RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS

ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

CHAPTER 5
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF
VARIABLES
The operational definition of a variable is the specific way in which it is measured in
that study. An operational definition, when applied to data collection, is a clear,
concise detailed definition of a measure. The need for operational definitions is
fundamental when collecting all types of data. It is particularly important when a
decision is being made about whether something is correct or incorrect, or when a
visual check is being made where there is room for confusion.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter, the learners should be able to:

1. explain what a variable is and describe its uses in research,
2. describe and relate the different types of variables and give examples of each, and
3. classify the variables in a given study and determine the nature of relationship between
them.
______________________________________________________________________

What is a Variable?

A variable is anything that has a quantity or quality that varies. The dependent variable is
the variable a researcher is interested in. An independent variable is a variable believed to
affect the dependent variable. Confounding variables are defined as interference caused
by another variable.

Types of variables:

Categorical variables take on values that are names or labels. The color of a ball (e.g.,
red, yellow, blue) or the breed of a dog (e.g., collie, shepherd, terrier) would be examples
of categorical variables.

Confounding variables are an outside influence that changes the effect of a dependent
and independent variable. It can ruin an experiment and produce useless results.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Continuous variables have an infinite number of values, like “time” or “weight”.

Control variables are a factor in an experiment which must be held constant. For
example, in an experiment to determine whether light makes plants grow faster, you
would have to control for soil quality and water.

Dependent variables are the outcome of an experiment. As you change the independent
variable, you watch what happens to the dependent variable.

Discrete variables can only take on a certain number of values. For example, “number of
cars in a parking lot” is discrete because a car park can only hold so many cars.

Independent variables are not affected by anything that you, the researcher, does.
Usually plotted on the x-axis.

Lurking variables are a “hidden” variable the affects the relationship between the
independent and dependent variables.

Measurement variables have a number associated with it. It’s an “amount” of something,
or a “number” of something.

Nominal variable is another name for categorical variable.

Ordinal variables are similar to a categorical variable, but there is a clear order. For
example, income levels of low, middle, and high could be considered ordinal.

Qualitative variables are a broad category for any variable that can’t be counted (i.e. has
no numerical value). Nominal and ordinal variables fall under this umbrella term.

Quantitative variables can be counted or have a numerical value associated with them.
Examples of variables that fall into this category include discrete variables and ratio
variables.

Random variables are associated with random processes and give numbers to outcomes
of random events.

Ranked variables are an ordinal variable; a variable where every data point can be put in
order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).

Ratio variables are similar to interval variables but has a meaningful zero.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Less Common Types of Variables

Active Variable is manipulated by the researcher.

Antecedent Variable comes before the independent variable.

Attribute variable is another name for a categorical variable (in statistical software) or a
variable that isn’t manipulated (in design of experiments).

Binary variable can only take on two values, usually 0/1. Could also be yes/no, tall/short
or some other two-variable combination.

Collider Variable is represented by a node on a causal graph that has paths pointing in as
well as out.

Covariate variable is similar to an independent variable, it has an effect on the dependent

variable but is usually not the variable of interest.

Criterion variable is another name for a dependent variable, when the variable is used in
non-experimental situations.

Dichotomous variable: Another name for a binary variable.

Dummy Variables is used in regression analysis when you want to assign relationships to
unconnected categorical variables. For example, if you had the categories “has dogs” and
“owns a car” you might assign a 1 to mean “has dogs” and 0 to mean “owns a car.”

Endogenous variable is similar to dependent variables, they are affected by other

variables in the system. It is used almost exclusively in econometrics.

Exogenous variable affects others in the system.

Explanatory Variable is a type of independent variable. When a variable is independent,

it is not affected at all by any other variables. When a variable isn’t independent for
certain, it’s an explanatory variable.

Extraneous variables are any variables that you are not intentionally studying in your
experiment or test.

A grouping variable (also called a coding variable, group variable or by variable) sorts
data within data files into categories or groups.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Identifier Variables are used to uniquely identify situations.

