VARIABLES

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After having finished the introduction, I have to think about my variables. But as we haven't seen this topic in the class before, I did not think what my variables would be. Now, I have to understand perfectly the topic of variables so that I will be able to determine the variables I will be working with.

Bibliography

Brown, J. D. (1999). Variables. Understanding Research in Second Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

VARIABLES

The relationship among variables

General interrelationship

As we have seen, there are five types of variables (dependent, independent, moderator, control, and intervening). The researcher will determine which variable fall into each category when designing the study. Also, the all five types may not be included in all studies and there may be more than one variable of each type that is included. The central relationship within a study is between the independent variable and the dependent one. However, the variable of overall focus is the dependent variable. A study is initially designed to determine the effect of the independent variable on the independent variable. The intervening variable serves to label the relationship or process that links the independent and dependent variables but is not itself observable. A special kind of independent variable is called moderator which determines what change, if any, it causes in the central relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Different types of variables

Intervening variables

Intervening variables are abstract, theoretical labels applied to the relationship or process that links the independent and dependent variables. They are constructs that may explain the relationship between independent and dependent variables but are not directly observable themselves. Thus, we must always be careful of intervening variables because they are onlylabels -applied from the researcher's point of view- and they may artificially color the way we interpret the results of a study.

Control variables

Control variables are those that the investigator has chosen to keep constant, neutralize, or otherwise eliminate so that they will not have an effect on the study.

Moderator variables

A moderator variable is a special type of independet variable that the investigator has chosen to determine how, it at all, the relationship between the independent and dependent variable is the affectes, or modified, by the moderador variable. For independent variables, the concern is with their direct relationship to the dependent variable, whereas for moderator variables, the concern is with their effect on that relationship.

Independer variables

Independet variable are variables selected by the researcher to determine their effect on or relationship with the dependet variable. In short, an independet variable is one that is selected and systematically manipulated by the researcher to determine whether, or the degree to which, it has any effect on the dependet variable.

Dependet variables

A dependent variable is observed to determine what effect, if any, the other types of variables may have on it. It is the variable of focus, the central variable, on which other variables will act if there is any relationship. Thus, a dependent variable cannot be identified in isolation. It makes sense only in the context of the other variables in the study.

How variables fit into research

Operationalization

The operationalization of variables is a researcher's chance to explain how each variable is being defined with respect to the construct in question. Operational definition should take a variable out of the realm of theory and plant it squarely in concrete reality. It must be based on obsrvable, testable, or quantifiable characteristics. An operational definition must be unique, or exclusive; the definition must not also fit other possible constructs. It is the researcher's resposability to make sure that the variable, as operationalized, makes sense. It logically represent the construct involved. The variables are the focus and center of any study.

Varibales versus constructs

We have to distinguish variables from the underlying constructs that they represent. Both variables and constructs vary over time or among individuals. A variable is ssentially what we can observe or quantify of human characteristics or abilities involved, whereas a construct is the actual characteristics or ability that it represents in human beings. For example, Proficiency in Spanish is something that goes on inside an individual's head. It is difficult to observe and may be different from the indirect observations that a researcher makes (perhaps, scores on a Spanish proficiency test) to define this variable. The construct proficiency on Spanich (th actual human ability could be represented by the variable test scores in Spanish proficiency (what we can observe and measure of the construct in question). We can notice that the scores are not the ability but a reflection of the ability.

Variables

A variable is something that may vary or differ. In a research in Second Language Learning, variables are human characteristics and abilities that differ over time or among individuals. For instance, the variables that differ both over time and amog individuals include language proficiency, motivation, self-esteem, and ealth. On the other hand, the ones that typically vary only among individuals are sex, nationality, first language background, intelligence, and language ability. Most statistical research in our field is concerned with identifying the variables that are important to language learning and discovering how these variables affect the teaching of languages.