Research & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real Software Testing practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research & Evidence-Based Practice flashcards as text
What does a systematic literature review (SLR) in software testing research primarily aim to do?
Answer: Summarize all available evidence on a topic using a defined, repeatable protocol
An SLR uses a rigorous, predefined protocol to identify, evaluate, and synthesize all relevant research on a topic.
In research terminology, what is the difference between a hypothesis and a research question?
Answer: A hypothesis is a testable prediction; a research question is an open inquiry
A hypothesis makes a specific, testable prediction, while a research question frames an open-ended inquiry to be explored.
Which metric is most commonly used in software testing research to measure the effectiveness of a test suite?
Answer: Mutation score
Mutation score measures the percentage of injected faults (mutants) that a test suite detects, directly reflecting its fault-detection effectiveness.
What is a 'quasi-experiment' in the context of software engineering research?
Answer: A study that lacks full random assignment of participants to conditions
A quasi-experiment lacks full randomization, meaning subjects are not randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.
Which of the following best describes 'external validity' in a software testing experiment?
Answer: The degree to which results can be generalized beyond the study's specific context
External validity concerns how well findings generalize to other settings, populations, or software projects.
In evidence-based software testing, what is the primary purpose of a 'control group'?
Answer: To provide a baseline for comparison against the experimental treatment
A control group does not receive the experimental treatment and serves as the baseline against which the treatment group is compared.
What does 'triangulation' mean when applied to qualitative software testing research?
Answer: Using multiple data sources or methods to increase confidence in findings
Triangulation strengthens qualitative findings by cross-validating them through multiple perspectives, methods, or data sources.