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A research problem... - Correct Answer-is an area of concern in which there is a gap in the knowledge base needed for nursing practice. In a study, the research problem:
- indicates the significance of the problem
- provides a background for the problem
- includes a problem statement A research purpose... - Correct Answer-is a clear, concise statement of the specific goal or focus of the study. It will include the population, the variables, and often the setting of the study. A clearly stated research purpose can capture the essence of a study in a single statement and is essential for directing the remaining steps of the research process. If little is known about a subject, what type of quantitative study will the researcher start with? - Correct Answer-They will start with a descriptive or correlational study and progress to quasi-experimental or experimental studies as knowledge expands in the area. What is the purpose of a descriptive study? - Correct Answer-To identify and describe concepts or variables To identify possible relationships among variables To delineate differences between or among existing groups What is the purpose of a correlational study? - Correct Answer-to examine the type of relationship (positive or negative) and the strength of relationship (weak or strong) among variables.
What is the purpose of a quasi-experimental study? - Correct Answer-to determine the effect of a treatment or independent variable on a designated dependent or outcome variable. What is the purpose of an experimental study? - Correct Answer-these are conducted in highly controlled settings, using a highly structured design to determine the effect of one or more independent variables on one or more dependent variables. How do you know a study's problem and purpose has significance? Ask these four questions... - Correct Answer-1. How will it influence nursing practice?
- Does it build on previous nursing research?
- How does it promote theory testing or development?
- Does it address current concerns or priorities in nursing? How do you know whether a study is feasible to conduct? Ask yourself the following questions... - Correct Answer-1. is the problem / purpose within the researcher's area of expertise?
- How will the costs of the study be paid for?
- How will you find your sample, facility, or equipment that you need for the study?
- Is the purpose of your study ethical and are your subject's rights being protected? Where do research objectives, questions, or hypotheses for a study come from? - Correct Answer-They are based on the problem, purpose, literature review, and study framework. What's the main job of the research objectives, questions, or hypotheses for a study? - Correct Answer-to direct the remaining steps of the study or research process! In other words....how will we measure the variables, how will we select subjects / participants, what statistics will we use, etc...
change or vary. They need to be concisely defined to promote their manipulation and measurement in quantitative research. What is an independent variable? - Correct Answer-a stimulus or activity that is manipulated or varied by the researcher to create an effect on the dependent variable. AKA: the treatment, the intervention, or the experimental variable What is a dependent variable? - Correct Answer-the outcome or response that the researcher wants to predict or explain. Changes in the dependent variable are presumed to be caused by the independent variable. What types of quantitative research studies use independent and dependent variables? - Correct Answer-Quasi-experimental and experimental research studies definitely have independent and dependent variables. One specific type of correlational research study, a predictive correlational study, also uses independent and dependent variables. You don't have to know this fact for this class...we keep IV's and DVs at the quasi-experimental and experimental levels in our class to keep it simple, but it's something I'd like you to be aware of. What are research variables? - Correct Answer-Research variables are the qualities, properties, or characteristics identified in the research purpose statement and in the research objectives or questions. They are observed and / or measured in the study. There is no "treatment" with these kinds of variables and no cause-effect relationships are examined What kinds of quantitative research studies use research variables? - Correct Answer-descriptive and correlational studies
What are extraneous variables? - Correct Answer-They exist in all studies and can interfere with obtaining a clear understanding of a relational or causal dynamics within these studies. What are confounding variables? - Correct Answer-The extraneous variables that are not recognized until a study is in progress, or are recognized before a study is initiated but cannot be controlled. What are environmental variables? - Correct Answer-a type of extraneous variable the composes the setting in which a study is conducted. Ex: climate, family, healthcare system, governmental organizations What is a conceptual definition of a variable? - Correct Answer-A conceptual definition provides a theoretical meaning for a variable. The variable may be defined within the review of literature or within a theoretical framework. It is similar to a dictionary definition. Example: What is the conceptual definition of "blood pressure"? Answer: The force exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessel. What is an operational definition of a variable? - Correct Answer-An operational definition is derived from a set of procedures or progressive acts that a researcher performs to receive sensory impressions that indicate the existence or degree of existence of a variable. An operational definition is developed so that a variable can be measured at different times in different settings using the same definitions. Example: What is the operational definition of "blood pressure" Answer: The result you get when you check the blood pressure of the first subject with a manual BP cuff. 120/ What are research concepts in qualitative research? - Correct Answer- the concepts, ideas, experiences, situations, or events that are investigated in qualitative research.
