Chapters 4 and 5

Question 1

what is the difference between a hypothesis and a research problem?

a) there is no difference between a research problem and hypothesis
b) a hypothesis is theory based, and a research question is practice based
c) a hypothesis attempts to answer the question posed by the research problem
d) a research problem defines clinical research, and a hypothesis defines bench research

Answer 1

ANS: C

a hypothesis attempts to answer the research question

Question 2

how is the hypothesis related to theory?

a) a hypothesis can determine the validity of a theory
b) a hypothesis can be used to evaluate teh merit of a theory
c) a theory can determine the validity of a hypothesis
d) a theory can be used to evaluate the merit of a hypothesis

Answer 2

ANS: B

a hypothesis can be used to evaluate the merit of a theory

Question 3

which of the following statements represents a potential area of research?

a) “most of out addmissions occur at night”
b) it is difficult to find personnel willing to work the night shift”
c) “it seems that most of the client falls on our unit occur during the night shift”
d) the night shift personnel are not attending propmtly to the needs of our clients”

Answer 3

ANS: C

it seems that most of the client falls on our unit occur during the night shift

Resoning
a specific patient problem has been identified, and the potential contribution of its study to the scientific body of nursing knowledge is promising. The problem is relevant to patients’ state of health

Question 4

when an idea or clinical situation had emerged as a potential research problem, what is the next appropriate step?

a) identifying the variables
b) formulating a hypothesis
c) performing a literature review
d) validating the problem already exists

Answer 4

ANS: C

performing a literature review

Resoning:
literature review helps identify teh relationships among potential variables and further defines the research question, points to a gap in the literature, and extends the knowledge base related to potential variables

Question 5

in a research study, what are the properties of interest that take on different values and are different from each other?

a) variables
b) concepts
c) hypotheses
d) assumptions

Answer 5

ANS: A

variables, this is widely accepted and often cited definiton of variables

Question 6

the initial review of the literature helps the investigator:

a) organize the summary
b) identify statistical tests
c) identify the need to extend knowledge base
d) determine the scope of the study

Answer 6

ANS: C

identify the need to extend knowledge base

Resonsing:

this might be discovered in the initial review of the literature

Question 7

which of the following identified research problems has enough significance to warrant further development?

a) children between 8-12 years do not eat the broccoli in their school lunches
b) women above 100 years old are at a moderate risk for developing breast cancer
c) obese adults are at risk for development of type 2 diabetes
d) the rate of sunscreen use amoung aboriginal people is less than 1%

Answer 7

ANS: C

obese adults are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Resonsing:

nursing can make a great contribution to behaviour change in relation to obseity, and so nursing studies on obesity and diabetes hold significance for the scientific body of nurisng knowledge

Question 8

which of the following facotrs or considerations constitutes the feasibility of a research study?

a) availabilty of participants
b) direction of the hypothesis
c) gaps in teh literature
d) design of teh study

Answer 8

ANS: A

availability of the participants

Reasoning:
a study’s feasibility is determined by practical considerations. availbility of subjects is crucial

Question 9

what is the key difference between independent and dependent variables?

a) the dependent variable should change in response to manipulation of the independent variable
b) the independent variable should change in response to the manipulation of the dependent variable
c) although both the dependent and independent variables are manipulated, only the dependent variable is considered an intervention
d) the dependent variable relies on personal or demographic variables for strength, whereas the independent variable is strong enough to stand alone

Answer 9

ANS: A

Reasoning:
dependent variables change in repsonse to manipulation of independent variables in experimental research

Question 10

which of the following statements about independent and dependent variables is true?

a) all research problem statements must contain a dependent and independent variable
b) there should only be on dependent variable associated with a single independent variable
c) the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable for any study must be casual
d) a given characteristic or situation may be dependent variable in one study and an independent variable in another

Answer 10

ANS: D

Reasoning:

casual or associative direction determine the classification of variables as independent or dependent

