What are control variables in an experiment?

Control variables in an experiment are critical to ensuring that the results you obtain are due to the manipulations you apply rather than other factors. These are extraneous variables that researchers recognize and take into account during the study to avoid them influencing the outcome.

By identifying and controlling these variables, researchers maintain the integrity of the results, allowing them to attribute observed changes specifically to the independent variable being tested. For instance, if you're studying the effect of a new marketing strategy on sales, factors like seasonality, competitor activity, or consumer demographics could impact sales as well. By controlling for these extraneous variables, you're able to isolate the effect of the marketing strategy more effectively.

This foundational practice contributes to the overall validity of your findings, demonstrating that what you observe is indeed a consequence of the experimental manipulation, leading to more reliable and accurate conclusions in research analyses.