The Internal and External Criticism that is used to Evaluate Middle Range Theories

The theories chosen to guide a research study should have a strong theoretical foundation and be appropriate for the research question being posed. To make this determination, it is important to consider both the strengths and weaknesses of the theory being evaluated. Internal and external criticism are two vital components of evaluating middle range theories. These two forms of criticism are used to assess the value of a middle range theory, as well as its durability and applicability to nursing research and practice. Internal criticism considers the structure, content, and internal consistency of the theory, while external criticism evaluates the usefulness, empirical support, and relevance of the theory (Kislov et al., 2019). These two forms of criticism are essential in determining whether a given theory can be adapted for use in research.

Internal Criticism

Internal criticism is the process of evaluating a theory's inner structure and content to assess its coherence and logical connection with the research it seeks to explain or predict. In assessing internal criticism, the following elements of the theory are evaluated: its conceptual framework, the logical structure of the theory, and the empirical support for it.

A theory's conceptual framework is the foundation for its development and the basis for its application. It is important to assess the assumptions and premises upon which the theory is based, as well as its core concepts and definitions. This involves examining the theory's underlying logic and the connections between its concepts and principles. The logical structure of a theory refers to the relationships between its various components, and how these components work together to explain or predict a phenomenon. It is important to assess the consistency and clarity of the theory's logic, as well as the logical connections between its different parts. Empirical support refers to the evidence that supports the theory's hypotheses and predictions. This evidence can come from both quantitative and qualitative sources. It is important to evaluate the theory's empirical support in order to determine the validity of its claims.

External criticism

External criticism is the process of evaluating a theory's usefulness, relevance, and empirical support in order to determine its applicability to nursing research and practice (Giusti et al., 2020). In assessing external criticism, the following elements of the theory are evaluated: its practicality, its relevance to nursing research and practice, and its empirical support. Practicality refers to the practicality of the theory's assumptions, premises, and principles. This involves assessing the theory's ability to be applied to a wide range of nursing research and practice settings, as well as its potential to advance the profession.   Relevance refers to the theory's ability to explain or predict phenomena in the real world. This involves assessing the theory's applicability to the nursing profession, as well as its ability to provide useful and meaningful insights into nursing research and practice.

As with internal criticism, empirical support is essential in assessing a theory's external validity. This involves evaluating the evidence that supports the theory's claims and predictions. It is important to assess the quality and quantity of evidence that supports the theory's hypotheses.