1. Experimental Design

2. Title: Also know as problem statement. Does it identify both the
Independent Variable
and the Dependent Variable?
Example: The Effect of
(the independent variable)
on (the dependent variable).

3. Hypothesis: Does the hypothesis clearly state
how you think changing the
Independent Variable will affect
the Dependent Variable?
Example: If the(independent variable)
is (describe how you changed
it), then the (dependent variable)
will (describe the effect).

4. Independent Variable: The independent variable is the
variable that is changed on purpose.
Is there just one independent
variable?
Is it well defined?

5. Levels of Independent Variable:
Are the levels of the Independent
variable clearly stated?
Are there enough levels of the
independent variable being tested?
Are there too many?

6. Controls: The level that you compare all others to.
Is there a control?
Is it clearly stated?

7. Trials: The number of times that you repeat the experiment.
Are there repeated trials?
Are there enough of them?

8. Dependent Variable: The response that occurs from
the changes made to the IV.
Is the DV clearly identified?
Is the DV operationally defined?
Operationally defined means that
the investigator very clearly stated
how the response would be
measured or described.

9. Dependent Variable: Measurements need to be either
Qualitative or Quantitative.
Qualitative – observations include
verbal descriptions or
measurements with non-standard
scale.
Quantitative – observations include measurements with standard scale.

10. Constants: The things in the experiment that stay the same throughout.
Are the constants clearly identified and described?

11. Complexity: Was the experiment creative?
Was it an appropriate level of complexity? (judgment call)

12. Experimental Design Diagram
Title:
Hypothesis:
Independent Variable
(Control)
Levels of IV
Including control
Repeated Trials
# of times each of
the levels of IV was
tested.
Dependent Variable:
Constants:

13. Four Question Strategy:
Q1: What materials are readily available for
conducting experiments on (…)?
Q2: How do (…) act?
Q3: How can I change the set of (…) materials
to affect the action?
Q4: How can I measure or describe the response
of (…) to the change?