# How to prepare for a research internship interview

## A shifted average does not tell you the cause

Fictional measurements of a reference labeled 10.0 units are shown below. You do not know whether the reference, settings or protocol changed between series. This is an interview reasoning exercise, not an instruction to adjust an instrument.

### Fictional measurement records

| Series | Reading 1 | Reading 2 | Reading 3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A | 9.9 | 10.0 | 10.1 |
| B | 10.4 | 10.5 | 10.6 |

## Your turn

What can you calculate? What would you ask before saying the instrument is faulty?

## Your answer

[Write your approach here.]

## For your own application

Prepare one real example where checking the method changed your first interpretation. Be clear about what you calculated, what you inferred and what still needed testing.

Return to the guide for the worked answer and source notes:
https://internshipdeadlines.com/guides/internship-research-lab-interview