Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing

About our authors Lorraine O. Walker, RN, EdD, MPH, FAAN, has had a lifelong interest in nursing knowledge development and maternal and infant health. She received a BSN from the University of Dayton, as well as a master's degree in nursing education with a specialization in maternity nursing, and a doctoral degree in philosophy of education from Indiana University-Bloomington. She also received an MPH degree in maternal-child health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed post-doctoral studies in educational psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. She currently holds the Luci B. Johnson Centennial Professorship in Nursing. Her teaching includes global health; quantitative design and analytic methods; and theoretical and philosophical aspects of nursing. Her research focuses on health promotion of childbearing-aged women and infants. Dr. Walker was honored in 2017 by induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.Kay C. Avant, PhD, RN, FNI, FAAN, retired as Professor Emeritus in 2016. She has also had a lifelong interest in nursing knowledge development and maternal-infant health. She received her diploma in nursing from Methodist Hospital, Dallas; her BSN from Texas Christian University; her MSN from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; and her PhD from Texas Woman's University. She completed post-doctoral work in community and school health nursing at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia. Her teaching included philosophy of science, theoretical development of nursing and informatics. Her research interests are primarily in standardized language development, and global health of women and children.

• Brief Table of ContentsPART 1: OVERVIEW OF THEORY AND THEORY DEVELOPMENT1. Theory in Nursing: Where Have We Been? Where Are We Going?2. Using Knowledge Development and Theory to Inform Practice3. Approaches to Theory DevelopmentPART 2: DERIVATION STRATEGIES4. Concept Derivation5. Statement Derivation6. Theory DerivationPART 3: SYNTHESIS STRATEGIES7. Concept Synthesis8. Statement Synthesis9. Theory SynthesisPART 4: ANALYSIS STRATEGIES10. Concept Analysis11. Statement Analysis12. Theory AnalysisPART 5: PERSPECTIVES ON THEORY AND ITS CREDIBILITY13. Assessing the Credibility and Scope of Nursing Knowledge Development: Concepts, Statements, and TheoriesDetailed Table of ContentsPART 1: OVERVIEW OF THEORY AND THEORY DEVELOPMENT1. Theory in Nursing: Where Have We Been? Where Are We Going?Theory Development in Nursing: A Beginner's GuideA Historical Glimpse at Theory in Nursing as a ProfessionEvolution of Theory Development: Metatheory to Practice TheoryPopulation- and Domain-Focused Theories and ModelsGlobal Nursing Theory Development Issues and EffortsSummaryReferencesAdditional Readings2. Using Knowledge Development and Theory to Inform PracticeIntroductionEvidence-Based Practice and Practice-Based EvidenceNursing InformaticsNursing Practice Research and Theory DevelopmentSummaryPractice ExerciseReferencesAdditional Readings3. Approaches to Theory DevelopmentIntroductionElements of Theory BuildingInterrelatedness of ElementsApproaches to Theory BuildingStrategy SelectionInterrelatedness of StrategiesSummaryReferencesAdditional ReadingsPART 2: DERIVATION STRATEGIES4. Concept DerivationDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesProcedures for Concept DerivationApplication of Concept Derivation to NursingAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Concept DerivationSummaryPractice ExerciseReferences5. Statement DerivationDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesProcedures for Statement DerivationApplication of Statement Derivation to NursingAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Statement DerivationSummaryPractice ExercisesReferencesAdditional Readings6. Theory DerivationDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesProcedures for Theory DerivationExamples of Theory DerivationApplication of Theory Derivation to NursingAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Theory DerivationSummaryPractice ExercisesReferencesAdditional ReadingsPART 3: SYNTHESIS STRATEGIES7. Concept SynthesisDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesApproaches to Concept SynthesisProcedures for Concept SynthesisAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Concept SynthesisSummaryPractice ExercisesReferencesAdditional Readings8. Statement SynthesisDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesProcedures for Statement SynthesisAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Statement SynthesisSummaryPractice ExerciseSelf-Assessment Test of Introductory StatisticsReferencesAdditional Readings9. Theory SynthesisDefinition and DescriptionExample of the Use of Theory Synthesis ProcessPurpose and UsesProcedures for Theory SynthesisIllustrations of Theory SynthesisAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Theory SynthesisTheory Synthesis and Integrative Models and TheoriesSummaryPractice ExercisesReferencesAdditional ReadingsPART 4: ANALYSIS STRATEGIES10. Concept AnalysisDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesProcedures for Concept AnalysisAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Concept AnalysisResponse to Criticism of this MethodSummaryAdditional Example and Practice ExercisePractice ExerciseReferencesAdditional Readings11. Statement AnalysisDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesSteps in Statement AnalysisAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Statement AnalysisSummaryPractice ExercisesReferencesAdditional Readings12. Theory AnalysisDefinition and DescriptionPurpose and UsesProcedures for Theory AnalysisAdvantages and LimitationsUtilizing the Results of Theory AnalysisSummaryPractice Exercise 1Practice Exercise 2ReferencesAdditional ReadingsPART 5: PERSPECTIVES ON THEORY AND ITS CREDIBILITY13. Assessing the Credibility and Scope of Nursing Knowledge Development: Concepts, Statements, and TheoriesA Glance at Concept, Statement, and Theory TestingConcept TestingStatement TestingTheory TestingThe Scope of, and Central Concerns, in Nursing KnowledgeClosing CommentaryReferencesAdditional Readings