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Theoretical Framework for Dissertation – What and How

Published by Anastasia Lois at August 13th, 2021 , Revised On August 22, 2023

The theoretical framework is one of the most infamous aspects of a dissertation , but it provides a strong scientific research base. You are likely to produce a first-class dissertation if the theoretical framework is appropriate and well-thought-out.

But what is a theoretical framework? And how do you develop a theoretical framework for your dissertation?

Content for Theoretical Framework

Your theoretical framework of a dissertation should incorporate existing theories that are relevant to your study. It will also include defining the terms mentioned in the hypothesis , research questions , and problem statement . All these concepts should be clearly identified as the first step.

Theoretical Framework Goals

You will need to identify the ideas and theories used for your chosen subject topic once you have determined the problem statement and research questions .
You can frame your study by presenting the theoretical framework, reflecting that you have enough knowledge about your topic, relevant models, and theories.
The theories you choose to investigate will provide direction to your research, and you can continue to make informed choices at different stages of the dissertation writing process .
The theoretical framework bases are the scientific theories that justify your research; therefore, you must use them appropriately for referencing your investigation.

1. Select Key Concepts Sample problem statement and research questions: According to the company X report, many customers do not return after an online purchase. The company director wants to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty to achieve the long-term goal of the company. To investigate this issue, the researcher can base their research around the following problem statement, objective, and research questions: Problem: Many customers do not return after an online purchase. Objective: To improve customer satisfaction and thereby achieve long-term goals. Research question: How can online customers’ loyalty increase by increasing customer satisfaction? Sub-Questions: 1. How can you relate customer satisfaction with customer loyalty? 2. How are the online customers of company X loyal and satisfied at present? 3. What are the factors affecting online customers’ loyalty and satisfaction? The satisfaction and loyalty concepts are critical to this research; therefore, will be determined as part of this study. These are the key terms that will have to be defined in the theoretical framework for the dissertation.

2. Define and Evaluate Relevant Concepts, Theories, and Models

You will be required to review existing relevant literature to determine how other researchers have defined the key terms in the past. The definitions proposed by different scholars can then be compared critically and analytically. The last step is to choose the best concepts and their definitions matching your case.

It is also necessary to identify the relationships between the terms. Whether you are applying or not applying the existing concepts and models in your study, you will need to present your arguments and justify your choices.

3. Adding Value to the Existing Knowledge

In addition to analyzing concepts and theories proposed by other theorists, you might also want to demonstrate how your own research will contribute to the existing knowledge. Here are some questions for you to consider in this regard;

Are you going to contribute new evidence through primary research or testing an existing theory?
Will you understand and interpret data with the help of a theory?
Do you wish to challenge, critique, or evaluate an existing theory?
Is there a new exclusive method through which you will combine different theories proposed by other scholars?

Types of Research Questions you can Answer

The descriptive research questions only use the theoretical framework because their answer requires literature research. For instance, ‘how can you relate customer satisfaction with customer loyalty?’ A single theory can answer this question sufficiently.

The sub-question, ‘How the online customers of company X are loyal and satisfied at present?’ cannot be answered theoretically because it requires qualitative and quantitative research data.

Theoretical Framework Structure

There is no fixed pattern to structure the theoretical framework for the dissertation . However, you can create a logical structure by drawing on your hypothesis/research question and defining important terms.

For instance, write a paragraph containing key terms, hypotheses, or research questions and explain the relevant models and theories.

Also See: Organizing Academic Research Papers: Theoretical Framework

Length of Theoretical Framework of Dissertation

The length of the theoretical framework is usually three to five pages. You can also include the graphical framework to give your readers a clear insight into your theoretical framework. For instance, below is the graphical figure of an example theoretical framework for classroom management.

Sample Theoretical Framework of a Dissertation

Here is a theoretical framework example to provide you with a sense of the essential parts of the dissertation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do i choose a theoretical framework for my dissertation.

To choose a theoretical framework for your dissertation:

Define research objectives.
Identify relevant disciplines.
Review existing theories.
Select one aligning with your topic.
Consider its applicability.
Justify your choice based on relevance and depth.

Theoretical Framework – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Theoretical Framework

Definition:

Theoretical framework refers to a set of concepts, theories, ideas , and assumptions that serve as a foundation for understanding a particular phenomenon or problem. It provides a conceptual framework that helps researchers to design and conduct their research, as well as to analyze and interpret their findings.

In research, a theoretical framework explains the relationship between various variables, identifies gaps in existing knowledge, and guides the development of research questions, hypotheses, and methodologies. It also helps to contextualize the research within a broader theoretical perspective, and can be used to guide the interpretation of results and the formulation of recommendations.

Types of Theoretical Framework

Types of Types of Theoretical Framework are as follows:

Conceptual Framework

This type of framework defines the key concepts and relationships between them. It helps to provide a theoretical foundation for a study or research project .

Deductive Framework

This type of framework starts with a general theory or hypothesis and then uses data to test and refine it. It is often used in quantitative research .

Inductive Framework

This type of framework starts with data and then develops a theory or hypothesis based on the patterns and themes that emerge from the data. It is often used in qualitative research .

Empirical Framework

This type of framework focuses on the collection and analysis of empirical data, such as surveys or experiments. It is often used in scientific research .

Normative Framework

This type of framework defines a set of norms or values that guide behavior or decision-making. It is often used in ethics and social sciences.

Explanatory Framework

This type of framework seeks to explain the underlying mechanisms or causes of a particular phenomenon or behavior. It is often used in psychology and social sciences.

Components of Theoretical Framework

The components of a theoretical framework include:

Concepts : The basic building blocks of a theoretical framework. Concepts are abstract ideas or generalizations that represent objects, events, or phenomena.
Variables : These are measurable and observable aspects of a concept. In a research context, variables can be manipulated or measured to test hypotheses.
Assumptions : These are beliefs or statements that are taken for granted and are not tested in a study. They provide a starting point for developing hypotheses.
Propositions : These are statements that explain the relationships between concepts and variables in a theoretical framework.
Hypotheses : These are testable predictions that are derived from the theoretical framework. Hypotheses are used to guide data collection and analysis.
Constructs : These are abstract concepts that cannot be directly measured but are inferred from observable variables. Constructs provide a way to understand complex phenomena.
Models : These are simplified representations of reality that are used to explain, predict, or control a phenomenon.

How to Write Theoretical Framework

A theoretical framework is an essential part of any research study or paper, as it helps to provide a theoretical basis for the research and guide the analysis and interpretation of the data. Here are some steps to help you write a theoretical framework:

Identify the key concepts and variables : Start by identifying the main concepts and variables that your research is exploring. These could include things like motivation, behavior, attitudes, or any other relevant concepts.
Review relevant literature: Conduct a thorough review of the existing literature in your field to identify key theories and ideas that relate to your research. This will help you to understand the existing knowledge and theories that are relevant to your research and provide a basis for your theoretical framework.
Develop a conceptual framework : Based on your literature review, develop a conceptual framework that outlines the key concepts and their relationships. This framework should provide a clear and concise overview of the theoretical perspective that underpins your research.
Identify hypotheses and research questions: Based on your conceptual framework, identify the hypotheses and research questions that you want to test or explore in your research.
Test your theoretical framework: Once you have developed your theoretical framework, test it by applying it to your research data. This will help you to identify any gaps or weaknesses in your framework and refine it as necessary.
Write up your theoretical framework: Finally, write up your theoretical framework in a clear and concise manner, using appropriate terminology and referencing the relevant literature to support your arguments.

Theoretical Framework Examples

Here are some examples of theoretical frameworks:

Social Learning Theory : This framework, developed by Albert Bandura, suggests that people learn from their environment, including the behaviors of others, and that behavior is influenced by both external and internal factors.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs : Abraham Maslow proposed that human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, with basic physiological needs at the bottom, followed by safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization at the top. This framework has been used in various fields, including psychology and education.
Ecological Systems Theory : This framework, developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, suggests that a person’s development is influenced by the interaction between the individual and the various environments in which they live, such as family, school, and community.
Feminist Theory: This framework examines how gender and power intersect to influence social, cultural, and political issues. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and challenging systems of oppression.
Cognitive Behavioral Theory: This framework suggests that our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes influence our behavior, and that changing our thought patterns can lead to changes in behavior and emotional responses.
Attachment Theory: This framework examines the ways in which early relationships with caregivers shape our later relationships and attachment styles.
Critical Race Theory : This framework examines how race intersects with other forms of social stratification and oppression to perpetuate inequality and discrimination.