Indicator variable is another name for a dummy variable.

Interval variable is a meaningful measurement between two variables. Also sometimes

used as another name for a continuous variable.

Intervening variable is a variable that is used to explain the relationship between

variables.

Latent Variable is a hidden variable that can’t be measured or observed directly.

Manifest variable is a variable that can be directly observed or measured.

Manipulated variable: another name for independent variable.

Mediating variable or intervening variable explains how the relationship between

variables happens. For example, it could explain the difference between the predictor and
criterion.

Moderating variable changes the strength of an effect between independent and

dependent variables. For example, psychotherapy may reduce stress levels for women
more than men, so sex moderates the effect between psychotherapy and stress levels.

Nuisance Variable is an extraneous variable that increases variability overall.

Observed Variable is a measured variable (usually used in search engine marketing).

Outcome variable is similar in meaning to a dependent variable but used in a non-

experimental study.

Polychotomous variables can have more than two values.

Predictor variable is similar in meaning to the independent variable but used in

regression and in non-experimental studies.

Responding variable is an informal term for dependent variable, usually used in science
fairs.

Scale Variable is basically, another name for a measurement variable.

Study Variable (Research Variable) can mean any variable used in a study but does have
a more formal definition when used in a clinical trial.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Test Variable is another name for the dependent variable.

Treatment variable is another name for independent variable.

Each person/thing we collect data on is called an observation (in our work these are
usually people/subjects. Currently, the term participant rather than subject is used when
describing the people from whom we collect data.

Observations (participants) possess a variety of characteristics. If a characteristic of an

observation (participant) is the same for every member of the group (doesn’t vary) it is
called a constant.

If a characteristic of an observation (participant) differs for group members it is called a

variable. In research we don’t get excited about constants (since everyone is the same on
that characteristic); we’re more interested in variables. variables can be classified as
quantitative or qualitative (also known as categorical).

Quantitative variables are ones that exist along a continuum that runs from low to high.
Ordinal, interval, and ratio variables are quantitative. Quantitative variables are
sometimes called continuous variables because they have a variety (continuum) of
characteristics. Height in inches and scores on a test would be examples of quantitative
variables.

Qualitative variables do not express differences in amount, only differences. They are
sometimes referred to as categorical variables because they classify by categories.
Nominal variables such as gender, religion, or eye color are categorical variables.

Categorical variables are group such as gender or type of degree sought. Quantitative
variables are numbers that have a range…like weight in pounds or baskets made during a
ball game. When we analyze data we do turn the categorical variables into numbers but
only for identification purposes…e.g. 1 = male and 2 = female. Just because 2 = female
does not mean that females are better than males who are only 1. With quantitative data
having a higher number means you have more of something. So higher values have
meaning.

A special case of a categorical variable is a dichotomous variable. Dichotomous

variables have only two characteristics (male or female). When naming qualitative
variables, it is important to name the category rather than the levels (i.e., sex is the
variable name, not male and female). Variables have different purposes or roles.

Independent (Experimental, Manipulated, Treatment, Grouping) Variable-That factor

which is measured, manipulated, or selected by the experimenter to determine its

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

relationship to an observed phenomenon. “In a research study, independent variables are

antecedent conditions that are presumed to affect a dependent variable. They are either
manipulated by the researcher or are observed by the researcher so that their values can
be related to that of the dependent variable. For example, in a research study on the
relationship between mosquitoes and mosquito bites, the number of mosquitoes per acre
of ground would be an independent variable” (Jaeger, 1990, p. 373)

While the independent variable is often manipulated by the researcher, it can also be a
classification where subjects are assigned to groups. In a study where one variable causes
the other, the independent variable is the cause. In a study where groups are being
compared, the independent variable is the group classification.

