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
Which statistical test is most appropriate for comparing defect counts between two independent test techniques with non-normal distributions?
Answer: Mann-Whitney U test
The Mann-Whitney U test is a non-parametric alternative to the t-test, suitable for comparing two independent groups when normality cannot be assumed.
In evidence-based testing, what does the PICO framework stand for?
Answer: Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
PICO structures research questions by defining the Population, Intervention being studied, Comparison condition, and desired Outcome.
What is 'construct validity' in the context of a software testing research study?
Answer: Whether the measurement instruments actually capture the theoretical concept they claim to measure
Construct validity ensures that the measures used (e.g., fault-detection rate) truly represent the theoretical construct (e.g., test effectiveness).
A researcher claims that TDD reduces defect density based on a study of 10 student projects. What threat to validity is most prominent?
Answer: Low external validity due to a non-representative student population
Student projects differ significantly from industrial projects in scale, domain, and developer experience, limiting generalizability.
What distinguishes a 'mapping study' from a full 'systematic literature review' in software testing research?
Answer: A mapping study provides a broad overview of research trends; an SLR provides in-depth synthesis of evidence
Mapping studies classify and visualize the landscape of research on a topic, while SLRs deeply synthesize evidence to answer specific research questions.
In a defect prediction model research study, what is 'data leakage' and why is it harmful?
Answer: When future data is inadvertently used during model training, inflating performance metrics
Data leakage causes artificially high accuracy by allowing the model to 'see' information it would not have at prediction time.
Which of the following best illustrates the application of 'evidence-based practice' by a test manager?
Answer: Adopting code review because controlled studies show it reduces defect escape rates, rather than following intuition
Evidence-based practice means grounding decisions in empirical research findings rather than tradition, authority, or intuition alone.