Exercise No.

VARIABLES

Variable:
- As applied in research, it is the subject of research. It involves
all aspects or characteristics related to the subject or problem
that can be altered or constant in nature.
- A characteristic or attribute of persons or objects which
assumes different values or label.
- Is any entity that can take on different values. Anything that
can vary can be considered a variable. (e.g. age, treatment or
program, etc.)

Three Types of variables:

1. Independent
2. Moderator
3. Dependent

Independent variables
- are inputs of the study which cannot be manipulated in
descriptive studies but manipulated in experimental research.
In other words, it can be constant in nature or not, depending
on the objectives of the study.
- Are variable that is manipulated to examine its impact on the
dependent variable.
- This is also known as:
o Treatment
o Factor
o Predictor
o Regressors
o Causal variable
o Explanatory

Moderator variables
- are intervening variables that may or may not influence
independent and dependent variables. It is sometimes known
as secondary input variable.

Dependent variables
- is the result of the manipulation after association with
independent and moderator variables. It is the output of the
study.
 - A variable that is measured to see whether the treatment or
manipulation of the independent variable has an effect. This
is also known as:
o Predictant
o Regressand
o Explained variable
o Effect variable
o Target Variable
o Outcome variable
o Results variable
o Criterion variable

Example: The productivity of Master Teachers in Velez College during school

year 2017 – 2018.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT VARIABLES

Master Teachers:
Extent of productivity along:
a. Personal attributes
b. Educational a. Teaching performance
qualifications b. Action research
c. Professional experience c. Community service

MODERATOR VARIABLES: personal attributes, level of accreditation, location of

Velez College, job motivation, and working conditions.

Measurement:
- process of assigning the value or label of a particular variable
for a particular experimental unit.

Experimental unit:
- the person or object on which a variable is measured.

Classification of Variables:
1. Qualitative variable – yields categorical or qualitative responses.
Examples: Civil Status (Single, Married, Widow, etc.)
Religious affiliations (Catholic, Protestant, etc.)
 2. Quantitative Variable – yields numerical responses representing an
amount or quantity.
Examples: Height, Weight, no. of children

a. Discrete Variable – assumes finite or countably infinite values

such as 0, 1,2 ….. Obtained through the process of counting.
Examples: No. of children (0, 1,2,3 ….)
No. of student dropouts

b. Continuous Variable – cannot take on finite values but the values

are related / associated with points on an interval of the real line.
Obtained through the process of measurement.
Examples: height ( 5’4”)
Weight (130.22 kilos )
Temperature (31.5OC)

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the laboratory period, the student will be able to:
1. Discuss thoroughly the relevance of Biostatistics in the field of
Medicine/MedLab Science, Education, Business, Research, Community.
2. Differentiate correctly Independent Variables from Dependent Variables and
give its examples.
3. Classify properly Qualitative from Quantitative Variables and give its examples.

MATERIALS:
Paper
Pencil/ballpen

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. The BIOSTAT – EPIDEMIOLOGY class is divided into five (5) groups for
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION.
2. Each group will draw a raffle of a research title/research problem example for
discussion. (This research title will be given during the day of the scheduled
laboratory period ONLY)

3. A group LEADER/MODERATOR will be assigned in each SGD and a

SECRETARY. All members of the group should say something and ask
questions regarding the topic.
4. Each group is given ONLY fifteen (15) minutes to prepare and brainstorm for
the activity.

5. A summary or output of the discussion will be submitted by the GROUP

Secretary the following day of the laboratory activity and be encoded in one (1)
page short bond paper.

6. This activity is graded / evaluated by the laboratory preceptors using rubrics.

7. Guide questions for discussion:

1. What are the relevance of Biostatistics in the fields of: (site

example/s)
Group 1: Medicine / Medical Technology (MedLab Science)
Group 2: Education
Group 3: Business
Group 4: Research
Group 5: Community

2. Identify and explain the Independent variable/s of the assigned

Research Title/research problem

3. Identify and explain the Dependent variable/s of the assigned

Research Title/research problem

4. Are there moderator variables that you can include in the study of the
Research Title given? If there is/are any, discuss with your
groupmates

5. What are examples each of the following variables: (not mentioned

in this Lab Manual)
a. Discrete variable
b. Continuous variable
 Laboratory Exercise No. 1

