VARIABLES

by

ENRIQUE B. MONTECALVO, Ph.D.

NwSSU, Calbayog City
 VARIABLE

a characteristic or attribute of
persons or objects which can assume
different values for different persons
or objects.
 For Example:
I.Q.
Sex
Height
Weight
Political affiliation
Religion
 Constant
 any characteristic of objects that
cannot vary

 For instance,
skin color is a variable if we talk about a
class in research composed of international
students. If the students in this class are
typical residents of Calbayog City, then skin
variable can not vary and hence it becomes
a constant.
 VARIABLES

Variables According Variables According

to Functional to Levels of
Relationship Measurement

Dependent Nominal

Independent Ordinal

Interval

Ratio
 Nominal level

 numbers or symbols are used simply

to classify an object, person, or
characteristics into categories.
 the categories must be distinct, non-
overlapping, and exhaustive.
 weakest level of measurement
 Examples:

• political affiliation

• sex
 Ordinal level
 contains the properties of the
nominal level but the numbers
assigned to categories of any
variable may be ranked or ordered in
some low-to-high manner
 Examples:

• socio-economic classification (high,

above average, average, below average,
low)
• size of t-shirt (Large, Medium, Small)
 Interval level
 contains the properties of the ordinal level
but the distances between any two
numbers on the scale are of known sizes.
 characterized by a common and constant
unit of measurement.
 units of measurement are arbitrary
 the number zero does not imply the
absence of the characteristic under
consideration (thus, the zero point is
arbitrary)
Examples:

• temperature in degree Celsius and

degree Fahrenheit
• intelligence quotient (75, 100, 120, 150,
etc.)
 Ratio level
 contains the properties of the
interval level but it has a true zero
point, that is, the number zero
indicates the absence of the
characteristic under consideration.
 Strongest level of measurement
 Examples:

• Weight in kilograms, pounds, etc.

• Prices of commodities
• Height in meters, feet, etc.
 EXERCISE
Tell the level of measurement for each
of the following variables:

1. status of employment
2. work experience (in years)
3. leadership style
4. achievement in mathematics
5. number of TV stations
6. training hours
7. level of satisfaction

8. doctoral units earned

9. performance in major subjects

10. sleeping time

 Answer to the EXERCISE
Tell the level of measurement for each
of the following variables:

1. status of employment => nominal

2. work experience (in years) => ratio
3. leadership style => nominal
4. achievement in mathematics =>ratio
5. number of TV stations => ratio
6. training hours => ratio
7. level of satisfaction => ordinal

8. doctoral units earned => ratio

9. Performance

in major subjects => ratio

10. sleeping time => ratio
 VARIABLE IDENTIFICATION
Exhaustively identify the variables in
each of the research titles below:
1. Leadership Styles of School
Administrators and Work Performance of
Secondary School Teachers in the
Division of Calbayog City
2. Determinants of Professionalism of the
Graduate School Students in NwSSU,
Calbayog City
3. Effectiveness of the Constructivism
Approach in the Teaching of Mathematics
in Secondary Schools in the Division of
Calbayog City

4. Differences of Achievement in Methods of

Research Among NwSSU Graduate
Students with or without Textbooks

5. Philosophy, Management Style, and

Growth Strategies of Local Government
Chief Executives in Western Samar
Thank You . . .