Practice Test Geeks(STP) Scientist Training Programme Practice Test
← All STP Flashcard Decks

Research Methods Flashcards

7 cards from real STP 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 Methods flashcards as text

  1. A researcher wants to minimize confounding variables in a clinical study. Which study design is MOST effective for this purpose?

    Answer: Randomized controlled trial

    Randomized controlled trials use random allocation to distribute confounders equally across groups, making them the gold standard for minimizing confounding.

  2. In a research study, internal validity refers to:

    Answer: The degree to which findings are free from bias within the study

    Internal validity refers to the confidence that observed effects are due to the intervention rather than confounding or bias within the study itself.

  3. Which sampling method is most appropriate when a researcher needs to ensure representation of several distinct subgroups within a population?

    Answer: Stratified random sampling

    Stratified random sampling divides the population into subgroups (strata) and randomly samples from each, ensuring all subgroups are represented.

  4. The Hawthorne effect in research describes:

    Answer: Participants changing behavior because they know they are being observed

    The Hawthorne effect occurs when participants alter their behavior simply because they are aware they are being studied, potentially biasing results.

  5. A p-value of 0.03 in a hypothesis test means:

    Answer: The probability of obtaining results this extreme, if H₀ is true, is 3%

    A p-value represents the probability of observing results at least as extreme as those obtained, assuming the null hypothesis is true.

  6. Which of the following best describes a prospective cohort study?

    Answer: A defined group is followed forward in time to observe outcomes

    A prospective cohort study enrolls participants based on exposure status and follows them forward in time to observe who develops the outcome of interest.

  7. When a measurement tool gives consistent results each time it is used under the same conditions, it demonstrates:

    Answer: Reliability

    Reliability refers to the consistency or reproducibility of a measurement, meaning it yields similar results under identical conditions.