How do you know when you're on a date?

I work for a radio talk show about dating in the modern era, and I've come across some interesting findings in a survey which was commissioned by dating websites ChristianMingle.com and JDate.com: apparently if you are between the ages of 18-59 you are likely to be among the 69% who are at least somewhat confused about whether an outing with someone they're interested in is a date or not.
I'm married now (by some crazy miracle, as it wasn't looking good for me as a marriage prospect- Crazy Cat Lady material, however) but reflecting back on my years of dating and experimental dating (as research for a comic book) I can agree, that yes! It is sometimes fairly ambiguous, whether or not you are on a date or dating someone!
I am looking for solutions, how does one secure a 'date date' and how do you know when you are officially 'dating'?

Thank You!

I'll enter my opinion. 24yr old female. A date date would depend on if we had been flirting prior, if we both put time into our looks before the date, and where he's taking me. A quick lunch where we just meet at the resteraunt might mean we are just friends, feeling eachother out, very casual. But if he picked me up at night to go out to eat or to a movie, then I consider that a date.

I know we are officially dating when we have "the talk" about whether we have feelings as just friends or more

Thank you! Have you ever been confused about whether or not you were dating someone before? If so, what did they do to add to the confusion?

To me a date is the guy asking my directly " I like you and would like for us to go out to dinner, drinks or a movie and spend some time together" and the word date would be used by him and by me if I agreed, because I would go Yes, I'd love to go on a date with you. I don't like any wondering, if you want me to go on a date make it clear.