Chapter #8 Flashcards
Concepts: Causality
There is a cause-and-effect relationship between the variables. The simplest view is one independent variable causing a change in one dependent variable. Independent variable (X) causes Y (a change in the dependent variable)
Concepts: Multi-causality
There is a cause-and-effect relationship between interrelating variables. There are multiple independent variables causing a change in the dependent variable.
Concepts: Probability
Probability addresses relative rather than absolute causality. Variations in variables occur. Researcher recognize that a particular cause probably will result in a specific effect.
Concepts: Bias
The slanting of findings away from the truth. Bias distorts the findings.
Research designs should be developed to reduce the likelihood of bias or to control for it.
Research Design
A research design is a blueprint or detailed plan for conducting a study. Purpose, review of literature, and framework provide the basis for the design.
Research Design
Descriptive
Exploration and description of phenomena in real-life situations, new meaning is discovered
Types of Research Design
Descriptive: Correlational
Looks at the relationship between two or more variables.
Types of Research Design
Descriptive: Quasi-experimental
Examines the cause-and-effect relationships.
Types of Research Design
Descriptive: Experimental
Controlled manipulation of at least one independent variable.
Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal Design: Cross-sectional
Involves examining a group of subjects simultaneously in various stage of development, levels of education, severity of illness, or stages of recovery to describe change in a phenomenon across stage.
Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal Design: Longitudinal
Involves collecting data from the same subjects at different points in time and might also be referred to as repeated measures.
Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal Design: Example
A researcher administers a written test to evaluate knowledge of insulin administration and glucose monitoring to a group of subjects at annual intervals over the next decade.
Internal Validity
Internal validity is focused on determining if study findings are accurate.
Threats to Internal Validity?
- Participant selection
- Participant attrition
- History
- Maturation
External Validity
(Generalizability? Person, place, time) External validity is concerned with the extent to which study findings can be generalized beyond the sample used in the study.
Threats to external validity?
- Participant selection (people)
- Setting (place)
- History (time)
Experimental Group vs. Comparison Group:
The group who received the study intervention is the intervention group, or the experimental group.
The group that is not exposed to the intervention is the control group, or the comparison group.
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
To test effectiveness. The design uses large number of subjects to test a treatment’s effect and compare results with a control group who did not receive the treatment. The subjects come from a reference population. Randomization of subjects is essential. Usually, multiple geographic locations are used.
A research design is?
A blueprint for conducting a quantitative study that maximizes factors that could interfere with the validity of the findings.
Four common types of quantitative designs conducted in nursing include?
Descriptive, correlational, quasi-experimental.
The concepts important in understanding quantitative research designs include?
Causality, multicausality, probability, bias, prospective, retrospective, control and manipulation.
Elements central to the study design include?
The presence or absence of an intervention, method of sampling, number of groups in the sample, number and timing of measurements to be performed, time frame for data collection, planned comparisons, and control of extraneous variables.
Study validity is a measure of?
The truth or accuracy of the findings obtained from a study.
Four types of validity?
Construct, internal, external, and statistical conclusion