Quantitative Research Designs: A Comprehensive Guide for Nursing Students

Question 1

Which of the following characteristics does NOT apply to quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Emphasizes exploration of subjective experiences

Answer

Relies on statistical data analysis

Answer

Focuses on objective numerical data

Answer

Employs objective measurements

Question 2

In an experimental research design, the researcher primarily:

Accepted Answer

Manipulates an independent variable to study its impact on a dependent variable

Answer

Observes a phenomenon without influencing variables

Answer

Selects a random sample from the population to gather data

Answer

Applies a pre-test and post-test approach to measure changes

Question 3

A strength of quasi-experimental research is its:

Accepted Answer

Applicability when random assignment is infeasible

Answer

High level of control over variables

Answer

Ability to randomize participants

Answer

Generalizability of results to the entire population

Question 4

A non-experimental research design that involves observing a phenomenon over an extended period is termed a:

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal study

Answer

Cross-sectional study

Answer

Cohort study

Answer

Case-control study

Question 5

In a cohort study, the researcher:

Accepted Answer

Follows a group of individuals over time to observe changes

Answer

Compares two groups with different exposures

Answer

Observes a phenomenon without manipulating variables

Answer

Applies a pre-test and post-test design

Question 6

Which research design allows researchers to manipulate an independent variable to determine its effect on a dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

Experimental

Answer

Quasi-experimental

Answer

Non-experimental

Answer

Correlational

Question 7

Which type of research design is appropriate when researchers want to explore the relationship between two or more variables without manipulating them?

Accepted Answer

Correlational

Answer

Experimental

Answer

Quasi-experimental

Answer

Non-experimental

Question 8

What is the purpose of random assignment in experimental research designs?

Accepted Answer

To reduce bias and ensure the equivalence of groups

Answer

To increase the sample size

Answer

To ensure the generalizability of the findings

Answer

To enhance the statistical power of the study

Question 9

What is the main difference between a between-subjects and within-subjects design?

Accepted Answer

Allocation of participants to groups

Answer

Number of participants

Answer

Type of data collected

Answer

Method of data analysis

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an experimental research design?

Accepted Answer

Quasi-experimental

Answer

Control group

Answer

Pre-test and post-test measures

Answer

Manipulation of the independent variable

Question 11

A researcher aims to investigate the effectiveness of a new medication on pain levels. Which type of quantitative research design would be most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Experimental study

Answer

Descriptive study

Answer

Correlational study

Answer

Meta-analysis

Question 12

A researcher performs a t-test to compare the means of two groups. What is the null hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

There is no difference between the means of the two groups

Answer

There is a difference between the means of the two groups

Answer

The means of the two groups are equal

Answer

The means of the two groups are not equal

Question 13

Which feature uniquely characterizes experimental research designs?

Accepted Answer

Researcher actively manipulates the independent variable

Answer

Participants are randomly assigned to groups

Answer

Data is gathered through observation

Answer

Research question is exploratory in nature

Question 14

Identify the quasi-experimental research design that lacks random assignment of participants into groups:

Accepted Answer

Nonequivalent control group design

Answer

Factorial design

Answer

Cross-sectional design

Answer

Longitudinal design

Question 15

Which option is NOT a recognized advantage of non-experimental research designs?

Accepted Answer

Establishes causality

Answer

Provides insights into real-world occurrences

Answer

Can explore intricate relationships

Answer

Data collection is often less costly

Question 16

What is the main purpose of conducting a pilot study in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

To evaluate the practicality and refine the research design

Answer

To collect data for the main study

Answer

To confirm the validity of the research instrument

Answer

To provide widely applicable results

Question 17

What is the primary distinction between a cross-sectional and a longitudinal research design?

Accepted Answer

Time frame for data collection

Answer

Objective of the research question

Answer

Type of data collected

Answer

Sample size

Question 18

Which characteristic is NOT associated with quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Emphasizes subjective experiences

Answer

Relies on numerical data

Answer

Uses statistical analysis

Answer

Generalizes findings to a larger population

Question 19

A fundamental distinction between correlational and experimental research designs is:

Accepted Answer

The ability to establish causal relationships

Answer

The type of data collected

Answer

The analysis methods employed

Answer

The generalizability of findings

Question 20

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of quasi-experimental research designs?

Accepted Answer

Non-random assignment of participants to experimental and control groups

Answer

Random assignment of participants to experimental and control groups

Answer

Use of a standardized experimental manipulation

Answer

Ability to draw strong causal inferences

Question 21

When would an experimental design be the most suitable choice for a research study?

Accepted Answer

When the researcher has control over the independent variable and can randomly assign participants to experimental and control groups

Answer

When the researcher does not have control over the independent variable and cannot randomly assign participants to experimental and control groups

Answer

When the researcher is interested in describing a phenomenon without manipulating any variables

Answer

When the researcher wants to compare two or more groups on a specific outcome

Question 22

Which of the following is not considered a type of quasi-experimental design?

Accepted Answer

Randomized controlled trial

Answer

Nonequivalent control group design

Answer

Time series design

Answer

Regression discontinuity design

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of a descriptive research design?

