Thinking Like a Biologist - Experimental Design (updated)

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What is experimental design?

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Experimental design is the process of planning an experiment to ensure that it can effectively test a hypothesis. It involves identifying variables, controls, and the method of data collection.

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What is an independent variable?

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An independent variable is the factor that is changed or manipulated in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

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What is a dependent variable?

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A dependent variable is the factor that is measured or observed in an experiment, which is affected by changes in the independent variable.

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What is a control in an experiment?

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A control is a standard for comparison in an experiment. It is the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

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What is a constant in an experiment?

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A constant is a factor that remains the same throughout an experiment to ensure that the results are due to the independent variable.

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What type of graph is best for showing changes over time?

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A line graph is best for showing changes over time as it displays data points connected by lines.

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What type of graph is best for comparing different groups?

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A bar graph is best for comparing different groups as it uses bars to represent the values of different categories.

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What is the purpose of a hypothesis in an experiment?

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A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

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What does it mean to plot data on the X-axis?

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Plotting data on the X-axis means representing the independent variable, which is manipulated in the experiment.

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What does it mean to plot data on the Y-axis?

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Plotting data on the Y-axis means representing the dependent variable, which is measured in the experiment.