Question 1

Which of the following characteristics describes an instrument that is administered repeatedly and obtains the same results?

Accepted Answer

A)  Validity 
B)  Reliability 
C)  Consistency 
D)  Predictability 
A)  Validity 
B)  Reliability 
C)  Consistency 
D)  Predictability B

Question 2

Why should the validity and reliability of study instruments be assessed while critiquing research reports?

Accepted Answer

A)  To determine the utility of the instruments for triangulation 
B)  To assess the relationships between hypotheses and research questions 
C)  To determine whether concepts and variables were measured adequately 
D)  To assess whether the concept under study is being treated as a dependent variable or an independent variable 
A)  To determine the utility of the instruments for triangulation 
B)  To assess the relationships between hypotheses and research questions 
C)  To determine whether concepts and variables were measured adequately 
D)  To assess whether the concept under study is being treated as a dependent variable or an independent variable C

Question 3

A researcher who is developing a new instrument to measure pain has been told by experts and patients that the instrument has face validity.What should be the researcher's next step?

Accepted Answer

A)  Commence use of the instrument in any appropriate study. 
B)  Use the instrument in a pilot study. 
C)  Assess the reliability of the instrument. 
D)  Assess the content validity of the instrument. 
A)  Commence use of the instrument in any appropriate study. 
B)  Use the instrument in a pilot study. 
C)  Assess the reliability of the instrument. 
D)  Assess the content validity of the instrument. D

Question 4

Under what condition should Cronbach's alpha coefficient be used to establish the internal consistency of an instrument?

Accepted Answer

A)  When questions are open-ended 
B)  When questions or statements require a yes or no response 
C)  When the instrument uses a Likert-type response scale 
D)  When the instrument is designed to measure more than one concept 
A)  When questions are open-ended 
B)  When questions or statements require a yes or no response 
C)  When the instrument uses a Likert-type response scale 
D)  When the instrument is designed to measure more than one concept

Question 5

The interrater reliability of a new instrument is established as 48%.What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

Accepted Answer

A)  The instrument is not equivalent. 
B)  The instrument demonstrates homogeneity. 
C)  The scoring criteria require clarification. 
D)  The scoring criteria are clear and unambiguous. 
A)  The instrument is not equivalent. 
B)  The instrument demonstrates homogeneity. 
C)  The scoring criteria require clarification. 
D)  The scoring criteria are clear and unambiguous.

Question 6

A researcher developed an instrument to measure self-esteem and administered it to a group of individuals who were intravenous substance abusers and to a group of people who were not,expecting to see significant differences in scores between the two groups.How should this method of establishing construct validity be categorized?

Accepted Answer

A)  Factor analysis 
B)  Convergent validity 
C)  Discriminant validity 
D)  Contrasted-groups approach 
A)  Factor analysis 
B)  Convergent validity 
C)  Discriminant validity 
D)  Contrasted-groups approach

Question 7

The validity of a new instrument developed to measure peripheral neuropathy has been determined to be very high.What does this attribute mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is sensitive but not specific. 
B)  Its use results in minimal random errors. 
C)  It accurately measures peripheral neuropathy. 
D)  Determination of interrater reliability is unnecessary. 
A)  It is sensitive but not specific. 
B)  Its use results in minimal random errors. 
C)  It accurately measures peripheral neuropathy. 
D)  Determination of interrater reliability is unnecessary.

Question 8

What type of validity is demonstrated in measuring the cognitive knowledge of wound care by (1)administering a test in which all the items relate to wound care and (2)evaluating students' performance in caring for patients with wounds in the clinical setting?

Accepted Answer

A)  Face validity 
B)  Content validity 
C)  Construct validity 
D)  Criterion-related validity 
A)  Face validity 
B)  Content validity 
C)  Construct validity 
D)  Criterion-related validity

Question 9

By using the item-to-total correlation in testing an instrument that consisted of 25 items for homogeneity,8 items were found to have a low correlation to the total.How should the researcher use this information?

Accepted Answer

A)  Use the instrument without changes. 
B)  Only use the instrument with a multitrait-multimethod approach. 
C)  Retain the 8 items with low correlation and delete the other 17 items. 
D)  Delete the 8 items with low correlation and retain the other 17 items. 
A)  Use the instrument without changes. 
B)  Only use the instrument with a multitrait-multimethod approach. 
C)  Retain the 8 items with low correlation and delete the other 17 items. 
D)  Delete the 8 items with low correlation and retain the other 17 items.

Question 10

What is the method or format of Cronbach's alpha coefficient as a test for reliability?

Accepted Answer

A)  Comparison of each item in the scale simultaneously with each other item 
B)  Determination of the correlation between the odd-numbered and even-numbered items of an instrument 
C)  Determination of a correlation based on the consistency of responses to all items of a single-test form 
D)  Demonstration of a high degree of agreement when the behaviour or change is observed by two or more observers 
A)  Comparison of each item in the scale simultaneously with each other item 
B)  Determination of the correlation between the odd-numbered and even-numbered items of an instrument 
C)  Determination of a correlation based on the consistency of responses to all items of a single-test form 
D)  Demonstration of a high degree of agreement when the behaviour or change is observed by two or more observers

Question 11

A nurse investigator administers an Alcoholic Health Risk Appraisal instrument to subjects attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and to subjects who belong to a religious sect known for its members' abstinence from alcohol.Which type of validity is this investigator attempting to establish?

