Primer in Theory Construction: An A&B Classics Edition

Front Cover
Routledge, Jul 2, 2015 - Social Science - 208 pages
  • Written at an introductory level, for students who have already studied one or more of the social, behavioral, or natural sciences, but have no formal background in how scientific knowledge is constructed.
  • Discusses scientific theories in general terms, but focuses mainly on the construction and testing of theories in the social and behavioral sciences.
  • Uses specific examples from sociology, psychology, economics, and political science to explain paradigms and forms of theories.
  • A set of exercises at the end of the book provides opportunities to apply the principles described to actual theories.
 

Contents

Preface
How Does a Concept or Statement Become Part of a Scientific Body
Contents
Concepts
Quantification of Concepts
Statements
Forms of Theories
Testing Theories
Strategies for Developing a Scientific Body of Knowledge
Conclusion
Appendix Student Exercises
Reference
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2015)

Paul Davidson Reynolds has been the author or co-author of five books; seven edited collections; 42 research reports and monographs; 85 peer review journal articles and book chapters; eight data sets placed in public archives; and over two hundred presentations to professional and policy audiences. He served as the director of the Babson Research Conference from 1996 to 2000 and as co-director of the George Washington University-ICSB research conference from 2010 to 2012. In 2004 he received the annual Swedish International Award for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research and in 2012 the Dedication to Entrepreneurship (Research) Award from the Academy of Management Entrepreneurship Division.

Bibliographic information