Senior High School Senior High School

Practical
Research 2
Quarter 1 - Module 1
Nature of Inquiry and Research

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Lesson

Variables in
3 Quantitative Research
 What’s In

You have learned from the previous lessons that quantitative research is concerned
about numerical or measurable values that we can analyze statistically. How do we measure
such values? Is it measurable at all times? Do these values change? Are these values
applicable for descriptive, correlational, ex post facto, quasi-experimental and experimental
research? In this lesson, you will learn about the different classifications of data used in
quantitative research and their examples.

What I Need to Know

Variables play a significant role in quantitative research. When you intend to

accomplish something through research, the boundaries of your goal must be defined first to
direct your focus into a specific characteristic or condition through identifying the variables of
your research study. Doing such eliminates complexities and elaborate work especially for a
senior high school student like you. Knowing the different kinds of research variables also
aids in smooth data collection and analysis.

What’s New

Activity 1: Let’s review!

Directions: Read and analyze the following questions. Choose the letter of the correct
answer.

1. Which variable is manipulated by the researcher?

A. Extraneous variable C. Dependent variable
B. Independent variable D. Confounding variable

2. Which of the following is an example of a quantitative variable?

A. Plant variety C. Hair color
B. IQ D. Race

3. Which of the following is an example qualitative variable?

A. Monthly sales C. gender
B. Basketball player number D. IQ

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4. The variable is the presumed effect of the manipulation on the object/subject of the
experiment.
A. Extraneous variable C. Dependent variable
B. Independent variable D. Confounding variable

5. A type of variable that represent categories and can be ordered.

 A. Nominal C. Ordinal
B. Discrete D. Ratio

6. What type of variable is characterized by evenly dispersed range of numbers?

A. Nominal C. Dichotomous
B. Interval D. Ratio

7. The variable that have potential effect on the dependent variable that are not part of the
study.
A. Extraneous variable C. Dependent variable
B. Independent variable D. Confounding variable

8. A variable that is used to name, categorize, or label the attributes being measured.
A. Nominal C. Ordinal
B. Interval D. Ratio

9. What type of variable is gender?

A. Nominal C. Dichotomous
B. Interval D. Continuous

10. The height of students before and after taking growth enhancers for 2 months is what
type of variable?
A. Nominal C. Dichotomous
B. Interval D. Continuous

What Is It

In order to get an answer to an inquiry that they are investigating, researchers will
observe and measure the quality or quantity of the object of the study. It is therefore
imperative for the researcher to identify the variables significant in explaining observed
effects or behavior.

A Variable is anything that has a quantity or quality that varies. For instance, during
the quarantine period, your mother planted tomato seedlings in pots. Now common
understanding from science tells you that several factors are affecting the growth of
tomatoes: sunlight, water, kind of soil, and nutrients in soil. How fast the tomato seedlings
will grow and bear fruits will depend on these factors. The growth of tomatoes and the
number of fruits produced are examples of the Dependent Variables. The amount of
sunlight, water, and nutrients in the soil are the Independent Variables. If there is an
existing relationship between the independent and dependent variables, then the value of
the dependent variable varies in response to the manipulation done on the independent
variable. The independent variable is also identified as the presumed cause while the
dependent variable is the presumed effect. In an experimental quantitative design, the
independent variable is pre-defined and manipulated by the researcher while the dependent
variable is observed and measured. For descriptive, correlational and ex post facto
quantitative research designs, independent and dependent variables simply do not apply.
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It is important to note other factors that may influence the outcome (dependent
variable) which are not manipulated or pre-defined by the researcher. These factors are
called Extraneous Variables. In our example above, the presence of pests and
environmental stressors (e.g. pets, extreme weather) are the extraneous variables. Since
extraneous variables may affect the result of the experiment, it is crucial for the researcher to
identify them prior to conducting the experiment and control them in such a way that they do
not threaten the internal validity (i.e. accurate conclusion) of the result. Controlling the
extraneous variable can be done by holding it constant or distribute its effect across the
treatment. When the researcher fails to control the extraneous variable that it caused
considerable effect to the outcome, the extraneous variable becomes a Confounding
Variable. For example, if the tomato had been infested by pests (confounding variable) then
you cannot conclude that manipulations in sunlight, water and soil nutrients (independent
variable) are the only contributing factors for the stunted growth and poor yield (dependent
variable) of the plant or is it the result of both the independent variables and the confounding
variable.

The variables can also be classified according to their nature. The diagram below
shows the different classifications:

VARIABLE

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE
(NUMERICAL) (CATEGORICAL)

DISCREET CONTINUOUS NOMINAL ORDINAL DICHOTOMOUS

Quantitative Variables, also called numerical variables are the type of variables used in
quantitative research because they are numeric and can be measured. Under this category
are discrete and continuous variables.

A. Discrete variables are countable whole numbers. It does not take negative values or
values between fixed points. For example: number of students in a class, group size
and frequency.
B. Continuous variables take fractional (non-whole number) values that can either be a
positive or a negative. Example: height, temperature.

Numerical data have two levels of measurement, namely:

A. Interval are quantitative variables where the interval or differences between

consecutive values are equal and meaningful but the numbers are arbitrary. For
example, the difference between 36 degrees and 37 degrees is the same as between
100 degrees and 101 degrees. The zero point does not suggest the absence of a
property being measured. Temperature at 0 degree Celsius is assigned as the
melting point of ice. Other examples of interval data would be year and IQ score.

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 B. Ratio type of data is similar to interval, the only difference is the presence of a true
zero value. The zero point in this scale indicates the absence of the quantity being
measured. Examples are age, height, weight and distance.

