Introduction to Quantitative Research I

Quantitative research designs include

A plan or blueprint

-Vehicle for systematically treating research questions and hypothesis

-Structure for maintaining control in the study

Control

Measures used to provide consistency and avoid bias or errors

Objectivity

The practice of maintaining impartiality and neutrality in research, ensuring that findings are based on observable phenomena and not influenced by personal feelings or opinions

-Derived from a review of literature and development of a theoretical framework

Accuracy

Aided by a thoughtful theoretical framework and literature review

-All aspects of a study systematically and logically follow from the the research question or hypothesis

Intervention fidelity

Interventions standardized and administered to each subject in the same manner under the same conditions

Constancy

Should reflect a step-by-step process of how the researcher controlled the conditions for collecting data

-Environmental conditions, timing of data collection, etc .

Nursing Theory Defined

Provide a foundation for clinical decision-making

-Shape nursing research and create conceptual blueprints, ultimately determining the how and why that drive nurse-patient interactions

-Allows relationships to be proposed and predictions made which in turn can suggest potential actions

-Gives a researcher a logical way of collecting data to describe, explain, and predict nursing practice

Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

Identified a clear link between a patient’s environment (such as clean water sunlight, and fresh air) and their ability to recover

-Remain relevant for today’s practitioners

Types of nursing theories

-Grand: Broad, abstract frameworks that provide a conceptual foundation for nursing practice / ed / research

-Middle: More specific: focused on a limited aspect of reality

-Situation-specific: composed of a limited number of concepts, addresses specific nursing phenomena within clearly defined populations / contexts

Independent variable

The variable you manipulate or vary in an experimental study to explore its effects

-It’s called “independent” because it’s not influenced by any other variables in the study

-Can be manipulated by doing things like administration of a program, treatment, or intervention to one group and not the others

Dependent variable

The variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation

-The outcome you’re interested in measuring, and it “depends” on your independent variable

-Used to check whether and to what extend your IV influences dependent

Research question and purpose statements

Concise statements that outline the main focus of a study and what the researcher aims to accomplish

-They guide the research design and methodology, helping to clarify the objectives and scope of the investigation

Quantitative Aims

What the investigator hopes to achieve

-Suggests the level of evidence to be obtained

Hypothesis

Predicts the outcome of a study

-Flows from the research question, literature review, and theoretical framework

Nominal vs Ordinal levels of measurement

Nominal and ordinal levels refer to different types of data classification in research

-Nominal data are categorical without a specific order, while ordinal data have a defined order but not equal intervals between categories

Interval

Shows rankings of variables on a scale with equal intervals

Ratio

Shows ranking of variables on a scale with equal intervals and an absolute zero

Categorical vs continuous variables

Categorical variables (nominal / ordinal) represent distinct categories or groups, while continuous variables (interval/ratio) can take any numerical value within a range and can be measured

Frequency distribution

The number of times each event occurs is counted

Mean

The average of a set of values, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values

-It is a measure of central tendency

Median

The middle value when data is arranged in ascending order

-More accurate if data is non-normally distributed

Mode

The value that appears most frequently in a dataset

-It is another measure of central tendency

Skewed data: left

Data that has a longer tail on the left side of the distribution, indicating that most values are concentrated on the right

-Retirement age is near 65-70

Skew data: right

Data that has a longer tail on the right side of the distribution, indicating that most values are concentrated on the left

-Small number of rich individuals cause the data to skew in a poor-moderate region

Range

Difference between highest and lowest scores

Percentile

Percentage o cases a given score exceeds

Standard deviation

Measure of the average deviation of the scores from the mean

-The higher the value, the more spread out the values are in a sample

True vs quasi vs non experimental research

Research designs that differ in control over variables and manipulation. True experiments involve random assignment, quasi-experiments lack random assignment, and non-experimental research does not involve manipulation

The 5 A’s

1. Ask: formulate a clear clinical question

2. Acquire: search for the best available evidence

3. Appraise: critically evaluate the research

4. Apply: integrate evidence into clinical practice

5. Assess: Evaluate performance and outcomes

T-tests

statistical tests used to compare the means of two groups to determine if they are significantly different from each other

chi-square

test used to determine whether there is a significant association between categorical variables

how to reduce bias in research

In research, reducing bias involves implementing strategies such as randomization, blinding, and using valid measurement tools to ensure results are not skewed by external factors or personal perceptions

Primary vs secondary research sources

Primary research sources are original data collected firsthand, while secondary research sources involve analysis of existing data or studies

Phenomenological Approach

A qualitative research approach focusing on the lived experiences of individuals, aiming to understand their perceptions and interpretations of a phenomenon

-TILLEY ARTICLE TAKES THIS APPROACH