Concepts are mental abstractions or units of meaning derived to represent some aspect or element of the human experience. In ordinary language concepts evolve to represent a common meaning among members of a linguistic community. These ordinary concepts are reflected in dictionary definitions. Scientific concepts are a slightly different entity, in that a degree of precision is required for rigorous application. Scientific concepts necessarily have a more specific or narrow definition, so that those using concepts in scientific endeavors are clearly using them in the same way, with the same meanings, so that findings can be interpreted and understood. Theory relies on adequate definitions of concepts as more basic units of understanding; therefore, the importance of clarity in conceptual meaning becomes clear.
Concept analysis is a means for exploring conceptual meaning in the quest for clarity in scientific use. More precisely defined, concept analysis refers to processes that are undertaken in a effort to evaluate the current state of the meaning implied by the concept label. Such analytic processes are often used as an academic exercise to encourage creative thinking or as a means of discovery of personal insight. But we argue that the utility of concept analysis for the advancement of science is to establish the current understanding of the concept in the scientific literature, so that strategic procedures may be implemented to extend knowledge by more precisely capturing meaning.
On overview of ordinary and scientific concepts opens this discussion to frame the philosophic underpinnings of this interpretation of concepts. Then, given this paradigmatic overview, a discussion of commonly used techniques for concept analysis is presented to differentiate the stated purpose of each method, procedures, and the nature of the findings obtained by using each method. Starting with the historical work of Wilson, this discussion addresses the more traditional work of Walker and Avant, Rodgers, Schwartz-Barcott and Kim. This discussion will show how each of these methods contributes to an understanding of the concept, in differing ways. Yet, these contributions are not all equal in preparing the researcher to analyze the concept systematically and comprehensively, to prepare the researcher to strategically address conceptual inadequacies.
The methods of advanced concept analysis recently developed and refined by Morse, Hupcey, Mitcham and colleagues are presented to address the need to systematically and strategically analyze concepts. This method is based on four principles derived through the philosophy of science: Epistemological, Linguistical, Pragmatical, and Logical. Each of these principles reflects critical attributes of scientific concepts, and is reviewed to illustrate how concepts are evaluated from each philosophical stance. The nature of this analytic process is criteria-based —the body of literature is analyzed across each principle reflecting an approach that systematically and comprehensively guides the investigator in her examination of scientific conceptual meaning. Given this detailed analysis, the resultant finding reflects the state of the science surrounding that concept at that point in time.
From this perspective, it is important to differentiate processes of concept analysis from those of concept advancement—we interpret these processes as distinct phases of a research process. The state of the concept determined through analysis is summarized as maturity. Mature concepts are well defined, have clear components (or attributes), hold their meaning across varied contexts, and are well suited for use in theory building or quantification. Immature or partially mature concepts are not as well developed, not as clearly differentiated, and tend to blur meaning in theory. Premature quantification poses the threat of falsely circumscribing meaning that pushes the scientific understanding of the concept away from the reality that it purports to represent by delimiting perspective too narrowly. Therefore, we argue that concept analysis must be held as a distinct and separate research activity that prepares the researcher to strategically advance the concept toward scientific maturity.
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