Influence on the dependent variables

Control of Extraneous Variables Control of Extraneous Variables Any research conducted, normally focuses on two kinds of variables, the dependent and the independent. The central idea of the researcher is to manipulate the independent variable so as to induce some response measured by the dependent variable. However, in any given research there are other numerous variables that constantly change. Such variable are named as the extraneous variables, and it is the duty of the researcher to deal with these variable so that they cannot turn into confounding variables (Houser, 2014). If the extraneous variables turn into confounding variables, they can influence the validity of the research findings thus the researcher needs to come up with ways to attempt to control the extraneous variables.
Firstly, the researchers’ points out some of the variables those are most likely to have influence on the dependent variable (Keele, 2015). This approach is based on researcher’s common sense, experience as well as his or her simple logic reasoning. For instance, it is evident that a noisy, busy room has a lot of distractions that lower the level of performance as to the contrary of a quiet place. In this case, noise is the extraneous variable, and it can be controlled from turning into a confounding variable.
Other researchers hold the extraneous variable constant by employing approaches that create a standardized surrounding and procedure. This approach ensures that all variables are the same in each condition thereby they cannot turn into confounding variables. Other ways that researcher’ do use to attempt to control the extraneous variables in experiments include the random assignment approach and the control technique of matching. Under the random assignment approach, the researcher starts with a particular group of participants whereby these participants get assigned to groups randomly (Wood & Kerr, 2014). This only means that the researcher tries to avoid the extraneous variables for making the decision on how participants get fit to different groups.
Similarly, the control technique of matching enables the researcher on deciding the variables that he or she wants to use in equating the groups on thereby avoiding the extraneous variables from turning into confounding variables.
To conclude, it is important to control the extraneous variables from turning into confounding variables when conducting any research. Once the extraneous variables have been figured out it is of much important to perform a meta-analysis to find a way of adjusting these variables.
Reference
Houser, J. (2014). Nursing research: Reading, using, and creating evidence. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Keele, R. (2015). Nursing research and evidence-based practice: Ten steps to success. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Wood, M. J., & Kerr, J. C. (2014). Basic steps in planning nursing research: From question to proposal. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett.
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