lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Midterm 1 notes - Summary Research in Nursing

Research in Nursing (Algonquin College)

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])
 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Chapter 1 – The Role of Research in Nursing
Research: is the systematic, rigorous, logical investigation with the aim of answering questions about nursing
phenomena

Phenomena: can be defined as occurrences, circumstances, or facts that are perceptible by the senses

Nurses study research to determine best outcomes for patients, ↑knowledge base for nursing practice and scientific
knowledge. It allows practice to change over time and to maintain societal relevance.

Trends in nursing research: Nurse’s roles in research:

 Community based care  Consumer
 Reduction of disparities in health care  Generator of clinical questions
 Focus on health promotion and risk reduction  Investigator/participant in research
 Increase in severity of illness in inpatient settings  Protector of research participants
 Increase incidence of persons with comorbidities Evidence informed nursing: the incorporation of evidence
 Expanding population of older adults from research, clinical expertise, client preferences, and
 Emphasis on provider accountability through a focus other available resources to make decisions about clients.
on equality and cost outcomes Evidence informed practice: evidence-informed decision
 Increase emphasis on interdisciplinary collaborative making is a continuous, interactive process involving the
practice explicit, conscientious, and judicious consideration of the
 Use of technology to serve human need best available evidence to provide care.
 Focus on the needs on indigenous peoples

History of nursing research: 1960s-1999:

19th Century: o First federally funded grant for nsg research
o Nursing established as a formal discipline o 1st center for nursing research at Mcgill in 1971
o Florence Nightingale publishes “Notes on Nursing” o Doctoral programs developed
and introduces systematic collection and exploration 21st century:
of data to support health promotion and disease o PhD programs developed
prevention o 5 chair awards are granted to nursing
o Schools of nursing established
1900-40s: Depth in research: replication of research studies
o No emphasis on research but prep of nurses for provides depth and promotes generalizability of study
practice findings to practice. Established research programs
1950s-60s: facilitate the replication of studies within a concentrated
o ANA publishes Nursing Research geographical area.
o First Masters program in nursing at University of
Western Ontario
o Development of many nursing theories to guide
practice and research

International perspectives: global research community is possible. Cross-cultural and cross-national studies could be
implemented but requires networks, databases, websites, funding and respect for cultural perspectives. International
Council of Nursing (ICN) dedicated to global nursing research.

Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) Priorities: To enhance patient experiences and outcomes through health
innovation; health and wellness of indigenous peoples; healthier future through preventative action, improve quality life
for persons living with chronic conditions

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Chapter 2 – Theoretical Framework
Paradigm: set of beliefs and practices that guide the
knowledge development process; pattern

Theoretical/Empirical Knowledge: most commonly

referred to as scientific knowledge; serves as a
guide for evidence-informed practice. Concerned
with developing or testing theories or ideas that
nurse researchers have about how the world
operates. Informed by empirical knowing, which
involves observations of reality.

 Knowledge development
↓Nursing knowledge

Context: personal, social, and political environment in which a phenomenon of interest occurs

Researcher values: personal values of the researcher

Qualitative Research: used to explore personal meanings, and context of an experience, culture, human patterns and
processes. Data usually consists of words or text.

Quantitative Research: used to explore research questions or test hypotheses that describe phenomena, test
relationships, assess differences, and try to explain cause-and-effect interactions among the variables being studied. Data
usually consists of numbers and statistical formulas.

Mixed Methods Research: researchers design and implement a study and then analyze the data using both qualitative
and quantitative methods. Commonly used in program evaluation, organizational studies and policy development. Form
of triangulation.

Linkages: research and practice linked with theory.

