A nurse researcher would decide to use a retrospective or ex post facto study because:
Obtaining informed consent is not an important issue.
The dependent variable is measured at multiple times to examine maturation.
There is maximal opportunity to manipulate the independent variable.
The dependent variable has already been affected by the independent variable.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A rationale
Ethical standards in research require that participants are protected even when using historical data. Informed consent remains a critical issue because researchers must often obtain permission from institutional review boards to access private medical records or databases. Bypassing consent is not a reason to choose this design, as privacy and confidentiality must be maintained to prevent harm or breaches of sensitive personal information.
Choice B rationale
Measuring a variable at multiple points is characteristic of longitudinal or prospective designs rather than retrospective studies. Maturation refers to internal validity threats where changes occur due to the passage of time. In an ex post facto study, the researcher looks backward at data that has already been collected, making it impossible to observe maturation as it occurs in real time during the study period.
Choice C rationale
This study design is non-experimental, meaning the researcher cannot manipulate the independent variable because the event or exposure has already taken place. Manipulation is a hallmark of experimental designs where the researcher controls the timing and dose of an intervention. In retrospective research, the investigator is a passive observer of events that occurred in the past, precluding any active control or direct manipulation.
Choice D rationale
The primary reason for using this design is that the phenomenon of interest has already occurred naturally. This allows researchers to examine relationships or effects that would be unethical or impossible to manipulate experimentally, such as the link between smoking and lung cancer. It is an efficient way to study outcomes where the independent variable has already exerted its influence on the dependent variable before research began.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Non-probability sampling methods, such as convenience or purposive sampling, often result in smaller or more targeted groups rather than large, unmanageable ones. Large sample sizes are typically associated with probability sampling to ensure statistical power. Therefore, the concern regarding unmanageability is misplaced, as the real issue with non-probability methods is the lack of random selection, which compromises the representativeness of the group being studied in the research.
Choice B rationale
The requirement for informed consent is a universal ethical mandate regardless of the sampling method used in a study. Whether a researcher uses random probability sampling or non-random convenience sampling, they must still protect human subjects. Hesitation to use a specific sampling method would not stem from the need for consent, as this is a standard procedural requirement across all types of human subject research and data collection.
Choice C rationale
Generalizability is the ability to apply findings from a specific sample to the broader population. Non-probability sampling does not ensure that every member of a population has an equal chance of being selected, which introduces significant selection bias. This means the results may only reflect the characteristics of the specific individuals studied, making it scientifically risky to claim that the findings apply to other groups or the general public.
Choice D rationale
Statistical analysis can be performed on samples of various sizes, and non-probability samples are not inherently too small for math. Many qualitative and some quantitative studies use small samples effectively. However, the lack of randomness affects the validity of certain inferential statistics that assume random distribution. The primary limitation is not the ability to perform the math, but the validity of the conclusions drawn from those mathematical results.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Content validity refers to the degree to which an instrument adequately represents the universe of content or the specific domain it is intended to measure. Using a panel of experts to review items for clarity, relevance, and representativeness is the standard procedure for establishing content validity. These experts provide qualitative feedback to ensure that the questions or tasks within the tool accurately reflect the theoretical construct being studied, thereby reducing potential measurement errors.
Choice B rationale
Construct validity involves determining whether an instrument actually measures the abstract theoretical construct it claims to measure. This is typically established through complex statistical methods like factor analysis, convergent testing, or divergent testing over multiple studies. While expert review contributes to the initial development, construct validity goes beyond item clarity and expert opinion. it requires empirical evidence that the tool behaves according to theoretical expectations in various populations and different clinical settings.
Choice C rationale
Concurrent validity is a type of criterion-related validity where a new instrument is administered at the same time as an established gold standard tool. The correlation between the two sets of scores determines how well the new tool performs against the existing one. This process involves statistical testing and data collection from participants rather than a qualitative review of item clarity by a panel of experts. Therefore, it does not describe the specific expert review process mentioned.
Choice D rationale
Criterion-related validity focuses on the relationship between the instrument scores and some external criterion or outcome. This can be either predictive, looking at future outcomes, or concurrent, comparing to current benchmarks. Establishing this type of validity requires statistical analysis of participant data to see if the tool correlates with a concrete measurement. An expert panel review of item clarity is a qualitative step that precedes this type of quantitative statistical validation of an instrument.
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