In general, experiments have these three types of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled.
Below are the key differences when looking at an independent variable vs. dependent variable.
The independent variables in a particular experiment all depend on the hypothesis and what the experimenters are investigating.
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Independent variables also have different levels.
In some experiments, there may only be one level of an IV.
In this example, the color of the office is the independent variable.
The amount of input the workers have over their work is the independent variable in this example.
In this case, participation in after-school math tutoring is the independent variable.
The independent variable in this example is thetype of therapy.
Impact
Sometimes varying the independent variables will result in changes in the dependent variables.
At the outset of an experiment, it is important for researchers to operationally define the independent variable.
An operational definition describes exactly what the independent variable is and how it is measured.
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