Hannah Bianca R.

Regullano Grade 12 STEM- B

Practical Research- Module 2

Pre-test: Direction: MULTIPLE CHOICE In each item, choose the letter of the correct answer.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper which will serve as your answer sheet. Be
sure not to write anything on this learning module.

B. 1. Research Question: Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve more sugar? What is
the dependent variable (DV)?
A. water temperature B. amount of dissolved sugar
C. heating a cup of water D. dissolving sugar

B. 2. The changes that occur in an experiment that are directly caused by the researchers are
called _____
A. Independent Variable B. Dependent Variable
C. Controlled Variable D. Continuous Variable

C. 3. Which of these is NOT continuous data?

A. A person's height each year
B. The volume of water in a swimming pool each day
C. Cars finished in a factory each day
D. A person's weight on each birthday

A. 4. Which of these is NOT discrete data?

A. Height of a sunflower as measured each day
B. How many students are absent from school each day
C. How many widgets a business sell each day
D. The number of people who drive through a red light each hour during rush hour

A. 5. By recording the number and type of questions asked by students you can measure their
confusion with new subjects.' Which of the following is the independent variable in this
situation?
A. Number and type of questions
B. Students
C. Confusion
D. New subjects

Activity: Identify whether the given information is discrete or continuous variable. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper which will serve as your answer sheet. Be sure not to
write anything on this learning module.

1. Person’s weight/age/height- Continuous Variable

2. Profit earned by the company- Continuous Variable
3. Travel time from Manila to Cebu- Continuous Variable
4. Grade level of students- Discrete Variable
5. Number of siblings of an individual- Discrete Variable
Activity: From the given examples, identify the dependent and independent variables by writing
your answers (independent variable/dependent variable) on the blanks. Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper which will serve as your answer sheet. Be sure not to write anything on
this learning module.

 In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE is the length of time spent sleeping while the DEPENDENT
VARIABLE is the test score.

 You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. The
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE in your experiment would be the brand of paper towel. The
DEPENDENT VARIABLE would be the amount of liquid absorbed by the paper towel.

 In an experiment to determine how far people can see into the infrared part of the
spectrum, the wavelength of light is the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE and whether the
light is observed (the response) is the DEPENDENT VARIABLE

 You want to determine whether a chemical is essential for rat nutrition, so you design an
experiment. The presence/absence of the chemical is the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE.
The health of the rat (whether it lives and can reproduce) is the DEPENDENT
VARIABLE

 If you determine the substance is necessary for proper nutrition, a follow-up experiment
might determine how much of the chemical is needed. Here, the amount of chemical
would be the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE and the rat health would be the DEPENDENT
VARIABLE

 Imagine that a tutor asks 100 students to complete a math test. The tutor wants to know
why some students perform better than others. Whilst the tutor does not know the
answer to this, she thinks that it might be because of two reasons: Some students spend
more time revising for their test; and some students are naturally more intelligent than
others. Therefore, the tutor decides to investigate the effect of revision time and
intelligence on the test performance of the 100 students. As such, the dependent and
independent variables for the study are:

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: Effect of revision time and intelligence

DEPENDENT VARIABLE: test performance of the students
Practice Task 1:
VARIABLES SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

DISCRETE Both Discrete and Unlike a discrete

Continuous variable quantitative variable
can be qualitative or which applies for both
quantitative. class limits and non-
CONTINUOUS The similarities overlapping
between discrete and classification, a
continuous variables continuous variable
are both variables are only applies without
random and they both including the upper-
have changing value. class limits, and this is
They are also especially true for
statistical mutually exclusive
terminologies used for classification.
comparative analysis. A discrete variable has
a complete range of
values. What this
means is that the
values within a range
to which can be
assigned a discrete
variable are known
and exact. To the
contrary, those values
that a continuous
random variable can
take within a specified
range are not exact or
complete.
A continuous variable
is uncountable while a
discrete variable has
countable values.
The data set for a
discrete variable is
finite meaning it has
an end value while a
continuous variable
can take up an infinite
value which implies
that it can have
endless values.
The values of
continuous variables
must always belong to
a range or a
continuum while the
values of a discrete
variable are
 independent and can
exist on their own
without being related
to a range of other
values.
If you were to plot a
graphical
representation of a
continuous variable,
you would end up with
connected points
forming a line or
polygon whereas a
discrete variable can
be represented
graphically using
isolated points.
INDEPENDENT Both dependent and The variable whose
independent variable values are deliberately
are examined in an changed by the
experiment using the researcher in order to
scientific method. obtain the desired
Both dependent and outcome is called an
DEPENDENT
independent variables independent variable.
could have same The variable, which
outcome, such as changes its values in
binary. order to reciprocate
The dependent and change in the values
independent variable of the independent
are single. However, variable, is called the
they can be many dependent variable.
especially where the The values of the
researcher is doing a independent variable
multivariate or binary can be changed as per
analytics. requirement, by the
researcher.
Conversely, the value
of the independent
variables is
unchangeable.
Manipulation can be
done in the values of
the independent
variable, but the
researcher observes
the value of a
dependent variable
during an experiment.
The independent
variable is known as
the experiment
 controller in an
experiment, whereas,
the dependent variable
is also known as
experiment measure.
An independent
variable is a presumed
cause whereas the
dependent variable is
a measured effect.