Accepted Answer

A)  Expert 
B)  Predictive 
C)  Convergent 
D)  Contrasted-groups 
A)  Expert 
B)  Predictive 
C)  Convergent 
D)  Contrasted-groups

Question 12

Testing of a new instrument demonstrates that it has a high degree of internal consistency.What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  The instrument is appropriate to measure a single concept. 
B)  The instrument has low measurement error and high error variance. 
C)  More refinement of the instrument is needed before it can be applied. 
D)  The instrument is valid, but the reliability has yet to be determined. 
A)  The instrument is appropriate to measure a single concept. 
B)  The instrument has low measurement error and high error variance. 
C)  More refinement of the instrument is needed before it can be applied. 
D)  The instrument is valid, but the reliability has yet to be determined.

Question 13

A researcher developed a fatigue scale in an attempt to distinguish depression from fatigue in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer.The researcher administered the new fatigue scale along with established instruments that measure depression.The fatigue scores were found to be negatively related to the indicators of depression.How should this information be interpreted?

Accepted Answer

A)  Divergent validity present; construct validity supported 
B)  Divergent validity present; construct validity unsupported 
C)  Convergent validity present; construct validity supported 
D)  Convergent validity present; construct validity unsupported 
A)  Divergent validity present; construct validity supported 
B)  Divergent validity present; construct validity unsupported 
C)  Convergent validity present; construct validity supported 
D)  Convergent validity present; construct validity unsupported

Question 14

Which of the following terms is applied to variability in test scores being attributed to error rather than to actual differences in behaviour?

Accepted Answer

A)  Random error 
B)  Variance error 
C)  Persistent error 
D)  Systematic error 
A)  Random error 
B)  Variance error 
C)  Persistent error 
D)  Systematic error

Question 15

What is being established when a researcher submits a few items to each of several concepts on an instrument? For example,a questionnaire on measuring depression has items on emotional and physical abuse.

Accepted Answer

A)  Content validity 
B)  Construct validity 
C)  Concurrent validity 
D)  Criterion-related validity 
A)  Content validity 
B)  Construct validity 
C)  Concurrent validity 
D)  Criterion-related validity

Question 16

The dimensions or components of a particular construct are determined by using a statistical technique to assess the degree to which the individual items on a scale truly cluster around one or more dimensions.Which of the following is the term used for this description?

Accepted Answer

A)  Factor analysis 
B)  Split-half reliability 
C)  Cronbach's alpha coefficient 
D)  Kuder-Richardson coefficient 
A)  Factor analysis 
B)  Split-half reliability 
C)  Cronbach's alpha coefficient 
D)  Kuder-Richardson coefficient

Question 17

Under what condition should a Kuder-Richardson (KR-20)coefficient be used to establish the internal consistency of an instrument?

Accepted Answer

A)  When questions are open-ended 
B)  When questions or statements require a yes or no response 
C)  When the instrument uses a Likert-type response scale 
D)  When the instrument is designed to measure more than one concept 
A)  When questions are open-ended 
B)  When questions or statements require a yes or no response 
C)  When the instrument uses a Likert-type response scale 
D)  When the instrument is designed to measure more than one concept

Question 18

Which of the following types of validity is the most difficult to establish?

Accepted Answer

A)  Content validity 
B)  Construct validity 
C)  Predictive validity 
D)  Concurrent validity 
A)  Content validity 
B)  Construct validity 
C)  Predictive validity 
D)  Concurrent validity

Question 19

The reliability coefficient of a new instrument designed to measure anxiety is established at 0.86.What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

Accepted Answer

A)  High error variance; high reliability 
B)  High error variance; low reliability 
C)  Low error variance; high reliability 
D)  Low error variance; low reliability 
A)  High error variance; high reliability 
B)  High error variance; low reliability 
C)  Low error variance; high reliability 
D)  Low error variance; low reliability

Question 20

What does concurrent validity refer to?

Accepted Answer

A)  The degree of correlation between the measure of the concept and some future measure of the same concept 
B)  The degree of correlation between two measures of the same concept administered at the same time 
C)  The extent to which a test measures a theoretical construct or trait 
D)  The representativeness of items to measure a specific concept 
A)  The degree of correlation between the measure of the concept and some future measure of the same concept 
B)  The degree of correlation between two measures of the same concept administered at the same time 
C)  The extent to which a test measures a theoretical construct or trait 
D)  The representativeness of items to measure a specific concept

Which of the following characteristics describes an instrument that is administered repeatedly and obtains the same results?

Why should the validity and reliability of study instruments be assessed while critiquing research reports?

