Software Testing Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2

Question 1

What does a systematic literature review (SLR) in software testing research primarily aim to do?

Accepted Answer

Summarize all available evidence on a topic using a defined, repeatable protocol

Answer

An SLR uses a rigorous, predefined protocol to identify, evaluate, and synthesize all relevant research on a topic.

Question 2

In research terminology, what is the difference between a hypothesis and a research question?

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a testable prediction; a research question is an open inquiry

Answer

A hypothesis makes a specific, testable prediction, while a research question frames an open-ended inquiry to be explored.

Question 3

Which metric is most commonly used in software testing research to measure the effectiveness of a test suite?

Accepted Answer

Mutation score

Answer

Mutation score measures the percentage of injected faults (mutants) that a test suite detects, directly reflecting its fault-detection effectiveness.

Question 4

What is a 'quasi-experiment' in the context of software engineering research?

Accepted Answer

A study that lacks full random assignment of participants to conditions

Answer

A quasi-experiment lacks full randomization, meaning subjects are not randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes 'external validity' in a software testing experiment?

Accepted Answer

The degree to which results can be generalized beyond the study's specific context

Answer

External validity concerns how well findings generalize to other settings, populations, or software projects.

Software Testing Practice Test