Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

What type of study design uses subjects recruited by convenience rather than randomly?

1. Control trial

2. Randomized trial

3. Observational study

4. Quasi-experimental design

The correct answer is: Quasi-experimental design

The correct choice is a quasi-experimental design because it often involves subjects who are recruited based on convenience rather than through random sampling. This type of design allows researchers to study the effects of an intervention or treatment without the stringent controls that randomized trials employ. Although random selection is ideal for minimizing bias, quasi-experimental designs are useful when randomization is impractical or unethical, and they can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of interventions in real-world settings. In contrast, control trials and randomized trials prioritize randomization to assign participants to different treatment groups, which aims to eliminate selection bias and increase the validity of the findings. Observational studies involve observing subjects without manipulation or intervention, making them distinct from the structured approach of quasi-experimental designs. While observational studies can recruit subjects conveniently, they do not actively manipulate or intervene, which is a hallmark of quasi-experimental approaches.