Research

Variables
Presented By
NOUREDDINE
BROUT
OUTLINE

• What is a Variable?
• Definition of Research Variables
• The Importance of Variables in
Research
• Types of Research Variables
• Reference
• A variable is an adjective, that its base
is the verb vary, and vary means
differentiate, alter or change.
Therefore, variable means any item that
can be varied, altered, or changed.
• According to Oxford Dictionary, variable
is a situation, number or quantity that
can vary or be varied.
• Overall, variable is anything that varies
or changes

A VARIABLE
RESEARCH
VARIABLE
RESEARCH VARIABLE

• Variables are essential in the research as they allow for the measurement
of and analysis of data.
• Research variables are characteristics, or qualities of a particular situation,
person, or object that vary or change in a study
• It is highly used in quantitative research
• They are also significant in investigating the relationships and effects in
research
• Overall; research variables are typically the elements or factors that
researcher investigates in order to understand the relationships, patterns,
and effects of the variables in a study; in addition to, how those variables
attribute in the outcome of research.
Significance of Research
Variables

• Research variables guide the structure of the research

as it helps defining what is studied and how.
• They enables researcher to understand causal and
correlation between elements.
• Research variables are fundamental as understanding
their types or roles ease the development of the
hypotheses, choice of method, and the interpretation of
results.
ndependent Variables

ependent Variables

oderating Variables

ediating Variables

TYPES OF
ontrolled Variables

onfounding Variables

xtraneous Variables RESARCH

ontinuous Variables

iscrete Variables
VARIABLES
omposite Variables

ategorical Variables •
Independent Variables

• Independent variables are factors or conditions that can be measured

or varied in order to observe their effects(on dependent variables).
• They are called independent for their influence don’t depend on other
variables in the study. Instead, they serve as the “cause” that
influences the outcomes of the research.
• This type of variable is highly used in experimental research as it
provides explanation and description about the result of independent
variables.
• For example, how does the use of social media affect academic
performance?
• The use of social media is Independent variable
Dependent Variable

ependent variable serve as the effect or the outcome that

researcher aims to explore and understand during the
researcher.

hey are called dependent because they are affected by the

changes and manipulation of independent one.

or instance, the previous example of the effects of duration

social media use on academic performance. the academic
performance is dependent variable.
Moderating Variables
oderating variable is a variable that influences the strength or
direction(positive, negative, or neutral) of the relationship between an
independent and a dependent variable.

t doesn’t directly cause effect on the two variables, but it contributes

through altering how the independent variable affects the dependent
variable.

verall, it moderates the relationship between the variables either by

enhancing, reducing, or reversing the effect.

or example, the effect of exercise on weight loss, a moderating variable

could be diet. The relationship between exercise (independent variable)
and weight loss (dependent variable) might be stronger or weaker
depending on the type of diet a person follows.
Mediating Variable
ediating variables are variables that are used to provide an
explanation about how and why an independent variable
influences a dependent one.

t explains the process as it carries the effect of the independent

variable to the dependent variables. It serves as bridge that justify
the causal relationship between the variables.

or example, the effect of stress level on performance, a mediating

variable could be the amount of sleeping. The influence of stress
on work performance could be explained by sleep quality. High
stress levels might lead to poor sleep quality, which in turn could
result in lower work performance.
Difference between
Moderating and Mediating
Variable

• Moderating Variable • Mediating Variable

• Moderating variable • Mediating variable
measures how come explains how and why
can the effect of an the change occurred
independent variable between the variables
cause the changes on • It explains the
dependent variable
reduction or the
• It modifies the increase occurred. It
relationship between serves as mediator
the variables, but that explains the
never explain how the reason for this change.
changes occur
Controlled variables

ontrolled variables are factors or conditions that researcher

keeps constant through the conduction of the research so as to
ensure that any change in the dependent variable is because
of the independent one, not influenced by other factor

hey help maintain the integrity of the experiment by

preventing external factors from affecting the results.

or instance, investigating the effect study time on exam

scores; the controlled variables might be the same study
materials, exam, and environment.
Confounding variables

onfounding variable is an external factor that is not the

focus of the study, but influences both dependent and
independent variable; which may lead to a false
relationship between them and make conclusions invalid.

or instance, the investigation the relationship between

coffee drinking(independent variable) and heart disease.
However, it is known that people who drink coffee are
more likely to smoke cigarettes, and cigarettes is
another factor causing heart disease. Thus, smoking is a
confounding variable that influence both in/dependent
variable.
Extraneous Variables
xtraneous variables are similar to confounding variables that they are both
appear unintentionally in the conduction of the research,

owever, extraneous variables differs from the proper as its influence isn’t
severe.

verall, extraneous variables factors that are not the focus of a study but
could influence the results if not controlled, introducing noise or error into
the experiment

For instance, in an investigation about the number of students

study(independent variable) and the test scores(independent variable), the
temperature in the room serves as extraneous variable because it doesn’t
relate to the independent variable; but affects the independent one.
Continuous Variable
ontinuous variables are quantitative variables that can take an infinite
number of values within a given range.

hese variables can be measured and be divided into smaller units, such as
height, weight, time, and temperature

hey allow for detailed analysis in a high degree of accuracy in research

findings.

verall, it differs from other type of variable as it doesn’t require a third

variable, and continuous variable encompass a wide number of values

or example, in a study of how exercise duration affects weight loss, weight

loss would be considered a continuous variable. This is because the amount of
weight lost can vary and take on different values, such as 6 kg, 4.5 kg, or 7.8
kg, over a given period.
Discrete Variable
iscrete variables are type of variables that take only specific and distinct
values.

hese values represents a quantitative data, such as numbers of family,

cars, or whatever

verall, discrete variable represents a countable and specific data.

lthough it is similar to continuous variable, it differs in the form of data

presented as it can’t take no in-between values or decimals, such as 2.5
cars.

n addition, discrete variable represent things you can count(students, cars,

houses,etc), while continuous variable represents things you can measure
in a wide range of values(weight, height, time).
Composite Variable

omposite variable is a type of variable that is made by combining two

or more variables to a single measure.

t basically represents a complex concept that can’t be represented by

a single variable

verall, composite variable is a combination of variable into a single

one so as to ease the measurement and simplify the analysis.

or instance, student performance which include test scores, class

participation, and homework completion.
Categorical Variables
ategorical variable is a qualitative variables that doesn’t require numbers. Instead, it
represents types or categories or groups that lack numerical value or order,

verall, categorical variable represents data in categories in order to analyze data in

meaningful groups.

t can be classified either as

ominal variables are categories without any inherent order or ranking among them,
such as colors, blood type, occupation.

rdinal variables are categories with a specific order or ranking, such as education
level, or satisfaction.
Thank You
references

TLAS.ti: Variables in Research | Types,

Definition & Examples
https://atlasti.com/research-hub/types-
of-variables-in-research

aur, S. P. (2013). Variables in research.

IJRRMS, 3(4), 36–38. Retrieved from
Samarpan Institute of Nursing
Sciences
https://isrc.mui.ac.ir/sites/isrc/files/ISRC/IRAP/references
/Variables%20in%20Research.pdf