Exam 2 - Chapter 8

Question 1

what is research design?

Answer 1

a blueprint (or detailed plan) for conducting a study

Question 2

descriptive and correlational designs are referred to as

Answer 2

noninterventional designs

Question 3

what do noninterventional designs focus on?

Answer 3

examining variables as they naturally occur in environments

Question 4

a cross-sectional design is noninterventional

Answer 4

true

Question 5

what kind of study design involves data collection on variables at one point in time?

Answer 5

cross-sectional study design

Question 6

what kind of study involves data collection from the same study participants at multiple points in time?

Answer 6

longitudinal study design

Question 7

example of a longitudinal design

Answer 7

women with breast cancer were monitored for depression before, during, and after chemo

Question 8

what is the purpose of a causal study?

Answer 8

examine the effects of an intervention on a variable

Question 9

example of a causal study

Answer 9

examining the effect of an early ambulation program after surgery on LOS

Question 10

definition of multicausality

Answer 10

there is a cause and effect relationship between interrelating variables

Question 11

what are the types of quantitative research designs?

Answer 11

• descriptive
• correlational
• quasi experimental
• experimental

Question 12

what do you call a study that does not involve a treatment?

Answer 12

observational

non-experimental / non-interventional

Question 13

what do you call a study that involves a treatment?

Answer 13

experimental

Question 14

what are the concepts relevant to quantitative research designs?

Answer 14

• causality
• multicausality
• probability
• bias
• control
• manipulation
• prospective/ retrospective

Question 15

what kind of causality does probability address?

Answer 15

relative causality

NOT absolute causality

Question 16

what can researchers do to control extraneous variables when it comes to probability?

Answer 16

develop sampling criteria

Question 17

define bias

Answer 17

the slanting of findings away from the truth

Question 18

what does bias do to research findings?

Answer 18

distortion

Question 19

what are some factors that can cause bias in a research?

Answer 19

• researchers (attitudes or motivations)
• setting
• selection of study participants
• composition of sample
• data collection process
• measurement methods
• statistical analyses

Question 20

what is an important focus in critically appraising a study?

Answer 20

identify possible sources of bias

Question 21

what are the terms used in reference to the timing of data collection?

Answer 21

• prospective
• retrospective

Question 22

definition of prospective

Answer 22

looking forward

collection of data in real time as the study progresses

Question 23

definition of retrospective

Answer 23

looking backward

collection of data at a prior time

Question 24

why is data collection for experimental research prospective?

Answer 24

researcher is enacting the intervention in real time

Question 25

how can bias be reduced in an experimental study?

Answer 25

increase control

Question 26

define *control*

Answer 26

having the power to direct or manipulate factors to achieve a desired outcome

Question 27

what is most important about having control in a research?

Answer 27

improved accuracy of findings

Question 28

examples of *control* in research

Answer 28

- random selection and assignment - control of duration of an educational program - control of teaching methods - limiting the characteristics of a subject

Question 29

what is *manipulation*?

Answer 29

a form of control generally used in quasi-experimental and experimental studies

Question 30

what is the most common form of *manipulation* in research?

Answer 30

controlling an intervention

Question 31

what does design validity evaluate?

Answer 31

the strengths and threats to the quality of a study design

Question 32

what are the types of design validity?

Answer 32

- internal - external

Question 33

what does internal validity focus on?

Answer 33

accuracy of findings | did the independent variable affect the dependent variable?

Question 34

what does external validity focus on?

Answer 34

the extent to which findings can be generalized and applied to different subjects

Question 35

what are the threats to internal validity?

Answer 35

- participant selection - participant attrition *(withdrawal)* - history *(concurrent event that affects the study)* - maturation *(changes in participants)*

Question 36

what are the threats to external validity?

Answer 36

- people - place - time

Question 37

what is *simple/ typical descriptive design* used for?

Answer 37

examining variables in a **single sample**

Question 38

what does a *simple/ typical descriptive design* identify?

Answer 38

- phenomenon - variables - conceptual definitions - operational definitions

Question 39

what does describing variables in a *simple/ typical descriptive design* entail?

Answer 39

- interpretation of the meaning of the findings - development of possible relationships or hypotheses that can guide future studies

Question 40

what are the steps in a *simple/ typical descriptive design*?

Answer 40

1) clarify 2) measure 3) describe 4) interpret

Question 41

what is a *comparative descriptive design* used for?

Answer 41

- describing variables - examining differences in variables among two or more groups in a *natural* setting

Question 42

the results in a *comparative descriptive study* do not often apply to the general population

Answer 42

true

Question 43

what are the types of descriptive designs?

Answer 43

- simple/ typical - comparative

Question 44

what are the types of correlational designs?

Answer 44

- descriptive - predictive - model testing

Question 45

what are the purposes of a *descriptive correlational design*?

Answer 45

- describe variables - examine the relationships among said variables - identify many *interrelationships* in a situation

Question 46

what is the purpose of a *predictive correlational design*?

Answer 46

- predict the value of one variable based on the value obtained for another variable

Question 47

the variable that is predicted in *predictive correlational design* is dependent

Answer 47

true

Question 48

every other variable in a *predictive correlational design* is independent

Answer 48

true

Question 49

what does *model testing design* require?

Answer 49

- all concepts relevant to the model will be measured - relationships among the concepts be examined

Question 50

what does *model testing design* prove?

Answer 50

the accuracy of a hypothesized relationship between concepts

Question 51

what type of study designs should be used to obtain an accurate representation of causality?

Answer 51

- experimental - quasi-experimental

Question 52

essential elements of experiments

Answer 52

- random assignments - control group - independent variable/ intervention - control of the independent variable - control of the situation and setting - sampling criteria - careful measurement of dependent/ outcome variables

Question 53

what is expected of an intervention in regards to research?

Answer 53

to lead to a difference in results between control and treatment groups in posttest measures

Question 54

what is *intervention fidelity*?

Answer 54

a detailed description of essential elements of the intervention & its consistent implementation throughout the study

Question 55

*control/ groups* in nursing research are not exposed to any interventions

Answer 55

true

Question 56

what is a *quasi-experimental design*?

Answer 56

untreated control group design with pretest and posttest

Question 56

what is a *quasi-experimental design*?

Answer 56

untreated control group design with pretest and posttest

Question 57

what does a *quasi-experimental design* entail?

Answer 57

- facilitation of the search for knowledge - examination of causality in situations in which complete control is not possible

Question 58

what is a *randomized controlled trial* (RCT)?

Answer 58

the strongest methodology for testing the effectiveness of an intervention that limits potential for bias and error

Question 59

participants are randomized in a RCT

Answer 59

true