A measurable characteristic that varies and may change from group to group, person to person, or even within one person over time. Variable is a logical grouping of attributes, characteristics or qualities that describe an object. It may be either height, weight, anxiety levels, body temperature, income and so on. Variable is frequently used in quantitative research projects pertinent to define and identify variables. A variable incites excitement in any research than constants as it facilitate accurate explanation of relationship between the variables.

1. Variables and Variables Types in Research
Methods
ASIF NAWAZ
Mphill Microbiology
Abbottabad University of Science and Technology

2. Variables
 A measurable characteristic that varies and may change from group to group, person to person, or even
within one person over time.
 Variable is a logical grouping of attributes, characteristics or qualities that describe an object. It may
be either height, weight, anxiety levels, body temperature, income and so on.
 Variable is frequently used in quantitative research projects pertinent to define and identify variables.
 A variable incites excitement in any research than constants as it facilitate accurate explanation of
relationship between the variables.

3. Research Variables
 Any factor that can take on different values is a scientific variable and influences the outcome of
experimental research.
 The research variables, of any scientific experiment or research process, are factors that can be
manipulated and measured.
 Any factor that can take on different values is a scientific variable and influences the outcome of
experimental research.
 Most scientific experiments measure quantifiable factors, such as time or weight, but this is not
essential for a component to be classed as a variable.

4. Types of Variables
Variables are of following types like
 Dependent Variable
 Independent Variable
 Intervening/Mediating Variable
 Control/Constant Variable
 Moderator Variables
 Extraneous Variable

5.  Dependent variable is the variable that is
affected by the independent variable. So that
variation in the dependent variable depends
on the variation in the independent variable.
 For example, if the independent variable is
the use or non-use of a new language teaching
procedure, then the students' scores on a test
of the content, taught using that procedure is
the dependent variable
 Variable that is presumed to influence other
variable. It is the presumed cause, whereas the
dependent variable is the presumed effect.
The independent variable is the antecedent
while the dependent variable is the
consequent.
 For example, Promotion affects employees’
motivation, here is promotion is independent
variable and employees motivation is
dependent variable.
DEPENDENT VARIABLES INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

6.  Abstract processes that are not directly
observable but that link the independent and
dependent variables. It is a variable whose
existence is inferred but it cannot be
measured.
 For example, using particular teaching
technique is the independent variable and
mastery of the objectives is the dependent
variable, hence the language learning
processes used by the subjects are the
intervening variables.
 Moderator variables are measured and taken
into consideration. It is a relationship between
the independent and dependent variables by
modifying the effect of the intervening
variable. It may modify the relationship
between the independent variable and the
dependent variable.
 For example, when dealing with any research
question, gender may affect them.
INTERVENING/ MEDIATING VARIABLES MODERATOR VARIABLES

7.  It is variable that is NOT allowed to be
changed unpredictably during an experiment.
As they are ideally expected to remain the
same, so called constant variables. When
conducting research, one ideally wants to
study the effects of the independent variable
on a dependent variable.
 For example, consider the impact of feedback
type on a performance measure.
 Extraneous variables are undesirable variables
that influence the relationship between the
variables an experimenter. Extraneous
variables factors in the research environment
have an effect on the dependent variable(s)
but which are not controlled.
 For example, An educational psychologist has
developed a new learning strategy and is
interested in examining the effectiveness of
this strategy. The experimenter randomly
assigns students into two groups. All of the
students' study text materials for thirty
minutes. One group uses the new strategy and
the other uses a strategy of their choice. Then
all students complete a test over the materials.
CONTROL/CONSTANT VARIABLE EXTRANEOUS VARIABLE

8. References
 https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=variables+in+research&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart
 http://ekladata.com/OHILT8-NbxlovhpTfUEjlcqVwbc/Lecture-1-of-statistics.pdf
 https://www.slideshare.net/AliMustafa17/types-of-variables-52104737
 https://linguistics.byu.edu/faculty/henrichsenl/ResearchMethods/RM_2_14.html
 http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/MV/multReg/Moderator.pdf
 https://www.scribd.com/document/464799446/Research-Methodology-docx
 https://www.academia.edu/32140181/An_assignment_on_Research_methodology.docx?auto=download
 https://www.slideshare.net/aneez103/research-variables-types-and-identification
 https://www.slideshare.net/myotakustyle/research-variables-54070221
 https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/variables

9. Thanks