An operational definition specifies aย behaviorย in clear, objective, and measurable terms, making it easy for others to observe and record theย behaviorย consistently. This definition removes ambiguity and ensures that anyone monitoring theย behaviorย knows exactly what to look for.
Example
Instead of defining aย behaviorย as โdisruptive,โ an operational definition would describe theย behaviorย as โraising oneโs voice above conversationalย levelย and leaving oneโs seat without permission during class time for at least 10 seconds.โ This detailedย descriptionย allows for consistent observation and data collection across different individuals.