Question 1

What is the significance of the following statement found in a study's abstract? "This research was an exploratory descriptive investigation of the pregnancy experiences of a multiethnic group of pregnant adolescents."

Accepted Answer

A)  Aims 
B)  Design 
C)  Significance 
D)  Implications

Question 2

What term represents the ability of the researcher to determine which content of a nursing research study is most important to communicate to the profession?

Accepted Answer

A)  Constructive evaluation 
B)  Personal judgment 
C)  Scientific merit 
D)  Personal merit

Question 3

What is the most accurate interpretation of the following statement found in a study abstract? "There was a negative relationship between infants with difficult behavioral styles and maternal involvement."

Accepted Answer

A)  The more difficult the infant was, the more involved the mother was. 
B)  The more difficult the infant was, the less involved the mother was. 
C)  The less difficult the infant was, the less involved the mother was. 
D)  There was no relationship between infant behavior and maternal involvement.

Question 4

A nurse researcher is critically appraising a research report and asks the question "Is a rationale given for why a particular instrument or method was selected? " Which data-collection methods and procedures would this question evaluate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Physiologic measurement 
B)  Interviews 
C)  Available data records 
D)  Observation

Question 5

What makes the study by Koenes and Karshmer titled "Depression: a comparison study between blind and sighted adolescents" nonexperimental versus experimental in design?

Accepted Answer

A)  The sample size was small. 
B)  The two samples were not equal in size. 
C)  The dependent variable was not manipulated. 
D)  The independent variable was not manipulated.

Question 6

Which should be addressed in both the problem statement and the purpose of a quantitative research study report?

Accepted Answer

A)  Generalizability 
B)  Sampling procedure 
C)  Implications for future research 
D)  Relationship between the variables

Question 7

Evaluating a research report for issues of scientific merit includes factors such as: (select all that apply):

Accepted Answer

A)  Quality of data collection 
B)  Appropriateness of statistical analysis 
C)  Comprehensiveness of literature review 
D)  Design match to research question 
E)  Presentation of typeface in article

Question 8

A nurse researcher is critically appraising a research report and asks the question "What sources of bias are possible with use of records or existing data sets? " Which data-collection methods and procedures would this question evaluate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Physiologic measurement 
B)  Interviews 
C)  Available data records 
D)  Questionnaires

Question 9

Which critical appraisal question would evaluate the conclusions,implications,and recommendations of a research report?

Accepted Answer

A)  Would it be possible to replicate this study in another clinical setting? 
B)  Are the results of each hypothesis or research question presented and presented objectively? 
C)  Did testing of the hypothesis(es) or research question(s) clearly support or not support each hypothesis or research question? 
D)  Was there an observation guide?

Question 10

In a study by Koenes and Karshmer titled "Depression: a comparison study between blind and sighted adolescents," no hypothesis is present.Does the lack of a hypothesis in this study represent a weakness? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

A)  Not a weakness; study is descriptive. 
B)  Not a weakness; study is quasi-experimental. 
C)  Is a weakness; study is descriptive. 
D)  Is a weakness; study is quasi-experimental.

Question 11

A nurse researcher critiques a research study where the author says descriptive statistics are used.The researcher should expect to see statistics such as (select all that apply):

Accepted Answer

A)  Standard deviations 
B)  Modes 
C)  Percentages 
D)  Chi-squares 
E)  Means

Question 12

Which critical appraisal question would evaluate the review of the literature of a research report?

Accepted Answer

A)  Is there a synthesis summary that presents the overall strengths and weaknesses and arrives at a logical conclusion that generates hypotheses or research questions? 
B)  What are the sources of bias, and are they dealt with appropriately? 
C)  How have the purpose, aims, or goals of the study been substantiated? 
D)  To what population may the findings be generalized? What are the limitations in generalizability?

Question 13

Which change in sample selection procedures for the study by Koenes and Karshmer titled "Depression: a comparison study between blind and sighted adolescents" would have had the greatest impact in making the sample of blind adolescents more homogeneous?

Accepted Answer

A)  Elimination of subjects taking prescription medications 
B)  Narrowing the age range of subjects to those between 13 and 18 years 
C)  Having the same person administer the questionnaire to all subjects 
D)  Not telling the subjects the nature of the study

Question 14

A nurse researcher is critically appraising a research report and asks the question "Was interrater reliability calculated? " Which data collection methods and procedures would this question evaluate?

Accepted Answer