Reference no: EM133483858

In research studies, independent variables, dependent variables, and extraneous variables are important concepts to understand. Here's a comparison of these variables: Independent variables are factors or conditions that are manipulated or controlled by the researcher. They are the variables believed to have an effect on the dependent variable. The researcher deliberately changes or selects the values of the independent variable to observe its impact on the dependent variable (Grand Canyon University, 2022). Dependent variables are the outcomes or responses that researchers measure or observe. They are dependent on the independent variable and are expected to be influenced by changes in the independent variable (Grand Canyon University, 2022). Extraneous variables are additional factors or conditions that may affect the dependent variable but are not the primary focus of the study. According to Bernerth et al., (2018), these variables are often unwanted and can introduce unwanted variability or bias into the results and can make it difficult to form relationships between independent and dependent variables. Controlling extraneous variables is crucial to ensure internal validity and to isolate the true effects of the independent variable (Bernerth et al., 2018). Two ways that researchers try to control extraneous variables is by randomization and statistical control. Randomization is a technique used to assign participants or subjects to different experimental conditions or groups randomly and helps control the effect of extraneous variables (Kang, Ragan and Park, 2008). Statistical control involves including extraneous variables as covariates or independent variables in statistical analyses. By including these variables in the analysis, their effects on the dependent variable can be accounted for statistically. (Nielson and Raswant, 2018).