Scientific+Method+Terms

__ Scientific method __ – Controls and Variables (From SpongeBob Presentation) Scientific Experiments Follow Rules: What is the Purpose of a Control? Other Variables: Examples of Controls and Variables: (Just Read: For example, suppose you want to figure out the fastest route to walk home from school. You will try several different routes and time how long it takes you to get home by each one. Since you are only interested in finding a route that is fastest for you, you will do the walking yourself.)
 * An experimenter changes one factor and observes or measures what happens.
 * The Control Variable:
 * The experimenter makes a special effort to keep other factors constant so that they will not affect the outcome.
 * Factors that are kept constant are called control variables.
 * Controls are NOT being tested.
 * Controls are used for COMPARISON
 * The factor that is changed is known as the independent or manipulated variable.
 * The factor that is measured or observed is called the dependent or responding variable.
 * Varying the route is the independent variable.
 * The time it takes is the dependent variable.
 * Keeping the same walker throughout makes the walker a control variable.
 * One more thing… it is best to make several trials with each independent variable.

Presentation from which students took these notes.

Placebo Effect http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/does-exercise-really-make-us-smarter/

http://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_why_is_x_the_unknown?language=en

Scientific Method Issues Tedx - Pluto not a Planet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j12BBcKSgEQ