Table of Contents
Definitions of Operationalization
(noun) The process of transforming an abstract concept into a precise definition that is measurable and testable; creating operational definitions.
Example of Operationalization
Operationalization Pronunciation
Syllabification: op·er·a·tion·al·i·za·tion
Audio Pronunciation
Usage Notes
- Care must be taken in operationalization to avoid bias and oversimplification (reductionism) to assure reliability and validity.
- Not all research methods require operationalization such as ethnography or ethnomethodology.
- Variant spelling: operationalisation
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Additional Information
- Qualitative Research Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
- Quantitative Research Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
- Word origin of “operationalization” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
Related Terms
Works Consulted
Brym, Robert J., and John Lie. 2007. Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Macionis, John, and Kenneth Plummer. 2012. Sociology: A Global Introduction. 4th ed. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.
Oxford University Press. (N.d.) Oxford Dictionaries. (https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/).
Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).
Cite the Definition of Operationalization
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “operationalization.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 16, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/operationalization/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
operationalization. (2013). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/operationalization/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “operationalization.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 16, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/operationalization/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“operationalization.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/operationalization/>.