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Kumar: Research Methodology
Chapter 5
Identifying Variables
Prepared by Stephanie Fleischer
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
Topics covered
• What is a variable?
• Difference between concepts and variables
• How to turn concepts into variables
• Types of variables
• Types of measurement scales
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
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
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
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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)
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
Sự khác biệt giữa biến và khái niệm
Khái niệm Biến
Không đo lường được Có thể đo lường được tùy thuộc vào đơn vị
và thang đo
Converting concepts into variables
How can a concept be measured? What indicators
can be identified? Convert into a measurement
• 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
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
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Figure 5.1 Types of variables
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
Variables from a viewpoint of causal
relationships
• Independent variable (bringing change in a
situation)
• Dependent variable (outcome or change
brought by the independent variable)
• Extraneous variable (several factors affecting
the changes in the dependent variable)
• Intervening variable (confounding variable
links independent and dependent variable)
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QUAN HỆ NHÂN QUẢ
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Variables from a viewpoint of study
design
• Active variables (that can be manipulated,
changed or controlled in an experiment)
• Attribute variables (variables that cannot be
manipulated and that reflect the
characteristics of a study population)
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
• Biến chủ động Active variables
• Biến cố định Attribute variables
Type of variable
“The way a variable is measured determines the
type of analysis that can be performed, the
statistical procedures that can be applied to the
data, the way the data can be interpreted and
the finding that can be communicated.”
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
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Variable from the viewpoint of unit
measurement
• Categorical variable (nominal and ordinal scales)
– Constant variable (one category or value, e.g. taxi)
– Dichotomous variable (two categories, e.g. yes/no)
– Polytomous variable (more than two categories, e.g.
religion: Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc.)
Or Continuous data (interval and ratio scales)
• Qualitative variables are like categorical variables
such as gender: male/female
Or Quantitative (interval and ratio scales)
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
Types of measurement scales
• Nominal or classificatory scale, e.g. religion:
Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, etc.
• Ordinal or ranking scale (categories in order)
e.g. socio economic status: upper/middle/low
• Interval scale (has equal units of
measurements with an arbitrary starting
point) e.g. Temperature in Fahrenheit
• Ratio scale (equal units of measurement with
fixed starting point at zero) e.g. height in cm
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
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