What’s an Operational Definition, in Normal Words?
Question by UniversityGirl: What’s an operational definition, in normal words?
I’ve tried looking up definitions online but I still don’t understand.
For one of my classes, my professor wants us to choose from a list of topics – I chose the alcoholic-producing family (this is a social work class).
The assignment is to write an “operational definition of the family social problem….get sources regarding interpersonal processes and family interventions”. Okay so I understand the last part, but I don’t understand what an operational definition is….anything I see online describes it as an experimental procedure to measure variables or something. Which obviously makes no sense with regards to alcoholism in a family.
Can anyone explain this to me in simpler terms?? Thanks so much.
Best answer:
Answer by chytown1017
Operational definition means not necessarily the technical definition you will find in a dictionary, but an understanding of the problem and a framework you will use to study the issue. The funny thing is, I think of the term as a definition in simpler terms used to study a problem, which is exactly what you are looking for to define “Operational definition.” Good luck!
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