Dependent (Outcome) Variable-That factor which is observed and measured to

determine the effect of the independent variable, i.e., that factor that appears, disappears,
or varies as the experimenter introduces, removes, or varies the independent variable. “In
a research study, the independent variable defines a principal focus of research interest. It
is the consequent variable that is presumably affected by one or more independent
variables that are either manipulated by the researcher or observed by the researcher and
regarded as antecedent conditions that determine the value of the dependent variable. For
example, in a study of the relationship between mosquitoes and mosquito bites, the
number of mosquito bites per hour would be the dependent variable” (Jaeger, 1990, p.
370). The dependent variable is the participant’s response.

The dependent variable is the outcome. In an experiment, it may be what was caused or
what changed as a result of the study. In a comparison of groups, it is what they differ on.

Moderator Variable- That factor which is measured, manipulated, or selected by the

experimenter to discover whether it modifies the relationship of the independent variable
to an observed phenomenon. It is a special type of independent variable.
The independent variable’s relationship with the dependent variable may change under
different conditions. That condition is the moderator variable. In a study of two methods
of teaching reading, one of the methods of teaching reading may work better with boys
than girls. Method of teaching reading is the independent variable and reading
achievement is the dependent variable. Gender is the moderator variable because it
moderates or changes the relationship between the independent variable (teaching
method) and the dependent variable (reading achievement).

Suppose we do a study of reading achievement where we compare whole language with

phonics, and we also include students’ social economic status (SES) as a variable. The
students are randomly assigned to either whole language instruction or phonics
instruction. There are students of high and low SES in each group.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Let’s assume that we found that whole language instruction worked better than phonics
instruction with the high SES students, but phonics instruction worked better than whole
language instruction with the low SES students. Later you will learn in statistics that this
is an interaction effect. In this study, language instruction was the independent variable
(with two levels: phonics and whole language). SES was the moderator variable (with
two levels: high and low). Reading achievement was the dependent variable (measured
on a continuous scale so there aren’t levels).

With a moderator variable, we find the type of instruction did make a difference, but it
worked differently for the two groups on the moderator variable. We select this
moderator variable because we think it is a variable that will moderate the effect of the
independent on the dependent. We make this decision before we start the study.

If the moderator had not been in the study above, we would have said that there was no
difference in reading achievement between the two types of reading instruction. This
would have happened because the average of the high and low scores of each SES group
within a reading instruction group would cancel each other and produce what appears to
be average reading achievement in each instruction group (i.e., Phonics: Low—6 and
High—2; Whole Language: Low—2 and High—6; Phonics has an average of 4 and
Whole Language has an average of 4. If we just look at the averages (without regard to
the moderator), it appears that the instruction types produced similar results).

Extraneous Variable- Those factors which cannot be controlled.

These variables are independent variables that have not been controlled. They may or
may not influence the results. One way to control an extraneous variable which might
influence the results is to make it a constant (keep everyone in the study alike on that
characteristic). If SES were thought to influence achievement, then restricting the study
to one SES level would eliminate SES as an extraneous variable.

Operational Definition of Variables

The operational definition of a variable is the specific way in which it is measured in

that study. Another study might measure the same conceptual measure differently. If you
were studying ways of helping people stop smoking, smoking cessation would be an
outcome measure (dependent variable).

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Look at the examples below:

Variables Indicator/Operational Definition

Beneficiary Beneficiary is a person who derives advantage
from something, especially a trust, will, or life
insurance policy (Beneficiary, 2018).
In this study, it referred to the recipient of a
house in a housing relocation provided by the
government or a non-governmental
organization in northern Iloilo.

Dwelling feature Dwelling feature is the distinctive attribute or

aspect of a house (Dwelling feature, 2018).
In this study, it referred to the noticeable or
important characteristic or part of the house
given to housing beneficiaries in northern
Iloilo.

Dwelling support services Dwelling support service is a support service

that helps people to live as independently as
possible in the community, in a wide range of
supported housing (Dwelling support service,
2018).
In this study, it referred to the support provided
by the National Housing Authority to meet the
specific needs of the individual beneficiaries in
northern Iloilo.