When to Have A Theoretical Framework

Following are some situations When to Have A Theoretical Framework:

A theoretical framework should be developed when conducting research in any discipline, as it provides a foundation for understanding the research problem and guiding the research process.
A theoretical framework is essential when conducting research on complex phenomena, as it helps to organize and structure the research questions, hypotheses, and findings.
A theoretical framework should be developed when the research problem requires a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts and principles that govern the phenomenon being studied.
A theoretical framework is particularly important when conducting research in social sciences, as it helps to explain the relationships between variables and provides a framework for testing hypotheses.
A theoretical framework should be developed when conducting research in applied fields, such as engineering or medicine, as it helps to provide a theoretical basis for the development of new technologies or treatments.
A theoretical framework should be developed when conducting research that seeks to address a specific gap in knowledge, as it helps to define the problem and identify potential solutions.
A theoretical framework is also important when conducting research that involves the analysis of existing theories or concepts, as it helps to provide a framework for comparing and contrasting different theories and concepts.
A theoretical framework should be developed when conducting research that seeks to make predictions or develop generalizations about a particular phenomenon, as it helps to provide a basis for evaluating the accuracy of these predictions or generalizations.
Finally, a theoretical framework should be developed when conducting research that seeks to make a contribution to the field, as it helps to situate the research within the broader context of the discipline and identify its significance.

Purpose of Theoretical Framework

The purposes of a theoretical framework include:

Providing a conceptual framework for the study: A theoretical framework helps researchers to define and clarify the concepts and variables of interest in their research. It enables researchers to develop a clear and concise definition of the problem, which in turn helps to guide the research process.
Guiding the research design: A theoretical framework can guide the selection of research methods, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures. By outlining the key concepts and assumptions underlying the research questions, the theoretical framework can help researchers to identify the most appropriate research design for their study.
Supporting the interpretation of research findings: A theoretical framework provides a framework for interpreting the research findings by helping researchers to make connections between their findings and existing theory. It enables researchers to identify the implications of their findings for theory development and to assess the generalizability of their findings.
Enhancing the credibility of the research: A well-developed theoretical framework can enhance the credibility of the research by providing a strong theoretical foundation for the study. It demonstrates that the research is based on a solid understanding of the relevant theory and that the research questions are grounded in a clear conceptual framework.
Facilitating communication and collaboration: A theoretical framework provides a common language and conceptual framework for researchers, enabling them to communicate and collaborate more effectively. It helps to ensure that everyone involved in the research is working towards the same goals and is using the same concepts and definitions.

Characteristics of Theoretical Framework

Some of the characteristics of a theoretical framework include:

Conceptual clarity: The concepts used in the theoretical framework should be clearly defined and understood by all stakeholders.
Logical coherence : The framework should be internally consistent, with each concept and assumption logically connected to the others.
Empirical relevance: The framework should be based on empirical evidence and research findings.
Parsimony : The framework should be as simple as possible, without sacrificing its ability to explain the phenomenon in question.
Flexibility : The framework should be adaptable to new findings and insights.
Testability : The framework should be testable through research, with clear hypotheses that can be falsified or supported by data.
Applicability : The framework should be useful for practical applications, such as designing interventions or policies.

Advantages of Theoretical Framework

Here are some of the advantages of having a theoretical framework:

Provides a clear direction : A theoretical framework helps researchers to identify the key concepts and variables they need to study and the relationships between them. This provides a clear direction for the research and helps researchers to focus their efforts and resources.
Increases the validity of the research: A theoretical framework helps to ensure that the research is based on sound theoretical principles and concepts. This increases the validity of the research by ensuring that it is grounded in established knowledge and is not based on arbitrary assumptions.
Enables comparisons between studies : A theoretical framework provides a common language and set of concepts that researchers can use to compare and contrast their findings. This helps to build a cumulative body of knowledge and allows researchers to identify patterns and trends across different studies.
Helps to generate hypotheses: A theoretical framework provides a basis for generating hypotheses about the relationships between different concepts and variables. This can help to guide the research process and identify areas that require further investigation.
Facilitates communication: A theoretical framework provides a common language and set of concepts that researchers can use to communicate their findings to other researchers and to the wider community. This makes it easier for others to understand the research and its implications.

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Theoretical Framework in Research: Definition & How to Write It

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One of the most challenging phases in research is creating a theoretical framework. Failure to include this part may result in your work being rejected by publishers or professors. It is a crucial part of dissertation writing because it offers a theoretical context that enables readers to assess your work. Specifically, it helps in establishing a foundation upon which all sections of a study are developed. But can you tell what is theoretical framework in research? Students, in general, find it very difficult to even define, choose, and formulate an appropriate background that can inform their research. If you are one of them, then this piece is specifically created to address your needs. The article describes ideas about how to write a theoretical framework. Additionally, you will gain insights into the types of theory in research so that you can create a solid blueprint for an inquiry. Contact our Ph.D. academic writers if you need help with dissertation . We're open to helping you anytime.

What Is a Theoretical Framework: Definition

So, what is a theoretical foundation? A theoretical framework is a summary of all theories that outline and clarify the boundaries of what you are investigating. It is impossible to explore all things associated with your topic. Rather, you usually present assumptions regarding how various ideas are related and explain a particular issue using a theoretical framework. These are the key variables, constructs, or factors of your dissertation that illuminate exactly the scope of analysis. Theoretical frameworks are critically important both for quantitative and qualitative studies . As the basis of a thesis or dissertation, they are built on existing and relevant research theories and must comply with your objectives. Theories intend to support and structure the rationale, problem, purpose, questions, and meaning of your research paper. Remember that as the investigation progresses and data is collected, the core assumptions you identified might also change. Thus, you can refine the context of your study along the way.

Why Are Theoretical Frameworks Important?

Your work will be of no use if you cannot describe its theoretical foundation. Here is how the theoretical framework benefits your study. It:

Guides all aspects of an inquiry from thesis declaration to the conclusion. It helps you in exploring diverse theories, which enriches your investigation’s strengths.
Offers a structure demonstrating how your report is expressed. In particular, a theoretical framework in research can be stated analytically, epistemologically, or philosophically.
Helps you avoid simple descriptions of an issue by examining different factors surrounding it. Thus, ensure to affirm your theoretical statements.
Allows readers to evaluate your manuscript from varying angles.
Enables you to predict your research problem, including any limits of your focus area. Its importance is in specifying which main variables affect your dissertation topic and explaining how they vary based on what conditions.
Acts as a tool for filtering relevant questions and guiding data collection.

Types of Research Theories

There is a close connection between an investigation and what model is used, as stated previously, about how important it is to establish a theoretical basis. This association can be characterized as a transaction in which theoretical models determine the kind of data that can be collected and how a study should be organized. Therefore, it is essential to know the three types of theory in research:

Descriptive This is what an exploratory researcher uses in classifying a particular feature or element of an event, situation, group, or individual by identifying commonalities. Usually, this is done after observing them discreetly. It is a simple type of theory in research, and is needed when you do not understand a phenomenon entirely.
Relational These research theories are used by mostly correlational researchers in specifying how various characteristics of a phenomenon of interest are related. Researchers use them to explain the relationship between different parts of an issue. Their development requires one to know the essential aspects of a problem or first develop and validate a descriptive model.
Explanatory Explanatory theories in research go further than relational accounts by precisely predicting the causative association between dimensions of a topic or how groups differ. Experimental investigators develop these models after formulating relational ones and use them to address cause and effect type of questions.

Theoretical Framework in Research

At this point, you already know what a theoretical framework is. However, you may not understand the types of theories in research that you can consider for an inquiry. Well, a model offers a perspective through which you will explore a study problem. But, this view can be from any theoretical approach depending on the nature of your manuscript. Specifically, different categories of frameworks can be selected. Examples include grounded , critical, leadership, driving force, phenomenological , transcendental, and feminist theories. Others are functional, postmodernism, Marxist, constructionist, critical race, and game approach. As highlighted earlier, your field of study and discipline influence which theoretical model you will use. Even within a specific discipline, your pick affects how the analysis will be conducted because a single topic can be interpreted by different philosophies. Consider domestic violence as an example. Conflict theory will look into differences in resource possession as the cause, while the functional system will focus on gender role differences. Thus, the best way to find applicable concepts for your paper involves immersing yourself in the existing literature about a phenomenon. While you may find a specific principle, the theoretical review will reveal one or different interrelated core ideas from which to frame an investigation. Whatever choice you have, make sure to explain it in your work. Buy dissertations at StudyCrumb in case you have limited time and can’t prepare your theoretical framework.

Theoretical Framework Structure

The theoretical framework is an illustrative view of the link you anticipate seeing between variables of interest. These concepts are generated after reviewing relevant studies. Therefore, place this section just after a literature review segment to guide your methodology part. Learn how to write your theoretical framework by following this layout. Structure it by:

Setting your objectives and aims first. This helps you relate a model to the main goals.
Defining and explaining a theory. Clarify which approach you are focusing on, its major supporters, and its applications.
Developing a strong argument. Evaluate your selection critically over other potential models.
Choosing and describing your thoughts. Identify which side you are on and why.
Ascertaining the ideas. Organize a theoretical framework by elaborating on which concepts you will use and why. Also, elucidate how these notions are associated with each other and the aims of your approach and how you will achieve the objectives.
Stating your view. What is your epistemological and ontological standpoint?
Recognizing any limitations of your framework. Expound why it cannot account for a specific feature of your work and solution.

