Nursing Research in Canada 4th Edition by Geri LoBiondo – Test Bank

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. What is the first question that should be asked in determining whether an experimental design or a nonexperimental design should be used in a quantitative study?
a. Is there an independent variable?
b. What is the nature of the problem being studied?
c. Will a measurement tool or instrument be needed?
d. Can statistical analysis be applied to the study data?

ANS: B

Feedback
A Independent variables are used in both experimental and nonexperimental studies.
B The nature of the research problem determines whether an experimental or nonexperimental design should be used.
C A measurement tool or instrument can be used in both nonexperimental and experimental designs.
D Statistical analyses can be used in both experimental and nonexperimental designs.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

2. When should a descriptive or exploratory design be used?
a. When expanding the results of a qualitative study
b. When direct contact with potential participants is not possible
c. When little is known about a particular participant or phenomenon
d. When issues of cause and effect in a situation have already been determined

ANS: C

Feedback
A Expanding the results of a qualitative study does not mandate the use of a descriptive or exploratory design.
B Descriptive designs often involve direct contact with participants.
C A descriptive or exploratory design is appropriate when little is known about a research topic.
D Cause and effect are determined by both quasi-experimental and experimental designs.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

3. Which of the following titles suggests a descriptive study?
a. Characterization of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
b. The Lived Experience of Liver Transplantation Among Older Caucasian Men
c. Effect of Virtual Reality as a Distraction Intervention on Adolescents Undergoing Chemotherapy
d. Correlation Between Current Income Level and Self-Esteem Among Recently Widowed Women

ANS: A

Feedback
A The word characterization suggests that the researcher is conducting a descriptive study on chemotherapy-related neuropathy.
B The phrase lived experience is associated with phenomenological research.
C The phrase effect of is associated with an experimental design.
D The phrase correlation between is associated with correlational level quantitative research.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyzing (Analysis)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

4. Which of the following is an advantage of research studies that examine the association or relationships between variables?
a. Ability to determine a causal relationship
b. Possibility for greater manipulation of the variables
c. Randomization of participants that allows for increased generalizability
d. Potential for application in clinical settings and establishment of a foundation for future experimental studies.

ANS: D

Feedback
A Causal relationships are usually determined by experimental and quasi-experimental designs.
B Correlational or association-type designs do not involve manipulation of variables.
C Randomization can be used in various levels of research and is not reserved only for associative research.
D The advantages of correlational studies include their applicability to clinical settings and the establishment of a foundation for future experimental designs.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

5. Which of the following would be used to assess whether mental health patients who received cognitive-behavioural therapy via smart phones remain out of hospitals for longer periods of time?
a. Cross-sectional survey
b. Longitudinal, comparative survey
c. Predictive, statistical survey
d. Causative, correlational survey

ANS: B

Feedback
A A cross-sectional survey would not allow study of hospitalization over time, since the survey would occur at only one point.
B A survey that collected data several times from two groups (those with and without smart phone therapy) would properly assess therapeutic effects.
C Predictive design and statistical survey analysis would not be adaptable to this research scenario.
D A causative survey would not be used in a correlational study.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

6. Why would a nurse researcher choose not to use a survey study design?
a. Data analysis is limited with a survey design.
b. Information collected is relatively superficial.
c. Results are never applicable beyond the study population.
d. More participants are required to reach statistical significance than for other study designs.

ANS: B

Feedback
A Survey design can yield extensive data for analysis.
B Information obtained in a survey tends to be superficial.
C Survey design does not necessarily limit generalizability.
D A survey design does not necessarily increase the need for a larger sample size.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

7. A nurse researcher would choose to use a correlational study of multiple variables for which purpose?
a. To identify the independent variable
b. To test whether one variable causes another variable
c. To examine relationships between or among variables
d. To distinguish how different one variable is from another variable

ANS: C

Feedback
A The independent variable(s) should be identified by the researcher planning a study.
B Causation cannot be established by a correlational study.
C A multivariate correlational study examines relationships between or among variables.
D A correlational study will not help distinguish one variable from another.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

8. Why would a nurse researcher choose to use a correlational design for a nonexperimental study?
a. It represents an efficient and effective method of collecting a large amount of data about a problem.
b. Many questionnaires and instruments are already developed and have been determined to be valid and reliable.
c. Generalizability is greater than for results of studies using experimental designs.
d. It allows flexibility in the manipulation of more than one variable.

ANS: A

Feedback
A A correlational design permits collection of a large amount of data about a problem.
B Questionnaires and instruments are used in all levels of research, not only for correlational studies.
C Experimental studies are usually considered to have a stronger design and to be generalizable if sampling is appropriately designed.
D No variable is manipulated in a correlational study because it is considered nonexperimental.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

9. Which of the following factors or situations in a study using a correlational design should cause you to question the validity of the study?
a. The study did not have a nontreatment control group.
b. The researchers concluded that a causal relationship existed between the variables.
c. The researchers suggested that their findings had practical application in a clinical setting.
d. The researchers used preexisting instruments to measure the variables instead of developing specific instruments for the study.

ANS: B

Feedback
A Control groups are not used in correlational studies, which have a nonexperimental design.
B The design of correlational studies does not permit the generation of causal inferences.
C Practical applications of the study findings in a clinical setting may be appropriate for various levels of research.
D Use of validated, reliable preexisting instruments is considered entirely appropriate in research.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyzing (Analysis)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance

10. A nurse researcher will choose to use a developmental study design to do what?
a. Allow comparison of the results of qualitative studies of a phenomenon to the results of quantitative studies of the same phenomenon
b. Allow reanalysis of existing data for a secondary purpose not stated in the original research
c. Allow exploration of the changing nature of relationships between variables over time
d. Allow development or refinement of a tool or instrument

ANS: C

Feedback
A Comparison of studies would be a component of the literature review.
B Reanalysis of existing data for a secondary purpose is the definition of secondary analysis.
C Developmental design permits exploration of the changing nature of relationships of variables over time.
D Development or refinement of a tool or instrument is the purpose of methodological research.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance