A researcher is preparing a timeline for a new study.
At what point in the design process should the researcher seek approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

Choice A rationale:

Identify the primary attitudinal factors that the authors described as protecting against smoking. Rationale: This action is most important because it directly addresses the nurse's objective of preparing an anti-smoking campaign for junior high school students. Understanding the primary attitudinal factors that protect against smoking among youth populations can inform the development of effective interventions to reduce smoking in this specific demographic.

Choice B rationale:

Contact the authors and ask for their assistance in developing a curriculum for the anti-smoking campaign. Rationale: While collaborating with the authors could potentially provide valuable insights, the immediate priority is to identify the key attitudinal factors described in the research article. This information forms the foundation for the anti-smoking campaign's content and strategies.

Choice C rationale:

Review the article to determine if institutional review board approval was obtained prior to conducting the study. Rationale: Institutional review board (IRB) approval is important for ethical research, but it is not the nurse's primary concern at this stage. The focus should be on gathering relevant information to inform the campaign.

Choice D rationale:

Determine if any of the studies reviewed by the authors used a junior high school population. Rationale: While understanding the populations studied in the research articles is useful for context, it is not as critical as identifying the specific attitudinal factors that protect against smoking among youth populations, which can directly inform the campaign's development.

Choice B rationale:

Experimental. Rationale: An increase in the number of subjects during the study is a characteristic of an experimental design. Experimental studies often involve the random assignment of subjects into groups and can include adding or recruiting more subjects as the study progresses to increase statistical power.

Choice A rationale:

Quantitative. Rationale: Quantitative research encompasses various research designs, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental. The increase in the number of subjects alone does not specify the design as quantitative; it's more related to the experimental aspect.

Choice C rationale:

Quasi-experimental. Rationale: Quasi-experimental designs are similar to experimental designs but lack randomization. The increase in the number of subjects during the study is not a defining characteristic of quasi-experimental designs.

Choice D rationale:

Qualitative. Rationale: Qualitative research focuses on understanding and interpreting experiences, perceptions, and phenomena rather than experimenting with variables or increasing the number of subjects during a study. The increase in subjects is not indicative of a qualitative design.