10

English
Quarter 4 - Module 2
Giving Technical and Operational
Definitions
English – Grade 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 2: Giving Technical and Operational Definitions
First Edition, 2021

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the
Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office
wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such
agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their
respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership
over them.

Published by the Department of Education- Region III

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio
s

Development Team of the Module

Writers/Illustrator/Layout Artist/Editors:
Mark Nathaniel G. Pascual
Marnick S. Gutierrez

Content Evaluators: Antifas R. Reyes, Abegail S. Orteza

Language Evaluators: Antifas R. Reyes, Abegail S. Orteza
Layout Evaluators: Antifas R. Reyes, Abegail S. Orteza
Management Team: Gregorio C. Quinto, Jr.
Rainelda M. Blanco
Agnes R. Bernardo
Jay Arr V. Sangoyo
Glenda S. Constantino
Joannarie C. Garcia

Printed in the Philippines by:

Department of Education--- Schools Division of Bulacan

Office Address: Curriculum Implementation Division

Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS)
Capitol Compound, Guinhawa St., City of Malolos, Bulacan
E-mail address: lrmdsbulacan@deped.gov.ph
 10
10
English
Quarter 4 - Module 2
Giving Technical and Operational
Definitions
Introductory Message

This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, dear learners, can
continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-step
as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each SLM.
This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you need to
ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of the
lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that
you will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teachers are also provided
to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can best
help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part of
this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercise and tests. Read
the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the tasks
in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.
 What I Need to Know

This module contains comprehensive discussion on technical and operational

definition in research. The different engaging and meaningful activities may hone the research skills
of Grade 10 students, specifically in giving well-structured definition.

In your journey throughout this module, you are expected to:

• define technical and operational terms/concepts in research,
• determine the features of technical and operational definition, and
• write technical and operational definitions in research.

What I Know

A. Directions. Complete the following statements about technical and operational defintion.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
________1. In research, the “Defintion of Terms” can be found in ___________.
A. Chapter 1 C. Chapter 3
B. Chapter 2 D. Chapter 4
________ 2. The “Defintion of Terms” is a list of important ___________, acronyms, or jargons
which were used by the researcher.
A. findings C. terms
B. problems D. conclusions
________3. ___________ is commonly used in giving an operational defintion.
A. As used in this study C. As formulated in this study
B. As gathered in this study D. As mentioned in this study
________4. The technical definition states the ___________ meaning of the term.
A. specific C. ambiguous
B. universal D. vague
________5. In giving the technical defintion, you may use ___________ materials to define
it.
A. instructional C. literary
B. reference D. manipulative
________6. Operational defintion is often conceptual and ___________.
A. descriptive C. persuasive
B. narrative D. argumentative
________7. In defining a terminology, you may enhance your ___________ skills.
A. listening C. vocabulary
B. grammar D. speaking
________8. Operational definition contains information from the ___________.
A. outside world C. real world
B. fictional word D. magical world
________9. The operational definition aims to state ___________ definition of a key term.
A. general C.broad
B. vague D. specific
________10. Proper citation is vital to avoid ___________ in giving technical defintion.

1
 A. data privacy C. plagiarism
B. recognition D. copyright

B. Directions. Identify technical and operational definitions. Put a check (√) mark before the
number if the statement expresses technical defintion and cross (X) mark if it expresses
operational defintion. Write your answers on a separate answer sheet.

________11. Research is a pursuit of trust with the help of study, observation, comparison
and experiment (Kothari, 2006).
________12. Millenials refer to those chosen respodents of this study.
________13. Modular distance learning refers to the use of different contextualized learning
materials in delivering quality instructions for School Year 2020-2021.
________14. As used in his study, research refers to one of the activities of Grade 10
students.
________15. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term “Millennials” generally
refers to the generation of people born between the early 1980s and 1990s.

What’s In
In the previous lesson, you were able to distinguished the different technical terms
used in research. You were equipped with the necessary skills to effectively define a term.

This time, give either the operation or technical definition of each of the following terms
and concepts used in research. You may use the internet or your books for the definitions. Be
sure to include your source/s. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Words To Be Operational Technical Source

Defined Definition in Definition
Research

1. research

2. data

3. treatment

4. hypothesis

5. method

6. interview

7.sample

2
8. participants

9. literature

10. objectives

Remember, a technical definition is a definition in the technical sense, while an

operational definition contains information from the real world.

What’s New

Directions: Read the research abstract below and do the task that follows.
Note: Abstract is a brief summary of a research. It contains the vital information that
can be found in the research paper.

