The Essence of a Rabbit

1. The Essence of a Rabbit Operationalization Dr. Paul Krueger

2. Purpose • Demonstrates how we operationalize from concept to variable to measure. • Exhibits the 4 measurement scales. • Imagery: You will be asked to picture in your mind the measurement process.

3. Operationalization

4. Conceptual Definition • Essence: • The qualities of a thing that give it an identity (author, date, page).

5. Nominal Scale

6. Operationalize Gender • Variable definition: • Two mutually exclusive categories of either male or female (author, date, page).

7. Measurement Procedure • Observation: • Inspect the phenotypic differences and record into one of two categories.

8. Imagery • Picture a rabbit being examined for gender.

9. Ordinal Scale

10. Operationalize Sociable • Variable definition: • The quality of being pleasant, friendly or affable (author, date, page).

11. Measurement Procedure • Survey of humans exposed to rabbits on a 5-point Likert scale measuring perceived friendliness.

12. Survey Questionnaire • On a 1 to 5 scale rank what you perceive to be the friendliness of rabbits: Low Medium High 1----------2----------3----------4----------5

13. Imagery • Picture a survey questionnaire being administered to a group of subjects that asks questions about rabbit friendliness.

14. Interval Scale

15. Operationalize Temperature • Variable definition: • The degree of hotness or coldness of a body as measured in Fahrenheit degrees (author, date, page).

16. Measurement Procedure • 12 millimeter rectal insertion of a Sentinel Model # SO200 Fahrenheit thermometer for one minute per subject. FDA/GLP sanitary procedures to be followed between subject administrations.

17. Imagery • Picture a thermometer being placed in a rabbit and held there for one minute before recording the temperature.

18. Ratio Scale

19. Operationalize Weight • Variable definition: • The measure of heaviness in ounces (author, date, page).

20. Measurement Procedure • Each subject will be weighed on a Bradshaw Model #33110 mechanical scale incremented in ounces.

21. Imagery • Picture a rabbit being placed on a scale and the weight being recorded.

22. Propose Qualitative Methods? • There have been 4 quantitative definitions and measures. • Can we propose qualitative measures for the essence of a rabbit?

23. Observational Technique

24. Sensitizing Category: Softness • Variable definition: • The physical characteristic of being smooth to the touch (author, date, page).

25. Measurement Procedure • An expert panel will be convened to conduct a blind tactile observation of the texture of rabbit fur. Based upon a comparison with other textures, they will confer and attempt to reach a consensus as to the relative softness of the rabbit.

26. Imagery • Picture blindfolded experts taking turns touching the rabbit fur. Once all experts have done this, they remove their blindfolds, get together and arrive by a group consensus as to the texture of the fur.

27. Other Qualitative Approaches to Data Collection? • Concept: Essence • Variable: ________________ ? • Measure: ________________ ? • Instrument: _______________ ?

28. A Rabbit Conclusion (Discussion)