Name: ______________________________________________________________________Score: ______________________________

Grade & Section: __________________________________ Research Group No.:__________ Date: _______________________________

RESEARCH VARIABLES B. Types of Variables based on
Researchers and statisticians use variables their Roles in the Study
to describe and measure the items, places,
people or ideas they're studying. Many types B.1 Independent vs. Dependent
of variables exist, and you must choose the B.1.a INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
right variable to measure when designing  the variable/s manipulated by the researcher
studies, selecting tests and interpreting  its value is independent of the behavior of the subject
results. A strong understanding of variables  variables that are not dependent on the changes in
can lead to more accurate statistical analyses other variables
and results (Eads, 2023). For this module, B.1.b DEPENDENT VARIABLE
you will be exploring the following concepts:  the variable that changes, as effect of the experiment
 What is a variable?  it depends on to some extent on the change done on the
 Types of variable based on their roles in the study level of the independent variable
 Types of variable based on the nature of data  A factor or phenomenon that is changed by the effect of
an associated factor. The dependent variable is the
A. What is a Variable? (Kaur, 2013) variable being observed and measured in a scientific
https://sites.usp.br/rnp/wpcontent/uploads/
sites/830/2020/10/complemento-aula-1.pdf experiment.
 A variable is defined as anything that Example:
has a quantity or quality that varies. Problem IV DV
 It is a property or quantity that can Food abundance as factor Food Frog breeding
take on different values. affecting frog breeding rate abundance rate
The effect of varying sunlight Varying Growth of
Variable, to put in layman statement is something that can exposure to the growth of sunlight tomatoes
change and or can have more than one value. ''A variable, as the lettuce (Lactuca sativa) exposure
name implies, is something that varies” (Polit & Beck, 2004). It may Improving the academic Collaborative Academic
performance of students learning performance
be weight, height, anxiety levels, income, body temperature and so through collaborative learning of students
on. Each of these properties varies from one person to another and
also has different values along a continuum. It could be B.2 Extraneous, Control, and Confounding
demographic, physical or social and include religion, income,
B.2.a EXTRANEOUS VARIABLE
occupation, temperature, humidity, language, food, fashion, etc.
 These are other variables present in the study that
Some variables can be quite concrete and clear, such as gender,
may affect the characteristic of the subjects.
birth order, types of blood group etc. while others can be
 Factors that affect the dependent variable but that
considerably more abstract and vague.
the researcher did not originally consider when
“Variable is a property that takes on different values'' (Kerlinger, designing the experiment (Eads, 2023).
1983). It is also a logical grouping of attributes. Attributes are  An extraneous variable is anything that could
characteristics or qualities that describe an object. For example, if influence the dependent variable. These unwanted
gender is a variable then male and female are the attributes. If variables can unintentionally change a study's results
residence is the variable then urban, semi urban, rural become the or how a researcher interprets those results.
attributes. So attributes here describe the residence of an individual. Example:
1. Parental support, prior knowledge of a foreign language or
It is pertinent for a researcher to know as how certain variables socioeconomic status are extraneous variables that could
within a study are related to each other. It is thus important to define influence a study assessing whether private tutoring or online
the variables to facilitate accurate explanation of the relationship courses are more effective at improving students' Spanish test
between the variables. There is no limit to the number of variables scores.
that can be measured, although the more variables, the more 2. A psychologist wants to assess the effects of sleep deprivation
complex the study and the more complex the statistical analysis. on test performance of students. However, by thoroughly looking
Moreover, the longer the list of variables, the longer the time at the situation other factors such as age, gender, and academic
required for data collection. background may have an impact on the results. In such cases,
the experimenter will note the values of these extraneous
variables so any impact can be controlled for.
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PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 | Module 3: Research Variables
 B.2.b CONTROL VARIABLE 2. Two groups of students were tested to compare their speed
 Control, or controlling, variables have no effect on working math problems. Each group was given the same problems.
other variables and are often kept the same One group used calculators and the other group computed without
throughout an experiment to prevent bias. calculators.
Example: IV: ________________________________________________
In an experiment about plant development, control variables DV: ________________________________________________
might include the amounts of fertilizer and water each plant
gets. These amounts are always the same so that they do not 3. Students of different ages were given the same puzzle to assemble.
The puzzle assembly time was measured.
affect the plants' growth.
IV: ________________________________________________
B.2.c CONFOUNDING VARIABLE DV: ________________________________________________
 Confounding variables, also referred to as 4. An experiment was performed to determine how the amount of
confounders or lurking variables, are the variables coffee grounds could affect the taste of coffee. The same kind of
that affect the cause and outcome of a study. coffee, the same percolator, the same amount and type of water, the
However, they are not the variables of primary same perking time, and the same electrical sources were used.
interest. They serve as an unmeasured third variable IV: ________________________________________________
that acts as an extraneous factor. Furthermore, it DV: ________________________________________________
interferes with the interpretation of the relationship
5. An investigation found that more bushels of potatoes were
between the independent and dependent variables
produced when the soil was fertilized more.
within a study. IV: ________________________________________________
DV: ________________________________________________
6. Students measured the temperature of the water at different depths
in Lake Skywalker and found that the temperature varied.
IV: ________________________________________________
 Confounding variables, also referred to as DV: ________________________________________________
confounders or lurking variables, are the variables 7. The amount of pollution produced by cars was measured for cars
that affect the cause and outcome of a study. using gasoline containing different amounts of lead.
However, they are not the variables of primary IV: ________________________________________________
interest. They serve as an unmeasured third variable DV: ________________________________________________
that acts as an extraneous factor. Furthermore, it