Contextualized Drills as Intervention Materials in Enhancing Grammar Skills

Mark Nathaniel G. Pascual

It is beyond dispute that drills play a vital role in learning English grammar.
Incorporating contextualization in drills in the process of language learning is considered as a
strong foundation in the development of material. Recognizing this, the researcher scrutinized
the upshots of contextualized drills on the level of grammar skills of learners. Quasi-
experimental design was utilized in this study, with 70 Junior High School student-participants.
The 35 learners in the control group used PPP method while 35 leaners in the experimental
group used contextualized drills and followed the CAP method. Both groups answered the
50-item pretest and posttest. Though both groups showed improvement in grammar skills
based on the results of their posttest, it was found that there is significant difference in the
mean gain scores of the experimental group (M = 12.29, SD = 6.07) and the control group (M
= 5.34, SD = 3.68); t = -5.79, p <.05, in favor of the experimental group. This suggests that
the experimental group performed better than the control group after utilizing the
contextualized drills.
The material gained overall mean of 3.72, interpreted as Fully Evident, attesting that
the contextualized drills are acceptable and ready for use in language learning. The study
recommends that English teachers in other grade levels use contextualized drills in teaching
grammar. They are encouraged to develop their own contextualized drills to meet the needs
of students. School administrators should initiate trainings and workshops on the development
of contextualized materials. Finally, curriculum developers will do well to emphasize the
grammar points mentioned in this study because this is where students are weakest in.

3
Task 1: Let’s List Them!
List five unfamiliar words that you have encountered while reading the research
abstract. Then, try to give their definition. You may use a dictionary or internet to define them.
Do not forget to include your source/s.
1. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________

Congratulations! You successfully accomplished your task. Always remember that

unlocking unfamiliar terms may help you hone your vocabulary skills.

What is It

What is technical and operational definitions in research? How to give technical and
operational definitions?

Giving Technical and Operational Definitions

Learning English 10 is not only about English grammar and World Literature. It is also
a great avenue for you to explore research. Mainly, one of the skills that you need to acquire
in research is how to define a term or variable. In defining a term, you need to give its technical
and operational definition to establish the concept behind it. Now, let us study the difference
between the two and how to construct a well-structured definition.
As a researcher, it is your task to guide your readers on the important terms that you
used in your research study, which may be unfamiliar to them. With this, you need to provide
them an avenue to know and understand those terms by giving their technical and operational
definition.
In a research paper, the “Definition of Terms” is one of the parts of Chapter 1 “The
Problem and Its Background.” This part is comprised of a list of important terms, acronyms, or
jargons (special word) which were used by the researcher. Those terms are clearly defined to
make sure that the readers may understand the concepts behind them, from universal
meaning to specific meaning. Possibly, your readers may stop reading your research paper

4
once they encounter unfamiliar words or unclear ideas. To avoid this, you need hone your
skills in giving the technical and operational definition in research.
The technical definition is intended to give the universal meaning of the term. It aims
to give meaning to the concept of a particular key term used by the researcher to establish the
nature of that term in the study. To do it, you should utilize different reference materials like
dictionaries, books, journals, and even internet to give the technical definition of that term.
Therefore, proper citation is expected to be done in giving the technical definition.

Technical Definition includes:

✓ Standard spelling
✓ Syllable breaks
✓ Pronunciation
✓ Part of speech
✓ Meaning
✓ Current and archaic
usage
✓ Etymology
✓ Synonyms/antonyms
✓ Variant spellings
✓ Variants including suffixes

Examples:
1. According to Briones (2021)
2. (Duterter, 2020)
3. Ramos (2019) defined…

Meanwhile, the operational definition should be stated after the technical definition
in which the researcher explains how the term is applied in the study. An operational definition
refers to a specific definition of a concept in a research study. It gives a precise meaning to
the term. It is used by the researcher to measure the identified variables. That is why, the
researcher is the one who formulated the meaning of that term which is objectively anchored
on the technical definition. In giving the operational definition, the phase, “As used in this
study” is commonly used to give a signal that the next statement is the operational definition
of the term.

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=operational+definition+clipart&tbm=isch&ved#imgrc=KTxiPUvPEhkT1M

5
 Tips in Giving Technical and Operational Definition

1. Identify the terms that you need to define. These are terms which are really vital in your
research study. Most of the time, the terms in the research title should be clearly defined by
the researcher, as well as the technical and jargon terms.
2. Use dictionary or other reference materials to define the terms conceptually.
3. Do not forget to use proper citation in giving the technical definition.
4. After giving the technical definition, used the phrase “As used in this study.” Then, state
how did you use that term in your study. Make sure you clearly defined it.

Study the table below.

Grammar Skills
Technical Definition Operational Definition
According to Espeland 2017, these refer to As used in this study, these refer to the
the students’ knowledge of forms, ability of students to choose correct forms of
structures, and meanings that exist in words based on grammar rules as revealed
grammar. by the results of the diagnostic test.

Academic Performance
Technical Definition Operational Definition
It refers to the overall performance of the As used in this study, it refers to the final
students in a particular quarter (Napone, grade of the students in English 10.
2017)

Summing up, giving technical and operation definition in research enable us to have a
common understanding of key term used in research. Failure to give a clear definition may
lead to confusion and misunderstanding. That is why, as early as now, find time to practice
giving technical and operational definition because there are more research activities to be
accomplished in Senior High School.

What’s More

Independent Activity 1

Directions: Shade the thinking light bulb if the phase is related to technical definition. Do not
shade if it doesn’t.

1. expresses universal meaning

2. different from dictionary definition

3. more on the application of the word

4. states specific meaning

5. uses citation
6
Independent Assessment 1
Directions: Read the following statements. Determine whether they are true or false. Write
T for true and F for false. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

________1. Technical definition is intended to give the universal meaning of the term.
________2. An operational definition refers to a specific definition of a concept in a research
study.
________3. Technical definition is used by the researcher to measure the identified
variables.
________4. Operational definition aims to give meaning to the concept of a particular key
term used by the researcher to establish the nature of that term in the study.
________5. Giving technical and operation definition in research enable us to have a
common understanding of key term used in research.

Independent Activity 2

Directions: Using the Venn diagram, compare and contrast the technical and operational
definitions.

Independent Assessment 2

Directions: Complete the following statements about technical and operational defintion by
chooosing correct word/s from the set of thinking light bulb below.

1. The technical definition is intended to give the ___________________ meaning of the

term.
2. ____________________ is expected in giving the technical definition.
3. The operational definition should be stated after the ________________________ in
which the researcher explains how the term is applied in the study.
4. The researcher is the one who formulated the meaning of the term which is
_____________ anchored on the technical definition.
5. An operational definition refers to a ______________________ of a concept in a research
study.

universal Proper objectivity

specific technical
citation
definition definition

7
Independent Activity 3

Directions: Write CORRECT if the given definition is correctly written. If it is not, write
INCORRECT. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

________1. De Leon (2017) defined comprehension test as a standardized assessment tool

to measure the reading comprehension level of the students.
________2. According to San Pablo (2013), comprehension refers to ability of someone to
grasp the meaning of the reading text.
________3. Reading materials are the different resources to be used to enhance our ability
to comprehend Zamora (2018).
________4. As used in this study, independent readers are those students who get the scores
ranging from 40-50.
________5. As described in this study, validation is the last phase in this study in which the
contextualized reading materials were evaluated and rated according to a set criterion.

Independent Assessment 3

Directions: Rewrite the following technical definitions by observing proper in-text citation.

1. Grammar skills refer to students’ knowledge of forms and meanings that exist in grammar
According to Espeland (2017).
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

2. (Dullas, 2010) defined academic performance as one of the facets of student’s

effectiveness.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. 2014 Bonito defined learning style as an important variable in students' academic
performance.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. DepEd: Blended learning is a fusion of online distance learning and in-person delivery of
printed materials to the homes of the learners.

5. Lilis (2015) defined communicative competence as the knowledge the speaker has in order
to communicate effectively and appropriately in different social context.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

8
 What I Have Learned
Directions: Share what you have learned from this module by completing the
statements below. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

I realized that operational definition

Through this module, I learned that
technical definition is … is…

What I Can Do

Directions: Read the research abstract below and do the task that follows.
Enhancing Reading Comprehension of Grade 7 Students Through i R.E.A.D

Marnick S. Gutierrez

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of using i.R.E.A.D.
modules on the reading comprehension level of Grade 7 students. The study involved 50
purposively selected Grade 7 students of Parada National High School in Sta Maria, Bulacan,
identified as having difficulties in reading comprehension. The study was conducted from
September 2019 to February 2020. A one group pretest-posttest design was utilized in the
study to compare the reading comprehension levels of the student-participants using pretest
and posttest from the Phil-IRI Silent Reading Test. A Wilcoxon signed ranks test conducted
on the pretest and posttest scores of the participants indicated significant difference between
the pretest and posttest scores of the participants. On the average, the participants performed
well in the posttest than in the pretest, thus, suggesting that the use of the i.R.E.A.D modules
enhanced the participants’ reading comprehension levels. The study recommends that Grade
7 English teachers may try using the i R.E.A.D modules as intervention material in future
remedial reading classes to help students struggling with reading comprehension.
Furthermore, it is also recommended that this study be replicated in other schools to validate
the findings of the study to obtain comparative results

9
 List five unfamiliar words that you have encountered while reading the research
abstract. Then, try to give their definition. You may use a dictionary or internet to define them.
Do not forget to include your source/s.

1. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ___________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________
Source(s): ______________________________________________________

Assessment

Directions: Read the following statements and complete the defintion by chooosing correct
words from the box. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Chapter 1 Technical specific plagiarism

Citation vocabulary skills Definition of Terms real world

alphabetically jargons Chapter 2

1. Reading the “Definition of Terms” section may help you enhance

your_________________.
2. In giving technical defintion, it is expected to use proper _________________.
3. There are numerous reference materials tobe used in giving _________________
defintion.
4. In research, “The Problem and Its Background” is the title of _________________.
5. One of the parts of Chapter 1 is the _________________.
6. _________________may be avoided through proper citation.

10
 7. In giving operational defintion, the researcher should give the _________________
defintion of the term.
8. All information in the operational defintion should based on _________________.
9. All _________________ or special words must be defined technically and
operationally.
10. In preparing the “Defintion of Terms”, list all terms _________________.

B. Directions. Put a check (√) mark before the number if the given defintions are properly
written. If they are no put a cross mark (x). Write your answers on a separate answer sheet.

________11. According to 2012 (Tuazon), summative assessments cover the following

activites: writing a poem, writing a pledge, reciting a speech, and conducting an interview.
________12. As used in this study (2021), portfolio is one of the expected outputs of Grade
10 students every quarter.
________13. Chavez (2015) defined grammar drills as instructional materials that aid students
to master English grammar effectively.
________14. Research is an organized investigation to solve a specific educational problem
Joaquin and Ambos (2020).
________15. As used in this study, formative assessments refers to the pre-activities of Grade
10 students like seatworks and processing questions.

Additional Activities

Directions: Try to look for a research paper. List five unfamiliar words that you have
encountered while reading its research abstract. Then, try to give their operational of technical
definition. You may use a dictionary or internet to define them. Do not forget to include your
source.

Words To Be Operational Technical Source

Defined Definition in Definition
Research

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

11
 12
What I Know What’s In What’s New Assessment
Answers may vary Answers may vary
1. A 1. vocabulary skills
2. C What I have Learned 2. citation
3. A Answers may vary 3. technical
4. B 4. Chapter I
5. B What I Can Do 5. Definition of Terms
6. A Answers may vary 6. Plagiarsim
7. C 7. specific
8. C 8. real world
9. D 9. jargons
10.C 10. alphabetically
11./ 11. X
12. / 12. X
13. / 13. /
14.X 14. X
15. / 15. /
Independent Activity 1:
1. shaded
2. not shaded
3. not shaded
4. not shaded
5. shaded
Independent Assessment 1:
1. F
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. T
Independent Activity 2- Answers may vary
Independent Assessment 2
1. universal
2. Proper citation
3. technical definition
4. objectivity
5. specific definition
Independent Activity 3
1. CORRECT
2. CORRECT
3. INCORRECT
4. CORRECT
5. INCORRECT
Independent Assessment 3 – Answers may vary
1. According to Espeland (2017), grammar skills refer to students’ knowledge of forms and meanings that
exist in grammar.
2. Academic performance as one of the facets of student’s effectiveness (Dullas, 2010).
3. Bonito (2014) defined learning style as an important variable in students' academic performance.
4. According to DepEd, blended learning is a fusion of online distance learning and in-person delivery of
printed materials to the homes of the learners.
5. Lilis (2015) defined communicative competence as the knowledge the speaker has in order to
communicate effectively and appropriately in different social context.
Answer Key
 References
Cousera. Technical definition. March 29, 2021. Retrieved from
https://www.coursera.org/lecture/technical-writing/technical-definition-29d6l

iEduNote. Operational definition. March 29, 2021. Retrieved from

https://www.iedunote.com/operational-definition

Gutierrez, Marnick. Enhancing Reading Comprehension of Grade 7 Students Through i

R.E.A.D (May 2020). Department of Education

Pascual, Mark Nathaniel. Contextualized Drills as Intervention Materials in Enhancing

Grammar Skills of Grade 8 Students (May 28, 2020). Department of Education

Stout, Brock Matthew. Why "Definitions of Terms"? March 29, 2021. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Why_Definitions_of_Terms

13
 For inquiries or feedback, please write:

Department of Education, Schools Division of Bulacan

Curriculum Implementation Division
Learning Resource Management and Development System
(LRMDS) Capitol Compound, Guinhawa St., City of Malolos, Bulacan

Email Address: lrmdsbulacan@deped.gov.ph

14