IGNOU MFN-09
- Research Methods and Biostatistics,
Latest Solved Assignment
(July 2023 - January 2024)

Section A - Descriptive Questions
There are eight questions in this part. Answer all questions.
1. a) What do you understand by the term ‘Nutritional Epidemiology’? Explain the descriptive variables related to community health used in research.
b) What is null hypothesis? What are the characteristics of a good hypothesis?

2. a) What is a cross-sectional descriptive study? Explain with example. List the strengths and limitations of descriptive cross-sectional study.
b) Explain the following with examples:
i) Experimental Research
ii)Correlation study
iii) Case control study.

3. a) How is purposive sampling different from incidental sampling? Discuss the characteristics of a good sample.
b) What are the different types of scales used in behavioural sciences for data measurement ?
c) What do you understand by validity and reliability of a research tool?

4. a) What is an attitude scale? Enlist its uses and limitations.
b) Explain the various types of observations. Discuss the stages in the process of observation.
c) Briefly describe the methods of data collection.

5. a)Enumerate the graphs you will use for representing frequency distribution?
b)Describe the characteristics of a Normal Probability Distribution.
c)What do you understand by the term Relative risk and Odd’s ratio?

6. a) Ten scores of 10 learners enrolled in MFN-009 is given below:
40,36,29,14,27,45,50,12,39,19
Calculate the mean, median, standard deviation and variance for the above data.
b) Describe the assumptions on which non-parametric tests are based?

7. a) In a sample of 100 children, 1-3 years of age, mean (SD) intake of calcium = 175 (5.82) mg. Compute the standard error of mean.
b) The theory and practical marks of 10 students are given below:
Theory (x): 24 34 33 22 37 23 38 33 44 35
Theory (y): 15 21 28 31 18 24 36 32 27 18
Find the correlation coefficient between x and y.

8. a) What is NUDIST software? Discuss the features which are available with this software.
b) Discuss the methods used for analysis of qualitative data?

Section B - OTQ (Objective Type Questions)
1. Define the following:
i) Biostatistics
ii) Plagiarism
iii) Double blind trial
iv) Halo effect
v) Journals
vi) Checklist
vii) Scattergraph
viii) Factor Analysis
ix) Contingency tables
x) Degree of Freedom

2. Differentiate between the following:
i) Random error & Systematic error
ii) Descriptive and Analytical Research Design
iii) Stratified Random Sampling and Simple Random Sampling
iv) Structured and Unstructured Questionnaire
v) Power test and Speed test

Section A - Descriptive Questions

There are eight questions in this part. Answer all questions.

1. a) Define research. Enlist the various scientific activities involved in a research process.
b) Define hypothesis. Enumerate basic characteristics of a good hypothesis. Enlist the three forms of Hypothesis.

2. a) Explain the following with examples:
i) Cohort study
ii) Randomised control trials
iii) Case Control study
b) What are the two sampling methods in research. Explain any two methods of probability sampling.

3. a) Differentiate between the following highlighting their uses in epidemiological studies:
i) Incidence and Prevalence
ii) Quota sample and snowball sample
iii) Cross sectional and correlational study
b) Enlist the various factors affecting the choice of sampling method. Write down characteristics of a good sample.

4. a) Given below are the hemoglobin levels (gm %) recorded for 10 girls in class X.
9.8, 7.4, 10.3, 11.2, 12.5, 8.5, 9.0, 10.0, 10.5, 12.0
Calculation the mean, median, standard deviation and variance for the hemoglobin levels reported above.
b) Differentiate between two-tailed and one-tailed tests of significance.

5. a) Explain the concept of confidence interval and degree of freedom with the help of an example.
b) Test the difference in the attitude of male and female subjects using chi-square analysis towards exercise based on the distribution given here with (at 0.5 level of significance):

6. a) Enlist the characteristics of a good Interview. What are the advantages and limitations of using an interview in a research study?
b) Discuss briefly different types of attitude scales used in epidemiological studies.

7. a) Give one mortality and one morbidity measure for assessing the health status of children in a community. Indicate how will you measure them.
b) Learners (n=10) enrolled in M.Sc . DFSM, scored following marks (out of 100) in theory (X) and practical (Y). Find out the correlation coefficient and level of significance for the two variables.
X: 46, 69, 79, 47, 35, 57, 98, 69, 58, 79
Y: 40, 50, 54, 47, 57, 40, 49, 46, 44, 48

8. a) The nutrition score of males (n=10)and female (n=12) students of M.Sc. (DFSM) programme is given herewith:
Males: 10, 12, 13, 10, 14, 15, 10, 12, 11, 15
Females: 08, 12, 16, 14, 15, 12, 13, 15, 08, 13, 10, 09
Based on the data given herewith:
i) Calculate the standard error of the difference between the means of the two groups.
ii) Test the significance of the difference between the mean nutrition score of males and females at 0.05 level of significance.
b) What are the characteristics of case study. Explain them.

Section B - OTQ (Objective Type Questions) 

1. a) Define the following:

i) Epidemiology
ii) Plagiarism
iii) Bias
iv) Quasi Experimental Design
v) Statistics
vi) Proximity error
vii) Structured Questionnaire
viii) Documents
ix) Percentile Rank
x) Non parametric test

2. Differentiate between the following:

i) Null hypothesis and Alternative hypothesis
ii) Type I error and Type II error
iii) Odds ratio and risk ratio
iv) t-Test and paired t-Test
v) Reliability and Validity