Terms in TFn

These are beliefs and values that define a way of thinking and are generally known and understood by a group or discipline.

• Concept

• Philosophy

• Theory

• Models

A belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action. It refers to a logical group of general propositions used as principles of explanation. Theories are also used to describe, predict, or control phenomena.

• Philosophy

• Proposition

• Theory

• Process

• Called the building blocks of theories. They are primarily the vehicles of thought that involve images.

• Concept

• Theory

• Models

• Conceptual framework

Representations of the interaction among and between the concepts showing patterns. They present an overview of the theory’s thinking and may demonstrate how theory can be introduced into practice.

• Models

• Concept

• Proposition

• Process

A group of related ideas, statements, or concepts. It is often used interchangeably with the conceptual model and with grand theories

• conceptual framework

• model

• proposition

• domain

statements that describe the relationship between the concepts.

• conceptual framework

• Proposition

• theory

the perspective or territory of a profession or discipline.

• models

• theory

• domain

are organized steps, changes, or functions intended to bring about the desired result.

• domain

• process

• conceptual framework

 refers to a pattern of shared understanding and assumptions about reality and the world, worldview, or widely accepted value system.

• paradigm

• process

• metaparadigm

is the most general statement of discipline and functions as a framework in which the more restricted structures of conceptual models develop. Much of the theoretical work in nursing focused on articulating relationships among four major concepts: person, environment, health, and nursing.

• metaparadigm

• process

• paradigm