NSGD 2216: Nursing Knowledge & Research Praxis
Study Guide | 2026/2027 Syllabus (New Version)
Unit 1: Foundations of Nursing Knowledge
1. What are the four fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing according to
Carper (1978)?
ANSWER ✓ Empirics (the science of nursing), Ethics (moral knowledge), Personal
Knowing (therapeutic use of self), and Aesthetics (the art of nursing).
2. How does Chinn & Kramer’s (2015) update to Carper’s theory expand nursing
knowledge?
ANSWER ✓ They added Emancipatory Knowing, which focuses on critically analyzing
social, political, and structural injustices affecting health.
3. Define "Ways of Knowing" in the context of clinical judgment.
ANSWER ✓ It refers to the various sources and patterns of knowledge (empirical,
ethical, personal, aesthetic, emancipatory) that nurses integrate to make holistic clinical
judgments.
4. What is the difference between "tacit knowledge" and "explicit knowledge" in
nursing?
ANSWER ✓ Tacit knowledge is intuitive, experience-based, and difficult to articulate
("knowing how"), while explicit knowledge is formal, codified, and easily communicated
("knowing that").
5. According to the 2026/2027 syllabus emphasis, why is "Emancipatory Knowing"
critical in contemporary practice?
ANSWER ✓ It empowers nurses to identify and address systemic inequities (e.g., racism,
poverty, ableism) that directly impact health outcomes, aligning with decolonizing and
anti-oppressive practice.
, Unit 2: Research Paradigms & Philosophies
6. What is the primary goal of the Positivist/Post-Positivist paradigm?
ANSWER ✓ To identify objective truth, measure phenomena, and establish cause-and-
effect relationships through empirical observation and control.
7. What is the primary goal of the Constructivist/Interpretive paradigm?
ANSWER ✓ To understand the subjective meaning, context, and lived experiences of
individuals from their perspective.
8. What is the primary goal of the Critical Social Theory paradigm?
ANSWER ✓ To critique power structures, expose oppression, and promote social justice
and emancipation for marginalized groups.
9. How does the new syllabus define "Indigenous Research Paradigms"?
ANSWER ✓ As methodologies rooted in Indigenous worldviews, emphasizing relational
accountability, reciprocity, respect, and the interconnectedness of all living things, often
privileging oral traditions.
10. What is "methodological congruence" in research?
ANSWER ✓ The alignment between the research question, the philosophical paradigm,
and the chosen methods to ensure coherence and rigor.
Unit 3: Research Ethics & Indigenous Data Sovereignty
11. What are the core principles of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS 2) in
Canada?
ANSWER ✓ Respect for Persons (autonomy and protection of vulnerable persons),
Concern for Welfare (minimizing harm and maximizing benefits), and Justice (fair
distribution of burdens and benefits).
12. According to the 2026/2027 update, what is "Indigenous Data Sovereignty"?
ANSWER ✓ The right of Indigenous peoples to govern the collection, ownership, and
application of their own data, particularly in health research, aligning with the principle
of "Nothing about us without us."
Study Guide | 2026/2027 Syllabus (New Version)
Unit 1: Foundations of Nursing Knowledge
1. What are the four fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing according to
Carper (1978)?
ANSWER ✓ Empirics (the science of nursing), Ethics (moral knowledge), Personal
Knowing (therapeutic use of self), and Aesthetics (the art of nursing).
2. How does Chinn & Kramer’s (2015) update to Carper’s theory expand nursing
knowledge?
ANSWER ✓ They added Emancipatory Knowing, which focuses on critically analyzing
social, political, and structural injustices affecting health.
3. Define "Ways of Knowing" in the context of clinical judgment.
ANSWER ✓ It refers to the various sources and patterns of knowledge (empirical,
ethical, personal, aesthetic, emancipatory) that nurses integrate to make holistic clinical
judgments.
4. What is the difference between "tacit knowledge" and "explicit knowledge" in
nursing?
ANSWER ✓ Tacit knowledge is intuitive, experience-based, and difficult to articulate
("knowing how"), while explicit knowledge is formal, codified, and easily communicated
("knowing that").
5. According to the 2026/2027 syllabus emphasis, why is "Emancipatory Knowing"
critical in contemporary practice?
ANSWER ✓ It empowers nurses to identify and address systemic inequities (e.g., racism,
poverty, ableism) that directly impact health outcomes, aligning with decolonizing and
anti-oppressive practice.
, Unit 2: Research Paradigms & Philosophies
6. What is the primary goal of the Positivist/Post-Positivist paradigm?
ANSWER ✓ To identify objective truth, measure phenomena, and establish cause-and-
effect relationships through empirical observation and control.
7. What is the primary goal of the Constructivist/Interpretive paradigm?
ANSWER ✓ To understand the subjective meaning, context, and lived experiences of
individuals from their perspective.
8. What is the primary goal of the Critical Social Theory paradigm?
ANSWER ✓ To critique power structures, expose oppression, and promote social justice
and emancipation for marginalized groups.
9. How does the new syllabus define "Indigenous Research Paradigms"?
ANSWER ✓ As methodologies rooted in Indigenous worldviews, emphasizing relational
accountability, reciprocity, respect, and the interconnectedness of all living things, often
privileging oral traditions.
10. What is "methodological congruence" in research?
ANSWER ✓ The alignment between the research question, the philosophical paradigm,
and the chosen methods to ensure coherence and rigor.
Unit 3: Research Ethics & Indigenous Data Sovereignty
11. What are the core principles of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS 2) in
Canada?
ANSWER ✓ Respect for Persons (autonomy and protection of vulnerable persons),
Concern for Welfare (minimizing harm and maximizing benefits), and Justice (fair
distribution of burdens and benefits).
12. According to the 2026/2027 update, what is "Indigenous Data Sovereignty"?
ANSWER ✓ The right of Indigenous peoples to govern the collection, ownership, and
application of their own data, particularly in health research, aligning with the principle
of "Nothing about us without us."
