Question 1

Which qualitative study will call for an exploratory-descriptive study approach?
A) An evaluation of clinical outcomes of standard nursing interventions
B) An examination of the effects of a treatment on various ethnic groups
C) A review of data to evaluate theoretical constructs
D) A study on a topic about which little is known or understood

Accepted Answer

Exploratory-descriptive studies are used when researchers are exploring a new topic or describing a situation.Outcomes research is concerned with clinical outcomes of standard interventions.Comparing the effects of a treatment on two groups of subjects is a quasi-experimental design.Theory testing uses data to evaluate theoretical constructs.

Question 2

When designing a study,which has the greatest influence as a researcher decides which type of qualitative study design to use?
A) Funding and resources
B) Literature review
C) Population
D) Research question

Accepted Answer

Deciding which qualitative approach to use depends on the research question and the purpose of the study.Funding and resources influence the size of the population and the types of measures that may be employed.The literature review and the population do not influence the study design directly.

Question 3

What is a key element of hermeneutics in research?
A) Analysis of documents and interviews to identify themes and subthemes in data
B) Bracketing of the researcher's own perceptions for the duration of the study
C) Description of phenomena without interpretation by the researcher
D) Focusing solely on phenomena themselves without consideration of biases

Accepted Answer

Hermeneutics is a type of interpretive phenomenological research method that involves textual analysis and identification of themes and subthemes present in interviews and published documents considering the study's research questions.Husserl suggested that the researcher must bracket personal biases to examine the research data.Husserl differs from Heidegger in this regard.Heidegger argued that it is impossible to set aside beliefs and biases.Heidegger's approach is interpretive and is part of hermeneutics.Heidegger believed that researchers cannot set aside their biases.

Question 4

What is true about phenomena in qualitative research?
A) Human behavior is generally the result of the direct influence of independent variables.
B) Knowledge gained by qualitative research is concrete and derived from statistical data.
C) Multiple realities are possible based on meanings created by individuals and groups.
D) Time and context have very little influence on individual or group perspectives.

Accepted Answer

The understanding of phenomena in qualitative research is not the same as in quantitative research.In qualitative research,multiple realities,based on individual and group meanings,may be derived from research data.Human behavior is complex and not just the result of the influence of independent variables.Knowledge gained in qualitative research is less concrete than that gained through quantitative research.Phenomena in qualitative research are considered unique to the individual and in the time and the context that they occur.

Question 5

What role does qualitative research play in evidence-based practice (EBP)?
A) Because it does not involve random-controlled trials (RCTs),it does not contribute directly to EBP.
B) It offers a systematic approach for yielding insights into human experience and behavior.
C) It provides a way to measure and evaluate quality outcomes that affect patient care.
D) It provides the basis for most EBP guidelines and patient care protocols.

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research offers a systematic approach for collecting data about and evaluating human perception and experience that cannot be achieved through experimental research.Many insights gained through qualitative studies are used to develop theories on which RCTs may be based.Qualitative research is not concerned solely with outcomes research,which looks at the effects of nursing interventions on patient care outcomes.RCTs are the basis for most EBP guidelines and protocols.

Question 6

A researcher wishes to learn about the experiences that women have when breastfeeding their infants in the workplace.Which type of study design will the researcher employ?
A) Ethnographic
B) Exploratory-descriptive
C) Grounded theory
D) Historical

Accepted Answer

Exploratory-descriptive studies are used when researchers are exploring a new topic or describing a situation.Ethnographers observe and document interactions within a culture.Grounded theory develops theory directly from the research data.Historical research examines events of the past.

Question 7

A researcher develops a study to examine various phenomena that contribute to theory development.This is an example of which type of research?
A) Ethnographic research
B) Grounded theory research
C) Historical research
D) Phenomenological research

Accepted Answer

Grounded theory develops theory directly from the research data.Ethnographers observe and document interactions within a culture.Historical research examines events of the past.Phenomenological research attempts to capture the "lived experience" of study participants.

Question 8

A qualitative researcher writes down his/her ideas,perceptions,thoughts,and biases about the topic of a study before starting data collection.This is a form of
A) deductive reasoning.
B) intuiting.
C) gaining an emic perspective.
D) bracketing.