How to Write a Theoretical Framework

To create a theoretical framework , you must first identify a study problem and understand why your approach offers a practicable solution. You do this after reviewing relevant course texts in your dissertation. If you can provide an answer to the aforementioned issues, you have the foundations for composing your thesis or dissertation. The following steps demonstrate how to develop a theoretical framework based on the design mentioned previously. You can apply them in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies.

1. Inspect Your Research Problem

Consider your research problem or the subject of your work very closely because it acts as a theoretical base. You will build an appropriate model using it. Describe any gaps in understanding that drove your project and offer a summary of different ways others have tackled the issue. This provides a specific setting for your theoretical framework by showing how you are examining instances of broader phenomena. It also helps in linking your manuscript to the wider theoretical constructs, contested views, or existing gaps in your field. In turn, this enables you to demonstrate that the thesis aims to illuminate vital themes and is, therefore, crucial for your subject area.

2. Determine the Key Variables

Next, list all variables you think are key in your theoretical framework. These can be:

Independent and dependent variables
Confounding variables
Extraneous variables .

In other words you should identify what factors contribute to the estimated outcome. This helps you locate, define, and break down the central terms related to your research question or problem statement . It is important because some of them can mean several things based on context. Thus, your theoretical work must clarify what each one denotes. You use this information in your future discussion about theories linking the identified concepts.

For example, a business is unable to reach young customers under 25 years old . It operates a chain of cafes across the city. Although it has a new website and dishes for this group, there are no orders. The key leadership thinks adding online payment techniques will appeal to young clients and enhance user satisfaction . It is anticipated that this will simplify the buying process, attract more people, and grow the user base.

Here, the core elements of a theoretical background are determined by:

Identifying an issue, which is the lack of orders from young customers.
Explaining the objective, i.e., examining if online payment techniques increase user satisfaction.
Formulating a research question stated below.

Does implementing online payments enhance user satisfaction among young online customers aged under 25 years old ?

The main components are:

“ user satisfaction ”
“ clients aged under 25 years old ”
“ online payments .”

Your model must define and discuss these ideas.

3. Conduct a Literature Review

The third step in developing a theoretical framework is conducting a literature review associated with your topic. The intention is to ascertain how others have discussed an issue, identify which tools and assumptions they applied and made respectively, and discover how they specified and built connections of key concepts. Remember to use credible and peer-reviewed works only as you research the theoretical framework. Your focus here is on contrasting and assessing the approaches of various scholars critically while writing a theoretical framework of a study. Specifically, check how they defined important ideas, their justifications, and what theories they used. This helps you in building your project and establishing vital and fitting definitions. You may need a sample literature review outline , we have a special blog to help you with this step.

4. Discuss Relevant Theories

You also need to analyze relevant theories when writing a theoretical framework. Remember that while some of them are popular, no right or perfect system for your research paper exists. Therefore, you must state which approaches you encountered in your review of current studies, discuss what they propose or assume, and elaborate on how these suggestions relate to your study. Clarify how your selected model will assist in answering your research question and conducting an investigation. In other words, how can it serve as a reference for your project? This offers useful knowledge that helps in building a theoretical framework in research. You should also assess the relative value of each principle for your subject area to have a sense of which ones are commonly applied in examining your research problem. Additionally, identify how your work will implement those ideas by scrutinizing whether specific perspectives hold in the context of your inquiry. You will gain useful insights to help in selecting the best theories in research. What is more, in the framework a theory must relate to your most important propositions. Make sure this is the case. For example, if you found a certain belief unfit, explain why.

5. Go Beyond the Existing Theories

In addition to evaluating and exemplifying extant viewpoints as you write a theoretical framework, you should demonstrate how your work refutes or supports actual theories. Specifically, position your research in a wider context or with varying models. This enables you to build a theoretical framework that offers genuine insights into your problem. It also helps you in examining if an existing view can be used to interpret your findings, deliberating on or challenging notions critically, and combining different philosophies in a new or unique way to form a distinct philosophy. Finish your theoretical writing by providing your audience with an explanation about how your project is useful or solves an issue feasibly in the field. You can then continue with other sections of your work such as research methodology , discussion section , or results section .

Theoretical Framework Writing Tips

Here are additional tips for writing a theoretical framework. When composing this section, ensure to:

Use the present tense during discussions about your work.
Describe your model, concepts, and specific theoretical framework models you will use explicitly.
Explain any assumptions of your selected framework clearly.
Identify the strengths and drawbacks of your approach, particularly those elements of your research problem requiring further investigation due to inadequate descriptions by the theory.
Develop a theoretical framework diagram. This is like a conceptual map that helps in identifying key ideas, philosophies, and the relationship between them.
Conduct an interdisciplinary review by examining constructs outside of your field.
Use your identified approach throughout the study.
Be ready to challenge the validity of any model you encounter.

Theoretical Framework Checklist

Consider the following checklist as you complete your theoretical framework:

Bottom Line on Theoretical Framework

This article provided a thorough explanation of what is a theoretical model. Therefore, you should be able to define a theoretical framework without any difficulties after reading all the sections. It is a crucial part of your research paper that cannot be ignored because it determines how you develop, collect data, and explain the findings of your work. The blog also described the process of how to make a theoretical framework. Use these details to create appropriate models for your project. Once you do that, you might also need to develop a conceptual framework .

In case you still experience any difficulties with your research, delegating your task to a professional writing service will be a smart solution. Buy thesis or dissertation at our platform and we will find the most qualified expert to work on your research.

FAQ About Theoretical Frameworks

1. what is the purpose of a theoretical framework.

The purpose of a theoretical framework is to capture any lessons and concepts from current theories and propose how a new research problem can be answered. Since you will find multiple models that can offer theoretical support to your paper, a framework provides guidance that helps in comparing and selecting the best options.

2. How long should a theoretical framework be?

Even though there are no rules regarding the length of a theoretical framework, this section should be 3-5 pages long. You must provide enough relevant details to your audience within this space. However, if you go past this span and find yourself needing to add more information, a possible reason is that you did not explain yourself succinctly.

3. What is the difference between a theoretical framework and a literature review?

The two are not the same thing. A literature review is where you make a case for your work by examining existing studies and identifying gaps in knowledge. This is what your project will focus on filling based on your research aims, objectives, and hypotheses . In contrast, with a theoretical framework, you demonstrate how to address an issue or which perspective you will use to collect and understand data.

5. What tense should I use when writing a theoretical framework?

While writing your theoretical framework, ensure to use the present tense. This is important because it is what you are currently doing. Apply this to all things related to your project.

4. What should I include in a theoretical framework?

In developing your theoretical framework, make sure to include a definition of theories or ideas you are basing your work on, a statement of which context these concepts have been examined previously, key studies about your selected models and propositions, and your plan for exploring them. Additionally, identify any gaps you intend to fill and limitations encountered by you and others.

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Developing a conceptual framework for a quantitative dissertation, published by steve tippins on july 18, 2022 july 18, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:41 am

Fairly quickly into the dissertation process, you will need to develop a conceptual framework. Perhaps second only to the purpose statement in its importance for your dissertation, the conceptual framework shapes the direction of your research. Think of it this way: if the purpose statement is your target, then the conceptual framework is the arrow that guides you to your intended target.

So how do you tackle such a critical task? Follow the steps outlined in this article to build a strong conceptual framework that will set you up for writing a successful dissertation.

Prerequisites

Before we outline the steps to building a solid conceptual framework, let’s zoom out and remind ourselves where we are in the dissertation process.

Prior to developing your conceptual framework, you will have already chosen your research topic and have developed an appropriate research question or problem statement .

student consulting her professor about Conceptual Framework in her dissertation

Once these prerequisites are met, you are ready to move on to developing a conceptual framework for your dissertation research. Armed with a clear target (your problem statement), next you will take aim at the target by crafting a conceptual framework to effectively guide your research.

How to Create a Conceptual Framework

Step one: conduct a literature review with your topic and problem statement in mind. .

Get familiar with what is being said about your particular area of research. You probably already conducted a preliminary review of the relevant literature when you were brainstorming your topic and narrowing down your area of focus. Now take another closer look to begin noticing themes, key terms, and recurring variables mentioned in the relevant literature.

Step Two: Identify the variables affecting your problem.

Begin to jot down the themes, patterns, and variables you see emerging from the sources related to your dissertation topic . What are the independent and dependent variables of your research problem? What are the extraneous variables that impact the independent variables, such as mediating, moderating, and control variables?

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Be careful here. You want to avoid going down rabbit holes chasing every possible variable. Isolate the key variables you see from the literature as most pertinent to your problem focus . Stick to a few key variables that you can discuss adequately and in an in-depth manner in your dissertation. Too many outliers muddies the waters, making for an unwieldy research process for you and confusion for your readers. Developing a clean, focused conceptual framework will help you focus on the most relevant factors.

