Identify a topic that you find interesting.. early childhood language acquisition and speech delay Is this topic well researched, and is there great deal of information published about it? Be sure your topic is as focused and specific as possible. Think about using one of these types of format: 1) The effects of ______ on _______ OR 2) What is the relationship between ____________ and _____________? Why is it important to operationally define variables? Thinking about the topic you chose, what might be the variables you would use in your study? Try to identify at least one independent variable and one dependent variable, and provide an operational definition for each.