Variables

Lesson 5
Intended Learning Outcomes:

After this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Widen your vocabulary in English;
2. Express your perceptions using the newly learned
words;
3. Define variables;
4. Characterize variables;
5. Compare and contrast types of variables;
6. Distinguish independent variables from depedent
variables, and;
7. Determine the connection between variables and
research problems.
Activity 1: Vocabulary Improvement
Directions: Go to the main reading text of this lesson
and look for the underlined word that has the same
meaning as the word in the following list. Write the
word you found at the opposite of the given word.
1. Power, strength -_______
2. Carry -_______
3. To come to the surface -_______
4. Causing annoyance or disturbance -_______
5. Give, present -_______
6. Suffering from something -_____
7. Show -______
8. Changes done to suit one's purpose -______
9. Very necessary -______
10. Points to something, refers to -_____
Activity 2: Vocabulary Practice

ADS OR POSTER MAKING

Directions: Imagine that you own a business company. In the
space provided, create a poster or an advertisement to
promote the product of your company. Provide your word
within a caption that uses the words you have newly learned.
Image Intensifier

Think about this title of the reading material that you

will soon read: Variables. What comes to your mind upon
hearing this word? Ask questions to express your curiosity
about this word.
 VARIABLES

Definition
Variables are “changing qualities or characteristics”
of persons or things like age, gender, intelligence, ideas,
achievements, confidence, and so on that are involved in
your research study. Made up of the root or base word
“vary” which means to undergo changes or to differ from,
variables have different or varying values in relation to
time and situation.
For instance, as years go by, your age or intelligence
increases. But place in a situation where you are afflicted with
a disease or have no means of reading or no access to any
sources of knowledge, your intelligence tend to decrease
(Suter, 2013:137).
In research, especially in a quantitative research, one
important thing you have to focus on at the start of your study
is to determine the variables involved in your study.
Unless you spend some time pondering on variables in
your research, your work has no chance of attaing its
goal. Your research problem or topic to which you
devote much of your initial research time finalizing
stands great, if it has wordings on the basic variables
involve in your study.
Basic Types

Basically, variables are of two types: independent

variables and dependent variables. Independent variables
are those that cause changes in the subject, while
dependent variables are those that bear or manifest the
effects caused by the independent variables. Hence, in a
causal relationship, the cause comes from the independent
variables; the effects, on the dependent variables.
 In an experimental research, the independent variable,
as the condition or treatment applied to the experimental
group, is under the control, direction or manipulation of
the researcher or experimenter. For instance, to
determine the positive effects of one modern grammar
theory called SFG (Systematic Functional Grammar),
on IC (Intercultural Competence), you apply this theory
in varied ways like realizing this in a collaborative, oral,
or written activity. In this case, the SFG serves as the
independent variable and the IC as the dependent
variable.
Variable Relationships

In a scientific way of studying the cause-effect

relationships, these two variables, independent and
dependent, are part and parcel of the research because
the first one is the cause; the second, the effect that you
can subject to any form of measurement. However, as you
carry out the research,
it is possible that one, two, or more variables or extra
variables crop up to create an impact on the relationship
between the independent and dependent variables. Being
extra variables, they form this type of variables called
extraneous variables.
 For example, in the case of SFG vs. IC, (the first as
the independent variable; the second as the dependent
variable) extraneous variables like age, gender, or
personality traits may suddenly surface to create effects
on the relationships of the basic variables. Such
extraneous variables are called participant variables if
they refer to the moods, emotions, or intelligence of the
subject; situational variables, if they pertain to nature of
the place: smelly, chilly, cold, hot, spacious, and the like.
Other Types of Variables

