Research assistant

About this practice suite

This suite prepares candidates for research assistant selection in the science, laboratory, agriculture, food, and environment sector with 4 skill areas: attention and concentration, data interpretation, situational judgment and verbal reasoning. Every question was written by Novus editors for this suite — none are taken from live or leaked exams — and the full bank holds 52 scored questions across three modes, plus 8 reserve questions used to vary repeat attempts. Answer keys never ship to the browser: your answers are scored server-side, and results stay on your device.

Skills this suite practises

• Attention and concentration — Sustained focus, selective attention, and accuracy under time pressure.
• Data interpretation — Tables, charts, graphs, dashboards, trends, comparisons, and evidence-based conclusions.
• Situational judgment — Evaluating workplace responses against role-relevant principles.
• Verbal reasoning — Drawing conclusions from written information without relying on outside assumptions.

Sample questions from the guided bank

Two of the 10 guided-practice questions, shown exactly as they appear in a session. Answers and explanations are not printed here — keys stay on the server — so open guided practice to answer them and see how you did.

1. A research assistant's core laboratory-support duty is to:

   • A. Execute assigned protocols accurately, document results, and escalate anomalies
   • B. Redesign the PI's grant aims without approval
   • C. Publish findings under their own name only
   • D. Discard raw data after a quick glance

2. A co-worker asks you to back-date a notebook entry that was never made. Best response?

   • A. Back-date to protect the timeline
   • B. Refuse falsification; record only contemporaneous or clearly dated corrections per lab policy
   • C. Erase the prior page and rewrite
   • D. Agree if the PI is traveling

Practice modes and timing

Guided practice is untimed-feeling and instructional; the mini-test is a short timed check; the full simulation mirrors a complete sitting. All three draw on separate question sets, so moving up a mode never repeats what you practised.

Study outline

Read the study outline for this suite’s skills, timings, and recommended lessons on one printable page, or download its standalone HTML file. The printable page can also be saved as a PDF from your browser.