target variable

USAGE SUMMARY

The term "target variable" is correct and commonly used in written English, especially in the field of statistics and data analysis.
It refers to the dependent variable or the outcome of interest in a research study or statistical model. Here is an example of using "target variable" in a sentence: "In this study, the researchers examined the relationship between education level and income, with education level being the target variable."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The confirmatory target variable was the capillary erythrocyte velocity (vRBC).

Microvascular Research

The target variable was the second virial coefficient of gas.

Procedia Engineering

This workflow is based on backpropagation starting from a material balance for a certain target variable.

Process Biochemistry

Results suggest that anticipated affect may be an important target variable for entrepreneurship education courses.

Journal of Business Venturing Insights

Decision Trees are a non-parametric model that predicts the value of a target variable by learning simple decision rules inferred from the data features.

Nature

We used a GLMM with a logistic link function and a binary probability distribution for our target variable (accuracy, correct or incorrect on a given single trial).

Nature

Though any source variable can be transferred to any number of any target variable, it generally only makes sense to transfer voltage values.

Yale University

Soft sensor is an efficacious solution to predict the hard-to-measure target variable by using the process variables.

Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems

The Phosphate Sorption Capacity (PSC) was chosen as target variable to optimize sampling, because it dominated total cost per sample.

Geoderma

The parameters of these links are estimated using a simplex algorithm whose objective function depends on the target variable only.

Process Biochemistry

Existing Influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines target variable parts of the virus that may change between seasons.

Vaccine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When defining your model, clearly identify the "target variable" to ensure everyone understands the outcome you are trying to predict or explain.

Common error

Ensure you don't mix up the "target variable" (the one you're predicting) with predictor variables (the ones used to make the prediction). A clear distinction is crucial for accurate model building.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "target variable" functions as a noun phrase identifying the dependent variable or outcome of interest in a statistical model. As Ludwig AI points out, it refers to the variable being predicted. Examples in Ludwig illustrate its use in various scientific and research contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

100%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "target variable" is a noun phrase used to identify the dependent variable or outcome in statistical modeling. As highlighted by Ludwig, it’s deemed grammatically correct and very common, predominantly within scientific contexts. The phrase is crucial for defining what a model aims to predict. While alternatives like "dependent variable" or "outcome variable" exist, "target variable" offers a specific focus on the predictive intent. The key is to clearly distinguish it from predictor variables to avoid errors in model building. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase aligns with established English usage, particularly in scientific discourse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dependent variable

Replaces "target variable" with a more general term emphasizing the variable's dependence on other factors.

outcome variable

Focuses on the variable as a result or outcome of the analysis.

response variable

Highlights the variable's role as a response to changes in other variables.

predicted variable

Emphasizes the predictive aspect of the variable within a model.

explained variable

Focuses on the extent to which the variable's variance is accounted for by the model.

criterion variable

Indicates the variable used as a standard or benchmark for evaluation.

objective variable

Highlights the variable as the objective or goal of the analysis.

output variable

Focuses on the variable as an output of a process or system.

regressand

A statistical term for the variable being predicted in a regression analysis.

effect variable

Emphasizes the variable as the effect being studied in a cause-and-effect relationship.

FAQs

What is a "target variable"?

A "target variable" is the variable you are trying to predict or explain in a statistical model or machine learning task. It's also known as the dependent variable or outcome variable.

How does a "target variable" differ from a predictor variable?

The "target variable" is what you're trying to predict, while predictor variables (also called independent variables) are the factors you use to make those predictions.

What are some alternatives to calling it a "target variable"?

Depending on the context, you could use terms like "dependent variable", "outcome variable", or "response variable".

Why is correctly identifying the "target variable" important?

Misidentifying the "target variable" can lead to incorrect model building and inaccurate predictions, as you'll be focusing on predicting the wrong outcome.