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Scientist try to figure out how the

natural world works. In doing so, they
use experiments to search for cause and
effect relationships. Cause and effect
relationships explain why things happen
and allow you to reliably predict what
will happen if you do something. In other
words, scientists design an experiment so
that they can observe or measure if changes to one thing cuase
something else to vary in a repeatable way.

The things that are changing in an experiment are called

variables. A variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can
exist in differing amounts or types. An experiment usually has three
kinds of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled.

The independent variable is the one that is

changed by the scientist. Why this one? Well, if
you changed more one variable it would be hard
to figure out which change is causing what you
observe. For example, what if our scientific
question was: “How does the size of a dog affect
how much food it eats?”, then, during your feeding experiments you
changed both the size of the dog and the time of the day the dogs were
fed. The data might be confusing – did the larger the dog eat less
food than the smaller dog because of his size or because it was the
middle of the day and dogs prefer to eat more in the morning?
Sometimes it is impossible to just change one variable, and in those
cases, scientists rely on more-complicated mathematical analysis and
additional experiments to try to figure out what is going on. To be
clear though, for a science fair, it is usually wise to have only one
independent variable at a time. If you are new to doing science
projects and want to know the effect of changing multiple variables,
do multiple tests where you focus on one independent variable at a
time.

The dependent variables are the things

that the scientist focuses his/her observations
on to see how they respond to the change made
to the independent variable. In our dog
example, the dependent variable is how much the
dogs eat. This is what we are observing and
measuring. It is called the “dependent”
variable because we are trying to figure out
wether its value depends on the value of the
independent variable. If there is a direct link between the two types

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of variables (independent and dependent) then you may be uncovering a
cause and effect relationship. The number of dependent variables in an
experiment varies, but there can be more than one.

Experiments also have controlled variables. Controlled variables

are quantities that a scientist want to remain constant, and she must
observe them as carefully as dependent variables. For example, in the
dog experiment example, you would need to control how hungry the dogs
are at the start of the experiment, the type of food you are feeding
them, and whether the food was a type that they liked. Why? If you did
not, then other explanatios could be given for differences you observe
in how much they eat. For instance, maybe the little dogs will eats
more because it is hungrier that day, maybe the big dog does not like
the dog food offered, or maybe all dogs will eat more wet dog food
than dry dog food. So, you should keep all the other variables the
same (you control them) so that you can see only the effect of the one
variable (the independent variable) that you are trying to test.
Similar to our example, most experiments have more than one controlled
variable. Some people refer to controlled variables as “constant
variable”.

In the best experiments, the scientist must be able to measure

the values for each variable. Weight or mass, is an example of a
variable that is very easy to measure. However, imagine trying to do
an experiment where one of the variables is love. There is no such
thing as a “love-meter”. You might have a belief that someone is in
love, but you cannot really be sure, and you would probably have
friends that do not agree with you. So, love is not measurable in a
scientific sense; therefore, it would be a poor variable to use in an
experiment.

Understanding the Different Types of Variables

There are two types of variables: quantitative and qualitative, either
of these types of variables may be an independent or dependent
variable. It is important to recognize which type/s of variables you
are evaluating, as some calculations and statistical tests can only be
performed on data containing one or the other type of variable.

Qualitative variables are ones that differ in magnitude. They can

easily be measured and recorded as a number. Examples of quantitative
variables include age, height, time, and weight. Quantitative
variables are easy to summarize using numerical calculations like
median and mean (average).

Quantitative variables sometimes referred to as categorical

variables, are ones where the observations differ in kind. Qualitative

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variables can be placed in categories like gender (male vs. female) or
marital status (unmarried, married, divorced, widowed). This makes
them particularlygood for summarizing as percentages in a pie or bar
chart.

Sometimes, qualitative data can be ranked. For example, a fruit survey

might rank the taste of the fruit as:

• 1 = Very Sweet
• 2 = Moderately Sweet
• 3 = Slightly Sweet
• 4 = Neither Detectably Sweet not Sour
• 5 = Slightly Sour
• 6 = Moderately Sour
• 7 = Very Sour

Ranked qualitative vriables are often called ordinal variables.