Question 11

which part of the following research question is the independent variable>
“ to what degree will body weight change individually in a group of Aboriginal women over 50 years of age who participate in a program of walking?”
a) “women over 50”
b) “body weight change”
c) “aboriginal women”
d) “participate in a program”

Answer 11

ANS: D

Reasoning:
the phrase “participate in a program” indicates that the researcher is asking how participants in a walking program will impact on the women’s body weight

Question 12

Review the abstract information provided below and identify the dependent variable for this study. .“Across time, increases in social support and marriage were associated with increased psychological well-being, whereas longer periods of unemployment were connected with higher depression and lower self-esteem.”

a) “ social support”
b) “marriage”
c) “physchological well-being”
d) “unemployment”

Answer 12

ANS: C

Reasoning:

a change in psychological well-being (dependent variable) is affected by the social support, marriage, and self-esteem

Question 13

Which type of format is demonstrated by the following research question?“Is there a relationship between self-esteem and body weight among postmenopausal women?”

a) correlation
b) comparative nonexperimental
c) Quantitative experimental
d) phenomenological

Answer 13

ANS: A

Reasoning:

self-esteem and body weight are variables that are related in an associative way. The word “relationship” strongly suggests correlational design studies

Question 14

What type of format is demonstrated by the following research question?“What is the lived experience of late-stage pregnancy loss among women over 35?”

a) Correlation
b) comparative nonexperimental
c) Quantitative experimental
d) phenomenological

Answer 14

ANS: D

the phrase “lived experience” suggests a phenomenological study

Question 15

Which of the following research problems is testable as written?

a) Should mothers addicted to crack cocaine be permitted to raise their children?
b) Is the classroom an appropriate place to teach sex education to 10-year-old children?
c) Are older adults residing in assisted-living facilities satisfied with their level of social interaction?
d) Is an HIV infection or AIDS status sufficient rationale for barring the person from employment as an elementary school teacher?

Answer 15

ANS: C

Reasoning:

This example implied variables that can be measured and suggest a comparative nonexperimental design study.
The independent variable is residence in assisted-living facilities or not in assisted living facilities

The dependent variable is the social interaction

Question 16

Which of the following is the purpose of a hypothesis for any study?

a. To identify dependent and independent variables
b. To provide direction for research by identifying the expected outcome
c. To define the appropriate measures needed to test the research question
d. To provide a means to know whether or not the study of the research problem is feasible

Answer 16

ANS: B

A hypothesis posed as a declarative statement predicts an expected outcome

Question 17

Which of the following hypotheses fails to meet the criteria of testability?

a. Proper hand washing prevents the spread of infection.
b. A consistent routine of low-impact aerobic exercising will increase coordination among older adults.
c. Patients who use guided imagery during MRI procedures will have reduced perceptions of emotional distress compared with patients who do not use guided imagery.
d. Postoperative patients who receive round-the-clock scheduled analgesics will have lower levels of pain compared with postoperative patients who receive analgesics on a PRN schedule.

Answer 17

ANS: A

this statement does not suggest that there is a predicted outcome as specifically as teh other examples; the word “proper” is value laden

Question 18

Which of the following hypotheses is nondirectional?

a. A hospital with an infection control nurse will have fewer instances of sepsis among inpatients than will a hospital without an infection control nurse.
b. Greater weight loss will be seen among dieting patients who receive a weekly supportive telephone call from a dietitian than among dieting patients who do not receive a weekly supportive phone call.
c. A difference in the stage of prostate cancer will be seen among men who had an abnormal result from prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening compared with men who had an abnormal result from digital rectal examination (DRE) screening.
d. Children who receive weekly counselling for 1 year after the death of a parent will perform better in school than will children who do not receive weekly counselling after the death of a parent.

