CRA Scientific Communication & Reporting 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'salami slicing' in scientific publishing?
- A technique for segmenting large datasets
- Dividing one study's data into multiple small publications to inflate output (Correct answer)
- A method for stratified sampling
- Breaking a long article into a series for readability
Correct answer: Dividing one study's data into multiple small publications to inflate output
Salami slicing is an unethical practice of publishing the same dataset across multiple papers to artificially increase publication count.
Question 2: Which element distinguishes a primary research article from a review article?
- Primary articles report original experimental data (Correct answer)
- Review articles include raw data tables
- Primary articles cite more references
- Review articles are shorter in length
Correct answer: Primary articles report original experimental data
Primary research articles present original data collected by the authors, whereas review articles synthesize existing literature.
Question 3: A figure legend in a research paper should:
- Summarize the entire paper's findings
- Allow the figure to be understood without reading the full text (Correct answer)
- Replace the Results section text
- List the statistical software used
Correct answer: Allow the figure to be understood without reading the full text
Figure legends must be self-contained, providing enough detail to interpret the figure independently.
Question 4: When is it appropriate to use passive voice in scientific writing?
- Never — active voice is always required
- When describing methods to emphasize actions over actors (Correct answer)
- Only in the Introduction
- When the author prefers it stylistically
Correct answer: When describing methods to emphasize actions over actors
Passive voice is conventional in the Methods section to keep focus on procedures rather than who performed them.
Question 5: What does 'CONSORT' refer to in clinical research reporting?
- A database for clinical trial registration
- Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guideline (Correct answer)
- A peer-review consortium
- A software for data analysis
Correct answer: Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guideline
CONSORT is a reporting guideline that provides a checklist and flowchart to improve transparency of randomized controlled trials.
Question 6: Which practice best protects against selective reporting bias in publications?
- Publishing only statistically significant results
- Pre-registering the study protocol before data collection (Correct answer)
- Limiting authorship to senior researchers
- Submitting to high-impact journals only
Correct answer: Pre-registering the study protocol before data collection
Pre-registration publicly records hypotheses and methods in advance, making it harder to selectively report only favorable outcomes.
Question 7: In a research poster presentation, which element is most critical for capturing audience attention quickly?
- A comprehensive reference list
- A clear, informative title and key visual findings (Correct answer)
- Dense paragraphs of methodology
- Lengthy acknowledgment section
Correct answer: A clear, informative title and key visual findings
Posters must communicate key findings at a glance, so a compelling title and strong visuals are most effective.
CRA Scientific Communication & Reporting 3
What is 'salami slicing' in scientific publishing?