What is the principle of beneficence? - Correct Answer-encourages people to do good and "above all, do no harm." What is the principle of justice? - Correct Answer-it stresses that human subjects should be treated fairly in terms of the benefits and the risks of research. How does HIPAA affect research conducted in a healthcare environment? - Correct Answer-A person must provide his / her signed permission or authorization before that person's PHI can be used or disclosed for research (i.e. informed consent). Ask yourself: were the subjects voluntary participants and were they able to comprehend the consent form / study? Researchers must develop research projects to comply with the HIPAA privacy rule. What are the human rights that require protection in research? - Correct Answer-self-determination privacy anonymity and confidentiality fair treatment protection from discomfort and harm What is coercion? - Correct Answer-This occurs when one person intentionally presents an overt threat of harm or an excessive reward to another to gain compliance. This violates one's right to self- determination. What is covert data collection? - Correct Answer-This occurs when subjects are unaware that research data are being collected. This violates one's right to self-determination. What is the use of deception? - Correct Answer-The actual misinforming of subjects for research purposes. This violates one's right to self-determination.
Who are persons with diminished autonomy? - Correct Answer-Persons who are vulnerable or less advantaged because of legal or mental incompetence, terminal illness, or confinement to an institution. Legal and / or mental limitations may include: neonates and children, pregnant women and fetuses, mentally impaired persons, unconscious patients, the terminally ill, and persons confined to institutions. What is a right to privacy? - Correct Answer-the freedom that people have to determine the time, extent, and general circumstances under which their private information will be shared or withheld from others. An invasion of privacy occurs when private information is shared without a person's knowledge or against his / her will. What is the right to anonymity and confidentiality? - Correct Answer- Anonymity exists when the subject's identity cannot be linked, even by the researcher, with his / her individual responses. Confidentiality is the researcher's management of private information shared by the subject or participant. What is fair selection and treatment of subjects? - Correct Answer-The right to fair selection and treatment of subjects is based on the principle of justice. People must be selected fairly and not based on social, cultural, racial or sexual biases. In addition, you cannot select certain subjects because you like them and want them to receive the benefits of the study. If you promise a benefit of a study (i.e. compensation for participation) all subjects must receive it. In research, discomfort and harm can be... - Correct Answer-physical, emotional, social, or economic or any combination of these four. What is the range of discomfort and harm in a research study? - Correct Answer-no anticipated effects, temporary discomfort, unusual levels of temporary discomfort, risk of permanent damage, and certainty of permanent damage. What are the four key elements of informed consent? - Correct Answer-
- disclosure of essential study information to study participants
What is plagiarism? - Correct Answer-the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit, including those obtained through confidential review of others' research proposals and manuscripts. Qualitative research is a.... - Correct Answer-systematic approach used to describe experiences and situations from the perspective of the person in the situation. Qualitative research can generate rich descriptions of the experiences of patients and families that can increase nurses' understanding of the best ways to intervene and be supportive. What are phenomena? - Correct Answer-Phenomena are the experiences that comprise the lives of humans. An experience is considered unique to the individual, time, and context, which is why qualitative researchers describe phenomena from the perspective of the persons who are experiencing it. What are the major types of qualitative research? - Correct Answer- phenomenological research, grounded theory research, ethnographic research, exploratory-descriptive, and historical research What are four common methods for collecting data in qualitative research? - Correct Answer-interviewing participants, conducting focus groups, observing participants, and examining written text. What are common terms when interviewing is used as a data-collection technique? - Correct Answer-interviews may be semi-structured to unstructured probes are queries made by the researcher to gain more info interviews may be transcribed to look for themes in what was said. Facts about focus groups include: - Correct Answer-They are designed to obtain participants' perceptions of a specific topic in a setting that is permissive and non-threatening. They are conducted by a moderator or facilitator.
Group dynamics can help people to express and clarify their views in ways that are less likely to occur in one-on-one interviews. Observation is used to.... - Correct Answer-gather firsthand information in a naturally occurring situation by observing carefully and listening. The observer may take "field notes". Data management in qualitative research may include: - Correct Answer-transcribing interviews and data immersion Data analysis in qualitative research may include: - Correct Answer- dwelling with the data coding the data and identifying patterns or themes. The researcher may need to engage in reflexive thought and interpreting the data / identifying usefulness for clinical practice or further research. Qualitative researchers seek to provide a holistic picture of phenomena guided by what four beliefs? - Correct Answer-1. There are multiple, constructed realities because meaning is subjective (created by individuals) and inter-subjective (created by groups). 2.Knowledge is co-constructed by the persons involved in an interaction.
- Human behavior are choices influenced by the past and present as well as by the physical, psychological, and social contexts of the behavior or experience.
- Time and context influence individual and group perspectives. What is bracketing? - Correct Answer-The researcher must "bracket" or set aside their own biases and preconceptions to describe a phenomena in a naive way. What is the outcome of phenomenological research? - Correct Answer- To provide a thorough description of a lived experience.
