Nursing Research Reviewer Questions Part 3

INSTRUCTIONS
Read the following questions carefully and choose the best answer from among the options provided.

T Y P E S O F R E S E A R C H

Decide what type of descriptive research is pictured in the following:

For questions 1 to 4:
a. Survey b. Feasibility Study c. Case Study d. Content Analysis
1. What type of research collects self-reported data from respondents through the mail, phone, the internet, personal contact, mostly through the use of questionnaires and interviews? A
2. What type of research determines the viability of undertaking a business venture, establishing a project, constructing infrastructure? B
3. What type of research investigates documents for purposes of dissecting messages embodied in them? C
4. What type of research does an in-depth investigation and analysis of a single entity: an individual, group, community, institution or other social unit-for purposes of analyzing and understanding issues for interpretation? D

For questions 5 to 6:
a. Survey b. Feasibility Study c. Correlation Study d. Comparative Study

5. What is the type of research which examines the extent of the relationship between variables by determining how changes in one variable relate to changes in another? C
6. What type of research examines several intact groups to identify the differences between them in certain dependent variables? D

Decide what type of non-experimental research is pictured in the following:
For questions 7 to 10:
a. Developmental b. Evaluative c. Demonstration d. Problem-solving

7. Which of the options above tests the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of products, treatments, procedures, and methods? B
8. Which of the options above show how already-developed products, treatments, procedures, and methods can be applied to specific situations and conditions? C
9. Which of the options above identifies problems and generates alternatives to solve these problems? D
10. Which of the options above satisfies felt needs and answers questions by developing new and more effective and efficient products, treatments, procedures and methods? A

For questions 11 to 13:
a. Developmental b. Explanatory c. Historical d. Decision-making

11. Which of the options above is a scientific inquiry into how the variables of one phenomenon relate to the variables of another? B
12. Which of the options above is a scientific inquiry that selects the most feasible course of action from given alternatives to solve a particular problem? D
13. Which of the options above is a scientific inquiry into past events, conditions and situations? C

METHODS OF RESEARCH

Decide what method of research is described in the following:

For questions 14 to 30:
a. Quantitative b. Qualitative

14. It begins with a preconceived idea about how concepts are interrelated A
15. It attempts to understand the entirety of some phenomena, rather than focus on specific concepts B
16. It collects information without formal, structured instruments B
17. It collects information under conditions of control A
18. It uses structured procedures and formal instruments to collect information A
19. It does not attempt to control the context of the research, but attempts to capture that context in its entirety B
20. It focuses on relatively small number of specific concepts A
21. This emphasizes objectivity in collection and analysis of information A
22. This attempts to capitalize on subjective data as means for understanding and interpreting human experiences B
23. It analyzes narrative information in an organized, but intuitive, fashion B
24. It analyzes numeric information through statistical procedures A
25. This studies problems about which relatively little is known; lacks adequate information from which to create a theory B
26. This emphasizes testing of the theory; deductive; theory subsequently confirmed or revised in light of experimental results A
27. This constructs models or theoretical frameworks based on previous research and everyday life B
28. These three words should picture it: Reduction, control, prediction. A
29. It studies problems about which relatively little is known; lacks adequate information from which to create a theory B
30. It studies phenomena that have been examined to the extent that they can be measured; formulates hypotheses derived from theoretical frameworks based on research; has some prior knowledge about the phenomena and a means to measure variables that represent the phenomena. A

Following are hypothetical and actual titles of nursing research studies. Decide what method of research was used to conduct the study.

For questions 31 to 40:
a. Quantitative b. Qualitative

31. The question to be answered is: Are boomerang pillows more effective than straight pillows in improving the respiratory capacity of hospitalized patients? A
32. The research question is: How prevalent is asthma among inner city children, and how is it treated? A
33. The question is: What percentage of Haitian immigrants have unmet health care needs, and what are the highest priority needs? B
34. The question is: How accurate is a new measure of loneliness for hospitalized psychiatric patients? A
35. The question to be asked: How effective and cost-effective is a nurse-managed special care unit compared with traditional intensive care units? B
36. If a researcher wants to answer this question: Why did some patients complain about the boomerang pillows? B
37. Question: How do women in rural Appalachia view their pregnancies and how do they prepare for childbirth? B
38. The question is: How are social, health, and psychological services integrated in St. Jude’s Homeless Shelter? B
39. The question is: Does the new measure adequately capture the dimensions and manifestations of loneliness of psychiatric patients? B
40. The question is: How do elderly long-term care residents interact with nurses in environments with different nursing intensity? B