Practice Task 2:
Direction: Read and analyze each scenario and indicate the independent variable and
dependent variable. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper which will serve as your
answer sheet. Be sure not to write anything on this learning module.

1. A researcher wants to examine whether a new drug increases the maze running
performance of rats. The researcher teaches two groups of rats to find a piece of food in
a maze. One group of rats is given the new drug while they are learning the maze. The
second group is not given the drug. One week after having learned the maze, the
researcher retests the rats and records how long it takes them to find the food.
• Independent Variable: The presence and absence of drugs
• Dependent Variable: Length of time it took the rats to find a piece of food
2. A researcher wanted to study the effects of sleep deprivation on physical coordination.
The researcher randomly selected a group of college students and deprived some of the
participants to either 24, 36, or 48 hours of sleep.
• Independent Variable: Length of sleep deprivation among student participants
• Dependent Variable: Rating of physical coordination
3. A researcher wanted to test whether the number of people present (either 1, 6, 12, 24)
would influence subjects’ judgments on a simple perceptual task. In each case, the other
members of the group gave the incorrect answer. The researcher then noted whether
the subject conformed to the group decision.
• Independent Variable: Number of people in the group
• Dependent Variable: How often the participants conformed with the group’s decision
4. A researcher had 20 participants watch a videotaped re-enactment of a jewelry store
robbery. One-half of the participants were asked by a police investigator to recall the
event, while the remaining participants were interviewed by a police investigator while
they were hypnotized.
• Independent Variable: Whether the participants were hypnotized or not
• Dependent Variable: Extent of recall of the participants

Practice Task 3:
Direction: Identify the possible variables (continuous, discrete, independent, dependent) present
in each scenario. List down your answers on the third column of the chart below. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper which will serve as your answer sheet. Be sure not to
write anything on this learning module.

SCENARIOS ILLUSTRATIONS VARIABLES PRESENT

Growth hormone- independent
variable
Weight of chicken after a year-
dependent variable
Weight of chicken- continuous
variable
Bug repellant- Independent
Variable
Number of bug bites- discrete
variable

Amount of sleep- Independent

variable
Test score- dependent variable

Independent Variable- how long

they performed their exercise
Dependent variable- weight they
gained

Independent variable-
performance of students in their
assessment
Dependent variable- scores of two
classes

Independent- amount of sunlight

given to plants
Dependent variable- Height of
plant

Independent variable- amount of

sunlight given to plants
Dependent variable- how green
each plant looks

VII. POST-TEST: Direction: From the given experiments, identify the types of variable
(Continuous, Discrete, Independent, and Dependent) and write proofs to support your answers.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper which will serve as your answer sheet. Be
sure not to write anything on this learning module.

Example: 1. Research Title: The Amount of Sleep and Classroom Behaviour of Grade 7
Students of De La Salle Zobel.

Independent Variable: The amount of sleep Dependent Variable: classroom behaviour

Research Title Variables

Recording the number of points scored by 1. Discrete Variable: number of points
an NBA team in each game of the 2018
season.

Collecting data about the mileage per liter 2. Continuous Variable: mileage per liter
of a certain brand and model of a car

Measuring the distance travelled by 3. Continuous Variable: distance travelled

different cars using 1-liter of gasoline.

The effectiveness of two reading 4. Independent Variable: two reading

methods, sight and phonics, in increasing methods
verbal comprehension. Dependent Variable: Verbal
comprehension

The study investigated whether the ability 5. Independent Variable: Chronological age
to discriminate among parts of speech and educational level
increased with chronological age and Dependent Variable: Ability to discriminate
educational level.

VIII. Assignment/Additional Activities

Direction: Think and write a scenario on each of the kinds of variables – discrete, continuous,
independent, and dependent. You may use the guide questions provided in this activity to help
you plan and accomplish this writing task. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper
which will serve as your answer sheet. Be sure not to write anything on this learning module.

Discrete Continuous

The number of applicants who have The length of time it takes a truck
applied for a vacant position at a driver to go from Mumbai to Delhi
company
Continuous Variable: length of time
Discrete Variable: number of
applicants
The depth of drilling to find oil

The number of typographical errors Continuous Variable: depth of

in a rough draft of a book drilling

Discrete Variable: number of

typographical errors
Independent Dependent

In exposure to more sunlight An electric motor rotates faster by

increases the levels of happiness in increasing the voltage
workers who remain all day in
closed offices, when using the Dependent Variable: Rotation
suggested exercise. speed measured in revolutions per
minute
Independent Variable: exposure to
the sun

The independent could be

controlled with the exposure time
(hours, days, weeks).