California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Latest update: April 7, 1999
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Jeanne at jcurran@csudh.edu
Subject line: stex04: theory and variables
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Source materials for the following questions will be found in Adventures in Criminal Justice ResearchDowdall, Babbie, and Halley, 3, pp. Chapters 4, 5, 6.

Try to answer in 25 words or so. Make each answer integral, so that I can read it without reference to the exercise or the question itself.

1. What is theory?

   Theory is one of the ways we try to explain the world - to understand and predict why things happen. Theory has to fit together as a whole to make sense to us. One statement in the theory must not contradict other statements in the theory. The theory must be consistent. Then we test parts of the theory in the real world to see if it seems to work the way we thought it would.

2. What is a variable?

   Something we can measure in a way that lets it vary.
   Gender is a variable. It can vary as male or female.

   1. What is an independent variable?

      An independent variable is the variable we change (or look at differences) to see what will happen, if our theory will work in the real world.

   2. What is a dependent variable?

      A dependent variable is the variable we look at to see what effect changing (or looking at different levels of) the independent variable had.

   3. Give examples of independent and dependent variables.

      1. We look at gender (M/F) (independent) to see who talks more (dependent), men or women.
      2. We look at race and ethnicity (independent) to see whose income is higher (dependent).
      3. We look at educational level (independent) to see whose career pattern is longest (dependent).