Research Variables

2
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Identification of variables
Chinn & Kramer stated that

‘Variables are concepts at different

level of abstraction (thought, idea,
notion) that are concisely defined to
promote their measurement or
manipulation within study’.
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Identification of variables

Variables are classified based on

their
Nature,

Actions, &

Effects on the variables

Types of Variables
1. Independent & 5

Dependent Variable

2. Research Variable

3. Demographic
Variable

4. Extraneous
Variable
 1. INDEPENDENT AND 6

DEPENDENT VARIABLES
These are two variables which are
interrelated & mainly observed in
 Correlational, interventional,
 Pre-experimental,

 Quasi-experimental and experimental

research studies.
1. INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT 7

VARIABLES

AN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: It is

a stimulus or activity that is
manipulated or varied by the
researcher to create the effect on the
dependent variable.
 1. INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT 8

VARIABLES

A DEPENDENT VARIABLE: It is the

outcome or response due to the effect
of the independent variable, which
researcher wants to predict or explain.
 Sometimes called the criterion variable
9
 1. Independent and dependent 10

variables
For example; “Effectiveness of planned
teaching on the knowledge of staff nurses
working in psychiatric unit regarding Physical
Restraints for psychiatric patient in selected
hospital of Bengaluru”.
 Planned teaching - Independent variable
 Knowledge - Dependent variable
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Types of Variables
1. Independent & 12

Dependent Variable

2. Research Variable

3. Demographic
Variable

4. Extraneous
Variable
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2. RESEARCH VARIABLE
 In descriptive, exploratory, comparative, &
qualitative research studies, variable are
observed or measured in natural setting
as they exist, without manipulating or
imposing the effect of intervention or
treatment.
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2. RESEARCH VARIABLE
 Here no independent variable is
manipulated & no cause-effect
relationship is examined; these variable
are considered as research variable.
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2. RESEARCH VARIABLE
Therefore, research variables can be
defined as qualities, attributes, properties
or characteristics which are observed or
measured in a natural setting without
manipulating & establishing cause-&-
effect relationship.
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2. RESEARCH VARIABLE
For example: An exploratory study on
factors contributing to sleep disturbance
among patients admitted in selected
medical wards, RGICD Bengaluru.
“Factors contributing to sleep
disturbance” - Research variable, which
is observed in natural setting without
manipulating it.
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3. DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES

In most of the research studies, researchers

make the attempt to study the sample
characteristics & present them in
research findings.
Sometimes researchers even try to establish
relations of the demographic variables
with the research variables.
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3. DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES
These characteristics & attributes of the
study subjects are considered as
demographic variables.
Common demographic variables are age,
gender, educational status, religion,
social class, marital status, habitat,
occupation, income, & medical diagnosis
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4. EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
Extraneous variables are the factors which
are not the part of the study but may
affect the measurement of the study
variables.
These variables are usually recognized &
controlled by researchers in quasi-
experimental & experimental studies.
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4. EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES

Generally, specific research design &

sample inclusion & exclusion criteria
are used to control the influence of
extraneous variables.
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4. EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
For example: ‘A study is conducted to assess
the effect of two different pin site care
protocols on prevention of pin site infection
among patients with external skeletal
fixation’.
In this study, pin site care protocols -
Independent Variable, pin site infection -
Dependent Variable .
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4. EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
 However, the dependent variable, pin site
infection may also be influenced by some of the
other factors such as low hemoglobin level or
higher blood sugar level among these patients;
these factors are considered as extraneous
variables, which may have unwanted effect on
dependent variables or research variable
 Types of Example of the Variables
study research problem 25

Descriptive
A descriptive study on Research
prevalence of anemia variable:
among adolescent girls Prevalence
in selected villages of of anemia
district Gulbarga,
Karnataka
Types of Example of the Variables
study research problem
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Exploratory An exploratory Research

study on variable:
contributing factors Contributing
of anemia among factors of
adolescent girls in anemia
selected villages of
district Gulbarga,
Karnataka.
 Types of Example of the Variables
study research 27

problem

Correlational A correlational Independent

study on smoking variable:
& lung cancer Smoking
among slum Dependent
dwellers of city variable: Lung
Mumbai. cancer
 Types of Example of the variables
study research 28

problem

Comparative Research
A comparative
variable: Health
study on health problems
problems among
rural & urban older
people of district
Mehsana, Gujrat.
 Types of Example of the Variables
study research problem 29

Experimental An experimental Independent

study on efficacy of variable: Oral
oral morphine in morphine
management of Dependent
chronic cancer pain variable:
among advanced Chronic
stage cancer cancer pain
patients admitted in
hospice at
Mehsana.
 Types of Example of the Variables
study research problem 30

Quasi A quasi-experimental Independent

experimental study of effect of variable:
needle gauge on Needle
pain perception gauge
among patients Dependent
receiving variable:
intramuscular Pain
injection in outpatient
Dept of RGICD, Blr.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF 31

VARIABLES
In research study, each variable or
concept must be operationally
defined.

An operational definition of variable

provides the theoretical or
conceptual meaning of variable
under study.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF 32

VARIABLES
This definition of the variables
may be derived from
conceptual or theoretical
framework on which study is
based
or
May be stated in a form in
which variables are expected
to be studied in present
study.
 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF 33

VARIABLES
For example: “Effectiveness of planned
teaching on the knowledge of staff nurses
working in psychiatric unit regarding
Physical Restraints for psychiatric patient
in selected hospital of Bangalore”.
5 variables - need to operationally defined.