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NURS 328 NURSING RESEARCH – ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY
EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
EDITION
NURS 328 NURSING RESEARCH – ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY
COMPLETE EXAM: 250 PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
QUESTIONS 1-50: RESEARCH FUNDAMENTALS AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
1. What is the ultimate goal of formal research?
A) To confirm existing knowledge and tradition
B) To gain knowledge useful for many people
C) To support the researcher's personal beliefs
D) To obtain a graduate degree
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ultimate goal of formal research is to gain knowledge that would be
useful for many people . Research goes beyond personal understanding to generate
trustworthy evidence that can inform practice and policy. This distinguishes research
from routine problem-solving or personal reflection.
2. Which of the following best defines nursing research?
A) The study of nursing history and philosophy
B) The systematic inquiry designed to develop trustworthy evidence about issues of
importance to nurses and their clients
C) The application of research findings to clinical practice
D) The evaluation of nursing education programs
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nursing research is a systematic inquiry designed to develop trustworthy
evidence about issues of importance to nurses and their clients . This definition
emphasizes the systematic nature of research and its purpose of generating evidence to
guide nursing practice.
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3. Clinical nursing research is characterized by:
A) Research conducted in academic settings only
B) Research that begins with questions raised in day-to-day clinical practice
C) Research that focuses exclusively on basic science
D) Research conducted by physicians
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Clinical nursing research typically begins with questions raised in day-to-
day clinical practice—problems that nurses have already encountered . This type of
research is directly relevant to patient care and is designed to guide nursing practice.
4. Which of the following is NOT a major source of knowledge in nursing?
A) Tradition
B) Authority
C) Intuition
D) Political affiliation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The major sources of knowledge in nursing include tradition, authority,
experience, trial and error, intuition, and research. Political affiliation (D) is not a source
of nursing knowledge. Tradition involves continuing practices because they have always
been done that way; authority relies on expert opinion; intuition is a form of knowing
without conscious reasoning .
5. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is best defined as:
A) Using research findings exclusively to guide practice
B) Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences
C) Replacing tradition with research evidence
D) Basing decisions on cost-effectiveness only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Evidence-based practice is the integration of best research evidence with
clinical expertise and patient preferences . EBP is not simply the application of research
findings (A) but involves thoughtful integration of multiple sources of knowledge,
including clinical judgment and patient values.
6. What is the first step in the evidence-based practice process?
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A) Critically appraising the evidence
B) Applying the evidence to practice
C) Formulating a PICO(T) question
D) Searching the literature
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The first step in the evidence-based practice process is formulating a well-
structured clinical question (PICO(T) question). The PICO format includes:
Patient/population/problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and (sometimes)
Time . This structured question guides the literature search and evidence appraisal.
7. The "P" in PICO(T) stands for:
A) Problem
B) Population or Patient
C) Procedure
D) Protocol
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: PICO stands for Population/Patient (the patient or population of interest),
Intervention (the treatment or exposure), Comparison (the alternative), and Outcome
(what is being measured or improved). The optional "T" stands for Time .
8. A research problem is best described as:
A) A question that has already been answered by research
B) A situation involving an enigmatic or disturbing situation amenable to disciplined
inquiry
C) A theoretical concept that cannot be tested
D) A personal opinion about healthcare
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A research problem is a situation involving an enigmatic or disturbing
situation amenable to disciplined inquiry . It represents a gap in knowledge, a
contradiction in the literature, or a clinical problem that needs investigation.
9. Which of the following is a characteristic of a good research problem?
A) It is easy to solve
B) It has already been solved by previous research
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C) It is significant to the discipline and feasible to study
D) It is based solely on the researcher's personal interest
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A good research problem is significant to the discipline, contributes to
knowledge development, and is feasible to study within available resources, time, and
ethical constraints . Personal interest is a motivating factor, but significance and
feasibility are essential criteria.
10. At least how many variables are needed to form a research hypothesis?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A research hypothesis predicts a relationship between at least two
variables . A hypothesis states the expected relationship between the independent and
dependent variables, so a minimum of two variables is required.
11. A statement of specific query that the investigator seeks to answer is called a:
A) Hypothesis
B) Research question
C) Problem statement
D) Theory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A research question is a statement of the specific query that the investigator
seeks to answer . Unlike a hypothesis, it does not predict the relationship but rather
asks a question about the phenomenon of interest.
