NURS 4325 KC1 Exam Study Guide for Nursing
Research-QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026
UPDATED | 100% CORRECT
What is the ultimate goal of research?
To develop an empirical body of knowledge for a discipline or profession.
Define nursing research.
A diligent, systematic inquiry or study that validates and refines existing knowledge and
develops new knowledge to improve clinical practice and promote quality outcomes.
What is evidence-based practice (EBP)?
The conscientious integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and
patient/family preferences and values for delivering optimal health care.
How has the emphasis on EBP affected nursing research?
It has encouraged nurses to conduct more randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-
experimental studies to test the effectiveness of nursing interventions.
What is a research problem in nursing research?
An area of concern where there is a gap in knowledge needed for nursing practice.
What is the research purpose?
A clear, concise statement of the specific goal or aim of the study, generated from the research
problem.
What are research questions?
, Clear, concise, interrogative statements that guide the study, focusing on describing variables,
examining relationships, predicting dependent variables, or determining group differences.
What is a hypothesis in research?
A formal statement of the expected relationship(s) between two or more variables in a specified
population.
What are the types of hypotheses?
Associative vs. Causal, Simple vs. Complex, Nondirectional vs. Directional, Statistical vs.
Research.
What are variables in research?
Qualities, properties, or characteristics that change or vary and are measured, manipulated, or
controlled in a study.
How do research concepts differ from variables?
Research concepts are ideas, experiences, situations, or events investigated, primarily in
qualitative research, and are at higher levels of abstraction than variables.
What is a conceptual definition?
It provides the theoretical meaning of a variable or concept, often from a theorist's definition.
What is an operational definition?
It specifies how a variable can be measured or manipulated in a concrete situation.
What cognitive levels are emphasized in the exam for nursing research?
Research-QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026
UPDATED | 100% CORRECT
What is the ultimate goal of research?
To develop an empirical body of knowledge for a discipline or profession.
Define nursing research.
A diligent, systematic inquiry or study that validates and refines existing knowledge and
develops new knowledge to improve clinical practice and promote quality outcomes.
What is evidence-based practice (EBP)?
The conscientious integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and
patient/family preferences and values for delivering optimal health care.
How has the emphasis on EBP affected nursing research?
It has encouraged nurses to conduct more randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-
experimental studies to test the effectiveness of nursing interventions.
What is a research problem in nursing research?
An area of concern where there is a gap in knowledge needed for nursing practice.
What is the research purpose?
A clear, concise statement of the specific goal or aim of the study, generated from the research
problem.
What are research questions?
, Clear, concise, interrogative statements that guide the study, focusing on describing variables,
examining relationships, predicting dependent variables, or determining group differences.
What is a hypothesis in research?
A formal statement of the expected relationship(s) between two or more variables in a specified
population.
What are the types of hypotheses?
Associative vs. Causal, Simple vs. Complex, Nondirectional vs. Directional, Statistical vs.
Research.
What are variables in research?
Qualities, properties, or characteristics that change or vary and are measured, manipulated, or
controlled in a study.
How do research concepts differ from variables?
Research concepts are ideas, experiences, situations, or events investigated, primarily in
qualitative research, and are at higher levels of abstraction than variables.
What is a conceptual definition?
It provides the theoretical meaning of a variable or concept, often from a theorist's definition.
What is an operational definition?
It specifies how a variable can be measured or manipulated in a concrete situation.
What cognitive levels are emphasized in the exam for nursing research?
