PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2: QUANTITATIVE

RESEARCH

VARIABLES
Miss Ron Mariah Kristafer J. Manlapig, LPT
DEFINITION OF

VARIABLE
S
UNITS:
When we collect data in quantitative educational research, we
have to collect them from someone or something. The people
or things (e.g. schools) we collect data on or from are known
as units or cases.

VARIABLES:
The data that we are collecting from these units are known as
variables. Variables are any characteristic of the unit we are
interested in and want to collect (e.g. gender, age, ideas)
Variables are “changing qualities or characteristics”
of persons or things, like age, gender, intelligence,
ideas, achievements, confidence, and so on that are
involved in your research.
Made up of the root word “vary” which means that
these data will undergo changes or differ from
between units.
(e.g. achievement will differ between pupils and schools,
gender will differ between pupils, and so on.)
BASIC TYPES OF

VARIABLE
S
 INDEPENDENT
variables you are VARIABLE
The variable that is stable and unaffected by the other
trying to measure. It refers to the condition
of an experiment that is systematically manipulated by the
researcher. It is the presumed cause.
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
The variable that depends on other factors that are measured.
These variables are expected to change as a result of an
experimental manipulation of the independent variable or. It
is the presumed effect.
 BRAIN EXERCISES
Identify the independent and dependent variables in each
research problem.

• How does logical thinking develop

critical thinking?

• What are the effects of

Koreanovelas/ KDramas on the
Filipino values system?

• In what way that online chatting

decrease students’ grammatical
competence?
 BRAIN EXERCISES
Identify the independent and dependent variables in each
research problem.

• How does collaborative learning

increase students’ communication
skill?

• What institutional practices trigger

of one’s resignation?

• In what way does school policies

affect the students’ academic
performance?
OTHER TYPES OF

VARIABLE
S
 CONSTANT - Do not undergo any changes
during an experiment.

ATTRIBUTE – Cannot be manipulated or

changed by the researcher as they are inherent part of
a person or object.
(characteristics of people: intelligence, creativity, anxiety)

CONTINUOUS – Quantitative in nature and

has infinite number of possible values
(height, weight, distance, temperature)
 DICHOTOMOUS – Binary; has only two
possible results: one or zero.

LATENT – Cannot be directly observed like

personality traits
(political activism | intelligence)

MANIFEST – Can be directly observed to give

proofs to latent variables
(sign a political petition | IQ test scores)
EXOGENOUS – Found outside an identified
model
(educational attainment as a factor of work income)

ENDOGENOUS– Found inside, as a part of

identified model

EXOGENOUS TO CONFOUNDING
– Exogenous variables are need to be controlled by
the researcher because they exist as “nuisance
variables” that has the potency affect the results
negatively.
(e.g. Effects of Online Games to Academic Performance)
Exogenous: HONORS, SCHOLARSHIP, PARENT’S PRESSURE
 GROUP ACTIVITY
SEATWORK #3

• Discover who among the SICM BED teachers/ professors

have written some research studies before.

• Interview five (5) of them and ask for the title of their
papers and some additional details.

• From the titles, identify the dependent, independent, and

extraneous variables. Use the sample format on the next
slide as guide.
 GROUP ACTIVITY
SAMPLE FORMAT

1. NAME:
POSITION:
DEPARTMENT:
SUBJECTS TAUGHT:
RESEARCH TITLE:
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
EXTRANEOUS VARIABLE

Each number is equivalent to 10 points. TOTAL: 50 POINTS

THANK YOU
for listening!