12. A hypothesis derived from theory is almost always:
A) Nondirectional
B) Directional
C) Null
D) Statistical
NURS 328 NURSING RESEARCH – ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY
EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
EDITION
NURS 328 NURSING RESEARCH – ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY
COMPLETE EXAM: 250 PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
QUESTIONS 1-50: RESEARCH FUNDAMENTALS AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
1. What is the ultimate goal of formal research?
A) To confirm existing knowledge and tradition
B) To gain knowledge useful for many people
C) To support the researcher's personal beliefs
D) To obtain a graduate degree
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ultimate goal of formal research is to gain knowledge that would be
useful for many people . Research goes beyond personal understanding to generate
trustworthy evidence that can inform practice and policy. This distinguishes research
from routine problem-solving or personal reflection.
2. Which of the following best defines nursing research?
A) The study of nursing history and philosophy
B) The systematic inquiry designed to develop trustworthy evidence about issues of
importance to nurses and their clients
C) The application of research findings to clinical practice
D) The evaluation of nursing education programs
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nursing research is a systematic inquiry designed to develop trustworthy
evidence about issues of importance to nurses and their clients . This definition
emphasizes the systematic nature of research and its purpose of generating evidence to
guide nursing practice.
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3. Clinical nursing research is characterized by:
A) Research conducted in academic settings only
B) Research that begins with questions raised in day-to-day clinical practice
C) Research that focuses exclusively on basic science
D) Research conducted by physicians
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Clinical nursing research typically begins with questions raised in day-to-
day clinical practice—problems that nurses have already encountered . This type of
research is directly relevant to patient care and is designed to guide nursing practice.
4. Which of the following is NOT a major source of knowledge in nursing?
A) Tradition
B) Authority
C) Intuition
D) Political affiliation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The major sources of knowledge in nursing include tradition, authority,
experience, trial and error, intuition, and research. Political affiliation (D) is not a source
of nursing knowledge. Tradition involves continuing practices because they have always
been done that way; authority relies on expert opinion; intuition is a form of knowing
without conscious reasoning .
5. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is best defined as:
A) Using research findings exclusively to guide practice
B) Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences
C) Replacing tradition with research evidence
D) Basing decisions on cost-effectiveness only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Evidence-based practice is the integration of best research evidence with
clinical expertise and patient preferences . EBP is not simply the application of research
findings (A) but involves thoughtful integration of multiple sources of knowledge,
including clinical judgment and patient values.
6. What is the first step in the evidence-based practice process?
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A) Critically appraising the evidence
B) Applying the evidence to practice
C) Formulating a PICO(T) question
D) Searching the literature
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The first step in the evidence-based practice process is formulating a well-
structured clinical question (PICO(T) question). The PICO format includes:
Patient/population/problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and (sometimes)
Time . This structured question guides the literature search and evidence appraisal.
7. The "P" in PICO(T) stands for:
A) Problem
B) Population or Patient
C) Procedure
D) Protocol
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: PICO stands for Population/Patient (the patient or population of interest),
Intervention (the treatment or exposure), Comparison (the alternative), and Outcome
(what is being measured or improved). The optional "T" stands for Time .
8. A research problem is best described as:
A) A question that has already been answered by research
B) A situation involving an enigmatic or disturbing situation amenable to disciplined
inquiry
C) A theoretical concept that cannot be tested
D) A personal opinion about healthcare
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A research problem is a situation involving an enigmatic or disturbing
situation amenable to disciplined inquiry . It represents a gap in knowledge, a
contradiction in the literature, or a clinical problem that needs investigation.
9. Which of the following is a characteristic of a good research problem?
A) It is easy to solve
B) It has already been solved by previous research
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C) It is significant to the discipline and feasible to study
D) It is based solely on the researcher's personal interest
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A good research problem is significant to the discipline, contributes to
knowledge development, and is feasible to study within available resources, time, and
ethical constraints . Personal interest is a motivating factor, but significance and
feasibility are essential criteria.
10. At least how many variables are needed to form a research hypothesis?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A research hypothesis predicts a relationship between at least two
variables . A hypothesis states the expected relationship between the independent and
dependent variables, so a minimum of two variables is required.
11. A statement of specific query that the investigator seeks to answer is called a:
A) Hypothesis
B) Research question
C) Problem statement
D) Theory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A research question is a statement of the specific query that the investigator
seeks to answer . Unlike a hypothesis, it does not predict the relationship but rather
asks a question about the phenomenon of interest.
12. A hypothesis derived from theory is almost always:
A) Nondirectional
B) Directional
C) Null
D) Statistical
