VARIABLES

Very simply, a VARIABLE is a

measurable characteristic that varies. It
may change from group to group, person
to person, or even within one person over
time. There are six common variable
types:
DEPENDENT VARIABLES

. . . show the effect of manipulating or introducing

the independent variables. For example, if the
independent variable is the use or non-use of a new
language teaching procedure, then the dependent
variable might be students' scores on a test of the
content taught using that procedure. In other words,
the variation in the dependent variable depends on
the variation in the independent variable.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

. . . are those that the researcher has control over.

This "control" may involve manipulating existing
variables (e.g., modifying existing methods of
instruction) or introducing new variables (e.g.,
adopting a totally new method for some sections of a
class) in the research setting. Whatever the case may
be, the researcher expects that the independent
variable(s) will have some effect on (or relationship
with) the dependent variables.
INTERVENING VARIABLES
 . . . refer to abstract processes that are not directly
observable but that link the independent and
dependent variables. In language learning and
teaching, they are usually inside the subjects' heads,
including various language learning processes which
the researcher cannot observe. For example, if the use
of a particular teaching technique is the independent
variable and mastery of the objectives is the
dependent variable, then the language learning
processes used by the subjects are the intervening
variables.
MODERATOR VARIABLES

. . . affect the relationship between the independent

and dependent variables by modifying the effect of
the intervening variable(s). Unlike extraneous
variables, moderator variables are measured and
taken into consideration. Typical moderator variables
in TESL and language acquisition research (when
they are not the major focus of the study) include the
sex, age, culture, or language proficiency of the
subjects.
CONTROL VARIABLES

Language learning and teaching are very complex

processes. It is not possible to consider every variable
in a single study. Therefore, the variables that are not
measured in a particular study must be held constant,
neutralized/balanced, or eliminated, so they will not
have a biasing effect on the other variables. Variables
 that have been controlled in this way are called
control variables.
EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES

. . . are those factors in the research environment

which may have an effect on the dependent
variable(s) but which are not controlled. Extraneous
variables are dangerous. They may damage a study's
validity, making it impossible to know whether the
effects were caused by the independent and
moderator variables or some extraneous factor. If
they cannot be controlled, extraneous variables must
at least be taken into consideration when interpreting
results.

Variables
A variable, as opposed to a constant, is simply anything that can vary. If we were to study the
effects of work experience on college performance, we might look at the grades of students who
have worked prior to starting college and the grades of students who did not work prior to starting
college. In this study, you may notice that both groups are students so student status remains
constant between the two groups. You may also notice that work experience is not the same
between the two groups, therefore work experience varies and is considered a variable. If we
choose students for each group who are of similar age or similar background, we are holding
these aspects constant and therefore, they too will not vary within our study.

Every experiment has at least two types of variables: independent and dependent. The
independent variable (IV) is often thought of as our input variable. It is independent of
everything that occurs during the experiment because once it is chosen it does not change. In
our experiment on college performance, we chose two groups at the onset, namely, those with
work experience and those without. This variable makes up our two independent groups and is
therefore called the independent variable.

The dependent variable (DV), or outcome variable, is dependent on our independent variable or
what we start with. In this study, college grades would be our dependent variable because it is
dependent on work experience. If we chose to also look at men versus women, or older students
versus younger students, then these variables would be other independent variables and the
outcome, our dependent variable (college grades), would be dependent on them as well.
Remember that whatever is the same between the two groups is considered a constant because
they do not vary between groups but rather remain the same and therefore do not affect the
outcome of each group differently.

Confounding Variables. Researchers must be aware that variables outside of the independent
variable(s) may confound or alter the results of a study. As previously discussed, any variable
that can potentially play a role in the outcome of a study but which is not part of the study is called
a confounding variable. If, for instance, we had two groups in the above mentioned study but did
not control for age then age itself may be a confound. Imagine comparing students with work
experience with a mean age of 40 with students without work experience and a mean age of 18.
Could we reasonably say that work experience caused the student to receive higher grades?
This extraneous variable can play havoc on our results as can any intervening variable such as
motivation or attention. Addressing confounds before they alter the results of your study is
always a wise decision.