Conceptualization, Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Operationalization, and

MeasurementMeasurement

P. Johnelle Smith, M.A.P. Johnelle Smith, M.A.

Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

1.1. Review of BabbieReview of Babbie

2.2. What is Rural?What is Rural?

3.3. Dimensions of Rurality and Life Dimensions of Rurality and Life Chances: Mortality and Infant MortalityChances: Mortality and Infant Mortality

4.4. Previous ResearchPrevious Research

5.5. Conceptualization, Operationalization, Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement of Variablesand Measurement of Variables

Review of BabbieReview of Babbie

1.1. Conceptualization – the process of specifying Conceptualization – the process of specifying observations and measurements that give observations and measurements that give concepts definite meaning for the purposes of a concepts definite meaning for the purposes of a research studyresearch study

2.2. Operationalization – an extension of Operationalization – an extension of conceptualization that specifies the exact conceptualization that specifies the exact procedures that will be used to measure the procedures that will be used to measure the attributes of the variablesattributes of the variables

3.3. ““Conceptualization is the refinement and Conceptualization is the refinement and specification of abstract concepts, and specification of abstract concepts, and operationalization is the development of specific operationalization is the development of specific research procedures (operations) that will result research procedures (operations) that will result in empirical observations representing those in empirical observations representing those concepts in the real world.” Pp. 132concepts in the real world.” Pp. 132

What is Rural?What is Rural?

What is Rural?What is Rural?

1.1. Not UrbanNot Urban2.2. Does Rural Exist?Does Rural Exist?3.3. Categorization – Census and OMBCategorization – Census and OMB4.4. Definition of RuralDefinition of Rural

(Farmer, F.L. 1997. "Rural, Definition of." Pp. 623-626 in (Farmer, F.L. 1997. "Rural, Definition of." Pp. 623-626 in The The Encyclopedia of Rural America: The Land and the PeopleEncyclopedia of Rural America: The Land and the People, , edited by G.A. Gorham. Santa Barbara and Oxford: ABC-edited by G.A. Gorham. Santa Barbara and Oxford: ABC-CLIO Press.)CLIO Press.)

5.5. Folk Society/Rural MystiqueFolk Society/Rural Mystique6.6. Social Cost of Space Social Cost of Space

(Kraenzel, C.F. 1980. (Kraenzel, C.F. 1980. The Social Cost of Space in the YonlandThe Social Cost of Space in the Yonland. . Bozeman, Montana: Big Sky Books.)Bozeman, Montana: Big Sky Books.)

Dimensions of RuralityDimensions of Rurality

1.1. Three Dimensions of RuralThree Dimensions of Rurala.a. EcologicalEcological

b.b. OccupationalOccupational

c.c. SocioculturalSociocultural

Dimensions of Rurality and Life Dimensions of Rurality and Life Chances: Mortality and Infant Chances: Mortality and Infant MortalityMortality

1.1. Rurality and general mortalityRurality and general mortality

2.2. Rurality and infant mortalityRurality and infant mortality

3.3. Research Question - How do the Research Question - How do the dimensions of rurality explain the dimensions of rurality explain the variance in general and infant variance in general and infant mortality?mortality?

4.4. Causal Modeling and Regression Causal Modeling and Regression AnalysisAnalysis

Previous ResearchPrevious Research

1.1. Link between rurality and mortalityLink between rurality and mortality2.2. Data sourcesData sources3.3. Examples of conceptualization and Examples of conceptualization and

operationalization in two studiesoperationalization in two studiesa.a. Clarke, L.L., F.L. Farmer, and M.K. Miller. 1994. Clarke, L.L., F.L. Farmer, and M.K. Miller. 1994.

“Structural Determinants of Infant Mortality in “Structural Determinants of Infant Mortality in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan America.” Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan America.” Rural Rural SociologySociology 59(1): 84-99. 59(1): 84-99.

b.b. Cramer, J.C. 1995. “Racial and Ethnic Differences in Cramer, J.C. 1995. “Racial and Ethnic Differences in Birthweight: The Role of Income and Financial Birthweight: The Role of Income and Financial Assistance.” Assistance.” DemographyDemography 32(2): 231-247. 32(2): 231-247.

Conceptualization, Operationalization, Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement of Variablesand Measurement of Variables

1.1. Variable ListVariable List

2.2. Dependent, Independent, and Dependent, Independent, and Control VariablesControl Variables

3.3. Endogenous and Exogenous Endogenous and Exogenous VariablesVariables

4.4. Move from conceptualization to Move from conceptualization to operationalization to measurement operationalization to measurement to analysis of variablesto analysis of variables

Additional ReadingsAdditional Readings

1.1. Agresti, A. and B. Finlay. 1997. Agresti, A. and B. Finlay. 1997. Statistical Statistical Methods for the Social SciencesMethods for the Social Sciences, 3, 3rdrd ed. Prentice ed. Prentice Hall. (Chapter 2)Hall. (Chapter 2)

2.2. Babbie, E. 1990. Babbie, E. 1990. Survey Research MethodsSurvey Research Methods, 2, 2ndnd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. (Chapter 7 & 13) Company. (Chapter 7 & 13)

3.3. Blalock, Jr. H.M. 1979. Blalock, Jr. H.M. 1979. Social StatisticsSocial Statistics, revised , revised 22ndnd ed. New York: McGraw Hill. (Chapters 1 & 2) ed. New York: McGraw Hill. (Chapters 1 & 2)

4.4. Blalock, Jr. H.M. 1982. Blalock, Jr. H.M. 1982. Conceptualization and Conceptualization and Measurement in the Social SciencesMeasurement in the Social Sciences. Beverly . Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.Hills: Sage Publications.

5.5. Bryman, A. 2001. Bryman, A. 2001. Social Research MethodsSocial Research Methods. . Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 3) Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 3)