Dependent and independent variables
Every time we try to predict any outcome, that outcome can be considered as a target variable. The target variable that we are trying to predict is called the dependent variable. Also, other variables we use to predict the target variables are called independent variables. To be able to predict any variable based on any other variable, they must be associated with one another. This same principle applies to independent and dependent variables; they must have a level of association as a prerequisite for being able to predict the dependent variable.
Generally, in research, we have specific research questions. These research questions are related to what we call the endpoint or the target variable. Let’s explore an example we already analyzed. In the previous three chapters, we analyzed the Diabetes dataset. For clinicians, HbA1C is one of the most important variables in diabetes. HbA1c tells us about the glycation of the hemoglobin over a...
