Experimental Design Vocabulary

A specific, testable prediction

• hypothesis
• inference

• conjecture
• theory

A well substantiated hypothesis that attempts to explain a phenomenon

• hypothesis
• law

• postulate
• theory

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

a descriptive equation of a phenomenon

• thoery

• law

• inference

• hypothesis

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

an observable, measurable, and qualitative descriptor using the senses

• fact

• observation

• hypothesis

• law

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

Independent variable

• thing we measure

• thing that stays the same

• thing the experimenter changes/tests

• thing depends on the observer

Dependent variable

• thing we measure

• thing that stays the same

• thing the experimenter changes/tests

• thing depends on the observer

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Control

• thing we measure

• thing that stays the same

• thing the experimenter changes/tests

• thing depends on the observer

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A measure of the relationship between two variables

• Correlation
• Regression
• Causation
• Variance

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

A cause and effect relationship in which one variable controls the changes in another variable

• Correlation
• Regression
• Causation
• Variance

Confounding Variable

• a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect

• A variable that only affects the dependent variable.
• A variable that has no impact on the outcome of the study.
• A variable that is independent of both the independent and dependent variables.