Deck 2: Introduction to the Quantitative Research Process

Question 1

Applied research seeks to solve a clinical problem in which setting?

A) Controlled
B) Laboratory
C) Natural
D) Simulated

Answer 1

Natural

Question 2

Which of the following types of research involve at least a minor degree of control by the researcher to implement the study treatment?

A) Correlational
B) Descriptive
C) Experimental
D) Quasi-experimental

Answer 2

Quasi-experimental

Question 3

What category or type of research is suggested by the following research question? "Does telephone follow-up by nurses improve patients' compliance with their medication regimens?"

A) Applied
B) Basic
C) Phenomenological
D) Quality assurance

Answer 3

Applied

Question 4

A researcher designs a study that uses a random sampling method to decrease the likelihood of bias in the study sample. This strategy was used to implement:

A) control.
B) data collection.
C) experimental research.
D) manipulation.

Question 5

In which type of research is there high researcher control, random sampling, and controlled setting?

A) Descriptive
B) Correlational
C) Experimental
D) Quasi-experimental

Question 6

Pilot studies are done for which reason?

A) Conceptualize the project
B) Develop and refining a planned study
C) Generalize findings to a population
D) Identify gaps in knowledge

Question 7

A study analyzing the effect of exercise on diet control in Hispanic women with type II diabetes would most credibly be generalizable to which population?

A) All patients with type II diabetes
B) Hispanic patients with type II diabetes
C) Hispanic women with type II diabetes
D) Women with type II diabetes

Question 8

A researcher is studying the relationship between age and involvement in social activities. This is what type of research?

A) Correlational
B) Descriptive
C) Quasi-experimental
D) Experimental

Question 9

The plan in the problem-solving process is equivalent to which step in the research process?

A) Design
B) Implementation
C) Outcomes
D) Problem identification

Question 10

A researcher is interested in studying stress and coping in caregivers of elderly stroke victims. The researcher designs a study in which data collection takes place in the caregiver's home. This would be an example of which type of research setting?

A) Highly controlled, field
B) Highly controlled, laboratory
C) Natural, field
D) Partially controlled, laboratory

Question 11

Which of the following would identify the specific aim or goal of the study based on the identified problem?

A) Assumptions
B) Literature review
C) Methodology
D) Purpose

Question 12

The research process differs from the nursing process on which of the following?

A) Has a broader focus
B) Identifies new information
C) Involves abstract, critical thinking
D) Uses complex thinking

Question 13

The question "Is there a relationship between caffeine intake and intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma?" is an example of which type of research?

A) Basic
B) Correlational
C) Historical
D) Phenomenological

Question 14

Before implementing a large, multisite research investigation, a researcher conducts a smaller study to identify any problematic areas in the planned study. This smaller study is known as a/an:

A) abstract.
B) exploratory design.
C) pilot study.
D) proposal.

Question 15

A research problem is defined as a/an:

A) general area of concern requiring study.
B) intended or desired result of a specific action.
C) statement that specifically indicates the study focus.
D) topic of personal interest.

Question 16

Which of the following definitions best describes rigor in quantitative research?

A) Amount of control and precision exerted by the methodology
B) Degree of aggressiveness used in acquiring the data
C) Process used to synthesize findings to form conclusions from a study
D) Time frame in which the research takes place

Question 17

Research subjects in a study of quality of life (QOL) in liver transplant recipients were asked to complete a questionnaire about their experiences after transplantation. Which of the following would be a likely assumption that the researcher made in relation to this study?

A) All liver transplant recipients invited to participate in the study will complete a questionnaire.
B) QOL is an important issue to liver transplant recipients.
C) Subjects are able to identify a personal awareness of QOL.
D) Subjects will complete every item on the questionnaire.

Question 18

Problem identification in the research process would be equivalent to which step in the nursing process?

A) Assessment
B) Goal identification
C) Nursing diagnosis
D) Planned interventions

Question 19

A researcher investigates the effect of frequency of position change on the healing of decubitus ulcers. The study would be described as:

A) applied research.
B) basic research.
C) descriptive research.
D) phenomenological research.

Question 20

Statements that are taken for granted or are considered true, even though they have not been scientifically tested, are called:

A) assumptions.
B) hypotheses.
C) limitations.
D) variables.

Question 21

Which journal is most likely to publish a report on the findings of a recent study on patient compliance with low-sodium diets?

A) (The) American Journal of Nursing
B) Applied Nursing Research
C) Diabetic Educator
D) Nursing 2010

Question 22

Which of the following are true statements about quantitative research? (Choose all that apply.)

A) Correlational research is not true research because there is no control group.
B) Experimental research is what quantitative research is all about.
C) Quasi-experimental research is a useful option when controlled conditions are not possible.
D) Statistical tests are employed with quantitative research studies.

