KINDS OF

VARIABLES
AND THEIR USES
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify
Define what Use the kinds
different
variable is in of variables in
variables that
Quantitative Quantitative
can be use in
Research Research
Research
 VARIABLES
the root word of variable is
“vary” or simply “can
change”
 VARIABLES
Variables are among the
fundamental concepts of
research, alongside with
measurement, validity,
reliability, cause and effect
theory.
 VARIABLES
Bernard (1994) defines
variable as something that
can take more than one
value, and values can be
words or numbers.
 VARIABLES
The common variables in
social research are age, sex,
gender, education, income,
martial status and
occupation.
 VARIABLES
Still other experts define variables
as any entity that can take on
different values. simply stated,
anything that can vary can
considered a variable. An
attribute, on the other hand, is a
specific value on a variable
 VARIABLES
For instance, the variable gender
has two attributes: male and
female. or variable agreement
mught have 5 attribute: strongly
disagree, disagree, neutral, agree,
strongly agree
 VARIABLES
A variable specifically refers to a
characteristic, or attribute of an
individual or an organization that
can be measured or observed and
that varies among the people or
organization being studied
(Croswell, 2002)
NATURE OF OF VARIABLES AND DATA
Quantitative researchers try to count human behaviors, that
is, they attempt to count multiple variables at the same time.
According to Allen, Titsworth, Hunt, 2009, variables are
classified as one of four types.
 NOMINAL
Represent categories that
cannot be ordered in any
particular way. Examples are
biological sex (e.g. male vs.
female). political affiliation,
basketball fan affiliation, etc.
ORDINAL VARIABLES
Represent categories that
can be ordered from
greatest to smallest.
Examples of ordinal
variables in education level
(e.g. freshmen, sophomore,
Grade 6, Grade 7), income
brackets, etc.
 INTERVAL
VARIABLES
Have values that lie along
along the evenly dispersed
range of numbers. for
instance, temperature, a
person”s net worth.
RATIO VARIABLES
Have values that lie along an
evenly dispersed range of numbers
when there is an absolute zero, as
opposed to net worth, which can
have a negative debt-to-income
ratio-level variable.
 KIDS OF VARIABLES
Several experts lumped together the
following as the major kinds of variables
 INDEPENDENT
VARIABLES
Those that probably cause,
influence, or affect outcomes.
They are invariable called
treatment, manipulated,
antecedent, or predictor
variables.
 DEPENDENT
VARIABLES
Those that depend on the
independent variables; they
are the outcomes or results
of the influence of the
independent variables.
 INTERVENING
VARIABLES
“Stands between” the
independent and dependent
variables, and they show the
effects of the independent on
the dependent variable.
CONTROLLED VARIABLES
Special tyoe of independent variables
that are measured in study becasue
they potentially influencw the dependent
variables. Researchers use statistical
procedures (e.g. analysis of covariance)
to control hese variables. They may be
demographic or personal variables that
need to be “control” so that the true
influence of the independent variable on
the dependent can be determined
 CONFOUNDING VARIABLES
Those that are not actually measured or
observed in a study. They exist but their
influence cannot be directly detected in a
study. Researchers comment on the influence
of confounding variables after the study has
been completed, becasue these variables
may have operated to explain the
relationship between the independent
variable and dependent variable, but they
were not or could not be easily assesed.
EXAMPLES OF VARIABLES
Patrick Regoniel (2012) advances these
examples of variables
PHENOMENON A:
CLIMATE CHANGE
• Sea Level
• Temperature
• The amount of carbon
emission
• The amount of rainfall
PHENOMENON B:
CRIME AND VIOLENCE IN
STREETS
• Number of robberies
• Numner of attempted
murders
• Number of prisoners
• Number of Crime Victims
PHENOMENON C:
POOR PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS
IN COLLECR ENTRANCE EXAM

• Entrance Exam Score

• Number of Hours
devoted to studying
• student-teacher ratio
• Number of students in
class
THANK YOU!
I hope you learn
something new today!
Let’s sQUIZzz
Your brain for a moment
SURVEY or EXPERIMENT
Write SURVEY or EXPERIMENT on the
following quantitative research items.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
How many students use the
university library between
7AM and 8AM.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
How many hours adolescents
do Facebook in a day.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The most frequently used
student service in your
university.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The impact of blended
learning on students enrolled
in English 1.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The number of students who
read broadsheets
(newspaper) daily.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The food preference of
basketball players of your
university institution.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The number of times
students go to guidance
counselor for help every
month
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The kind of shampoo women
prefer.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The kind of shampoo men
prefer.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The most saleable item in
three food chains.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The effects of coaching on
the academic performance
of Grace XII students in the
subject Mathematics.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The results of a prescribed
daily diet on the sugar count
of diabetic patients.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The popularity of two
dishwashing liquid brands
among housewives.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The impact of cooperative
stores on selected barangay.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
The correlation of admission
test results of high school
graduates under the ALS and
those under Dep-Ed system
of schooling.
 SURVEY or
EXPERIMENT
Top 3 academic tracks
chosen by SHS students in
your school.