In a study examining the effect of tutoring, which variable would be the dependent variable?

• A. Tutoring
• B. Study time
• C. Participant age
• D. Test scores

Answer: (D)

The main idea is identifying the outcome that researchers measure to see the effect of what they manipulate. In this tutoring study, the factor that is varied is whether participants receive tutoring, which is the independent variable. The researchers then look at how well participants perform, which is reflected in their test scores. Since test scores are the measurements used to determine the impact of tutoring, they are the dependent variable.

Age is a demographic trait of participants, not the outcome being tested. Study time could influence results but is not the result being measured to assess tutoring’s effect. Tutoring itself is the manipulated factor, while the test scores show how that manipulation affects performance.