Call them A and B . It is now an objective question whether A is more effective than B in achieving X . Operational questions are questions about the relative effectiveness of ways or methods of doing science in achieving a goal X . Operational questions have nothing to do with what scientists believe. Operational questions are hard questions.
Operational theses are answers to operational questions.
For example, if one could establish that A is more effective than B in achieving X , and X is the goal of science, then it would follow that one ought to adopt A as the methodology of science. There is a huge difference between social psychological questions and operational questions, although the distinction is not always clear. X is the goal of the community. Therefore, the scientific community ought to adopt method A . Method A is better than method B at achieving X .