CLASSIFICATION OF

VARIABLES

PREPARED BY
MARIA JESSICA M. PIEDAD
WHAT IS A VARIABLE?
 WHAT IS A VARIABLE?

A anything that can vary in research due to circumstances

variable
is… an object, event, idea, feeling, time period, or any other type of category
you are trying to measure

is any factor or property that a researcher measures, controls, and/or

manipulates

also the changing quantity or measure of any factor, trait, or condition

that can exist in differing amounts or types
 1. NUMERIC VARIABLES
These are variables with values that
describe a measurable numerical
quantity and answer the questions
“how many” or “how much.” These
values are considered as quantitative
data.
 NUMERIC VARIABLES

Continuous • These variables can assume any value between a certain set
of real numbers

Variables • Also called as interval variables

• Time, age, temperature, height and weight

• Can only assume any whole value within the limits of the
Discrete given variables
• Number of registered cars, number of business locations,
Variables number of children in the family, population of students,
total number of faculty members
 CATEGORICAL VARIABLES

These are variables with

values that describe a quality
or characteristic of a data unit
like “what type” or “which
category”
 CATEGORICAL VARIABLES

Ordinal Variables
• Can take a value which can be logically ordered or ranked
• Academic grades such A,B,C; clothing size such as X,L,M,S; measures of
attitudes like strongly agree,agree,disagree,or strongly disagree

Nominal Values
• Variables whose values cannot be organized in a logical sequence
• Business types, eye colors, kinds of religion, various languages, types of
learners
 CATEGORICAL VARIABLES

Dichotomous Variables
• Represents only two categories
• Gender (male/female); answer( yes/no); Veracity (True/False)

Polychotomous Variables
• Variables that have many categories
• Educational attainment (elementary, high school, college, graduate,
postgraduate); level of performance (Excellent, Very Good, Good,
Satisfactory, Poor)
 EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLES

Independent Dependent Variable Extraneous

Variable Variables
These are variables that are already existing during the conduct
of an experiment and could influence the result of the study.

Also called as
mediating or
intervening
variables
 EXAMPLES

A. Title of Research: An Experiment on the Methods of

Teaching and Language Achievement Among
Elementary Pupils

independent variable: Method of Teaching

dependent variable: Language Achievement
extraneous variable: Ventilation facilities;
Physical Ambiance
B. Title of Research:
Use of Gardening Tools and Types of Fertilizer: Their
Effects on the Amount of Harvest

independent variable: Use of gardening tools, types of

fertilizer
dependent variable: Amount of harvest
extraneous variable: Humidity level; types of
seeds/plants
NON-EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLES

Predictor Criterion
Variables Variables
 PREDICTOR VARIABLES

Changes the other variables in a non-

experimental way

a variable that is being used

to predict some other variable or
outcome
 CRITERION VARIABLES

Usually influenced by the predictor

variables

In regression analysis (such as linear

regression) thecriterion variable is
the variable being predicted.

In general, the criterion variable is the

dependent variable.
 EXAMPLES

Title of Research: Competencies of Teachers and

Students’ Behavior in Selected Private Schools

Predictor variable: Competencies of

Teachers
Criterion Variable: Students’ Behavior
VARIABLES ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER
BEING STUDIED

Univariate Variables Bivariate Variables

Polyvariate Variables
 SUMMARY

1. A variable is any factor or property that a

researcher measures, controls, and/or manipulates
in a research study.
2. The different classifications of research variables
are as follows:
a. Nominal (which can be continuous or discrete)
b. Categorical (which can be ordinal or discrete
and dichotomous or polychotomous)
c. Experimental (which can be independent,
dependent, or extraneous)
d. Non-experimental (which can be either
predictor or criterion)
d. Variables according to number being
studied (which can be univariate, bivariate,
and polyvariate)
 ASSIGNMENT

• Study for a chapter test on Thursday (July 5,

2018).
• Coverage:
a. Nature of a Quantitative Research
(Definition, Characteristics, Advantages and
Disadvantages, Importance)
b. Classification of Variables