This simple assertion can be seen as a hypothesis. Or, less obviously . An apple a day keeps the doctor away Early to bed, early to rise makes people healthy, wealthy, and wise. A h hypothesis stands near the beginning, not the end, of a study, although good studies may suggest new paths of fruitful inquiry and new hypotheses. Without the many roles that theory plays, there would be no science. . . .
Theory provides patterns for the interpretation of data.
Theory links one study with another. Theories supply frameworks within which concepts and variables acquire special significance. Theory allows us to interpret the larger meaning of our findings for ourselves and others.