NURS 8200 Week 8 Assignment: Quantitative Methods – Nonparametrics
NURS 8200 Week 8 Assignment: Quantitative Methods – Nonparametrics
Statistical Analyses in Nursing Assignment: NURS 8200 Week 8 – Researchers must make informed choices about the type of statistical analysis that best addresses the research question. For the past several weeks, you have been considering how and when a particular statistic should be employed. This week, you have focused on the use of nonparametric tests.
Nonparametric methods are useful to researchers in performing statistical analyses of quantitative data sets that do not follow normal distributions and that have inconsistent variation. Nonparametric methods are often applied when ordinal-level data are collected and, as such, rely on fewer assumptions than their parametric counterparts.
In this Discussion, you examine the two articles in this week’s Learning Resources, both of which employ nonparametric methods of statistical analysis. In addition, as the final week of exploring quantitative statistics, you consider which statistical method is most frequently used in your area of nursing practice.
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Note: This Discussion takes place in small groups, which should have been assigned by your Instructor.
To prepare:
- Review the articles presented in this week’s Learning Resources and analyze each study’s use of nonparametric tests.
- Critically analyze each article, considering the following questions in your analysis:
- What are the goals and purpose of the research study each article describes?
- How are nonparametric tests used in each study? What are the results of their use?
- Why are parametric methods (t tests and ANOVA) inappropriate for the statistical analysis of each study’s data?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of each study (e.g., study design, sampling, and measurement)?
- How could the findings and recommendations of each study contribute to evidence-based practice in the health care field?
- Reflect on the quantitative statistical analyses presented throughout this course in the research literature, the Learning Resources, media presentations, and those articles you reviewed for your abbreviated research proposal.
- Ask yourself: Which method is most commonly used in research studies that pertain to my area of nursing practice, and why this might be so?
NURS 8200 Week 8 Assignment: Quantitative Methods – Nonparametrics
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response in your small group that addresses the following:
- Critically analyze each article, including the items noted above.
- Identify one statistical analysis method that you found recurring in many of the articles you used in your literature review for your research proposal. This method does not necessarily have to be nonparametric.
- Based on your area of nursing practice, which method of statistical analysis is most frequently used in the research literature? Why do you think other forms of statistical analysis are less frequently used? Provide a rationale for your response.
Read a selection of your colleague’s postings in your small group.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues in your small group in one or more of the following ways:
- Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence, or research.
- Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.
- Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.
- Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
- Make a suggestion based on additional evidence drawn from readings or after synthesizing multiple postings.
- Expand on your colleagues’ postings by providing additional insights or contrasting perspectives based on readings and evidence.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments made by your colleagues.
Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and any additional sources.
Post your responses to the Discussion based on the course requirements.
Your Discussion postings should be written in standard edited English and follow APA guidelines as closely as possible given the constraints of the online platform. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure your in-text citations and reference list are correct. Initial postings must be 250–350 words (not including references).
NURS 8200 Week 8 Assignment: Quantitative Methods – Nonparametrics
Think back to the material you learned in Week 5 about t tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Recall that these two types of parametric tests are used to examine the differences in the means of data sets to determine the relationships between variables. For example, when diagnosed with diabetes, does participating in a nutritional program improve weight loss and reduce blood sugar levels? You may also recall that parametric tests assume normal distributions and equal variations among data sets. A limitation of parametric tests lies in the reality that not all experimental data follow these patterns.
Because of this, nonparametric statistical methods were developed to analyze data sets that do not follow normal patterns of distribution and do not have consistent variation. There are many types of nonparametric methods that are useful in different situations and for different purposes. This week, you examine the application of nonparametric statistical analysis methods.
You will also begin working to complete the National Institute of Health human subject’s protection training course. As you know, there are many ethical considerations when conducting research, and Walden University requires that all students complete this training prior to conducting any research activities.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze the use of nonparametric statistical tests in a research study
- Assess a common type of statistical analysis in your practice area
- Successfully complete the human protection in research training
Photo Credit: [alexaldo]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
NURS 8200 Week 8 Assignment: Quantitative Methods – Nonparametrics Required Readings
Gray, J.R., Grove, S.K., & Sutherland, S. (2017). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
Chapter 25, “Using Statistics to Determine Differences”
Statistics and Data Analysis for Nursing Research
Chapter 8, “Chi-Square and Nonparametric Tests”
This chapter defines nonparametric tests and chi-square tests of independence. Nonparametric tests measure nominal or ordinal variables, whereas chi-square tests are used to draw conclusions about population differences.
