Operational Definitions PDF

Research 7- Q2-Lesson 2  Operational Definition Research Questions  Operational Definition OPERATIONAL DEFINITION.  Operational Definition  Operational Definition A student wants to test the effects of vitamin C on the he...

Research 7- Q2-Lesson 2  Operational Definition Research Questions  Operational Definition OPERATIONAL DEFINITION.  Operational Definition  Operational Definition A student wants to test the effects of vitamin C on the health of students in her science class. We can define the variable “health of students” in the following ways: the number of colds experienced during a month the number of days absent due to sickness in a month the number of students with coughs in a month A student wants to test the effect of “Don’t Litter” posters on the trash problem at his school. We can define the variable “trash problem” in the following ways: the number of candy wrappers on the playground the number of bags of trash collected the number of empty plastic bottles in the soccer field ORAL ACTIVITY: Defining Variables Operationally Think an operational definition that might be used to measure each of the variables in the following situations. 1.David is interested in testing the effectiveness of different study techniques on test scores. Operational definition of the variable “test scores”. ORAL ACTIVITY: Defining Variables Operationally 2. Sofia wants to measure how often her classmates engage in physical exercise. Operational definition of the variable “physical exercise engagement” 3. Leo wants to understand how social media usage affects mental health among teenagers. Operational definition of the variable “social media usage”: 4. Ethan wants to find out how peer influence affects smoking behavior. Operational definition of the variable “smoking behavior” 5. Noah wants to determine how often students participate in extracurricular activities. Operational definition of the variable “participation in extracurricular activities” Guided Questions: 1. In Student A’s method, what is the remaining volume of water by the paper towel if the initial volume of water, V1 = 25 mL and V2 = 11 mL? 2. What does this volume difference (V1 – V2) represent? 3. In Student B’s method, what is the remaining volume of water by the paper towel if the initial volume of water, V1 = 25 mL and V2 = 12 mL? 4. In Student C’s method, the greater the measured height H after 3 minutes, the more water is absorbed by the towel. Is this true or false? 5. Which method is the most effective / accurate in measuring the amount of water absorbed by the towel? Why? 6. In your own words, define the variable “absorbency.” Check your Understanding: Read and analyze the following questions. 1. A teacher is interested in investigating the effect of homework on test results. Which of the two operational definitions for the variable “homework” is/are appropriate? A. The number of Math problems done by a student before the long test B. The number of hours spent by a student in answering a Science homework C. Both are appropriate. 2. A shopkeeper wants to find out if window posters affect sales. Which of the given definitions is/are appropriate for the variable “window posters”? A. The number of window posters in a certain book store B. The size of window posters used in a fast food outlet C. Both are appropriate. 3. What is the importance of clarity and precision in research? 4. Which of the following statements best defines density operationally? Density is _____. A. an intrinsic property of a substance that can show its purity B. the ability of a material to float or sink in water C. the amount of mass per unit volume of an object D. the heaviness or lightness of a body 5. Most science researchers use operational definitions of variables in their investigations. This is to enable other interested researchers to ______ their work. A. replicate C. copy B. criticize D. find errors in GROUP ACTIVITY: Create a scenario that includes variables, then perform a role play based on that scenario. Afterward, explain the operational definition of the variables indicated in your scenario. Create a power point presentation for your scenario and operational definition. SHE KNOWS, SHE KNOWS :’>