Deck 2: Introduction to Quantitative Research

Question 1

A researcher conducts a study which outlines the daily habits of women who are overweight.This study represents what type of research?

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

Answer 1

Descriptive

Question 2

The nurse participates in data collection for a clinical drug trial in which subjects are randomly assigned to either a treatment or a placebo group to measure the effects of the drug on a specific outcome.This is which type of study?

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

Answer 2

Experimental

Question 3

A nurse is assisting with data collection for a study measuring the effects of a sleep aid medication on oxygen saturations.Subjects will sleep in a darkened room in a sleep lab while participating.Which type of research setting is this?

A) Field
B) Highly controlled
C) Natural
D) Partially controlled

Answer 3

Highly controlled

Question 4

In which type of research does the researcher seek to examine causal relationships among variables without being able to manipulate the variables?

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

Question 5

To evaluate data collection methodology prior to conducting a large-scale study,a researcher might carry out a smaller-scale study.This smaller-scale study is known as a/an

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

Question 6

Research subjects in a study of body image after mastectomy will complete a questionnaire about body image after surgery.Which assumption would the researcher likely make when conducting this study?

A) All mastectomy patients are likely to be negatively affected by the surgery.
B) Body image and appearance are important to survivors of breast cancer.
C) Subjects will be able to describe a personal awareness of body image.
D) Subjects will complete every item on the questionnaire.

Question 7

The researcher wants to learn whether there is a relationship between parental education and emergency room use among children who have asthma.Which type of research study will this researcher use?

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

Question 8

When conducting a research study using a convenience sample of all second-grade students from two classrooms in a nearby school,the nurse researcher may increase the sample control by

A) assigning one classroom to the experimental group and the other classroom to the control group.
B) exposing all subjects to the treatment variable and then comparing the outcome data to pretreatment data.
C) randomly assigning students from both classrooms to either the experimental group or the control group.
D) using these subjects as treatment subjects and comparing outcomes to a group of subjects from a similar study.

Question 9

The nurse evaluates a research study that examines the relationship between computer and television screen time and obesity.A correlational analysis reveals a correlation of +0.95.What can the nurse conclude about the relationship between these two variables?

A) An increase in screen time causes obesity.
B) An increase in obesity leads to increased screen time.
C) Screen time and obesity vary in opposite directions.
D) Screen time and obesity vary together.

Question 10

In which type of research study does the researcher explore and describe phenomena in real-life situations?

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

Question 11

A researcher studies the effect of asthma action plans on frequency of emergency department visits for asthma-related symptoms.The study would be described as

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

Question 12

In which type of research study does the researcher have the most control?

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

Question 13

When developing a study,a researcher establishes rules for measurement of independent and dependent variables to minimize the possibility of error.This is an example of

A) control.
B) manipulation.
C) precision.
D) rigor.

Question 14

Statements that will be scientifically tested as part of a research study are called

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

Question 15

The nurse researcher is developing a study to examine the effects of asthma education on missed school days among grade school children.When defining the research problem in the research proposal,the nurse will discuss

A) the proposed methodologies for data collection.
B) statistics about the number of school days missed by children with asthma.
C) the costs and types of various medications to treat asthma symptoms.
D) the need for future studies to examine asthma care for this population.

Question 16

A researcher designs a study to evaluate stress and anxiety associated with breastfeeding in which data collection takes place in the homes of mothers with premature newborns after discharge home from the NIC.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 17

The overall plan developed by the researcher to obtain answers to the questions being studied is called

A) analysis of data.
B) operationally defining the variables.
C) problem statement.
D) research design.

Question 18

Basic research seeks to

A) directly influence clinical practice.
B) generate knowledge for knowledge's sake.
C) predict or control outcomes of variables.
D) validate or test theoretical frameworks.

Question 19

A nurse researcher explains the relationships between research processes and the nursing process to a group of graduate-level nursing students.Which statement by a nursing student indicates the need for further teaching?

A) "Nursing research leads to evidence-based nursing practice guidelines."
B) "Nursing research has a broader focus than the nursing process."
C) "The nursing process helps to identify potential nursing research problems."
D) "The nursing process requires rigorous application of research methods."

Question 20

A study that analyzes the effect of exercise on diabetes control among Native-American children with type II diabetes would most credibly be generalizable to which population?

A) African-Americans with type II diabetes
B) Native-American children with type I diabetes
C) Children with type II diabetes
D) All people with type II diabetes

Question 21

When the researcher describes the population of a study,the research consumer understands that this represents

A) all members of the population at large.
B) all people who meet inclusion criteria for the study.
C) members of the study group and the control group.
D) subjects selected for the study based on sampling techniques.

Question 22

The methodology portion of the research report is used to

A) describe the study design.
B) discuss the implications of the study.
C) provide a theoretical framework for the study.
D) summarize the purpose,methods,and results.

Question 23

In a qualitative study to describe stages of grief,the researcher asks parents who have lost a child to cancer to describe their experiences with grief at specific time intervals after their children's deaths.Which assumption will the researcher make?

A) Study subjects have knowledge about theoretical concepts about grief.
B) Study subjects understand the concept of grief.
C) Subjects will be able to articulate their feelings coherently.
D) Subjects will be available for data collection at specific time intervals.

Question 24

When a researcher describes an instrument as being valid this indicates that the instrument

A) accurately measures a variable.
B) consistently measures variables across studies.
C) has been described as high quality by other researchers.
D) has been routinely used in other,similar studies.

