,NURS 5366 Module 2 Quiz | Principles of Research in Nursing
(2026) Q&A | UTA
1. A stimulus or activity that is measured to examine the effect created by the independent
variable best describes which type of variable?
A) Independent variable
B) Confounding variable
C) Dependent variable
D) Demographic variable
Correct Answer: Dependent variable
Rationale: The dependent variable is the outcome or response that is measured to assess
the effect of the independent variable. It is the variable that is expected to change as a
result of the manipulation of the independent variable. Independent variables are
manipulated, confounding variables are extraneous factors that can affect the relationship
between variables, and demographic variables describe the sample.
2. A study's hypothesis that a new surgical approach produces safer outcomes in
immunosuppressed patients is tested in a fourteen-site research study across the United
States. Subjects at all sites are randomly selected and randomly assigned to experimental
versus control groups. What study design is used in this research project?
A) Quasi-experimental design
B) Correlational design
C) Randomized controlled trial
D) Longitudinal design
Correct Answer: Randomized controlled trial
,Rationale: This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) because subjects are randomly
selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. RCTs are considered
the gold standard for testing cause-and-effect relationships. Quasi-experimental designs
lack randomization, correlational designs examine relationships without manipulation, and
longitudinal designs study subjects over time.
3. The director of a major hospital conducts a study to discover the types of critical
incidents that have occurred in the hospital over the past 5 years. She compiles a list of all
the critical incidents that occurred during that time. In this study, critical incidents serve as
the:
A) Study sample
B) Study population
C) Independent variable
D) Dependent variable
Correct Answer: Study sample
Rationale: The study sample is the subset of the population that is actually included in the
study. In this case, the critical incidents that occurred during the specified time period
represent the sample of incidents being studied. The population would be all critical
incidents that could occur, while variables are the characteristics being measured.
4. How does a comparative descriptive design differ from a typical descriptive design?
A) It focuses on a single group over time
B) It describes data from two different groups, whereas a typical descriptive design
focuses on a single group
C) It uses random assignment to groups
D) It manipulates an independent variable
, Correct Answer: It describes data from two different groups, whereas a typical descriptive
design focuses on a single group
Rationale: A comparative descriptive design describes data from two or more different
groups, allowing for comparisons between them, while a typical descriptive design focuses
on describing a single group. Neither design involves manipulation or random
assignment, which are characteristics of experimental designs.
5. In the following hypothesis, what is the independent variable? "There is no measurable
difference in incidence of acne in 15-year-olds who are placed on a chocolate-free diet."
A) Incidence of acne
B) 15-year-olds
C) Chocolate-free diet
D) There is no independent variable
Correct Answer: Chocolate-free diet
Rationale: The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the
researcher. In this hypothesis, the chocolate-free diet is the intervention being tested,
making it the independent variable. The incidence of acne is the dependent variable
being measured.
6. In the following purpose statement, what kind of variable is number of days absent
from class? "The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a generous weekly
allowance and twice-weekly text messages from parents on number of days absent from
class, in freshman college students."
A) Independent variable
B) Dependent variable
C) Confounding variable
D) Demographic variable
(2026) Q&A | UTA
1. A stimulus or activity that is measured to examine the effect created by the independent
variable best describes which type of variable?
A) Independent variable
B) Confounding variable
C) Dependent variable
D) Demographic variable
Correct Answer: Dependent variable
Rationale: The dependent variable is the outcome or response that is measured to assess
the effect of the independent variable. It is the variable that is expected to change as a
result of the manipulation of the independent variable. Independent variables are
manipulated, confounding variables are extraneous factors that can affect the relationship
between variables, and demographic variables describe the sample.
2. A study's hypothesis that a new surgical approach produces safer outcomes in
immunosuppressed patients is tested in a fourteen-site research study across the United
States. Subjects at all sites are randomly selected and randomly assigned to experimental
versus control groups. What study design is used in this research project?
A) Quasi-experimental design
B) Correlational design
C) Randomized controlled trial
D) Longitudinal design
Correct Answer: Randomized controlled trial
,Rationale: This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) because subjects are randomly
selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. RCTs are considered
the gold standard for testing cause-and-effect relationships. Quasi-experimental designs
lack randomization, correlational designs examine relationships without manipulation, and
longitudinal designs study subjects over time.
3. The director of a major hospital conducts a study to discover the types of critical
incidents that have occurred in the hospital over the past 5 years. She compiles a list of all
the critical incidents that occurred during that time. In this study, critical incidents serve as
the:
A) Study sample
B) Study population
C) Independent variable
D) Dependent variable
Correct Answer: Study sample
Rationale: The study sample is the subset of the population that is actually included in the
study. In this case, the critical incidents that occurred during the specified time period
represent the sample of incidents being studied. The population would be all critical
incidents that could occur, while variables are the characteristics being measured.
4. How does a comparative descriptive design differ from a typical descriptive design?
A) It focuses on a single group over time
B) It describes data from two different groups, whereas a typical descriptive design
focuses on a single group
C) It uses random assignment to groups
D) It manipulates an independent variable
, Correct Answer: It describes data from two different groups, whereas a typical descriptive
design focuses on a single group
Rationale: A comparative descriptive design describes data from two or more different
groups, allowing for comparisons between them, while a typical descriptive design focuses
on describing a single group. Neither design involves manipulation or random
assignment, which are characteristics of experimental designs.
5. In the following hypothesis, what is the independent variable? "There is no measurable
difference in incidence of acne in 15-year-olds who are placed on a chocolate-free diet."
A) Incidence of acne
B) 15-year-olds
C) Chocolate-free diet
D) There is no independent variable
Correct Answer: Chocolate-free diet
Rationale: The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the
researcher. In this hypothesis, the chocolate-free diet is the intervention being tested,
making it the independent variable. The incidence of acne is the dependent variable
being measured.
6. In the following purpose statement, what kind of variable is number of days absent
from class? "The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a generous weekly
allowance and twice-weekly text messages from parents on number of days absent from
class, in freshman college students."
A) Independent variable
B) Dependent variable
C) Confounding variable
D) Demographic variable