Although the observations are qualitative, the ranking allows some
numerical calculations, like averages, to be made. This can be
particularly important at times when you want to compare how different
people categorize data before and after an event. For instance,
evaluating people’s mean change in opinion for “How do you think this
fruit taste?” before they actually taste the fruit and after they get
to try a sample. Ordinal variables are particularly common in social
and behavioral studies.

In some circumstances, it is possible to choose whether you want

to collect quantitative or qualitative data. For example, you can
either ask people their exact age (quantitative) or have them select
whether they are a child, teenager, adult, or senior citizen
(qualitative). By pre-planning your data analysismethods, you can
choose the type of data and thus, the experimental design that is most
appropriate for your research goals. When planning your experiments,
try consulting Table 1, below, which gives an outline of several
different types of variables, examples of data that fits them, and
some of the common statistical summaries used with each type of
variables.

Table 1. Qualitative and Quantitative Variables

QUANTITATIVE VARIABLES
TYPES OF DEFINITION EXAMPLES OF DATA COMMON
VARIABLE STATISTICAL TESTS
AND SUMMARIES
DISCRETE The data are • Number of • Mean
described children in a • Median

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 numerically on a family • Mode
finite scale. • Bacterial • Chi-squared
There is a colonies on a • Standard
logical to the plate deviation
precision. • Coin toss • Standard error
• Shoe size of the mean
• Regression
• Correlation
CONTINUOUS The data are • Temperature • Mean
described • Age • Median
numerically on a
• Weight • Standard
continuous scale
that can be • Time deviation
broken up into • Length • Standard error
infinite of the mean
measurements. • Regression
Theoretically, • Correlation
there is no limit
to the precision.

QUALITATIVE VARIABLES
NOMINAL (also The data are • Colors • Mode
called describe by words • Gender • Chi-square
categorical) or categories.
• Occupation • Anova
They are not
numerical and • Location • Paired t-test
cannot be
automatically
ranked from high
and low.

Ordinal (also The data are • Amount of • Median

called ranked) described by pain on a • Mode
words or scale of • Kruskal-Wallis
categories. 1(low) to 10
Although they are • Ordinal
(high)
not numerical in logistics
• Moh’s scale regression
the sense that of hardness
the values can be for minerals
added or
• IQ
subtracted, the
categories can be • Degree of
ranked from high like of
to low dislike

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Creating a well-Controlled Experiments

Regardless of whether you are conducting experiments to evaluate

one or multiple factors, you will need to design a well-controlled
experiment. Controls allow you to:

• Evaluate, on a technical level, whether an experimentis

working.
• Help you interpret the results by giving you standards to
compare against.
• Guard against unforeseen factors that might bias your results.

For better or worse, the word control is used by researchers in

several different, but related, ways. Table 2 summarizes the different
usages, followed by more-complete descriptions below.

Table 2. use of the word CONTROL

TYPE DESCRIPTION
Positive One or more experimental samples, which are known from
Control previous data to give a positive result in the experiment.
A positive control is used to confirm that the experiment
is capable of giving a positive result
Negative One or more experimental samples, which are known from
Control previous data to give a negative result in the experiment.
A negative control is used to confirm that the experiment
is capable of giving a negative result.
Control An experiment trial where the independent variable is set
Group at a pre-selected level, often the variable’s natural
state, for the purpose of comparing to all other
experimental trials.
Controlled Quantities that a scientist wants to remain the same
Variable between trials so that the effects of only the independent
variable are being measured. Sometimes called constant
variables.

