Different Types of Variables
Educational
research depends upon variables. It is essential from the start to the finish
of a research study. That is, variables are required to write an introduction,
an operational definition, search for research articles for a literature
review, prepare research methods, research tools that measure variables during
data collection, statistical analysis based on variables, and, finally, write a
discussion and conclusion to a research study. Once a research topic has been
determined, the researcher should determine the essential variables of the
chosen research study. It's crucial to know how to investigate the important
variables after they have been identified. Which is the foundation of all
research design. So, before starting any educational research work, it is
critical to understand what defines a variable. How many types of variables are
used in educational research? How will they be studied? And how will they be
measured?
Different Variables Use in Educational
Research
Independent Variable
It is the condition, characteristic,
component, or procedure that the experimenter or researcher measures and
manipulates in order to investigate its link to an observed phenomenon or
another variable. Let's say the researcher wishes to investigate "The
Effects of Various Teaching Methods on Mathematical Learning
Achievements." In this case, the independent variable is various methods
of teaching. The independent variable causes a change in another variable, and
it is always interested in observing only its effect on another variable.
According to Johnson & Christensen (2008) “An independent variable is a
variable that is presumed to cause a change in another variable.”
Dependent variable
The dependent variable is any factor, condition,
trait, or scenario that is observed and quantified to determine the effect of
the independent variable. This variable is sometimes referred to as the outcome
variable or the response variable. Science's value is determined by the value
of the independent variable. So, it is referred to as dependent. The dependent
variable in the example "The Effects of Various Teaching Methods on
Mathematical Learning Achievements." is a measure of mathematical learning
achievement. According to Johnson & Christensen (2008) “A dependent
variable is the variable that is presumed to be influenced by one or more
independent variable”
Extraneous, Control and confounding
variables
Every experimental research study aims to
determine the link between two specified variables (independent and dependent).
However, most experiments incorporate multiple variables at the same time and
in the same scenario. As a result, it is often difficult to determine this
relationship precisely since other variables may influence the relationship or
the outcome of the experiment. Extraneous variables are those that
influence dependent variables while independent variables are being studied.
So, any researcher should attempt to control
or neutralize these variables. If it is not possible to control or neutralize
certain variables, they should be considered when interpreting results.
Extraneous variables that are controlled or neutralized in a study are referred
to as
control variables.
Confounding variable are extraneous variables
that are not under the researcher's control and systematically vary with the
independent variables while simultaneously influencing the dependent variables,
making it impossible to draw clear and meaningful conclusions. Extraneous
variables are not confounding variables if they have the same effects on all
participants in the research or are constant across all participants.
Confounding only occurs when they systematically influence one group but not
the other. (Johnson and Christensen, 2008).
For example, suppose a researcher
wishes to investigate the effect of a new teaching method (an independent
variable) on a child's mathematics achievement scores (a dependent variable).
The researcher will most likely conclude that the new teaching style has a
beneficial effect on the children's mathematics achievement scores. However, it
is unclear whether students with the new teaching method have higher marks
because of the new teaching method or because they are older (age) or have more
prior knowledge of the given topic, among other factors. Then age, previous
knowledge etc. will be the extraneous variables. The variable
'age' will be easier to regulate than the students' previous knowledge. So, if
the extraneous variable 'age' is controlled or neutralized throughout the
experiment, it will be considered the control variable. However, if the
extraneous variable "the students' previous knowledge" is not
controlled or neutralized, the researcher will be unable to conclude the
conclusion with any degree of confidence, and the reviewer may claim that the
result was caused by this additional variable. So, this additional variable is
referred to as a confounding variable
Type Of Extraneous Variables. According to McLeod (2008), There are four
types of extraneous variables,
Situational variables. These
are components of the environment that may influence the participant's
behaviour. For example, noise, temperature, illumination, and so forth.
Participant / Person variables.
This relates to how each person differs from the other. Examples include mood,
intelligence, anxiety, nerves, and focus.
Experimenter / Investigator Effect. The
experimenter inadvertently / unintentionally influences the study's outcomes by
instructing participants on how to act. For example, the personal attributes (e.g.,
age, gender, accent, manner etc.) of the experiment can affect the behaviour of
the participants.
Demand characteristics. These
are all contextual clues that convey / teach the participant how to act during
the research study.