Step Three: Identify the relationships between the key variables.

woman with eyeglasses focused on studying in a library

In the process of isolating the key variables impacting your research problem, you will likely have already begun to notice relationships among the variables. What are the causal relationships? What variables have a direct or indirect impact upon another variable? As mentioned in Step Two, be careful here not to chase down too many loosely connected variable relationships. You want to focus on the strongest relationships, the ones most supported by the relevant literature, and the relationships that provide the best insight into your problem statement.

Step Four: Create a visual representation of your conceptual framework.

Once you have a clear picture of the key variables of your research problem and relationships among these variables, you should be able to draw a visual flow chart of the critical components of your research. This visual represents your actual conceptual framework for your research.

The visual representation is usually a diagram, a simple flow chart with the variables in boxes and with arrows showing the flow of relationship among the variables. You could also write out the conceptual framework in outline or narrative format; however, typically a visual representation is the best way to demonstrate the relationship among your variables.

Step Five: Explain your visual representation in narrative form.

woman with headphones working on her dissertation at home

Once you have created your visual representation, explain the flow chart in a paragraph or two. This narrative of your conceptual framework will be included in your dissertation and will sum up the direction of your research. Your readers will quickly grasp the main thrust of your dissertation through this narrative description. The conceptual framework both in its chart form and in its narrative form will keep you on track over the course of your dissertation process , as well.

Simple Conceptual Framework Visual Example

This simplified flow chart provides a basic visual example of a conceptual framework for a research work seeking to analyze the key factor(s) contributing to successful second language acquisition in the classroom.

flow chart describing a conceptual framework

A key contributing factor to a student’s successful acquisition of a second language in a classroom setting is his or her willingness to take risks.

The control factor that ought to be provided by the teacher is the creation of a safe classroom space where enough trust has been built that students are willing to take the risks necessary in order to experiment with the second language.

The problem exists when the student does not feel safe enough to take risks in the language acquisition process, and thus does not succeed in acquiring the desired language skills.

Narrative Explanation of the Example Conceptual Framework

In the above example, we see that successful second language acquisition is the dependent variable or the desired outcome.

Student’s willingness to take risks is an important key independent variable (Other independent variables likely exist, but for example’s sake, we will limit our focus to one independent variable.)

Environment of Trust and Safety is the control variable which has a direct impact on the student’s willingness to take language risks in the classroom and thus affects the student’s success in second language acquisition. Also, this control variable is under the direct control of the classroom teacher.

african american woman with short curly hair reading notes next to her laptop

A conceptual framework lends clarity to your dissertation process. It provides the guidance and structure needed to effectively write a strong dissertation.

Assessing the pertinent literature, identifying the key variables related to your problem statement, and then drawing out the relationships among the variables will lead you to the vital components of your conceptual framework. The last steps involve drawing a simple visual of your basic research components and describing that visual in a narrative format.

Follow these simple steps and writing a successful dissertation will flow naturally from your solidly constructed conceptual framework.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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Organizing Academic Research Papers: Theoretical Framework

Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Glossary of Research Terms
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Executive Summary
Background Information
The Research Problem/Question
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tertiary Sources
What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Annotated Bibliography
Dealing with Nervousness
Using Visual Aids
Grading Someone Else's Paper
How to Manage Group Projects
Multiple Book Review Essay
Reviewing Collected Essays
About Informed Consent
Writing Field Notes
Writing a Policy Memo
Writing a Research Proposal
Acknowledgements

Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in many cases, to challenge and extend existing knowledge, within the limits of the critical bounding assumptions. The theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study. The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory which explains why the research problem under study exists.

Importance of Theory

A theoretical framework consists of concepts, together with their definitions, and existing theory/theories that are used for your particular study. The theoretical framework must demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to the topic of your research paper and that will relate it to the broader fields of knowledge in the class you are taking.

The theoretical framework is not something that is found readily available in the literature . You must review course readings and pertinent research literature for theories and analytic models that are relevant to the research problem you are investigating. The selection of a theory should depend on its appropriateness, ease of application, and explanatory power.

The theoretical framework strengthens the study in the following ways .

An explicit statement of theoretical assumptions permits the reader to evaluate them critically.
The theoretical framework connects the researcher to existing knowledge. Guided by a relevant theory, you are given a basis for your hypotheses and choice of research methods.
Articulating the theoretical assumptions of a research study forces you to address questions of why and how. It permits you to move from simply describing a phenomenon observed to generalizing about various aspects of that phenomenon.
Having a theory helps you to identify the limits to those generalizations. A theoretical framework specifies which key variables influence a phenomenon of interest. It alerts you to examine how those key variables might differ and under what circumstances.

By virtue of its application nature, good theory in the social sciences is of value precisely because it fulfills one primary purpose: to explain the meaning, nature, and challenges of a phenomenon, often experienced but unexplained in the world in which we live, so that we may use that knowledge and understanding to act in more informed and effective ways.

The Conceptual Framework. College of Education. Alabama State University; Drafting an Argument . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Trochim, William M.K. Philosophy of Research. Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006.

Strategies for Developing the Theoretical Framework

I. Developing the Framework

Here are some strategies to develop of an effective theoretical framework:

Examine your thesis title and research problem . The research problem anchors your entire study and forms the basis from which you construct your theoretical framework.
Brainstorm on what you consider to be the key variables in your research . Answer the question, what factors contribute to the presumed effect?
Review related literature to find answers to your research question.
List the constructs and variables that might be relevant to your study. Group these variables into independent and dependent categories.
Review the key social science theories that are introduced to you in your course readings and choose the theory or theories that can best explain the relationships between the key variables in your study [note the Writing Tip on this page].
Discuss the assumptions or propositions of this theory and point out their relevance to your research.

A theoretical framework is used to limit the scope of the relevant data by focusing on specific variables and defining the specific viewpoint (framework) that the researcher will take in analyzing and interpreting the data to be gathered, understanding concepts and variables according to the given definitions, and building knowledge by validating or challenging theoretical assumptions.

II. Purpose

Think of theories as the conceptual basis for understanding, analyzing, and designing ways to investigate relationships within social systems. To the end, the following roles served by a theory can help guide the development of your framework.*

Means by which new research data can be interpreted and coded for future use,
Response to new problems that have no previously identified solutions strategy,
Means for identifying and defining research problems,
Means for prescribing or evaluating solutions to research problems,
Way of telling us that certain facts among the accumulated knowledge are important and which facts are not,
Means of giving old data new interpretations and new meaning,
Means by which to identify important new issues and prescribe the most critical research questions that need to be answered to maximize understanding of the issue,
Means of providing members of a professional discipline with a common language and a frame of reference for defining boundaries of their profession, and
Means to guide and inform research so that it can, in turn, guide research efforts and improve professional practice.

*Adapted from: Torraco, R. J. “Theory-Building Research Methods.” In Swanson R. A. and E. F. Holton III , editors. Human Resource Development Handbook: Linking Research and Practice . (San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler, 1997): pp. 114-137; Sutton, Robert I. and Barry M. Staw. “What Theory is Not.” Administrative Science Quarterly 40 (September 1995): 371-384.

Structure and Writing Style

The theoretical framework may be rooted in a specific theory , in which case, you are expected to test the validity of an existing theory in relation to specific events, issues, or phenomena. Many social science research papers fit into this rubric. For example, Peripheral Realism theory, which categorizes perceived differences between nation-states as those that give orders, those that obey, and those that rebel, could be used as a means for understanding conflicted relationships among countries in Africa. A test of this theory could be the following: Does Peripheral Realism theory help explain intra-state actions, such as, the growing split between southern and northern Sudan that may likely lead to the creation of two nations?

However, you may not always be asked by your professor to test a specific theory in your paper, but to develop your own framework from which your analysis of the research problem is derived . Given this, it is perhaps easiest to understand the nature and function of a theoretical framework if it is viewed as the answer to two basic questions:

What is the research problem/question? [e.g., "How should the individual and the state relate during periods of conflict?"]
Why is your approach a feasible solution? [I could choose to test Instrumentalist or Circumstantialists models developed among Ethnic Conflict Theorists that rely upon socio-economic-political factors to explain individual-state relations and to apply this theoretical model to periods of war between nations].

The answers to these questions come from a thorough review of the literature and your course readings [summarized and analyzed in the next section of your paper] and the gaps in the research that emerge from the review process. With this in mind, a complete theoretical framework will likely not emerge until after you have completed a thorough review of the literature .

