Question 1

What does inferential statistics permit the researcher to do?

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics allows researchers to make generalizations or inferences about a population based on data collected from a sample.

Question 2

What is a major factor affecting standard error of the mean?

Accepted Answer

Sample size is a major factor affecting the standard error of the mean, as the standard error decreases with an increase in sample size.

Question 3

Statistical inference consists of two approaches: estimating parameters and testing hypotheses. What is point estimation?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

A 95% confidence level is associated with how many standard deviation units?

Accepted Answer

The 95% confidence level is commonly associated with 1.96 standard deviation units in the context of a normal distribution. This value is used to calculate the confidence intervals around a mean in many statistical analyses.

Question 5

What is the statistical procedure that is used to determine whether a significant difference exists between any numbers of group means?

Accepted Answer

ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) is the statistical procedure used to determine whether there are any statistically significant differences between the means of three or more independent (unrelated) groups.

Question 6

What test would a nurse researcher use to test hypotheses about group differences in proportions?

Accepted Answer

The Chi-square test is used to test hypotheses about group differences in proportions, as it compares the observed frequencies in each category to the expected frequencies if there were no relationship between the variables.

Question 7

The independent variable is weight gain during pregnancy. The dependent variable is the infant's birth weight. What is the appropriate test statistic?

Accepted Answer

Pearson's r is the appropriate test statistic for examining the relationship between two continuous variables, such as weight gain during pregnancy and the infant's birth weight.

Question 8

The independent variable is marital status. The dependent variable is whether or not the person had been hospitalized in the preceding 12 months. What is the appropriate statistical test?

Accepted Answer

Chi-square is the appropriate statistical test because it is used to determine if there is a significant association between two categorical variables, in this case, marital status (categorical independent variable) and hospitalization status (categorical dependent variable).

Question 9

The independent variable is treatment group. The dependent variable is an infants' length of stay in the hospital after birth. What is the appropriate statistical test?

Accepted Answer

ANOVA is appropriate when comparing means across more than two groups, which is implied by the term "treatment group" as the independent variable.

Question 10

What must the nurse researcher estimate in power analysis?

Accepted Answer

Effect size is the magnitude of the difference between the groups being compared. It is estimated in power analysis to determine the sample size needed to achieve a statistically significant result.

Question 11

Statistical inference consists of two approaches: estimating parameters and testing hypotheses. What is interval estimation?

Accepted Answer

Interval estimation provides the upper and lower limits of a range of values within which a population parameter is expected to lie, with a certain level of confidence.

Question 12

What does hypothesis testing through statistical procedures enable researchers to do?

Accepted Answer

Hypothesis testing through statistical procedures allows researchers to make objective decisions about the validity of their hypotheses by analyzing data and determining whether the results support or refute the hypotheses. This process is based on statistical evidence rather than subjective judgment.

Question 13

What occurs with a Type I error?

Accepted Answer

A Type I error occurs when the null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected, indicating a false positive relationship between research variables.

Question 14

What occurs with a Type II error?

Accepted Answer

A Type II error occurs when a false negative result is produced, meaning the failure to reject a false null hypothesis.

Question 15

Most testing involves which type of test?

Accepted Answer

Most testing involves two-tailed tests because they allow for the possibility of an effect in two directions, not just one. This means they can detect whether there's a significant difference from the null hypothesis in either direction, making them more versatile for various research questions.

Question 16

What is the statistical test to measure the magnitude of bivariate relationships and to test whether the relationship is significantly different from zero for interval-level data?

Accepted Answer

Pearson's r is the statistical test used to measure the magnitude of bivariate relationships and to test whether the relationship is significantly different from zero specifically for interval-level data.

Question 17

What is the statistical test to measure the magnitude of bivariate relationships and to test whether the relationship is significantly different from zero for nominal-level data?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the statistical test to measure...

Quiz 17: Inferential Statistics