Dependent variable

Dependent variable is a term used in experimental research to represent the event, condition, or state that is expected to change as a result of changes to the independent variable. The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment.

Definition

In an experiment, the dependent variable is the factor which is observed and measured to determine the effect of the independent variable, that is, that factor that appears, disappears, or varies as the experimenter introduces, removes, or varies the independent variable.

Role in Research

The dependent variable plays a crucial role in experimental design, hypothesis testing, and statistical analysis. The dependent variable is the variable that is being tested and measured in a scientific experiment, and is 'dependent' on the independent variable.

Examples

In a study of how different doses of a drug affect the severity of symptoms, a researcher could compare the frequency and intensity of symptoms when different doses are administered. Here, the dependent variable would be the frequency and intensity of symptoms.

See Also

• Independent variable
• Control variable
• Extraneous variable
• Confounding variable

References

Dependent variable Resources
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