Nursing 420 exam 1 Practice Questions with Correct Answers.

Limitations are Correct Answer restrictions in a study methodology and/or framework that may decrease the credibility and generalizability of the findings. A generalization is Correct Answer the extension of the conclusions made based on the research findings from the sample studied to a larger population. The study conclusions provide a basis for the implications of the findings for practice and identify areas for further research (see Chapter 11). Study outcomes are usually presented in the discussion section of the research report. A pilot study is often Correct Answer a smaller version of a proposed study, and researchers frequently conduct these to refine the study sampling process, intervention, or measurement of variables Through control, the researcher can reduce the influence of extraneous variables. Correct Answer Extraneous variables exist in all studies and can interfere with obtaining a clear understanding of the relationships among the study variables. For example, if a study focused on the effect of relaxation therapy on the perception of incisional pain, the researchers would have to control the extraneous variables, such as the type of surgical incision and time, amount, and type of pain medication administered after surgery, to prevent their influence on the patienťs perception of pain. Selecting only patients with abdominal incisions who are hospitalized and receiving only one type of pain medication intravenously after surgery would control some of these extraneous variables. Descriptive research is Correct Answer the exploration and description of phenomena in real-life situations. It provides an accurate account of characteristics of particular individuals, situations, or groups using numbers (Kerlinger & Lee, 2000). Descriptive studies are usually conducted with large numbers of subjects or study participants, in natural settings, with no manipulation of the situation. Through descriptive studies, researchers discover new meaning, describe what exists, determine the frequency with which something occurs, and categorize information in real-world settings. The outcomes of descriptive research include the identification and description of concepts, identification of possible relationships among concepts, and development of hypotheses that provide a basis for future quantitative research. Correlational research Correct Answer involves the systematic investigation of relationships between or among variables. When conducting this type of study, researchers measure selected variables in a sample and then use correlational statistics to determine the relationships among the study variables. Using correlational analysis, the researcher is able to determine the degree or strength and type (positive or negative) of a relationship between two variables. The strength of a relationship