Housing Housing is a form of housing tenure in which

the property is owned by a government
authority, which may be central or local and
which may be owned and managed by the
government, by non-profit organizations, or by
a combination of the two, usually with the aim
of providing affordable housing. It can also be
seen as a potential remedy to housing
inequality (Housing, 2018).
In this study, it referred to the housing property
owned by a government authority or by non-
profit organizations, or by a combination of the
two.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Needs assessment Needs assessment is a systematic process for

determining and addressing needs, or "gaps"
between current conditions and desired
conditions or "wants". The discrepancy
between the current condition and wanted
condition must be measured to appropriately
identify the need (Needs assessment, 2018).

Establishing Categories of Variables

There are two traits of variables that should always be achieved. Each variable should be
exhaustive, it should include all possible answerable responses. For instance, if the
variable is "religion" and the only options are "Protestant", "Jewish", and "Muslim", there
are quite a few religions I can think of that haven't been included. The list does not
exhaust all possibilities.

On the other hand, if you exhaust all the possibilities with some variables—religion being
one of them—you would simply have too many responses. The way to deal with this is to
explicitly list the most common attributes and then use a general category like "Other" to
account for all remaining ones.

In addition to being exhaustive, the attributes of a variable should be mutually exclusive,

no respondent should be able to have two attributes simultaneously. While this might
seem obvious, it is often rather tricky in practice.

For instance, you might be tempted to represent the variable "Employment Status" with
the two attributes "employed" and "unemployed." But these attributes are not necessarily
mutually exclusive -- a person who is looking for a second job while employed would be
able to check both attributes! But don't we often use questions on surveys that ask the
respondent to "check all that apply" and then list a series of categories? Yes, we do, but
technically speaking, each of the categories in a question like that is its own variable and
is treated dichotomously as either "checked" or "unchecked", attributes that are mutually
exclusive.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Operational Definition of Key Terms

Operational definition is a precise statement of how a conceptual variable is turned into a

measured variable. Research can only proceed once an adequate operational definition
has been defined.

In some cases, the conceptual variable may be too vague to be operationalized, and in
other cases the variable cannot be operationalized because the appropriate technology has
not been developed.

This specificity is important for two reasons:

First, more specific definitions mean that there is less danger that the collected data will
be misunderstood by others.

Second, specific definitions will enable future researchers to replicate the research.

Making Operational Definitions

It is critical to operationally define a variable in order to lend credibility to the

methodology and to ensure the reproducibility of the results. Another study may measure
the same variable differently.

The operational definition also helps to control the variable by making the measurement
constant. Therefore, when it comes to operational definitions of a variable, the more
detailed the definition is, the better.

For example, if the researcher was planning to weigh research subjects, there would
several constructs that should be spelled out including what the subjects were to wear,
whether they would wear shoes, what type of scale was being used, and time of day. It
may also be important to define the measurement of the outcome.

For example, if a study was examining the relationship of swimming on overall fitness,
the researcher would need to define how the outcome of overall fitness would be
measured.

Similarly, if a researcher was studying the impact of a nutrition education program, the
outcome to be used in measuring the program’s effectiveness would need to be defined.

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5

 RESEARCH: METHODS & PRACTICAL SKILLS
ROGELIO T. ARTAJO, Ph.D.

Here are some strategies to follow in defining variables operationally :

Enumerate your independent, dependent and intervening (if any) variables.

Write an operationally definition for each variable.

Classify the probable categories of each variable and determine if the categories can be
clearly understood, are mutually exclusive (do not overlay) and exhaustive. The list of
categories is complete to categorize all respondents.

Write down the key terms which may be understood otherwise by different people, unless
they are operationally defined. Write an operational definition for each term.

When defining a variable, think about the following questions:

Does the definition obviously require the way the variable will be measured?

Are the categories of each variable mutually exclusive?

Are the categories exhaustive?

Artajo, R.T (January 2020) Methods of Research ISBN 978-621-8195-03-5