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3. Data Variable

The document provides an overview of data classification, distinguishing between qualitative (categorical) and quantitative (numerical) data, along with their subtypes such as nominal, ordinal, discrete, and continuous. It explains the concept of variables, including independent, dependent, and confounding variables, and how they relate to data measurement. Examples are provided for each type of data and variable to illustrate their characteristics.

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fatimahibatullah
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10 views

3. Data Variable

The document provides an overview of data classification, distinguishing between qualitative (categorical) and quantitative (numerical) data, along with their subtypes such as nominal, ordinal, discrete, and continuous. It explains the concept of variables, including independent, dependent, and confounding variables, and how they relate to data measurement. Examples are provided for each type of data and variable to illustrate their characteristics.

Uploaded by

fatimahibatullah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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• DATA

DATA
Latin : Datum
Something assumed as facts and made the
basis of reasoning or calculation.
DATA
• Any information that can be used
statistically
Classification of Data
• Qualitative - non-numeric or categorical (what
type?)
– Examples: gender, race/ethnicity
– Qualitative (categorical) data are discrete

• Quantitative – (numerical) data may be discrete


or continuous
• Examples: age, temperature, blood pressure
• Classifi cation of data

• Discrete – having a fi xed number of values

– Ordinal (ordered), nominal (unordered)

– Examples: marital status, blood type, number of children in a

f amily, number of attacks of asthma/ day

• Continuous – having an infi nite number of values; in theory can

take any value within a given range

– Examples: height, weight, temperature, heart rate


Categorical Data
 Nominal: categories of data cannot be
ordered one above the other.
Gender : Male, Female
Marital Status: Single, Married, Divorced,

 Ordinal: Categories of the data can be


ordered one above the other or voice versa.
Level of knowledge: Good, Average, Poor
Opinion: Fully Agree, Agree, Disagree
• Qualitative Data:
-Nominal

• Data which f all into mutually exclusive categories

(discrete) f or which there is no natural order

– Examples:
race/ ethnicity,

gender,

blood group,

marital status,

I CD-10 codes,

dichotomous data (binomial data) such as HI V+or HI V-;

yes or no;

absent or present
• Qualitative Data:
Ordinal
• Data which f all into mutually exclusive categories

(discrete data) which have a rank or graded order.

– Examples:

grades,

socioeconomic status,

stage of disease,

tumor size,

low – medium - high


Quantitative Data: Interval

• Data which are measured by standard units

• The scale measures not only that one data point


is different than another, but by how much
– Examples:
number of days since onset of illness (discrete)

Temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius (continuous)


Variable
An item of data that can be observed or
measured.
Quantitative Variable
A variable that has a numerical value
e.g. Age, No. of Children
Qualitative Variable
A variable that is not characterized by
a numerical value.
e.g. Sex, Category of Diseases
VARIABLE:

Any characteristic of a person or a thing which may vary from subject


to subject or from time to time in the same subject such that it may
take any one of a specified set of values.

TYPES OF VARIABLE:
There are two main categories of variables

a) CATEGORICAL (or QUALITATIVE) variable: (have non


numerical values), e.g. blood group.

b) NUMERIC (or QUANTITATIVE) variable: are measurable e.g.


height.
Quantitative Variables
Discrete Variable
A quantitative variable, whose possible values
are in whole numbers.
Example: No of visits to a GP.
No. of Children
Continuous Variable
A quantitative variable that has an un
interrupted range of values
Example: Blood Pressure, Weight
Variable

Qualitative
Quantitative OR
Categorical

Continuous Discrete Nominal Ordinal

E.g. Male/female E.g. Grade of breast


E.g. Height, weight E.g. No of children cancer
Blood group
ordinal

V a r ia b l e : K in d o f B e v e r a g e

OR

1 2 3 1 2 3

O rd e r an y w ay yo u p lea s e!
nominal

Va r i a b l e : S i z e o f B e v e r a g e

S m all M ed iu m Large
Types of Variables
• Independent Variable
A variable, whose effect is being measured.
(Cause)
• Dependent Variable
The variable, on whom the effect is being
observed. (Effect)
e.g. cot death (dep) in diff culture (indep)

• Confounding Variable
A variable, which affects both independent as well
as dependent variable (Cause as well as Effect)
e.g. illiteracy, malnourished, high parity,
Brain storming
• LBW and SES
• Confounding variables

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