SQA Exam Q&A (100+ Questions) | Black-Box, SDLC, Bug Lifecycle, Testing Techniques | Software Engineering

This document presents 100+ up-to-date exam questions and answers from the Software Quality Assurance (SQA) course, tailored for the 2025/2026 academic year. It is an in-depth, concept-focused guide that helps students master the foundations and advanced practices of quality assurance and software testing across all stages of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Core topics include: Definitions and distinctions between software quality, QA, QC, and testing Principles of verification, validation, and error detection Detailed testing types: black-box, white-box, grey-box, positive vs. negative testing, and ad hoc testing Bug lifecycle, from discovery to resolution, including regression, deferred bugs, showstopper bugs, and bug reporting best practices Test case design, including equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, and test matrix formulation Testing levels such as unit, integration, system, end-to-end, GUI, and API testing Performance, load, and stress testing, including scenarios and response evaluation Overview of test plans, test cases, test harnesses, and how they contribute to structured QA processes Insights into real-world QA responsibilities, release readiness, and stakeholder interaction Difference between website and web application from a QA perspective Automation vs. manual testing decision points and practices This guide also includes practical explanations like how testing begins once requirements are received, what to do when bugs can’t be reproduced, and the importance of smoke testing and build acceptance. This resource is suitable for: Students in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or Quality Assurance courses QA testers and interns preparing for ISTQB, CSTE, or internal QA assessments Bootcamp and self-paced learners aiming for careers in software testing Educators needing structured, ready-to-use question sets for lectures or evaluations Keywords: software quality assurance, software testing, SDLC, black box testing, white box testing, grey box testing, bug lifecycle, defect reporting, validation, verification, test planning, regression testing, smoke testing, performance testing, stress testing, load testing, boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, GUI testing, API testing, UAT, manual testing, automation testing, exploratory testing, ad hoc testing, QA process, error detection, test matrix