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Nursing Paradigms
Post-Positivist Critical Theory Constructive
Ontology: the study  a material world exists  reality is constructed by  reality is constructed
or science of being  not all things can be those with the most power by individual
understood, senses, or at particular points in perception
placed into cause or history  no absolute truth or
effect relationship  reality is plastic and at all validity
 senses provide us with times imperfectly  truth is subjective and
imperfect understood based on perception or
understanding of the  over time, reality is shaped some particular frame
world by numerous social, of reference
political, economical and
cultural forces
 imperfectly shaped stories
become accepted reality
Epistemology:  researchers are  research is a transaction  research is a
addresses the issue of naturally biased btwn researcher and transaction btwn
“truth”  objectivity is the goal participant researcher and
 encourages  perceptions naturally participant
triangulation and influence knowledge  perceptions naturally
replication of findings generation/creation influence knowledge
 encourages intense  contextual awareness and generation/creation
scrutiny of research its relationship to the  emphasizes the
and the rejection of participants understanding meaning ascribed to
poorly conducted of reality is the focus of human experiences
research research  context is considered
 objectivity is not a desired but not emphasized
goal  objectivity is not a
desired goal
Methodology: refers  research is a series of  inquiry requires dialogue  inquiry requires
to discipline specific logical steps btwn investigator and dialogue btwn
principles, rules, and  includes experimental research participant investigator and
procedures that guide and nonexperimental  dialogue is transformative research participant
the research process approaches  dialogue brings to the  focus on interpretation
 research questions and forefront the historical of written texts, art,
hypotheses are context behind experiences pictures and videos
proposed and of suffering, conflict, and  findings bring to the
subjected to testing collective struggles forefront the various
 careful accounting and  dialogue increases ways in which people
control of factors may participants’ awareness of construct meaning and
influence research actions required to incite understanding
findings change

Aim of Inquiry: goals  explanation  critique  understanding

or specific objectives  prediction  change  reconstruction of what
of the research  control  reconstruction of what we we know to be true
know to be true
 emancipation

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Figure 1 Qualitative Research Process Figure 2 Quantitative Research Process

Inductive reasoning: start with details of experience and move to general picture; identification of a particular set of
instances that belong to and can be identified as part of a larger set.

Deductive reasoning: start with general picture and move to a specific direction; uses two or more concepts

Variable: property being studied. Something that changes or varies.

Concept: image or symbolic representation of an abstract idea; major components of theory and convey the abstract
ideas within a theory

Theory: set of interrelated concepts that serve the purpose of explaining or predicting phenomena. Blueprint or a
written or diagrammatic depiction of both the concepts that compose a theory and how they are related.

Hypothesis: micro theory. Tentative statement of relationship between two or more variables that can be empirically
testes. Best guess or prediction about what one expects to find about the variable outlined in the study.

Conceptual framework: structure of concepts, theories, or both that is used to construct a map for the study. Presents a
theory that explains why the phenomenon being studied exists. Generally, a conceptual framework is constructed from a
review of the literature or is developed as part of a qualitative research project.

Theoretical frameworks: a structure of concepts, theories or both that is used to construct a map for the study; based on
a philosophical or theorized belief or understanding of why the phenomenon under study exists.

Frameworks act to clarify concepts, identify and state the underlying assumptions of a study, specify relationships
among and between concepts, and to be a visual symbolic representation of the concepts in a framework.

Conceptual definition: definition of the concept, like that out of a dictionary

Operational definition: how the concept will be measured in the study

Chapter 3 – Critical Reading Strategies and Overview of the Research Process

4

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Steps of the research process: Qualitative Steps of the research process: Quantitative
1. Identification of the phenomenon 1. Research problem
2. Purpose of the research study question 2. Purpose
3. Literature review 3. Literature review: also compared at the end of
4. Design: what/who study
5. Sample 4. Theoretical framework, conceptual framework or
6. Legal-ethical issues both
7. Data-collection procedure 5. Hypothesis/research questions/objective
8. Data analysis 6. Research design
9. Results 7. Sample: type and size
10. Discussion and recommendation 8. Legal-ethical issues
11. References 9. Instruments (measurement tools)
Assessing strength of a study: 10. Validity and reliability: consistency of tools, and
 Quality: extent to which a study’s design, whether the tools actually measure phenomena
implementation and analysis minimizes bias 11. Data-collection procedure
 Quantity: number of studies that have evaluated 12. Data analysis
the research question, including sample size 13. Results
across studies 14. Discussion of findings and new findings
 Consistency: degree to which studies have similar 15. Implications, limitation and recommendations
and different designs yet the same research 16. References
question and similar findings. 17. Communicating research results
Critical reading: an active, intellectually engaging process in which the reader participated in an inner dialogue with the
writer. Critical readers can enter into the POV of the writer. Both critical thinking and reading are developed by learning
the research process. Process includes:

1. Identify concepts
2. Clarify unfamiliar terms
3. Question assumptions
4. Assess the study for validity
5. Preliminary understanding: skim abstract and articly
6. Comprehensive understanding: understand authors intent, review unfamiliar terms, understand terms in relation
to context.
7. Analysis understanding: understand parts, critique soundness of study
8. Synthesis understanding put together and make sense of the study

Steps to develop evidence-informed practice: Levels of Evidence:

1. Be able to critically read the literature: research 1. Meta-analysis, systematic review of several
articles, clinical articles, clinical guidelines randomized control trials
2. Critical reading 2. At least one randomized control trial
3. Critical thinking 3. Quasiexperimental study
4. Read widely 4. Nonexperimental study
5. Understand scientific principles 5. Evidence from descriptive or qualitative studies
6. Be an intelligent consumer of knowledge 6. Evidence from a single descriptive or qualitative
7. Can develop evidence informed interactions study
7. Evidence from the opinion of authorities or
expert committee reports

Components of a research report:

 Title
5

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

 Abstract
 Introduction
 Literature review
 Purpose
 Question or hypothesis
 Theoretical/conceptual framework
 Methods: design, sample, procedures, instruments, ethics
 Results: data analysis, discussion/conclusions and implications; references
 Communicating results: important as study findings can be applied to evidence-informed practice activities such
as nursing care plans, practice protocol guidelines and practice standards; dissemination (communicating and
getting results out into the world)

Chapter 4 – Developing Research Questions, Hypotheses, and Clinical Questions

Variables:

 X factor: independent variable (IV) that has presumed effect on DV; manipulated or not
 Y factor: dependent variable (DV) that has a presumed effect that varies with a change in the independent
variable; not manipulated
 Extraneous/confounding interferes with the relation of the IV and DV

Population: is either specified or implied in the research question. Researcher or reader will have an initial idea of the
composition of the study population from the outset

Study purpose: aim or gial the researcher hopes to achieve; suggests the type of design to be used; implies the level of
evidence to be obtained (discover, explore, or describe versus compare, test the effectiveness of, etc.)

Hypothesis: Formal statement of the expected relationship(s) between two or more variables in a specified population
that suggests an answer to the research question; statement that predicts the outcomes of a study. Should include the
variables to the tested, population to be studied, design to be used, and outcomes to be predicted. Types include:

 Directional: states which way the relationship should exist

 Nondirectional: exists but nondirectional
 Null: statistical hypothesis (H0)
 Research: alternating hypothesis (H1 or Ha)

Relationship statement:

 Causal: cause and effect versus associative

 Simple: relationship between two variables
 Complex: relationship between three or more variables

Chapter 5 – Finding and Appraising the Literature

Literature review: a key step in the research process, as well as a separate section of a study. A systematic summary and
critical evaluation of scholarly literature on a topic. Is succinct and adequately represents positive and negative findings
on an area. Includes findings of an area and an adequate number of resources. Is a synthesis and analysis of the
literature.

