Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Controlling for
English answer:
Given the same level of
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Oct 14, 2005 05:59
18 yrs ago
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English term
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to control for (something)
English
Social Sciences
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
survey results
Controlling for wealth levels, average total savings for the member are significantly higher than for non-member from poor households.
How would you paraphrase "controlling for..."?
How would you paraphrase "controlling for..."?
Responses
+8
6 mins
Selected
Given the same level of wealth . . . OR
When the variations on account of wealth are removed . . . OR
If the effects of wealth as a factor are ignored.
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Note added at 31 mins (2005-10-14 06:31:21 GMT)
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"To control for" (a variable) is a commonly used phrase in statistical analysis.
When there are multiple causes (or antecedant variables) that affect an outcome, the true effect of a causal variable is determined only by "controlling for" the effects of the other variables. It is like saying, after (statistically) removing the effects of wealth, we see membership has a significant effect (i.e., impact) on savings.
From such usage, the phrase "controlling for" has spilled in to management jargon. Hence, I disagree with Venter's answer and, to some extent, with Greg's answer. [The reason that the sigular form of the noun "member" has been used is that it (implicitly) indicates an 'average' member.]
That's all for now! :-)
If the effects of wealth as a factor are ignored.
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Note added at 31 mins (2005-10-14 06:31:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"To control for" (a variable) is a commonly used phrase in statistical analysis.
When there are multiple causes (or antecedant variables) that affect an outcome, the true effect of a causal variable is determined only by "controlling for" the effects of the other variables. It is like saying, after (statistically) removing the effects of wealth, we see membership has a significant effect (i.e., impact) on savings.
From such usage, the phrase "controlling for" has spilled in to management jargon. Hence, I disagree with Venter's answer and, to some extent, with Greg's answer. [The reason that the sigular form of the noun "member" has been used is that it (implicitly) indicates an 'average' member.]
That's all for now! :-)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jonathan Spector
: Accounting for wealth levels
14 mins
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Nik-On/Off
: http://www.sportsci.org/resource/stats/complex.html
1 hr
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Dave Calderhead
2 hrs
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Thanks. Should have said, 'removing' instead of ignoring.
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| agree |
Richard Benham
: I think your third option is the reverse of what you intended to say, but the other two convey the idea.
2 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
3 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Dr Sue Levy (X)
5 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
5 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
humbird
7 hrs
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Thank you.
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| disagree |
Refugio
: It is precisely because the levels of "wealth" are not the same that adjustments are necessary.
8 hrs
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They do not have to be the same; they may still be removed statistically.
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| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
2 days 3 hrs
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Thank you.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you!"
+7
18 mins
English term (edited):
controlling for (something)
adjusting for
[PDF] Federal Tax Return Statistics - Tax Year 2003
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
After adjusting for income levels, liability as. a percent of income, the effective tax rate, differs significantly from state to state. Factors that ...
egov.oregon.gov/DAS/OEA/docs/economic/western.pdf - Similar pages
Press Articles - McDonald's relying more on international stores
... even adjusting for income levels you have the potential for many times what we have today outside the United States,'' Cantalupo said. ...
www.mcspotlight.org/media/press/reuters_25aug97.html - 5k - Cached - Similar pages
UACES: Publications: Invest in Your Future - Shop in Sharp County
After adjusting for income levels, Sharp County captures approximately 84 percent of the retail expenditures of residents of the county. ...
www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/HTML/FSCDD-9.asp - 29k - Cached - Similar pages
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
After adjusting for income levels, liability as. a percent of income, the effective tax rate, differs significantly from state to state. Factors that ...
egov.oregon.gov/DAS/OEA/docs/economic/western.pdf - Similar pages
Press Articles - McDonald's relying more on international stores
... even adjusting for income levels you have the potential for many times what we have today outside the United States,'' Cantalupo said. ...
www.mcspotlight.org/media/press/reuters_25aug97.html - 5k - Cached - Similar pages
UACES: Publications: Invest in Your Future - Shop in Sharp County
After adjusting for income levels, Sharp County captures approximately 84 percent of the retail expenditures of residents of the county. ...
www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/HTML/FSCDD-9.asp - 29k - Cached - Similar pages
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Kevin Kelly
: Simplest, most direct way to say it.
4 mins
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| agree |
Jack Doughty
48 mins
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| agree |
Helen Genevier
1 hr
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| agree |
Dave Calderhead
1 hr
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| agree |
Richard Benham
2 hrs
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| agree |
Will Matter
: This is exactly what I would've said.
3 hrs
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| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Dr Sue Levy (X)
5 hrs
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| disagree |
Java Cafe
: Since we disagree. :) I don't believe any 'adjustments' can be made; there can only be analyses. "Accounting for" works. // You've said that already. The answer works though, here and elsewhere. [Taking this personally is not a good idea. :( ]
8 hrs
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Accounting for does indeed work. But that was offered by another answerer. // Absolutely nothing personal about it. Or did you refer to your own reaction?
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-4
21 mins
should be "control (something)" (i.e., determine)
"Controlling wealth levels, average total savings for the member*s* are significantly higher than for non-member*s* from poor households."
"Controlling for" has apparently been used in place of "Controlling". The average savings of members of rich households are higher, and this controls wealth levels, making them 'rich'.
Note that both uses of "member" should be "members", in the plural, because they are general rather than specific.
There is also the slightest possibility that "control for" has been taken from an electronic dictionary. "control for" was a sixteenth-century expression meaning to "call to account", or "rebuke" (Source: Oxford English Dictionary). It is no longer used.
"Controlling for" has apparently been used in place of "Controlling". The average savings of members of rich households are higher, and this controls wealth levels, making them 'rich'.
Note that both uses of "member" should be "members", in the plural, because they are general rather than specific.
There is also the slightest possibility that "control for" has been taken from an electronic dictionary. "control for" was a sixteenth-century expression meaning to "call to account", or "rebuke" (Source: Oxford English Dictionary). It is no longer used.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Richard Benham
: This would appear to be a fairly clearcut use of "controlling for" in the statistical sense.
2 hrs
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| disagree |
Will Matter
: with RB. It means "when factor X is taken into account & statistically adjusted for, the result is then X". Standard nomenclature for this type of number / data crunching, it's a way to see what they're really dealing with/what's really occuring with data
3 hrs
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| disagree |
Dr Sue Levy (X)
: as a biostatistician, I'm always controlling for different variables in my statistical procedures :-)
5 hrs
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| disagree |
Brie Vernier
: Particularly with your final statements. Just for the record: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/control - see def. no. 5 under verb
1 day 16 hrs
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Discussion