outcome variable

Meaning

1. 1nouncountabletechnical

   The measured result in a study or experiment that researchers expect to be affected by other factors.

   Grammar: Countable: the outcome variable, two outcome variables. Often used with in a study or model.

   Patterns

   • the outcome variable in a study
   • measure the outcome variable

   In the trial, blood pressure was the main outcome variable.

   The outcome variable in this survey is how many hours people sleep.

   Researchers compared the outcome variable across the two groups.

Word forms

Common combinations

primary outcome variable

The primary outcome variable was the change in weight.

measure the outcome variable

The team will measure the outcome variable at six months.

binary outcome variable

Passing or failing is a binary outcome variable.

predict the outcome variable

The model uses age to predict the outcome variable.

continuous outcome variable

Height is a continuous outcome variable.

Synonyms and how they differ

dependent variable

Dependent variable is the usual term in experiments, whereas outcome variable is common in medical and social science studies.

response variable

Response variable is common in statistics and stresses that it responds to the other factors.

result

Result is a general word for what happened, while outcome variable names the specific measure used in analysis.

Opposites

Word family

outcome noun

the result of an event or process

variable noun

something that can change or be measured

variable adjective

likely to change

variation noun

a difference or change

Commonly confused: outcome variable or predictor variable?

Practice

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