 Purposes: to discover what is known about a topic and for knowledge;

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

o For studies to discover the known vs unknown, gaps in knowledge, discover unanswered questions,
discover frameworks used to study the problem, generate research questions/hypotheses, helps to
narrow design and methods, helps to determine need for replication
o As a consumer to determine traditions, strengths and weaknesses of an area, to develop evidence-
informed practice to uncover new practice that can be used, further tested or revised.
 Types:
o Data based: research literature, studies found in journals; also known as empirical, scientific
o Conceptual: reports of theories or reviews, how-to type articles
 Sources:
o Primary: data-based, theory, research written by the original person who did it. Eg. Published research
study
o Secondary: summary of material, critique, analysis of a theory, topic, practice. Eg. Critique of a theory
o Journals: referred journals are peer-reviewed, blind reviewed by external reviewers, and judged using a
set of criteria.

PICOT method: for finding literature

 P: PROBLEM/PATIENT/POPULATION – specifically defined group

 I: INTERVENTION – what intervention or event will be studied
 C: COMPARISON INTERVENTION – with what the intervention will be compared/ CONTROL
 O: OUTCOME – the effect of the intervention
 T: TIME – time frame

Systematic reviews: special kind of literature review that uses rigorous (stronger) methods to identify, critically appraise
and synthesize primary studies. Known as evidence studies. Provide best available objective evidence on a topic.
Consumer can filter this evidence through own evidence-informed practice lens.

Meta-analysis:

 Quantitative: statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies. When the treatment
effect is consistent from one study to the next, meta-analysis can be used to identify this common effect.

Metasynthesis:

 Qualitative: an intentional and coherent approach to analyzing data across qualitative studies. It is a process that
enables researchers to identify a specific research question and then search for, select, appraise, summarize, and
combine qualitative evidence to address the research question.

Conducting ‘A’ literature review: Critiquing “THE” literature review of a paper:

 Determine research topic or question  Is it complete?
 ID key variables/terms  is literature missing?
 Conduct a computer search using databases  Too old? Missing significant seminal literature?
 Review abstracts for relevance  Biased?
 Retrieve relevant papers  Organized?
 Print or download to read  Just summarized without analysis?
 Preliminary reading – keep or disregard  Conclusion that flows to the study purpose?
 Critically read/summarize
 Decide how to present what you’ve discovered

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Chapter 6 – Production of Scientific Knowledge: Legal and Ethical Considerations
Protection of human rights:

 Right to self-determination
 Right to privacy and dignity
 Right to anonymity and confidentiality
 Right to fair treatment
 Right to protection from discomfort and harm

Respect for persons: treat individuals as autonomous agents. Do not use a person as a means to an end. Allow people to
choose for themselves. Give extra protection to those with limited autonomy. Includes informed consent, respect for
privacy, respect for vulnerable persons.

Beneficence: acts of kindness or charity that go beyond duty. Obligations derived from beneficence include do no harm,
prevent harm, prevent evil, promote good. Includes sound research design, competent investigators, favourable risk-
benefit ratio, privacy and confidentiality.

Justice: treat people fairly. Fair sharing of burdens and benefits of research. Distinguish procedural justice from
distributive (society as a whole) justice. Includes equitable selection of subjects and respect for vulnerable persons.

Informed consent: ongoing process of communication and mutual understanding. Shared responsibility for protection.
Not a piece of paper, moment in time or a legal contract.

Research Ethics Board (REB) role: to assess fair recruitment, evaluate inclusion and exclusion criteria, investigator-
subject relationship, maximize autonomy, additional protections, assess risk vs benefit, and assessing consent forms and
process.

Special considerations: vulnerable subjects such as children, prisoners, mentally disabled persons, economically
disadvantaged, educationally disadvantaged, subtle vulnerability like language, culture, pregnancy, students, substance
abuse and health status.

CNA’s Code of Ethics (2008), revised 2017:

 Promoting safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care

 Promoting health and well-being
 Promoting and respecting informed decision making
 Honoring dignity
 Maintaining privacy and confidentiality
 Promoting justice
 Being accountable

Scientific fraud and misconduct: fraudulent studies increase risk to ass. Misconduct and unauthorized studies increase
risk as well and can harm subjects. Basing clinical practice on false data can be dangerous and nurses are obligated to
report if they witness any.

