A nurse educator has asked the question, “Do students who form study g

A nurse educator has asked the question, “Do students who form study groups fare better on the NCLEX® exam when compared to their peers who study independently?” An example of a dependent variable would be which of the following?

1. Number of students in a study group
2. NCLEX® scores of both groups
3. Students’ college GPAs
4. Time between graduation and sitting for the NCLEX®

ANSWER

Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: This option would be examples of independent variables, or those things that cause or have an influence on the dependent variable.
Rationale 2: The dependent variable is the behavior, characteristic, or outcome that the researcher wishes to explain or predict. The independent variable is the presumed cause of or influence on the dependent variable. In this situation, the prediction is the success on NCLEX®.
Rationale 3: This option would be examples of independent variables, or those things that cause or have an influence on the dependent variable.
Rationale 4: The option would be examples of independent variables, or those things that cause or have an influence on the dependent variable.