ARELLANO UNIVERSITY

Senior High School Department

Juan Sumulong Campus
2600 Legarda St., Sampaloc, Manila

I. CONTENT STANDARD
The learner demonstrates an understanding of:
• The learner will understand and identify the different variables in Qualitative research

PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learner:
• The learner is able to use the correct and applicable qualitative variables to their research
paper.
I. OBJECTIVES

After this lesson, the learners will be able to:

• Knowledge: Articulate a clear definition of research, distinguishing it from other inquiry or
information-gathering forms.
• Skills: Demonstrate an understanding of its fundamental concept and its role in various fields.
• Attitude: Develop an appreciation for the role of research in expanding our understanding of
various fields and its contribution to societal progress.
• Values: Conduct studies that address real-world problems and make a positive impact on people's
lives and communities.

II. SUBJECT MATTER

A. Topic
LESSON 3. The Nature of Research Variables in Qualitative Research

B. References
Nelia G. Prieto, Ph.D., Victoria C. Naval, DEM, Teresita G. Carey, D.A.L.L. (2017) Practical Research for Senior High School 1:
LORIMAR Publishing Inc. PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 (Quantitative Research for Senior High School Students) by SAMSUDIN N.
ABDULLAH, PhD, MOHAMAD T. SIMPAL, MST & ARJEY B. MANGAKOY https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-identify-
variables-in-qualitative-research, https://www.statology.org/dichotomous-variable/,
https://www.formpl.us/blog/nominal-ordinal-interval-ratio-variable-example

C. Instructional Materials

• Handouts
• Worksheets
• Whiteboard/Marker

III. PROCEDURE
A. ACTIVITY (IN PERSON SET UP)
DIRECTION: The teacher will flash set of pictures one at a time. While the first picture is shown, the teacher will
play a music and pass a ball to the students. As the music stops, the one holding the ball will form a question or
problem about the given situation. The procedure is repeated until the last picture.

1.

2.

3.

B. DISCUSSION

VARIABLE
• A variable refers to any characteristic that can have different values or traits that may vary across
research participants. Variables are measured, controlled, and manipulated by the researcher. Examples
include age, gender, height, and weight. Based on the research problem, the researcher identifies the
possible variables that will be investigated to address the problem.
ATTRIBUTES
• Attributes are important elements of a variable. It refers to the value assigned to a specific variable. For
example, if the researcher focuses on gender as a significant variable in the study, he or she then
identifies male and female as attributes of gender. The variable agreement may have the following
attributes – strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree.

Variables have the following important characteristics:

a. Independent variables are those characteristics that are changed, manipulated, or selected by the
researcher.
b. Dependent variables, on the other hand, are those that change because of changes to the independent
variable.
• For example, in a study that investigates the use of computer-aided teaching instruction on student
performance, the independent variable is teaching instruction as the researcher chooses to
implement computer-aided teaching in the classrooms. The dependent variable, therefore, is
student performance as it is expected to change in reaction to the introduction of computer-aided
teaching.
c. Intervening variables - is an abstract scientific concept that scientists invoke to label or summarize
relationships between independent and dependent variables across a variety of circumstances. It explains
the process through which two variables are related. For example, income is an intervening variable that
helps explain the relationship between the level of education (independent variable) and spending
(dependent variable).
d. Constant variables - are also called the control variable and are the variables that researchers keep the
same between groups being tested. There can be more than one constant variable in an experiment and
they are equally as important as the other variables that may create a change.

• In qualitative research, identifying variables is typically less straightforward than in quantitative

research, as qualitative studies often focus on understanding complex phenomena, behaviors, and
experiences rather than measuring specific variables. However, there are several ways to identify
variables in qualitative research:

