Deductive Reasoning
Deductive reasoning encompasses a set of general propositions and a particular conclusion. This type of reasoning is “a process of starting with the general picture . . . and moving to a specific direction” (Liehr & Smith, 2006, p. 114). The general propositions of deductive rea- soning typically are referred to as premises, axioms, or postulates; the particular conclusion is called a theorem or hypothesis. Premises, axioms, and postulates typically are drawn from literature reviews of previous research and are regarded as empirically adequate statements that do not have to be empirically tested again. A theorem or hypothesis, in contrast, must be test- ed by research. Deductive reasoning is most often found in reports of theory-testing research. The general form of deductive reasoning and an example constructed from Newman’s (2005) study of correlates of functional status of caregivers of children in body casts are given in Box 6–8.