becomes difficult to tease apart the effect of the treatment/intervention from the impact of taking the pretest.

Question 4

What should the nurse researcher consider when determining the feasibility of a research question?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What should the nurse researcher consider when...

Question 5

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?

Accepted Answer

Mediating variables are those that can affect the relationship between the independent variable (high doses of vitamin C) and the dependent variable (reducing susceptibility to influenza). In this case, participants having received influenza vaccination is a mediating variable because it could affect their susceptibility to influenza and potentially confound the results of the study. The other factors listed (gender, religion, previous experience with influenza, educational level, and marital status) are not likely to directly mediate the relationship between high doses of vitamin C and influenza susceptibility.

Question 6

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?

Accepted Answer

Drawing blood from all participants at the same time of day controls for diurnal variations in hormone levels, ensuring consistency in data collection.

Question 7

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?

Accepted Answer

Maturation and testing are threats to internal validity that could be present in this study. Maturation refers to changes that occur in participants over time due to factors other than the intervention, such as growing older or gaining more life experience. Testing refers to the effects of taking a pretest on participants' performance on the posttest.

Question 8

In what way could a homogeneous population of participants in a study weaken the study?

Accepted Answer

A homogeneous population limits the generalizability of the findings to other populations, as the results may only be applicable to that specific group. This reduces the external validity of the study.

Question 9

When should an extraneous variable be included as part of the study's design?

Accepted Answer

Extraneous variables should be included in the study's design when they are an important consideration for the outcome. Ignoring or omitting these variables could result in biased or misleading results.

Question 10

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?

Accepted Answer

In a quantitative research study, maintaining control is important to ensure the validity and reliability of the results. To achieve this, the nurse should include elements such as valid and reliable collection methods, trained data collectors, and standardized data collection processes. These elements help to minimize errors and bias, thus increasing the accuracy of the study results. The option E, analysis of data by words or text only, is not applicable to a quantitative study as this involves qualitative data analysis methods. Participants of all ages are not necessarily required in the study, as the nurse should select the sample based on the research question and hypothesis.

Question 11

For which type of quantitative study is the issue of control less important?

Accepted Answer

Exploratory studies are typically conducted to gain preliminary insights into a phenomenon or to generate hypotheses for future research. These studies often involve small sample sizes and less focus on control of extraneous variables, as the main focus is on generating new ideas rather than testing a specific hypothesis. Therefore, the issue of control is less important in exploratory studies as compared to experimental or correlational studies.

Question 12

Which factors would be considered threats to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which factors would be considered threats to...

Quiz 9: Introduction to Quantitative Research