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In the examples listed above, a nuisance variable is a variable that is not the primary focus of the study but can affect the outcomes of the experiment. [3] They are considered potential sources of variability that, if not controlled or accounted for, may confound the interpretation between the independent and dependent variables .
Attributes are closely related to variables. A variable is a logical set of attributes. [1] Variables can "vary" – for example, be high or low. [1] How high, or how low, is determined by the value of the attribute (and in fact, an attribute could be just the word "low" or "high"). [1] (For example see: Binary option)
The same is true for intervening variables (a variable in between the supposed cause (X) and the effect (Y)), and anteceding variables (a variable prior to the supposed cause (X) that is the true cause). When a third variable is involved and has not been controlled for, the relation is said to be a zero order relationship. In most practical ...
For the variables under examination, analysts typically obtain descriptive statistics for them, such as the mean (average), median, and standard deviation. [61] They may also analyze the distribution of the key variables to see how the individual values cluster around the mean. [62] An illustration of the MECE principle used for data analysis.
When a sample consists of more than one variable, descriptive statistics may be used to describe the relationship between pairs of variables. In this case, descriptive statistics include: Cross-tabulations and contingency tables; Graphical representation via scatterplots; Quantitative measures of dependence; Descriptions of conditional ...
if more than one variable is measured, a measure of statistical dependence such as a correlation coefficient; A common collection of order statistics used as summary statistics are the five-number summary, sometimes extended to a seven-number summary, and the associated box plot.
Because variables conforming only to nominal or ordinal measurements cannot be reasonably measured numerically, sometimes they are grouped together as categorical variables, whereas ratio and interval measurements are grouped together as quantitative variables, which can be either discrete or continuous, due to their numerical nature.
Examples of measured variables could be the physical height, weight, and pulse rate of a human being. Usually, researchers would have a large number of measured variables, which are assumed to be related to a smaller number of "unobserved" factors. Researchers must carefully consider the number of measured variables to include in the analysis. [2]