KEY IDEAS

• Concepts and constructs

• Operational definitions
• Variables

THE LANGUAGE OF RESEARCH:

Concepts, Constructs & Variables
I M T 5 7 0 : A N A LY T I C M E T H O D S F O R HAZEL
TAY L O R
I N F O R M AT I O N P R O F E S S I O N A L S

FROM CONCEPT TO DIMENSIONS TO INDICATORS

WHAT TO MEASURE?
Concept:
• Concept Learning
• Generalized or abstract idea about a class of objects, attributes,
occurrences or processes
• Construct
• Definition that represents an abstract phenomenon or concept
• Operational definition Dimension 1: Dimension 2: Dimension 3:
• Definition that gives meaning to a concept by specifying the activities or Understanding Retention Application
operations necessary to measure it
• We can move from concept to operational definition by first
developing broad characteristics or dimensions of the concept, and
then looking for measurable behavioral indicators relating to each
Indicator 3: Indicator 4:
dimension Indicator 1: Indicator 2: Indicator 5:
Recall Solve
Answer Give Integrate
material problems
questions appropriate with other
after some applying
correctly examples material
time concepts

DEFINITIONS

• Unit of analysis specifies who or what you are going to

draw conclusions about, e.g.
• Individuals, families, businesses, artifacts
• Variable is a characteristic or attribute that can be
measured and that varies
• Research hypothesis predicts how two or more variables
VARIABLES relate to each other

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 EXAMPLES OF VARIABLES
WHAT IS A VARIABLE?
AND NON-VARIABLES
Variables
A Characteristic or Attribute Difficult but possibly
measurable variables
• Leadership style
• Organizational Almost impossible to
That can be Socialization
and control
•
• Imagination measure variables
• Autism • Intuition
• Discrimination • Subconscious
Measured thoughts
Varies • World poverty
(Can be assessed on an
instrument and recorded (Can assume different • Stereotypes
on an instrument) values or scores for
different individuals)

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VARIABLES AND CONSTRUCTS TYPES OF VARIABLES

• A Variable is an attribute or characteristic stated in a • Independent variables (IV)

• Predict (“cause”) or influence the outcomes of other variables
specific or applied way • Dependent variables (DV)
• A Construct is an attribute or characteristic expressed in • Are predicted by or influenced by the IVs
• Intervening or mediating variables
an abstract, general way. • “Stand between” the IV and DV, and mediate or explain the influence of the
IV on the DV
• Moderator variables
• Affect the strength of the relationship between IV and DV
• Control variables
• Special type of IV that might also influence the DV so they are ‘controlled’ for
Construct Student Achievement statistically
• Confounding or spurious variables
• Variables that could logically influence the outcomes of the DV, but were not
Variable Grade Point Average measured

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THE FAMILY OF VARIABLES EXAMPLE OF A MODERATING VARIABLE

Probable Effect
Cause
(Y) (Z) Step 1 Independent Dependent
(X) Variable Variable
Independent Example Introduction of a Higher productivity
Intervening Dependent
Variables four-day week
Variables Variables
•Treatment
•Measured

Step 2 Independent Moderating Dependent

Control Variable Variable Variable
Variables
Example Introduction of a
Worker’s age Higher productivity
four-day week
Moderating Confounding
Variables Variables

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2
 EXAMPLE OF AN INTERVENING
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1
VARIABLE
A researcher is interested in the effect of two types of
Step 1 Independent Dependent instruction called "whole math" and "drill practice" on
Variable Variable second-grade mathematics achievement.
Example Introduction of a Higher productivity She assigns Mrs. DeVine's class to "drill practice" and Mr.
four-day week
Lyon's class to "whole math."
• What are the independent and dependent variables in
Step 2 Independent Intervening Dependent this design ?
Variable Variable Variable
Example Introduction of a
Job satisfaction Higher productivity
four-day week

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PRACTICE EXERCISE 2 PRACTICE EXERCISE 3

An institutional researcher is interested in whether a new
first-year seminar (FYS) course will have an effect on
student retention.
Half of the entering students in Fall 2003 are put into FYS
sections.
The retention rates of the two groups will be compared in
Fall 2004 when they are sophomores.
• Suggest a control variable of interest for this study
A researcher finds that high schools that teach Latin and
Greek in their curriculum score higher on V-SAT.
The researcher concludes that teaching the "classics" is
an exercise of the mind that improves verbal skills.
• What evidence is most likely to undermine this
researcher's claim?

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PRACTICE EXERCISE 4
An intermediate school district of 13 county high schools is
implementing a state-funded Career Paths program, providing
specialized job training for non-college-bound students interested in
manufacturing, electronics, HVAC, or other applied trades.
The program is meant to enhance or replace job-training programs
currently in use.
You need to evaluate the effectiveness of the new program.
The first thing you do is set up a quantitative research design.
• What research design would you use?
• What are the treatment variables?
• Identify any control variables there might be.
• Identify dependent variable(s) and how it (they) might be measured.

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