Which of the following is an example of a systematic review? ...

[colton]

Which of the following is an example of a systematic review?
 
  A) An RCT study published in the journal Nursing Research
  B) A meta-analysis from the Cochrane database
  C) A synopsis published in Evidence-Based Nursing
  D) A clinical practice guideline from the National Guideline Clearinghouse

Question 2

Which statement most accurately describes the relationship between reliability and validity of a measurement instrument?
 
  1. A measure cannot be reliable unless it is valid.
  2. As reliability increases, validity decreases.
  3. A measure cannot be valid unless it is reliable.
  4. As validity increases reliability decreases.

[kaylee05]

Answer to Question 1

B
Feedback:
A meta-analysis is a type of systematic review and a technique for integrating quantitative research findings statistically. In essence, meta-analysis treats the findings from a study as one piece of information. The findings from multiple studies on the same topic are combined and then all of the information is analyzed statistically in a manner similar to that in a usual study. Unlike systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines (which often are based on systematic reviews) give specific recommendations for evidence-based decision-making. Guideline development typically involves the consensus of a group of researchers, experts, and clinicians. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is an individual study that focuses on the effectiveness of therapies rather than on broader health-care interventions. Synopses, or summaries, of systematic reviews and of single studies are available in evidence-based abstract journals such as Evidence-Based Nursing.

Answer to Question 2

3
Rationale 1: The reliability of an instrument tells nothing about the degree of validity. An instrument can be very reliable, but have low validity.
Rationale 2: There is no evidence that increasing reliability decreases validity.
Rationale 3: Reliability of a measure is always considered first because reliability is a necessary condition for validity. An instrument cannot be valid unless it is reliable.
Rationale 4: There is no evidence that increasing validity decreases reliability.