. A research study about test anxiety will measure the change in heartrate of the test-taker. The researcher randomly assigns pa
rticipants into one of two groups, either the Test group or the No-test group (where the first group takes a timed test and the second group reads for the same amount of time). What is the operational definition of the independent variable
An operational definition gives exactly what the independent variable means and its mode of measurement. The Independent variable is the variable in a research or experimental study which causes a change in the the measured variable. Hence, the independent variable is the predictor variable. In the study above, the independent variable is the timed test which is used to observe changes in the heart rate of the test taker (test anxiety). The change innheartrate of the test taker is the dependent variable.
