independent variable in research examples
Example: Your test score affects how long you sleep. In the above example, the researcher may have wanted to see if participating in the training program raised students' scores on a final test. Do not confuse it with a "control variable," which is a variable that is purposely held constant so that it can't affect the outcome of the experiment. These variables are expected to change as a result of an experimental manipulation of the independent variable or variables. This is the variable that you, the researcher, will manipulate to see if it makes the dependent variable change. A social scientist explores if there is a link between socioeconomic status and the number of children someone has. A botanist wonders if the amount of direct sunlight a plant receives impacts how quickly it grows. The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. In a study or experiment, independent variables are referred to as treatment variables. There is a standard method for graphing the independent and dependent variable. A variable cannot be both types at the same time. In this example, All Rights Reserved, scientist experiment independent and dependent variables, examples of research paper purpose statements, Independent and Dependent Variable Examples. A researcher wants to know if education level impacts how much a person earns in their job. Such an experiment might be ethically questionable as it may harm the health of participants. You manipulate the independent variable (the one you think might be the cause) and then measure the dependent variable (the one you think might be the effect) to find out … Test your understanding with the scientific method quiz. The brand of … When exploring Microsoft Excel mastery as a dependent variable, researchers could explore the impact of independent variables such as time spent practicing, completion of training, years of experience with the application, or other factors that could potentially impact someone's ability to use Excel effectively. Independent and Dependent Variables. Dependent Variable Definition and Examples, The Differences Between Explanatory and Response Variables, The Role of a Controlled Variable in an Experiment. They do not change in relation to other factors. Independent and Dependent Variable Examples In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of... You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. To further expand your research skills, review some examples of research paper purpose statements. What Are Independent and Dependent Variables? In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 27). It is the variable you control. If you write out the variables in a sentence that shows cause and effect, the independent variable causes the effect on the dependent variable. For example, in a research study on the relationship between mosquitoes and mosquito bites, the number of mosquitoes per acre of ground would be an independent variable” (Jaeger, 1990, p. 373) While the independent variable is often manipulated by the researcher, it can also be a classification where subjects … This would be the independent variable. If you are having a hard time identifying which variable is the independent variable and which is the dependent variable, remember the dependent variable is the one affected by a change in the independent variable. The independent variable, on the other hand, is the variable that the experimenter changes or controls and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. The scientist might then conduct further experiments changing other independent variables â gender, ethnicity, overall health, etc. The researcher is seeking to determine whether or not manipulating the independent variable will lead to different outcomes regarding the dependent variable. In scientific terms, a variable is something that researchers are studying. The food intake of an individual. What Is the Difference Between a Control Variable and Control Group? In an experiment to determine how far people can see into the infrared part of the spectrum, the wavelength of light is the independent variable and whether the light is observed (the response) is the dependent variable. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. If you have the variables in the wrong order, the sentence won't make sense. Finding the relationship between variables. In turn, independent variables refer to factors that researchers can control or change. The researcher could use exact weight in pounds/ounces or grams, or define weight range categories. Other factors (such as what they eat, how much they go to school, how much television they watch) aren't going to change a … Some Examples Example 1 - Research Topic: Decision making and its impact on an organization "Decision making" influences the … If a scientist is exploring what factors might lead to changes in a person's weight, then "weight" would be a dependent variable. For example, if you are investigating the relationship between corporate environmental sustainability efforts [the independent variable] and dependent variables associated with measuring employee satisfaction at work using a survey instrument, you would first identify each variable and then provide background information about … Researchers are trying to determine if changes to the independent variable (studying) result in significant changes to the dependent variable (the test results). What is a dependent variable in research? An educational researcher explores whether there is a link between the amount of time someone spends studying and the grade they get in a particular class. For example, allocating participants to either drug or placebo conditions (independent variable) in order to measure any changes in the intensity of their anxiety (dependent variable). Discover surprising insights and little-known facts about politics, literature, science, and the marvels of the natural world. When conducting research, experiments often manipulate variables. As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the effect on the dependent variable is observed and recorded. Independent variable causes an effect on the dependent variable. Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. Sometimes the dependent variable is called the "responding variable.". For example. This doesn't really make sense (unless you can't sleep because you are worried you failed a test, but that would be a different experiment). This can help you better understand the context in which variables are defined. experimental and correlational research examines relationships between two or more variables. A scientist studies the impact of withholding affection from rats. In other words, the variation in the dependent variable depends on the variation in the independent variable. The independent variable is controlled or changed only by the researcher. For example, an experimenter might compare the effectiveness of four types of fertilizers. A medical researcher wonders if the amount of airline travel a person engages in impacts how likely they are to catch influenza during flu season. In a scientific study, the dependent variable is the variable that the researcher is testing and measuring in relation to the independent variable. Both the independent variable and dependent variable are examined in an experiment using the scientific method, so it's important to know what they are and how to use them. To identify Dependent research variables, look for items in your research question or hypothesis that sees the result, effect or outcome of changing the independent variable. There are many examples of dependent and independent variables in scientific experiments, as well as academic and applied research. Independent and Dependent Variable Examples, How to Tell the Independent and Dependent Variable Apart. An INDEPENDENT VARIABLE is "a variable that stands alone and isn't changed by the other variables you are trying to measure. For example, a scientist wants to see if the brightness of light has any effect on a moth being attracted to the light. Here, the amount of chemical would be the independent variable and the rat health would be the dependent variable. What Is the Difference Between Independent and Dependent Variables? For example, researchers could include education level as a variable in the regression model so that the regression coefficient for age could be interpreted as the average change in income while holding education level constant. You want to determine whether a chemical is essential for rat nutrition, so you design an experiment. 