Accepted Answer

Bracketing is the process of the researcher identifying and setting aside his/her own biases and any preconceived beliefs and opinions to describe the phenomena in a naïve way.Deductive reasoning moves from the general to the specific or from a general premise to a particular situation or conclusion.Intuition is an insight into or understanding of a situation or event as a whole that a person usually cannot logically explain.Gaining an emic perspective involves the researcher studying behaviors from within the culture that recognizes the uniqueness of the individual.

Question 9

A researcher wishes to understand how inner-city Somali immigrants adapt healthcare practices into their experiences with the U.S.healthcare system.Which type of study approach will the researcher use?
A) Descriptive-qualitative
B) Ethnographic
C) Grounded theory
D) Phenomenological

Accepted Answer

Ethnographic research involves observation and documentation of interactions within a culture.Exploratory-descriptive studies are used when researchers are exploring a new topic or describing a situation.Grounded theory develops theory directly from the research data.Phenomenological research attempts to capture the "lived experience" of study participants.

Question 10

A researcher identifies a socioeconomic group of people to study.After developing a rapport with key members of the group,getting information about group members from the key members,and spending time working among group members,the researcher prepares a written report about the group based on this experience.Which type of qualitative research does this represent?
A) Ethnographic
B) Grounded theory
C) Historical
D) Phenomenological

Accepted Answer

Ethnographic research was developed by anthropologists as a mechanism for studying cultures and involves immersion in the group to make observations and get information.Grounded theory research is an inductive technique that emerged from the discipline of sociology.Historical research examines events of the past.Phenomenological research describes experiences as they are lived.

Question 11

The goal of grounded theory research is to
A) develop theories and hypotheses based on research findings.
B) establish an ethnographic perspective on subjects.
C) provide validity checks for constructs.
D) test theoretical constructs and hypotheses.

Accepted Answer

Theory developed from grounded theory research is "grounded" in the data from which it was derived.An ethnographic perception of research is part of an ethnographic perspective.Validity checks for constructs are not the concern of grounded theory research.Theory testing uses data to evaluate theoretical constructs.

Question 12

A researcher utilizes an emic approach in a research study to
A) gather data about lived experiences of individuals.
B) understand behaviors from within a culture.
C) examine individual human behavior according to personal biases.
D) use techniques such as bracketing and intuiting.

Accepted Answer

The emic approach involves studying behaviors from within a culture.Phenomenological research attempts to capture the "lived experience" of study participants.The etic perspective studies behaviors from outside the culture and examines similarities and differences across cultures.The ethnographic approach looks at groups,not individual behaviors.Bracketing and intuiting are techniques used rather than the focus of a study.

Question 13

A researcher conducts a study to examine the feelings of cancer patients at various points during their disease,including at diagnosis,when beginning chemotherapy,and during remission.Which type of study will the researcher use for this study?
A) Ethnographic
B) Grounded theory
C) Historical
D) Phenomenological

Accepted Answer

Phenomenological research attempts to capture the "lived experience" of study participants.Ethnographers observe and document interactions within a culture.Grounded theory develops theory directly from the research data.Historical research examines events of the past.

Question 14

Which is an example of an etic approach in an ethnographic study?
A) A longitudinal study examining individual immigrants' attitudes about health care
B) A study about African tribal women and their feelings about HIV prevention
C) A study comparing various ethnic groups' folk health practices
D) A study of differences between BSN- and AND-prepared nurses' attitudes about health care

Accepted Answer

The etic approach involves studying behavior from outside the culture and examining similarities and differences across cultures.A study of immigrants' attitudes about health care is a phenomenological study.A study examining a cultural group is an ethnographic study.A study of attitudes about health care is a phenomenological study.

Question 15

A researcher conducts a qualitative study and learns that individuals have a variety of reactions to an event.What can the researcher conclude from this finding?
A) The findings are interesting,but are not useful for theory development.
B) The reactions described in this study may be generalized to a larger population.
C) The study has little significance since there is no well-defined single outcome.
D) The variety of reactions is expected since perception varies with individuals.

Accepted Answer

Because meaning is subjective,there can be multiple realities in qualitative research,which seeks to learn how individuals and groups respond to experiences.Findings in qualitative studies are often used to guide initial theory development whose constructs are later tested through experimental studies.Reactions in qualitative studies do not have statistical significance and cannot be generalized to a larger population.Even without a well-defined outcome,the results do have significance and contribute to the larger body of scientific knowledge.

