2. Problematization is an “endeavor to
know how and to what extent it might
be possible to think differently,
instead of what is already known,”
according to Foucault.
3. Read to identify and challenge assumptions
underlying a specific literature domain
Read intellectual leaders
Search across intellectual camps to see
whether they have anything in common or
see what they are not addressing (specifically)
Talk and listen to academics and practitioners
4. Bryant & Miron (2004)
◦ Merely referenced (45%),
◦ Using it as a framework (23%),
◦ Constructing it (18%),
◦ Critiquing it (14%)
Potter and Riddle (2007)
◦ Not guided by theory (65%)
5. “I’m puzzled as to what exactly you are trying to accomplish
here.”
“I had to read several pages into the manuscript to get a hint
about what you are trying to achieve.”
“What exactly is this paper about? After reading it twice, I’m still
not sure.”
“I am simply tired of reading passages of manuscripts two and
three times just to figure out what the authors might be trying to
say.”
“The authors may have a brilliant idea, but if they can't articulate
that idea logically and coherently, we can't evaluate it.”
6. What is a concept?
What is a construct?
What is a hypothesis?
What is theory?
What is a model?
What is science?
7. Concept
◦ Term that represents an idea that you wish to
study
Conceptual abstractions of phenomena that
cannot be directly observed – MacCorquodale & Meehl, 1948
◦ Adopted for scientific purpose
◦ We refer to concepts as constructs to recognize
their social construction
10. Causal variable - IV
Criterion variable - DV
Source Message Effects
11. “What science at its best amounts to; its
manner of imposing coherence on a
chaos is much closer to the spirit of
poetry than it is to the logical patterns in
which philosophers put their trust”
(McMullin, 1974, p. 665)
12. “Description of concepts and specification of
the relationships between or among these
concepts.” -Baldwin, Perry, & Mofffitt – 2004
“Sets of hypotheses, which are tested by
logically deriving observable consequences
from them.” –Rosenberg – 2001
“’Good theory’ refers to theory of a kind that
produces valid scientific knowledge
(understanding, prediction). – Miner, 2003
13. Theory: Organized explanation of some
recurrent phenomena of interest
Theory: A collection of statements asserting
a relationships between two or more
concepts
14. What does “making a theoretical contribution”
mean?
15. What does “making a theoretical contribution”
mean?
As authors, what are some challenges we face
when writing theory?
16. What does “making a theoretical contribution”
mean?
As authors, what are some challenges we face
when writing theory?
As a reader, what makes a theoretical
contribution “a keeper?”
17. “Scientific knowledge is a collection of
abstract theoretical statements.” – Reynolds, 1971
The origin of hypotheses is irrelevant
Test beliefs through the scientific method
◦ Test under various conditions
20. Inductive (research-then-theory)
◦ Numerous observations of X under a variety of
conditions
◦ Construct development
◦ Theory building
Deductive (theory-then-research) theory
building
◦ Precision
◦ Theory testing
21.
22.
23. The process or cycle by which a description
or explanation of a phenomena are
generated, tested, and refined (Gioloa & Pitre, p.587)
“Ongoing process of producing, confirming
applying, and adapting theory” (Lynham, 2000)
24.
25. Simple concepts:
◦ Can be measured with single items
◦ E.g., gender, age
Complex concepts have many dimensions
◦ Necessitating multiple items
◦ Items get combined in indexes or scales
◦ E.g., SES, Racism
26. Empirical evidence
◦ Theories produce empirical predictions about how
change in a causal variable will affect an outcome
variable
◦ These predictions are called hypotheses
27. Test the theory
“The predictions about the values of the units
of a theory in which empirical indicators are
employed for the named units in each
proposition.” Dubin, 1978
28. New areas of research where little is known
about the relationship among variables
29. Willing to modify and suggest to people how
to improve your research
30.
31. 1. Goodness of fit — does it accurately
describe, and predict, phenomena?
2. Simplicity/elegance (“Occam’s Razor”) — In
comparing two models that have the same,
or nearly the same, goodness of fit, we
prefer the simpler one
3. Falsifiability — Does the model predict
things that should not happen, so that there
would be a way to show that it was wrong if
it were?