8. Four groups of rats are first massed and then fed identical diets
interferes with the interpretation of the relationship
except for the amount of vitamin A they receive. Each group gets a
between the independent and dependent variables different amount. After 3 weeks on the diet, the rats’ masses are
within a study. measured again to see if there has been a decrease.
Example: IV: ________________________________________________
1. In a study of whether a particular genre of movie affects
DV: ________________________________________________
how much candy kids eat, with experiments are held at 9 a.m.,
noon and 3 p.m. Time could be a confounding variable, as the 9. The height of bean plants depends on the amount of water they
group in the noon study might be hungrier and therefore eat receive.
IV: ________________________________________________
more candy because lunchtime is typically at noon.
2. A hypothesis that coffee drinkers have more heart disease DV: ________________________________________________
than non-coffee drinkers may be influenced by another factor. 10. The time it takes to run a mile depends on the person’s average
Coffee drinkers may smoke more cigarettes than non-coffee running speed.
drinkers, so smoking is a confounding variable in the study of IV: ________________________________________________
the association between coffee drinking and heart disease. DV: ________________________________________________
The increase in heart disease may be due to the smoking and
not the coffee (Hymel, 2008). CHECKPOINT B. Analyze the given problem and briefly answer
the following questions. (You may use the back part of this page or
additional sheet/s if necessary).
A group of researchers wants to study whether a low-carb diet can
cause weight loss. They have found out that age, sex, level of
education and exercise intensity are all factors that may be
associated with weight loss, as well as with the diet their subjects
choose to follow. So, they choose to restrict their subject pool to 45-
year-old women with bachelor’s degrees who exercise at moderate
levels of intensity between 100–150 minutes per week.
CHECKPOINT A. For each situation/ experiment, identify
the independent and dependent variables. Write your 1. What is the primary intervention of the study?
answer on the blank space provided. 2. What are the extraneous variables that might affect the
1. A student wanted to test how the mass of a paper airplane affected results of the study?
the distance it would fly. Paper clips were added before each test
flight. As each paper clip was added, the plane was tested to
3. Who were chosen as respondents of the study? Why did the
determine how far it would fly. researchers set criteria in choosing their subjects?
IV: ________________________________________________ 4. If you were to conduct this study, what type of quantitative
DV: ________________________________________________ research design would be the most appropriate? Why?
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PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 | Module 3: Research Variables
C. Types of Variables based on C. 2 QUALITATIVE VARIABLE
the Nature of Data  Qualitative data are those that show the quality or
attributes which cannot be measured using standard
measuring instruments.
 The values from this data are not obtained from
measuring or counting.
 Qualitative data are also called as textual data or
categorical data. It is used to define characteristics,
categorized variables used, or even arrange data
according to the intensity of the characteristics.
 Ethnicity, race and sex are examples of qualitative data
because these does not require any numerical value—
instead they require descriptions or categories.
(categorical) or qualitative in nature.
Examples:
• color of shirts worn by teachers
• genre of books in a library
Before we analyze or interpret the data we’ve gathered, we need to • names of Philippine typhoons
classify our data first. Classifying data will help us know what • countries affected by COVID-19
method of analysis and presentation is appropriate for our data.
Types of Qualitative Data
Numerical data require specific ways for processing. Equally, textual
C.2.a NOMINAL
data also requires certain methods in data handling. In research,
 Nominal scale is a naming scale, where variables are
these data can be classified as either “quantitative” or
simply “named” or labeled, with no specific order.
“qualitative”. In simple words, numerical data is the same with
 The lowest level of measurement.
quantitative data; textual/ categorical data, on the other hand, is
 It simply defines groups of the subjects.
synonymous with qualitative data.
 When the values of the variables differ by category, the
measurement is nominal.
C.1 QUANTITATIVE VARIABLE
 data that are based on measurement or counting like  Dichotomous Variable—are nominal variables which
height, weight, and temperature have only two categories or levels. For example, if we
 This type of data is represented by a number or numerical were looking at biological sex, we would most probably
variable. This data is any quantifiable information that can categorize somebody as either "male" or "female". This is
be used for mathematical calculation and statistical an example of a dichotomous variable (and also a nominal
analysis. variable).
 Quantitative data is used to answer questions such as Example:
“How many?”, “How often?”, or “How much?”. 1. hair color : black, brown, blonde
2. subjects : Science, Math, English, etc.
Examples:
• temperature of Malaybalay City C.2.b ORDINAL
• height of G8 female students  Ordinal data is concerned with categorical data that has a
• average weight of male athletes specific order.
• rate of COVID-19 vaccination  Beyond just naming or categorizing, ordinal data are
arranged according to the amount or quality of the
Types of Quantitative Data characteristic of the subject. However, this order does not
C.1.a DISCRETE have a standard scale on which the difference in variables
 Variables that assume fixed or exact amounts. in each scale can be measured.
 Discrete data involves round, concrete numbers that are  For example, level of education—this is an ordinal data
determined by counting. because the possible responses such as “elementary/
Example: secondary/ tertiary” can be arranged in a specific order.
number of children in the family; this is a discrete data because
Example:
when you count people, an exact count is needed
1. intensity of light : low, medium, high
C.1.b CONTINUOUS 2. writing skills : beginner, average, proficient
 Continuous data involves complex numbers that are Basically the only difference between the two types of
measured across a specific time interval. qualitative (categorical) data is the presence or absence of
 Variables that take fractional values order between the variables. If it is only concerned with
Example: naming, labelling or grouping, it is nominal. If the labeled data
height; height values are continuous, because it is have a specific order or arrangement, then it is considered as
possible to have a height that is more than 150cm ordinal. In advanced data processing however, categorical
but less than 151cm (e.g. 150.8cm); this means data can take on numerical values (such as “1” for Agree and
that between two values, a range of values exists “2” for Disagree). Some categorical variables are coded and
are assigned with numbers, but these numbers have no
mathematical meaning. You can neither add nor subtract them
from each other. The numbers are solely used for grouping.

