Checklist for Alignment Between Theory and Method

Use this checklist to examine how well your theoretical constructs align with your chosen research methods.

Instructions: Review each diagnostic question below and select whether each item is fully addressed in your study. For every question, mark Yes, No, or Partly. Any response other than an unqualified "Yes" signals where you must revise to tighten theory–method alignment. Use your responses to guide revisions and strengthen the alignment between your theoretical framework and methodological approach.

Construct Validity

Quantitative Design	Qualitative Design	Response
Have I written a one-sentence theoretical definition for every focal construct?	Before data collection, did I memo explicit indicators (behaviors, talk, artefacts) for each construct?	Yes No Partly
Do my operational measures (e.g., scales, behavioral counts, archival indicators) capture those conceptual boundaries?	Do my interview questions, observation protocols, or codebook categories map onto those indicators?	Yes No Partly
If I rely on latent variables, have I justified their validity?	Have I triangulated data sources to safeguard construct validity?	Yes No Partly

Mechanism Traceability

Quantitative Design	Qualitative Design	Response
Does my model specify the causal pathway (mediators, moderators) connecting X to Y?	Have I collected longitudinal or process-rich evidence (field notes, diaries, document timelines) that lets me trace X → B → Y?	Yes No Partly
Are mediators measured with temporal or statistical separation from antecedents and outcomes?	Do my codes explicitly capture the theorized mechanism rather than only inputs and outcomes?	Yes No Partly
Have I tested alternative explanations or controlled for plausible confounds?	Have I used temporal bracketing, process tracing, or pattern matching to support causal inference?	Yes No Partly

Theory-Driven Design

Quantitative Design	Qualitative Design	Response
Could a reader predict my hypotheses, variables, and analytic technique solely from my theory section?	Did theory inform my sampling strategy (cases, sites, participants)	Yes No Partly
Does every survey scale, experiment manipulation, or statistical model element correspond to a theoretical proposition?	Do interview questions, observation foci, and analytic categories derive from stated theoretical constructs, while still leaving room for emergent insights?	Yes No Partly

Contextual Fit & Boundary Conditions

Quantitative Design	Qualitative Design	Response
Does my sample population match the theory's scope (e.g., experienced leaders if the theory presumes expertise)?	Have I conducted preliminary fieldwork or focus groups to ensure constructs are meaningful in this context?	Yes No Partly
If I study a new setting, have I justified why the theory should generalize—or how I am extending it?	Does my rich description capture contextual features that may moderate theoretical relationships?	Yes No Partly
Have I tested measurement equivalence across groups or cultures when necessary?	When transferring theory across cultures or eras, have I adapted definitions or asked culturally sensitive questions?	Yes No Partly

Complexity Right-Sizing

Quantitative Design	Qualitative Design	Response
Is my design powered to test every coefficient in my model?	Can my data collection schedule realistically cover all theorized constructs and cycles?	Yes No Partly
Have I pruned the model to focus on the theory's core claims if resources are limited?	Have I planned multiple, sequential studies (pilot, main, follow-up) rather than overloading one case?	Yes No Partly

Exploratory vs. Confirmatory Transparency

Quantitative Design	Qualitative Design	Response
Are preregistered hypotheses clearly distinguished from post-hoc findings?	Have I kept an audit trail showing when theoretical ideas emerged?	Yes No Partly
Do I label unexpected patterns as exploratory and outline a plan for follow-up confirmation?	Do I present emergent themes as provisional contributions, not retroactive validations?	Yes No Partly