Developing Qualitative Theory

15:40 -16:40 (Azores timetable)

Theory is a ubiquitous but sometimes elusive term in qualitative inquiry. Methodological writers rarely define theory explicitly, nor do they provide specific examples of theories. This keynote address presents a signature approach to theory development.

Saldaña extracts from the literature that a theory, in traditional social science, is a research-based statement with six properties and an accompanying explicating narrative. A theory, most often:

1. expresses a patterned relationship between two or more concepts;
2. predicts and/or manages action through propositional logic;
3. accounts for parameters of and/or variation in the empirical observations;
4. explains how and/or why something happens, sometimes by stating its cause(s);
5. suggests generalizability and/or transferability to related social contexts; and
6. provides insights and/or guidance for improving social life.

Most theories will overtly include at least three to four of six properties, while the other two to three may be implied or inferred.

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Johnny Saldaña is Professor Emeritus from Arizona State University’s School of Film, Dance, and Theatre. He is the author of Longitudinal Qualitative Research: Analyzing Change through Time, Fundamentals of Qualitative Research, The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers, Thinking Qualitatively: Methods of Mind, Ethnotheatre: Research from Page to Stage, Writing Qualitatively: The Selected Works of Johnny Saldaña, co-author with the late Miles and Huberman for Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook, and co-author with Matt Omasta for Qualitative Research: Analyzing Life. Saldaña’s qualitative methods works have been cited and referenced in more than 30,000 research studies conducted in over 135 countries.