NATURE OF

VARIABLES NATURE OF VARIABLES AND

DATA
1. Nominal Variables
2. Ordinal Variables
3. Interval Variables
4. Ratio Variables
 VARIABLES
A variable is the heart or central concept in research.
It is primarily measurable characteristic that changes in value.
It may be different from characteristic to another characteristic,
one group to another group, one person to another person or even
with the same person over time.
A variable can be anything that may assume different numerical
or categorical values.
MEASUREMENT SCALES
RATIO
VARIABLE
INTERVAL
VARIABLE
ORDINAL
VARIABLE
NOMINAL
VARIABLE

CATEGORICAL NUMERICAL
NOMINAL VARIABLES
Nominal Variables represent
categories that cannot be ordered in any
particular way. It is only a matter of
distinguishing by name.
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Nominal
Variables
The responses to a What is your gender?
nominal variable can
⃝Female
be divided into two ⃝Male
⃝Prefer not to say
or more categories.
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Nominal
Variables
A nominal variable is
What is your gender?
qualitative, which means
numbers are used here ⃝ (1) Female
⃝ (2) Male
only to categorize or
⃝ (3) Prefer not to say
identify objects
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Nominal
Variables
They can also take quantitative What is your hair color?
value. However, these
⃝ (1) Brown
quantitative values do not have
⃝ (2) Black
numeric properties. That is, ⃝ (3) Blonde
arithmetic operations cannot be ⃝ (4) Gray
performed on them. ⃝ (5) Others
 Examples of a Nominal Variables

 Religion Please indicate your

 Political Orientation marital status?
 Strand
⃝ Married
 Eye Color ⃝ Single
 Business Type ⃝ Separated
⃝ Divorced
 Brand of Covid-19 Vaccines
⃝ Widowed
 Favorite TV Station
ORDINAL VARIABLES
This involves data that arranged in
some order, but differences between
data. It has two or more categories
which can be ranked.
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Ordinal
Variables
It is an extension of Example:
nominal data.
Ranking Contest
It has no standardized  Champion
interval scale.  First Runner Up
 Second Runner Up
It establishes a relative
rank.
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Ordinal
Variables
It measures qualitative Example:
traits.
Ranking Contest
The median and mode can  Champion
be analyzed.  First Runner Up
 Second Runner Up
It has a rank or order.
 Examples of an Ordinal Variables
 Likert Scale: it is used by researchers to prepare questionnaires and get
people’s opinions.
Training program was Program objectives Venue was clean
delivered on schedule were attained
⃝ Strongly Agree
⃝ Strongly Agree ⃝ Strongly Agree ⃝ Agree
⃝ Agree ⃝ Agree ⃝ Disagree
⃝ Disagree ⃝ Disagree ⃝ Strongly Disagree
⃝ Strongly Disagree ⃝ Strongly Disagree
 Examples of an Ordinal Variables
T-shirt size: Small, Medium and Large
Military Rank
 Examples of an Ordinal Variables
Class Officers
Highest Educational Attainment
Academic Excellence Awardees
Happiness Index for the Day
Grade Level
INTERVAL VARIABLES
It provides information about order
and provides an interval. It also
determine meaningful amounts of
differences between the data.
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Interval
Variables
It is one of the 2 types of Example:
quantitative variables. It Temperature
takes numeric values and
may be classified as a 30℃
20℃
continuous variable type.
10℃
0℃
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Interval
Variables
Arithmetic operations can be
Example:
performed on interval Temperature
variables. However, these
operations are restricted to 30℃
only addition and 20℃
subtraction. 10℃
0℃
 CHARACTERISTICS of a Interval
Variables
The interval
Example:
Temperature

30℃
20℃
10℃
0℃
INTERVAL VARIABLES
It provides information about order
and provides an interval. It also
determine meaningful amounts of
differences between the data.