Biology: Biology Basics: 03: Independent Variable vs. Dependent Variable - Medical Animation
This animation may only be used in support of a single legal proceeding and for no other purpose. Read our License Agreement for details. To license this image for other purposes, click here.
Biology: Biology Basics: 03: Independent Variable vs. Dependent Variable - Medical Animation
MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Independent variable and dependent variable are important terms related to controlled experiments. Remember, a controlled experiment is a scientific test in which all conditions are kept constant except for the variable you're testing. The independent variable is the thing you're testing in an experiment. It's often abbreviated as IV, and sometimes called the manipulated variable because you change or manipulate this variable. In an experiment, the dependent variable is the thing you're observing and measuring, the thing you're anticipating may be affected as a result of exposure to the independent variable. It's often abbreviated as DV, and sometimes called the responding variable because it responds to the change that you make. Let's look at a few examples. Suppose your hypothesis is that if students study 15 minutes a night, then they will have higher test grades than those who don't study at all. What's being changed or manipulated? It's whether or not the students study for 15 minutes. And what's going to be observed or measured in this experiment? What do you think might be different as a result of this increased study time? You're expecting tests grades will be affected. In this experiment, the independent variable is the study time. And the dependent variable, the thing you're measuring or going to observe is the tests grades. Here's another example. See if you can figure it out. This time, the hypothesis is that if people who have headaches take aspirin, then they will get relief faster than those who don't take aspirin for headaches. So, what's the thing that's different in this case? The thing that's different, the independent variable, is whether or not somebody is taking an aspirin. Then what are you going to measure? You're measuring how long it takes for their headache to go away. That's the dependent variable. Here's a final example to help you understand these terms. You predict that if a brand name light bulb is left on continuously, then it will burn longer than a bargain brand light bulb used in the same manner. In this case, what is the independent variable? It's the brand name light bulb. What are you measuring? You're measuring how many hours the light bulbs work before burning out, which is the dependent variable. The independent variable is the brand name light bulb, and the dependent variable is the amount of time the light bulbs work before burning out. So, to review, the independent variable is the thing that you're testing. Sometimes this is referred to as the cost in an experiment. It is also the "if" part of your hypothesis. The dependent variable, the thing you're measuring, is the effect. It is also the "then" part of your hypothesis. [music]
"This past year, your company prepared three medical illustrations for our cases; two in which we received six figure awards; one in which we received a substantial seven figure award. I believe in large part, the amounts obtained were due to the vivid illustrations of my clients' injuries and the impact on the finder of fact."
Donald W. Marcari
Marcari Russotto & Spencer, P.C.
Chesapeake, VA
"Thank you very much for the great work on the medical exhibits. Our trial
resulted in a $16 million verdict for a 9 year old boy with catastrophic
injuries, and the medical illustrations definitely played key role in the
trial."
David Cutt
Brayton Purcell
Salt Lake City, UT
"Your firm is great to work with and, most importantly for me, you get the
job done on time and with the utmost professionalism. You should be proud of
all those you employ, from KJ to Ben B. I've been especially pleased over
the years with the work of Brian and Alice, both of whom seem to tolerate my
idiosycratic compulsion to edit, but I've not found a bad apple in the bunch
(and, as you know, I've used your firm a bunch!).
I look forward to our continued professional relationship."
Kenneth J. Allen Kenneth Allen & Associates
Valparaiso, IN
"I have a medical illustration created by Medical Legal Art at the beginning
of every case to tell the client's story, usually before I depose the
defendant doctor. The work product and cost-efficiency are outstanding. It
is a situation where, as a trial lawyer, I don't leave home without it."
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
trials and for use in the courtroom. We do not provide legal or medical
advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
