Independent and Dependent Variables in Literature Review Study

Contained and dependent variables are an essential function of well-designed enquiry.

The independent variable refers to the factors that a researcher can dispense or control. The dependent variable is concerned with what is tested or measured in an experiment.

The table below presents the definition of contained and dependent variables and other associated names in literature for each.

Variable Type	Definition	In literature also known as:
Independent	The Independent Variable is a variable that the researcher can manipulate to make up one's mind if information technology impacts a dependent variable.	– Predictor variable – Treatment variable – Factor
Dependent	The Dependent Variable is the variable tested and measured in a study to identify if the independent variable impacts it.	– Results Variable – Outcome Variable – Benchmark Variable

Research variable types and definitions

Perhaps fifty-fifty more of import than knowing what independent and dependent variables are, is understanding how to identify and use them in our study. If you are seeking to sympathize that, this article is for y'all.

Learning outcomes

In this article, you will acquire:

• What are variables, and why practise nosotros employ them in research
• What are contained variables, and how can we spot them
• Everything y'all need to know about dependent variables in your study
• Examples of independent and dependent variables in use

Let'southward put aside the independent and dependent variables for a bit and start with the basics.

What is a variable?

As the proper name implies, a variable is something that varies. In other words, a variable is a information item that can hold more than than ane value. These values can exist annihilation from names, addresses, numbers, etc.

Think, for instance, to man optics. Any of the following values can limited the eye color variable: blue, dark-brown, amber, green, hazel, even crimson, or any combination of those.

Other examples of variables can be weight expressed in kilograms (e.g., 900 grams; 52 kg; 1 ton); gender (east.thousand., male, female, transgender); historic period (e.g., 9 months; 20 years; young; old), weather (due east.g., temperature, air pressure, atmospheric precipitation, humidity), etc.

Variables are practically used everywhere, from mathematics, computer science to statistical analysis and enquiry.

Experimental research uses at to the lowest degree two types of variables: independent and dependent. Other types of variables are command variables , moderator variables , and extraneous variables .

In this article, we will focus on contained and dependent variables. Permit's first with the dependent variable first.

What are dependent variables?

Dependent variables are the variables you plan to exam in your experiment. Equally the proper name implies, a dependent variable depends on something else, such as an independent variable.

We volition cover independent variables in a moment. For now, just recollect of dependent variables as what is measured in a study.

Let'due south wait at some examples to brand certain nosotros get this right.

Example one:

Let'due south assume you examination the difference betwixt two groups (Group A and Group B) of respondents and how well they tin can remember ten given words subsequently one day.

What is beingness tested is the number of words being memorized, which is the written report's dependent variable in this case.

Case 1: Conceptual Framework

Such studies can exist conducted, e.g., when investigating the impact of slumber on retentivity retention between two groups with unlike sleeping patterns. Another application could be testing the efficacy of a retentivity supplement betwixt various groups.

Example 2:

Assuming you lot are investigating the factors impacting internal advice (e.g., Face up-to-face Communication, Board Memos, Texting) on employee engagement in an organisation.

Tin can we identify the dependent variable just by reading this statement? Of course. The dependent variable is employee engagement because it represents an effect, respectively, what is being tested in the written report.

Case 2: Conceptual Framework

Y'all can remember of a dependent variable representing the effect of something else.

Now that nosotros sympathise how to formulate and spot dependent variables, the obvious question would exist: can nosotros utilize multiple dependent variables in our study?

The answer is yes, and we should. A study can have a primary research question merely use the opportunity to answer other related questions likewise. This is a common practice of more than all-encompassing studies such equally dissertations or research papers.

Fifty-fifty if y'all are focused on measuring the relationship betwixt an independent variable and a principal dependent variable, you can have multiple inquiry questions in one report.

At that place is something y'all should proceed in mind, though. Your enquiry questions should be closely related and focused on the research problem and so that your dependent variables are function of the same underlying inquiry theme.

Now that we empathise what a dependent variable is let's talk over independent variables and their function in research.

What are independent variables?

An independent variable, besides known as the treatment variable, represents the variable that a  researcher controls directly or indirectly to test its impact on a particular outcome.

Direct command means the researcher designed the levels of the independent variable, e.g., Method ane, ii, and 3 of learning English. Indirect command refers to naturally occurring factors and cannot be manipulated directly, east.k., age or gender.

Let'southward look at the post-obit example and empathize the function contained variables play in research.

Example 3:

Bold you are investigating the efficiency of three methods of learning to speak English for adults as follows:

• Method i: using specialized English textbooks.
• Method 2: attending one-to-i English language tuition classes.
• Method 3: following an online English course.

In this instance, the method of learning is the study's independent variable, which we can control by ourselves respectively the learning criteria defined in each method; and the dependent variable is the speaking score equally the result of the experiment.

Case 3: Conceptual Framework

Example 4:

Permit'south assume nosotros are seeking to understand the impact of gender on leadership styles in an organization.

In this case, the independent variable is gender and consists of two levels, male and female person, and the dependent variable is a leadership way (east.g., transactional leadership, transformational leadership, etc.).

Example 4: Conceptual Framework

The easiest mode to identify the contained and dependent variables in a study is to expect at them adjacent.

For instance, every time the researcher manipulates anything or assigns respondents to groups depending on attributes such as gender, age, income, etc., that variable is the independent variable.

In contrast, when researchers examine whether specific factors impact the effect, they expect at the dependent variable.

Some studies are non looking into how 2 or more than variables affect each other just rather if the variables are related.

For instance, there is goose egg to manipulate if yous are interested only in the human relationship between how much someone is flight and aviophobia. In that sense, there are no contained variables.

How To Utilise Independent And Dependent Variables In A Enquiry Newspaper?

Now that nosotros understand what contained and dependent variables are, let'south discuss some essential criteria when choosing the variables for our next research project.

Well-designed enquiry follows the scientific method guidelines and starts by posing a question and identifying the relevant factors required to answer it. Yous can read more about the scientific method, definition, and steps here and how information technology influences the quality of research.

These factors, namely the variables used in a study, are not selected by guessing but rather through a detailed analysis of the existing body of literature regarding the matter under investigation.

In other words, you must present the theoretical framework that explains why the research topic nether investigation is relevant for beingness studied.

Case 5:

Let'southward assume we investigate factors affecting the leadership style in an organization. We should start by looking into existing theories on leadership (e.one thousand., Transactional Theory, Transformational Theory, Strong Human Theory, Behavioural Theory, etc.) to guide the states in formulating the enquiry question and identifying the factors required for answering it.

When identifying the independent variables for our research, information technology is crucial to ensure that they are contained of any other variable used in the report. Thus, the contained variable tin requite the most significant insight possible and avoid misreckoning (multiple variables competing to explain an outcome).

The same applies when choosing our dependent variable. A good dependent variable is sensitive to changes practical to the independent variables in the aforementioned report.

The presumed human relationship betwixt the contained and dependent variables, namely the research hypotheses , conceptual framework , and theoretical framework of the study, shall be discussed in the Literature Review chapter of your enquiry newspaper.

Cardinal Takeaways

Here are some critical points about research variables you should keep in heed:

• A variable is a data item that tin concord more than a unmarried value.
• Independent variables are the variables that can be manipulated or controlled by the researcher.
• A dependent variable is a variable a researcher plans to mensurate. It represents the event of an experiment.
• The relation between independent and dependent variables can be seen as cause and effect.
• The existing theories and literature should explain your research variables.
• All variables, proposed hypotheses, and conceptual framework are discussed in the Literature Review chapter of a research paper.

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