Babitha's Note on identification of variables
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The document discusses research variables, explaining their definitions, types, and distinctions from concepts. It categorizes variables into independent, dependent, research, demographic, and extraneous variables, highlighting their roles and relationships in studies. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of operational definitions for measuring and understanding these variables in research.
Babitha's Note on identification of variables
- 2. LEARNING OUTCOMES • By the end of this topic, you should be able to: 1. Identify what are research variables; 2. Describe the differences between concepts and variables; 3. Classify the types of variable 4. Brief about operational definitions 2
- 3. Introduction Variables are qualities, properties, or characteristics of person, things, or situations that change or vary. Variable is also known as a concept that can be measured 3
- 4. Definitions Chinn & Kramer stated that ‘variables are concepts at different level of abstraction that are concisely defined to promote their measurement or manipulation within study’. Kerlinger, 1986 says that a variable is a property that takes on different values and a concept that can be measured by any one of the four types of measurement. 4
- 5. The difference between concept and variable As a researcher, you should know that measurement is the keyword that distinguishes between concept and variable. A concept cannot be measured while a variable can be subjected to measurement by units of measurement, whether subjective or objective. 5
- 6. Types of Variables Independent Vs Dependent Variable Research variable Demographic variable Extraneous variable 6
- 7. Types of Variables Independent Variable It is a stimulus or activity that is manipulated or varied by the researcher to create the effect on the dependent variable. Dependent Variable It is the outcome or response due to the effect of the independent variable, which researcher wants to predict or explain. 7
- 8. Types of Variables For example: “Effectiveness of planned teaching on the knowledge of staff nurses working in psychiatric unit regarding Physical Restraints for psychiatric patient in selected hospital of J&K”. • In this study planned teaching is an independent variable & knowledge is the dependent variable 8
- 9. Types of Variables Research variable In descriptive, exploratory, comparative, & qualitative research studies, variable are observed or measured in natural setting as they exist, without manipulating or imposing the effect of intervention or treatment. Here no independent variable is manipulated & no cause-effect relationship is examined; these variable are considered as research variable. 9
- 10. Types of Variables Research variable Therefore, research variables can be defined as qualities, attributes, properties or characteristics which are observed or measured in a natural setting without manipulating & establishing cause-&-effect relationship. 10
- 11. Types of Variables For example “An exploratory study on factors contributing to sleep disturbance among patients admitted in selected intensive care unit of AIIMS, New Delhi‟. In this research study, “factors contributing to sleep disturbance” is a research variable, which is observed in natural setting without manipulating it. 11
- 12. Types of Variables Demographic variable In most of the research studies, researchers make the attempt to study the sample characteristics & present them in research findings. Sometimes researchers even try to establish relations of the demographic variables with the research variables. These characteristics & attributes of the study subjects are considered as demographic variables. 12
- 13. Types of Variables Demographic variable Common demographic variables are age, gender, educational status, religion, social class, marital status, habitat, occupation, income, & medical diagnosis etc. 13
- 14. Types of Variables Extraneous variable Extraneous variables are the factors which are not the part of the study but may affect the measurement of the study variables. These variables are usually recognized & controlled by researchers in quasiexperimental & experimental studies. Generally, specific research design & sample inclusion & exclusion criteria are used to control the influence of extraneous variables.14
- 15. Types of Variables For example: ‘A study is conducted to assess the effect of two different pin site care protocols on prevention of pin site infection among patients with external skeletal fixation’. In this study, pin site care protocols are independent variable, pin site infection is the dependent variable . 15
- 16. Operational Definitions In research study, each variable or concept must be operationally defined. An operational definition of variable provides the theoretical or conceptual meaning of variable under study. This definition of the variables may be derived from conceptual or theoretical framework on which study is based or may be stated in a form in which variables are expected to be studied in present study. 16
- 17. Operational Definitions The specific way in which a variable is measured in a particular study is called the operational definition. It is critical to operationally define a variable in order to lend credibility to the methodology and to ensure the reproducibility of the results. Another study may measure the same variable differently. The operational definition also helps to control the variable by making the measurement constant. 17
- 18. Operational Definitions For example: “Effectiveness of planned teaching on the knowledge of staff nurses working in psychiatric unit regarding Physical Restraints for psychiatric patient in selected hospital of J&K”. In this problem statement there are five variables, effectiveness, planned teaching, knowledge, nurse & physical restraint, which need to operationally defined. 18
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