Question 16

What is true about grounded theory research?
A) It is a method used to quantify theoretical constructs in theory development.
B) It is used to further research in areas where much concrete data is already known.
C) Study designs use a theoretical basis to develop the research questions.
D) Theory is developed from the data collected during the research.

Accepted Answer

Grounded theory develops theory directly from the research data.Experimental studies are used to quantify theoretical constructs to test theories.Grounded theory research is preliminary and is often used when little is known about a subject.Theory is developed from the research findings of grounded theory research.

Question 17

A researcher wishes to examine the experiences and feelings of siblings of children who have cancer to gain information about this population.Which type of qualitative study method will the researcher use?
A) Ethnographic
B) Exploratory-descriptive
C) Grounded theory
D) Historical

Accepted Answer

Exploratory-descriptive studies are used when researchers are exploring a new topic or describing a situation.Ethnographic research involves observation and documentation of interactions within a culture.Grounded theory develops theory directly from the research data.Historical research uses historical documents to describe events.

Question 18

When performing an external criticism of the documents used in historical research,the reviewer must determine whether the documents are
A) genuine or fraudulent.
B) interesting or dull.
C) well known or obscure.
D) written by authors who are still living.

Accepted Answer

External criticism determines the validity of source material.Whether or not the document is interesting has little to do with the importance of the document.As long as the document is genuine and of interest to the study,whether it is well known or not is irrelevant.Although it might be useful to know whether or not the writers of the document are living,this does not relate to external criticism.

Question 19

A researcher who bases phenomenological research on Husserl's philosophy will
A) incorporate personal biases into conclusions and discussion of the research.
B) interpret subjects' experiences according to the researcher's own biases.
C) place personal biases aside when considering and reporting research findings.
D) use personal biases to look for hidden meanings in research data.

Accepted Answer

According to Husserl,to capture the "lived experience" of study participants,the researcher must set aside personal biases and preconceptions to describe the phenomena in a naïve way.Heidegger describes ways that personal biases are incorporated into qualitative research.The other three answers are not accurate statements.

Question 20

What is true about scientific rigor in qualitative nursing research?
A) Studies are rigorous only when results are quantifiable.
B) Study findings are considered trustworthy when rigor is applied.
C) Scientific rigor is not applicable with qualitative studies.
D) Scientific rigor is only used with random-controlled trials.

Accepted Answer

Rigor is valued because the findings of rigorous studies are being more credible and of greater worth.Rigor can be applied to both qualitative and quantitative research.Rigor is used with qualitative research.

Quiz 3: Introduction to Qualitative Research

Which qualitative study will call for an exploratory-descriptive study approach?

When designing a study,which has the greatest influence as a researcher decides which type of qualitative study design to use?

What is a key element of hermeneutics in research?

What is true about phenomena in qualitative research?

What role does qualitative research play in evidence-based practice (EBP) ?

A researcher wishes to learn about the experiences that women have when breastfeeding their infants in the workplace.Which type of study design will the researcher employ?

A researcher develops a study to examine various phenomena that contribute to theory development.This is an example of which type of research?

A qualitative researcher writes down his/her ideas,perceptions,thoughts,and biases about the topic of a study before starting data collection.This is a form of

A researcher wishes to understand how inner-city Somali immigrants adapt healthcare practices into their experiences with the U.S.healthcare system.Which type of study approach will the researcher use?

The goal of grounded theory research is to

A researcher utilizes an emic approach in a research study to

A researcher conducts a study to examine the feelings of cancer patients at various points during their disease,including at diagnosis,when beginning chemotherapy,and during remission.Which type of study will the researcher use for this study?

Which is an example of an etic approach in an ethnographic study?

A researcher conducts a qualitative study and learns that individuals have a variety of reactions to an event.What can the researcher conclude from this finding?

What is true about grounded theory research?

A researcher wishes to examine the experiences and feelings of siblings of children who have cancer to gain information about this population.Which type of qualitative study method will the researcher use?

When performing an external criticism of the documents used in historical research,the reviewer must determine whether the documents are

A researcher who bases phenomenological research on Husserl's philosophy will

What is true about scientific rigor in qualitative nursing research?