1. Experimental Design
Some Terms

2. Elements to a good experiment
Question
Hypothesis
Reasonable and testable explanation for observations (if Then statement)
Independent Variable
What is purposefully changed in the experiment
Dependent Variable
What changes as a result of the independent variable

3. Experiments continued
Constants
What must be kept the same in an experiment
Control
Trial excluding independent variable- acts as a standard for comparison
Trials- the number of times experiment is conducted- should be multiple times

4. Continued . . .
Procedure: Step by step explanation of how you are conducting your experiment
If well-written, then anyone should be able to do your experiment
Observations/data collection
Recording of observations or data
Usually in the form of a data table

5. Continued:
Results: Formal recording of the results- usually in the form of a graph
Conclusions- must contain 3 items
Was your hypothesis correct?
How do you know? (prove it from the data)
Error in your experiment?

6. Example from homework:
Question:
Hypothesis IV DV
Constants
Control
Trials

7. Procedure
Ob/data collection
Results
conclusion