1.1 Meaning and Definition of Research (Test)

1. Research is best defined as:

A. A random collection of information
B. A systematic investigation to generate knowledge
C. A personal account of an event
D. A routine administrative activity

2. The distinguishing feature of scientific research is its:

A. Dependence on authority
B. Systematic and objective approach
C. Reliance on intuition
D. Lack of documentation

3. Nursing research contributes directly to:

A. Evidence-based patient care
B. Hospital construction
C. Commercial advertising
D. Political campaigning

4. The first major step in a research study is usually to:

A. Publish the findings
B. Draw a conclusion
C. Identify the research problem
D. Prepare recommendations

5. Which statement about nursing research is correct?

A. It is limited to laboratory experiments.
B. It examines issues relevant to nursing and healthcare.
C. It does not involve patients.
D. It is based entirely on personal experience.

6. Quantitative research commonly involves:

A. Numerical measurement and statistical analysis
B. Poems and fictional stories
C. Personal opinions without evidence
D. Unstructured assumptions

7. Qualitative research is particularly useful for studying:

A. Drug dosages only
B. Human experiences and perceptions
C. Hospital budgets only
D. Numerical relationships exclusively

8. A study using interviews and numerical surveys may be classified as:

A. Historical research
B. Mixed-method research
C. Purely experimental research
D. Documentary research only

9. The main function of a literature review is to:

A. Identify and examine existing knowledge
B. Prove the researcher is always correct
C. Remove the need for a research problem
D. Replace all forms of data collection

10. A research question should be:

A. Clear and focused
B. Deliberately confusing
C. Based entirely on bias
D. Unrelated to the problem

11. Which term refers to freedom from personal bias?

A. Subjectivity
B. Objectivity
C. Confidentiality
D. Generalization

12. Information collected during a research study is known as:

A. Data
B. Policy
C. Theory
D. Opinion

13. A sample is:

A. The final research report
B. A subgroup selected from a population
C. A method of publishing findings
D. A statement of personal belief

14. Which of the following is a possible nursing research problem?

A. Effect of handwashing education on infection rates
B. Design of a motorway bridge
C. Calculation of customs duties
D. Development of an aircraft engine

15. The ability of a research instrument to measure what it is intended to measure is called:

A. Validity
B. Popularity
C. Simplicity
D. Flexibility

16. Reliability refers to the:

A. Cost of a study
B. Consistency of a measurement
C. Number of researchers
D. Length of a questionnaire

17. Which ethical principle protects participants’ private information?

A. Competition
B. Confidentiality
C. Generalization
D. Experimentation

18. Voluntary agreement to participate after receiving adequate information is called:

A. Data analysis
B. Informed consent
C. Random sampling
D. Peer review

19. Research supports nursing professionalism by:

A. Providing a scientific basis for practice
B. Encouraging dependence on tradition alone
C. Preventing improvements in patient care
D. Removing the need for clinical judgment

20. Research results should primarily be interpreted according to:

A. The researcher’s preferences
B. The evidence obtained from the study
C. Public rumours
D. The expected outcome

Answer Key

1. B
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. A
10. A
11. B
12. A
13. B
14. A
15. A
16. B
17. B
18. B
19. A
20. B