ABSTRACT
Two types of definitions are usually found in empirical research reports. A conceptual definition, which resembles dictionary definitions, indicates the general meaning of a concept. These are usually presented in the introduction and/or literature review. Operational definitions, which define traits in concrete, step-by-step physical terms, are usually presented in the section on methods. (See Example 1. 7.1 in Chapter 1 to review the structure of a basic research report.)
This chapter presents guidelines on what to define and how to write both conceptual and operational definitions.
