Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
An operational definition specifies the exact procedures or operations used to measure a variable within a research study. It allows researchers to translate theoretical concepts into measurable factors that can be empirically tested.
AP course connection
Topic 2.1: 2.1 Approaches to Sociological Research
Variable: A characteristic or quantity that varies or changes among individuals in a study, which can be measured or observed.
Empirical Evidence: Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used as the basis for knowledge and informed conclusions in research.
Replicability: The ability of an experiment or study to be repeated by other researchers following the same methodology to achieve similar results