The Scientific Method

How to Write a Testable Question

Tamara Helfer, 2012 Sequoia Science Explorations

Sometimes scientists just like to explore

Exploring or making observations

often makes scientists curious and
they have questions.
To answer these questions, most scientists
carry out investigations using The
Scientific Method.

The Scientific Method

The Scientific Method

1.

Make Observations

2. Ask a Testable Question

3. Construct a Hypothesis
4. Test (your hypothesis) with an Experiment

Variables: Independent, Dependent, and Control

5. Analyze Data
6. Draw Conclusions
7. Report and Communicate your Findings

What is a testable question?

A testable question is one that can be
answered by designing and conducting
an experiment.

What is a testable question?

Testable questions are always about
changing one thing to see what the
effect is on another thing.

Sample Testable Question

Does changing the height of the ramp
affect
the speed of a car going down the ramp?

Testable Question Formats

Does changing _______ affect _______?
How does changing _____ affect _____?
If I change ______, will it affect ______?

What is a variable?
A variable is something that can CHANGE.

Testable Questions have two parts:

An independent variable
A dependent variable

What is an
Independent Variable?
The variable that will be changed by
you the scientist.
A good experiment has only one
independent variable!

What is a
Dependent Variable?
The variable that is being measured
in your experiment.
The response to the change you make
using the independent variable.

Testable Question Formats

Lets Revisit.
independent
variable

dependent
variable

Does changing _______ affect _______?

independent
variable

dependent
variable

How does changing _____ affect _____?

independent
variable

dependent
variable

If I change ______ will it affect ______?

Example:
Does changing the height of the ramp
affect the speed of the car going down
the ramp?

What is the independent

variable?
Does changing the height of the ramp
affect the speed of the car going down
the ramp?

Independent Variable
Does changing the height of the ramp
affect the speed of the car going down
the ramp?

What is the dependent

variable?
Does changing the height of the ramp
affect the speed of the car going down
the ramp?

Dependent Variable
Does changing the height of the ramp
affect the speed of the car going down
the ramp?

Another Testable Question

Does changing the amount of light
affect the growth rate of plants?
Identify:
a)the independent variable.
b)the dependent variable.

Another Testable Question

Does the temperature of water
affect the time it takes a sugar cube
to dissolve?
Identify:
a)the independent variable.
b)the dependent variable.

Lets Review
A Testable Question needs 2 parts:
(1) A _____________ variable
(2) An _____________ variable

Lets Review
Testable Questions need 2 parts:
(1) Independent variable
(2) Dependent variable

Lets Practice what weve learned.

Is the following question testable?

What makes plants grow best?

NO, it is NOT a testable question.

Lets make it a testable question but

first lets discuss the steps.

Steps to Turning a General

Question into a Testable Question
Step 1 Read the question carefully.
Step 2 Brainstorm causes and an effects.
Step 3 - Choose ONE cause and ONE effect.
Step 4 Plug them into the testable question format.

Lets do this
together.

Step 1 ReadStep
the1:question
carefully
Read the
question carefully

What makes plants grow best?

Step 2:
What are examples of things you can change?
What makes plants grow best?
(potential independent variable)
Examples:
amount of water
____________
____________
____________

Step 2:
What specific effects can you look for?
What makes plants grow best?
(potential dependent variable)
Examples:
Height of plants
____________
____________
____________

Step 3:

Lets plug ONE cause and ONE effect into the testable question format.
What is the effect of ____ on ____?

The cause goes in the first blank, and the effect goes in the second blank.

Step 4: One possible testable question

What is the effect of soil type on plant height?

Control Variables
Control variables are all the variables in your
experiment that you want to remain constant. They
come from the list of causes we brainstormed earlier.
What is the effect of soil type on plant height?
Control variables for this experiment might include:

type of plant
size of the plants
growing conditions (sunlight, temperature, etc.)
amount of water
type of container
size of the container

This question is NOT

testable.
How does a paper airplane fly?

Lets Make the Question Testable!

Decide what you are going to change
(the cause /independent variable).
For example:
size of the plane
_____________
_____________
_____________

Lets Make the Question Testable!

Decide what you are going to measure
(the effect / dependent variable).

For example:
horizontal distance the plane will fly
___________________________
___________________________

Make the Question Testable

Now select one independent variable
and one dependent variable
Put them together to create the
testable question.
How does the type of paper
affect the distance a paper
airplane flies?

What are the control

variables?
How does the type of paper affect the distance a
paper airplane flies?
Control Variables might include:
style of airplane
flying conditions (wind)
how you throw the airplane
All variables other than type of
paper must remain the same.

Lets practice some more!!

Using specific language

the tomato
thatspecific
grows: language when forming testable
ItSelect
is important
to use
reddest,
to the
greatest
withmore
- at the fastest
Whatrate,
would
the
best
tomato
lookmass,
like?
questions.
Replace
thethe
vague
underlined
statements
with
firmness,
specific,
measurable vocabulary.

1. Select the best tomato.

better could mean:
grades,
are the
morebetter
alert, participate
have less
-Have better
What
could
studentmore,
mean?
behavior issues, interrupt class less, more time on task,

2. Students who sleep at least 8 hours per day are probably

better students.The terms can be interpreted many ways.

What do you think the downside is for not

The person performing the experiment would know
using specific language?
what exactly should be measured.

Using specific Language

If you would like/need more practice, repeat the

same exercise with the following statements:

A Review
1.List the steps of the Scientific Method
2.Testable Questions need 2 parts:
3.Describe each type of variable.
Independent:
Dependent:
Control:
4. Identify the 3 types of variables in the following question.
Does changing the height of the ramp affect the speed of the car going down the ramp?
The independent variable is: ________________________________________
The dependent variable is: __________________________________________
The controlled variables (3 to 5): __________________________________
5. List the steps to follow to turn the following question into a testable one.
6. Transform the following statement into a testable one.

Students who sleep at least 8 hours are probably better students.