The purpose of this Assignment is to investigate the manner in which a theorist explains his or her philosophy and thoughts behind a particular theoretical field. Nursing, like other fields of study, has a plethora of theorists and theories to choose from. As a result of their research and dialogue with other theorists, these theorists have refined their paradigm over time, enriching it with new findings.

Directions

You will investigate the process by which a theorist of your choosing developed his or her theory. Did it grow from a small acorn to a massive oak over the course of several decades? Did it arrive as a flash of light, similar to the big bang, which some believe was responsible for the creation of our universe? A spaceship, for example, might have been built from an original blueprint in which thousands of scholars collaborated to build a rocket to the moon. In actuality, how does a theory come to be developed? This is exactly what we’re looking into.

You will select a theorist who is of interest to you; it is not necessary to select a nurse theorist. Additionally, you may select from other disciplines such as: behavioral sciences, business administration and administration of justice, education, and technology, among others.

You will take on the role of the theorist, immersing yourself in writings that date back to the earliest mentions of the subject.

As you read, take note of how you (assumed the persona of the theorist) developed the theory as you went along.

Theorizing takes place during the first stage. This is the stage at which you, as the theorist, must distinguish between the concepts of what nursing is and is not. Perhaps you began to question the concepts that guided those engaged in nursing practice, and then you began to question your own role. You began to question yourself, â€Where am I in my nursing career, and where is the profession going?†Do you believe there is some overarching concept that guides the professional in his or her practice?†It is at this point that you realize you need a theory to guide your practice.

The development of syntax takes place in the second stage. This is the section in which you will define the terms. Keep an eye out for terms that have changed their definitions. Consider the case of Jean Watson, for example. She begins by providing a definition for the term â€caring.†Her terminology has evolved over the last ten years, with the term “caring” being replaced by the term “caritas.” This demonstrates the development and maturation that has occurred as a result of the decades of research that she and other scholars have conducted to produce the theory of caring.

The theory-testing stage is the third stage. Research is defined as exposing the phenomena that lie behind a theory through observation and experimentation. There has been some refinement in the definitions of the terms. Theorists and other researchers are debating whether or not this theory can be used to answer questions that arise in the real world. This is the stage at which your theory is put to use by a growing number of researchers. When graduate nursing students inquire about the tool you developed while testing your theory, for example, you can say “yes.”

The evaluation stage is the fourth and final stage. During this process of applying concepts through evidence-based practice while providing nursing care, philosophical debate occurs.

Specifications of the assignment

For this Assignment, you will write an article for a nursing journal in which you will explain how you developed your theory through the four stages of development (theorizing, syntax, theory testing, and evaluation). Your paper, excluding the title and reference pages, must be between 3 and 5 pages in length.

Please refer to the Grading Rubrics section of the Course Home for more information on this Assignment’s grading criteria and rubric.

Requirements for the Assignment

You should complete the following tasks before submitting your work:

Remember to take time to carefully read the Assignment description (as displayed above); consult the Grading Rubric (found under the Course Home) to ensure that you have included everything that is required; and make use of spell-check and grammar check to reduce the number of mistakes.
Your writing assignment should include the following elements:

adhere to the rules of Standard American English (proper grammar, punctuation, and so on);
must follow a systematic, logical, and unified approach while also being original and insightful;
demonstrate superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and adhere to the APA 6th Edition style guideline.