Deck 13: Data Collection Methods

Question 1

The training of data collectors to adhere strictly to a standard protocol for a research project will affect the ultimate outcome of the study by doing what?

A) Reducing risks to human participants
B) Reducing cost of data collection
C) Increasing consistency in data collection
D) Increasing risk of introducing researcher bias into the study

Answer 1

Increasing consistency in data collection

Question 2

What is the most appropriate data-collection method for measuring postoperative pain during the first 24 hours after coronary artery bypass graft surgery?

A) Assessment of arterial blood gas values
B) Unstructured interview
C) Visual analogue pain scale
D) Pain questionnaire

Answer 2

Visual analogue pain scale

Question 3

What should the nurse researcher expect to be the difference between data collection for patient care and data collection for the purposes of research?

A) For patient care, data are obtained from the patient and medical record; for research, data are obtained only from the patient.
B) Data collection for research may include direct patient quotations; in patient care, recording of direct quotations is avoided.
C) During research data collection, there is no direct interaction between the nurse and the patient.
D) Data collection for research purposes must be objective and systematic.

Answer 3

Data collection for research purposes must be objective and systematic.

Question 4

What is the most appropriate method of data collection the researcher can use to gather information from 1,000 people?

A) Field notes
B) Structured interview
C) Unstructured interview
D) Survey

Question 5

What is accurate about physiological,or biological,measures of data?

A) They involve the use of specialized equipment.
B) Data-collection error is reduced with their use.
C) They can be used for both qualitative and quantitative studies.
D) Instruments that measure physiological phenomena represent the "gold standard" and eliminate the need to verify instrument reliability and validity.

Question 6

In a study conducted at a large long-term care facility,two nurse researchers collected data about 56 pressure ulcers on 40 different participants.The examinations were independently performed but on the same day.A comparison of the results indicated that the data collectors,who used the Braden Scale for pressure ulcer assessment,had identical scores for 54 of the 56 ulcers.What can be determined from this finding?

A) Interrater reliability between the two data collectors was high.
B) Interrater reliability between the two data collectors was low.
C) The data-collection method was inappropriate for the phenomenon under investigation.
D) In order to establish interrater reliability, both data collectors should have examined each pressure ulcer at the same time.

Question 7

What advantage is shared by both interview and questionnaire data-collection methods?

A) Both seek to understand the attitudes, beliefs, and feelings of participants.
B) Both are analyzed by statistical methods.
C) Both require extensive researcher training.
D) Both are paper-and-pencil tests.

Question 8

What is an example of a physiological measurement?

A) Definition of a type "A" behaviour pattern
B) Description of self-care abilities in patients with dementia
C) Ranges of values on two consecutive arterial blood gas analyses
D) Adjusted scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Scale

Question 9

Which of the following terms describes the process of translating the researcher's concepts of interest into observable and measurable phenomena?

A) Analysis
B) Objectivity
C) Consistency
D) Operationalization

Question 10

What is the most important issue in the data-collection phase of research?

A) Flexibility in data collection
B) Consistency in data collection
C) Accurate interpretation of the data collected
D) Averaging of numerical scores to reduce the effect of outliers

Question 11

What is the nurse researcher's primary concern in data collection for research?

A) Flexibility in data collection
B) Consistency in data collection
C) Accurate interpretation of data collected
D) Averaging of numerical scores to reduce the effect of outliers

Question 12

Which observational role would be most appropriate if the nurse researcher wants to identify maternal response behaviours to cries of infants with colic?

A) Concealment with intervention
B) Concealment without intervention
C) No concealment with intervention
D) No concealment without intervention

Question 13

Which data-collection method would be most appropriate in studying bullying behaviour in elementary school-aged girls?

A) An unstructured interview
B) Asking parents about their children's experience with bullying
C) Responses of the children on a paper-and-pencil bullying scale
D) Concealment of the researcher without intervention in children's behaviour

Question 14

During a research project,the researcher notes that the participant completes each assigned task with a much higher level of performance than he normally exhibits.How should a nurse researcher most accurately describe this change in the participant's behaviour?

A) Reactivity
B) Instability
C) Therapeutic
D) Interventionist

Question 15

Which of the following factors or issues are most important in deciding on a method of data collection for a specific research study?

A) The number of hypotheses or research questions and the experience of the investigator
B) The nature of the research question and the specific population to be studied
C) The cost of the instrument and the amount of research effort involved
D) The number of co-investigators on the study and the educational preparation of the primary investigator

Question 16

The nurse researcher's use of a focus group interview with audio-recording of group interactions would be considered to be an observational role of what?

