SDO MALABON CITY

12
Practical Research 2
Quarter 1
Module 1: Kinds of Variables and Its Uses

Senior High
School
Practical Research 2 – Grade 12
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1
Module 3: Kinds of Variables and Its Uses
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the
Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein the
work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may,
among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks, etc.)
included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to
locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher
and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Published by the DepEd Malabon City

Dr. Mauro C. De Gulan, SDS
Dr.Cynthia D. Ayles, ASDS

Development Team of the Module

Author: Ramon Christopher R. Yaptangco

Editor:
Reviewer: Cez Lacadao
Illustrator:
Layout Artist:

Management Team:
Josefina M. Pablo, CID Chief
Manolo C. Davantes, EPS Science
Dalisay E. Esguerra, EPS, LRMS
Ana Lisa M. Mesina, PDO II LRMS

Department of Education – SDO MALABON

Maya-maya St. Longos, Malabon
Printed in the Philippines
 What I Need
to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the nature of
Research. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the
standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to correspond with
the textbook you are now using.
The module contains one lesson The Nature of Variables and Data.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. identify the nature of variables and data;
2. define the different kinds of variables
3. identify suitable variables to be used;
4. identify and explain the difference between and Independent and Dependent variable.

Activity 1: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Represent categories that cannot be ordered in any particular way.
a. Nominal variables
b. Ordinal variables
c. Interval variables
d. Ratio variables
2. Represents categories that can be ordered from greatest to smallest.
a. Nominal variables
b. Ordinal variables
c. Interval variables
d. Ratio variables
3. Variables that have values that lie along an evenly dispersed range of numbers.
a. Nominal variables
b. Ordinal variables
c. Interval variables
d. Ratio variables
4. Variables that have values that lie along an evenly dispersed range of numbers when there
is an absolute zero.
a. Nominal variables
b. Ordinal variables
c. Interval variables
d. Ratio variables
5. What kind of variable shows biological sex (e.g. males vs. females) or political affiliation.
a. Nominal variables
b. Ordinal variables
c. Interval variables
d. Ratio variables
Lesson

1 Kinds of Variables and their Uses

Activity 2: Provide three (3) suitable variables for each given topic. Write your answer on a separate sheet
of paper.
1. Examples of variables related to CLIMATE CHANGE:
a. ___________________
b. ___________________
c. ___________________

2. Examples of variables related to CRIME AND VIOLENCE ON STREETS:

a. ___________________
b. ___________________
c. ___________________

3. Examples of variables related to POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:

a. ___________________
b. ___________________
c. ___________________

What’s New

Activity 2.1: Based on the answers you provided on Activity 2, explain why you think those variables are
suited for the topics given. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. CLIMATE CHANGE
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

2. CRIME AND VIOLENCE ON STREETS

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

3. POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The root word of the word variable is “vary” or simply “can change”.
Variables are one of the fundamental concepts of research, alongside with measurement, validity,
reliability, cause and effect theory.
Bernard (1994) defines a variable as something that can make more than one value, and values can
be words or numbers.
A variable specifically 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).
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).

What is it?

The Nature of Variables and Data

1. Nominal Variables represent categories that cannot be ordered in any particular

way. Example are biological sex, political affiliation, basketball fan affiliation, etc.

2. Ordinal Variables represent categories that can be ordered from greatest to

smallest. Examples of ordinal variables include education level (freshman,
sophomore, Grade 11, Grade 12), income brackets etc.

3. Interval Variables have values that lie along an evenly dispersed range of
numbers. Example of interval data include temperature, person’s net worth.

4. 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

Kinds of Variables
1. Independent Variables – those that probably cause, influence, or affect outcomes.
They are invariably called treatment, manipulated, antecedent or predictor
variables.

2. Dependent Variables - those that depend on the independent variables; they are
the outcome or results of the influence of the independent variable.

3. Intervening or Mediating Variables – “stand between” the independent and

dependent variables, and they show the effects of the independent variable on the
dependent variable.

4. Control Variables – special type of variables that are measured in a study

because they potentially influence the dependent variable.

5. Confounding Variables - those that are not actually measured or observed in a

study. They exist but their influence cannot be directly detected in a study.
 What’s More

Independent and Dependent Variables

Independent variables stand alone and they are not changed by the other
variables you are trying to measure.
Examples of Independent Variables:
 gender
 age
 what people eat
 how much time spent on using gadgets
 how much time youngsters spend on online or mobile games

Dependent variables are what researchers are interested in. They depend
on other factors.
Example of Dependent Variables
 test score (may change to several factors)
 Factors such as:
o How much you studied
o How much sleep you got last night
o How hungry you were when you took the test

What I Have
Learned

The kinds of variable and their uses were likewise discussed:

A variable is a characteristic of an individual or organization that can be observed and
measured, and it can vary among people or organizations being studied.
Primary kinds of variables are the:
1. Independent – those that cause, influence, or affect outcomes. They are invariably
called treatment, manipulated, antecedent or predictor variables.

2. Dependent – those that shows effects or result or outcomes of the influence of the
independent variables.

3. Intervening or Mediating – those that are in-between the independent and

dependent variable, that is, showing the effects of the independent variable on the
dependent variable.

4. Control – those that are measured in a study because they potentially influence
the dependent variable, using statistical procedures like analysis of covariance to
control variables.

5. Confounding – those that are not actually measured but they exist. Researchers
comment on the influence of confounding variables, after the study has been
completed because those variables may have operated to explain the relationship
between the independent and dependent variables.
 What I Can Do

Activity 3: Do as directed. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Distinguish independent from dependent variables in a complete sentence.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. Explain the term “control variable” in your own words in a complete sentence.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. Explain “confounding variable” in your own words in a complete sentence.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. Which of the two is the independent variable?

a. Students undergo blended learning in an English subject.
b. Students who undergo blended learning have improved grades in an English subject

Explain your answer

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

5. Which of the two is the dependent variable?

a. A considerable number of consumers use the twin pack 3 in 1 coffee product.
b. A leading coffee manufacturer introduces twin pack in a 3 in 1 coffee product.
Explain your answer
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Variables that cause, influence, or affect outcomes. They are invariably called
treatment, manipulated, antecedent or predictor variables.
a. Independent variable c. Intervening variable
b. Dependent variable d. Control variable
2. Variables those that shows effects or result or outcomes of the influence of the
independent variables.
a. Independent variable c. Intervening variable
b. Dependent variable d. Control variable
3. Variables that are in-between the independent and dependent variable, that is,
showing the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
a. Independent variable c. Intervening variable
b. Dependent variable d. Control variable
4. Variables that are measured in a study because they potentially influence the
dependent variable, using statistical procedures like analysis of covariance to
control variables.
a. Independent variable c. Intervening variable
b. Dependent variable d. Control variable
5. Variables that are not actually measured but they exist. Researchers comment on
the influence of confounding variables, after the study has been completed
because those variables may have operated to explain the relationship between the
independent and dependent variables.
a. Confounding variable c. Intervening variable
b. Dependent variable d. Control variable

Additional
Activities

Provide the suitable Independent and dependent variables, based on the given topic. Explain your answer.
1. Depression among teenagers

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. Poor academic performance

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Reference
Book title: Practical Research for Senior High School 2
Authors: Nelia G. Prieto, Ph.D., Victoria C. Naval, DEM, and Teresita G. Carey, D.A.L.L
Published by: LORIMAR Publishing INC.