Kinesiology 2032A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Inductive Reasoning, Scientific Theory, Scientific Method
20 Jan 2020
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Theory: theories are created out of a need to organize and give meaning to complex phenomena. "set of interrelated concepts, definitions, or propositions that specify a relationship among variables in a systematic way" Like physically observable quantities, constructs must be operationally defined. Operational definitions: a concrete behavioural or observational requirement that is assigned to a construct so that it may be observed. Statistical models describe the quantitative relationship between variables by using symbols. Characteristics of good theories: rational explanation, should classify relevant variables, predict relationships, economical (occam"s razor, most efficient explanation of the phenomenon. Important: provides meaningful information to those that will use it. Fluid: consistent with observed facts, but able to grow. Theory development: theory should be construed as a research directive, empirical outcomes of research can be organized and ordered to build theories using inductive reasoning, theories are developed, not discovered.
