UGC NET Physical Education General Paper 1 Flashcards

24 sample cards from the General Paper 1 deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. List the standard steps of the research process in order.

   (1) Identifying/formulating the problem, (2) Reviewing literature, (3) Formulating hypotheses, (4) Designing the research (preparing the research design), (5) Determining sample/collecting data, (6) Analysing and interpreting data, (7) Testing hypotheses, and (8) Reporting/generalising and drawing conclusions.

2. What is the first step in the research process?

   Identification, selection, and formulation of the research problem — clearly defining the problem to be investigated, which gives direction to the entire study.

3. What is a hypothesis in research?

   A hypothesis is a tentative, testable statement or assumption about the relationship between two or more variables, formulated to be confirmed or refuted by empirical evidence. It is a provisional answer to the research question.

4. Distinguish the null hypothesis from the alternative hypothesis.

   The null hypothesis ($H_0$) states there is no significant difference or relationship between variables. The alternative hypothesis ($H_1$ or $H_a$) states there is a significant difference or relationship. Statistical testing aims to reject or retain $H_0$.

5. What is a research design?

   A research design is the overall blueprint or plan that specifies the methods and procedures for collecting, measuring, and analysing data, ensuring the study answers the research problem validly, reliably, and efficiently.

6. What is a literature review and why is it done?

   A literature review is the systematic survey and critical analysis of existing published work relevant to the topic. It helps define the problem, avoid duplication, identify gaps, refine methodology, and provide a theoretical framework.

7. Distinguish a population from a sample.

   A population is the entire group of individuals or items having the characteristic of interest; a sample is a representative subset of the population selected for actual study, from which inferences about the population are drawn.

8. What is a variable in research, and name two basic types.

   A variable is any characteristic or attribute that can take different values. Two basic types are the independent variable (manipulated/cause) and the dependent variable (measured/effect).

9. What is a Thesis (dissertation)?

   A thesis is a long, formal, original research document submitted in support of an academic degree. It presents the candidate's independent investigation of a problem, including literature review, methodology, results, and conclusions, and demonstrates scholarly competence.

10. What are the main structural parts of a thesis?

    Preliminary section (title page, abstract, acknowledgements, table of contents); Main body (introduction, review of literature, methodology, results/analysis, discussion, conclusion); and Reference section (bibliography/references and appendices).

11. What is a research article (paper)?

    A research article is a concise scholarly paper published in a journal that reports original research findings. It is shorter than a thesis and typically follows the IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion).

12. What does the IMRaD format of an article stand for?

    IMRaD = Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion — the standard structure of a scientific research article, usually preceded by a Title and Abstract and followed by References.

13. What is referencing (citation) and why is it important?

    Referencing is the standardised acknowledgement of sources of ideas, data, or quotations used in a work. It is important to give credit, avoid plagiarism, support claims with evidence, and allow readers to locate the original sources.

14. Name four major styles/formats of referencing.

    APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), Chicago, and Harvard. Others include Vancouver, IEEE, and Turabian styles.

15. Which referencing style is most commonly used in the social sciences and education?

    The APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used in the social sciences, education, and psychology.

16. In APA in-text citation, how is a source cited within the text?

    By the author's surname and year of publication, e.g., (Sharma, 2020), and for direct quotes a page number is added, e.g., (Sharma, 2020, p. 15).

17. Which referencing style is most commonly used in humanities/literature?

    The MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most widely used in the humanities, especially literature and language studies; its in-text citation uses author surname and page number, e.g., (Sharma 15).

18. What is a bibliography versus a list of references?

    A 'list of references' includes only the sources actually cited in the text, whereas a 'bibliography' lists all sources consulted, whether or not they were cited.

19. What is plagiarism in research writing?

    Plagiarism is the use of another person's words, ideas, or work as one's own without proper acknowledgement or citation. It is academic dishonesty and is avoided through correct referencing and quotation.

20. What is an abstract in a thesis or article?

    An abstract is a brief, self-contained summary (usually 150–300 words) of the research, stating the problem, objectives, methods, key results, and conclusions, allowing readers to grasp the study's essence quickly.

21. What is sampling in research?

    Sampling is the process of selecting a representative subset (sample) from a population for study. It may be probability (random) sampling or non-probability (non-random) sampling.

22. Give two examples each of probability and non-probability sampling.

    Probability: simple random sampling and stratified random sampling (also systematic, cluster). Non-probability: purposive (judgmental) sampling and convenience sampling (also quota, snowball).

23. What is the difference between reliability and validity in research?

    Reliability refers to the consistency/repeatability of a measurement (same results on repetition). Validity refers to the accuracy — whether the instrument actually measures what it is intended to measure. A measure can be reliable without being valid, but a valid measure must be reliable.

24. What are the final steps of the research process after data analysis?

    Interpreting the results, testing the hypotheses, drawing conclusions and generalisations, and preparing the research report (reporting the findings), often including recommendations for further research.

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General Paper 1 flashcards FAQ