The Midrange Theory

From one of basketball's foremost experts in the field of analytics, a fascinating new perspective on how to watch and think about the game. At its core, the goal of any basketball team is relatively simple: take and make good shots while preventing the opponent from doing the same. But what is a "good" shot? Are all good shots created equally? And how might one identify players who are more or less likely to make and prevent those shots in the first place? The concept of basketball "analytics," for lack of a better term, has been lauded, derided, and misunderstood. The incorporation of more data into NBA decision-making has been credited—or blamed—for everything from the death of the traditional center to the proliferation of three-point shooting to the alleged abandonment of the area of the court known as the midrange. What is beyond doubt is that understanding its methods has never been more important to watching and appreciating the NBA. In The Midrange Theory, Seth Partnow, NBA analyst for The Athletic and former Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, explains how numbers have affected the modern NBA game, and how those numbers seek not to "solve" the game of basketball but instead urge us toward thinking about it in new ways. The relative value of Russell Westbrook's triple-doubles Why some players succeed in the playoffs while others don't How NBA teams think about constructing their rosters through the draft and free agency The difficulty in measuring defensive achievement The fallacy of the "quick two" From shot selection to evaluating prospects to considering aesthetics and ethics while analyzing the box scores, Partnow deftly explores where the NBA is now, how it got here, and where it might be going next.

Three-time recipient of the AJN Book of the Year Award! Praise for the third edition: “This is an outstanding edition of this book. It has great relevance for learning about, developing, and using middle range theories. It is very user friendly, yet scholarly." Score: 90, 4 Stars -Doody's Medical Reviews The fourth edition of this invaluable publication on middle range theory in nursing reflects the most current theoretical advances in the field. With two additional chapters, new content incorporates exemplars that bridge middle range theory to advanced nursing practice and research. Additional content for DNP and PhD programs includes two new theories: Bureaucratic Caring and Self-Care of Chronic Illness. This user-friendly text stresses how theory informs practice and research in the everyday world of nursing. Divided into four sections, content sets the stage for understanding middle range theory by elaborating on disciplinary perspectives, an organizing framework, and evaluation of the theory. Middle Range Theory for Nursing, Fourth Edition presents a broad spectrum of 13 middle range theories. Each theory is broken down into its purpose, development, and conceptual underpinnings, and includes a model demonstrating the relationships among the concepts, and the use of the theory in research and practice. In addition, concept building for research through the lens of middle range theory is presented as a rigorous 10-phase process that moves from a practice story to a conceptual foundation. Exemplars are presented clarifying both the concept building process and the use of conceptual structures in research design. This new edition remains an essential text for advanced practice, theory, and research courses. New to the Fourth Edition: Reflects new theoretical advances Two completely new chapters New content for DNP and PhD programs Two new theories: Bureaucratic Caring and Self-Care of Chronic Illness Two articles from Advances in Nursing Science documenting a historical meta-perspective on middle range theory development Key Features: Provides a strong contextual foundation for understanding middle range theory Introduces the Ladder of Abstraction to clarify the range of nursing’s theoretical foundation Presents 13 middle range theories with philosophical, conceptual, and empirical dimensions of each theory Includes Appendix summarizing middle range theories from 1988 to 2016

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Late one afternoon in the fall of 1976, we were sipping Sanka and speculating on the possible directions towards which research and theory in organizational science might lead. One of us had just re-read Walter Nord's Marxist critique of Human Resource Management, and the discussion evolved into an enumeration of the many articles that had appeared in the recent literature attacking the discipline, its mission, and its methods. In no time the list was long enough to suggest that a number of scholars, both young and established, were dissatisfied with the rate of progress begin made in the accumulation of knowledge about organizations. The critics we identified were located at many different schools, and they were associated with diverse research traditions and biases. The causes they identified as underlying the problems they cited varied, as did the solutions they offered. We decided to pursue these polemics with a view to seeking com monalities among them, hoping that if there were any dominant common themes, it might be possible to anticipate the directions the field could take. Our reading and thinking led us to the conclusion that many of the issues being raised by the critics of the discipline could be seen as disagreements over some implicit (or ignored) metaphysical and epistemological assumptions about organizations. We hypothesized that much of the controversy resulted from a lack of consensus regarding what organizations are and how knowledge about them can be developed.

Continuing development and testing of propositions and formulations from nursing theory are critical for the continued evolution of nursing science. In this text, the editors and contributors highlight significant work in middle range theory development using King's Conceptual System and Theory of Goal Attainment. Explored in the three sections of this volume are: An overview of the foundations on which middle range theories are built from within King's Conceptual System, including a chapter by Dr. King Presentation of a variety of middle range theories applied to individuals, groups and families, and organizations--from children to the elderly Examination of post-middle range theory development and challenges for further nursing research and education Each chapter has a consistent format and includes a wide-range of perspectives and geographical locations, allowing readers to compare knowledge-building efforts across international lines.