Questions to ask yourself which critiquing a study:

1. Was the study approved by an REB or other agency committee members?

2. Is there evidence that informed consent was obtained from all participants or their representatives? How was it
obtained?
3. Were the participants protected from physical or emotional harm?

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

4. Were the participants or their representatives informed about the purpose and nature of the study?
5. Were the participants or their representatives informed about any potential risks that might result from
participation in the study?
6. Was the research study designed to maximize the benefit(s) and minimize the risks to participants?
7. Were participants coerced or unduly influenced to participate in this study? Did they have the right to refuse to
participate or withdraw without penalty? Were vulnerable participants used?
8. Were appropriate steps taken to safeguard the privacy of participants? How have data been kept anonymous or
confidential?
a. Deception????

Chapter 7 and 8: Introduction to Qualitative Research and its Approaches

Qualitative Reseach methods: guide nursing practice, contribute to instrument development and develop nursing theory
by using personal stories to enlighten and enrich understanding of everyday health experience, using the voice of
research participants to enable evaluation of existing instruments or creation of new ones, and enabling systematic
structuring of ideas that emerge from persons who are experts through life experience.

Qualitative Methods:

 Grounded theory: inductive from a base of observations of the world as it is living by a group of people. Used to
construct theory where no theory exists or when existing theory fails to explain a set of circumstances.
o Uses a systematic set of procedures to arrive at a theory about basic social processes in groups.
o Research question: based on a basic social process
o Researcher: “grounds” the emerging theory in the data, and reflects contextual values, not his/her values
o Sample selection: purposive, people who experience the basic social process
o Data: interview transcripts, observation notes, memos
o Data analysis: constant comparative analysis done during collection and analysis in cyclical pattern
along with theoretical sampling.
o Results: theory grounded in the data
 Case study: method to investigate a contemporary phenomenon over time to provide an in-depth description of
essential dimensions and processes of the phenomenon.
o Research question: evolves over time and recreates itself as the study progresses
o Researcher: perspective is reflected in the questions used to investigate the case study
o Sample selection: purposive, some choose most common cases, others the most unusual cases
o Data: interviews, observation, document review
o Data analysis: collection and analysis done simultaneously in cycles – iterative process
o Results: thematic case-specific narrative
 Historical Method: systematic compilation of data and the critical presentation, evaluation and interpretation of
facts regarding people, events, and occurrences of the pars. Systematic compilation of data to describe some
past event. Foundation based on philosophy, art and science.
o Research question: embedded in the description of the phenomenon studied
o Researcher: interpretation free of bias, clear
o Sample selection: primary and secondary data sources (documents, witnesses, objects)
o Data: records, books, documents, artifacts, eyewitness accounts
o Data analysis: analyze authenticity, patterns
o Results: historical narrative

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

 Ethnography: research approach designed to produce cultural theory. Scientifically describes cultural groups.
Goal is to understand the native group’s view of the world. Emic view: participant’s view of the world, vs the etic
view: outsider’s view of the world. Descriptions of cultural groups or subgroups rooted in cultural anthropology.
o Research question: focused on cultural patterns or lifeways
o Bracketing: researcher identifies personal biases and brackets them when engaged with the study
participants
o Sample selection: purposive; people who are living in the culture being studied. Key informants are used
o Data: informal interviews, field notes, artifacts, art, video
o Data analysis: collection and analysis done simultaneously in cycles
o Results: cultural narrative
 Phenomenology: a research method aimed at obtaining a description of an experience as it is lived in order to
understand the meaning of that experience for those who have it. Description of the lived experience.
o Research question: focused on experience
o Bracketing: same as in ethnography (above)
o Sample selection: purposive, people who are living the experience of the phenomenon
o Data: interview transcripts, personal notes, memos
o Data analysis: thematic analysis to reveal the essence of the phenomenon through the experience of the
study participants
o Results: thematic narrative
 Participatory action research: community-based approach to find solutions to problems in partnership with
participants. Identifies actions to address problems now and implement actions. Evaluates effects of actions.
Cyclical process all done with participants who are experts about the problem. Combines exploration of,
reflection on and action on social and health problems. Systematically accesses the voice of the community to
plan context-appropriate action. Goal to facilitate change within a community with the participants involved in
all steps of the change process.
o Research question: focused on who is affected by or has an effect on the problem being studied.
o Researcher: acts as a consultant, not an expert
o Sample selection: purposive, people from the community who have varied perspectives, experiences and
backgrounds
o Data: interviews, group sessions, observation, relevant documents, materials, equipment
o Data analysis: distill all of the data into a cohesive set of ideas, patterns, themes to plan the action phase
o Results: outcomes report, narrative, presentations

