Many People Mistake "Theory" for "Guess" or for "Unfounded Assumption

Many people mistake "theory" for "guess" or for "unfounded assumption." This is an incorrect portrayal because theories

A) are actually integrated summaries of facts and findings from empirical research.
B) are widely accepted by many authorities in the relevant field.
C) have been derived by a painstaking process of operationalizing.
D) have been proved to be true.