Define the Variables

There should be three categories of variables in every experiment: dependent,

independent, and controlled.

Dependent -- is what will be measured; it's what the investigator thinks will be
affected during the experiment.

For example, the investigator may want to study coffee bean growth. Possible
dependent variables include: number of beans, weight of the plant, leaf surface area,
time to maturation, height of stem.

Independent -- is what is varied during the experiment; it is what the investigator

thinks will affect the dependent variable.

In our coffee bean example, possible independent variables include: amount of

fertilizer, type of fertilizer, temperature, amount of H2O, day length, all of these may
affect the number of beans, weight of the plant, leaf area, etc.

Key : Since you need to know which factor is affecting the dependent variable(s),
there may be only one independent variable. The investigator must choose the one that
he/she thinks is most important. But the scientist can measure as many dependent
variables as he/she thinks are important indicators of coffee bean growth.

Controlled -- the variables held constant. Since the investigator wants to study the
effect of one particular independent variable, the possibility that other factors are
affecting the outcome must be eliminated.

For example, the above scientist must ascertain that no differences in the type of
fertilizer used exists, or amount of H2O, variations of temperature, or day length exist.

THE HYPOTHESIS

You must develop a hypothesis, or a possible explanation to answer your question.

A hypothesis is a "tentative explanation" for what we observe (Campbell, 1993).

Possible hypotheses for the above questions:

Chlorophyll, located in plant cells, causes grass to be green.

A virus which infects white blood cells causes AIDS.
Collagen, a connective tissue protein, denatures with age and causes the skin to
wrinkle.

Key : The nature of today's research is to prove a hypothesis false. Experiments are
designed to falsify the hypothesis by yielding evidence (data) to disprove it. If the
evidence (data) that is gathered does support the hypothesis, the hypothesis is
accepted on a trial basis only. It is never accepted as absolute truth. Future
investigations by you, or other investigators, may falsify the hypothesis.

In our example:

If all chlorophyll is removed from the leaves of a test plant, and the plant remains
green, then the hypothesis will be proved false by the data.

If all chlorophyll is removed from the leaves of a test plant, and the plant loses its
green color, the hypothesis will be supported by the data.

Key: A hypothesis has to be testable experimentally in order to falsify or support it.

Consider, for example, the question: Do excessively high temperatures cause children
to misbehave?

Temperature is certainly a well-defined, measurable, and controllable factor, but

misbehavior is not scientifically measurable. Thus, a scientist could not investigate
this question.