Orientational qualitative inquiry: an ideology directs the inquiry and research process.

 Feminist: focus on gender

 Queer theory: also gender
 Postcolonial: focus on power and justice through lens of the legacy of the colonization of aboriginal peoples
 Disabilities theory

Metasynthesis: somewhat comparable to a quantitative meta-analysis. Systematic review of qualitative research. Uses
comparative analysis and interpretative synthesis of findings. Seeks to retain essence and unique contribution of each
study included. Builds a critical mass of qualitative research evidence that is relevant to practice.

Triangulation: the expansion of research strategies in a single study or multiple studies to enhance diversity, enrich
understanding and accomplish certain goals.

 Data triangulation: a variety of data sources, different times, settings and groups
10

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

 Investigator triangulation: use of different researchers with divergent backgrounds
 Theory triangulation: use of multiple perspectives during data interpretation
 Methodological triangulation: multimethod used to study a single topic
 Interdisciplinary triangulation: use more than one disciple to study the topic

Issues with qualitative research:

 Naturalistic setting, may skip consent

 Emergent nature of the design may alter methods over time affecting how informed participants really are
 Researcher-participant interaction, relations may influence focus of study
 Researcher as instrument- but they’re only human.
 Take a long time to collect data and complete research

Chapter 9 – Introduction to Quantitative Research

Research design: provides plan to aid in solving problems, answering questions, testing hypotheses. The design involves
a plan, structure and strategy. Allows researchers to apply different levels of control so it can be suggested that it was
the IV that influenced the DV and not something else. Elements include

 Participants – who
 Observations – what
 Measurements of time – when
 Selection of subjections – where
 Role of investigator

Design purpose: plan control; must consider objectivity, accuracy, feasibility, control, homogenous sample, constancy,
manipulation, randomization.

Internal validity: asks is it’s the IV (or something else) that caused or resulted in the change in the DC. Threats to internal
validity include history, selection, maturation, testing, mortality, instrumentation.

External validity: questions the conditions under which the findings can be generalized. Deals with the ability to
generalize the findings outside the study. Threats include selection effects (who), relative effects (where-how),
measurement effects (how-when-what)

Critiquing criteria:

 Study design appropriate

 Control measures match design
 Design reflects feasibility
 Design flows from research question, framework, literature review, hypothesis
 Control of threats to internal validity
 Control of threats to external validity
 Design linked to levels of evidence hierarchy

Chapter 10 – Experimental and Quasiexperimental Designs

Research designs: purpose to provide the plan for testing the hypothesis about the IV and DV. Experimental and
quasiexperimental designs differ from nonexperimental ones since the researcher actively seeks to bring about the
desired effect and does not passively observe behaviours and actions

11

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

 Design should be:
o appropriate to research question
o maximizes control: rule out extraneous variables through homogenous sampling, constancy in data
collection, manipulation of the IV and randomization
o holds the conditions of the study constant
o establishes specific sampling criteria
o maximizes the level of evidence

