Criterion B Made Simple: Research Question, Variables & Method (MYP Science)
Criterion B (Inquiring and designing) rewards one thing above all: a plan another person could follow and trust. That plan is built from a small number of parts — a research question, a hypothesis, the right variables, a step-by-step method, sensible materials and a safety check. Get each part right and the whole investigation holds together.
Try it yourself: practise writing research questions, sorting variables, and building a method, earning badges for each skill.
A research question you can actually test
A strong research question is focused and names both what you will change and what you will measure: "How does the temperature of water affect the time taken for a sugar cube to dissolve?" beats "Does temperature matter?" because it tells the reader exactly what will be investigated.
Variables
Every fair test has three kinds of variable:
- •Independent variable (IV) — the one thing you change, with the range and steps you will use.
- •Dependent variable (DV) — what you measure, and the unit and instrument you will measure it with.
- •Controlled variables (CV) — everything else you keep the same, and how you will keep it the same.
Hypothesis
A hypothesis predicts the outcome and gives a scientific reason: "As temperature increases the sugar dissolves faster, because particles move faster and collide with the sugar more often." The reason, drawn from real science, is what lifts it above a guess.
Method, materials and safety
Write the method as numbered steps precise enough to repeat, and plan repeat trials so you can spot anomalies. Choose materials that suit the measurement — a measuring cylinder is more accurate than a beaker for volume — and list quantities. Finally, identify hazards, say how likely and serious the harm is, and state the control measure (goggles, tied-back hair, cooling hot glassware).
Frequently asked questions
It is focused, testable, and identifies both the independent variable (what you change) and the dependent variable (what you measure).
Decide which factors could affect the result, then keep each one constant (same volume, same equipment, same time) and say how you will do it in the method.
Repeats let you spot anomalies and calculate a more reliable average, which makes your conclusion more trustworthy.