UNDERTAKING RESEARCH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

An emerging trend, and one that will gain momentum in the future, is the planned integration of qualitative and quantitative data within single studies or coordinated clusters of studies. Some involve interventions while others don’t. Decide what type of research is described in the following:

For questions 41 to 44:
a. Outcomes Research b. Delphi Surveys c. Replication Studies d. Secondary Analysis

41. Which type of research is designed to document the effectiveness of health care services and also plays an important role in policy research? A
42. Which of the options above was developed as a tool for short-term forecasting which involves a panel of experts who are asked to complete several rounds of questionnaires focusing on their judgments about a topic of interest? B
43. Which of the options above are direct attempts to determine whether findings obtained in an original piece of research can be duplicated in another independent study? C
44. What type of research involves the use of data gathered in a previous study to test new hypotheses or explore new relationship? In this type the researchers collect far more data than are actually analyzed. D

For questions 45 to 48:
a. Clinical Trials c. Process or Implementation Research
b. Evaluation Research d. Impact Analysis

45. Which of the options above are designed to assess clinical interventions in the context of medical research? A
46. What type of research is considered an applied form of research whose methodologies have evolved within such fields as education and public policy? B
47. What among the options above is undertaken when there is a need for descriptive information about the process by which a program gets implemented and how it actually functions? C
48. Which of the options above attempts to identify the net impact of a program, that is, the impacts that can be attributed exclusively to the program over and above the effects of the standard treatments? D

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TRADITIONS

Decide what type of qualitative research is described in the following:

For questions 49 to 52:
a. Phenomenology (Descriptive) c. Historical Research
b. Phenomenology (Interpretative) d. Grounded Theory

49. What among the options above is a type of research which is interested in the question: What do we know as persons? It tends to describe ordinary conscious experiences of everyday life-a description of “things” as people experience them. These “things” include hearing, seeing, believing, feeling, remembering, deciding, evaluating, acting, and so forth. A
50. Which of the options above is concerned with the question: What is being? This type of research does not only involve describing but understanding the human experience. B
51. Which of the options above seeks to understand actions by focusing on the main concern or problem that the individual’s behavior is designed to resolve (Glaser, 1998)? C
52. Which of the above options is best described as the systematic collection, critical evaluation, and interpretation of historical evidence (i.e. data relating to past occurrence)? It seeks answers to questions about causes, effects, or trends relating to past events that may shed light on present behaviors or practices? D

For questions 53 to 56:
a. Narrative Analysis c. Feminist Research
b. Critical Theory d. Critical Ethnography

53. Which of the options above refers to a type of qualitative research which focuses on story as the object of inquiry, to determine how individuals make sense of events in their lives? It said to be a “cultural envelope” into which people pour their experiences and relate their importance to others (Riessmann, 1991). A
54. Which of the options has the aim to integrate theory and practice such that people become aware of contradictions and disparities in their beliefs and social practices, and become inspired to change them? It is said that researchers who do this type of research reject the idea of an objective and disinterested inquirer and are oriented toward a transformation process. B
55. Which of the options above uses the approach similar to critical theory research, but the focus is sharply on gender domination and discrimination within patriarchal societies? C
56. Which among the options above addresses the historical, social, political, and economic dimensions of cultures and their value-laden agenda? It said to be best suited to health promotion research because both (the research and health promotion) with enabling people to take control over their situations. D

Following are hypothetical and actual titles of nursing research studies. Decide what type of studies they are.

For questions 57 to 60:
a. Performance Autoethnography c. Grounded Theory
b. Descriptive Phenomenology d. Critical Ethnography

57. Schneider (2005) explored how mothers of adults with schizophrenia talk about their children. Schneider herself was the mother of a schizophrenic person. A
58. Fu (2005) described the experience of managing Lymphedema in breast cancer survivors. Data collected in three interviews with 12 women described how they managed Lymphedema in their daily lives. B
59. Levy (2006) sought to develop a substantive theory of the process by which midwives in the United Kingdom facilitate informed decision-making by pregnant women. The basic social process identified in the study was protective steering, whereby midwives protected the women in their care, as well as themselves, when choices were being made. C
60. Caldwell, Arthur, and Rideout (2005) examined the influences of rurality on the lives of women after myocardial infarction, using data from in-depth interviews with 12 women from southwestern Ontario. The researchers moved beyond description and invite reflection on the social, political, and cultural forces associated with rurality and generate possibilities for change. D


