the ______ is a factor that affected by changes in the independent variable
Dependent and Independent Variables. The key to designing any experiment is to look at what research variables could affect the outcome. There are many types of variable but the most important, for the vast majority of research methods, are the independent and dependent variables. A researcher must determine which variable needs to be manipulated to generate quantifiable results. The independent variable is the core of the experiment and is isolated and manipulated by the researcher. The dependent variable is the measurable outcome of this manipulation, the results of the experimental design.