LibGuides: Reading, understanding and using theory: Using theory in your assignments

Writing about theory

If possible, try to engage with relevant theory in some way whilst writing assignments. If you can at least show your awareness of major theorists, concepts or arguments – even in passing – it will demonstrate that you have an understanding of the wider academic context of the subject that you are writing about.

It might be that you are only able to describe a particular theory and not say much else. If it is very complicated, and you’re not confident with doing any more than this, then it’s still better to acknowledge the theory or theorist than to leave this out completely. However, if you are able to raise any points that evaluate or critique the theory then this will always impress your marker.

Critiquing or evaluating theory

It can feel very daunting to critique theory, but one way to do this is to think about how theory can reduce or constrict the ways we approach a topic, as well as helping us to see other points of view. Remember that theory works like a lens: when we use it to ‘look’ at a certain topic, it will bring particular elements of it into focus. However, by the same logic, individual theoretical perspectives can make us quite blinkered; it might be that we miss other perspectives that are important, or are forced to looks at things from a certain angle that prevents us from seeing the big picture.

For example: Foucault was interested in the different forms that ‘power’ took within society, but a common critique of his arguments is that he over-emphasises the importance of power, and ignores other forces at work.

This doesn’t mean that you can just straightforwardly complain that ‘Feminism is only interested in women’s perspectives’, for instance. But if you think that a Feminist theoretical perspective, when applied to your subject, is reductive or leads us to ignore other important points, then that might be a valid critique.

Comparing and contrasting theory

Another way to critically evaluate theoretical arguments or approaches is to put them side by side. It’s very difficult to critique ideas in isolation, but can sometimes be easier if you compare or contrast people’s perspectives on a subject. Thinking about the relative strengths or weaknesses of different arguments or explanations can also help your writing to be less descriptive. Consider the following two examples:

Descriptive
According to Piaget, pretend play is an important part of children’s development (1962). He argued that this was of particular importance for younger children and worked on a very individual basis, whereby reality is perceived through children’s internal world and patterns of thought. He also suggested that pretend play is a version of reality which is evident very early in children’s lives, and that older children have less need for pretend play.

Critical
According to Piaget, pretend play is an important part of children’s development (1962). However, he argued that this was of particular importance for younger children and worked on a very individual basis, whereby reality is perceived through children’s internal world and patterns of thought. Despite Piaget’s idea of pretend play as a version of reality which is evident very early in children’s lives, and that older children have less need for pretend play, other theorists such as Vygotsky take a different approach. Vygotsky argues that pretend play is not evident in early infancy but emerges in late infancy around the same time as language and is based on combining aspects of what is known with reality (1978). Indeed, it is worth challenging Piaget's somewhat narrow argument that older infants have less use for play, in line with Vygotsky's ideas.

Summary

If you can acknowledge or describe a theory in your writing then that is better than nothing! But if you can, try to critique or evaluate it. Remember that no theoretical approach is perfect - it will give you one perspective on your topic. Therefore, there will likely be shortcomings with it. It might be easier for you to identify these if you compare different theories. Is one approach more rounded or complete than another? Does one provide a more suitable way in for you to consider your subject?