Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT

for teachers and ask them about their feelings

toward the dimensions of morale in my definition.

I might go to the school and observe the teachers in

the teachers lounge, interacting with students, and

attending school activities. I might use school per-

sonnel records on teacher behaviors for statements

that indicate morale (e.g., absences, requests for let-

ters of recommendation for other jobs, performance

reports). I might survey students, school adminis-

trators, and others to find out what they think about

teacher morale. Whichever indicator I choose, I fur-

ther refine my conceptual definition as I develop it

(e.g., write specific questionnaire questions).

Conceptualization and operationalization are

necessary for each variable. In the preceding

example, morale is one variable, not a hypothesis.

It could be a dependent variable caused by some-

thing else, or it could be an independent variable

causing something else. It depends on my theoreti-

cal explanation.

Qualitative Conceptualization
and Operationalization
Conceptualization.In qualitative research, instead
of refining abstract ideas into theoretical definitions

early in the research process, we refine rudimentary

“working ideas” during the data collection and

analysis process. Conceptualizationis a process of

forming coherent theoretical definitions as we

struggle to “make sense” or organize the data and

our preliminary ideas about it.

As we gather and analyze qualitative data, we

develop new concepts, formulate definitions for

major constructs, and consider relationships

among them. Eventually, we link concepts and

constructs to create theoretical relationships. We

form and refine constructs while examining data

(e.g., field notes, photos and maps, historical doc-

uments), and we ask theoretical questions about

the data (e.g., Is this a case of class conflict? What

is the sequence of events and could it be different?

Why did this happen here but not somewhere

else?).

We need clear, explicit definitions expressed in

words and descriptions of specific actions that link

to other ideas and are tied to the data. In qualitative

research, conceptualization flows largely from the

data.

Operationalization.In qualitative studies, opera-

tionalization often precedes conceptualization

Conceptualization Conceptualization

Operationalization Operationalization

Hypothetical Causal

Relationship

Tested Empirical

Hypothesis

Theoretical

Level

Operational

Level

Empirical

Level

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Abstract Construct to Concrete Measure

Abstract Construct

Conceptual Definition

Indicator or Measure

Abstract Construct

Conceptual Definition

Indicator or Measure

FIGURE 1 Conceptualization and Operationalization