1. Which of the following is a widely recognized abstract and citation database for scientific literature?
(A) Wikipedia
(B) Mendeley
(C) ResearchGate
(D) Scopus
2. A ‘Sampling Frame’ is defined as:
(A) The actual list of individuals or units from which the sample is drawn
(B) The theoretical population
(C) The software used for sampling
(D) The final set of data collected
3. In a controlled experiment, the ‘Control Group’:
(A) Receives the experimental treatment
(B) Serves as a baseline for comparison and does not receive the experimental treatment
(C) Is the group that analyzes the data
(D) Is selected based on convenience
4. Which statistical test is appropriate to compare the means of two independent groups (e.g., Treatment A vs. Treatment B)?
(A) ANOVA
(B) Chi-Square Test
(C) Student's t-test
(D) Pearson Correlation
5. The ‘h-index’ is a metric that attempts to measure:
(A) The number of years a researcher has been active
(B) The productivity and citation impact of a scientist's publications
(C) The total number of journals a library subscribes to
(D) The average number of authors per paper
6. Which chart is best suited to show the trend of a variable over time (e.g., temperature change over 24 hours)?
(A) Line Chart
(B) Pie Chart
(C) Bar Chart
(D) Venn Diagram
7. ‘Fundamental Research’ is primarily distinguished from ‘Applied Research’ by:
(A) Its aim to expand the existing knowledge base without immediate practical application
(B) Its focus on solving specific industrial problems
(C) Its reliance on non-mathematical methods
(D) Its shorter duration and lower cost
8. Which of the following is a ‘Non-Probability’ sampling method?
(A) Judgment (Purposive) Sampling
(B) Simple Random Sampling
(C) Stratified Sampling
(D) Cluster Sampling
9. In the linear equation of a line (y = mx + c), what does the term ‘c’ represent?
(A) The y-intercept
(B) The slope of the line
(C) The independent variable
(D) The correlation coefficient
10. A ‘Hypothesis’ in research is best defined as:
(A) A proven scientific fact
(B) A summary of the research findings
(C) A logical and testable prediction about the relationship between variables
(D) The conclusion drawn after data analysis
11. Which software tool is specifically specialized for ‘Designing of Experiments’ (DOE) and statistical quality analysis?
(A) MINITAB
(B) MATLAB
(C) SPSS
(D) MS Access
12. The ‘i10-index’ indicates:
(A) The number of papers published in the last 10 years
(B) The number of papers with at least 10 citations
(C) The top 10 journals in a specific field
(D) The number of authors on a paper
13. Which of the following sources is considered ‘Secondary Data’?
(A) Government Census Reports
(B) Laboratory notes from your own experiment
(C) Transcripts of interviews you conducted
(D) Raw data from a sensor you installed
14. A ‘Null Hypothesis’ typically asserts that:
(A) The experimental treatment has a significant effect
(B) The alternative hypothesis is true
(C) The data collection was flawed
(D) There is no significant difference or relationship between variables
15. Which of the following best describes ‘Quantitative Research’?
(A) It relies on the researcher's subjective interpretation of text
(B) It focuses on understanding human behavior through observation
(C) It is exclusively used in historical analysis
(D) It involves the generation of data in numerical form for rigorous analysis
16. ‘Standard Deviation’ measures:
(A) The average of the dataset
(B) The total sum of the values
(C) The difference between the median and the mode
(D) The amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values
17. The process of ‘Editing’ data involves:
(A) Changing the data values to fit the hypothesis
(B) Scrutinizing the collected data to detect errors and omissions
(C) Selecting the sample size
(D) Writing the final report
18. Which Excel function would you use to calculate the arithmetic mean of a range of cells?
(A) =SUM()
(B) =MEDIAN()
(C) =COUNT()
(D) =AVERAGE()
19. A ‘Type I Error’ in hypothesis testing occurs when:
(A) The null hypothesis is false and is rejected
(B) The null hypothesis is true but is rejected (False Positive)
(C) The null hypothesis is false and is accepted
(D) The sample size is too small
20. Which variable is measured to determine the effect of the experimental manipulation?
(A) Dependent Variable
(B) Independent Variable
(C) Confounding Variable
(D) Categorical Variable
21. In an experimental design, the ‘Independent Variable’ is:
(A) The outcome factor being measured
(B) The factor manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect
(C) A variable held constant to prevent interference
(D) A variable that cannot be controlled
22. ‘Empirical Research’ is research that is based on:
(A) Theory and abstract concepts
(B) The opinions of experts only
(C) Observed and measured phenomena, deriving knowledge from actual experience
(D) Reviewing existing literature without collecting new data
23. Google Scholar is best described as:
(A) A repository for government census data
(B) A social networking site for professionals
(C) A subscription-only database for journals
(D) A freely accessible web search engine for scholarly literature
24. Which of the following is a primary source of scientific literature?
(A) A textbook summarizing a field
(B) A Wikipedia article
(C) A newspaper report on a scientific discovery
(D) An original research article in a peer-reviewed journal
25. A ‘Type II Error’ occurs when:
(A) A true null hypothesis is rejected
(B) A false null hypothesis is accepted (failed to be rejected)
(C) The sample size is too large
(D) The data is not normally distributed
26. Which sampling technique ensures that subgroups (strata) of a given population are each adequately represented within the whole sample?