Question 25

If a nurse wishes to critically appraise a study's sampling criteria and measurement tools,the nurse will read which part of the study report?

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

Question 26

The purpose of a study abstract is to

A) describe the reason for conducting the study.
B) outline the theoretical framework that defines the study.
C) summarize a study concisely and capture the reader's attention.
D) summarize previous research about the study's topic.

Question 27

In a study about concussion recovery in high school football players,which statement would be part of the introduction?

A) "The Functional Independence Measure was used to measure post-concussion symptoms."
B) "The purpose of this study was to determine average length of recovery time after a first concussion."
C) "The results of this study showed an average recovery time of 6 weeks among football players."
D) "The study included a convenience sample of high school football players in a five-county area."

Question 28

In a research proposal,when describing a research design,the researcher would include

A) discussion of a theoretical framework.
B) evaluation of the researcher's expertise.
C) methods for measurement of variables.
D) purpose of the study.

Question 29

To understand what is known and not known about a particular problem and provides a rationale for why the study needs to be conducted,the nurse would review which section of the research report?

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

Question 30

Conducting a research study in a natural setting means that the researcher

A) has manipulated the environment in some way.
B) has modified the environment in some way.
C) has not manipulated or changed the environment.
D) has total control of the environment.

Question 31

When noting the limitations of a research study,the nurse might make which observation?

A) Abstract concepts were defined using concrete,consistent terms.
B) Findings could not be generalized to a population not included in the study.
C) The researcher included a discussion of the links between the study's variables.
D) The subjects were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups.

Question 32

How is theory tested in quantitative research?

A) Assumptions about the theoretical framework are evaluated.
B) Concepts become more clearly defined as they are tested.
C) Relationships among concepts are tested.
D) The entire theory is proven or disproven.

Question 33

An operational definition of a variable or concept ensures that the variable or concept will be

A) given theoretical meaning.
B) linked to other variables or concepts.
C) measured or manipulated.
D) understood in context of a theoretical framework.

Question 34

A researcher conducts a review of relevant literature prior to developing a research study to

A) avoid duplication of research ideas.
B) determine which theoretical framework is best adapted to the research problem.
C) determine which type of study would be most cost-effective.
D) identify what is known and unknown about a problem.

Question 35

Prior to initiating a large-scale research study,the researcher conducts a small-scale study using similar subjects,methods,instruments,measurements,and analysis.This is done to

A) define the conceptual framework of the study.
B) determine the quality of the study components.
C) link study variables to one another.
D) provide a study design.

Question 36

To help determine the relevance of a study to practice,it is recommended that the reviewer read which two sections of the study initially?

A) Abstract,discussion
B) Conclusions,references
C) Literature review,purpose
D) Methods,results

Question 37

The section of a research report that describes the purpose of a research study will include

A) what relationships among key variables will be examined.
B) which various theories provide context for the research problem.
C) what is currently understood about the research problem.
D) why the research is necessary to help close a gap in knowledge.

Question 38

Which portion of a research report would the nurse initially read to get an overview of the study?

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

Question 39

The level of measurement determines the type of statistical analysis that can be performed on the data.The level of measurement that describes the lowest form of measurement is

A) interval.
B) ordinal.
C) nominal.
D) ratio.

Question 40

To learn whether there is a statistically significant difference between the control group and the experimental group in a study,the nurse would review which section of the research report?

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

Question 41

The author of a research report describes the research problem in order to

A) conceptualize the research project.
B) guide the development of the study methods.
C) determine the goals and focus of the study.
D) identify gaps in knowledge.

Question 42

Which of the following are true statements about rigor in quantitative research? Select all that apply.

A) A rigorously conducted quantitative study has precise measuring tools,a representative sample,and a loosely controlled study design.
B) Critically appraising the rigor of a study involves examining the reasoning used in conducting the study.
C) Logical reasoning is essential to the development of quantitative studies.
D) A rigorously conducted quantitative study has precise measuring tools,and a tightly controlled study design.
E) Precision is another aspect of rigor,which encompasses inaccuracy,detail,and order.

Question 43

What study design involves no intervention on the part of the researcher? Select all that apply.

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

Question 44

The nurse researcher submits a proposal for an initial study to evaluate the effects of regular moderate exercise on asthma control scores in adolescents with asthma.To achieve increased control in the initial study,the researcher will do which of the following? Select all that apply.

A) Ask subjects to keep track of time spent exercising in a journal.
B) Have subjects exercise on treadmills in the clinic three times weekly.
C) Choose subjects classified as having moderate intermittent asthma symptoms.
D) Limit participants to adolescent males who have asthma.

Question 45

Which of the following are true statements about quantitative research? Select all that apply.

A) Correlational research involves the use of statistics to determine relationships among variables.
B) Experimental research is the only type of quantitative research that is valid.
C) Quasi-experimental research is a useful option when controlled conditions are not possible.
D) Statistical tests are employed with quantitative research studies.

Question 46

The nurse participates in data collection in a study comparing the effect of two antilipidemia medications on total cholesterol in patients with hyperlipidemia.Which are extraneous variables to consider in such a study? Select all that apply.

A) Differences between the antilipidemia medications
B) Family history of hyperlipidemia
C) Individual patients' weights
D) Other serum lipid values