A researcher summarizes the findings and then makes ...

[ghost!]

A researcher summarizes the findings and then makes generalizations. Why does the researcher refer to the literature before making generalizations?
 
  a. If the current study is a replication of previous research, its generalizations will be identical to those of the study it replicates.
  b. If there is no previous research in this area, no generalizations can be made.
  c. If the current study is the second by this researcher, its generalizations will be to the population from which the second sample was drawn, and will specifically exclude the sample from the first study.
  d. If there is a lone study in this area, generalizations are narrow; if there is previous research of a parallel nature, more widespread generalization is in order.

Question 2

Near the end of a research article, the researcher states that the findings contribute to nursing's body of knowledge and they also provide evidence that the intervention may be helpful in the population from which the sample was drawn.
 
  What does this comment address?
  a. Serendipitous findings
  b. Implications
  c. Generalizations
  d. Limitations

[leahchrapun]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Generalization extends the implications of the findings from the sample studied to a larger population or from the situation studied to a larger situation. If there is previous identical or very similar research in this area, generalizations can be made to the populations from which this and other studies were drawn, thus increasing generalizability. Generalizations based on accumulated evidence from many studies are called empirical generalizations. These generalizations are important for verifying theoretical statements or developing new theories. Empirical generalizations are the base of a science and contribute to scientific conceptualization, which provide a basis for generating evidence-based guidelines to manage specific practice problems.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Implications are the meanings of conclusions for the body of knowledge, theory, and practice. Implications are based on the conclusions and are more specific than conclusions. They provide specific suggestions for implementing the findings. Generalization extends the implications of the findings from the sample studied to a larger population or from the situation studied to a larger situation. Serendipitous findings are relationships found between variables that were not hypothesized and not predicted from the framework guiding the study. Limitations are restrictions or problems in a study that may decrease the generalizability of the findings.