Experimental designs: provide level 2 evidence. Evaluate Advantages

outcomes in terms of efficacy and cost-effectiveness.  Most appropriate for testing cause-and effect
 Types relationships
o True experimental design  Provides highest level of evidence for single
o Solomon four-group design studies
o After-only design  Not all research questions are amenable to
 Features: experimental manipulation or randomization
o Randomization of subjects to control or Disadvantages:
treatment group  Subject mortality, especially control group
o Control: IV  DV subjects
o Manipulation of IV  Difficult logistics in field settings
 Hawthorne effect
Quasiexperimental designs: o some generalizability
 Types: o difficult to make clear cause and effect
o Non-equivalent control group design statements
o After-only non-equivalent control group o may not be able to randomize
design
o One-group (pretest-post-test) design Evaluation research: uses both experimental and
o Time series design quasiexperimental designs. Seeks to determine the
 Advantages and disadvantages: outcome of a program. Can be formative or summative.
o practical and more feasible, especially in
clinical settings

General critiquing criteria: Experimental critiquing criteria:

 What design is used?  What experimental design is used? Is it appropriate?
 Is the design experimental or quasiexperimental?  How are randomization, control, and manipulation
 Is the problem one of a cause-and-effect applied?
relationship?  Are there reasons to believe that alternative
12

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

 Is the method used appropriate for the problem? explanations exist for the findings?
 Is the design suited to the study setting?  Are all threats to validity, including mortality,
addressed in the report?
Quasiexperimental critiquing criteria: Evaluation Research Critiquing criteria:
 What quasiexperimental design is used? Is it  Is the specific problem, practice, policy, or treatment
appropriate? being evaluated identified?
 What are the most common threats to the validity of  Are the outcomes to be evaluated identified?
the findings?  Is the problem analyzed and described?
 What are the plausible alternative explanations for  Is the program involved described and standardized?
the findings? Are they addressed?  Are the measurements of change identified?
 Does the author address threats to validity  Are the observed outcomes related to the activity or
acceptably? to other causes?
 Are limitations addressed?
Chapter 11 – Nonexperimental Designs
Nonexperimental designs: used in studies to construct a Advantages:
picture of a phenomenon at one point or over a period of  Difficult to explain cause-and-effect relationships
time, to explore people, places, events, or situations as  Important to develop a knowledge base on
they naturally occur, and to test relationships and phenomenon of interest
differences amongst variables.  Useful in forecasting or making predictions
 Survey studies  Important designs when randomization, control
o Descriptive and manipulation are not appropriate or possible
o Exploratory  Useful in testing theoretical models of how
o Comparative variables work together in a group in a particular
 Relationship or difference studies situation
o Correlational studies Methodological research: used to develop and evaluate
o Developmental studies data collection instruments, scales, and techniques.
 Cross-sectional studies Psychometrics: theory and development of measurement
 Longitudinal and prospective studies instruments (surveys or questionaires) and measurement
 Retrospective and ex post facto studies techniques

Meta-analysis: a strict scientific process that synthesizes the findings from several separate studies in a specific area and
statistically summarizes the findings to obtain a precise measure of the effect.

Secondary analysis: researcher reanalyzes the data from an experimental or nonexperimental study for a completely
different purpose
13

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])

 lOMoARcPSD|7873162

Nursing Research Midterm 1 Review Winter 2019

Epidemiological studies: examines factors affecting the health and illness of populations in relation to their environment.
Investigate the distribution, determinants and dynamics of health and disease. Are often prevalence or incidence
focused.

Nonexperimental critiquing criteria:

 Which nonexperimental design is used in the study?

 In accordance with the theoretical framework, is the rationale for the type of design evident?
 How is the design congruent with the purpose of the study?
 Is the design appropriate for the research problem?
 Is the design suited to the data-collection methods?
 Does the researcher present the findings in a manner congruent with the design used?
 Does the researcher theorize beyond the relational parameters of the findings and erroneously infer cause-and-
effect relationships between the variables?
 Are alternative explanations for the findings possible?
 How does the researcher discuss the threats to internal and external validity?
 How does the researcher deal with the limitations of the study?

14

Downloaded by romaisa haghdoost ([email protected])