In writing this part of your research paper, keep in mind the following:

Clearly describe the framework, concepts, models, or specific theories that underpin your study . This includes noting who the key theorists are in the field who have conducted research on the problem you are investigating and, when necessary, the historical context that supports the formulation of that theory. This latter element is particularly important if the theory is relatively unknown or it is borrowed from another discipline.
Position your theoretical framework within a broader context of related frameworks , concepts, models, or theories . There will likely be several concepts, theories, or models that can be used to help develop a framework for understanding the research problem. Therefore, note why the framework you've chosen is the appropriate one.
The present tense is used when writing about theory.
You should make your theoretical assumptions as explicit as possible . Later, your discussion of methodology should be linked back to this theoretical framework.
Don’t just take what the theory says as a given! Reality is never accurately represented in such a simplistic way; if you imply that it can be, you fundamentally distort a reader's ability to understand the findings that emerge. Given this, always note the limitiations of the theoretical framework you've chosen [i.e., what parts of the research problem require further investigation because the theory does not explain a certain phenomena].

The Conceptual Framework. College of Education. Alabama State University; Conceptual Framework: What Do You Think is Going On? College of Engineering. University of Michigan; Drafting an Argument . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Lynham, Susan A. “The General Method of Theory-Building Research in Applied Disciplines.” Advances in Developing Human Resources 4 (August 2002): 221-241; Tavallaei, Mehdi and Mansor Abu Talib. A General Perspective on the Role of Theory in Qualitative Research. Journal of International Social Research 3 (Spring 2010); Trochim, William M.K. Philosophy of Research. Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006.

Writing Tip

Borrowing Theoretical Constructs from Elsewhere

A growing and increasingly important trend in the social sciences is to think about and attempt to understand specific research problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. One way to do this is to not rely exclusively on the theories you've read about in a particular class, but to think about how an issue might be informed by theories developed in other disciplines. For example, if you are a political science student studying the rhetorical strategies used by female incumbants in state legislature campaigns, theories about the use of language could be derived, not only from political science, but linguistics, communication studies, philosophy, psychology, and, in this particular case, feminist studies. Building theoretical frameworks based on the postulates and hypotheses developed in other disciplinary contexts can be both enlightening and an effective way to be fully engaged in the research topic.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Undertheorize!

Never leave the theory hanging out there in the Introduction never to be mentioned again. Undertheorizing weakens your paper. The theoretical framework you introduce should guide your study throughout the paper. Be sure to always connect theory to the analysis and to explain in the discussion part of your paper how the theoretical framework you chose fit the research problem, or if appropriate, was inadequate in explaining the phenomenon you were investigating. In that case, don't be afraid to propose your own theory based on your findings.

Still Another Writing Tip

What's a Theory? What's a Hypothesis?

The terms theory and hypothesis are often used interchangeably in everyday use. However, the difference between them in scholarly research is important, particularly when using an experimental design. A theory is a well-established principle that has been developed to explain some aspect of the natural world. Theories arise from repeated observation and testing and incorporates facts, laws, predictions, and tested hypotheses that are widely accepted [e.g., rational choice theory; grounded theory].

A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in your study. For example, an experiment designed to look at the relationship between study habits and test anxiety might have a hypothesis that states, "We predict that students with better study habits will suffer less test anxiety." Unless your study is exploratory in nature, your hypothesis should always explain what you expect to happen during the course of your research.

The key distinctions are:

A theory predicts events in a broad, general context; a hypothesis makes a specific prediction about a specified set of circumstances.
A theory has been extensively tested and is generally accepted among scholars; a hypothesis is a speculative guess that has yet to be tested.

Cherry, Kendra. Introduction to Research Methods: Theory and Hypothesis . About.com Psychology; Gezae, Michael et al. Welcome Presentation on Hypothesis . Slideshare presentation.

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Next: 5. The Literature Review >>
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Writing Tips

How to Make a Conceptual Framework

6-minute read
2nd January 2022

What is a conceptual framework? And why is it important?

A conceptual framework illustrates the relationship between the variables of a research question. It’s an outline of what you’d expect to find in a research project.

Conceptual frameworks should be constructed before data collection and are vital because they map out the actions needed in the study. This should be the first step of an undergraduate or graduate research project.

What Is In a Conceptual Framework?

In a conceptual framework, you’ll find a visual representation of the key concepts and relationships that are central to a research study or project . This can be in form of a diagram, flow chart, or any other visual representation. Overall, a conceptual framework serves as a guide for understanding the problem being studied and the methods being used to investigate it.

Steps to Developing the Perfect Conceptual Framework

Pick a question
Conduct a literature review
Identify your variables
Create your conceptual framework

1. Pick a Question

You should already have some idea of the broad area of your research project. Try to narrow down your research field to a manageable topic in terms of time and resources. From there, you need to formulate your research question. A research question answers the researcher’s query: “What do I want to know about my topic?” Research questions should be focused, concise, arguable and, ideally, should address a topic of importance within your field of research.

An example of a simple research question is: “What is the relationship between sunny days and ice cream sales?”

2. Conduct a Literature Review

A literature review is an analysis of the scholarly publications on a chosen topic. To undertake a literature review, search for articles with the same theme as your research question. Choose updated and relevant articles to analyze and use peer-reviewed and well-respected journals whenever possible.

For the above example, the literature review would investigate publications that discuss how ice cream sales are affected by the weather. The literature review should reveal the variables involved and any current hypotheses about this relationship.

3. Identify Your Variables

There are two key variables in every experiment: independent and dependent variables.

Independent Variables

The independent variable (otherwise known as the predictor or explanatory variable) is the expected cause of the experiment: what the scientist changes or changes on its own. In our example, the independent variable would be “the number of sunny days.”

Dependent Variables

The dependent variable (otherwise known as the response or outcome variable) is the expected effect of the experiment: what is being studied or measured. In our example, the dependent variable would be “the quantity of ice cream sold.”

Next, there are control variables.

Control Variables

A control variable is a variable that may impact the dependent variable but whose effects are not going to be measured in the research project. In our example, a control variable could be “the socioeconomic status of participants.” Control variables should be kept constant to isolate the effects of the other variables in the experiment.

Finally, there are intervening and extraneous variables.

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Intervening Variables

Intervening variables link the independent and dependent variables and clarify their connection. In our example, an intervening variable could be “temperature.”

Extraneous Variables

Extraneous variables are any variables that are not being investigated but could impact the outcomes of the study. Some instances of extraneous variables for our example would be “the average price of ice cream” or “the number of varieties of ice cream available.” If you control an extraneous variable, it becomes a control variable.

4. Create Your Conceptual Framework

Having picked your research question, undertaken a literature review, and identified the relevant variables, it’s now time to construct your conceptual framework. Conceptual frameworks are clear and often visual representations of the relationships between variables.

We’ll start with the basics: the independent and dependent variables.

Our hypothesis is that the quantity of ice cream sold directly depends on the number of sunny days; hence, there is a cause-and-effect relationship between the independent variable (the number of sunny days) and the dependent and independent variable (the quantity of ice cream sold).

Next, introduce a control variable. Remember, this is anything that might directly affect the dependent variable but is not being measured in the experiment:

Finally, introduce the intervening and extraneous variables.

The intervening variable (temperature) clarifies the relationship between the independent variable (the number of sunny days) and the dependent variable (the quantity of ice cream sold). Extraneous variables, such as the average price of ice cream, are variables that are not controlled and can potentially impact the dependent variable.

Are Conceptual Frameworks and Research Paradigms the Same?

In simple terms, the research paradigm is what informs your conceptual framework. In defining our research paradigm we ask the big questions—Is there an objective truth and how can we understand it? If we decide the answer is yes, we may be working with a positivist research paradigm and will choose to build a conceptual framework that displays the relationship between fixed variables. If not, we may be working with a constructivist research paradigm, and thus our conceptual framework will be more of a loose amalgamation of ideas, theories, and themes (a qualitative study). If this is confusing–don’t worry! We have an excellent blog post explaining research paradigms in more detail.

Where is the Conceptual Framework Located in a Thesis?

This will depend on your discipline, research type, and school’s guidelines, but most papers will include a section presenting the conceptual framework in the introduction, literature review, or opening chapter. It’s best to present your conceptual framework after presenting your research question, but before outlining your methodology.

Can a Conceptual Framework be Used in a Qualitative Study?

Yes. Despite being less clear-cut than a quantitative study, all studies should present some form of a conceptual framework. Let’s say you were doing a study on care home practices and happiness, and you came across a “happiness model” constructed by a relevant theorist in your literature review. Your conceptual framework could be an outline or a visual depiction of how you will use this model to collect and interpret qualitative data for your own study (such as interview responses). Check out this useful resource showing other examples of conceptual frameworks for qualitative studies .

Expert Proofreading for Researchers

Whether you’re a seasoned academic or not, you will want your research paper to be error-free and fluently written. That’s where proofreading comes in. Our editors are on hand 24 hours a day to ensure your writing is concise, clear, and precise. Submit a free sample of your writing today to try our services.

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

The Caveat

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements page
Abstract (or executive summary)
Table of contents , list of figures and tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
How does your research contribute something original?
How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings? In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Choosing a theoretical framework: popular theories for dissertation research.