Accepted Answer

To describe a phenomenon or group of people

Answer

To test a hypothesis

Answer

To compare two or more groups

Answer

To determine the cause of a phenomenon

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT a type of quantitative data analysis technique?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative analysis

Answer

Descriptive statistics

Answer

Inferential statistics

Answer

Hypothesis testing

Question 25

Which quantitative research design involves manipulating an independent variable to examine its effect on a dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

Experimental design

Answer

Quasi-experimental design

Answer

Non-experimental design

Answer

Observational design

Question 26

Among the strengths of quasi-experimental research designs is:

Accepted Answer

They can provide a more natural setting for research compared to experimental designs.

Answer

They allow for random assignment of participants.

Answer

They eliminate the need to control for confounding variables.

Question 27

Which non-experimental research design examines relationships between variables without manipulation?

Accepted Answer

Correlational design

Answer

Case-control design

Answer

Descriptive design

Answer

Longitudinal design

Question 28

A significant limitation of non-experimental research designs is:

Accepted Answer

They cannot establish cause and effect relationships.

Answer

They require large sample sizes.

Answer

They are expensive to implement.

Answer

They are difficult to generalize to broader populations.

Question 29

In an experimental research design, a pretest serves to:

Accepted Answer

Measure the dependent variable before the introduction of the independent variable.

Answer

Recruit participants for the study.

Answer

Control for extraneous variables.

Question 30

Which sampling technique is most likely to yield a representative sample?

Accepted Answer

Random sampling

Answer

Convenience sampling

Answer

Snowball sampling

Answer

Quota sampling

Question 31

Hypothesis testing in quantitative research helps determine:

Accepted Answer

Whether there is a statistically significant difference between groups.

Answer

Potential research questions.

Answer

Feasible participant selection strategies.

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of an inferential statistic?

Accepted Answer

t-test

Answer

Mean

Answer

Standard deviation

Answer

Frequency distribution

Question 33

The primary purpose of a research proposal is to:

Accepted Answer

Outline the research plan and secure approval from an institutional review board.

Answer

Disseminate research findings in a publication.

Answer

Present research results at a conference.

Question 34

Which of the following research designs is most appropriate when the researcher wants to make causal inferences but cannot randomly assign participants to different groups?

Accepted Answer

Quasi-experimental design

Answer

Experimental design

Answer

Non-experimental design

Answer

Correlational design

Question 35

Which of the following is a type of quasi-experimental design commonly used to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention?

Accepted Answer

Pretest-posttest control group design

Answer

Factorial design

Answer

Matched pairs design

Answer

Solomon four-group design

Question 36

Which of the following is a type of non-experimental research design that involves observing participants in their natural settings?

Accepted Answer

Observational study

Answer

Experimental study

Answer

Correlational study

Answer

Quasi-experimental study

Question 37

Which of the following is a limitation of correlational research designs?

Accepted Answer

They cannot determine causality.

Answer

They are difficult to analyze.

Answer

They can only be used to study large sample sizes.

Answer

They are time-consuming and expensive to conduct.

Question 38

Which of the following is a type of sampling method that ensures that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected?

Accepted Answer

Simple random sampling

Answer

Snowball sampling

Answer

Convenience sampling

Answer

Quota sampling

Question 39

What is a primary objective of quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

To test hypotheses and derive cause-and-effect relationships

Answer

To explore complex phenomena in depth

Answer

To provide a platform for participants to share their experiences

Question 40

A researcher aims to assess the efficacy of a novel educational intervention. Which quantitative research design is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Experimental

Answer

Correlational

Answer

Exploratory

Answer

Descriptive

Question 41

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of a quasi-experimental design?

Accepted Answer

Participants are not randomly assigned to groups

Answer

Employs a control group

Answer

Manipulates an independent variable

Answer

Relies exclusively on self-report data

Question 42

A researcher collects data to examine the correlation between smoking and lung cancer. This type of research design is classified as:

Accepted Answer

Correlational

Answer

Non-experimental

Answer

Quasi-experimental

Answer

Experimental

Question 43

What is a major limitation of non-experimental research designs?

Accepted Answer

Inability to establish cause-and-effect relationships

Answer

Require large sample sizes

Answer

Can be time-consuming and expensive

Answer

May yield biased results

Question 44

What is the primary purpose of random assignment in an experimental research design?

Accepted Answer

To control for confounding variables

Answer

To enhance the generalizability of the results

Answer

To reduce the risk of bias

Answer

To ensure equal representation of all groups

Question 45

Which type of validity in quantitative research refers to the extent to which a measure accurately represents what it is intended to measure?

Accepted Answer

Construct validity

Answer

Internal validity

Answer

Statistical validity

Answer

External validity

Question 46

What is the fundamental ethical consideration in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Protecting the rights and well-being of participants

Answer

Avoiding plagiarism

Answer

Maintaining confidentiality

Question 47

What is a benefit of using quantitative research methods?

Accepted Answer

Can yield generalizable results

Answer

Require minimal resources and time to conduct

Answer

Allow for detailed exploration of individual experiences

Answer

Are flexible and adaptable to a wide range of research questions

Question 48

What is the distinction between a population and a sample in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

A population encompasses the entire group of interest, while a sample represents a subset of the population that is studied

Answer

A population is always larger than a sample