Two or more variables interplaying with one another make up the thesis statement or research question, either as a cause or as an effect. These variables come in the form of independent, dependent, and control variables. Every thesis statement requires at least one independent and dependent variable, while a control variable is an optional variable.
A variable is an object, person, event, feeling, etc., that researchers will attempt to measure. An independent variable is a variable that does not get affected by the other variables in the statement or research. Often these manifest as the cause of the statement, usually being stated before the dependent variable in the format of the thesis statement or research question. Most of the time the researchers will manipulate and use the independent variable to affect the dependent variable in the research
There are two types of independent variables in a research study these are subject variables and experimental independent variables. You can differentiate these two types of independent variables if the researchers can edit or manipulate the independent variable. The subject variable is an independent variable that only acts as the subject of the thesis statement or research question. While the experimental independent variable, as the name suggests, is the variable that researchers will manipulate in the study. If you are still confused about what an independent variable in research should look like, then you are free to look up any of the independent variable examples, samples, and pdfs on the list above.
After breaking down the thesis statement, you will now need to separate the variables from one another. This step will ensure that you will be able to see how the study’s variables affect or interplay with one another.
dent variable that only acts as the subject of the thesis statement or research question. While the experimental independent variable, as the name suggests, is the variable that researchers will manipulate in the study.
Begin by breaking down the thesis statement or research question into specific parts. Doing this will help you easily know where the variables are in the statement or question structure, without getting distracted or confused by the other parts of said statement or question.
You will now need to check how the variable interacts and affects the other variables in the thesis statement or question. If the variable is affected by the other variable then it is the dependent variable in the statement or question. If the variable affects the other variable and is the subject of the study then it is the independent variable. But if the variable affects the other variable but it isn’t the subject of the study then it is the control variable.
After discerning the independent variables, you will now need to identify what type or kind of independent variable these variables are. If the variable is manipulated by the researcher then it is an experimental independent variable, if it isn’t it is the subject variable.
An independent variable is a variable that will not be affected by the other present variables in the study. Whilst a dependent variable is a variable that will be affected by the researcher’s changes and manipulations done on the independent variable. You can often discern these variables by checking if the variable is either the outcome or the variable that the researchers will manipulate in the research.
A control variable is a variable that is outside of the research question or thesis statement but is relevant to said research due to its effect on the dependent variable. Unlike independent variables, the control variable is something that must stay constant and controlled as it is not the subject of the study. Note, that the control variable is not present in most research questions and thesis statements.
Yes, some researches have more than one independent and dependent variable in them. Though this implies that the research will contain more than one research question or thesis statement. That is because a research question can only contain one pair of independent and dependent variables, but the research can have research questions with the same independent variables but differing dependent variables.
The independent variable is one of the most important parts of the thesis statement or research question. It is important to take note of the different types of variables at play in your research as these will dictate the success or failure of your study.