Measurement of variables

Topics discussed:
–Measurement of variables
-Operational definitions
-Dimensions and elements of
concepts
–What an operational definition is
not

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 Introduction

• MV in the theoretical framework is an integral part of research and

important aspects of research design.

• MV enables researcher to test hypotheses and find answers to research

questions

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 What is a variable?

• An image, perception or concept that is measurable

• Gender (male/female)
• Variables take on different values often expressed as numbers
• Age (x years, y months)
• Use of measurement scales to vary the degree of precision in
measurement

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 Difference between concepts
and variables
• Concepts cannot be measured (e.g. satisfaction has different meaning to
different people)

• Variables can be measured (e.g. persons weight in kg)

• Convert concepts into variables using a set of indicators in order to

subjectively measure (e.g. effectiveness, attitude)

• The level of Health among uitm students during covid19 pandemic.

• Ali- variables to study

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• Concept- health
• Dimension- 1. physically 2. mental- literature
• Elements for physical
• Height, age, frequenct of getting assistance,
weight etc
• Element for mental

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Examples of concepts and variables

authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd

2014
 Converting concepts into variables

• How can a concept be measured? What indicators can be identified?

Convert into a measurement

• E.g
– Concept: rich/poor
– Indicators: 1. Income, 2. value of assets

– Variables: 1. Total income per year, 2. Total value of a) home, b) cars, c) investments, etc.
– Working definition for rich if 1. Income is > 200,000, 2. considered rich if total value of
assets is >2,000,000

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 How variables are measured

• Measurement is the assignment of numbers or other symbols to characteristics (or

attributes) of objects according to a pre-specified set of rules.

• Objects include persons, strategic business units, companies, countries, etc.

• Examples of characteristics of objects are arousal-seeking tendency, achievement

motivation, organizational effectiveness, shopping enjoyment, length, weight,
ethnic diversity, service quality, conditioning effects and taste.

• You cannot measure object (e.g. company) but you measure characteristics or
attributes of objects (e.g. the organizational effectiveness of a company, or the
shopping enjoyment of women etc.

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 How variables are measured

• There are attributes of objects that can be physically measured by some calibrated
instrument pose no measurement problem to researcher (e.g. length, size, or
question like what is your marital status or how long have you been working in
UiTM).

• Measuring of abstract and subjective attributes is more difficult (e.g. motivation,

shopping enjoyment, satisfaction, perception, effectiveness etc)- how effective is
your study methods?

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 Types of Variables

• Two types of variables to be measured:

– One lends itself to objective and precise measurement;

– The other is more nebulous and does not lend itself to accurate measurement
because of its abstract and subjective nature.

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 Summary
• Certain variables easier to measure thru the use of appropriate measuring
instrument such as length and body temperature- physical attribute.

• But, when it gets into the realm of people’s subjective feelings, attitudes and
perceptions the measurement becomes more difficult- subjective, nebulous and
abstract

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 Operationalization of variables

• Despite the lack of physical measuring devices to measure the more nebulous
variables, there are ways of tapping these types of variables.

• One technique is to reduce these abstracts or concepts to observable behavior or

characteristics. E.g. the concept of thirst, healthy.

• Reduction of abstract concepts to render them measureable in tangible way is

called operationalizing the concepts

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 Operationalization of variables

• Operationalizing is done by looking at the behavioral dimensions, facets, or

properties denoted by the concept.

• OC involves series of steps:

– Come up with a definition of the construct that you want to measure

– Think about the content of the measure, i.e. an instrument (one or more items or
questions) that actually measures the concept that has to be developed.
– Response format (e.g. a 7 point rating scale)
– Validity and reliability of the measurement scale has to be assessed

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Example

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 What Operationalization is Not

• Operationalization does not consist of delineating the reason, antecedents,

consequences, or correlates of the concepts.

• Rather, it describes its observables characteristics in order to be able to

measure the concept.

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 Measurement: scaling

• Scale: tool or mechanism by which individuals are distinguished as to how they

differ from one another on the variables of interest to our study.

• 4 types of scales: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio

• NOIR

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 Nominal Scale
• A nominal scale is one that allows the researcher to assign subjects to certain
categories or groups.
• For example, with respect to the variable of gender, respondents can be grouped
into 2 categories- male and female
• What is your department?
O Marketing O Maintenance O Finance
O Production O Servicing O Personnel
O Sales O Public Relations O Accounting
• What is your gender?
O Male
O Female

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 Ordinal Scale

• Ordinal scale: not only categorizes variables in such a way as to denote

differences among various categories, it also rank-orders categories in
some meaningful way.
• What is the highest level of education you have completed?
O Less than High School
O High School/GED Equivalent
O College Degree
O Masters Degree
O Doctoral Degree

• Spm stpm sijil diploma degree master phd

• Income 1-2k 2100-3k 3100-5000

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 Interval Scale

• Interval scale: whereas the nominal scale allows us only to qualitatively

distinguish groups by categorizing them into mutually exclusive and
collectively exhaustive sets, and the ordinal scale to rank-order the
preferences, the interval scale lets us measure the distance between any
two points on the scale.
• E.g from 1-5 describe/ state your satisfaction with services given by the
faculty

• The interval scale allows us to perform certain arithmetical operations on

the data collected from the respondents.

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 Interval Scale
• Circle the number that represents your feelings at this particular moment best.
There are no right or wrong answers. Please answer every question.
1. I invest more in my work than I get out of it
I disagree completely 1 2 3 4 5 I agree completely
2. I exert myself too much considering what I get back in return
I disagree completely 1 2 3 4 5 I agree completely
3. For the efforts I put into the organization, I get much in return
I disagree completely 1 2 3 4 5 I agree completely

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 Ratio Scale

• Ratio scale: overcomes the disadvantage of the arbitrary origin point of the
interval scale, in that it has an absolute (in contrast to an arbitrary) zero
point, which is a meaningful measurement point.

• What is your age?___

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Example of the four scales- 146

• Kindly read by yourselves…

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