LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET IN ENGLISH 10

Module No. 3 Quarter 4

Learner’s Name:
Section:
Date:

I. LEARNING SKILLS
A. Most Essential Learning Competency
Give technical and operational definitions
B. Objectives
1. Distinguish technical from operational definitions
2. Construct technical and operational definitions
3. Use a variety of technical and operational words in expressing thought or ideas
4. Define words using technical and operational meaning

II. INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT

Technical writing often contains words that are used in specific ways in different disciplines.
technical definition is a definition in technical communication describing or explaining technical
terminology. Technical definitions are used to introduce the vocabulary which makes communication
in a particular field succinct and unambiguous. However, an Operational definition is the specific
meaning of a word or phrase given to it by the group of people who use the word in their specific
context. It is a description of something in terms of the operations (procedures, actions, or processes)
by which it could be observed and measured. For example, the operational definition of anxiety could
be in terms of a test score, withdrawal from a situation, or activation of the sympathetic nervous
system. In this lesson, let’s try to avoid confusion by defining the terms technically and
operationally. Let’s now learn how these things work!

TECHNICAL DEFINITION is a very detailed description of a term, process or phenomenon. When

preparing a document many times the writer has to use some terms that might be unknown to the
audience but is essential to understand the author’s idea. Technical definitions are used to introduce
the vocabulary which makes communication in a particular field succinct and unambiguous.

How do we write technical definitions?

1. Parenthetical Definitions – often you can define a term by using a more familiar synonym in
parenthesis.
Example: As the horse came around the corner, it started to trot (jog).
The viscosity (thickness) of the syrup made it difficult to pour.
2. Sentence Definitions – more complex terms may need a sentence definition (which may be more
than one sentence). Sentence definitions follow a set pattern:

Name Class Defining Characteristic

Mercury Metal liquid at room temperature

Examples:
  Mercury is a metal that becomes liquid at room temperature.
 Carbohydrates are food group including sugars and starches.
 An algorithm is a finite description of a finite number of steps required to accomplish some
well-defined task.

Tips for Writing Sentence Definitions

 Take particular care when you write the reference to the class to which the term belongs; it sets
up a larger frame of reference or context.
 Give the readers something familiar to associate the term with.
 Avoid vague references to the class the term belongs to: for example, instead of calling a
concussion an "injury", be more specific like "a serious head injury".
 Provide plenty of specific detail in the characteristics component to allow the readers to form
their own understanding of the term you are defining.
 Be aware that formal sentence definition will likely contain additional potentially unfamiliar terms
and you need to explain them as well, possibly by using parenthetical definition.
Example:
Carbohydrates are food group including sugars, starches and cellulose (fiber).

3. Extended Definitions – long, paragraph definitions that consider all of the various sources of
information (e.g. description, process narration, causal discussion, and classification) that can help
define the term adequately; preferably used in academic and scientific paper
Example: Measles is an acute, highly infectious disease caused by a virus. The illness is
characterized by a cough, fever, and maculopapular (raised red) rash. It has worldwide
endemicity - that is, people throughout the world are vulnerable to the disease.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION is a statement that describes how a particular variable is to be measured, or

how an object or condition is to be recognized. Operational definitions tell you what to do or what to observe.
(The word “operational” means “describing what to do.”) Operational definition is the definition of a variable
in terms of the actual procedures used by the researcher to measure and or manipulate it. It needs to be
clear and precise so that a reader knows exactly what to observe or measure.

Tips for Writing Operational Definitions

 Look over the written plan for carrying out an investigation or write up a plan.
 Identify and list any variables or terms that do not have a single, clear, obvious meaning.
 If there are several reasonable ways to make an observation or to perform an action, choose
one that suits the purpose of the investigation.
 Write a clear, complete definition of what the researcher should do or measure.
 Check your definition by asking yourself, will this definition tell another person what to observe or
how to measure? If necessary, revise your definition before starting your investigation.
 Example 1: Operational definition: The fastest ball is the one that crosses the
finish line before all the other balls.
When you read or write an operational definition, ask yourself, “Does this definition describe
what to do or what to observe?” In the example just given, the student teams would be able to use the
procedure and the definition to compare their results. Here are some other examples of operational
definitions.

Example 2: Lemon juice, vinegar, and certain other substances are acids. To find out whether a
substance is an acid, place a drop of the substance on blue litmus paper.
Operational definition: Substances that cause the litmus paper to turn pink are acid.

Example 3: To measure a person’s pulse, place your index and middle fingers lightly on the inside of
the person’s wrist and find the beating artery.
Operational definition: The pulse is the number of beats counted in 1 minute.

III. ACTIVITIES
A. Practice Tasks
Task 1. Emerging Distinction
Using the diagram below, compare and contrast technical and operational definitions. Write your
answer on a separate paper.

Technical Definition Operational Definition

Similarities
Differences Differences

Task 2. Perfect Fit

Determine the most appropriate definition of the underlined word as it is used in each of the
following sentences. Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.

1. Family harmony provides a sense of belonging and a feeling of security.

a. Pleasing combination or arrangement of different things
b. Good relations of members
2. When conflict arises, it threatens that security.
a. To announce an intended harm to a person
b. To cause to feel insecure
 3. Unresolved conflict may damage a marriage and the entire family.
a. Not decided
b. Not settled

4. One major source of family conflict is within the area of finances – specifically the lack of
enough money to pay bills, buy foods and other necessities.
a. Money available to the government
b. To provide money to cover expenses
5. Another cause of family conflict is the rivalry that occurs within siblings.
a. Competition
b. Jealousy

Task 3. Tune it Up
Write an operational definition for each underlined idea. Write your answer on your answer sheet.
Example: You have to classify vertebrates as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, or mammals.
Answer: A bird is an animal that has two feet, a pair of wings, and feathers.

1. On a cold day, let the water in the pan freeze outdoors.

2. You will test these two fertilizers to determine which one helps plants grow faster.
3. People who take a driver’s education course are probably better drivers than drivers who do not.
4. When you finish working on an experiment, wash your hands thoroughly.
5. A psychologist wants to know if his new form of psychotherapy will make people less
depressed.
B. Assessment
Give the technical and operational definition of each of the following terms and concepts. Use the
table below as your guide and write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Words to be defined Technical Definition Operational Definition

Heatwave

Loneliness

Climate Change

Population

Home-schooling

C. Directions: Write TE if the given definition is of the underlined word is Technical, and OP if it is
Operational.Write your anser on the space before the number.
1. Intelligence is score on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test.
2. Thirst is eighteen hours (or other value) without access to water.
 3. Carbohydrates are a food group including sugars, starches, and cellulose.
4. Sleep is the specific brain wave frequencies (EEG) for different sleep stages.
5. Guilt is the score on a personality inventory, self-reported guilt on a scale of 1 to 10.
6. Learning is the change in behavior (specify kind of behavior) as a function of
practice.
7. Punishment is a presentation of 3 milliamp shock for .5 second following certain
(specified) behavior.
8. An algorithm is a finite description of a finite number of steps required to
accomplish some well-defined tasks.
9. Influenza is an acute highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract, which
occurs sporadically or in epidemics and that lasts up to a month.
10. Reservoir rock is that type of rock that has sufficient porosity and permeability to
allow gas and oil to accumulate and be produced in commercial quantities.

In a separate sheet of paper Reflect on this…

How can your knowledge in technical and operational definition help you in your
research?

IV. REFERENCES

Forming Operational Definitions. https://bxscience.enschool.org/ourpages

/auto/2012/1/30/56732630/operationaldefinitions.pdf

“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the

willingness to learn is a choice.” –Brian Herbert