It is incumbent upon researchers to consider the influence of confounding variables in research. Researchers who fail to consider the impact of confounding variables are susceptible to exaggerating or underestimating the cause-and-effect relationship between the independent and dependent variables. A confounding variable is an unquantified tertiary variable that affects the apparent cause and the alleged consequence in research that looks at a possible cause-and-effect link. It is crucial to consider possible variables in your research design to guarantee the validity of your findings. This article will tell you about confounding variables and how you can decrease their impact in academic research.
What are confounding variables?
A connection between the independent and dependent variables under investigation is referred to as a confounding variable or confounder. These are the factors that are frequently ignored but have a significant impact on the findings of the study. Ensuring that confounding variables are understood and considered is a crucial step in ensuring the accuracy of the observations. External factors known as confounding variables influence both dependent and independent variables. These factors must be investigated to determine the nature of their link with both aspects to increase precision. However, determining the impact can be challenging because of these uncontrollable variables. A variable must meet the following requirements to be a confounding variable:
- It needs to relate to the independent variable. There could be a causal connection here, but it is not necessary.
- It must have a causal connection with the dependent variable
There are some dissertation writing services available to provide the best assistance in this type of variables.
What is the importance of confounding variables in research?
The degree to which the confounding variables affect the independent and dependent variables will determine the findings of the experiment or study. Neglecting this impact may lead to erroneous or distorted results. Confounding factors must be considered to preserve the research’s integrity and validity.
How can you lessen the impact of confounding variables in research?
You can lessen the impact of confounding variables in research by considering them via several methods. These techniques will help you analyse several subjects; however, each strategy has its pros and cons. The following techniques are useful:
- Equal Distribution of Confounders
Researchers usually distribute the underpinning confounders equally among the study participants to minimise their impact due to variation. With this distribution, it is simple for the researcher to ignore confounding variables while analysing the research’s findings. This artificial sample selection makes it convenient to examine specific independent variables and their impact on the dependent variables without accounting for outside influences.
- Restriction
It can be challenging to locate samples with individuals who are both easily accessible for the research and match the eligibility requirements. Instead, it is more practical to opt for the eradication of such known confounders. Using such a methodology, researchers discover the confounding variables that may affect research findings. The eligibility requirements for participants are then clearly based on the fact that they do not fulfil these confounding variables, after which they eliminate them. Therefore, rather than checking boxes to indicate that they have met requirements, researchers should ensure they do not fall into any categories for confounding variables.
Using this strategy, you can limit the study participants by only including those whose potential confounding factors have the same values. These values cannot interact with your independent variable and, consequently, cannot distort the cause-and-effect relation you are examining because they are the same for all the study subjects. This method is comparatively simple to implement; however, it severely limits the range of your sample. Furthermore, you might overlook some additional potential confounders.
- Matching
Using this technique, you choose a comparison group that corresponds to the main study participants group. The primary study participants must have a match for each person in the comparison group, who would have the same values for the potential confounders but have different values for the independent variables. It enables you to rule out the idea that the variations in results between the primary study participants and comparison groups are due to differences in confounding variables. You can infer that the variation in the independent variable must be the reason for the variation in the dependent variable, assuming you have considered any potential confounders. This method enables researchers to add more study participants than the restriction method. However, executing it can be challenging because you require participants matched for each potential confounding variable in pairs. Confounding variables can also include other factors that you cannot compare.
- Randomisation
Choosing sample participants randomly from a sufficiently broad group of persons is the simplest and most frequent method for reducing the impact of confounding variables. In this method, the confounding factors are distributed evenly among all the study participants without making it difficult to identify factors in specific participants. It lessens distortion and streamlines the selection procedure. Researchers can study confounding features in the first chosen group to confirm the normal presence of confounding variables.
Also, researchers can make minor changes to ensure uniformity in the case of deviations. This method lets you consider all potential confounding factors, including those you might not directly witness. Academics consider it the most effective strategy for reducing the influence of confounding factors. However, it is most challenging to carry out, and researchers must do it before the data collection.
- Incorporate the confounding variables
If you already have the data, you can use the potential confounders as control variables in your regression analysis to account for the confounding variable’s effects. The regression results will reveal any influence the extraneous variables have on the dependent variable, allowing you to distinguish its influence from that of the independent variable. It is easier to incorporate the confounding factors, and researchers can do it after collecting the data. However, you can only control the factors you can observe; other factors not considered might remain.
Conclusion
Eliminating or minimising confounding variables is essential to ensure the internal validity of the research. You must ensure to list every potential confounding factor in your research. You can make a list of confounding factors that can have an impact on your research and evaluate them separately.
