SAGE Reference - Encyclopedia of Communication Theory

Entry
Reader's guide
Entries A-Z
Subject index

Theory

In: Encyclopedia of Communication Theory
Edited by: Stephen W. Littlejohn & Karen A. Foss
Subject:General Media, Communication & Cultural Studies, Communication Theory

A theory is a unified, or coherent, body of propositions that provide a philosophically consistent picture of a subject. Indeed, our knowledge of communication is largely packaged into theories of various types. This entry explores the nature of theory and its key components—concepts ...

Tools
Tools icon close
- Add to list Added to list Added
- Download PDFopens in new window
- Cite
  
  Cite icon close
  
  Format APA
  
  Littlejohn, S. W., & Foss, K. A. (2009). Theory. In Encyclopedia of communication theory (Vol. 1, pp. 958-958). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n376
  
  Littlejohn, Stephen W., and Karen A. Foss. "Theory." In Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, edited by Littlejohn, Stephen W., and Karen A. Foss, 958-958. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2009. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n376.
  
  Littlejohn, S. W. and Foss, K. A. 2009. Theory. In: Stephen W. Littlejohn and Karen A. Foss Editors, 2009. Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. pp. 958 Available at: <https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n376> [Accessed 28 Jun 2022].
  
  Littlejohn, Stephen W. and Karen A. Foss. "Theory." Encyclopedia of Communication Theory. Edited by Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2009, pp. 958-958. SAGE Knowledge. 28 Jun 2022, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412959384.n376.
  copy to clipboard
  or
  
  Export to your reference manager Endnote
  
  Export
  
  Cancel
- Share
  
  Share icon close
  
  Share via
  
  Email
  
  Please log in from an authenticated institution or log into your member profile to access the email feature.
  
  Sign in/register
- Text size
  
  Text Size close
  
  small
  
  Medium
  
  Large
  
  Cancel
- Embed
  
  Embed icon close
  
  Embed this Content
  Add this content to your learning management system or webpage by copying the code below into the HTML editor on the page. Look for the words HTML or </>. Learn More about Embedding icon link (opens in new window)
  
  Embed code:
  
  Copy to clipboard
  
  Cancel
- Get link
  
  Get link icon close
  
  Link to this page directly with a permalink:
  https://sk.sagepub.com/Reference/communicationtheory/n376.xml
  
  Copy to clipboard
  
  Cancel
On this page
On this page icon close
On this page

Data resources

Document resources

Video resources

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
Read modern, diverse business cases
Explore hundreds of books and reference titles

Theory

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

Read next

More like this

SAGE Recommends