Identifying Your Variables

Identifying Your Variables

 

A variable is something that can be changed in an experiment.  It is what you are testing.  In order to obtain meaningful results from your experiment, it is extremely important that you keep everything the same except for the single variable that is being tested.  When conducting an experiment, the variable that the experimenter changes in order to observe what happens is called the independent variable.  The “something else” that happens as a result of this change is called the dependent variable. 

 

When doing an experiment, a control group should always be used.  This group receives the same attention as the test group, but is not influenced by the variable used with the other groups in the testing.  In doing this, the control group will serve as an important baseline when analyzing your data.

 

Think about all of the things you could change or that could be changed with your project.  These are possible variables for your experiment.  Next, decide which of those are things you can change and those things you can measure.  The things you can change are your independent variables, and the results that you can measure are the dependent variables.  Also, think about what a possible control group for your experiment might look like.

 

 

Science Buddies Helpful Tips Identifying Variables Links to an external site.

Helpful Questions to help you find Variables Links to an external site.

Graphing Help  Links to an external site.