Research Variables and Research Problems

It has been noted that most successful professional athletes are self-motivated. This attitude allows these individuals to set personal goals, discounting extrinsic rewards such as cash prizes or medals.

Think back to Statistics: Which of the following is a discrete variable?

• Success of professional athletes

• No. of personal goals

• No. of professional athletes

• Level of self-motivation

Benito has noted that the cafeteria line is unnecessary slow. He sets about studying the actions of the canteen staff and the cashier. He also notes the length of time for such actions as paying up, picking up lunch trays, lunch service and so on take up during the lunch queues.

Which of the following is considered to be continuous variable?

• number of people in line

• length of time

• cost of a food item

• number of cafeteria staff

Daryll's mother has been growing alocasia saneriana (a native Philippine plant). But plants have been growing poorly lately.

He has read that certain types of plants prefer different types of water. For example, rosemary is a fragrant herb that thrives on salty water and hornwort (often seen in aquariums) grow well in brackish (fresh-salty) water.

He wants to conduct a study on the above. Which among the ff would be the independent variable?

• the type of plant: alocasia sanerania

• the type of water: fresh, salty, brackish

• the growth of the alocasia sanerania plants

• None of these

While conducting the experiment, Daryll has noted that the alocasia plants initially responded either positively or negatively to the type of water. However, lately, progress (or regress) has been slow - almost nonexistent.

What do we attribute this phenomena to?

• This is normal - the experiment has ended. He needs to stop the experiment now.

• This is normal - he needs to change the pattern when he administers the water. The change will cause the desired effect.

• This is normal - this is when his records should truly begin. His previous records are not necessary.

• This is normal - observable changes often undergo a dormancy period. There is often a gap in the effect.

Two groups of SHS students were sampled to participate in a Math-Music correlation study. One group was tested in the morning at the library. The other group was tested in the laboratory near the gym.

What can be classified as an extraneous variable?

• The venues of the exam

• The different SHS groups

• The study - music and Math

• None of the above

Suppose a researcher collects data on ice cream sales and shark attacks and finds that the two variables are highly correlated. Does this mean that increased ice cream sales cause more shark attacks?

• Yes!

• No!

• That's a trick question!

The experimenter relates himself with the independent variable.

• True

• False

Extraneous variables are nuisance variables.

• True

• False

Extraneous variables are as significant as independent variables.

• True

• False

All variables are prone to changes or variations.

• True

• False