Conceptualization and measurement cannot be separated in social science research

Evidence

The terms “index” and “indicator” come from the idea of pointing, for example with one’s index finger. These are all indicators of something. This book focuses on that “something,” which is a concept. One core feature of the basic framework is that conceptually it works top down. It asks for definitions which then connect downward to empirical indicators and data. Quantitative measures work from the bottom up: one starts with the data–indicators and then moves up to the top level. There is no real separation between conceptualization and measurement: they are fused. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts and Measurement, 46

Categorization

• DEFINE: Traces ‘index’/‘indicator’ to the act of pointing (the index finger), clarifying what indicators point toward: a concept.
• XREF: Connects to measurement-as-constructed debates — e.g. economic indicators as non-neutral artifacts.