UNIT 1: NATURE OF

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

Lesson 3:Importance
Practical of Quantitative
Research 2
Research and Kinds of
Variables
K to 12
APORBO, JERELYN C.
Basic Education Instructor
Curriculum
 OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, you are expected
to:

 determine the importance of

quantitative research in your future
profession; and

 differentiate the types of variables.

 Education

Importance of
Quantitative
Research in Different
Business
Fields

Science and
Technology Medical
and Health
Allied
Services
 WHAT IS A VARIABLE?
 From the root word “vary”, which
means that a variable has varying or
different values in relation to time and
situation (Braceros, 2016).

Example:
As time goes by, the height of a child may
increase.
 WHAT IS A VARIABLE?
 It is any factor or property that a
researcher measures, controls, and/or
manipulates (Cristobal, et.al., 2017).

 It can be changed or can inflict change.

They also vary depending on its role and
level of measurement.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
1. Numeric variables are variables
with values that describe a
measurable numerical quantity and
answer the questions: “how many” or
“how much”.

a. Continuous Variables
b. Discrete Variables
CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
a. Continuous variables can assume any
value between a certain set of real numbers.
These are also called interval variables.
e.g. time, age, temperature, height, and
weight

b. Discrete variables can only assume any

whole value within the limits of the given
variables.
e.g. population of students, number of family
members, number of registered cars
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
2. Categorical variables are variables
with values that describe a quality or
characteristic of a data unit like “what
type” or “which category”.

a. Ordinal Variables
b. Nominal Variables
c. Dichotomous Variables
d. Polychotomous Variables
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
a. Ordinal variables can take a value which can be
logically ordered or ranked.

e.g. academic grades (A+, A-, B+, B-), clothing size

(S, M, L), and measures of attitudes (strongly agree,
agree, disagree, or strongly disagree).

b. Nominal variables are variables whose values

cannot be organized in a logical sequence.

e.g. various languages, types of learners, religions

 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
c. Dichotomous variables represent only two
categories.

e.g. gender (male or female), answer (yes or no),

veracity (true or false)

d. Polychotomous variables have many categories.

e.g. educational attainment (elementary, high

school, college, graduate school), level of
performance (excellent, very good, good,
satisfactory, poor)
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
3. Experimental variables are used
in the experimental research under
quantitative research design.

a. Independent Variables
b. Dependent Variables
c. Extraneous Variables
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
a. Independent variables are factors that are
usually manipulated by the researchers.

b. Dependent variables are usually the affected

by the manipulation of the independent
variables.

c. Extraneous variables are already existing

during the conduct of an experiment and could
influence the result of the study.
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
Example:
Title of Research: Effects of the Use of Learning
Management Systems and Academic Performance of
Elementary Pupils

Independent Variable: Learning Management Systems

Dependent Variable: Academic Performance
Extraneous Variable: Internet accessibility, time-
management skills of students
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
4. Non-experimental variables are
used in descriptive, comparative, and
correlation studies.

a. Predictor Variables
b. Criterion Variables
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF VARIABLES
a. Predictor variables change the other variable/s in a
non-experimental study (assumed cause).

b. Criterion variables are usually influenced by the

predictor variables.

Example:
Title of Research: Motivation and Language Competence
of Grade 12 Students
Predictor Variable: Motivation
Criterion Variable: Language Competence
End of Lesson 3