Evaluation of Middle-Range Theories: Where Is the Information?
Content about the middle-range theory may be found in every section of the research report.
BOX 6-2
Evaluation of Middle-Range Theories: What Is the Information?
The name of the middle-range theory
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74 Part 2 ■ Evaluation of Conceptual Models and Theories
In Chapter 4, you began to learn how to determine how good the available information about the theory is. More specifically, in Chapter 4 we presented a framework for evaluation of the different components of C-T-E structures for theory-generating research and theory- testing research.
In this chapter, you will learn more about what middle-range theories are and how to evaluate them to determine how good the information about the T component for theory-generating research and theory-testing research is. After explaining how to identify a middle-range theory, we discuss in detail the four criteria in the framework identified in Chapter 4 for evaluating the T component of C-T-E structures—significance, internal consistency, parsimony, and testability— and provide examples that should help you better understand how to apply the criteria as you read research reports. Application of the criteria will facilitate your evaluation of how good the informa- tion about the middle-range theory provided in the research report is.