Question 23

How does a study framework differ from a theory? A framework:

A) can be conveyed through a diagram or map, whereas a theory can not.
B) is a testable theory used by the researcher.
C) is used in applied research, and a theory is used in basic research.
D) needs more explanation than a theory.

Question 24

Which of the following items is not typically included in the purpose statement of a research study?

A) Variables
B) Methodology
C) Population of interest
D) Setting of the study

Question 25

A nurse reads a research report published in a professional journal. The nurse notes that a convenience sample was used, and data were gathered from several clinical sites. Overall the nurse was impressed with the quality and credibility of the study. The nurse demonstrated which critical thinking skill related to reading research reports?

A) Analyzing a research report
B) Highlighting key components of the research report
C) Quickly reading through the report for a broad overview
D) Reading the entire study through carefully to focus on major concepts

Question 26

Which of the following are true statements about basic research? (Choose all that apply.) Basic research:

A) cannot be generalized.
B) has no implications for practice.
C) is often conducted with animals.
D) is the pursuit of "knowledge for knowledge's sake."

Question 27

In critiquing a research study, what would indicate that the researcher minimized the limitations of the study? The

A) connection among the concepts was made clear in the report.
B) findings were generalized beyond the scope of the study.
C) sample for the study was drawn from a convenient group of patients from nearby facilities.
D) variables were described using vague and conflicting terms.

Question 28

Which answer has terms that come from all three of the following: the problem-solving process, nursing process, and the research process, rather than just one?

A) Assessment, nursing diagnosis, evaluation
B) Data collection, methodology, evaluation
C) Data collection, problem identification, implementation
D) Literature review, design, outcomes

Question 29

Which statements are true about a literature review? The literature review:

A) cannot include any articles written more than 5 years ago.
B) generates a picture of what is known and not known about a particular problem.
C) includes an exhaustive review of all information on the subject.
D) indicates whether adequate knowledge exists to make changes in practice; provides guidelines for analysis of the data for the developing study.

Question 30

Which of the following best describes how to handle extraneous variables? (Choose all that apply.) The researcher:

A) can control all extraneous variables as long as they are identified.
B) can control for extraneous variables through study design.
C) must identify the main extraneous variables and control for them.
D) should include all extraneous variables in the data analysis to eliminate their influence.

Question 31

The researcher uses which portion of the research report to capture the reader's attention?

A) Abstract
B) Conclusion
C) Framework
D) Methodology

Question 32

A researcher describes a study as correlational. Which of the following would not be typically found in a research report of the study?

A) A description of the variables
B) A correctly stated purpose of the study
C) A hypothesis indicating a causal relationship between the variables
D) A report of strength of association

Question 33

Which of the following are true statements about what research means? (Choose all that apply.) Research:

A) and experiment are synonymous terms.
B) has specific protocols and steps to follow.
C) helps us know about new situations and concepts.
D) proves the "true reality" of a situation.

Question 34

What is the correct order of the steps of the research process?
1)Establishing the methodology
2) Implementation
3) Problem and purpose identification
4) Search for knowledge
5) Synthesis of findings

A) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
B) 2, 4, 5, 1, 3
C) 3, 1, 2, 5, 4
D) 4, 3, 1, 2, 5

Question 35

If a researcher used an instrument to measure happiness and reports that in the past it has been used to determine degree of hardiness, what would a critique of the study focus on regarding this choice?

A) The validity of the research tool is in question.
B) The population is not adequately represented by the study.
C) There would be a need to find out what were the scores on the questionnaire.
D) All of the above

Question 36

A researcher describes a study as a descriptive study. Which of the following would typically be part of the research methodology for the study?

A) Finding a representative sample
B) Describing a causal effect between the variables
C) Identifying the control group
D) Planning the intervention

Question 37

Which of the following best describe a researcher striving for rigor in a study? The researcher has:

A) created a minimally controlled study design, to depict a more natural setting.
B) developed an instrument especially for this study to precisely measure anxiety.
C) found a highly reliable and valid instrument used in several previous studies with good results.
D) recruited 1000 qualified nursing students to participate in the study.

Question 38

When critiquing a research report, what would not be needed in the description of the sample to determine the validity of the sample? The

A) population it was representing
B) number of subjects
C) way the sample was chosen
D) mean age of the sample

Question 39

In selecting a research design, what would indicate that the researcher's choice was not the correct one? The

A) methods of measurement do not match the research purpose.
B) plans for data analysis are reasonable and match the study questions.
C) researcher is capable of conducting the study.
D) research question can be addressed with the design chosen.

Question 40

The sentence, "The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health beliefs and breast self-examination," would most likely be found in which section of a research report?

A) Discussion
B) Introduction
C) Methods
D) Results