NURS 328 - Understanding Research UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Florence Nightingale nursing research began with the famous nurse
Tradition the source of knowledge in most disciplines that is difficult to
challenge is
Quantitative Research the type of research that involves systematic collection and analysis of controlled,
numerical information is
Qualitative Research the type of research that involves the systematic collection and analysis of
narrative materials is
Scientific Approach the approach to knowledge that uses systematic, controlled procedures is known
as the
Field naturalistic inquiry always takes place in the
Research is a systematic inquiring that uses rigorous methods to answer questions or solve
problems
Nursing Research systematic inquiry designed to develop knowledge about issues or phenomena
important to the nursing profession and discipline
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is broadly defined as the use of the best clinical evidence in making care
decisions
Replication repeating the same studies with different samples, contexts, or at different times
to ensure that findings are robust
Systematic Reviews gather and integrate research information on a given topic to draw conclusions
about the quality of the evidence accumulated to date; systematic reviews are
central to EBP
Paradigm is a worldview; a general perspective on the complexities of the "real" world
The two broad paradigms are positivist/postpositivist and naturalistic
Determinism refers to the positivists' belief that phenomena (observable facts and events) are
not haphazard or random, but rather have antecedent causes
Positivist Paradigm the traditional paradigm underlying the scientific approach, which assumes that
there is a fixed, orderly reality that can be objectively studied; often associated
with quantitative research
, Postpositivist Paradigm a modification of the traditional positivist paradigm that acknowledges the
impossibility of total objectivity; postpositivists appreciate the impediments to
knowing reality with certainty and therefore seek probabilistic evidence
Naturalistic Paradigm an alternative paradigm to the traditional positivist paradigm tat holds that there
are multiple interpretations of reality, and that the goal of research is to
understand how individuals construct reality within their context; often associated
with qualitative research
Research Methods are techniques researchers use to structure a study and to gather and analyze
information relevant to the research question(s)
Scientific Method is a general set of orderly, disciplined procedures used to acquire information
Empirical Evidence is rigorously gathered (e.g., evidence collected directly or indirectly through the
senses rather than through personal hunches)
IMRAD Format quantitative reports (and many qualitative ones) typically follow a conventional
format for organizing content
IMRAD organizes material into four sections: introduction, methods, results and discussion
Abstract a brief description (100-200 words) of the study placed at the beginning of the
article
Findings the results obtained from data analysis
Statistical Test a procedure for testing hypotheses and evaluating the believability of the findings
Statistically Significant means that based on a statistical test, the findings are probably reliable and
replicable with a new group of people
Level of Significance an index of how probable it is that the findings are reliable
Study Participants the people being studied; quantitative study
Respondents when participants provide information by answering questions, as in an interview
Informants or Key Informants participants who play an active role; qualitative study
Naturalistic Settings in the field (e.g., in people's homes)
Laboratory Settings highly controlled
Fieldwork the activities undertaken by researchers (usually qualitative researchers) to collect
data out in the field (e.g., in natural settings outside the research environment)
Multisite Studies the use of multiple sites offers a larger or more diverse group of participants
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Florence Nightingale nursing research began with the famous nurse
Tradition the source of knowledge in most disciplines that is difficult to
challenge is
Quantitative Research the type of research that involves systematic collection and analysis of controlled,
numerical information is
Qualitative Research the type of research that involves the systematic collection and analysis of
narrative materials is
Scientific Approach the approach to knowledge that uses systematic, controlled procedures is known
as the
Field naturalistic inquiry always takes place in the
Research is a systematic inquiring that uses rigorous methods to answer questions or solve
problems
Nursing Research systematic inquiry designed to develop knowledge about issues or phenomena
important to the nursing profession and discipline
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is broadly defined as the use of the best clinical evidence in making care
decisions
Replication repeating the same studies with different samples, contexts, or at different times
to ensure that findings are robust
Systematic Reviews gather and integrate research information on a given topic to draw conclusions
about the quality of the evidence accumulated to date; systematic reviews are
central to EBP
Paradigm is a worldview; a general perspective on the complexities of the "real" world
The two broad paradigms are positivist/postpositivist and naturalistic
Determinism refers to the positivists' belief that phenomena (observable facts and events) are
not haphazard or random, but rather have antecedent causes
Positivist Paradigm the traditional paradigm underlying the scientific approach, which assumes that
there is a fixed, orderly reality that can be objectively studied; often associated
with quantitative research
, Postpositivist Paradigm a modification of the traditional positivist paradigm that acknowledges the
impossibility of total objectivity; postpositivists appreciate the impediments to
knowing reality with certainty and therefore seek probabilistic evidence
Naturalistic Paradigm an alternative paradigm to the traditional positivist paradigm tat holds that there
are multiple interpretations of reality, and that the goal of research is to
understand how individuals construct reality within their context; often associated
with qualitative research
Research Methods are techniques researchers use to structure a study and to gather and analyze
information relevant to the research question(s)
Scientific Method is a general set of orderly, disciplined procedures used to acquire information
Empirical Evidence is rigorously gathered (e.g., evidence collected directly or indirectly through the
senses rather than through personal hunches)
IMRAD Format quantitative reports (and many qualitative ones) typically follow a conventional
format for organizing content
IMRAD organizes material into four sections: introduction, methods, results and discussion
Abstract a brief description (100-200 words) of the study placed at the beginning of the
article
Findings the results obtained from data analysis
Statistical Test a procedure for testing hypotheses and evaluating the believability of the findings
Statistically Significant means that based on a statistical test, the findings are probably reliable and
replicable with a new group of people
Level of Significance an index of how probable it is that the findings are reliable
Study Participants the people being studied; quantitative study
Respondents when participants provide information by answering questions, as in an interview
Informants or Key Informants participants who play an active role; qualitative study
Naturalistic Settings in the field (e.g., in people's homes)
Laboratory Settings highly controlled
Fieldwork the activities undertaken by researchers (usually qualitative researchers) to collect
data out in the field (e.g., in natural settings outside the research environment)
Multisite Studies the use of multiple sites offers a larger or more diverse group of participants
