COMM 305 1st Edition Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture I Course Introductions II The map is not the territory III Lay Theory vs Formal Theory The Empirical World Outline of Current Lecture I Lay Theory vs Formal Theory cont II What do theories typically include III What should a theory do for us IV What questions should we ask about theory V Key Theoretical Assumptions Current Lecture Lay Theory vs Formal Theory The Empirical World cont o There are 2 ways of generating theory Go out into the world and to make a theory based of what you observe Begin with the specific to the general Induction Before going out into the world we can make some guesses You can make your theory and then test it Begin with the general to the specific Deduction o The point is to determine what the starting place is What do theories typically include o A description of the phenomena o Relationships among the phenomena o A story about the process captured in the relationship among phenomena o Links to Empirical Think of the maps example because maps have this too A map has a picture shows distance maps tell stories and describe what you d see in a specific place o Like between the empirical world and real world is place o In theories of social phenomena how will you know when you see these abstract ideas in practice in the real world What should a theory do for us These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute o Solve empirical problems actively describing what is happening in the real world what s actually happening Although we get feedback we re not very good at it even though we know we need it Solving an empirical problem on feedback would only be understanding why we are so bad at giving feedback o Solve conceptual problems refining the theory itself new definitions jargon language to use in the theory in a way that helps us understand more different labeling As in the feedback example We may begin by solving a empirical problem to describe how bad we are at it We may notice work feedback and personal feedback differ o Solve practical problems helping people solve the problem They help us do things to better the problem Feedback example giving bosses information on how to better give feedback Feedback sandwich tries to solve this Doesn t really work What questions should we ask about theory o The pieces how are they telling the story of phenomena of the theory o What are the problems with the phenomena o Scope to what conditions does the theory apply what is the theory about Does the theory balance breadth and balance in a way that s practical o Appropriateness are the assumptions made by the theory a fit for what we re trying to do o Heuristic Value will or has the theory generate new theory research or ideas o Parsimony is it just complicated enough Everything should be as simple as it is but not simpler Theory should not make things more complicated o Validity is it true and true about the right things o Openness accessibility is the theory open to the community interested in it Can we access the theory Problem with educational theories because maybe they re open to the university but once you re off campus you don t have access to it anymore o There are tradeoffs and connections between the above connections o The more broad you make the theory the less true it will be Key Theoretical Assumptions o Ontology the nature of being the nature of reality onto being ology the study of of or relating to Can our senses be believed Is the world as we perceive it to be Realist ontology believe the world around us is as we perceive it if you touch your desk you re really touching your desk Their goal is to understand the methods of communication We know they re out there we just have to be smart enough to understand them Nominalist believe the world is as we decide it is We all have our own unique experience of the world Their goal is to come up with better names Social constructionist believe that people create reality together as a collective Where nominalists believe what s mine is mine and I can connect with no one at any point social constructionists believe that people s ideas of the world can come together at some common ground