Extraneous variables are to be controlled by you, the

experimenter. But if they do not give in to your control,
they become confounding variables that can strongly
influence your study. Dealing with these types of variables
gives you difficulty in determining the real cause of
changes in the dependent variables; that is, whether it is
due only to the independent variables.
The involvement of confounding variables in the research
results in the production of “mixed up, confusing, or
bewildering results.” Involved not within the research
situation but outside the research process, the extraneous
variables exist as “nuisance variables,” whose potency
need to go down to prevent it from affecting the results
negatively (Suter, 2013:137; Thomas, 2013; Schreiber,
2012).
Other Types of Variables (Russell, 2013; Schreiber,
2012):

1. Constant. Do not undergo any changes during an expirement

2. Attribute. Characteristics of people: intelligence, creativity,
anxiety, learning styles, etc.
3. Covariate. Included in the research study to create interactions
with the measurement
4. Continuous. Quantitative in nature and is used in interval or
ratio scale of measurement
5. Dichotomous. Has only two possible results: one or zero
6. Latent. Cannot be directly observed like personality
traits
7. Manifest. Can be directly observed to give proofs to
latent variables
8. Exogenous. Found outside of an identified model
9. Endogenous. Found inside as a part of identified model
Activity 1: Idea Extension

Directions: INDIVIDUAL WORK. Keeping in mind the

meaning of variables in research, check all words in the list that
can operate as variables in any research study.

___Water ___ Voice ___ Academic grades

___Skills ___ Ghost ___ Aspirations
___ Ghost ___ Handwriting ___ Textbooks
___ Experience ___ Guardian angel ___ Academic grades
___World ___ Life plans ___ Economic status
___ Dreams ___ Class size ___ Mental pictures
___ Reading comprehension ___ Physical exercise
Activity 2

Directions: Write C if the sentence is correct; W, if not.

____1. The experimenter relates himself/herself with the
independent variable.
____2. Extraneous variables are nuisance variables.
____3. Extraneous variables are as significant as independent
variables.
____4. All variables are prone to changes or variations.
____5. All variables are controllable.
____ 6. The effects of something on dependent variables are
measureable.
____ 7. Only words can express the effects of variables on
dependent variables.
____8. The effects of something can be shown through fractions
and percentages.
____9. It is wrong to expose the variables to changeable factors.
____10. Attribute variables have the same meaning as
participants' variables.
Activity 3: Guessing Game

Directions: WHOLE CLASS ACTIVITY. A student

described one type of variable. The first one to guess it
correctly earns bonus points and becomes the next quiz
master.
Concept Elaboration
Activity 1: Variable Identification

Directions: INDIVIDUAL WORK. Identify the

idependent and dependent variables in each research
problem. Write your answer under the right column.
 Independent Dependent
Research Queue
Variable variable
1. How does logical
thinking develop
critical thinking?
2. What are the effects
of Korean novelas on
the Filipino value
system?
 Research Independent Dependent
Queue Variable variable
3. In what way does
collaborative learning
increase communicative
competence?
4. To what extent does
texting decrease students'
grammatical
competence?
 Research Independent Dependent
Queue Variable variable
5. What corrupt
practices trigger off
one's resignation?
Activity 2
Directions: INDIVIDUAL WORK. Think of your own
research problems then write them on the lines provided.
Underline once the independent variable; twice, the
dependent variable.
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
___________________________
Concept-Learning Assessment

Directions: Rate your understanding of the concepts behind the

following topics by checking the column of your answer.

Topics Very Poor Fair Good Excellent

Poor
1. Meaning of variables
2. Dependent variables
3. Independent variables
 Topics Very Poor Fair Good Excellen
Poor t
4. Relationship between the
two basic variables
5. Role of extraneous
variables
6. Confounding variables
7. Essence of variables
 Topics Very Poor Fair Good Excellent
Poor
8. Types of attribute
variables
9. Differences among
variables
10. Control variables vs.
controlled variables
11. Nuisance variables
Concept Transformation

Discover who among your professors have MA or

PhD degrees. Know and evaluate the titles of their papers
based on how transparent the title is; meaning, how visible
the independent, dependent, and other variables are in the
title.