One of the most important steps in topic development for your dissertation is picking out a theory or theories that will help to create the theoretical framework for your study. Because this is such a crucial and yet tricky task, our quantitative and qualitative research methods experts often help with this step when collaborating with our dissertation consulting clients on developing their research topics. Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “What exactly IS a theoretical framework, anyway?” If so, you might check out this previous blog post on this topic, as it addresses this foundational question in more depth.

Whether you are using your framework to develop a qualitative research interview protocol or to frame a study using statistical analysis of pertinent variables, the theoretical lens for your dissertation needs to be chosen carefully. This is because it has to provide a suitable explanatory structure, connecting the problem , purpose, research questions, and data collection instruments. Making a poor choice of theory for this purpose can result in having to do major rewrites to your proposal down the road (shudder!), so it’s best to choose mindfully. Keep in mind that we can definitely help with this crucial early decision in your dissertation or thesis writing process.

To help you start thinking over this decision for your dissertation, this article will provide a handful of possibilities for your theoretical framework. We compiled this list of popular theories based on our dissertation assistance clients’ choices, although this is by no means an exhaustive list. But, this should at least get you started thinking about some possibilities.

Self-Determination Theory

Deci and Ryan’s (2000) self-determination theory is a very common choice for the theoretical framework among our dissertation assistance clients. Central to self-determination theory is the proposition that our motivation stems from satisfaction of three basic psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 2008). Competence refers to our sense that we are capable of accomplishing specific tasks, and autonomy is the feeling that we have control and choice. Our sense of relatedness refers to the perception that we have meaningful social relationships.

Many of our dissertation consulting clients are interested in examining intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, which develop in relation to different experiences of need satisfaction. When we feel intrinsic motivation, we have a sense of pleasure, interest in, and enjoyment of the activity. The experience of greater needs satisfaction related to certain environments or activities helps to develop intrinsic motivation (Deci & Ryan, 2000, 2008). On the other hand, extrinsic motivation comes about when we receive outside incentives to engage in certain actions.

Because self-determination theory deals with basic psychological needs, we find when working with our dissertation consulting clients that it is widely applicable across many different topics in the social sciences. Self-determination theory can help to explain different forms of motivation, which makes it useful in dissertations that focus centrally on how motivation is shaped in arenas such as school or the workplace. Furthermore, the experience of self-determination has been associated with a variety of physical and psychological health outcomes, which makes it a great choice for examinations of conditions that influence health. Our dissertation assistance clients have used self-determination theory to frame studies on diverse topics ranging from a statistical analysis of predictors of motivation among call center workers to a qualitative research exploration of conditions perceived to influence psychological well being in congregate care facilities.

Social Cognitive Theory

Another very popular theory among our dissertation assistance clients is Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory. The theory can help with explaining how behaviors develop, and one of the key tenets of social cognitive theory is that we learn behaviors through our observations of other people. This is not to say that we imitate every single behavior we observe indiscriminately, though. We are more or less likely to replicate behavior we observe based on whom we see doing it—or in other words, who the “model” is.

Our dissertation consulting clients who are interested in how powerful people exert influence often love this theory, as Bandura (1977) posited that we are much more likely to imitate behavior when we observe others who are perceived as having elevated power or status modeling the behavior. This is especially so in the case of vicarious reinforcement, which is when the model is rewarded in some way for the behavior. If we see that certain behaviors elicit negative outcomes, however, we might avoid those behaviors due to the expectation that we would also be penalized for them. Our observations of others’ experiences, along with the results of our own behavior, also influence self-efficacy, which is a person’s sense of capability to handle challenges effectively.

Social cognitive theory is a really useful framework when you’re interested in examining how people develop behavioral patterns or ways of thinking about their own competence. Our dissertation consulting clients have used social cognitive theory to frame qualitative analysis of influences on aggressive behavior in youths, statistical analysis of the predictors of self-efficacy in novice teachers, and qualitative research exploring the influence of social relationships on health behaviors.

Ecological Systems Theory

Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological systems theory is another very popular theory among our dissertation consulting clients. According to the theory, a variety of influences help to shape children’s growth and development over time. As children interact with their environments, they are exposed to a variety of influences that Bronfenbrenner conceptualized as nested spheres that radiate outward from proximal to distal. For example, the most immediate and influential social circle (i.e., family) is referred to as the microsystem. The mesosystem is a bit more removed from the child’s immediate network and may include influences such as friends and teachers. Beyond the mesosystem is the exosystem, which includes influences such as the media, government systems, and extended family. The macrosystem is even more distal and includes influences such as cultural narratives and societal ideals.

Ecological systems theory is a favorite among our dissertation assistance clients who are studying education or human development, as it applies to so many important aspects of growth and development for children and youths. It lends itself well to qualitative research explorations of student, parent, or educator perceptions on child development as well as to statistical analysis of the impact of variables (e.g., parent involvement, teacher efficacy) that can be located in one or another of the levels of influence in Bronfenbrenner’s model.

Tinto’s Theory of Student Persistence

Tinto’s theory of student persistence and retention is very much appreciated by our dissertation consulting clients studying higher education. In this theory, Tinto (1993) proposed that students have a collection of personal characteristics that exert influence over their commitment to their higher education institutions. Some of these factors reside at the individual level, such as gender, race, and age. Background factors like socioeconomic level and previous achievement in academics can also come into play.

Beyond these factors, Tinto (1993) posited that the degree to which the student feels a sense of social and academic integration can affect their sense of commitment to the college or university. This means that feeling a greater sense of social and academic integration can help to support academic persistence, thus resulting in higher retention rates (Tinto, 1993). Among our dissertation assistance clients conducting research in higher education leadership, Tinto’s theory is a top choice. Validated survey instruments derived from this theory make it a useful choice for quantitative studies involving statistical analysis of factors related to persistence and retention. And, it makes a great lens through which to explore student perspectives on their experiences of integration and persistence using a qualitative research and analysis approach.

Adult Learning Theory

Another favorite of our dissertation assistance clients in higher education is adult learning theory. In his theory, Knowles (1973) proposed that adults learn differently from children, which means that educators can help to enhance adults’ learning if they take their specific needs into account. There are six key dimensions to adult learning (Knowles, 1973):

Self-concept: Adults are self-directed and independent, and so they will learn best when learning conditions allow them autonomy.
Experience: Adults have plenty of life experience, and tying new concepts or facts in with their own experiences enhances their learning.
Readiness to learn: Adults experience a greater readiness or motivation to learn new information when they see a true need for learning the information.
Orientation to learning: Using a task- or problem-focused approach optimizes learning of new information by adults.
Internal motivation: Adults are driven by intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivators when learning new information.
Need to know: It helps adults to learn when new information is clearly relevant to or applicable in their lives.

One of the great things about this theory is its broad application—it applies to adult learning across many contexts. This makes it a popular theory among our dissertation consulting clients conducting research in a variety of fields. For example, the theory might frame a qualitative research exploration of adult learning in traditional university settings while also serving quite well as the guiding framework in a statistical analysis of factors associated with learning a new enterprise resource planning system in the workplace.

Transformative Learning Theory

Another theory of adult learning is Mezirow’s (2009) transformative learning theory. This theory is popular among our dissertation assistance clients who are examining processes of learning that significantly change an adult’s foundational beliefs and assumptions. Mezirow (2009) posited that certain types of learning experiences help induce important shifts to an adult’s basic beliefs systems. Transformative learning, then, describes the processes that change the ways that an adult thinks about and interacts with the world around them. Specifically, discussion with others and self-reflection are key processes that can transform an adult’s values, beliefs, and behavior in significant ways.

Transformative learning may happen spontaneously or as the result of formal education or training (Taylor, 2007). This makes the theory applicable when investigating such learning as the result of classroom or workplace instruction, but it also can help to frame inquiry into transformation as the result of personal experiences or everyday events. For example, our dissertation assistance clients have used the theory as lens for qualitative analysis of trauma as transformative of individuals’ spiritual beliefs, and they have also used it to frame statistical analysis in quasi-experimental investigations of educational interventions aimed at developing cultural sensitivity in adult learners.

Transformational Leadership Theory

Among our dissertation consulting clients who wish to take a statistical analysis approach to the study of leadership, one of the most widely used leadership theories for frameworks is transformational leadership theory. The roots of this theory lie in the work of Burns (1978), who conceptualized transforming leadership as an approach that inspired employee performance through appeals to their values and morality. Bass (1985) elaborated upon Burns’ theory through development of dimensions that reflect underlying psychological processes at work within the relationships between transformational leaders and employees. These four dimensions of transformational leadership are (a) intellectual stimulation, (b) charisma or idealized influence, (c) inspirational motivation, and (d) individualized consideration (Avolio et al., 1999; Bass, 1991).

