Experimental design

1. Testable question: A question that can be answered by conducting tests/

experiments. It contains a dependent and independent variable in it
2. Aim: Contains how the testable question will be answered
3. Hypothesis: A prediction about the answer to the testable question. They need to
be very specific to what the variables are. Use the format, if…then
4. Variables:
• Dependent – variable that is being measured
• Independent – variable that is being changed between tests
• Controlled – variables that are kept constant between tests to prevent them
influencing the dependent variable
• Experiment group – the group that is exposed to the independent variable
• Control group – the group not exposed to the independent variable. It is used to
ensure that the independent variable is what is affecting the dependent
variable not any other factor. i.e. it acts as a comparison.
5. Controls:
• Positive control – ensures test works and will give a positive result
• Negative control – doesn’t contain an independent variable and a negative
result is expected. It acts as a comparison to ensure that the independent
variable is what is affecting the dependent variable not any other factor.
6. Accuracy: How close is your measurement to the actual value
7. Precision: How close are the measurements from one another.
8. Reliability: affected by sample size, wether it is a random sample representative of
the whole population, absence of bias, lack of errors, use of controls, presence of
outliers (these will drastically affect the average value and hence need to be
discounted)
9. Validity: Can the experiment be repeated with similar results? Were positive and/or
negative controls used?
10. Uncertainty: When you know that a value is around a certain number but may be
slightly more or less. E.g. if it took about 25 minutes to drive to school, and you
know it took more then 20 but less then 30, there is an uncertainty of +/- 5 minutes
11. Type of errors:
• Mistakes – avoidable errors, e.g. spillage, 
misreading numbers on scales.
Values from 
experiments with errors should be disregarded 

• Systematic – produces a constant bias that cannot 
be eliminated by
repeating the experiment. Most commonly due to incorrect technique
• Random – random errors following no regular pattern. To reduce their impact
repeat the 
experiment until you have 3 concordant values