UGC-NET — Home Science (food science and nutrition content) · India · National Testing Agency for the University Grants Commission
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersPlanning and reporting research: framing a question, reviewing literature, designing experiments, managing data, writing papers and theses, peer review, research ethics including human sensory trials, and intellectual property.
In the exams: PG and PhD coursework; ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF research-orientation questions
How our questions for UGC-NET spread across the units of Research Methodology, Scientific Writing & Ethics in Food Science. Difficulty: 8 easy, 8 medium, 0 hard.
| Research questions and hypotheses | 5 | |
| Scientific writing: papers, theses and reviews | 4 | |
| Ethics of human studies: sensory and nutrition trials | 3 | |
| Peer review and publication ethics | 2 | |
| Experimental planning and replication | 1 | |
| Intellectual property and technology transfer | 1 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
What does the null hypothesis usually state?
C. There is no effect or difference
H₀ states no effect; tests decide whether data give grounds to reject it. They never prove the alternative.
Further reading: Kumar, Research Methodology; Montgomery, Design and Analysis of Experiments
In the PICO framework for a nutrition question, what does the C stand for?
D. Comparison
PICO = population, intervention, comparison, outcome.
Further reading: Kumar, Research Methodology; Montgomery, Design and Analysis of Experiments
Which type of research deliberately changes a factor and measures the effect?
D. Experimental research
Experiments intervene; observational and descriptive studies measure what exists without intervening.
Further reading: Kumar, Research Methodology; Montgomery, Design and Analysis of Experiments
What is the experimental unit?
D. The smallest unit receiving a treatment independently
Replication must be at the level of independently treated units such as batches, animals or people.
Further reading: Kumar, Research Methodology; Montgomery, Design and Analysis of Experiments
Which document, first adopted in 1964, sets ethical principles for medical research with human participants?
C. The Declaration of Helsinki
The World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki, revised several times, most recently in 2024.
Further reading: Declaration of Helsinki; Belmont Report
A researcher wants to recruit students from their own class for a taste test. What is the concern?
D. Students could feel pressure to take part
Power relationships can compromise voluntary consent; recruitment through a neutral person and assurance of no academic consequences address this.
Further reading: Declaration of Helsinki; Belmont Report
In IMRaD, what does the R stand for?
C. Results
IMRaD = introduction, methods, results and discussion.
Further reading: ICMJE Recommendations; COPE guidance
Which feature typically marks a predatory journal?
C. Fees charged with little genuine peer review
Predatory outlets take fees but provide little review or editorial service.
Further reading: ICMJE Recommendations; COPE guidance
Which three practices make up research misconduct in common definitions?
B. Fabrication, falsification and plagiarism
FFP: making up data, manipulating data or processes, and using others' work without credit.
Further reading: ICMJE Recommendations; COPE guidance
Which three criteria must an invention meet to be patentable in most systems?
C. Novelty, inventive step, industrial application
Patents require novelty, non-obviousness and industrial applicability.
Further reading: WIPO introductory materials on IP
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