The associated Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) is a frequently used tool in the statistical analysis of workplace predictors or outcomes that are associated with transformational leadership. The MLQ is definitely a favorite among our dissertation assistance clients studying in fields such as business management and industrial/organizational psychology. However, the dimensions of transformational leadership often create intriguing lenses through which to explore workplace phenomena through a qualitative research perspective. An example is a qualitative analysis of employees’ perspectives on individualized consideration and its influence on their experiences of stress and coping on the job.

Job Demands-Resources Model

The job demands-resources model (JD-R) is a popular choice of framework for our dissertation assistance clients who are conducting quantitative or qualitative research on the workplace. According to this model, the overall balance between job demands and job resources has an effect on employees’ stress levels (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007). Job demands can be psychological or physical aspects of jobs that elevate a worker’s stress. These might include such factors as physical demands, emotional demands, work pressure, workload, role conflict, and role ambiguity.

On the other hand, job resources can function to relieve or lessen stress for workers. These resources can be physical, social, or organizational dimensions of a job that help to ease stress deriving from job demands (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007). Job resources can take many forms, such as workplace practices that support employees to perform their job tasks effectively, supportive relationships in the workplace, conditions that increase an employee’s sense of autonomy, and a strong organizational climate.

The availability of validated survey instruments for the JD-R model make it a great choice to frame statistical analysis of variables that are related to job demands and resources. For example, job demands and resources may derive from organizational features such as justice or culture, or they may be predictive of outcomes such as employee performance and well being. Exploring perceptions related to demands and resources on the job via qualitative research methods can also reveal important insights, and our dissertation consulting clients in fields like industrial/organizational psychology have used this model to frame such inquiry.

Diffusion of Innovations Theory

Diffusion of innovations is a theory that was developed by Rogers (2003), and it continues to occupy a very useful role as a theoretical framework for our dissertation consulting clients in fields from information technology to business management and leadership. This theory can help to frame studies that focus on how different types of innovations are embraced. A core underlying assumption of the theory is that information related to new innovations diffuses throughout communication channels in a social system over the course of time. Although we often think of technologies when we think of innovations, an innovation can really be any practice or idea that is viewed as novel or new by people and that induces a sense of uncertainty. This might include technologies, but it might also include things like new practices or policies within formal or informal organizations.

According to Rogers (2003), there are five factors that influence the rate of adoption of a new innovation: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. According to the theory, these five factors generally influence how quickly a new innovation is accepted and adopted. Additionally, though, different people tend to respond to innovations with varying degrees of acceptance, and their communication amongst one another may also influence how quickly any given group adopts a new innovation.

Rogers (2003) proposed distinct categories related to openness to innovations. Innovators are the most willing to adopt new innovations, followed by early adopters and then early majority. Those who are more reluctant generally to accept new innovations fall into the late majority and laggard categories. These are people who need a lot of help to accept new innovations, and they tend to do so only after the people surrounding them have successfully adopted the innovation.

Our dissertation assistance clients from a range of fields have applied this theory as their framework, as the nature of “innovation” is quite broad. For example, this theory made a great framework for a qualitative analysis of teachers’ perceptions of and reactions to the introduction of a new data-based decision making process. It applied equally well in a quantitative study that used statistical analysis to determine the factors that most strongly impacted customers’ behavioral reactions to online versus in-person car sales.

Finally, a big favorite among our dissertation assistance clients who are conducting research on technology adoption is the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). It was formulated by Venkatesh et al. (2003) using eight different models that addressed technology acceptance and adoption in different ways. The updated version of the theory, UTAUT2, still includes the dimensions from the first version of the theory (i.e., performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions), which are proposed as predictors of an individual’s behavioral intention and actual use of technology. To tailor UTAUT2 to the consumer population, the authors added dimensions of price value, hedonic motivation, and experience or habit (Venkatesh et al., 2012).

There are seven dimensions of UTAUT2 that correspond with expectations and perceptions related to the use of a specific technology (Venkatesh et al., 2012). These are:

performance expectancy, which refers to perceived benefits of technology use;
effort expectancy, which refers to expected ease or difficulty of technology use;
social influence, which refers to a person’s sense of how other people feel about their use of technology, especially valued others like friends or family;
facilitating conditions, which are resources a person views as available to support them in their use of the technology;
hedonic motivation, which refers to the sense of joy or pleasure a person derives from using technology;
experience/habit, which refers to the degree to which a person has already used technology; and
price value, which refers to the value a person expects to derive from use of the technology.

According to the UTAUT2 model, each of these dimensions exerts influence on a person’s behavioral intentions to use technology, which then influences the person’s actual use of the technology (Venkatesh et al., 2012).

Our dissertation consulting clients have made great use of the UTAUT2 survey to guide statistical analysis of technology acceptance and use variables across technologies that range from learning management systems to smart devices. Shaping qualitative research data collection around the various dimensions of UTAUT2 can also yield rich insights into the thinking and reasoning behind technology resistance or acceptance. A great example of this is a qualitative analysis that explored perceptions of social influence with regard to ride sharing services.

Because your guiding theory ties your whole study together within an explanatory framework, it is important to choose wisely as you develop this vital piece of your research topic. If you are choosing a quantitative method for your dissertation, many theories have associated survey instruments that can help to ensure that your data collection and statistical analysis align well with your framework. For qualitative research , it is important to develop data collection instruments (e.g., interview protocols) that align with key dimensions of the theoretical framework. If you would like help with these essential steps for creating alignment, our dissertation coaches are happy to provide guidance during your topic development process. There are so many theories to choose from—this article provided just a glimpse of your possibilities—and we’re here to help if you need us!

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What is a Framework?

The framework of your study provides the structure, or the foundation, of your study. Without it, you cannot start to build or develop your dissertation. Before we get into what the framework refers to in a research context, let’s look at what it refers to in general along with an equally generic example.

Consider this example: If you were building a house from scratch, what would you do?

Most likely:

Look at what others have built successfully
Compare the final products (homes) and see which you like best and want for yourself. (You might even combine a couple of features from different structures to create your own unique design.)
Create a plan for how to build it with an assumption of what it would look like when it is finished.

Now, if that concept is clear… you’ve got it! That is exactly what you are doing when framing your research!

Creating a Framework for Your Research

There are the two types of frameworks:.

Analyzing Theories, Conceptual Frameworks, and Research Methods in EdD Dissertations

Original Paper
Published: 27 May 2022
Volume 66 , pages 721–728, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

Swapna Kumar ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1151-7593 1 ,
Kara Dawson 1 ,
Rhiannon Pollard 2 &
Gage Jeter 1

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Dissertation guiding principles and purposefully designed research curriculum guide the conceptualization and structure of dissertations in the EdD in Educational Technology at a large university in the US. An analysis of 69 dissertations completed by the first five cohorts over ten years was conducted to determine the theories, frameworks, and research designs used by professional students to conduct Educational Technology research in diverse contexts. The results indicated that students carefully assembled literature from various areas that reflect the diversity of disciplines and professional contexts in which dissertations were conducted, created and used conceptual frameworks that successfully provide a roadmap for research, adopted a variety of research approaches with mixed methods and qualitative approaches used more than quantitative approaches, and explicitly articulated processes for rigor and trustworthiness. Implications for program design and curriculum improvement are discussed.

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Connecting practice, theory and method: Supporting professional doctoral students in developing conceptual frameworks

Educational design research: grappling with methodological fit

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Kumar, S., Dawson, K., Pollard, R. et al. Analyzing Theories, Conceptual Frameworks, and Research Methods in EdD Dissertations. TechTrends 66 , 721–728 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00739-4

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Dissertation Subject Guide

Welcome to Dissertation guide!
Choosing a topic
Scoping searches
What type of review?
Methodology
Search strategy
Grey Literature
Reference Management Software (Endnote etc.)
Screening papers: PRISMA
Critical Appraisal
Data Extraction
Data Synthesis
Data Analysis
Common errors to avoid
Writing up dissertation

Using frameworks to develop your research question and search strategy

Sometimes it helps to write an answerable question that begins and ends with a patient, population, or problem. This helps to develop a clinical research and/or EBP question. Using one of the frameworks below for developing searchable and answerable clinical questions can be useful during the research process.

Different frameworks

PCC is recommended by JBI to identify the main concepts in your Scoping Review question. Breaking down your question in this way allows you to check for any potentially missed inclusion and exclusion. (Definition from JBI Reviewer's Manual Ch.11 )

USING PCC TO INFORM YOUR SCOPING REVIEW QUESTION

What interventions (Concept) were used in care home settings (Context) to ensure older adults (Population) safety during COVID-19 (Concept) : a scoping review

PICO is most widely used in quantitative research questions. Originally designed for questions that include interventions or comparisons which can make it difficult if these elements are not included in your research question.

USING PICO TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

Is Chemotherapy (intervention) more efficient than Surgery (comparison) in managing stage 1 breast cancer (problem) for women patients (population)?

*Note: It is not necessary to use every element in PICO or to have both a problem and population in your question. PICO is a tool that helps researchers frame an answerable EBP question.

