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Abstract
Most social scientists face a challenge to decide on which theory to use to explicate observable facts under investigation. Once managed to identify the theory, the next hindrance is the operationalization of the abstract hypotheses and assumptions into tangible variables. Theory operationalization is vital to the formation of the scope of the study and subsequently the research instrument. Many researchers stuck at this stage. In this regards, the researcher wants to share her experiences in dealing with this challenge, via a qualitative study that was conducted to examine the development of child welfare network services in Malaysia. The study was designed based on the Social Network Theory. Three major components of the theory that were converted to tangible variables are the form, the system and the distributions of the social network. Ways in which those variables were transformed and developed to the scope of the study and subsequently to the measurable indicators in the instrument of the study are described in this paper.