theory-fit-assessment

Assessing theory-to-question fit requires evaluating problem-domain alignment, mechanism correspondence, epistemological compatibility, level-of-analysis fit, empirical operationalizability, and China-context transferability to prevent theoretical misapplication in research planning.

Theory fitting systematically verifies whether a selected framework's mechanisms and assumptions genuinely match a specific research question, preventing the common misuse of attaching well-known theoretical labels to studies without true epistemological or analytical alignment.

Comparing candidate theories involves running a full six-dimension assessment per theory, then cross-referencing results to identify category errors, mechanism mismatches, and assumption clashes, yielding a clear decision recommendation for your research design.

Evaluating China-context transferability checks whether a theory's core mechanisms and assumptions hold under local conditions, flagging potential risks and identifying needed adjustments before applying frameworks originally developed in different socio-cultural settings.

Forcing a theoretical framework risks category errors from domain mismatch, mechanism mismatches when the topic fits but causal logic does not, and assumption clashes regarding epistemology or level-of-analysis conflicts during empirical operationalization.

You should not use a theory when its level-of-analysis conflicts with your data, its epistemological assumptions clash with your qualitative approach, or its core mechanisms cannot be empirically operationalized within your specific research question.