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Keywords

Attributes, Qualitative variable, Quantitative variable, Continuous variable, Dependent
variable, Independent variable, Measurement

Discussion

3.1.1 Variables

The term variable comes from the Latin word ‘variabilis’ which
means ‘changeable’ or ‘liable to vary’. In social science research,
a study is framed using several variables. A variable is a symbol
to which numbers or values are assigned. It must vary, that is,

it must take on different values, levels, intensities or states. It
can be weight, height, anxiety levels, income, body temperature,
etc. Variable is an entity that can take on different values across

◆ Something that individuals and over time. They are the characteristics or conditions
varies that can be observed, manipulated or controlled by the researcher.
The variable that actually varies provides detailed information to
the research situation. In order to convert concepts into variables
it should be measurable through scales of measurement. It is
important to have an understanding of variables in order to use
them correctly and discover relevant and meaningful results
from them. It is also useful for understanding and evaluating its
application in other studies.
In research, a variable refers to the measurable characteristics,
qualities, traits or attributes of a particular individual object or
situation being studied. In other words, variables are properties
or characteristics of people or things that vary in quality or from
person to person or from object to object (Miller & Nicholson,
1976). For example, income can be considered as a variable
because income can take different values for different people or
◆ Quantitative and for the same person at different times. Variables play an important
qualitative role in increasing the clarity of the research problem. The variable
helps to avoid subjectivity and to generate a real image of the
events, phenomena or behaviours that social science researchers
are faced with. The study of business research always involves the
study of the characteristics of the individual / item / unit. These
characteristics are represented by variables. As the name suggests

the variable changes values for different people / items at the same
time or for the same person / item at different times (individual
income, company sales)

84 SGOU - SLM -MCom Research Methodology