(A) Stratified Sampling
(B) Simple Random Sampling
(C) Cluster Sampling
(D) Convenience Sampling
27. To display the distribution of a continuous variable (e.g., particle size distribution), which chart is most suitable?
(A) Histogram
(B) Pie Chart
(C) Venn Diagram
(D) Flowchart
28. An ‘Interview’ is primarily a method of:
(A) Data Collection
(B) Data Analysis
(C) Hypothesis Testing
(D) Report Formatting
29. The ‘Impact Factor’ of a journal is calculated based on:
(A) The total number of articles published
(B) The average number of citations received per paper over a specific period
(C) The number of subscribers to the journal
(D) The rejection rate of the journal
30. Data collected by the researcher directly from the source for the specific purpose of the study is called:
(A) Secondary Data
(B) Supplementary Data
(C) Passive Data
(D) Primary Data
31. Which of the following is NOT a measure of central tendency?
(A) Standard Deviation
(B) Mean
(C) Median
(D) Mode
32. Good ‘Technical Writing’ is characterized by:
(A) Ambiguity and complexity
(B) Subjective opinions and emotional language
(C) Clarity, conciseness, objectivity, and accuracy
(D) Use of slang and colloquialisms
33. ‘Curve Fitting’ is the process of:
(A) Removing outliers to make the curve look better
(B) Drawing a curve by hand
(C) Constructing a mathematical function that has the best fit to a series of data points
(D) Plotting a pie chart
34. ‘Applied Research’ aims to:
(A) Formulate new theories
(B) Conduct historical analysis
(C) Solve immediate, practical problems facing a society or an industry
(D) Gain knowledge for the sake of knowledge
35. A ‘Pilot Study’ is essential because it:
(A) Replaces the need for a literature review
(B) Guarantees that the results will be significant
(C) Helps identify potential problems in the study design before the full-scale study
(D) Reduces the need for statistical analysis
36. Plagiarism is best described as:
(A) The act of conducting a literature review
(B) Collaborating with other researchers on a joint project
(C) Using another person's ideas, processes, or results without giving appropriate credit
(D) Publishing a paper in an open-access journal
37. When comparing the means of three or more groups, which statistical test is most appropriate?
(A) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
(B) t-test
(C) z-test
(D) Regression Analysis
38. The ‘p-value’ in hypothesis testing represents:
(A) The power of the statistical test
(B) The probability that the alternative hypothesis is false
(C) The magnitude of the experimental error
(D) The probability of obtaining results as extreme as observed, assuming the null hypothesis is true
39. Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme values (outliers) in a dataset?
(A) Mode
(B) Median
(C) Mean
(D) Quartile
40. The ‘Results’ section of a research paper should primarily:
(A) Present the findings clearly using text, tables, and figures without interpretation
(B) Discuss the history of the field
(C) Review the literature
(D) List the references
41. ‘Variance’ in statistics is a measure of:
(A) The central point of the data
(B) The asymmetry of the distribution
(C) The dispersion or spread of data points around the mean
(D) The relationship between two variables
42. Which test is used to determine if there is a significant association between two categorical variables?
(A) t-test
(B) z-test
(C) F-test
(D) Chi-square test
43. A ‘Research Problem’ is:
(A) The answer to the research question
(B) An issue or gap in knowledge that the research aims to address or solve
(C) The funding available for the project
(D) The software used for analysis
44. What is the primary function of a ‘Bibliography’ or ‘References’ section?
(A) To provide a glossary of technical terms
(B) To summarize the researcher's biography
(C) To increase the page count of the thesis
(D) To list all sources cited or consulted to validate the research
45. The ‘Range’ of a dataset is:
(A) The average distance from the mean
(B) The difference between the highest and lowest values
(C) The middle value of the dataset
(D) The sum of all values
46. In a ‘Standard Normal Distribution’, the mean is:
(A) 1
(B) 0
(C) 100
(D) Dependent on the sample size
47. ‘Sampling Bias’ occurs when:
(A) The sample size is statistically calculated
(B) A systematic error ensures the sample does not accurately represent the population
(C) Every individual has an equal chance of selection
(D) The researcher uses a random number generator
48. An ‘Abstract’ in a technical paper serves to:
(A) List the references used
(B) Dedicate the work to family members
(C) Provide a concise summary of the research objectives, methods, and results
(D) Detail the financial budget of the project
49. The ‘Alternative Hypothesis’ typically states that:
(A) The observed effect is due to chance
(B) There is a significant difference or relationship between variables
(C) The null hypothesis is true
(D) No conclusion can be drawn
50. In ‘Stratified Sampling’, the population is divided into subgroups called strata that are:
(A) Homogeneous within and heterogeneous between
(B) Heterogeneous within and homogeneous between
(C) Identical to each other
(D) Selected purely by convenience
Answer Key and Explanations
(D) – Scopus is a widely recognized abstract and citation database for scientific literature.
(A) – A sampling frame is the actual list (e.g., register, directory) from which the sample is selected.
(B) – A control group serves as a baseline and does not receive the experimental treatment to allow for comparison.
(C) – The Student's t-test is designed to compare the means of two independent groups.
(B) – The h-index captures both productivity (count of papers) and impact (citations) of a researcher.
(A) – Line charts are used to visualize trends in data over a continuous period, such as time.
(A) – Fundamental research aims to generate knowledge for understanding, whereas applied research solves specific problems.
(A) – Judgment (Purposive) sampling is a non-probability method where selection is based on the researcher's judgment.
(A) – In the linear equation y = mx + c, 'c' represents the y-intercept (the value of y when x=0).
(C) – A hypothesis is a tentative, testable prediction regarding the relationship between variables.
(A) – MINITAB is specialized software often used for DOE (Design of Experiments) and statistical quality analysis.
(B) – The i10-index counts the number of publications by an author that have at least 10 citations.
(A) – Government census reports are data collected by others, making them a secondary data source.
(D) – The null hypothesis generally states that there is no significant difference or effect.
(D) – Quantitative research focuses on quantifying relationships and generating numerical data for analysis.
(D) – Standard Deviation quantifies the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values from the mean.
(B) – Editing involves the careful scrutiny of data to identify and correct errors or omissions.
(D) – The Excel function =AVERAGE() computes the arithmetic mean of a selected range of cells.
(B) – A Type I error (False Positive) occurs when a true null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected.
(A) – The dependent variable is the outcome variable that is measured to see the effect of the manipulation.
(B) – The independent variable is the factor manipulated by the researcher to determine its influence.
(C) – Empirical research relies on verifiable evidence gathered through observation and measurement.
(D) – Google Scholar is a free-to-access search engine indexing scholarly literature across various disciplines.
(D) – Original research articles published in peer-reviewed journals are considered primary sources.
(B) – A Type II error (False Negative) happens when a false null hypothesis is failed to be rejected.
(A) – Stratified sampling ensures specific subgroups (strata) are represented proportionally in the sample.
(A) – Histograms are the standard chart type for showing the frequency distribution of continuous data.
(A) – Interviews are a qualitative data collection method involving direct questioning.
(B) – Impact Factor is based on the average number of citations received by articles in a journal over a period.
(D) – Primary data is original data collected specifically for the research problem at hand.
(A) – Standard Deviation is a measure of dispersion, not central tendency (like Mean, Median, Mode).
(C) – Technical writing prioritizes clarity, conciseness, objectivity, and accuracy over style or emotion.
(C) – Curve fitting involves finding a mathematical function that best represents the dataset.
(C) – Applied research is conducted to find solutions to immediate, practical societal or industrial problems.
(C) – A pilot study helps identify potential flaws in the study design before the main research is conducted.
(C) – Plagiarism is the unethical act of using others' work or ideas without giving proper credit.
(A) – ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) tests for significant differences among means of three or more groups.
(D) – The p-value measures the probability of obtaining the observed results if the null hypothesis were true.
(C) – The mean uses all data points, making it highly susceptible to skewing by extreme outliers.
(A) – The results section should present findings objectively without interpretation or discussion.
(C) – Variance measures how far a set of numbers is spread out from their average value.
(D) – The Chi-square test is used to check for independence or association between categorical variables.
(B) – A research problem is a specific gap or issue that the research intends to investigate and resolve.
(D) – The bibliography allows readers to locate the sources used and validates the research work.
(B) – The range is the simplest measure of dispersion, calculated as the maximum value minus the minimum.
(B) – By definition, a standard normal distribution has a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.
(B) – Sampling bias arises when the selection method systematically favors certain members of the population.
(C) – An abstract summarizes the key components of the paper: objectives, methods, results, and conclusions.
(B) – The alternative hypothesis posits that there is a statistically significant effect or relationship.
(A) – In stratified sampling, strata should be internally homogeneous (similar) but heterogeneous (different) from each other.