A) Concealment with intervention
B) Concealment without intervention
C) No concealment with intervention
D) No concealment without intervention

Question 17

Which of the following data-collection methods is most at risk of researcher bias?

A) Questionnaires
B) Available data
C) Observation methods
D) Physiological measurement

Question 18

A nurse researcher would choose physiological data-collection methods for which reason?

A) Cost and participant acceptance
B) Reduced duration of data collection
C) Objectivity and sensitivity
D) No need for interrater reliability determination

Question 19

Which data-collection method would be most appropriate in studying "death anxiety" in preschool children with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)?

A) An unstructured interview
B) Asking parents about their children's fear of death
C) Children's responses on a paper-and-pencil death anxiety scale
D) Children's verbal responses to pictures depicting various issues related to death

Question 20

The nurse researcher informs participants that he or she would like to include them in a research study and that they can refuse to participate through what?

A) Informed consent
B) Concealment with intervention
C) Unauthorized research
D) Concealment without intervention

Question 21

Which data-collection method can be assessed by asking,"Is there a provision for evaluating the accuracy of the instrument?"

A) Questionnaires
B) Interviews
C) Physiological measurement
D) Records and databases

Question 22

Which of the following methods of data collection has the lowest refusal rate?

A) Closed-ended questionnaire
B) Open-ended questionnaire
C) Physiological measurement
D) Interview

Question 23

A nurse researcher is designing a study on objective analysis of vital sign monitoring before,during,and after trauma care in the emergency department.To analyze trends in this process,which types of measurements could the nurse consider incorporating?

A) Available data (records of vital signs)
B) Paper-and-pencil scales
C) Questionnaires
D) Physiological instruments readouts
E) Interviews

Question 24

What are the steps involved in instrument development?

A) Clarify the target population
B) Define concept to be measured
C) Develop items
D) Estimate reliability and validity
E) Statistically analyze individual items
F) Develop implications from the item analysis

Question 25

Use of records or data-available methods of data collection would be most appropriate in which case?

A) When the research participants are illiterate
B) When the participants are not reliable historians
C) When the goal of research is to analyze trends and change over time
D) When the researcher suspects that the participant may be attempting to alter responses in an attempt to please the researcher

Question 26

A nurse researcher is designing a study examining the construct of anxiety.The researcher could operationalize anxiety through what?

A) Vital signs readouts
B) Observation
C) Sweat-level measurements
D) Interview
E) Paper-and-pencil scale

Question 27

Which data-collection method can be assessed by asking,"Is there evidence that participants were able to answer the questions?"

A) Questionnaires
B) Interviews
C) Physiological measurement
D) Records and databases

Question 28

A nurse researcher is working with students experiencing test anxiety.The nurse has the students take a test while she watches through a two-way mirror.What does this approach incorporate?

A) Observation
B) Interviewing
C) Reactivity
D) Structured interviewing
E) Concealment

Question 29

Which data-collection method can be assessed by asking,"Are the data examined in such a way as to provide new information?"

A) Questionnaires
B) Interviews
C) Physiological measurement
D) Records and databases

Question 30

A nurse researcher would select the interview method of data collection for which reason?

A) It is of value only in qualitative studies.
B) It allows participants to report data directly.
C) Consistency is sacrificed for objectivity.
D) Objectivity is sacrificed for consistency.

Question 31

Which data-collection method can be assessed by asking,"Are the majority of the items appropriately close-ended or open-ended?"

A) Questionnaires
B) Interviews
C) Physiological measurement
D) Records and databases

Question 32

Use of structured,forced-response questionnaires would be the most appropriate in which case?

A) When the participant is confused
B) When the questions asked have a finite number of possible responses
C) When data collection must take place in a public environment
D) When the responses will reflect an opinion that cannot be interpreted as "right" or "wrong"

Question 33

Which data-collection method can be assessed by asking,"Is there clear indication that the participants understood the task and the questions?"

A) Questionnaires
B) Interviews
C) Physiological measurement
D) Records and databases

Question 34

What are some advantages of using physiological data-collection methods?

A) Objectivity
B) Precision
C) Flexibility
D) Inexpensive
E) Sensitivity

Question 35

A nurse researcher is developing a new instrument based on the caring behaviours of nurses.Put the process of this instrument's development in the appropriate order.
1)Generating the caring instrument items
2)Identifying the nurse population
3)Assessing caring items for content validity
4)Developing user instructions
5)Defining caring behaviours of nurses

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