Answer 18

ANS: C

This examples includes a nondirectional hypothesis; these is no expected direction evident

Question 19

What type of hypothesis is demonstrated by the following statement?
“There will be no difference in the number of adverse events among clients discharged 2 days after an abdominal hysterectomy compared with clients discharged 4 days after an abdominal hysterectomy.”
a. Nondirectional hypothesis
b. Directional hypothesis
c. Deductive hypothesis
d. Null hypothesis

Answer 19

ANS: D

this is a null hypothesis, stating that there is no relationship between the independent and dependent variables

Question 20

Which type of research studies is expected to have research questions rather than hypotheses?

a. Experimental studies
b. Exploratory studies
c. Correlational studies
d. Predictive studies

Answer 20

ANS: B

Exploratory studies do not investigate dependent and independent variables, which makes it necessary for them to have research questions rather than hypothesis

Question 21

Which of the following best describes a student’s task of gathering information on a topic in preparing a paper for a class assignment?
A A critique of a study determines the study’s strengths and weaknesses; the critique of the literature review is only one focus of the overall critique.
B A critical review of the literature is used to investigate topics for class assignments.
C A literature review in a study includes a critical evaluation of data-based and conceptual literature.
D Searching the literature is conducted both in information-seeking efforts for research and in academic assignments.

Answer 21

ANS: B

a critical review of the literature is used to investigate topics for class assignments

Question 22

In which of the following lists are the terms synonymous?

a. Conceptual literature, empirical literature, data-based literature
b. Empirical literature, scientific literature, theoretical literature
c. Theoretical literature, conceptual literature, research literature
d. Data-based literature, research literature, empirical literature

Answer 22

ANS: D

all of these terms are synonymous

Question 23

Which of the following statements about the importance of literature review to the research process is accurate?

a. Literature review guides all steps of the research process.
b. Literature review is necessary only in defining the problem statement.
c. Literature review provides a vehicle to disseminate the findings of the study.
d. The value of literature review is limited to finding gaps or inconsistencies in the knowledge base.

Answer 23

ANS: A

literature review is constantly referred to and is important throughout all stages of a research study

Question 24

Which of the following objectives of literature review is unique to a review for research purposes?

a. Discovering conceptual traditions used to examine problems
b. Generating useful research questions and hypotheses for nursing
c. Determining what is known and unknown about a subject, concept, or problem
d. Uncovering a new practice intervention or gaining support for current interventions, protocols, and policies

Answer 24

ANS: B

the literature review focuses the research purpose by discovering conflicts in the literature and pinpointing where little research evidence exists

Question 25

Some reviews of literature are organized according to:

a. retrieved materials.
b. theoretical summaries.
c. importance of the author.
d. variables being studied.

Answer 25

ANS: D

the variables being studied provide useful organization approach to the literature review, other organizational approaches exist as well

Question 26

Which of the following statements about literature review for research purposes is true?

a. Literature review has no relevance to interpreting the findings.
b. The researcher needs to review only the literature that supports the findings.
c. The researcher should review literature that supports the findings and also literature that refutes the findings.
d. Literature review is of relevance to the conceptualization of the study.

Answer 26

ANS: C

the research should review literautre that supports the findings and also literature that refutes the findings

Question 27

Which of the following characteristics is associated specifically with a refereed journal?

a. The articles are critiqued by a panel of experts.
b. The articles selected for publication relate to a specific field of knowledge.
c. Competition occurs among authors to have their articles published in this journal.
d. The journal publishes only articles that are primary sources of research findings.

Answer 27

ANS: A

refereed journals are the first source of primary scholarly literature

Question 28

Which of the following article titles suggests that the article is conceptual or theoretical in nature?

a. A Nursing Intervention to Reduce Prehospital Delay in Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
b. The Vulnerability of Elder Abuse Among a Sample of Custodial Grandfathers: An Exploratory Study
c. Depression, Self-Esteem, Loneliness, and Social Support Among Mothers Participating in the New Parents Project
d. Toward a Theory of Patient Satisfaction

Answer 28

ANS: D

this article reflects on a theory or concept concerning patient satisfaction

Question 29

What type of article is implied when the author uses the following phrase in the abstract of the article? “A study was conducted.”

a. Empirical literature
b. Conceptual literature
c. Clinical literature
d. Informational literature

Answer 29

ANS: A

the word study suggests a data-based or emperical article

Question 30

How are secondary sources valuable in literature review?

a. They provide material written by the person who conducted the study.
b. They provide a different way of looking at specific issues or problems.
c. They determine the relationship of two or more variables affecting an outcome.
d. They increase the body of nursing knowledge in a specific area of practice.

