D
Below is a question with multiple-choice answers. Choose the correct option based on your reasoning.

### Question:
A medical research team is trying to determine whether a cream that is rubbed on the chest will help reduce the coughing associated with a particular illness. The team conducts the research using several groups of people. Which step will most likely result in producing a dependent (responding) variable that will help validate their research?

### Choices:
A. using a different amount of people in each trial
B. writing down the names of the people in the study
C. monitoring the reaction of each person in the study
D. applying the same amount of cream to each person

### Answer:
