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U1-L3Variables in Quantitative Research

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
28 views36 pages

U1-L3Variables in Quantitative Research

Uploaded by

Cian Ramos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 1: Nature of Quantitative Research

Lesson 3
Variables in Quantitative Research
Why is there a
need to
understand the
different variables
in research?

2
● Differentiate the kinds of variables
used in quantitative research and their
uses.
● Apply the different variable concepts
in research appropriately.

33
1. How do you think our body changes when we eat nutritious
food and exercise regularly?
2. What do you think causes our body to become unhealthy?

44
Variables in Quantitative Research

Variables are anything that can be observed by the


researchers. A variable may be a person, thing,
place, situation, or phenomenon.

5
Different Variables can be categorized
Types of depending on the level of
Variables
measurement and role.

6
Why is it
important to
understand the
roles of variables
in research?

7
Independent and Dependent
Variables

Roles of
The independent variable, also called
Variables
causal variable, is presumed to cause
the change towards another variable,
which is known as the dependent
variable or the outcome variable.
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The independent variable may influence another
variable to change. In experimental research,
independent variables may also be manipulated to
examine the specific effect they may have toward the
dependent variable.

99
The dependent variables are the variables that are
influenced by the independent variables.

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Example:

1. A researcher is determining the effects of self-motivation on the


productivity of employees.
Independent variable: Self-motivation
Dependent variable: Productivity of employees

How do you think self-motivation can have an effect on


employee productivity?

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Example:

2. A researcher is trying to determine the effectiveness of


different coaching styles on volleyball teams.
Independent Variable: Coaching styles
Dependent Variable: Win streak

How do you think the different coaching styles affect the win streak
of volleyball teams?

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Mediating Variables

Mediating variables are also known as


intervening variables since they intervene
between the independent and dependent
variables to show their connection.

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Example

A researcher wants to know the effects of working seven days a


week on the employee’s productivity level.
Independent variable: Seven-day work week
Dependent variable: Productivity level
Mediating variable: Job satisfaction

What do you think makes job satisfaction the mediating variable?

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A mediating variable may act as a dependent
variable and independent variable at the same time.

15
Moderating Variables

Moderating variables are variables


that have a strong conditioned effect,
which may modify the relationship
between the independent and
dependent variables.
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Example

A researcher wants to know the effects of exercising regularly


on one’s weight loss.
Independent variable: Regular exercise
Dependent variable: Weight loss
Moderating variable: Gender

What do you think makes gender a moderating variable?

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A mediating variable should act as a dependent
variable with respect to the independent variable and
may also cause change to the dependent variable,
while a moderating variable must not be directly
affected by the independent variable and should not
result to it in any way.

18
Extraneous Variables

Extraneous variables are variables that


should be mainly excluded from the
research study as they may interfere and
compromise with the experiment and
research results.
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Example

A researcher wants to know the effect of how poor garbage


disposal can have an impact on pollution.
Independent variable: Poor garbage disposal
Dependent variable: Pollution
Extraneous variables: Environmental factors; people

What makes the variables environmental factors and people


extraneous?
20
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Level of The measurement level, also called
measurement scales of measure, gives you an idea of
the type of data you have.

21
● Level of measurement can be classified into two:
categorical and continuous measures of variables.
● A categorical variable is further categorized into
nominal and ordinal levels, while a continuous
variable is categorized into interval and ratio
levels.

22
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Categorical Variables

● A nominal variable is any variable that represents


different types of data, which may be divided into groups
or categories. There is no intrinsic order; hence, its
frequencies can only be counted.

The examples are race, ethnicity, and hair color.

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Categorical Variables

● An ordinal variable is any variable that may also be


divided into groups or categories, but it has intrinsic
order or rank. Its frequencies can be both counted and
ranked in which the distance between categories is
not equivalent.

Some examples are year of graduation, brands of bags, and food preference.

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Continuous Variables

● An interval variable is a variable that has a


numerical value. It can be counted and ranked,
and the differences between the ranked categories
are meaningful. There is no true zero point.

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Continuous Variables

For example, you know that the difference or interval


between 25°C and 35°C is the same between 10°C and
20°C.

Just like in the example, if you say, -6°C, then that


means below freezing point.

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Continuous Variables

● A ratio variable is an interval value, but unlike the


interval variable, it has a true zero. It has numerical
value and meaning which can also be counted,
ranked, and has a meaningful difference between
values. There is a true zero point, which means
that nothing exists for that variable and that zero
simply means none.
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Continuous Variables

For example, A person’s weight can be counted,


ranked, or you can determine the equivalent distance
between a person’s weight with another.

If you say that there is 0 kg, then there is no weight


measured at all or there is no difference in their
weight.
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It is important that as researchers, we are knowledgeable
about our variables because research mainly revolves
around them.

29
List down as many variables as you can with
the given phenomena:
Practice ● Climate change
● Political system in the Philippines
● Low customer retention

30
Quick Check

These are the four variables that are based on level of


measurement.

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Quick Check

What are the variables that are based on their role?

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Quick Check

You want to experiment on the use of fish oil as an aid


in enhancing memory performance among students.
Identify the independent and dependent variables.

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Variables are anything that can be subjects for
observation done by the researcher.

Variables vary in terms of their role and level of


measurement in the research.

The level of measurement can be classified as categorical


or continuous variable measures.
34
In terms of the role of variables, there are
independent, dependent, mediating, moderating,
and extraneous variables typically encountered in
research writing.

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