testbank

Chapter 1
Introduction to Data Analysis in an Evidence-Based Practice
Environment

1.1. Statistical skills can play an important role in nursing because they help nurses to:
a. Calculate appropriate doses and clinical measurements
b. Generate clinical questions
*c. Evaluate and generate research evidence for nursing practice
d. Make better use of computers and the Internet

1.2. In the context of a quantitative study, a concept is called a(n):
a. Operational definition
*b. Variable
c. Statistic
d. Parameter

1.3. An example of a variable is:
*a. Systolic blood pressure
b. Pi (π)
c. 52.5 kilograms
d. Number of seconds in a minute

1.4. An example of a datum is:
a. Systolic blood pressure
b. Pi (π)
*c. 52.5 kilograms
d. Number of seconds in a minute

1.5. Which of the following is not a component of a research question?
a. An independent variable
b. A population
*c. A sample
d. A dependent variable

1.6. Identify the dependent variable in the following: In elderly men, what is the effect of
chronic fatigue on level of depression?
a. Age
b. Sex
c. Chronic fatigue
*d. Depression

1.7. Which of the following is a continuous variable?
a. Number of pages in a book
*b. Age at death
c. Falls during hospitalization
d. Number of times married
Test Bank for Polit, Statistics and Data Analysis for Nursing Research 2nd Edition Page 1
©2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

,1.8. Measurement is the assignment of numbers to characteristics of people or objects
according to specified _________ . (Fill in the blank.)
*a. Rules
b. Definitions
c. Concepts
d. Parameters

1.9. The measurement level that classifies attributes, indicates magnitude, and has equal
intervals between values, but does not have a rational zero, is:
a. Nominal
b. Ordinal
*c. Interval
d. Ratio

1.10. The measurement level that is sometimes called categorical or qualitative is:
*a. Nominal
b. Ordinal
c. Interval
d. Ratio

1.11. It is not meaningful to calculate an arithmetic average with data from which of the
following?
a. Nominal measures
b. Ordinal measures
*c. Nominal and ordinal measures
d. All measures can be meaningfully averaged.

1.12. Degree of pain measured as none, a little, or a lot is measured on which of the
following scales?
a. Nominal
*b. Ordinal
c. Interval
d. Ratio

1.13. Body temperature is measured on which of the following scales?
a. Nominal
b. Ordinal
*c. Interval
d. Ratio

1.14. Type of birth (vaginal or cesarean) is measured on the:
*a. Nominal scale
b. Ordinal scale
c. Interval scale
d. Ratio scale


Test Bank for Polit, Statistics and Data Analysis for Nursing Research 2nd Edition Page 2
©2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

,1.15. Which of the following is a ratio-level measure?
*a. Dietary cholesterol intake (mg)
b. Cognitive impairment on a 50-item scale
c. Pain on a 10-point scale
d. Military rank

1.16. Ratio-level measures are different than any other level by virtue of which property?
a. Classification
b. Equal intervals between values
*c. A true, rational zero
d. Indication of magnitude

1.17. Which level of measurement communicates the most information?
a. Nominal
b. Ordinal
c. Interval
*d. Ratio

1.18. Researchers typically collect data from a ________ and hope to generalize their results
to a _____________. (Fill in the blanks.)
a. Population, sample
b. Statistic, parameter
c. Sample, statistic
*d. Sample, population

1.19. If the average amount of sleep for all people in the United States was 7.6 hours per
night, this average would be a(n) _________ of the population of U.S. residents. (Fill in the
blank.)
a. Variable
*b. Parameter
c. Statistic
d. Datum

1.20. If a nurse researcher measured the anxiety level of 100 hospitalized children, the
children’s average score on an anxiety scale would be a(n):
a. Variable
b. Parameter
*c. Statistic
d. Operational definition

1.21. Statistical methods that are used to draw conclusions about a population are called:
*a. Inferential statistics
b. Descriptive statistics
c. Univariate statistics
d. Multivariate statistics



Test Bank for Polit, Statistics and Data Analysis for Nursing Research 2nd Edition Page 3
©2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

, Chapter 2
Frequency Distributions: Tabulating and Displaying Data

2.1. A major purpose of constructing a frequency distribution with sample data is to:
a. Estimate a population parameter
b. Test a research hypothesis
*c. Get an organized view of an entire set of scores
d. Get experience with statistical software

2.2. In a frequency distribution, the two key informational components are:
*a. Score values (X), frequencies (f)
b. A horizontal (X) axis, a vertical (Y) axis
c. Frequencies (f), percentages (%)
d. Participant ID number (id), score values (X)

2.3. In a frequency distribution, which of the following is true?
a. Σ N = %
b. Σ N = f
c. Σ f = %
*d. Σ f = N

2.4. In the equation Σ % = 100.0, the symbol Σ signifies:
a. A percentage
*b. The sum of
c. A data value
d. A frequency

2.5. In a frequency distribution, percentages are sometimes called:
a. Proportions
b. Relative proportions
*c. Relative frequencies
d. Cumulative proportions

2.6. Data for which of the following variables is most likely to be presented in a grouped
frequency distribution?
a. Nursing specialty area
*b. Daily cholesterol intake
c. Number of abortions
d. Number of pets owned

2.7. The level of measurement for data appropriately presented in a bar graph is:
a. Interval or ratio
b. Nominal only
c. Interval only
*d. Nominal or ordinal

Test Bank for Polit, Statistics and Data Analysis for Nursing Research 2nd Edition Page 4
©2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey