Creswell_Research_Design_ Qualitative Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches 2018 5th Ed

Although no one format exists for defining terms, one approach is to develop a separate section, called
the “Definition of Terms,” and clearly set off the terms and their definitions by highlighting the term.
In this way, the word is assigned an invariant meaning (Locke et al., 2013). Typically, this separate
section is not more than two to three pages in length.
Examples 2.3 and 2.4 illustrate varied structures for defining terms in a research study.
Example 2.3 Terms Defined in an Independent Variables Section
This set of two examples illustrates an abbreviated form of writing definitions for a study. The first illustrates a specific operational
definition of a key term and the second the procedural definition of a key term. Vernon (1992) studied how divorce in the middle
generation impacts grandparents’ relationships with their grandchildren. These definitions were included in a section on independent
variables:
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