Deck 16: Data Analysis: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics

Question 1

The nurse researcher is interested in using nominal level data. The object or event that could be used if nominal-level data are of primary interest is what?

A) Test scores
B) Education level
C) Marital status
D) Weight

Answer 1

Marital status

Question 2

The nurse researcher opts to use interval-level data. The researcher's primary concern will be what?

A) Categories must be mutually exclusive.
B) Intervals between data categories must be equal.
C) The rank of zero (0) represents the absence of the measured variable.
D) Variance between assigned categories is qualitative rather than quantitative.

Answer 2

Intervals between data categories must be equal.

Question 3

The nurse researcher is interested in describing the assignment of numbers to objects or events. This is best achieved in which way?

A) Through use of prediction
B) Through use of dispersion
C) Through use of variability
D) Through use of measurement

Answer 3

Through use of measurement

Question 4

The nurse researcher is using respiratory rate as a variable in a research study. The level of measurement most appropriate in this case is what?

A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio

Question 5

The nurse researcher is interested in having the greatest flexibility possible in choosing statistical procedures. The level of measurement used to achieve this is what?

A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio

Question 6

Which term represents the most frequent score in a frequency distribution?

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Median
D) Percentile

Question 7

The nurse researcher is interested in estimating how reliably data can be used to generalize the findings of a study. In order for this to occur, the researcher should use what?

A) Inferential statistics
B) Descriptive statistics
C) Nonparametric statistics
D) Mathematical statistics

Question 8

The nurse researcher opts to use ratio-level data. The researcher's primary concern will be what?

A) Categories must be mutually exclusive.
B) Intervals between data categories must be equal.
C) The rank of zero (0) represents the absence of the measured variable.
D) Variance between assigned categories is qualitative rather than quantitative.

Question 9

The nurse researcher is interested in describing and summarizing the characteristics of the sample used in the research study. In order for this to occur, the researcher should use what?

A) Inferential statistics
B) Descriptive statistics
C) Nonparametric statistics
D) Mathematical statistics

Question 10

The nurse researcher is using a research study that involved categories of patient weights. The level of measurement that would be most appropriate in this study is what?

A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio

Question 11

The nurse researcher's data contain extremes of high and low scores. The measure of central tendency that should be used in order to be least affected by extremes of high and low scores is what?

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Median
D) Percentile

Question 12

A nurse researcher determines the assignment of a number to an object for measurement by verifying what?

A) The objects vary within a narrow range to meet category requirements.
B) All objects assigned a specific measurement number are similar to all other objects assigned the same number.
C) The objects assigned to one specific number are positively related to the dependent variable of the study.
D) The objects assigned to one specific number are positively related to the independent variable of the study.

Question 13

The nurse researcher opts to group frequency data using large interval widths in a research study. Which problem may be encountered by using this type of interval widths?

A) Overlap can occur.
B) Patterns can be obscured.
C) Means cannot be determined.
D) Some data may not fit into any category.

Question 14

The nurse researcher finds that the data include a score reported to be in the 75th percentile. The researcher interprets this to mean what?

A) The score is at the median.
B) The score has exceeded the mode.
C) The score is exceeded by only 25% of the cases.
D) The score represents the average of all scores measured at this time.

Question 15

The nurse researcher opts to use a measure of variability. Which measure of variability does the researcher recognize as being most unstable?

A) Mean
B) Median
C) Range
D) Semiquartile range

Question 16

The nurse researcher is using the percentage of nurses holding various nursing degrees as a variable in a research study. Which type of statistics is most appropriate in this case?

A) Inferential statistics
B) Descriptive statistics
C) Nonparametric statistics
D) Mathematical statistics

Question 17

The nurse researcher is using a nursing degree as a variable in a research study. The level of measurement most appropriate in this case is what?

A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio

Question 18

The nurse researcher should report the mean, mode, and median of a variable in a research study in which case?

A) When the distribution is uneven.
B) When the distribution is wide.
C) When the distribution is narrow.
D) When the distribution is symmetrical.

Question 19

In a study of nurses' willingness to care for patients with a contagious disease, it was found that the greater the nurses' spirituality, the greater the willingness to provide care. This finding represents what?

A) No correlation
B) Perfect correlation
C) Positive correlation
D) Negative correlation

Question 20

A nurse researcher would opt to use measures of central tendency in which case?

A) When there is a need to describe how reliably the findings can be generalized
B) When there is a need to describe how much dispersion is in the sample
C) When there is a need to describe the accuracy of predictions made
D) When there is a need to describe the average member of the sample

Question 21

Which measures of central tendency allow for rank ordering with equal intervals? (Select all that apply.)

A) Mode
B) Range
C) Median
D) Mean
E) Semiquartile range
F) Percentile
G) SD

Question 22

Which characteristic is an essential criterion for categorizing an object, event, or fact as nominal level data? (Select all that apply.)

A) The degree of the characteristic must be positively related to the number assigned.
B) Rank orders must be calculated for meaningful interpretation.
C) Categories must be mutually exclusive.
D) Category ranges cannot overlap.

Question 23

Which measures of central tendency allow for relative rankings? (Select all that apply.)

A) Mode
B) Range
C) Median
D) Mean
E) Semiquartile range
F) Percentile
G) SD

Question 24

Which data measurement scales typically use nonparametric tests of significance? (Select all that apply.)

A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio

Question 25

A nurse researcher would opt to use factor analysis in which case?

A) To control statistically for a variable and measure differences among group means
B) To take a large number of variables and group them into a smaller number of factors
C) To test the relationship between two variables measured at interval or ratio level data
D) To measure the relationship between one outcome or dependent variable and several dependent variables

Question 26

Which statements regarding measures of central tendency are accurate? (Select all that apply.)

A) This classification of levels of measurement is scientifically inaccurate.
B) Having the mean, mode, and median exactly the same indicates the measures have been correctly applied.
C) They have great flexibility with regard to the amount of mathematical manipulation possible.
D) They vary from sample to sample, even when the same trait or characteristic is measured.

Question 27

The alpha level that is interpreted by the nurse researcher as a highly statistically significant result is what?

A) p = 0.20
B) p = 0.02
C) p = 0.002
D) p = 0.0002