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Research Variables Clearly identifying the independent and dependent variables in a study is a critical aspect
of any research project. The dissertation is no different. This assignment will allow you to
practice your skills in identifying research variables.
General Requirements:
Use the following information to ensure successful completion of the assignment:
? In a study investigating the effects of humor on memory, Schmidt showed participants
a list of sentences, half of which were humorous and half were non-humorous.
Schmidt found that participants consistently recalled more of the humorous sentences
than the non-humorous sentences, demonstrating that the use of humor increased
participants’ recall of sentences.
? This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the
assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
? Doctoral learners are required to use APA style for their writing assignments. The APA
Style Guide is located in the Student Success Center.
? This assignment requires that at least two additional scholarly research sources
related to this topic, and at least one in-text citation from each source be included.
Directions:
In an essay (400-500 words), address the following items:
1. Identify the independent variable for this study.
2. Describe the scale of measurement used for the independent variable.
3. Describe the scale of measurement used for the dependent variabl

e.
4. Provide an example of a simple study using Schmidt as a model. State the purpose of
the research (Schmidt’s purpose was to examine the effects of humor on memory),
the research question (Schmidt’s research question was: What are the effects of
humor on memory?), the independent variable, and the dependent variable for your
study. Answer Preview……….The independent and dependent variables in research are defined to clearly identify the results of the research study and also elaborate the correlation. Furthermore, without the proper definition of these variables, it is hard to determine what the researcher aims to find in a research. Schmidt’s experiment aims to determine the effect of humor on memory. According to Gravetter and Wallnau (2013), an independent variable is the one which the researcher manipulates to observe the change in an experiment. In Schmidt’s experiment, the independent variable is the content of the sentences which is either humorous or non-humorous. Since the variables are in no particular order, they are measured using a nominal scale. A nominal scale measures discrete data in distinct categories and in this case, the scale if favorable because the variables lie in two categories. On the other hand, the dependent variable in Schmidt’s experiment is the memory of the research participants. A dependent variable is any variable that is observed and relies on the…….APA 447 words
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