Fisher, K., Orkin, F., & Frazer, C. (2010). Utilizing conjoint analysis to explicate health care decision making by emergency department nurses: A feasibility study. Applied Nursing Research, 23(1), 30–35. doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2008.03.004
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
This article describes a study that employed conjoint analysis, a measurement technique incorporating simulation into experimental design to generate a mathematical model of individual decision making. The study focused on nurses’ decisions related to the care of patients with intellectual disability and used contingency tables and nonparametric tests to analyze the data.
Tjia, J., Field, T., Garber, L., Donovan, J., Kanaan, A., Raebel, M., … Gurwitz, J. (2010). Development and pilot testing of guidelines to monitor high-risk medications in the ambulatory setting. American Journal of Managed Care, 16(7), 489–496.
Development and pilot testing of guidelines to monitor high-risk medications in the ambulatory setting. American Journal of Managed Care, 16(7) by Tjia, J., Field, T., Garber, L., Donovan, J., Kanaan, A., Raebel, M., & Gurwitz, J. Copyright 2010 by INTELLISPHERE, LLC. Reprinted by permission of INTELLISPHERE, LLC via the Copyright Clearance Center.
This article discusses a pilot test that aimed to catalog safety intervention trials by monitoring high-risk medications for efficacy, safety, and drug interactions. The statistical analysis of the study’s data included the use of nonparametric tests to examine trends across ordered groups of drugs.
NIH Office of Extramural Research (n.d.). Protecting human research participants. Retrieved August 1, 2011, from http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php
You will begin the NIH training program this week, which prepares you to conduct research with human participants.
Optional Resources
Walden University. (n.d.). Nonparametrics. Retrieved August 1, 2011, from http://streaming.waldenu.edu/hdp/researchtutorials/educ8106_player/educ8106_nonparametric_tests.html
Rubric Detail
Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.
| Exemplary | Proficient | Sufficient | Developing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discussion Postings and Responses |
4 (100%) – 4 (100%)
• Discussion postings and responses are responsive to the requirements of the Discussion instructions and are posted by the due date. • Discussion postings and responses significantly contribute to the quality of interaction by providing rich and relevant examples, applicable research support, discerning ideas, and/or stimulating thoughts/probes and are respectful when offering suggestions, constructive feedback, or opposing viewpoints. • Discussion postings and responses demonstrate an in-depth understanding of concepts and issues presented in the course (e.g., insightful interpretations or analyses, accurate and perceptive parallels, and well-supported opinions) and are well supported, when appropriate, by pertinent research. • Discussion postings and responses provide evidence that the student has read and considered a sampling of colleagues’ postings and synthesized key comments and ideas, as applicable.
|
3 (75%) – 3 (75%)
• Discussion postings and responses are responsive to the requirements of the Discussion instructions and are posted by the due date. • Discussion postings and responses contribute to the quality of interaction by providing examples, research support when appropriate, ideas, and/or thoughts/probes, and are respectful when offering suggestions, constructive feedback, or opposing viewpoints. • Discussion postings and responses demonstrate some depth of understanding of the issues and show that the student has absorbed the general principles and ideas presented in the course, although viewpoints and interpretations are not always thoroughly supported. • Discussion postings and responses provide evidence that the student has considered at least some colleagues’ postings and synthesized some key comments and ideas, as applicable.
|
2 (50%) – 2 (50%)
• Discussion postings and responses are posted by the due date but are not always responsive to the requirements of the Discussion instructions. • Discussion postings and responses do little to contribute to the quality of interaction or to stimulate thinking and learning. • Discussion postings and responses demonstrate a minimal understanding of concepts presented, tend to address peripheral issues, and, although generally accurate, display some omissions and/or errors. • Discussion postings and responses do not provide evidence that the student has considered at least some colleagues’ postings or synthesized at least some key comments and ideas, as applicable.
|
0 (0%) – 1 (25%)
• Discussion postings and responses are posted past the late deadline, defined as 11:59 p.m. on the due date, and/or do not address the requirements of the Discussion instructions. • Discussion postings and responses do not contribute to the quality of interaction or stimulate thinking and learning. • Discussion postings and responses do not demonstrate an understanding of the concepts presented in the course, and/or do not address relevant issues, and/or are inaccurate and contain many omissions and/or errors. • Discussion postings and responses do not provide evidence that the student has read or considered colleagues’ postings, as applicable.
|
| Total Points: 4 |
|---|