Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am determaning whether you can remember Sound better than Audio. I will have three people and I will seperatly take them and show them a slide show of pictures. After 5 min they have to write it down. Then I will reapeat except then I will slowly just say words that they will have to write down.
Please get back to me ASAP.

The INDEPENDENT variable is what you do to the subjects in an experiment to test your hypothesis. The DEPENDENT variable is what you measure.

The subject, "Variables in your science project", is clearly explained in the Scibuddies resource file at: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... bles.shtml

Sybee

Hi! Just to make sure- I think you are testing whether people remember visual or auditory inputs better. Is that correct?

In general, the independent variable is controlled entirely by the experimenter, while the dependent variable depends on the independent variable. The independent variable is the main thing you're testing, while the dependent variable is what you actually measure.

To identify these variables, it can help to describe the experiment you're doing in a single sentence. In your experiment, you either show volunteers images or read words aloud, and you measure the number they can remember after a few minutes.

Another way to phrase it would be: Does the number of items recalled depend on whether the input is visual or auditory? OR Does memory depend on whether subjects see or hear the thing to be remembered?

Hope that helps you figure out your variables! If you're still confused, feel free to write back.
Megan