Concepts and
Operationalizations

The process of taking the abstract concepts of our explanations and turning them into something that we can observe and measure is known as operationalizing our concepts.  It is perhaps the most crucial step in the process of conducting empirical research.

Concept
A word or phrase that represents an abstract idea.

Example:
Political efficacy
Ä Conceptual Definition
A statement that lists the essential characteristics of a given concept.

Example:
Political efficacy is a person's sense that their actions have an impact on the operation of the political system.
Ä Operational Definition
A procedure by which the presence or absence of a concept's essential characteristics will be observed and measured.

Example:
A person's degree of political efficacy will be measured by his/her response to the following question:

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
 "Public officials don't care what people like me think."