UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Operationalisation is the process of defining how a theoretical construct will be measured or observed in a particular study. It identifies concrete indicators such as test scores, behaviours or questionnaire items that represent the abstract idea. Without proper operationalisation, constructs remain vague and cannot be empirically studied. Therefore, turning constructs into measurable indicators is correctly called operationalisation.

Option A:
Option A names operationalisation, which bridges the gap between theory and empirical observation. It ensures that concepts such as “motivation” or “attitude” are linked to specific, replicable procedures. This is exactly what the stem describes, so this option is correct.

Option B:
Generalisation refers to extending findings from a sample to a wider population and does not involve defining constructs at the measurement level. It is an inference step, not a measurement step. Hence, it does not fit the question.

Option C:
Validation is the process of assessing whether an instrument measures what it claims to measure. It evaluates the quality of operationalisation but is not itself the act of defining indicators. So it is not the best completion.

Option D:
Standardisation involves using uniform procedures and scoring rules across administrations. While it supports reliable measurement, it does not itself translate theoretical constructs into indicators. Thus, standardisation is not appropriate here.