Identification of Research

Variable, Development of
Hypothesis and Literature
Review
Identification of Research
Variables
AAvariable
variableisisthe
thecharacteristic
characteristicororattribute
attributeofofan an
individual,
individual,group,
group,ororthe
theenvironment
environmentthat thatisisofof
interest in a research study.
interest in a research study.
 Descriptive

Continuous Numeric

Variable
Types

Discrete Categorical
Independent Variable
• A variable that is selected or controlled by the researcher, to determine
its relationship to the observed outcome of the research
• Also called explanatory, predictor, or manipulated variable.

Dependent Variable
• The variable being measured as an outcome
• Also called outcome, response, criterion, or explained variable

Intervening (Mediating) Variables:

• A hypothetical concept that attempts to explain the relationship
between the independent and dependent variables
• Also called process variable

Exogenous Variable
• Is a variable which could provide alternative explanations or cast doubt
on conclusions.
• Also called extraneous variable
 Compare

What do I
Describe do with Correlate
Variables?

Experiment
Developing Hypotheses
A hypothesis is a
proposed
explanation for a
phenomenon.
 Null
Hypothese
s
Alternate
Literature
Literaturereview
reviewisisaacarefully
carefully
crafted
craftedsummary
summaryof ofrecent
recent
studies
studiesconducted
conductedon onaatopic
topic
that
thatincludes
includeskey
keyfinding
findingand
and
methods
methodsresearchers
researchersused,
used,
while
whilemaking
makingsure
suretoto
document
documentthe thesources.
sources.
AAliterature
literaturereview
reviewisisbased
basedon
onthe
the
assumption
assumptionthat
thatknowledge
knowledge
accumulates
accumulatesandandthat
thatpeople
peoplelearn
learn
from
fromand
andbuild
buildon
onwhat
whatothers
othershave
have
done.
done.
 Helps
Narrow
Down
Topic

Serves as Why Informs

about
an Review State of
example
Literature? Knowledge

Stimulates
Creativity
and
Curiosity
 Goals of Literature Review

To demonstrate To show the

a familiarity path of prior To integrate To learn from
with a body of research and and summarize others and
knowledge and how a current what is known stimulate new
establish project is linked in an area. ideas.
credibility. to it.
 Steps in Literature Review

Locate Identify Identify Identify the

relevant central major Methodolog
studies issues findings y
 Note Taking

The author’s or The year the

The title of the
editor’s name book was
book
(or names) published

The city the If it is an

The name of
book was edition other
the publisher
published in than the first
 Citing Books
Book with one author
• Adair, J. (1988) Effective time management: How to save time
and spend it wisely, London: Pan Books.
Book with two authors
• McCarthy, P. and Hatcher, C. (1996) Speaking persuasively:
Making the most of your presentations, Sydney: Allen and
Unwin.
Book with three or more authors
• Fisher, R., Ury, W. and Patton, B. (1991) Getting to yes:
Negotiating an agreement without giving in, 2nd edition,
London: Century Business.
 Citing Journal Articles
• Muller, V. (1994) ‘Trapped in the body:
Transsexualism, the law, sexual identity’, The
Australian Feminist Law Journal, vol. 3, no. 2,
August, pp. 103-107.
 Journal article from CD-ROM, electronic
database
• Skargren, E.I. & Oberg, B. (1998) ‘Predictive
factors for 1-year outcome of low-back and
neck pain in patients treated in primary care:
Comparison between the treatment strategies
chiropractic and physiotherapy’, Pain
[Electronic], vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 201-208,
Available: Elsevier/ScienceDirect/ O304-
3959(98)00101-8, [8 Feb 1999].
 Newspaper articles
• Cumming, F. (1999) ‘Tax-free savings push’,
Sunday Mail, 4 April, p. 1.
 Conference papers
• Hart, G., Albrecht, M., Bull, R. and Marshall, L.
(1992) ‘Peer consultation: A professional
development opportunity for nurses
employed in rural settings’, Conference
Proceedings, Australian Rural Health
Conference, Toowoomba, pp. 143 – 148.