Testable Research Testable Research QuestionsQuestions

Testable Research Testable Research QuestionsQuestions

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 aManipulated Variable?

•The single condition that will be changed in an experiment

What is aResponding 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 _______?

manipulatedvariable

manipulatedvariable

manipulatedvariable

respondingvariable

respondingvariable

respondingvariable

manipulatedvariable

respondingvariable

How to Turn aNon-Testable Questioninto a Testable Question

Step 1: Read the question carefully.

Which brand of shoe makes you run faster Nike or New Balance?

How to Turn aNon-Testable Questioninto a Testable QuestionStep 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 aNon-Testable Questioninto a Testable QuestionStep 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?