VARIABLES IN

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
MODULE 1 LESSON 3
 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Variables play a significant role in quantitative research. When you

intend to accomplish something through research, the boundaries of
your goal must be defined first to direct your focus into a specific
characteristic or condition through identifying the variables of your
research study. Doing such eliminates complexities and elaborate
work especially for a senior high school student like you. Knowing the
different kinds of research variables also aids in smooth data
collection and analysis.
 VARIABLE

Anything that has a quantity or quality that varies. For instance, during the quarantine period, your mother planted
tomato seedlings in pots. Now common understanding from science tells you that several factors are affecting the
growth of tomatoes: sunlight, water, kind of soil, and nutrients in soil. How fast the tomato seedlings will grow and
bear fruits will depend on these factors. The growth of tomatoes and the number of fruits produced are examples
of the Dependent Variables. The amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients in the soil are the Independent
Variables. If there is an existing relationship between the independent and dependent variables, then the value of
the dependent variable varies in response to the manipulation done on the independent variable. The independent
variable is also identified as the presumed cause while the dependent variable is the presumed effect. In an
experimental quantitative design, the independent variable is pre-defined and manipulated by the researcher while
the dependent variable is observed and measured. For descriptive, correlational and ex post facto quantitative
research designs, independent and dependent variables simply do not apply.
• It is important to note other factors that may influence the outcome (dependent variable) which are not
manipulated or pre-defined by the researcher. These factors are called Extraneous Variables. In our
example above, the presence of pests and environmental stressors (e.g. pets, extreme weather) are the
extraneous variables. Since extraneous variables may affect the result of the experiment, it is crucial for the
researcher to identify them prior to conducting the experiment and control them in such a way that they do
not threaten the internal validity (i.e. accurate conclusion) of the result. Controlling the extraneous variable
can be done by holding it constant or distribute its effect across the treatment. When the researcher fails to
control the extraneous variable that it caused considerable effect to the outcome, the extraneous variable
becomes a Confounding Variable. For example, if the tomato had been infested by pests (confounding
variable) then you cannot conclude that manipulations in sunlight, water and soil nutrients (independent
variable) are the only contributing factors for the stunted growth and poor yield (dependent variable) of the
plant or is it the result of both the independent variables and the confounding variable.
TYPES OF VARIABLES

(1) Independent,

(2) Dependent,

(3) Extraneous,

(4) Continuous,

(5) Discrete,

(6) Dichotomous,

(7) Nominal variable

(8) Ordinal variable.

THE VARIABLES CAN ALSO BE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THEIR NATURE. THE
DIAGRAM BELOW SHOWS THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS:

VARIABLE

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE
(NUMERICAL) (CATEGORICAL)

DISCRETE CONTINUOUS NOMINAL ORDINAL DICHOTOMOUS

QUANTITATIVE VARIABLES, ALSO CALLED NUMERICAL VARIABLES ARE THE TYPE OF
VARIABLES USED IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH BECAUSE THEY ARE NUMERIC AND
CAN BE MEASURED. UNDER THIS CATEGORY ARE DISCRETE AND CONTINUOUS
VARIABLES.

A.Discrete variables are countable whole numbers. It does not

take negative values or values between fixed points. For
example: number of students in a class, group size and
frequency.
B.Continuous variables take fractional (non-whole number)
values that can either be a positive or a negative. Example:
height, temperature.
NUMERICAL DATA HAVE TWO LEVELS OF MEASUREMENT, NAMELY:

A. Interval are quantitative variables where the interval or differences between consecutive values
are equal and meaningful but the numbers are arbitrary. For example, the difference between 36
degrees and 37 degrees is the same as between 100 degrees and 101 degrees. The zero point
does not suggest the absence of a property being measured. Temperature at 0 degree Celsius is
assigned as the melting point of ice. Other examples of interval data would be year and IQ score.

B. Ratio type of data is similar to interval, the only difference is the presence of a true zero value.
The zero point in this scale indicates the absence of the quantity being measured. Examples are
age, height, weight and distance.
 QUALITATIVE VARIABLES ARE ALSO REFERRED TO AS CATEGORICAL VARIABLES ARE
NOT EXPRESSED IN NUMBERS BUT ARE DESCRIPTIONS OR CATEGORIES. IT CAN BE
FURTHER DIVIDED INTO NOMINAL, ORDINAL OR DICHOTOMOUS.

C. Dichotomous are consisting of only two distinct categories or values. For example, a response to a
question either be a yes or no.
D. Nominal variable simply defines groups of subjects. Here you may have more than 2 categories of
equivalent magnitude. For example, a basketball player’s number is used to distinguish him from other
players. It certainly does not follow that player 10 is better than player 8. Other examples are blood
type, hair color and mode of transportation.
E. Ordinal variable, from the name itself denotes that a variable is ranked in a certain order. This
variable can have a qualitative or quantitative attribute. For example, a survey questionnaire may have
a numerical rating as choices like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5ranked accordingly (5=highest, 1=lowest) or categorical
rating like strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. Other examples or ordinal
variable: cancer stage (Stage I, Stage II, Stage III), Spotify Top 20 hits, academic honors (with highest,
with high, with honors).
 ACTIVITY 2: CLASSIFYING VARIABLES
DIRECTIONS: IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING VARIABLE AS EITHER QUALITATIVE OR
QUANTITATIVE. THEN CLASSIFY WHICH SPECIFIC CATEGORY THEY BELONG.
Data Type of variable Classification
(Qualitative/ (Discrete, continuous, interval,
Quantitative) ratio, nominal, dichotomous,
ordinal)
Ex. Number of eggs laid by chickens Quantitative Discrete, interval
1. Amount of fertilizer given to plants
2. Weight of Pechay harvested (in grams)
3. Speed of car
4. Tomato plant variety
5. Color of alcohol packaging (blue, orange, white,
pink)
6. Educational level of parents (high school grad,
college grad, MS, PhD)
7. Online seller satisfaction rating (1-5 stars)
8. Cellphone brand
9. Number of Covid-19 positive cases
10. Type of music
11. Number of passengers in a PUJ
12. Socio-economic status
Gender
14. Temperature in Fahrenheit
15. Civil Status
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Directions: Explain briefly what is being asked for.

1. Compare and contrast qualitative variables and quantitative variables.

2. Why are dependent and independent variables not applicable in a descriptive
type of research?
3. How important is it for the researcher to identify the type of variables used in the
study?
4. How does confounding variable affect the validity of the study?
5. When do we use discrete, continuous, nominal, ordinal