Table 3. EXAMPLES OF VARIABLES

QUESTION INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CONTROLLED VARIABLES

VARIABLE VARIABLE (what I (what I keep the same)
(what I observe)
change)
How much Water faucet Amount of water • The Faucet
water flows opening flowing, • Water pressure, or how
through a (closed, measured in much the water is
faucet at half open, liters per “pushing”
different fully open) minute ”different water pressure
openings might also cause different
amount of water to flow

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 and different faucets may
behave differently, so to
ensure a fair test, I want
to keep the water pressure
and the faucet the same
for each faucet opening
that I test.”
Does Temperature Amount of sugar • Stirring
heating of the water that dissolves, • Type of sugar
water allow measured in measured in ”more stirring might also
it to degrees grams increase the amount of
dissolve Celsius sugar that dissolves, and
more sugar? different sugars might
dissolve in different
amounts, so to ensure fair
test I want to keep these
variables the same for
each cup of water.”
Does Amount of • Growth of the • Same type of fertilizer
fertilizer fertilizer, plant, • Same pot size for each
make a measured in measured by plant
plant grow grams its height • Same plant type in each
bigger? • Growth of the pot
plant, • Same type and amount of
measured by soil in each pot
the number of
• Same amount of water
leaves
and light
• See measuring
• Make measurements of
plant growth
growth for each plant
for more ways
at the same time
to measure
”the many variables above
plant growth
can each change how fast a
plant grows, so to ensure
a fair test of the
fertilizer, each of them
must be kept the same for
every pot.”
Does an Voltage of Speed of • Same motor for every
electric the rotation, test
motor turn electricity, measured in • The motor should be
faster if measured in revolutions per doing the same work for
you volts minute (RPMs) each test (turning the
increase same wheel, propeller,
the or whatever)
voltage? “the work that a motor
performshas a big impact
on its speed, so to ensure
a fair test, I must keep
that variable the same.”

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 In some experiments, time is what causes the dependent variable
to change. The scientist simply starts the process, then observes and
records data at regular intervals.

Table 4. TIME AS AN EXAMPLE OF AN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

QUESTION INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CONTROLLED

VARIABLE (what I VARIABLES (what I VARIABLES (what I
change) observe) keep the same)
How fast Time, measured in Height of candle, • Use same type
does a minutes measured in of candle for
candle burn? centimeters, at every test
regular intervals • Wind – make
of time (for sure there is
example, every 5 none
minutes)

When a scientist performs test or survey on different groups of

people or things, those groups define the independent variable. For
example:

Table 5. THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE FOR SURVEYS AND TESTS OF DIFFERENT

GROUPS

QUESTION INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CONTROLLED

VARIABLE (what VARIABLES (what I VARIABLES (what
I change) observe) I keep the same)
Who listens to Group receiving Amount of time Ask the question
music the most: the survey: that each person in exactly the
Teenagers or Teenagers or listens to music same way to each
their paprents parents per day, measured individual
in hours

Sometimes a variable simply represents an either/or (binary)

condition. For example, something might be either present or not
present during an experiment.

Table 6. Either/Or (Binary) variables

QUESTION INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT CONTROLLED

VARIABLE (what I VARIABLES (what VARIABLES (what
change) I observe) I keep the same)
In a classroom Teacher location: Loudness, • Same
noisier when The teacher is measured in classroom
the teacher either in the room decibels • Same students
leaves the or not in the • Same time of
room? room.
day
“The teachers’
locationis an

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 either/or
situation.”
Do bicycle Fenders: the The rider either • Same type of
fenders keep bicycle either has gets wet or does bike and
the rider dry fenders or it not. tires (except
when riding does not. “dependent for the
through a “many engineering variables can fenders)
puddle? projects have represent • Rider at the
alternative either/or same speed
designs with situations,
• Same size and
independent too.”
depth of
variables like
puddle
this one (with and
without fenders.”

SAMPLE VARIABLES AND HYPOTHESIS

QUESTION

How does the voltage of an AA battery change over time when use
in low, medium, and high current drain device?

HYPOTHESES

1. How much voltage drop of a AA battery when use in any current

draining device over time?
2. In there significant differences on the voltage drop of a AA
battery when use in low, medium and high current draining
devices?

There are two parts of this hypothesis, and thus two expermiments:

• Experiment #1: Measure the voltage of fresh AA batteries as they

are used in different current drain devices.
• Experiment #2: Compare the rate of voltage change between devices
with low, medium, high current drain. The second experiment does
not require any more data collection, but it does require looking
at the data from experiment #1 in a different way. For experiment
#2, graph the data with the voltage on the y-axis and time the x-
axis for each type (low, medium, high) of current drain device.

