Deck 4: Developing Research Questions, hypotheses, and Clinical Questions

Question 1

In a research study,what are the properties of interest that take on different values and are different from each other?

A) Variables
B) Concepts
C) Hypotheses
D) Assumptions

Answer 1

Variables

Question 2

What is the key difference between independent and dependent variables?

A) The dependent variable should change in response to manipulation of the independent variable.
B) The independent variable should change in response to manipulation of the dependent variable.
C) Although both the dependent and independent variables are manipulated, only the dependent variable is considered an intervention.
D) The dependent variable relies on personal or demographic variables for strength, whereas the independent variable is strong enough to stand alone.

Answer 2

The dependent variable should change in response to manipulation of the independent variable.

Question 3

Which of the following statements represents a potential area of research?

A) "Most of our admissions occur at night."
B) "It is difficult to find personnel willing to work the night shift."
C) "It seems that most of the client falls on our unit occur during the night shift."
D) "The night shift personnel are not attending promptly to the needs of our clients."

Answer 3

"It seems that most of the client falls on our unit occur during the night shift."

Question 4

Which of the following factors or considerations constitutes the feasibility of a research study?

A) Availability of the participants
B) Direction of the hypotheses
C) Gaps in the literature
D) Design of the study

Question 5

Which of the following statements about independent and dependent variables is true?

A) All research problem statements must contain a dependent variable and an independent variable.
B) There should only be one dependent variable associated with a single independent variable.
C) The relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable for any study must be causal.
D) A given characteristic or situation may be a dependent variable in one study and an independent variable in another.

Question 6

Which type of research studies is expected to have research questions rather than hypotheses?

A) Experimental studies
B) Exploratory studies
C) Correlational studies
D) Predictive studies

Question 7

When an idea or a clinical situation has emerged as a potential research problem,what is the next appropriate step?

A) Identifying the variables
B) Formulating a hypothesis
C) Performing a literature review
D) Validating that the problem really exists

Question 8

Which type of format is demonstrated by the following research question?
"Is there a relationship between self-esteem and body weight among postmenopausal women?"

A) Correlational
B) Comparative nonexperimental
C) Quantitative experimental
D) Phenomenological

Question 9

Which of the following is the purpose of a hypothesis for any study?

A) To identify dependent and independent variables
B) To provide direction for research by identifying the expected outcome
C) To define the appropriate measures needed to test the research question
D) To provide a means to know whether or not the study of the research problem is feasible

Question 10

What type of hypothesis is demonstrated by the following statement?
"There will be no difference in the number of adverse events among clients discharged 2 days after an abdominal hysterectomy compared with clients discharged 4 days after an abdominal hysterectomy."

A) Nondirectional hypothesis
B) Directional hypothesis
C) Deductive hypothesis
D) Null hypothesis

Question 11

Which of the following identified research problems has enough significance to warrant further development?

A) Children between 8 and 12 years do not eat the broccoli in their school lunches.
B) Women above 100 years old are at moderate risk for development of breast cancer.
C) Obese adults are at risk for development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
D) The rate of sunscreen use among Aboriginal people is less than 10%.

Question 12

Which of the following hypotheses is nondirectional?

A) A hospital with an infection control nurse will have fewer instances of sepsis among inpatients than will a hospital without an infection control nurse.
B) Greater weight loss will be seen among dieting patients who receive a weekly supportive telephone call from a dietitian than among dieting patients who do not receive a weekly supportive phone call.
C) A difference in the stage of prostate cancer will be seen among men who had an abnormal result from prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) screening compared with men who had an abnormal result from digital rectal examination ( DRE ) screening.
D) Children who receive weekly counselling for 1 year after the death of a parent will perform better in school than will children who do not receive weekly counselling after the death of a parent.

Question 13

Which part of the following research question is the independent variable?
"To what degree will body weight change individually in a group of Aboriginal women over 50 years of age who participate in a program of walking?"

A) "Women over 50"
B) "Body weight change"
C) "Aboriginal women"
D) "Participate in a program"

Question 14

Review the abstract information provided below and identify the dependent variable for this study.
"Across time,increases in social support and marriage were associated with increased psychological well-being,whereas longer periods of unemployment were connected with higher depression and lower self-esteem."

A) "Social support"
B) "Marriage"
C) "Psychological well-being"
D) "Unemployment"

Question 15

Which of the following hypotheses fails to meet the criteria of testability?

A) Proper hand washing prevents the spread of infection.
B) A consistent routine of low-impact aerobic exercising will increase coordination among older adults.
C) Patients who use guided imagery during MRI procedures will have reduced perceptions of emotional distress compared with patients who do not use guided imagery.
D) Postoperative patients who receive round-the-clock scheduled analgesics will have lower levels of pain compared with postoperative patients who receive analgesics on a PRN schedule.

Question 16

What is the difference between a hypothesis and a research problem?

A) There is no difference between a research problem and a hypothesis.
B) A hypothesis is theory based, and a research question is practice based.
C) A hypothesis attempts to answer the question posed by the research problem.
D) A research problem defines clinical research, and a hypothesis defines bench research.

Question 17

The initial review of the literature helps the investigator:

A) organize the summary.
B) identify statistical tests.
C) identify the need to extend knowledge base.
D) determine the scope of the study.

Question 18

Which of the following research problems is testable as written?

A) Should mothers addicted to crack cocaine be permitted to raise their children?
B) Is the classroom an appropriate place to teach sex education to 10-year-old children?
C) Are older adults residing in assisted-living facilities satisfied with their level of social interaction?
D) Is an HIV infection or AIDS status sufficient rationale for barring the person from employment as an elementary school teacher?

Question 19

What type of format is demonstrated by the following research question?
"What is the lived experience of late-stage pregnancy loss among women over 35?"

A) Correlational
B) Comparative nonexperimental
C) Quantitative experimental
D) Phenomenological

Question 20

How is a hypothesis related to a theory?

A) A hypothesis can determine the validity of a theory.
B) A hypothesis can be used to evaluate the merit of a theory.
C) A theory can determine the validity of a hypothesis.
D) A theory can be used to evaluate the merit of a hypothesis.