Table 1
Types of variables
|
Name
|
Characteristics
|
Example
|
|
Situational
variables |
These
are components of the environment that may influence the participant's
behaviour. |
noise,
temperature, illumination, and so forth. |
|
Participant
/ Person variables: |
This
relates to how each person differs from the other. |
mood,
intelligence, anxiety, nerves, and focus. |
|
Experimenter
/ Investigator Effect
|
The
experimenter inadvertently / unintentionally influences the study's outcomes
by instructing participants on how to act |
The
personal attributes (e.g., age, gender, accent, manner etc.) of the
experiment can affect the behaviour of the participants. |
|
Demand
characteristics: |
These
are all contextual clues that convey / teach the participant how to act
during the research study. |
environmental
aspects, researcher characteristics, nonverbal interactions, and
interpretations of what is going on in the current situation |
Intervening variables are abstract or
hypothetical factors that cannot be directly seen but are used to explain the
causal relationships or links between independent and dependent variables. For
example: In the relationship between socioeconomic status and children's
mathematical achievement. It is observed that children with a higher
socioeconomic background perform better in mathematics. Simply having a high
socioeconomic class does not imply great mathematical achievement. Other
abstract / hypothetical variables are required to understand this relationship.
That is, children with a higher socioeconomic position have more educational opportunities
than others, resulting in higher mathematics achievement. So, educational
opportunity serves as an intervening variable.
Figure 1
Intervening Variable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator Variable
Assume a
researcher analyses a collection of research data and discovers that there is
little or no difference in the mathematics achievement scores of students
taught using the lecture method vs students taught using a new teaching method.
However, upon additional examination, the researcher may discover that the new
teaching method is more effective for male students and lecture method for
female students. In this case, Sex/Gender type is a moderator variable. That
is, the relationship between teaching method and mathematical achievement
scores varies according to the students' sex or gender. So, a moderator
variable is a special kind of independent variable that serves as a secondary
independent variable in a research study to see if it impacts, changes, or
moderates the relationship between the primary independent variable and the
dependent variable. Personality type (introvert vs. extrovert), gender (male
vs. female), sex (boy vs. girl), and location (rural vs. urban) are common
moderator variables. According to Johnson & Christensen (2008) “A moderator
variable is a variable that change (i.e., moderates) the relationship between
other variables.”
Dummy variable
When a
qualitative variable, such as gender (Male-M and Female-F), is converted into a
quantitative variable, such as Male-1 and Femal-0, it is referred to as a dummy
variable in educational research.
Latent Variable
A latent variable is a hypothetical or abstract
concept that cannot be directly observed or measured. However, it is inferred
from other variables that are both observable and measurable. For examples,
health of a person, socio-economic status of a person etc. Health of a person
is not measured through a single measurement. But it is measured by a skilled
or medical person through different physical qualities of this person. Examples
include blood pressure, cholesterol levels, weight, blood sugar, temperature,
and a variety of other observable and measurable measurements Like
all sections of your paper, references start on their own page, like the page
that follows this one. All intext citations should be included your
references.
Experimental Variable
In experimental research, the researcher conducts an
experiment to investigate, discover, or observe the influence of a variable or
treatment known as the experimental variable. In the research, "The Effect
of New Teaching Method Over the Lecture or Traditional Teaching Method on
Mathematics Learning Achievement”. The new teaching method might be used as the
experimental variable.
Controlled Variable
It's also employed in experimental studies. The
relative term 'effectiveness' of an experimental variable is assessed by
comparing it to another variable in the research study. Then this second
variable is referred to as the controlled variable. In the preceding example,
the lecture or traditional teaching method may be the controlled variable.
Because the effectiveness of the new teaching method (experimental variable) is
compared to lecture or traditional teaching methods in terms of mathematics
learning achievement.
Criterion variable
Criterion variable is a variable in any experimental
study on which the influence of the experimental variable is happened. That is,
on which the effectiveness of an experimental variable is determined. In the
example above, the criterion variable is 'mathematics learning achievement'.
Because the researcher will construct two equivalent groups to test the
effectiveness of the experimental variables, one group will be taught a new
teaching method, while the other will be given lecture or the traditional way.
Then, two groups' mathematical learning achievement will be assessed. By which.
The effectiveness will be established
References
Johnson. & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational Research (Third edition).
SAGE Publication
McLeod, S.A
(2008). Independent, dependent and extraneous variables. Retried from
www.simplypsychology.org/variables.html
Giri, C.K. (2024).
Variables in Educational Research. International Journal of Indian Psychology,
12(3),
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