1. Themes and Patterns: Qualitative researchers analyze data, such as interview transcripts,
observations, or documents, to identify recurring themes, patterns, and topics that emerge from the
data. These themes and patterns can be considered as potential variables or categories of interest.
2. Concepts and Constructs: Researchers may identify key concepts, constructs, or phenomena that are
central to the research question or the theoretical framework. These conceptual elements can be
considered as variables to be explored and understood in depth.
3. Contextual Factors: Qualitative research often pays close attention to the context in which the
phenomenon of interest occurs. Factors such as the physical setting, social interactions, cultural norms,
or institutional structures may be identified as relevant variables that shape the research topic.
4. Participant Perspectives: Qualitative researchers emphasize understanding the perspectives,
experiences, and meanings that participants ascribe to the phenomenon under study. The different
viewpoints, perceptions, and personal characteristics of participants can be considered as variables.
5. Process and Change: Qualitative research may focus on understanding dynamic processes, changes, or
sequences of events. In these cases, the factors that influence or contribute to the process, as well as
the changes over time, can be identified as variables.
6. Researcher Reflexivity: Qualitative researchers often engage in reflexive practices, acknowledging
their own biases, assumptions, and influences on the research process. The researcher's perspective
and positionality can be considered as a variable that shapes the interpretation and analysis of the
data.
• Qualitative variables, also known as categorial variables, represent categories or labels rather than
numerical values. They are used to describe non-numerical characteristics or attributes of data points.

• Examples
a. Customer satisfaction ratings:
• Very unsatisfied
• Unsatisfied
• Neutral
• Satisfied
• Very satisfied
 b. Social Class:
• Lower-class
• Middle-class
• Upper-class
• These variables can be further classified into:

A. NOMINAL - A nominal variable is a type of variable that is used to name, label, or categorize
particular attributes that are being measured. It takes qualitative values representing different
categories, and there is no intrinsic ordering of these categories.
• Characteristics of Nominal Variable
• The responses to a nominal variable can be divided into two or more categories. For example,
gender is a nominal variable that can take responses male/female, which are the categories the
nominal variable is divided into.
• A nominal variable is qualitative, which means numbers are used here only to categorize or
identify objects. For example, the number at the back of a player’s jersey is used to identify the
position he/she is playing.
• They can also take quantitative values. However, these quantitative values do not have numeric
properties. That is, arithmetic operations cannot be performed on them.
• Examples of Nominal Variable
• Personal Biodata: The variables included in a personal biodata is a nominal variable.
This includes the name, date of birth, gender, etc.
• Customer Feedback: Organizations use this to get feedback about their product or
service from customers.
B. ORDINAL - An ordinal variable is a type of measurement variable that takes values with an
order or rank.

• Characteristics of Ordinal Variable

• It is an extension of nominal data.
• It has no standardized interval scale.
• It establishes a relative rank.
• It measures qualitative traits.
• The median and mode can be analyzed.
• It has a rank or order.
• Examples of Ordinal Variables
• Ordinal Variable with Numeric Value
1. Very satisfied
2. Satisfied
3. Indifferent
4. Dissatisfied
5. Very dissatisfied
• Ordinal Variable Without Numeric Value
• Very satisfied
• Satisfied
• Indifferent
• Dissatisfied
• Very dissatisfied

C. DISCHOTOMOUS - is a type of variable that only takes on two possible values.

• Examples of Dichotomous
• Gender: Male or Female
• Coin Flip: Heads or Tail
 • Property Type: Residential or Commercial
• Athlete Status: Professional or Amateur
• Exam Results: Pass or Fail
IV. ABSTRACTION:
TEST I. Identification
Direction: Identity what is being asked on the following question. Choose your answers in the box. Write your
answer in the space provided.

__________1. This is usually measured, controlled, and manipulated by the researcher, and may have different
values or traits that may vary from the participants.
__________2. A type of variable that is usually changed or manipulated by the researcher.
__________3. This ________ is an important element of a variable.
__________4. Coin flips, exam results, and athlete status are examples of this type of variable.
__________5. An example of this variable are personal biodata, customer feedback, etc., as this is used to
categorize or label attributes that are being measured.
__________6. This explains the causal links or relationships between other variables.
__________7. It is also called the control variable and is the variable that researchers keep the same between
groups being tested.
__________8. This may be different from quantitative variables; they are used to describe non-numerical
characteristics or attributes of data points.
__________9. It is used to measure variables that take values with an order or rank.
_________10. Its value depends on the changes in the independent variable

ANSWER KEY:
1. Variables
2. Independent Variables
3. Attribute
4. Dichotomous
5. Nominal
6. Intervening variable
7. Constant Variables
8. Qualitative Variables
9. Ordinal
10. Dependent Variables

V. APPLICATION:
RESEARCH REQUIREMENT NO. 3