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VARIABLES

Experiment #1

• Independent Variable: Time (how long each battery operates

in a given device)
• Dependent Variable: Voltage

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP CONTROLLED VARIABLES FOR EACH GROUP

Low Current Drain • Same portable CD player
• Play the same music track
• Play at the same volume level
Medium Current Drain • Identical flashlight
• Identical lightbulb
High Current Drain • Same camera flash

All groups • Battery size (AA)

• Constant temperature (A battery works
better at a warm temperature.)
• Battery brand
• voltmeter

Experiment #2

Independent Variable: Type of current drain device (as quantified by

low, medium, and high)

Dependent Variable: Voltage (same as experiment #1)

Controlled Variables: Same as outlined in the table for experiment #1

Table 7. Variables Checklist

What Makes for GOOD Variables For Good Variables,

You should “Yes” to
every question
Is the independent variable measurable? Yes/No
Can you change the independent variable during Yes/No
the experiment?
Have you identified all relevant dependent Yes/No
variables, and are they all cause by and
dependent on the independent variable?
Are all dependent variable/s measurable? Yes/No
Have you identified all relevant controlled Yes/No
variables?
Can all controlled variables be held at a steady Yes/No
value during the experiment?

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 It is important for an experiment to be a fair test. You conduct
a fair test by making sure that you change one factor at a time while
keeping all other conditions the same.

For example, let’s imagine that we want to measure which is the

fastest toy car to coast down a sloping ramp. If we gently release the
first car, but give the second car a push start, did we do a fair test
of which the car was fastest? NO! We gave the second car an unfair
advantage by pushing it to start. That’s not a fair test! The only
thing that should change between the two tests is the car; we should
start them down the ramp in exactly the same way.

Let’s pretend we’re doing an experiment to see if fertilizer

makes a plant grow to be larger than a plant that doesn’t receive
fertilizer. We put seeds of the same kind in three pots with
fertilizer and rich soil. But, we run out of soil so we put the seeds
without fertilizer in the three pots filled with sand. We put all six
pots in the same location and water each one with the same amount of
water every other day. The plants with soil and fertilizer grow to be
much larger than the ones grown in sand without fertilizer. Is that a
fair test of whether fertilizer makes a plant grow to be larger? No!
we change two things (type of soil and fertilizer) so we have no idea
whether the plants with fertilizer grew to be larger because of the
fertilizer or whether the other plants were stunted by being grown in
sand. It wasn’t a fair test! All of the plants should have been in the
same kind of soil.

Conducting a fair test is one of the most important ingredients

of doing good, scientifically valuable experiments. To insure that
your experiment is a fair test , you must change only one factor at a
time while keeping all other conditions the same

Scientist call the changing factors in an experiment variable.

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 Activity Sheet
VARIBLES
Research 7

Name____________________________ Grade&Section____________ Date_______

Answer the following questions in the space pr:ovided. Use the back of
this sheet of if you need more space.

1. You are plannin an experiment to find out whether the rate at

which water freezes depends on the shape of its container.
Identify the manipulated variable and the responding variable.
List the other variables you would contol.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________.

2. Researchers want to determine the best temperature for storing

batteries. Describe a possible experiment and list variables to
be controlled in that experiment. Be sure to identify the
manipulated and the responding variables.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________.

3. Your friend has to plan an experiment for a science fair. He ask

for your help. His topic is “The Strongest Cloth for Backpacks.”
What variables must his experiment include? What variables must
be controlled?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________.

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4. Suppose you wanted to compare two different stain removers to
learn which one was better at removing food stains from clothing.
In your test, what variables would you need to control?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________.

5. Think About It. Some classmates conducted an experiment to find

out which brand of paper towers is the strongest. You find out
that they didn’t try to control any variables. Write a few
sentences expaining why they cannot draw any useful conclusions
from their experiment.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________.

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