1. A nurse with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) is prepared to do which of the
following? (Choose all that apply)
a. Assist with the implementation of evidence-based guidelines
b. Conduct independent nursing studies
c. Expand the body of nursing knowledge through independent research
d. Appraise and summarize research findings
2. When conducting a research study using a convenience sample of all first-grade
students from two classrooms in a nearby school, the nurse researcher may increase the
sample control by:
a. Exposing all subjects to the treatment variable and then comparing the outcome
data to pretreatment data
b. Randomly assigning students from both classrooms to either the experimental
group or the control group
c. Assigning one classroom to the experimental group and the other classroom to
the control group
d. Using all of the subjects as treatment subjects and comparing outcomes to a
group of subjects from a similar study
3. In which type of research does the researcher seek to examine causal relationships
among variables without being able to manipulate the variables?
a. Quasi-experimental
b. Correlational
c. Experimental
d. Descriptive
4. A researcher identifies a socioeconomic group of people to study. After developing a
rapport with key members of the group, getting information about group members from
the key members, and spending time working among group members, the researcher
develops theories about the group based on this experience. Which type of qualitative
research does this represent?
a. Grounded theory
b. Ethnographic
c. Historical
d. Phenomenological
5. The beginning nurse researcher would like to investigate credible resources for
implementing protocols in clinical practice. Which of the following would be considered
empirical sources of nursing knowledge?
a. Care maps and protocols
b. Reasoning, authority, and tradition
c. Role modeling and trial and error
d. Quantitative, qualitative, and outcomes research
6. When gathering data for a study using observational methods, it is important for the
data collector to:
a. Direct subjects by setting the stage through structured questions
, b. Record those actions and words that are related to the focus of the study
c. Be observant of all that is done and said and unsaid
d. Participate directly with subjects in order to better understand them
7. Which best describes the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competency
for evidence-based practice (EBP)?
a. Relying on expert knowledge to guide care plan development for an individual
patient
b. Adhering to published guidelines to provide care for a specific population
c. Empowering clients to choose among effective disease management strategies
d. Using evidence gained solely from experimental studies to guide care
8. A researcher classifies words and phrases that occur in data collected in a qualitative
study. This process is called:
a. Dwelling with the data
b. Describing the data
c. Interpreting the data
d. Coding the data
9. A study that analyzes the effect of exercise on diabetes control among Native-American
children with type II diabetes would most credibly be generalizable to which
population?
a. Children with type II diabetes
b. All people with type II diabetes
c. Native-American children with type I diabetes
d. African-Americans with type II diabetes
10. How is theory tested in quantitative research?
a. Assumptions about the theoretical framework are evaluated
b. Concepts become more clearly defined as they are tested
c. Relationships among concepts are tested
d. The entire theory is proven or disproven
11. A operational definition of a variable or concept ensures that the variable or concept
will be:
a. Understood in context of a theoretical framework
b. Given theoretical meaning
c. Measured and manipulated
d. Linked to other variables or concepts
12. What role does qualitative research play in evidence-based practice (EBP)?
a. It provides a way to measure and evaluate quality outcomes that affect patient
care
b. It offers a systematic approach for yielding insights into human experience and
behavior
c. It provides the basis for most EBP guidelines and patient care protocols
d. Because it does not involve random-controlled trials (RCTs), it does not
contribute directly to EBP
13. How is theory tested in quantitative research?
a. Relationships among concepts are tested
, b. Assumptions about the theoretical framework are evaluated
c. The entire theory is proven or disproven
d. Concepts become more clearly defined as they are tested
14. A nurse is assisting with data collection for a study measuring the effects of a sleep aid
medication on oxygen saturations. Subjects will sleep in a darkened room in a sleep lab
while participating. Which type of research setting in this?
a. Natural
b. Partially controlled
c. Field
d. Highly controlled
15. What study design involves no intention on the part of the researcher? (Choose all that
apply)
a. Correlational
b. Quasi-experimental
c. Descriptive
d. Experimental
16. How are subjects selected for qualitative research studies?
a. Through convenience sampling
b. Based on knowledge or experience
c. As volunteers through advertising for subjects
d. By random sampling methods
17. What type of data collection method is most common in qualitative research?
a. Participation and immersion in the lives of subjects
b. Interviews with and observation of subjects
c. Distribution and review of questionnaires from subjects
d. Review of historical documents and literature about subjects
18. The nurse researcher wishes to review a body of qualitative studies about women’s
attitudes toward health care in order to develop an overall interpretation of these
findings. Which type of review will the nurse researcher use?
a. Meta-synthesis
b. Meta-analysis
c. Systematic review
d. Mixed-methods systematic review
19. Which of the following are true statements about quantitative research? (Choose all
that apply).
a. Statistical tests are employed with quantitative research studies
b. Correlational research involves the use of statistics to determine relationships
among variables
c. Experimental research is the only type of quantitative research that is valid
d. Quasi-experimental research is a useful option when controlled conditions are
not possible
20. To evaluate data collection methodology prior to conducting a large-scale study, a
researcher might carry out a smaller-scale study. This smaller scale study is known as
a/an: