Question 1

Which electronic database is widely recognized as the premier source for bibliographic coverage of the biomedical literature?

Accepted Answer

MEDLINE is widely recognized as the premier source for bibliographic coverage of the biomedical literature, encompassing a broad range of topics including medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and preclinical sciences.

Question 2

The RN is doing a basic search of articles on nurses' stress in the ICU. In conducting a subject search in an electronic database, what should the nurse type to initiate the search?

Accepted Answer

A topic or keyword is the correct choice because it directly relates to the subject matter the nurse is interested in researching, which in this case is nurses' stress in the ICU. Keywords help in narrowing down the search to relevant articles on the subject.

Question 3

In an electronic literature search, what is the researcher doing when she does not know the precise keywords for retrieving information on a topic?

Accepted Answer

Mapping involves exploring different terms and concepts related to a topic to identify the most effective keywords for a search, especially when the precise terms are not initially known.

Question 4

What is a primary source for a research literature review?

Accepted Answer

A primary source, such as a description of a study written by the researchers who conducted the study, provides firsthand evidence or direct data on a topic, making it a crucial element for a research literature review.

Question 5

There are several strategies for finding studies on a topic. What is the ancestry approach?

Accepted Answer

The ancestry approach involves tracking down earlier studies cited in the reference list of a report. This method helps researchers to find foundational studies and understand the development of research on a topic.

Question 6

There are several strategies for finding studies on a topic. What is the descendancy approach?

Accepted Answer

The descendancy approach involves starting with a key or seminal study and then looking at more recent studies that have cited it. This method helps researchers understand how the field has evolved from that pivotal point.

Question 7

What is a secondary source for a research literature review?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is a secondary source for a...

Question 8

The nurse is conducting a literature review. Which will not assist the nurse when conducting a literature review?

Accepted Answer

Information from anecdotal and opinion articles is generally not included in research literature reviews because these sources lack the empirical evidence required to support scholarly research. Literature reviews focus on synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed research articles that provide empirical evidence on the topic of interest.

Question 9

There are several major steps in preparing a written research review. What is the first step?

Accepted Answer

Formulating a question is the first step in preparing a written research review, as it guides the direction and scope of the entire review process.

Question 10

When doing a literature review, what type of information will a researcher undertaking a new study find as an undesirable attribute?

Accepted Answer

Descriptions of an expert's opinions about the phenomenon are considered less desirable for a literature review in a new study because they may not be evidence-based or peer-reviewed, unlike empirical research findings, operational definitions, and methodologies, which are essential for understanding the current state of research on a topic.

Question 11

Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing the literature before doing a new study. What group of researchers is represented when collection of data occurs before reviewing the literature?

Accepted Answer

Grounded theory researchers often collect data before reviewing the literature to avoid preconceived notions and allow theories to emerge from the data itself.

Question 12

Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing the literature before doing a new study. What group of researchers often undertakes a search for relevant materials at the onset of a study?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing...

Question 13

Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing the literature before doing a new study. What group of researchers does a more thorough literature review during data analysis and interpretation so that findings can be compared with previous findings?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Qualitative researchers have varying opinions about reviewing...

Question 14

Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. How many dimension arrays are present?

Accepted Answer

Matrices are two-dimensional arrays, consisting of rows and columns, used to organize data or information systematically.

Question 15

Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. When would a reviewer use an evaluation matrix?

Accepted Answer

An evaluation matrix is used to record quality assessment information, helping reviewers assess the quality and reliability of the studies included in the literature review.

Question 16

Matrices are a convenient means of abstracting and organizing information for a literature review. When would a reviewer use a results matrix?

Accepted Answer

A results matrix is specifically used to record research findings from different studies, allowing for an easy comparison and synthesis of the data collected during a literature review.

Question 17

Written literature reviews are undertaken for many different purposes. In a quantitative research report, what section of the report would a review of prior research on the problem under study be located?

Accepted Answer

In a quantitative research report, the review of prior research on the problem under study is typically located in the Introduction section. This section sets the context for the study by discussing existing research and how the current study aims to contribute to or expand upon that body of knowledge.

Question 18

Written literature reviews are undertaken for many different purposes. In a research report, what section of the report would limitations of the study be located?

Accepted Answer

Limitations of the study are typically discussed in the "Discussion" section of a research report. This section allows the authors to reflect on the study's weaknesses, constraints, and what these limitations mean for the interpretation of the results and the study's overall validity.

Question 19

Written literature reviews are undertaken for many different purposes. In a qualitative research report, what section of the report would the thematic analysis of the data be presented?

Accepted Answer

In a qualitative research report, the thematic analysis of the data is typically presented in the Results section. This is where the researcher outlines the themes that emerged from the data analysis, providing evidence and examples from the data to support each theme identified.

Question 20

Some features of an electronic search are similar across databases. Which is an example of a wildcard symbol?

Accepted Answer

The question mark (?) is commonly used as a wildcard symbol in electronic searches to represent any single character, allowing for more flexible search queries.

Quiz 5: Literature Reviews: Finding and Critiquing Evidence