Kinds of Variables and their Uses

The root word of the word variable is “vary”

or simply “can change”.

Bernard (1994) defines a variable as

something that can take more than one
value, and values can be words or
numbers.
Kinds of Variables and their Uses

The root word of the word variable is “vary”

or simply “can change”.

Bernard (1994) defines a variable as

something that can take more than one
value, and values can be words or
numbers.
A variable is defined as a quantity
susceptible or liable to fluctuation or
change in value, level, degree, scale or
magnitude under different conditions.
These quantities represent numerical
values, groups, classes, kinds, or categories.
Still other experts define a variable as any
entity that can take on different values.
Simply stated, anything that can vary can
be considered a variable. An attribute, on
the other hand, is a specific value on a
variable. For instance, the variable gender
has two attributes: male and female
A variable specifically refers to a
characteristic, or attribute of an individual
or an organization that can be measured
or observed and that varies among the
people or organization being studied.
(Creswell, 2002)
Variables are “changing
qualities or characteristics” of
persons or things like age,
gender, intelligence, ideas,
achievements, confidence,
and so on that are involved in
your research study.
Made up of the root word or
base word “vary” which means
to undergo changes or to differ
from, variables have different or
varying values in relation to time
and situation.
For instance, as years go by,
your age or intelligence
increases. But placed in a
situation where you are
afflicted with a disease or have
no means of reading or no
access to any sources of
knowledge, your intelligence
tend to decrease(Suter, 2013,
p.137)
 In research, especially in a
quantitative research, one
important thing you have to
focus on at the start of your
study is to determine the
variables involved in your study.
 Unless you spend some time
pondering on variables in your
research, your work has no
chance of attaining its goal.
Your research problem or
research topic to which you
devote much of your initial
research time finalizing stands
great, if it has wordings on the
basic variables involved in your
study.
 The Nature of Variables and
Data
Quantitative researchers try to count
human behaviors, that is, they attempt
to count multiple variables at the same
time. Generally speaking, variables are
classified as one of four types: (Allen,
Titsworth, Hunt, 2009)
Nominal variables represent
categories that cannot be
ordered in any particular way.
Examples are biological sex
(e.g. males vs females), political
affiliation, basketball fan
affiliation, etc.
Ordinal variables represent
categories that can be ordered
from greatest to smallest. Examples
of ordinal variables include
education level (e.g. freshman,
sophomore, Grade XI, Grade XII),
income brackets, etc.
Internal variables have values that
lie along an evenly dispersed range
of numbers. Examples of internal
data include temperature, a
person’s net worth(how much
money you have when you
subtract your debt from your
assets) etc.
Ratio variables have values that lie
along an evenly dispersed range of
numbers when there is an absolute
zero, as opposed to net worth,
which can have a negative debt-
to-income ratio-level variable. That
is, you cannot have income or
positive amount of income.
Most scores stemming from
response to survey items are ratio-
level values because they typically
cannot go below zero.
Basic Types
basically, variables are of two
types:
• Independent variable
• Dependent variables
Independent Variables are those
that cause changes in the subject
while dependent variables are
those that bear or manifest the
effects caused by the independent
variables. Hence, in a casual
relationship, the cause comes from
the independent variables;
the effects, on the dependent
variables.

Dependent variable is the

“assumed effect”

Independent variable is the

“assumed cause” of a problem.
It is the assumed reason for any
“change” or variation in a dependent
variable. An independent variable is
sometimes treated as “antecedent”
variable (the variable before). Likewise,
an “antecedent” variable may be
treated as an “independent” variable.
Example
1. In the study on “The Relationship
Between Exposure to Mass Media and
Smoking habits among Young Adults,”
the dependent variable is “smoking
habits,’ while the independent variable
is ‘exposure to mass media,”. A person’s
smoking habits is assumed to change or
vary depending on his/her mere
exposure or degree of exposure to print
or broadcast media related to smoking

Exposure to Mass Media Smoking Habits

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

2. In the experimental study to test the
“Effect of Peer Counseling on the
Students’ Study Habits,” the
independent variable is “exposure to
peer counseling.” It is assumed that
students who have been counseled by
peers will have better study habits than
those who were not counseled by peers
or those who have exposed to
Traditional counseling techniques.
 Exposure to Peer Counseling Study habits

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

3. In the study entitled “factors that Influence of Extent

of Participation in Household Decision-making among
married Professional,” the dependent variable is
extent of participation in household decision making,”
while the independent variable is “factors,” which
include personal characteristics of the respondents
In an experimental research, th
independent variable as the condition
or treatment applied to the
experimental group under the control,
direction, or manipulation of the
researcher or experimenter.
Example #3:
To determine the positive effects of
one modern grammar theory called
SPG, (systematic Functional Grammar)
on IC (Intellectual Competence), you
apply this theory in varied ways like
realizing this in a collaborative, oral, or
written activity. In this case, the SPG
serves as the independent Variable
and the IC as the dependent variable.
Example
1. In the study on “The Relationship
Between Exposure to Mass Media and
Smoking habits among Young Adults,”