RESEARCH LITERATURE REVIEWS

For questions 61 to 65:
a. General References b. Primary Sources c. Secondary Sources

61. Which among the options do researchers usually refer to first? A
62. Which of the options are publications in which individuals who do research report the results of their studies? B
63. Which of the options refer to publications in which authors describe the work of others? C
64. The encyclopedia is an example of which of the options above? A
65. Journals are examples of which of the choices above? A

Following are parts of a literature review. Decide what is being described:

For questions 66 to 70:
a. Introduction b. Body of the review c. Summary of the review d. Conclusion

66. Which part briefly describes the nature of the research problem and states the research questions? A
67. Which part briefly reports what others have found or thought about the research problem? B
68. Which part ties together the main threads revealed in the literature reviewed and presents a composite picture of what is known or thought to date? C
69. What among the options above may also contain findings which are tabulated to give readers some idea of how many other researchers have reported identical or similar findings or have similar recommendations? E
70. Which part does a justification based on the state of knowledge revealed in the literature? D

RESEARCH DESIGN

Determine the most appropriate design for the following:

For questions 71-74:

a. Exploratory b. Explanatory c. Cross-sectional d. Longitudinal

71. What design is best if the level of existing knowledge is little? A
72. What design is best if the level of existing knowledge is a great deal? B
73. What design is best if the data collection is done in a single period? C
74. What design is best if data collection is done on several periods? D

For questions 75-77:

a. Qualitative b. Prospective c. Field d. Non-experimental

75. What design is best for a research which involves data which are ordinal, interval, ratio? A
76. What design is best for a research where data source is new? B
77. What design is best for a research where the setting is natural? C
78. What design is best for a research where variables are uncontrolled? D

M E T H O D S O F R E S E A R C H

1. What is the method that should be used if a researcher wishes to find out the answer to this question: What is the effect of interruptions experienced by nurses who are giving medications on the number of medication errors?
a. Quantitative
b. Qualitative
c. Mixed
d. None of the above

2. What is the best method to utilize when a research will describe how victims of physical abuse cope?
a. Quantitative
b. Qualitative
c. Mixed
d. None of the above

3. In the research title: A Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention for Nurses and Nursing Aides, what is/are the independent variable/s?
a. Nurses and Nursing Aides
b. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention
c. a & b
d. None of the above

4. All of the following is TRUE about the research title that follows EXCEPT: Impact of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training on Perceived Control in Spouses of Recovering Cardiac Patients.
a. There are only two variables in the title
b. The dependent variable is Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training
c. Impact on perceived control of spouses of recovering cardiac patients is the dependent variable
d. None of the above

TYPES OF RESEARCH

5. What type of research does an in-depth investigation and analysis of a single entity: an individual, group, community, institution or other social unit-for purposes of analyzing and understanding issues for interpretation?
a. Survey
b. Feasibility Study
c. Case Study
d. Content Analysis

6. What type of research investigates documents for purposes of dissecting messages embodied in them?
a. Survey
b. Feasibility Study
c. Case Study
d. Content Analysis

7. What type of research collects self-reported data from respondents through the mail, phone, the internet, personal contact, mostly through the use of questionnaires and interviews?
a. Survey
b. Feasibility Study
c. Case Study
d. Content Analysis

8. What type of research determines the viability of undertaking a business venture, establishing a project, constructing infrastructure?
a. Survey
b. Feasibility Study
c. Case Study
d. Content Analysis

9. Which of the following types of research shows how already-developed products, treatments, procedures, and methods can be applied to specific situations and conditions?
a. Developmental Research
b. Evaluative Research
c. Demonstration Research
d. Problem-Solving Research

10. Which of the following types of research satisfies felt needs and answers questions by developing new and more effective and efficient products, treatments, procedures and methods?
a. Developmental Research
b. Evaluative Research
c. Demonstration Research
d. Problem-Solving Research

11. Which of the following tests the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of products, treatments, procedures, and methods?
a. Developmental Research
b. Evaluative Research
c. Demonstration Research
d. Problem-Solving Research