What is correlational research? - Correct Answer-the systematic investigation of relationships between or among variables. Using correlational analysis, the researcher is able to determine the degree or strength and type (positive or negative) of relationship between two variables. Remember, this type of study does not show cause and effect. What is quasi-experimental research? - Correct Answer-it examines causal relationships or determines the effect of one variable on another. These studies involve implementing a treatment and examining the effect of the treatment using selected methods of measurement. What is experimental research? - Correct Answer-an objective, systematic, highly controlled investigation for the purpose of predicting and controlling phenomena in nursing practice. Causality between the independent and dependent variables is examined under highly controlled conditions. What are the three main characteristics of experimental research? - Correct Answer-controlled manipulation of at least one treatment variable (the independent variable), exposure of some of the subjects to the treatment (experimental group) and no exposure of the remaining subjects (control group), and random assignment of subjects to either the control or the experimental group. What is basic or "pure" research? - Correct Answer-scientific investigation that involves the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge's sake, or for the pleasure of learning and finding truth What is applied or "practical" research? - Correct Answer-scientific investigation conducted to generate knowledge that will directly influence or improve clinical practice. The purpose of this type of research is to solve problems, make decisions, or predict or control outcomes in real life practice situations. These findings can also be useful to policy makers as a basis for making changes to address health and social problems.
What is rigor in quantitative research? - Correct Answer-Rigor is striving for excellence in research, and it requires discipline, adherence to detail, and strict accuracy. A rigorously conducted quantitative study has precise measuring tools, a representative sample, and a tightly controlled study design. What is precision in quantitative research? - Correct Answer-Precision encompasses accuracy, detail, and order. It is evident in the concise statement of the research purpose and detailed development of the study design. The most explicit example of precision is the measurement or quantification of the study's variables. What is control in quantitative research? - Correct Answer-Control involves the imposing of rules by the researcher to decrease the possibility of error, thereby increasing the probability that the study's findings are an accurate reflection of reality. What are extraneous variables? - Correct Answer-they exist in all studies and can interfere with obtaining a clear understanding the relationships among study variables. Controlling extraneous variables enables a researcher to more accurately determine the effect of an independent or treatment variable on a dependent variable or outcome variable. What is sampling? - Correct Answer-A process of selecting subjects who are representative of the population being studied. This process may be random or non-random. What is the research setting? - Correct Answer-The location in which the study is conducted. What are the three common settings for conducting research? - Correct Answer-natural / field setting, partially controlled, and highly controlled.
What are limitations? - Correct Answer-restrictions in a study that may decrease the credibility and generalizability of the findings. What is generalization? - Correct Answer-the extension of the implications of the research findings from the sample studied to the larger population. What is a research or study design? - Correct Answer-the blueprint for the conduct of a study that maximizes control over factors that could interfere with the study's desired outcome. The type of design directs the selection of a population, procedures for sampling, methods of measurement, and plans for data collection and analysis. The choice of a research design depends on what is known and not known about the research problem, the researcher's expertise, the purpose of the study, and the intent to generalize the findings. What is a pilot study? - Correct Answer-a smaller version of a proposed study and researchers frequently conduct these to refine the methodology / strengthen future study design. What is the population? - Correct Answer-All elements (individuals, objects, or substances) that meet certain criteria for inclusion in a study. What is a sample? - Correct Answer-A subset of the population that was chosen for a particular study. Members of a sample are known as subjects (quantitative methods) or participants (qualitative methods). What is measurement? - Correct Answer-the process of assigning numbers to objects, events, or situations in accord with some rule. What is data collection? - Correct Answer-the precise, systematic gathering of information relevant to the research purpose or the specific objectives, questions, or hypotheses of a study. To collect data, a researcher must gain permission from the setting where the research is conducted and consent from the all of the subjects /
participants. Data may be collected using the following research instruments: observation, interviews, questionnaires, physiological measurements, etc. What is data analysis? - Correct Answer-it reduces, organizes, and gives meaning to the data that has been collected in the study. Analysis techniques include descriptive and inferential analyses and are chosen based on the research objectives, questions, or hypotheses and the types of research instruments used. In what section of a research article or report would you find a discussion of the major findings, limitations, of the study, conclusions drawn from findings, etc.? - Correct Answer-the discussion section In what section of a research article or report would you find the statistical tests used to analyze the study data and the significance of those outcomes? - Correct Answer-the results section In what section of a research article or report would you find a description of the nature and scope of the problem being investigated and a case for the conduct of the study? - Correct Answer-the introduction section In what section of a research article or report would you find a description of how the study was conducted. It should also include the study design, treatment (if any), sample, setting, measurement methods, and data collection process? - Correct Answer-the methods section What are the major categories of qualitative research? - Correct Answer-phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnographic, exploratory-descriptive, and historical research What does "research" mean? - Correct Answer-to search again or examine carefully
