Assignment: What Makes a Theory Good?

Newman & Newman (2016) suggest that good theory can be observed and measured but it can also be continuously revised based on new observations. Similar to the wine industry, winemakers are always observing their grapes and selecting the perfect time for harvest. Measuring the sweetness determines the optimal grape to craft the perfect glass of wine. As a developmental psychology professional, you will have the opportunity to determine if a theory is “good” much like wine producers, always wanting to harvest the perfect grape. What might you need to understand in order to improve your skills in examining theory?

For this Assignment, you will examine a theory to determine whether it contains the requirements for a “good” theory.

Photo Credit: Imgorthand/E+/Getty Images

To prepare

• Review Chapter 1 of the Newman and Newman course text and the articles provided in the Learning Resources and choose one of the articles for this Assignment.

Write a 2- to 3-page paper and include the following:

• Using information from Chapter 1 of the Newman and Newman course text, identify and explain the components of a theory that were described in the article.
• Explain whether the theory in the article was described sufficiently so the reader can conclude if it meets the requirements of a good theory (as outlined in your textbook).