RESEARCH

VARIABLES
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2
WHAT ARE VARIABLES?
A variable is any element or entity which can be
measured for quantity or quality. When
conducting a quantitative study, you are expected
to measure or figure out the relationship between
your variables. You may also manipulate or
control these variables, depending on the kind of
research you are conducting.
2 GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF
VARIABLES
1.QUALITATIVE VARIABLES
2.QUANTITATIVE
VARIABLES
 QUALITATIVE VARIABLES
These are also referred to as categorical variables. Despite
lacking numerical value, these variables can still be used in
quantitative research. They involve assigning values to specific
categories or groups.
3 TYPES OF QUALITATIVE VARIABLES
a. Dichotomous variables
b. Ordinal variables
c. Nominal variables
DICHOTOMOUS VARIABLES
Dichotomous variables are nominal variables which have only two
categories or levels.

For example:

a.1 If we were looking at gender, we would most probably categorize somebody as either
"male" or "female". This is an example of a dichotomous variable (and also a nominal
variable
a.2 Another example might be if we asked a person if they owned a mobile phone. Here, we
may categorize mobile phone ownership as either "Yes" or "No". In the real estate agent
example, if type of property had been classified as either residential or commercial then
"type of property" would be a dichotomous variable.
ORDINAL VARIABLES
Ordinal variables are variables that have two or more categories just like
nominal variables only the categories can also be ordered or ranked.
So if you asked someone if they liked the policies of the Government and
they could answer either "Not very much", "They are OK" or "Yes, a lot"
then you have an ordinal variable. Why? Because you have 3 categories,
namely "Not very much", "They are OK" and "Yes, a lot" and you can rank
them from the most positive (Yes, a lot), to the middle response (They are
OK), to the least positive (Not very much). However, whilst we can rank the
levels, we cannot place a "value" to them; we cannot say that "They are
OK" is twice as positive as "Not very much" for example.
NOMINAL VARIABLES
Nominal variables are variables that have two or more
categories, but which do not have an intrinsic order.

For example, a real estate agent could classify their types of

property into distinct categories such as houses, condos, co-ops
or bungalows. So "type of property" is a nominal variable with 4
categories called houses, condos, co-ops and bungalows.
 QUANTITATIVE VARIABLES
It can be measured numerically. They are the variables used
primarily in quantitative research. They can be classified into
two: discrete and continuous variables.
TYPES OF QUALITATIVE VARIABLES
a. Discrete Variables
b. Continuous Variables
c. Ratio Variables
DISCRETE VARIABLES
A discrete variable is a variable whose value is obtained by counting.

Examples: number of students present

number of red marbles in a jar
number of heads when flipping three coins
students’ grade level
CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
A continuous variable is a variable whose value is obtained by measuring.

Examples: height of students in class

weight of students in class

time it takes to get to school

distance traveled between classes

RATIO VARIABLES
Ratio Variables are a special type of continuous variable. the type of
variable cannot have a negative value. When the value of a ratio
variable is zero, it means that there is none of that variable.

Examples: age, height, weight, distance and test scores.

CLASSIFICATION
S OF VARIABLES
BASED ON THEIR
PURPOSE OR
ROLES
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

The independent variable is the variable the

researcher changes or controls and is
assumed to have a direct effect on the
dependent variable. Two examples of
common independent variables are gender
and educational level.
DEPENDENT VARIABLES

The dependent variable is the variable being

tested and measured in an experiment, and
is 'dependent' on the independent variable.
An example of a dependent variable is
depression symptoms, which depends on the
independent variable (type of therapy).
FOR EXAMPLE
Academic Performance is found to vary as the students mature in age.

Independent Variable: students’ age

Dependent Variable: academic performance
FOR EXAMPLE
Religious beliefs and practices are shaped by religious affiliation.

Independent Variable: religious affiliation

Dependent Variable: Religious beliefs and practices
FOR EXAMPLE
An investigation conducted in Mindanao resulted to Kangkong grows
better when given organic fertilizer and commercial fertilizer.

Independent Variable: kinds of fertilizer (organic or common fertilizer)

Dependent Variable: Growth of Kangkong
FOR EXAMPLE
Family and educational background are good predictors of career
preferences.

Independent Variable: Family and educational background

Dependent Variable: Career Preferences.
QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU