NSG 3160 EXAM 2: EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICE AND NURSING RESEARCH
QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
2026/2027 UPDATE
1. A researcher is studying the effects of a new exercise program on blood pressure.
Participants are randomly assigned to either the exercise group or a control group. What is
the primary purpose of random assignment in this experimental design?
A. To ensure the sample is representative of the entire population.
B. To minimize the effects of confounding variables by distributing them evenly across
groups.
C. To guarantee that the study will have high external validity.
D. To allow the researcher to use non-parametric statistical tests.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Random assignment helps ensure that any differences between
the groups at the start of the study are due to chance, thereby controlling for extraneous
variables and strengthening internal validity.
2. In a study measuring the effectiveness of a new wound dressing, the p-value is calculated
as 0.02. If the alpha level was set at 0.05, what should the researcher conclude?
A. The results are not statistically significant.
,B. There is a 2% chance that the null hypothesis is true.
C. The null hypothesis is rejected, suggesting a significant difference.
D. A Type II error has likely occurred.
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Since the p-value (0.02) is less than the alpha level (0.05), the
results are statistically significant, and the researcher rejects the null hypothesis.
3. Which threat to internal validity occurs when participants drop out of a study before it is
completed, potentially biasing the results?
A. Attrition
B. History
C. Testing
D. Maturation
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Attrition (or mortality) refers to the loss of study participants
over time, which can impact the comparability of groups and the validity of the findings.
4. A nursing student is reviewing a research article that uses a Likert scale to measure patient
satisfaction. The scale ranges from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). What level of
measurement is this?
A. Ordinal
, B. Nominal
C. Interval
D. Ratio
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Likert scales are considered ordinal data because the values
have a logical order, but the exact distance between the categories is not mathematically
defined.
5. Which type of qualitative research design focuses on the lived experience of individuals
regarding a specific phenomenon?
A. Grounded Theory
B. Ethnography
C. Case Study
D. Phenomenology
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Phenomenology is specifically designed to explore and describe
the ‘essence’ of a human experience as it is lived by the participants.
6. A researcher wants to ensure that a new tool for measuring anxiety consistently yields the
same results when administered to the same person at different times. This refers to:
A. Content Validity
PRACTICE AND NURSING RESEARCH
QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
2026/2027 UPDATE
1. A researcher is studying the effects of a new exercise program on blood pressure.
Participants are randomly assigned to either the exercise group or a control group. What is
the primary purpose of random assignment in this experimental design?
A. To ensure the sample is representative of the entire population.
B. To minimize the effects of confounding variables by distributing them evenly across
groups.
C. To guarantee that the study will have high external validity.
D. To allow the researcher to use non-parametric statistical tests.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Random assignment helps ensure that any differences between
the groups at the start of the study are due to chance, thereby controlling for extraneous
variables and strengthening internal validity.
2. In a study measuring the effectiveness of a new wound dressing, the p-value is calculated
as 0.02. If the alpha level was set at 0.05, what should the researcher conclude?
A. The results are not statistically significant.
,B. There is a 2% chance that the null hypothesis is true.
C. The null hypothesis is rejected, suggesting a significant difference.
D. A Type II error has likely occurred.
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Since the p-value (0.02) is less than the alpha level (0.05), the
results are statistically significant, and the researcher rejects the null hypothesis.
3. Which threat to internal validity occurs when participants drop out of a study before it is
completed, potentially biasing the results?
A. Attrition
B. History
C. Testing
D. Maturation
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Attrition (or mortality) refers to the loss of study participants
over time, which can impact the comparability of groups and the validity of the findings.
4. A nursing student is reviewing a research article that uses a Likert scale to measure patient
satisfaction. The scale ranges from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). What level of
measurement is this?
A. Ordinal
, B. Nominal
C. Interval
D. Ratio
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Likert scales are considered ordinal data because the values
have a logical order, but the exact distance between the categories is not mathematically
defined.
5. Which type of qualitative research design focuses on the lived experience of individuals
regarding a specific phenomenon?
A. Grounded Theory
B. Ethnography
C. Case Study
D. Phenomenology
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Phenomenology is specifically designed to explore and describe
the ‘essence’ of a human experience as it is lived by the participants.
6. A researcher wants to ensure that a new tool for measuring anxiety consistently yields the
same results when administered to the same person at different times. This refers to:
A. Content Validity