RUBRICS FOR VARIABLES

(SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION)

Student’s Name ______________________________________ Group & Section ____ Date ____

CRITERIA BEGINNING DEVELOPING ACCOMPLISHED EXEMPLARY SCORE

1 2 3 4
KNOWLEDGE
Discussion is Discussion is 50% Discussion is 75% Discussion is 100%
25% or less organized and correct organized and organized and correct
organized and information is correct information is information is
ORGANIZATION, correct provided.; able to give provided; Able to provided; ; Able to
CONTENT AND information is either 1 correct give correct give correct examples
DISCUSSION provided. Unable example of discrete examples of discrete of discrete and
to give example or continuous variable and continuous continuous variable.
of discrete and variable.
continuous
Variable.
Not prepared by 30% prepared but too 60% prepared and Totally prepared
PREPAREDNESS reading his/her often relies his/her occasionally relies without undue
notes notes his/her notes reliance on his/her
notes
Unable to Able to accurately Able to accurately Able to accurately
accurately answer few questions answer most answer almost all
ABILITY TO answer questions posed about the questions posed questions posed
ANSWER posed about the topic( incompletely about the topic about the topic
QUESTIONS/ topic (incorrectly identified the (completely identified (completely identified
CLARIFICATIONS identified the dependent, the dependent, and correctly
(as speaker) dependent, moderator and moderator and explained the
moderator and independent independent dependent,
independent variable/s in the given variable/s in the moderator and
variable/s in the research title) given research title independent
given research but with few errors in variable/s in the given
title) the explaination) research title )
SKILLS
Limited Ordinary word choice, Accurate word Uses technical or
vocabulary, dialect is spoken half choice, dialect is scientific terminology
dialect is spoken the time of the spoken 25% of the appropriately and
USE OF most of the time; discussion; use of entire discussion; no correctly; straight
LANGUAGE grammatical scientific terminology more than 2 major English is spoken
errors impair avoided; some errors and a few during the discussion;
communication serious grammatical minor errors no major grammatical
errors but do not errors
impair communication
ABILITY TO ASK Phrase correctly Phrase correctly 50% Phrase correctly Phrase correctly
QUESTIONS OR 25% or less relevant questions or 75% relevant relevant questions or
CLARIFICATIONS relevant clarifications for the questions or clarifications for the
(as listener) questions or speaker clarifications for the speaker
clarifications for speaker
the speaker
 Able to dissect Able to dissect the Able to dissect the Able to dissect the
APPLICATION OF the case/topic case/topic with case/topic with case/topic with
CRITICAL with correct correct thought correct thought correct thought
THINKING thought process process 50% of the process 75% of the process 100% of the
25% of the time time time time
BEHAVIOR
LISTENS TO THE Sometimes does Sometimes does not Listens intently but Listens intently. Does
DISCUSSION not appear to be appear to be listening has one distracting not make distracting
listening and has but is distracting noise or movements noise or movements
a distracting intently intently
noises or
movements
INTERACTION Speaker ignores Speaker often ignores Speaker sometimes Speaker effectively
WITH LISTENERS the listeners the listeners ignores the listeners interacts with
(as speaker) listeners
PUNCTUALITY Arrives beyond Arrives 30 minutes Arrives 15 minutes Always arrives on
30 minutes for the late for the class late for the class time for the class
class
TIME The Group The Group extended The Group extended The Group completed
MANAGEMENT extended 11 - 20 5-10 minutes in order 5 minutes in order to the discussion within
minutes in order to complete the complete the the allotted time of 20
to complete the discussion discussion minutes
discussion
OUTPUT ( as a group)
SUBMISSION OF Submitted Submitted summary Submitted summary Submitted summary
SUMMARY summary of of discussion 2 days of discussion a day of discussion on time
discussion 3 days after the deadline after the deadline (within 24 hours from
or more after the end of meeting)
deadline
SUMMARY Contains 25% or Contains 50% of the Contains 75% of the Contains all the items
less of the items items taken up during items taken up taken up during the
taken up during the discussion in one during the discussion discussion in one (1)
the discussion in (1) page in one (1) page page
one (1) page
HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE (48)
TOTAL SCORE ( ____ )/48 X 100 =

COMMENTS:

Evaluated by: _____________________________

Date:____________________________________