Operationalization of variables generator
The operationalization table explains how you will measure each variable: what it is (conceptual definition), how you measure it (operational definition), which parts it has (dimensions), what you observe in each part (indicators), which questionnaire items belong to it and on what scale. Fill in one variable at a time and download it all as Word.
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Variable 1
Dimensions
Dimension 1
Dimension 2
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Operationalization of variables
| Variable | Conceptual definition | Operational definition | Dimensions | Indicators | Items | Measurement scale |
|---|
The Word file comes in landscape A4, Arial 9, with the table ready to paste into your thesis. You can edit it afterwards.
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How to fill in each column
Conceptual definition: what theory says about the variable, citing the author you follow.
Operational definition: how you will measure it in your study. E.g. "Measured with a 15-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale".
Dimensions: the parts of the variable according to your main author. Usually between 2 and 5.
Indicators: what you concretely observe in each dimension. One per line.
Items: the numbers of the questionnaire items that measure that dimension, for example "1 to 5".
Measurement scale: nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio. Likert scales are reported as ordinal.
Before you hand it in, check
- That the dimensions are the same as in your consistency matrix and theoretical framework.
- That every indicator has at least one item in the questionnaire.
- That item numbers don’t repeat across dimensions and cover the whole questionnaire.
- That the scale matches the instrument’s answer options.
Frequently asked questions
- What’s the difference between conceptual and operational definitions?
- The conceptual one says what the variable is according to theory. The operational one says how you will measure it in your study: which instrument, how many items and what scale.
- How many indicators per dimension?
- Usually 2 to 4. Each indicator should have at least one item in the questionnaire.
- Is a Likert scale ordinal or interval?
- In the table it is usually listed as ordinal, because the options are ordered but the distance between them isn’t known to be equal. If you add up items and treat the total as interval, say so in your methodology.
- What about the consistency matrix?
- There is also a consistency matrix generator with the same Word format.
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