The HURIDOCS thesauri list can help you a lot in this process. It includes several lists of
standardized terms which serve to categorize phenomena in the HR field.
Make sure your concepts are measurable
In social sciences, the term operationalization refers to the process involved in measuring a
phenomenon that is not directly accessible by defining observable variables that we can
measure.
The operationalization entails translating abstract concepts into observable and
measurable indicators and variables. Every time we label a given fact as a certain type of
human rights violation, we are actually going through an operationalization exercise. For
instance, if you see severe marks of a physical aggression committed by a state agent, you
can interpret that as sign of mistreatment or torture, two different categories that might
refer to distinct observable phenomena depending on the context.
To successfully achieve the operationalization process you need to define the concepts you
will use, the variables of analysis, and be clear, systemic and consistent on how exactly you
will measure what you are studying. This entails congruence between the conceptual
definition, the operational definition and the observational indicators. This is a key
component on your data system as it will determine the analysis, so It’s extremely
important to consider how you will operationalize the variables that you want to measure
before collecting data.
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