CRS Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CRS facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is a primary method of data collection in quantitative research? → Surveys and questionnaires
2. In Python's pandas library, which method is used to compute descriptive statistics for a DataFrame? → .describe()
3. A research project manager needs to compress the schedule without changing scope. Which technique involves adding resources to critical path tasks? → Crashing
4. A researcher finds r = 0.70 between study hours and exam scores. What percentage of variance in exam scores is explained by study hours? → 49%
5. Which of the following best defines data fabrication in scientific research? → Making up data, results, or findings and recording or reporting them as real
6. The standard error of the mean (SEM) decreases as: → Sample size increases
7. Which contract type places the MOST financial risk on the research buyer (client)? → Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF)
8. Which type of data storage is most appropriate for the long-term preservation of research data? → Institutional repositories or certified data archives
9. What is the role of a Sponsor in a clinical trial as defined by federal regulations? → To take responsibility for initiating, managing, and financing the trial
10. The Belmont Report established which three core ethical principles for human subjects research? → Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice
11. What does 21 CFR Part 11 regulate in the context of clinical research? → Electronic records and electronic signatures
12. A researcher wants to predict a binary outcome (pass/fail) from several continuous predictors. The most appropriate analysis is: → Logistic regression
13. What is 'discourse analysis' primarily concerned with? → Examining how language constructs social reality and power relations
14. A researcher wants to compare the mean test scores of three independent groups. The most appropriate statistical test is: → One-way ANOVA
15. Honorary (gift) authorship violates research integrity primarily because it: → Misrepresents who actually contributed to the research and undermines accountability
16. Under 21 CFR Part 50, which of the following is required before a subject can participate in a clinical trial? → Informed consent
17. A preprint server allows researchers to: → Share research manuscripts publicly before formal peer review
18. Under 42 CFR Part 93, which of the following is explicitly excluded from the definition of research misconduct? → Honest differences in the interpretation of data
19. Which term refers to the illegal copying of another author's work and presenting it as one's own in a manuscript? → Plagiarism
20. What is the primary purpose of a Data Use Agreement (DUA) in research? → To specify the permitted uses and protections governing a shared dataset
21. Which step follows data collection? → Data analysis
22. Which assumption of linear regression states that the predictor variables should not be perfectly correlated with each other? → No multicollinearity
23. What does the NIH Data Sharing Policy primarily require of funded researchers? → That researchers make final research data available for sharing where appropriate
24. In research with prisoners, federal regulations require that the IRB include: → At least one prisoner or prisoner representative as an IRB member
25. What is the recommended minimum data retention period for records from a federally funded research project? → 3 years after the close of the project
26. Which of the following is a distinguishing feature of research as opposed to quality improvement (QI) that determines IRB applicability? → Research is designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge beyond the local setting
27. When the results of a study are influenced by the presence of a third variable not accounted for in the design, this is called: → Confounding
28. What does data triangulation improve? → Research validity
29. The interquartile range (IQR) is calculated as: → Q3 minus Q1
30. What does HIPAA stand for, and why is it relevant to research data? → Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act