Measurement is impossible until the underlying concept has been formed.

Evidence

[B]efore we can investigate the presence or absence of some attribute … or before we can rank objects or measure them in terms of some variable, we must form the concept of that variable. (1951, 155, my emphasis) While we all pay lip service to the mantra that theory should guide methodology, it is often the case that the cart is leading the horse. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts, 18

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes Sartori’s argument that concept formation logically precedes operationalization.
• DEFINE: States the logical priority relation between concepts and measures.