Name:___________________________________
Date:__________
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN WORKSHEET
*Topic
What subject or topic will you explore with this experiment? Examples:
preventing apples from turning brown, highway noise pollution, free throw
accuracy (basketball), music and memory, fertilizers and plant growth.
My topic is: ________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
*Problem/Question and Purpose

The problem describes the issue that has motivated you to explore this
topic. For example, one possible problem could be: the Proudest Pea
Plant Competition at the State Fair requires that pea plants be at least 25
cm tall in order to enter, but my plants are usually only 10-15 cm tall.
My problem is: ________________________________________
__________________________________________________

The question asks about the relationship between two variables in a way
that can be answered by doing an experiment. For example: how does the
amount of fertilizer affect the height of pea plants?
Try using this template:
How does ________ [affect, change, increase, etc.] ________?
My question is: ________________________________________
__________________________________________________

The purpose clearly states why you are doing the experiment. For
example: the purpose of this experiment is to find out how much fertilizer I
need to help my pea plants grow to at least 25 cm.
My purpose is: ________________________________________
Every Child A Scientist Workshop, July 21-23, 2004, Emory College Center for Science Education
http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/precollege
Page 1 of 4
Last Updated: 7/21/04
__________________________________________________
*Variables:
Variables are characteristics of an object that can be measured using standard
units like meters, grams, or seconds.

Independent Variable = the characteristic that you change in an
experiment to see how it affects another characteristic. In the experiment
to test how much fertilizer affects height of plant growth, the amount of
fertilizer is the independent variable.
My independent variable (the variable I will be changing) is:
________________________________________

Dependent Variable = the characteristic that is affected by the
independent variable. In the same example, the height of the plant is the
dependent variable.
My dependent variable (the variable I will be measuring for change) is:
________________________________________
Plant Height vs Amount of Fertilizer
30
Dependent Variable 
Height of Plant (cm)
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10
20
30
Amount of Fertilizer (mg)
Independent Variable

Controlled Variables = the conditions that should remain the same, no
matter how much you change the independent variable. Some examples
of controlled variables are the amount of light and water given to the
Every Child A Scientist Workshop, July 21-23, 2004, Emory College Center for Science Education
http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/precollege
Page 2 of 4
Last Updated: 7/21/04
plants, the time between measurements, and the type of fertilizer.
My controlled variables (the conditions that must be kept the same or else
they might affect my results) are:
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
*Research
Explore the web or library for information on your topic and the variables
you are considering. Your research may reveal new variables that you
might want to test instead, and you may develop a revised question. Use
your research to determine which independent and dependent variables
you want to test, and which controlled variables you will need to hold
constant. Go back and write in any changes on this worksheet. What do
other people say about how your variables affect one another?
Remember, a hypothesis is considered an educated guess. Before you
can state a hypothesis, you need to get educated!
*Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a statement of a relationship that exists between two
specific, measurable variables. It states how you believe the independent
variable will change the dependent variable. This belief is based on the
research you have done. For example: since chemicals in fertilizers
stimulate plants to grow, the greater the amount of fertilizer a plant
receives, the taller it will grow.
My hypothesis:_______________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Every Child A Scientist Workshop, July 21-23, 2004, Emory College Center for Science Education
http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/precollege
Page 3 of 4
Last Updated: 7/21/04
*Procedure
Your experimental procedure attempts to test whether or not your
hypothesis is correct. Think about the answers to these questions and
then write the step-by-step procedure for your experiment.






What variable will you be testing (what is your independent variable)?
What variable will you be measuring for change (what is your dependent
variable)?
How will you measure the dependent and independent variables?
What other variables might affect your results? How will you control these
variables?
What are the characteristics of your control group?
What particular measurements and observations will you make? When will
you make them?
My Procedure: ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Every Child A Scientist Workshop, July 21-23, 2004, Emory College Center for Science Education
http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/precollege
Page 4 of 4
Last Updated: 7/21/04