Chapter 14: Rigour in Research
LoBiondo-Wood: Nursing Research in Canada, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Nurse researchers critiquing research reports should be concerned with the assessment of
the validity and reliability of study instruments to do what?
a. To determine the utility of the instruments for triangulation
b. To assess the relationships between hypotheses and research questions
c. To determine whether concepts and variables were measured adequately
d. To assess whether the concept under study is being treated as a dependent variable
or an independent variable
ANS: C
Feedback
A. There are several types of triangulation; the chosen instrument might assist a
study to become triangulated, but the reliability and validity of it must be
determined before triangulation.
B. This response fits the connection between hypotheses and research questions but
not instrument reliability and validity.
C. An indicator of a study’s excellence is the establishment of the reliability and
validity of the instruments used to measure variables.
D. Instrument reliability and validity issues are not related to variables being
independent or dependent.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge (Comprehension)
, MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
2. An ear temperature probe that consistently reports body temperature at a degree lower
than the patient’s actual temperature has what type of reliability or validity problem?
a. Reduced reliability, systematic error
b. Reduced validity, random error
c. Increased validity, systematic error
d. Increased validity, random error
ANS: A
Feedback
A. The instrument is systematically measuring temperature inaccurately.
B. This response does not refer to random error.
C. The validity of the instrument is not increased.
D. The validity of the instrument is not increased.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. Which of the following terms is applied to variability in test scores being attributed to
error rather than to actual differences in behaviour?
a. Random error
b. Variance error
c. Persistent error
d. Systematic error
, ANS: D
Feedback
A. Random error is connected with validity.
B. Variance and error are connected as one research term—error variance—not as
the reverse—variance error—which is defined as variability in test scores.
C. Persistent error is not a research term.
D. Systematic error is connected with reliability.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. The validity of a new instrument developed to measure peripheral neuropathy has been
determined to be very high. What does this attribute mean?
a. It is sensitive but not specific.
b. Its use results in minimal random errors.
c. It accurately measures peripheral neuropathy.
d. Determination of inte-rrater reliability is unnecessary.
ANS: C
Feedback
A. This answer does not describe validity, but the characteristics of screening tests.
B. Validity does not guarantee minimal random errors.
C. The validity of an instrument is associated with its accuracy.
D. Inter-rater reliability is not an example of validity.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
, MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
5. Which type of validity is most difficult to establish?
a. Content validity
b. Construct validity
c. Predictive validity
d. Concurrent validity
ANS: B
Feedback
A. Face and expert validity are relatively easy to establish.
B. Construct validity includes many types of validity; it is complex and tends to take
much more time to establish than other types of validity.
C. Predictive validity is relatively easy to establish.
D. Concurrent validity is relatively easy to establish.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
6. What is being established when a researcher submits a few items to each of several
concepts on an instrument? For example, a questionnaire on measuring depression has
items on emotional and physical abuse.
a. Content validity
b. Construct validity
c. Concurrent validity
d. Criterion-related validity
LoBiondo-Wood: Nursing Research in Canada, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Nurse researchers critiquing research reports should be concerned with the assessment of
the validity and reliability of study instruments to do what?
a. To determine the utility of the instruments for triangulation
b. To assess the relationships between hypotheses and research questions
c. To determine whether concepts and variables were measured adequately
d. To assess whether the concept under study is being treated as a dependent variable
or an independent variable
ANS: C
Feedback
A. There are several types of triangulation; the chosen instrument might assist a
study to become triangulated, but the reliability and validity of it must be
determined before triangulation.
B. This response fits the connection between hypotheses and research questions but
not instrument reliability and validity.
C. An indicator of a study’s excellence is the establishment of the reliability and
validity of the instruments used to measure variables.
D. Instrument reliability and validity issues are not related to variables being
independent or dependent.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge (Comprehension)
, MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
2. An ear temperature probe that consistently reports body temperature at a degree lower
than the patient’s actual temperature has what type of reliability or validity problem?
a. Reduced reliability, systematic error
b. Reduced validity, random error
c. Increased validity, systematic error
d. Increased validity, random error
ANS: A
Feedback
A. The instrument is systematically measuring temperature inaccurately.
B. This response does not refer to random error.
C. The validity of the instrument is not increased.
D. The validity of the instrument is not increased.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. Which of the following terms is applied to variability in test scores being attributed to
error rather than to actual differences in behaviour?
a. Random error
b. Variance error
c. Persistent error
d. Systematic error
, ANS: D
Feedback
A. Random error is connected with validity.
B. Variance and error are connected as one research term—error variance—not as
the reverse—variance error—which is defined as variability in test scores.
C. Persistent error is not a research term.
D. Systematic error is connected with reliability.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. The validity of a new instrument developed to measure peripheral neuropathy has been
determined to be very high. What does this attribute mean?
a. It is sensitive but not specific.
b. Its use results in minimal random errors.
c. It accurately measures peripheral neuropathy.
d. Determination of inte-rrater reliability is unnecessary.
ANS: C
Feedback
A. This answer does not describe validity, but the characteristics of screening tests.
B. Validity does not guarantee minimal random errors.
C. The validity of an instrument is associated with its accuracy.
D. Inter-rater reliability is not an example of validity.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
, MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
5. Which type of validity is most difficult to establish?
a. Content validity
b. Construct validity
c. Predictive validity
d. Concurrent validity
ANS: B
Feedback
A. Face and expert validity are relatively easy to establish.
B. Construct validity includes many types of validity; it is complex and tends to take
much more time to establish than other types of validity.
C. Predictive validity is relatively easy to establish.
D. Concurrent validity is relatively easy to establish.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: NCLEX Client Care Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment;
Health Promotion and Maintenance
6. What is being established when a researcher submits a few items to each of several
concepts on an instrument? For example, a questionnaire on measuring depression has
items on emotional and physical abuse.
a. Content validity
b. Construct validity
c. Concurrent validity
d. Criterion-related validity