12. Which of the options below identifies problems and generates alternatives to solve these problems?
a. Developmental Research
b. Evaluative Research
c. Demonstration Research
d. Problem-Solving Research

D E V E L O P I N G A S A M P L I N G P L A N

13. Which of the following descriptions of sampling is true for quantitative research?
a. Researchers seeks to select samples that will allow them to achieve statistical conclusion validity
b. Researchers seek to select samples that will allow them to generalize their results
c. Researchers are interested in ensuring that they can develop a rich, holistic understanding of the topic of interest
d. a & b

14. What is the term to refer to the systematic over-representation or under-representation of some segment of the population in terms of a characteristic relevant to the research question?
a. Nonprobability sampling
b. Sampling bias
c. Response bias
d. Weighing

15. Boyington, Jones, and Wilson (2006) explored the presence of nursing (i.e. accessible and visible data on nurses or nursing care) on hospital websites. The sampling frame was the U.S. News and World Report List of the top 203 American Hospitals in 2003. Fifty hospitals were selected: All 17 from the magazine’s “Honor Roll” and 33 selected from the remaining hospitals via an electronic number generator. What sampling technique fits the study?
a. Simple Random Sampling
b. Stratified Random Sampling
c. Cluster Sampling
d. Systematic Sampling

16. In which research variables may a small sample size be enough?
a. IV: Relaxation Education in Anxious Primigravid Iranian Women
DV: Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
b. IV: Therapeutic Touch
DV: Blood Hemoglobin & Hematocrit Level
c. IV: Cartoon Movie Distraction
DV: Burned Children’s Pain Behavior
d. IV: A New Powerful Drug to Treat AIDS
DV: Effectivity

17. Steward and colleagues (2005) studied nursing practice issues in rural and remote areas of Canada using a mailed survey. Questionnaires were sent to the rural nurses throughout Canada, using province as the category. What type of sampling technique is appropriate for the study?
a. Simple random sampling
b. Stratified random sampling
c. Cluster sampling
d. Systematic sampling

18. Thato and colleagues (2003) studied predictors of condom use among adolescent Thai vocational students. In the 1st stage, the researchers randomly selected 8 private vocational schools in Bangkok, and then randomly selected students from the schools. A total of 425 students aged 18 to 22 were sampled. This study utilized what sampling technique?
a. Cluster sampling
b. Systematic Sampling
c. Proportionate Stratified Sampling
d. Disproportionate Sampling

19. Bentley and colleagues (2005) explored the experience of heart failure patients in following a low-sodium diet, to explore factors affecting non-adherence. In-depth interviews were conducted in 20 patients as samples. What type of sampling technique fits the study?
a. Simple Random
b. Convenience Sampling
c. Purposive Sampling
d. Snowball Sampling

20. Beggren, Bergstrom, and Edberg (2006) explored the experience of female genital mutilation among women from Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan and their encounters with the maternal health care system in Sweden. They recruited 22 women into the study—11 from Somalia, 6 from Eritrea, and 5 from Sudan. Which sampling technique would fit his study?
a. Snowball Sampling
b. Convenience Sampling
c. Purposive Sampling
d. Theoretical Sampling

1. What of the following qualitative research traditions will most likely guide the inquiry: What is the social psychological process through which couples deal with the sudden loss of an infant through SIDS?
a. Hermeneutics
b. Ethnomethodology
c. Discourse analysis
d. Grounded Theory

2. What of the following qualitative research traditions will most likely guide the inquiry: What are the power dynamics that arise in conversations between nurses and bed-ridden nursing home patients?
a. Historical Analysis
b. Discourse Analysis
c. Semiotics
d. Phenomenology

3. What of the following qualitative research traditions will most likely guide the inquiry: What is the lived experience of the spousal caretaker of an Alzheimer patient?
a. Phenomenology
b. Hermeneutics
c. Semiotics
d. Grounded Theory

4. Which of the following type of close-ended questions are usually used to measure subjective experiences, such as pain, fatigue, nausea, and dyspnea?
a. Checklist
b. Visual analogue scales
c. Forced-choice question
d. Likert scale

5. In the research question Is hearing acuity of the elderly affected by the time of the day? , what is the independent variable?
a. hearing acuity of the elderly
b. elderly patients
c. time of the day
d. a and c

6. Which of the following statements contain/contains wrong information about the nature of research?
a. Optitz’s experimental study was conducted within the ethnographic tradition.
b. Brusser’s experimental study examined the effects of relaxation therapy (the dependent variable) on pain (the independent variable) in cancer patients.
c. In her experimental study, Gabris developed her data collection plan after she introduced her intervention to a group of patients.
d. All of the above


SITUATION
Brackley, M., Davila, Y., Thornton, J., Leal, C., Mudd, G., Shafer, J., Castillo, P. & Spears, W. (2003). Community Readiness to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence in Bexar County, Texas. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 14, 227-236.

