RSE4801
ASSIGNMENT 4
ANSWERS 2025
RSE4801 ASSIGNMENT 4 ANSWERS
2025
, RSE Assignment 4
Open date: Sunday, 24 August 2025
Due date: Due: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Title: The Theory as Engine of Research: A Critical Evaluation
Introduction
The proposition that "theory is the engine of research" has long framed debates
about how knowledge is produced. On one side, theory provides the compass that
directs inquiry: it shapes research questions, determines what counts as evidence,
guides methodological choices, and offers interpretive lenses that render data
intelligible. On the other side, critics warn that over-reliance on theory can suppress
novel observations, constrain inquiry within existing paradigms, or bias interpretation
through preselected concepts. This essay argues for a nuanced stance: theory is
essential to research, but not alone sufficient. The strongest research programs
cultivate a dynamic, reflexive relationship between theory and evidence, allowing
theorisation to illuminate phenomena while remaining open to revision in light of
empirical surprises. I will first articulate why theorisation matters, then examine the
strengths and limits of viewing theory as an engine, followed by a consideration of
when data-driven or inductive approaches are more appropriate. Finally, I offer
practical guidelines for integrating theory and evidence across disciplines, illustrated
with concrete examples and grounded in classic and contemporary literature.
1) Why theorisation matters: the epistemic role of theory in research
Theoretical frameworks serve several interlocking functions in research. They help
(a) define relevant phenomena and boundaries of inquiry, (b) offer plausible
mechanisms or explanations for observed regularities, (c) operationalize constructs
ASSIGNMENT 4
ANSWERS 2025
RSE4801 ASSIGNMENT 4 ANSWERS
2025
, RSE Assignment 4
Open date: Sunday, 24 August 2025
Due date: Due: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Title: The Theory as Engine of Research: A Critical Evaluation
Introduction
The proposition that "theory is the engine of research" has long framed debates
about how knowledge is produced. On one side, theory provides the compass that
directs inquiry: it shapes research questions, determines what counts as evidence,
guides methodological choices, and offers interpretive lenses that render data
intelligible. On the other side, critics warn that over-reliance on theory can suppress
novel observations, constrain inquiry within existing paradigms, or bias interpretation
through preselected concepts. This essay argues for a nuanced stance: theory is
essential to research, but not alone sufficient. The strongest research programs
cultivate a dynamic, reflexive relationship between theory and evidence, allowing
theorisation to illuminate phenomena while remaining open to revision in light of
empirical surprises. I will first articulate why theorisation matters, then examine the
strengths and limits of viewing theory as an engine, followed by a consideration of
when data-driven or inductive approaches are more appropriate. Finally, I offer
practical guidelines for integrating theory and evidence across disciplines, illustrated
with concrete examples and grounded in classic and contemporary literature.
1) Why theorisation matters: the epistemic role of theory in research
Theoretical frameworks serve several interlocking functions in research. They help
(a) define relevant phenomena and boundaries of inquiry, (b) offer plausible
mechanisms or explanations for observed regularities, (c) operationalize constructs
