NURS 328 — QUIZ 2 | COMPLETE Q&A STUDY
GUIDE • NURSING RESEARCH METHODS & STATS
(CONCISE + EXAM-READY) 2025-2026 VERSION.
Research methods — questions & answers
Basic concepts
Q: What is a research hypothesis?
A: A testable statement that predicts a relationship between variables, usually
specifying how one variable (independent) affects another (dependent).
Q: What are independent and dependent variables?
A: The independent variable is the factor the researcher manipulates or classifies
(the treatment). The dependent variable is the outcome measured to see the effect
of that manipulation.
Q: What is the difference between experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-
experimental studies?
A: Experimental studies manipulate the independent variable and use random
assignment. Quasi-experimental studies manipulate the independent variable but
lack random assignment. Non-experimental (observational) studies collect data
without manipulating the independent variable.
Q: What does “blind review” or “peer review” refer to?
A: The process where research manuscripts are examined by independent experts
(often anonymously) before publication to assess quality.
,Experimental designs
Q: What is a randomized controlled trial (RCT)?
A: An experimental design where participants are randomly assigned to treatment
or control groups and the researcher administers the intervention to test causal
effects.
Q: What is a repeated-measures (crossover) design?
A: A design in which the same participants receive multiple conditions in a
randomized order, so each participant serves as their own control.
Q: What is a posttest-only experimental design?
A: Outcome measures are collected only after the intervention (symbolically: R X
O).
Q: What is a pretest-posttest design?
A: Outcomes are measured both before and after the intervention to assess change
(symbolically: R O X O).
Q: What is treatment fidelity and why is it important?
A: Treatment fidelity (or intervention fidelity) is ensuring the intervention was
delivered and received as planned; it preserves internal validity.
Q: What are common control group options?
, A: No treatment, usual care, alternative intervention, placebo, lower dose, attention
control (extra non-therapeutic attention), or delayed treatment (wait-list).
Quasi-experimental designs
Q: What characterizes a quasi-experimental design?
A: It includes an intervention but lacks either randomization or an equivalent
control group (or both), making causal inference weaker.
Q: What is a nonequivalent control group design?
A: A quasi-experiment comparing those who received an intervention with a
nonrandom comparison group.
Q: What is a time-series design?
A: A design that gathers repeated measurements before and after an intervention to
examine trends over time.
Non-experimental (observational) designs
Q: What is a correlational study?
A: A study that examines associations between variables without manipulating
them; used when manipulation is impossible or unethical.
Q: Difference between prospective and retrospective correlational designs?
GUIDE • NURSING RESEARCH METHODS & STATS
(CONCISE + EXAM-READY) 2025-2026 VERSION.
Research methods — questions & answers
Basic concepts
Q: What is a research hypothesis?
A: A testable statement that predicts a relationship between variables, usually
specifying how one variable (independent) affects another (dependent).
Q: What are independent and dependent variables?
A: The independent variable is the factor the researcher manipulates or classifies
(the treatment). The dependent variable is the outcome measured to see the effect
of that manipulation.
Q: What is the difference between experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-
experimental studies?
A: Experimental studies manipulate the independent variable and use random
assignment. Quasi-experimental studies manipulate the independent variable but
lack random assignment. Non-experimental (observational) studies collect data
without manipulating the independent variable.
Q: What does “blind review” or “peer review” refer to?
A: The process where research manuscripts are examined by independent experts
(often anonymously) before publication to assess quality.
,Experimental designs
Q: What is a randomized controlled trial (RCT)?
A: An experimental design where participants are randomly assigned to treatment
or control groups and the researcher administers the intervention to test causal
effects.
Q: What is a repeated-measures (crossover) design?
A: A design in which the same participants receive multiple conditions in a
randomized order, so each participant serves as their own control.
Q: What is a posttest-only experimental design?
A: Outcome measures are collected only after the intervention (symbolically: R X
O).
Q: What is a pretest-posttest design?
A: Outcomes are measured both before and after the intervention to assess change
(symbolically: R O X O).
Q: What is treatment fidelity and why is it important?
A: Treatment fidelity (or intervention fidelity) is ensuring the intervention was
delivered and received as planned; it preserves internal validity.
Q: What are common control group options?
, A: No treatment, usual care, alternative intervention, placebo, lower dose, attention
control (extra non-therapeutic attention), or delayed treatment (wait-list).
Quasi-experimental designs
Q: What characterizes a quasi-experimental design?
A: It includes an intervention but lacks either randomization or an equivalent
control group (or both), making causal inference weaker.
Q: What is a nonequivalent control group design?
A: A quasi-experiment comparing those who received an intervention with a
nonrandom comparison group.
Q: What is a time-series design?
A: A design that gathers repeated measurements before and after an intervention to
examine trends over time.
Non-experimental (observational) designs
Q: What is a correlational study?
A: A study that examines associations between variables without manipulating
them; used when manipulation is impossible or unethical.
Q: Difference between prospective and retrospective correlational designs?