Answer 30

ANS: D

secondary sources published in refereed journals usually include implications for practice and the work’s contributions to the development of nursing science

Question 31

Which of the following strategies or actions is most important in writing a relevant literature review?

a. Including as many secondary sources as possible
b. Analyzing an article for its strengths and weaknesses
c. Using direct quotations to present the majority of the information
d. Allowing the research consumer to form to his or her own synthesis of the literature

Answer 31

ANS: B

critical reviews of articles are strategies that reveal the article’s strengths and weakness, critiques are essential for writing relevant reviews of the literature

Question 32

Which of the following is an appropriate method of “weeding out” irrelevant sources when conducting an electronic search for articles for the literature review on a selected topic?

a. Collecting and critically reading all articles related to the topic published in the last 10 years.
b. Selecting for printout only those articles whose abstracts indicate usefulness.
c. Avoiding articles from clinical journals.
d. Avoiding articles that do not include the term “study” in the title.

Answer 32

ANS: B

this apprpach narrows the search to a more managable focus

Question 33

How should an article reporting the results of a study that failed to obtain significant findings be categorized?

a. Empirical literature
b. Conceptual literature
c. Clinical literature
d. Informational literature

Answer 33

ANS: A

the phrase “significant findings” suggests a quanititative study, whether the findings were significant of not, this still indicates that the study should be classified as emperical literature

Question 34

Which of the following descriptions or headings is highly indicative of a data-based article?

a. Purpose
b. Conclusions
c. Method
d. Organizing framework

Answer 34

ANS: C

the description “method” suggests a systematic; objective approach intrinsic to a data-based article

Question 35

Which of the following resources represents the most comprehensive source for nursing literature?

a. CINAHL
b. MEDLINE
c. The Canadian Nurse
d. World Wide Web

Answer 35

ANS: A

CINAHL is the most relevant and frequently used source for nursing literature covering the related literautre from 1956 to the present

Question 36

How is the review of literature different for reports of qualitative studies and reports of quantitative studies?

a. Literature review has no role in qualitative research.
b. Articles for literature review in qualitative studies are largely drawn from secondary sources.
c. Often the literature review for a qualitative study is not conducted until after the study has been completed.
d. The processes involved in literature review are the same for both qualitative and quantitative studies.

Answer 36

ANS: C

often the very nature of the qualitative design dictates that a literature review be conducted after the study has been completed

Question 37

Which of the following is the most important question to ask when evaluating a journal article’s literature review?

a. How was the review conducted?
b. Was every relevant article critiqued?
c. Does the literature review reveal existing knowledge?
d. Was there an appropriate number of secondary sources?

Answer 37

ANS: C

the overall purpose of a literature review is to reveal existing knowledge

Question 38

Which of the following factors limits the usefulness of the World Wide Web as a source of information for research consumers?

a. Downloading being a slow process at times
b. Nontext capabilities that reduce the professionalism of presentations
c. Poor quality control over the information on some Web sites
d. Much of the available information being too technical to be understood by the casual reader

Answer 38

ANS: C

many sources are not data-based, primary sources. It is not always evident which sources and data-based and which are not

Question 39

For a literature search for an academic paper or project, which of the following is considered an appropriate timeline?

a. The most recent 6 months
b. The last 1 year
c. The last 3 to 5 years
d. No need to limit the timeline

Answer 39

ANS: C

The last 3-5 years is a sufficient timeline for an academic paper or project, since rencent literature will be relevany and may included classic references in reference lists

Question 40

Which of the following selections demonstrates a Boolean connection?

a. Explode topic
b. Limit to abstracts
c. Search from 1995 to 2001
d. Search diabetes diagnosis and treatment

Answer 40

ANS: D

examples of Boolean connections are ‘and, not, and to’; these link thesaurus terms and infleunce the search