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PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 | Module 3: Research Variables
 CHECKPOINT C. Identify whether these data are 5. Variables that take fractional values
qualitative or quantitative. Write A If the data is a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Discrete d. Continuous
qualitative, and B if it is quantifiable. 6. A variable represented by a number and has a measuring
instrument.
_____________ 1. attitude level of learners towards ICT a. Independent Variable b. Dependent Variable
_____________ 2. average temperature of Malaybalay City c. Quantitative Variable d. Qualitative Variable
_____________ 3. amount of rainfall for the month of June 7. These are other variables present in the study that may affect the
_____________ 4. names of Philippine typhoons characteristic of the subjects.
_____________ 5. environmental awareness of G8—SPJ a. Independent Variable b. Dependent Variable
_____________ 6. reading skills of G7—SPFL c. Extraneous Variable d. Controlled Variable
_____________ 7. BMI classification of volleyball players 8. The values of the variable in this scale are not only given different
_____________ 8. the organizational structure of BNHS names but they are also arranged according to the amount of the
_____________ 9. flavors of siomai in BNHS canteen characteristic of the subjects.
a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Discrete d. Continuous
_____________ 10. customer service satisfactory level
_____________ 11. BMI classification of volleyball players 9. These variables are classified as categorical variables.
a. Independent Variable b. Dependent Variable
_____________ 12. BMI value of volleyball players
c. Quantitative Variable d. Qualitative Variable
_____________ 13. frequency of game losses
10. The variable/s manipulated by the researcher.
_____________ 14. biodiversity status of Mt. Kitanglad flora
a. Independent Variable b. Dependent Variable
_____________ 15. socio-economic status of EBEP students c. Quantitative Variable d. Qualitative Variable
CHECKPOINT D. Nominal or Ordinal? CHECKPOINT F. Discrete or Continuous?
Direction: Classify the following categorical data placed inside the Direction: For this activity, classify the following quantitative data
box as nominal or ordinal. List the nominal data under Column A placed inside the box as discrete or continuous. List all the discrete
and the ordinal data under Column B. data in Column A and the continuous data in Column B.
spiciness level of siomai sauce skin type number of passengers in a multicab
flavors of siomai sold in a canteen sweetness of ice cream rate of population growth
mobile games played by students variety of tomatoes number of registered business establishments
earthquake intensity BMI classification reaction time to medicine
vaccines used against COVID-19 age group daily wind speed
concentration of vitamin C
Column A Column B average score in AP exam
(nominal) (ordinal) JHS student population
test questions answered correctly
recovery rate of COVID-19 recorded cases

Column A Column B
(discrete) (continuous)

CHECKPOINT E: Identify what term is described in each

statement. Encircle the letter of your choice.
1. A naming scale where variables are simply “named” or labeled,
with no specific order.
CHECKPOINT G: Write your answers briefly at the back part of
a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Discrete d. Continuous
this page. You may use additional sheet/s if necessary.
2. It is a property or quantity that can take on different values. 1. Why are research variables important in the conduct of
a. Data b. Variable c. Dependent d. Independent research?
3. Variables that assume fixed or exact amounts. 2. How would you differentiate independent variables from
a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Discrete d. Continuous dependent variables?
3. When can we consider a variable as “extraneous”?
4. A factor or phenomenon that is changed by the effect of an 4. What are “confounding” variables”
associated factor. 5. Why are weight and height considered as continuous variable?
a. Independent Variable b. Dependent Variable
c. Extraneous Variable d. Control Variable That in all things may God be glorified!
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PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 | Module 3: Research Variables