II. Qualitative Variables are also referred to as Categorical Variables are not expressed in
numbers but are descriptions or categories. It can be further divided into nominal, ordinal
or dichotomous.

C. Dichotomous are consisting of only two distinct categories or values. For example, a
response to a question either be a yes or no.

D. Nominal variable simply defines groups of subjects. Here you may have more than 2
categories of equivalent magnitude. For example, a basketball player’s number is
used to distinguish him from other players. It certainly does not follow that player 10 is
better than player 8. Other examples are blood type, hair color and mode of
transportation.

E. Ordinal variable, from the name itself denotes that a variable is ranked in a certain
order. This variable can have a qualitative or quantitative attribute. For example, a
survey questionnaire may have a numerical rating as choices like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5ranked
accordingly (5=highest, 1=lowest) or categorical rating like strongly agree, agree,
neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. Other examples or ordinal variable: cancer
stage (Stage I, Stage II, Stage III), Spotify Top 20 hits, academic honors (with
highest, with high, with honors).

What’s More

Activity 2: Identifying variables

Directions: Identify the Independent, Dependent and Extraneous variable/s in each of the
following situations.

1. Three groups of students were placed in a classroom with controlled room temperatures
of 18°C, 20°C, 25°C. The math exam scores of the students were then taken and
compared to the other groups.
room temperatures of 18°C, 20°C,
Independent variable: ____________________________________________________
25°C.
the Math exam scores of the students
Dependent variable:______________________________________________________
Extraneous variable: student’s prior knowledge, and teaching quality, and
differences in the classroom environment apart from
temperature.

2. An online seller would like to know whether the indication of price on Facebook posts will
attract consumers more. He posted 50 products for sale on Facebook market, 25 of
which he indicated the price while the remaining 25 products, did not have prices. Buyers
were just instructed to send him a personal message (pm) if they want to know the price.
He then identified which products have greater sales.
Independent variable: ____________________________________________________
presence or absence of price indication on Facebook
Number
posts. of products sold
Dependent variable:______________________________________________________
Attractiveness of the products, and product
Extraneous variable: _____________________________________________________
descriptions.
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3. A housewife wanted to know which soil is best for her pechay plants: the soil purchased
from an online seller, soil from her backyard compost or the soil underneath the nearby
bamboo tree. She planted 30 pechay seeds into each soil source and then compared the
growth of pechay after a month.
Which type of soil: soil from an online seller, backyard compost,
Independent variable: ____________________________________________________
or soil from underneath the bamboo tree.

The growth of pechay plants

Dependent variable:______________________________________________________
Sunlight, amount of water, health of the seeds, and also the temperature.
Extraneous variable: _____________________________________________________

4. Jenny is only borrowing the cellphone chargers of her brother, sister and mother because
she lost her phone charger. All chargers are of the same specifications as hers even
though they have different phone brands. However, she would like to know which
charger and charging cable combination would fill her phone battery the fastest. She
used the following codes as her reference and charged her phone uninterrupted using
the following combination. The charging time of the phone was then compared.

Brother’s Charger: BB Sister’s Charger: SS Mother’s Charger: MM

Brother’s Cable: bb Sister’s Cable: ss Mother’s Cable: mm

Combination Charging Combination Charging Combination Charging

time time time
BBbb SSss MMmm
BBss SSbb MMbb
BBmm SSmm MMss

Combination of the charger and the charging cable used.

Independent variable: ____________________________________________________
The charging time of the phone
Dependent variable:______________________________________________________
Phone’s battery health, condition of the charger and the cable.
Extraneous variable: _____________________________________________________

5. A teacher wanted to know which learning delivery modes (pure online, pure modular,
combination of online and modular) is most effective and has the fastest turnaround time
in the submission of accomplished activities among her Grade 12 students. She divided
the students into 3 groups, gave them the same activity sheets and asked them to submit
as soon as it is completed. She then compared the scores and completion time of the 3
groups.
Independent variable: The learning delivery mode
____________________________________________________
The turnaround time in the submission of accomplished activities among
Dependent variable:______________________________________________________
her Grade 12 students.

Extraneous variable: _____________________________________________________

Activity 2: Classifying variables

Directions: Identify the following variable as either qualitative or quantitative. Then classify
which specific category they belong.
 Data Type of variable Classification
(Qualitative/Quantitative) (Discrete, continuous,
interval, ratio, nominal,
dichotomous, ordinal)
Ex. Number of eggs laid by chickens Quantitative Discrete, interval
1. Amount of fertilizer given to plants
2. Weight of Pechay harvested (in
grams)
3. Speed of car
4. Tomato plant variety

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5. Color of alcohol packaging (blue,

orange, white, pink)
6. Educational level of parents (high
school grad, college grad, MS,
PhD)
7. Online seller satisfaction rating (15
stars)
8. Cellphone brand
9. Number of Covid-19 positive cases
10. Type of music
11. Number of passengers in a PUJ
12. Socio-economic status
13. Gender
14. Temperature in Fahrenheit
15. Civil Status

Activity 3: Let’s Go Online

Go to the link below and practice what you’ve learned from this lesson:
https://bit.ly/2TEw2o4
https://bit.ly/2X3TdtL

What I Have Learned

Directions: Explain briefly what is being asked for.

1. Compare and contrast qualitative variables and quantitative variables.

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. Why are dependent and independent variables not applicable in a descriptive type of
research?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

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3. How important is it for the researcher to identify the type of variables used in the study?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

4. How does confounding variable affect the validity of the study?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

5. When do we use discrete, continuous, nominal, ordinal

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do

Make a quick survey to your friends, family members and professors who have previously
conducted a quantitative research study. Evaluate the title of their papers and identify the
independent, dependent, and other variables.
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