operational definition a study of matter
An operational definition is a detailed specification of how one would go about measuring a given variable. Operational definitions can range from very simple and straightforward to quite complex, depending on the nature of the variable and the needs of the researcher.
Operational Definition. The operational definition of a variable is the specific way in which it is measured in that study. Another study might measure the same conceptual measure differently. If you were studying ways of helping people stop smoking, smoking cessation would be an outcome measure (dependent variable).