5 - An electric motor rotates faster by increasing the voltage: electricity voltage controlled in … â in order to evaluate the resulting dependent variables and to narrow down the effects of the vitamin on life span under different circumstances. A social scientist may examine the possible effect of early marriage on divorce. If you want to know whether caffeine affects your appetite, the presence/absence of a given amount of caffeine would be the independent variable. E.g. How hungry you are would be the dependent variable. A Dependent variable is what happens as a result of the independent variable. A scientific researcher wonders if regular chiropractic care decreases the frequency and/or severity of migraine headache episodes. The dependent variable is the condition that you measure in an experiment. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples-606828. If you determine the substance is necessary for proper nutrition, a follow-up experiment might determine how much of the chemical is needed. The health of the rat (whether it lives and can reproduce) is the dependent variable. Definitions. ThoughtCo. The dependent variable would be the amount of liquid absorbed by the paper towel. The dependent variable would be the flow of water measured in liters per minute. The dependent variable is the response that is measured. The independent variable would be the opening of the water faucet controlled as closed, little open, half open and completely open. In any given study, a particular variable has to be either dependent or independent. Every scientific experiment has at least one independent variable and one dependent variable, based on the research question(s) being explored. The variable that depends on other factors that are measured. The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes, and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Are Independent and Dependent Variables?" Here are the definitions for independent and dependent variables, examples of each variable, and the explanation for how to graph them. Here are just a few examples of psychology research using dependent and independent variables. They provide the "input" which is modified by the model to change the "output." The independent variable is the condition that you change in an experiment. A researcher explores whether people who already speak multiple languages learn new languages faster than people who only speak one language. When considering weight as a dependent variable, scientists might explore independent variables like calorie consumption, carbohydrate consumption, protein consumption, refined sugar consumption, activity level, or other factors that could reasonably impact how much a person weighs. You want to know which brand of fertilizer is best for your plants. The examples provided here are fairly basic. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples-606828. Regarding the alcohol example, the independent variable is the amount of alcohol consumed, the dependent variable is the performance on the memory task, and a confounding variable may be underlying alcohol tolerance. A social scientist wonders if there is an association between a person's national origin and their wealth, measured as net worth. This factor is often the research question/hypothesis behind the outcome of the experiment. A researcher is interested in studying how the amount of time spent studying influences test scores. A scientist studies the impact of withholding affection from … https://www.thoughtco.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples-606828 (accessed May 10, 2021). Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College. Instead, scientific researchers explore whether or not an independent variable causes, leads to or is associated with a change in one or more dependent variables. Example 2: In a study with a similar design as the previous example, researchers looked at the effects of nutrition on reading ability. Sometimes you may hear this variable called the "controlled variable" because it is the one that is changed. If an educational researcher wants to explore what factors might lead to mastery of Microsoft Excel usage, then "mastery of Microsoft Excel usage" would be a dependent variable. The independent variable, exposure to Mozart’s music, is independent because it is something that can be manipulated or changed by the researcher. I think the easiest way to remember this is that the dependent variable is dependent on the independent variable. In a study or an experiment, the researcher looks for the possible effect on the dependent variable that might be possible by changing the independent variable You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. You might decide to change only your pricing strategy f… Experiments are usually designed to find out what effect one variable has on another – in our example, the effect of salt addition on plant growth. An independent variable is a variable believed to affect the dependent variable. Knowing the differences between independent and dependent variables can help you better understand the scientific method. A hypothesis in some studies must contain independent and dependent variables. Consider the independent variables of product, place, promotion and price, and their impact on the dependent variable of sales revenue, for example. For example, If a scientist conducts an experiment to test the theory that a particular vitamin could extend a personâs life expectancy, then: The independent variables and dependent variables can vary from person to person, and the variances are what are being tested; that is, whether the people given the vitamin live longer than the people not given the vitamin. The brightness of the light is controlled by the scientist. Example: How long you sleep (independent variable) affects your test score (dependent variable). For example, say you have ten sunflower seedlings, and you decide to give each a different amount of water each day to see if that affects their growth. Independent and Dependent Variable Example . For example: In a study of how different doses of a drug affect the severity of symptoms, a researcher could compare the frequency and intensity of symptoms when different doses are administered. A media studies researcher wonders if the amount of time a person spends watching television news contributes to how much factual information people know about current events. Every scientific experiment involves at least one independent variable and one dependent variable.