"It is very exciting to see all of these studies compiled in one book. It can be read sequentially or just for certain transitions. It also can be used as a template for compilation of other concepts central to nursing and can serve as a resource for further studies in transitions. It is an excellent addition to the nursing literature." Score: 95, 4 Stars. --Doody's "Understanding and recognizing transitions are at the heart of health care reform and this current edition, with its numerous clinical examples and descriptions of nursing interventions, provides important lessons that can and should be incorporated into health policy. It is a brilliant book and an important contribution to nursing theory." Kathleen Dracup, RN, DNSc Dean and Professor, School of Nursing University of California San Francisco Afaf Meleis, the dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, presents for the first time in a single volume her original "transitions theory" that integrates middle-range theory to assist nurses in facilitating positive transitions for patients, families, and communities. Nurses are consistently relied on to coach and support patients going through major life transitions, such as illness, recovery, pregnancy, old age, and many more. A collection of over 50 articles published from 1975 through 2007 and five newly commissioned articles, Transitions Theory covers developmental, situational, health and illness, organizational, and therapeutic transitions. Each section includes an introduction written by Dr. Meleis in which she offers her historical and practical perspective on transitions. Many of the articles consider the transitional experiences of ethnically diverse patients, women, the elderly, and other minority populations. Key Topics Discussed: Situational transitions, including discharge and relocation transitions (hospital to home, stroke recovery) and immigration transitions (psychological adaptation and impact of migration on family health) Educational transitions, including professional transitions (from RN to BSN and student to professional) Health and illness transitions, including self-care post heart failure, living with chronic illness, living with early dementia, and accepting palliative care Organization transitions, including role transitions from acute care to collaborative practice, and hospital to community practice Nursing therapeutics models of transition, including role supplementation models and debriefing models

Basketball Analytics is a must-read for any sports analytics enthusiast or student of the game of basketball. Authors Stephen Shea, Ph.D. (Professor of Mathematics) and Christopher Baker (Software Engineer) utilize their unique skill-set to introduce original metrics for analyzing player performance, team style and team construction in the NBA. While demonstrating an awareness of the industry's best ideas, the authors present original, objective and efficient strategies for understanding how teams win. New player performance statistics include Offensive Efficiency (OE), Efficient Offensive Production (EOP), Defensive Stops Gained (DSG), and Approximate Value (AV). OE reflects a player's ability to make the most fundamental offensive decisions. EOP adjusts a player's points and assists based on his efficiency. DSG gives a complete measure of a player's defensive contributions, without relying on individual player statistics like blocks and steals. AV is a measure of total player performance that rivals any publicly available statistic. Basketball Analytics introduces groundbreaking metrics on player involvement in the offense. Point, Rebound and Assist Balance aggregate player usage in these critical statistics. New studies on the NBA show whether teams should strive for balance or unbalance. An NBA draft pick value study determines the average value of each pick and the likelihood of landing a star or role player with each draft position. The results of this study are used to discuss topics including the biggest draft blunders and steals, the draft success of each NBA team, and the quality of each draft class dating back to 1977. This valuable understanding of the NBA Draft creates a foundation for discussing various approaches to team development and construction. Additionally, the authors discuss redefining the positions on the court, unpredictability in the game, data visualization, and applications of spatial tracking technology. There are many intensely debated questions surrounding the NBA today. Who are the most valuable players, and how do they compare to past greats? Which players have the greatest impact on their team's defense? Should Kobe Bryant be concerned with getting his teammates involved in the offense? How do offenses differ in the clutch, and which players thrive in these situations? How difficult is it for a team to rebuild through the draft? Basketball Analytics introduces new statistics and new concepts to explore these questions and more.

The most complete and detailed book devoted to middle range theories, Middle Range Theories: Application to Nursing Research and Practice delivers expert advice on selecting the appropriate theory for a nursing research project and helps students develop the critical thinking skills needed to effectively critique theories. Each theory chapter details examples of the theory’s use in research and its application to clinical practice, as well as critical thinking exercises and a variety of essential tools for the nurse researcher. This Fifth Edition is updated with valuable project management guidance detailing everything students need to confidently plan, manage and evaluate a project. NEW! Project management chapter familiarizes students with the process and tools for successful project planning, management and evaluation. NEW! Project Management boxes demonstrate the effective application of theory to relevant research and practice projects. UPDATED! Using Middle Range Theories in Researchoutlines the research process and provides examples of the use of theory in published research. UPDATED! Using Middle Range Theories in Practice boxes help students apply theories to specific clinical scenarios. Using Middle Range Theories in Projects boxes prepare students to effectively apply theories in graduate programs and clinical practice. Critical Thinking Exercises at the end of each chapter engage readers in analysis of the theory and its application to practice. Key Terms clarify chapter concepts at a glance.