ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on theories and concepts, and goal is to transform those concepts into something that can actually measure, a process called operationalization. Operationalization is the process through which researchers transform abstract concepts into concrete, tangible ones they can measure. Another critical aspect of operationalization is the need for specificity about how the concept will be turned into something that we can measure. Researchers can run into many pitfalls when they operationalize abstract concepts. Concepts that social scientists are trying to measure are often multifaceted. Content validity refers to whether or not the operationalization includes all-important aspects of the concept of interest. The chapter examines the relationship between the operationalization that we're using and other operationalizations that have been used in the past or that theory tells are related to the concept. Perhaps the strongest test of the validity of an operationalization is predictive validity.