A researcher who is developing a new instrument to measure pain has been told by experts and patients that the instrument has face validity.What should be the researcher's next step?

Under what condition should Cronbach's alpha coefficient be used to establish the internal consistency of an instrument?

The interrater reliability of a new instrument is established as 48%.What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

The validity of a new instrument developed to measure peripheral neuropathy has been determined to be very high.What does this attribute mean?

What type of validity is demonstrated in measuring the cognitive knowledge of wound care by (1)administering a test in which all the items relate to wound care and (2)evaluating students' performance in caring for patients with wounds in the clinical setting?

By using the item-to-total correlation in testing an instrument that consisted of 25 items for homogeneity,8 items were found to have a low correlation to the total.How should the researcher use this information?

What is the method or format of Cronbach's alpha coefficient as a test for reliability?

A nurse investigator administers an Alcoholic Health Risk Appraisal instrument to subjects attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and to subjects who belong to a religious sect known for its members' abstinence from alcohol.Which type of validity is this investigator attempting to establish?

Testing of a new instrument demonstrates that it has a high degree of internal consistency.What does this mean?

Which of the following terms is applied to variability in test scores being attributed to error rather than to actual differences in behaviour?

What is being established when a researcher submits a few items to each of several concepts on an instrument? For example,a questionnaire on measuring depression has items on emotional and physical abuse.

The dimensions or components of a particular construct are determined by using a statistical technique to assess the degree to which the individual items on a scale truly cluster around one or more dimensions.Which of the following is the term used for this description?

Under what condition should a Kuder-Richardson (KR-20)coefficient be used to establish the internal consistency of an instrument?

Which of the following types of validity is the most difficult to establish?

The reliability coefficient of a new instrument designed to measure anxiety is established at 0.86.What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

What does concurrent validity refer to?

The Role of Research in Nursing

Theoretical Framework

Critical Reading Strategies: Overview of the Research Process

Developing Research Questions, hypotheses, and Clinical Questions

Finding and Appraising the Literature

Legal and Ethical Issues

Introduction to Qualitative Research

Qualitative Approaches to Research

Introduction to Quantitative Research

Experimental and Quasiexperimental Designs

Nonexperimental Designs

Sampling

Data-Collection Methods

Qualitative Data Analysis

Quantitative Data Analysis

Presenting the Findings

Critiquing Qualitative Research

Critiquing Quantitative Research

Developing an Evidence-Informed Practice

Filters

Exam 14: Rigour in Research

Which of the following characteristics describes an instrument that is administered repeatedly and obtains the same results?

Why should the validity and reliability of study instruments be assessed while critiquing research reports?

A researcher who is developing a new instrument to measure pain has been told by experts and patients that the instrument has face validity.What should be the researcher's next step?

Under what condition should Cronbach's alpha coefficient be used to establish the internal consistency of an instrument?

The interrater reliability of a new instrument is established as 48%.What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

The validity of a new instrument developed to measure peripheral neuropathy has been determined to be very high.What does this attribute mean?

What type of validity is demonstrated in measuring the cognitive knowledge of wound care by (1)administering a test in which all the items relate to wound care and (2)evaluating students' performance in caring for patients with wounds in the clinical setting?

By using the item-to-total correlation in testing an instrument that consisted of 25 items for homogeneity,8 items were found to have a low correlation to the total.How should the researcher use this information?

What is the method or format of Cronbach's alpha coefficient as a test for reliability?

A nurse investigator administers an Alcoholic Health Risk Appraisal instrument to subjects attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and to subjects who belong to a religious sect known for its members' abstinence from alcohol.Which type of validity is this investigator attempting to establish?

Testing of a new instrument demonstrates that it has a high degree of internal consistency.What does this mean?

Which of the following terms is applied to variability in test scores being attributed to error rather than to actual differences in behaviour?

What is being established when a researcher submits a few items to each of several concepts on an instrument? For example,a questionnaire on measuring depression has items on emotional and physical abuse.

The dimensions or components of a particular construct are determined by using a statistical technique to assess the degree to which the individual items on a scale truly cluster around one or more dimensions.Which of the following is the term used for this description?

Under what condition should a Kuder-Richardson (KR-20)coefficient be used to establish the internal consistency of an instrument?

Which of the following types of validity is the most difficult to establish?

The reliability coefficient of a new instrument designed to measure anxiety is established at 0.86.What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

What does concurrent validity refer to?

The Role of Research in Nursing

Theoretical Framework

Critical Reading Strategies: Overview of the Research Process

Developing Research Questions, hypotheses, and Clinical Questions

Finding and Appraising the Literature

Legal and Ethical Issues

Introduction to Qualitative Research

Qualitative Approaches to Research

Introduction to Quantitative Research

Experimental and Quasiexperimental Designs

Nonexperimental Designs

Sampling

Data-Collection Methods

Qualitative Data Analysis

Quantitative Data Analysis

Presenting the Findings

Critiquing Qualitative Research

Critiquing Quantitative Research

Developing an Evidence-Informed Practice

Filters