7. The study should use which method of research?
a. Quantitative
b. Qualitative
c. Quantitative-- Descriptive
d. Mixed/Triangulation

8. What is the best data collection method to utilize in this study?
a. Self-Reports—questionnaire and Observation
b. Self-Reports—interview and Observation
c. Biophysiologic measures
d. Triangulation of methods

9. Which of the sampling techniques will best fit the study?
a. Simple Random
b. Stratified Random
c. Snowball Sampling
d. Purposive Sampling

10. What should the sample size for the study be?
a. Small—Key informants
b. Small—Couples with partner violence issues
c. Big—The whole community
d. Big—The whole county


SITUATION
Forchuk, C., Baruth, P., Prendergast, M., Holliday, R., Bareham, R., Yammine, Nadine (2004) Postoperative Arm Massage: A Support for Women with Lymph Node Dissection. Cancer Nursing 2004; 27(1):25-33. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of arm massage from a significant other following lymph node dissection surgery in terms of pain reduction.


11. What could be the best design for the study?
a. Experimental—Randomized Clinical Trial, posttest
b. Experimental—Randomized Clinical Trial, pretest-posttest
c. Quasi-experimental-pretest-posttest
d. Descriptive-Evaluative

12. What is the best sampling technique to utilize?
a. Random Sampling
b. Convenient Sampling
c. Quota Sampling
d. Purposive Sampling

13. What inferential statistical treatment may be used for the study?
a. T-test
b. ANOVA
c. Chi-square
d. None of the above

14. What is the dependent variable in the study?
a. Women who underwent lymph node dissection
b. Postoperative arm massage
c. Support, in the form of pain reduction
d. Lymph node dissection


SITUATION

People have different opinions about the use of estrogen replacement therapy for women at menopause. Which of the following statements best represents your point of view?
1. Estrogen replacement is dangerous and should be banned
2. Estrogen replacement has undesirable risks that suggest the need for caution in its use
3. I am undecided about my views on estrogen replacement
4. Estrogen replacement has many beneficial effects that merit its use
5. Estrogen replacement is a wonder treatment that should be administered to most menopausal women


15. What kind of close-ended question is the example above?
a. Dichotomous question
b. Multiple choice question
c. Cafeteria question
d. Forced choice question

SITUATION
An example of an accomplished Likert Scale (only two of the six statements) to Measure Attitudes Toward Condoms:


RESPONSE

ITEM
Strongly Agree
5
Agree
4
Undecided
3
Disagree
2
Strongly disagree
1

RESPONDENT 1
1. Using a condom shows you care about your partner Strongly Agree

2. I wouldn’t enjoy sex as much if my partner and I used condoms Strongly Agree

RESPONDENT 2
1. Using a condom shows you care about your partner Agree

2. I wouldn’t enjoy sex as much if my partner and I used condoms Strongly Disagree


16. What is the total score of respondent 1 in the two items?
a. 10 b. 6 c. 4 d. 5

17. What is the total score of respondent 2 in the two items?
a. 5 b. 3 d. 9 d. 1

18. Which of the following is NOT a purpose of literature review?
a. It reveals what has been done previously in the problem area; justifies replication
b. It indicates whether it is feasible to do the planned research by revealing the difficulties encountered by the previous researchers
c. It uncovers promising methodological tool, ways to improve data collection and analysis
d. None of the above

19. If nursing research uses a pure experimental design there is a possibility that it may become unethical. Case in point: A pain reduction technique utilized in the experimental group and withheld from those in the controlled group. Which of the following should remedy this problem?
a. Error of Leniency
b. Error of Severity
c. Masking
d. Wait-list control group

20. Which of the following factors should be remedied by masking?
a. Halo Effect
b. Hawthorne Effect
c. Error of Severity
d. Error of Leniency