STATISTICS FROM A TO Z<br />-- CONFUSING CONCEPTS CLARIFIED
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Statistics Tip of the Week: Multiple Names for x and y Variables

9/27/2017

1 Comment

 
One thing that many people find confusing about statistics is the inconsistency in names of concepts. The names for x and y variables are an example;
 
If we have an equation y = f(x) or y = f(x1, x2, ..., xn) what name do we have for the concept of y and for that of x? 
 
Most of us are familiar with x being identified as the Independent Variable, and y as the Dependent Variable. That makes sense, since x can vary independently, but the value of y is dependent on the value of x.
Picture
(Thanks to Ben Atkinson for pointing out a typo in the originally posted version of this table.)

Some call x the Cause and y the Effect.
 
In Regression and in other uses, x is sometimes called the Predictor Variable, because its value predicts the value of the Outcome Variable, y. y is also called the Response Variable.
 
And then there is Explanatory Variable and Criterion Variable. Explanatory and Independent are often used interchangeably. But some authors make a distinction, using the term "explanatory" when it is not certain that the variable is independent.
1 Comment
Ana Carol link
4/28/2023 05:33:47 am

Great article on the multiple names for x and y variables. It's helpful to know the different terminology used in statistics, especially when reading research papers. Are there any other terms in statistics that can be confusing and have multiple names?

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    Andrew A. (Andy) Jawlik is the author of the book, Statistics from A to Z -- Confusing Concepts Clarified, published by Wiley.

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  • Home
    • Why This Book Is Needed
    • Articles List, Additional Concepts
    • Examples: 1-Page Summaries
    • Examples: Concept Flow Diagram
    • Examples: Compare and Contrast Tables
    • Examples: Cartoons
    • Example: Which to Use When Article
  • Buy
  • Blog
  • Sample Articles
  • Videos
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