NSG 3850 EXAM 2: RESEARCH AND
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which level of evidence is considered the highest in the hierarchy of evidence for practice
decisions?
A. Expert opinion and consensus reports
B. Well-designed case-control studies
C. Single descriptive or qualitative studies
D. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses of RCTs
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of all relevant
randomized controlled trials (RCTs) represent Level I evidence, providing the most
rigorous synthesis of existing research.
2. A researcher is studying the effect of a new wound care protocol. What is the primary
difference between an experimental design and a quasi-experimental design?
A. The use of a control group
,B. Random assignment of participants
C. The manipulation of the independent variable
D. The collection of quantitative data
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Quasi-experimental designs lack the random assignment to
groups that is a hallmark of true experimental designs, though they still involve
manipulation of a variable.
3. A nurse researcher is interpreting a study with a p-value of 0.02. How should this result be
understood if the alpha level was set at 0.05?
A. A Type II error has likely occurred.
B. The results are not significant, and the null hypothesis should be accepted.
C. There is a 20% chance that the results occurred by chance alone.
D. The results are statistically significant, and the null hypothesis should be rejected.
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: A p-value (0.02) less than the alpha level (0.05) indicates
statistical significance, meaning the researcher rejects the null hypothesis.
4. In a study measuring the effect of exercise on blood pressure, what is the dependent
variable?
A. Blood pressure readings
, B. The participants’ age
C. The exercise program
D. The duration of the study
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The dependent variable is the outcome or response that the
researcher is measuring (blood pressure), which is hypothesized to be affected by the
independent variable (exercise).
5. A researcher fails to reject a null hypothesis that is actually false. This is an example of
which type of error?
A. Type I error
B. Type II error
C. Sampling bias
D. Measurement error
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: A Type II error occurs when the researcher fails to reject a null
hypothesis that is false (a ‘false negative’).
6. Which sampling method provides the greatest opportunity for a representative sample by
giving every member of the population an equal chance of being selected?
A. Convenience sampling
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which level of evidence is considered the highest in the hierarchy of evidence for practice
decisions?
A. Expert opinion and consensus reports
B. Well-designed case-control studies
C. Single descriptive or qualitative studies
D. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses of RCTs
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of all relevant
randomized controlled trials (RCTs) represent Level I evidence, providing the most
rigorous synthesis of existing research.
2. A researcher is studying the effect of a new wound care protocol. What is the primary
difference between an experimental design and a quasi-experimental design?
A. The use of a control group
,B. Random assignment of participants
C. The manipulation of the independent variable
D. The collection of quantitative data
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Quasi-experimental designs lack the random assignment to
groups that is a hallmark of true experimental designs, though they still involve
manipulation of a variable.
3. A nurse researcher is interpreting a study with a p-value of 0.02. How should this result be
understood if the alpha level was set at 0.05?
A. A Type II error has likely occurred.
B. The results are not significant, and the null hypothesis should be accepted.
C. There is a 20% chance that the results occurred by chance alone.
D. The results are statistically significant, and the null hypothesis should be rejected.
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: A p-value (0.02) less than the alpha level (0.05) indicates
statistical significance, meaning the researcher rejects the null hypothesis.
4. In a study measuring the effect of exercise on blood pressure, what is the dependent
variable?
A. Blood pressure readings
, B. The participants’ age
C. The exercise program
D. The duration of the study
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The dependent variable is the outcome or response that the
researcher is measuring (blood pressure), which is hypothesized to be affected by the
independent variable (exercise).
5. A researcher fails to reject a null hypothesis that is actually false. This is an example of
which type of error?
A. Type I error
B. Type II error
C. Sampling bias
D. Measurement error
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: A Type II error occurs when the researcher fails to reject a null
hypothesis that is false (a ‘false negative’).
6. Which sampling method provides the greatest opportunity for a representative sample by
giving every member of the population an equal chance of being selected?
A. Convenience sampling
