Testable Research Questions

What is a “Testable Question?” A testable question is one that can be answered by designing and conducting an experiment.

A Testable Research Question Ask about objects, organisms, and events in the natural world. Connect to scientific concepts rather than to opinions, morals, feelings, or personal beliefs. Can be answered or investigated through experiments, surveys or observations. Lead to gathering evidence and using data to explain how the natural world works Do NOT relate to the supernatural or to non- measurable phenomena MUST Have a IV, DV and a Control

Testable Questions have A responding variable (Dependent) A manipulated variable (Independent) Controlled variables

What is a Manipulated Variable? The single condition that will be changed in an experiment

What is a Responding Variable? The condition that will be measured in an experiment

Controlled Variables? The conditions that are kept the same (unchangeable) in an experiment

Testable Question #1 Does changing the height of the ramp affect the speed of the car going down the ramp?

Testable Question #1 Does changing the ____________ affect the ______________ going down the ramp? Manipulated Variable Responding Variable

Testable Question #2 Does changing the amount of light affect the growth rate of plants? Underline the MANIPULATED variable Box in the RESPONDING variable

Testable Question #3 Does the temperature of water affect the time it takes a sugar cube to dissolve? Underline the MANIPULATED variable Box in the RESPONDING variable

Testable or Not Testable Review Testable Questions need 2 parts –Independent variable –Dependent variable

Testable Question Formats Does changing _______ affect _______? How does changing _____ affect _____? If I change ______ will it affect ______? What effect does ______ have _______? manipulated variable manipulated variable manipulated variable responding variable responding variable responding variable manipulated variable responding variable

How to Turn a Non-Testable Question into a Testable Question Step 1: Read the question carefully. Which brand of shoe makes you run faster Nike or New Balance?

How to Turn a Non-Testable Question into a Testable Question Step 2: Determine the cause and the effect in the question. Which brand of shoe makes you run faster Nike or New Balance? In this case, the idea is that the brand of shoe causes your speed to change. So, the shoe brand is the cause, the speed that you run is the effect.

How to Turn a Non-Testable Question into a Testable Question Step 3: Plug the cause and the effect into the format… “What is the effect of ____ on ____.” The cause goes in the first blank, and the effect goes in the second blank. So the correct testable question looks like… “What is the effect of shoe brand on running speed?”

Sample Problem 1 Non-Testable: Does carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cause the atmosphere to warm? Testable: What is the effect of carbon dioxide on atmosphere temperature?

Sample Problem 2 Non-Testable: Is achievement in school higher when students are tested frequently? Testable: What is the effect of testing on student achievement?