Final answer:
In an experiment, only one variable should be tested at a time. The experiment should be repeated many times to ensure validity, and a control group is necessary for comparison.
Step-by-step explanation:
To ensure the validity of an experiment, one should test only one variable at a time. This way, you can ascertain the direct effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable without interference from other potential factors. When looking at an experiment to test how fertilizer affects plant growth, one would control for factors such as amount of water, type of soil, and amount of sunlight to ensure that these do not skew the results.
For an experiment to be conclusive and reduce the likelihood of chance affecting the outcome, it should be repeated many times to rule out luck or chance, not just 2-3 times or once for each variable.
In the cricket experiment examining chirping rates in relation to temperature, the conclusion cannot be determined without further information. However, the mentioned setup implies that temperature is the variable being tested. Moreover, when analyzing experimental design, it is imperative to have a control group that does not receive the experimental treatment for comparison.