Thinking like an investigator · Variables
Measurement and Representation
Does numeric coding make a variable continuous?
Page 1 of 7 · Big Picture
The big picture: Measurement and Representation
Does numeric coding make a variable continuous?
Why a policy analyst should care
Policy variables are often stored as numbers even when they represent names, rankings, counts, or measured quantities; confusing the code with the construct can make a polished analysis mathematically meaningless.
Follow the idea from the opening question to a practical decision. These are the conceptual moves this module will develop:
1 Question A number is not necessarily a measurement
2 Explore Classify by meaning
3 Formalize Four common representations
4 Transfer Audit the numeric-code trap
Use the left and right arrow keys to move between pages.