The phrase "formulate theories" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it any time you wish to describe the process of creating a hypothesis or theory. For example, "The professor encouraged her students to use their research to formulate theories about the cause of the phenomenon."
Political scientists, like other social and natural scientists, gather data and formulate theories.
Most economists observe the world's economies from afar, and try to formulate theories to explain them.
Scientists formulate theories that they attempt to prove through experiments that are reviewed by peers, who attempt to spot flaws in the reasoning and methodology.
Much better is another video, called "True Detective Yellow King Theory," which skewers the exacting and eager viewers who have taken to online forums like Reddit to parse the show's intricacies and to formulate theories about what they mean.
In addition to mapping the present distribution of species, zoogeographers formulate theories to explain the distribution, based on information about geography, physiography, climate, and geologic history, as well as knowledge of the evolutionary history and relationships of the animals involved.
Especially in a laboratory context, inquiry-based learning (in which students "attempt to formulate theories to explain the phenomena they encounter") is more important than the accumulation of correct facts (Winter et al 2001).
An inductive and investigative process was designed to formulate theory regarding the observed phenomena by systematically gathering and analyzing relevant data.
Gerstenberg formulated theories of instrumental and dramatic music that opposed those of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Vigny's consultations enlarged upon his philosophy, formulated theories about the fate of man, and defined the principles that he thought should govern human conduct.
In collaboration with William Fowler and others in the United States, he formulated theories about the origins of stars as well as about the origins of elements within stars.
As a starting point, we study the initial characteristics of the support entities as a step toward formulating theories in the area.