Example article using PICO, PICOS and SPIDER

Similar to PICO with type of Study added. PICOS is most widely used in quantitative research questions. Originally designed for questions that include interventions or comparisons which can make it difficult if these elements are not included in your research question.

USING PICOS TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

How many adult females with depression (P) have an increased quality of life (O) with regular exercise (C) compared to using antidepressant medication (I)?

Similar to PICO with Time added. PICOT is most widely used in quantitative research questions. Originally designed for questions that include interventions or comparisons which can make it difficult if these elements are not included in your research question.

USING PICOT TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

Does physiotherapy (I) increase mobility (O) in adults with back pain (P) compared to daily exercise (C) at 6 weeks (T)?

Example article using PICOT

PEO is most useful for qualitative research questions.

USING PEO TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

Does the quality of life (O) change when women on HRT (P) are diagnosed with breast cancer (E)?

Similar to PEO. PIO is most useful for qualitative research questions

USING PIO TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

How effective is nicotine patches (I) in encouraging adult males (P) in smoking cessation (O)?

SPICE is good for formulating questions about qualitative or improvement research . Qualitative research is generally when you want to explore perspectives or opinions about a topic.

USING SPICE TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

What is the impact of referrals (E) to hospital (S) of offering primary/community (C) allergy testing (I) for children under the age of 19 years old (P)?

SPIDER can be useful for quantitative , qualitative or mixed methodology research questions. This can be used when the research is about attitudes and experiences rather than scientifically measurable data. It involves applying the right criteria to your question by focussing less on the intervention and more on the design of the study, and deals with "samples" rather than a "patient" or "populations". Research questions framed using the SPIDER tool tend to begin with "What are the experiences of ...?"

USING SPIDER TO FORM YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

What are the experiences (E) of first year university students (S) using full time online learning (PI): a qualitative study (R)?

FINER can be useful for quantitative , qualitative or mixed methodology research questions. FINER allows researchers to ponder the philosophical, logical, and scientific implications of writing research questions. It involves applying the right criteria to your question.

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A conceptual framework is the basis of your dissertation, and you are about to earn an academic degree if you search online on what it is. Since most academic terms are already familiar to you, we will focus on conveying the topic in an easy-to-understand manner.

Learn More about Conceptual Framework Here

How does a conceptual framework apply to research and dissertations? Getting the definition can be quite difficult, so that we will simplify it. The conceptual framework in a dissertation or thesis outlines how the author will present the research.

Developing a conceptual framework will depend on the type of research you are conducting. The conceptual framework for a dissertation allows theorists and researchers to test hypotheses to verify their validity. Additionally, you can observe whether the variables are appropriate for the study. Learn the precise steps to create a powerful conceptual framework for your dissertation with our comprehensive guide on 'how to develop a conceptual framework in a dissertation.

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Key Components of a Conceptual Framework

The topic should be defined.
Information about the topic is useful and qualitative.
Defining the topic's elements
The topic's components.
Closure and presentation.

Why do we Need a Conceptual Framework for Our Research ?

Research papers use conceptual frameworks to explain key concepts and variables, as well as their interrelationships. To put it simply, the conceptual framework is how ideas are organized to achieve the purpose of the research, and explanation is commonly used to accomplish that purpose.

Conceptual frameworks represent a researcher's perspective on a research problem, but they are also self-explanatory methods that guide readers through the process.

Data collection should begin after you have constructed your conceptual framework. An illustration of cause-and-effect relationships is common in conceptual frameworks.

How Long is a Conceptual Framework?

There is no right number for conceptual frameworks. Depending on the program, discipline, and university, conceptual frameworks may vary in length. Find out what are the expectations of your department before you begin. It is common for conceptual frameworks to be 1-3 pages long; however, they can be much longer. Generally, when conceptual frameworks are discussed in more than one chapter of a dissertation, the first section will contain a brief introduction, followed by a more detailed discussion.

It is important to be clear and concise when describing your conceptual framework. Resist the temptation to overwrite, even though the document reflects the wealth of research you have already completed. Throughout your dissertation, you will have plenty of opportunities to discuss your ideas in depth.

It is an act of brevity to write a conceptual framework. By explaining their relevance to your topic in a short and concise way, you can show your audience you understand the theories you're using.

Pro Tip : Do not lose patience. Conceptual frameworks take time. To get your conceptual framework right, you may need to draft a few drafts, but these revisions are well worth it.

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What is the relationship between the conceptual framework and cause-effect relationships.

To understand the conceptual framework in research, think of it like riding a bike for a test drive before you buy it to find out if it's the right bike for you. Our goal is to determine how one subject's action affects the other and vice versa, through the cause-effect relationship.

Here is an example of a cause-effect relationship:

As a university student, Robert earned a gold medal for her stellar 3.8 CGPA. In recognition of the hard work he had been putting in, she was awarded the gold medal.

What are Dependent and Independent Variables?

A cause-effect relationship is formed by two variables, namely, the independent variable and the dependent variable. The independent variable in our example is "hard work," while the dependent variable is "gold medal." This means that you need hard work to earn a gold medal. Therefore, hard work is required to win a gold medal. Note that these are the two main types of variables. There are others that we will discuss in the next section.

Independent variables can affect the dependent variable in more than one way. Our example can also be used to extract the independent variable "CGPA". Thus, "excellent CGPA" led to "gold medal", where "CGPA" is a dependent variable, and "gold medal" is an independent variable.

What are Other Conceptual Framework Variables?

A conceptual framework variable is typically divided into dependent and independent variables in order to describe its relationship to conceptual framework variables, which we just discussed.

When there is a causal relationship between pieces of data, this division is applicable. Regardless of the conceptual framework, the dependent variable is always an effect of the independent variable (which becomes the cause). You will find that a complex system like the research you do for your thesis or dissertation has more than just two such characteristics. Let us check them out right now.

Moderating Variables

A moderating variable is a piece of information that changes an existing causal relationship. A moderating factor influences the independent characteristics of your research. Moderating variables affect causal relationships by strengthening or weakening them.

As an example, let us look at a conceptual framework. Analyze digital books' impact on writing ability by considering your research question. The dependent variable is writing skills, while the independent variable is book reading. The inherent literacy level could serve as a moderating variable in this case.

Inherent literacy, for example from parents who write, may have a small effect on your writing skills if you read digital books.

Mediating Variables

Independent and dependent variables can be explained through the medium of a mediated variable. By incorporating mediating characteristics into your statement, you provide additional evidence to support the claim.

Your conceptual framework can be made more confusing by the use of mediating variables. To avoid misunderstandings, make sure you use them precisely and concisely.

Using our reading and writing routine as an example of a conceptual framework for mediating variables is a good place to start. Reading quality books will have a greater impact on your writing ability than reading a lot of them.

Control Variables

Our causal relationship can be affected by control variables, which are constant pieces of information. As a result, we can literally control how our research is conducted with respect to some constant factor that may arise in the future.

To demonstrate how dependent and independent characteristics are related, control variables examine how they are related. When we look at our reading and writing example, dyslexia is a good control characteristic.

The writing skills of people with dyslexia are hardly comparable to those without this problem. Because of this, our research cannot be applied to dyslexics. You can buy dissertations written from scratch if this assignment ever bothers you.

Research Conceptual Frameworks: How to Develop Them?

Conceptual frameworks represent the relationship between variables or characteristics that you expect to find. Literature reviews of existing studies about your topic are usually used to develop conceptual frameworks, which can be written or visual. Below are several steps:

1. Choosing a Research Question

The purpose of your research question is to determine exactly what you want to find out, guiding your research process.

If you were interested in determining whether students are more likely to score higher on their SAT if they study more hours. A study or experiment can be used to test the relationship between variables to answer this question.

You should, however, construct a conceptual framework before collecting your data. By doing this, you will be able to determine what variables you will measure and how you expect them to be related.

2. Select Your Independent and Dependent Variables

A cause-and-effect relationship can be tested when at least two key variables are identified: the independent variable and the dependent variable.

We will follow our example. The determinant, "hours of study," is the independent variable (predictor or explanatory variable).
As a result of the expected effect, the dependent variable is the SAT score.

Therefore, your hypothesis will be that students will do better on SAT if they study for more hours. The dependent variable is often influenced by other variables as well in causal relationships.

3. Identify Your Cause-and-Effect Relationship by Visualizing It

In order to design your conceptual framework, you must visualize the cause-and-effect relationship between your research question and variables. The fourth step is to identify other variables that may influence the outcome

Your research process should begin by identifying other variables that can affect your independent and dependent variables. Moderating, mediating, and controlling variables are common variables to include, as we just mentioned earlier.

A Quick Recap

Choosing your research topic is the first step. You should choose this based on your interest and the resources you have available.
Learn about past conceptual frameworks by reviewing relevant and updated research on similar topics.
Use the variables that are important for your study (dependents and independents) to develop your conceptual framework.
Consider the influence of other variables (mediator, moderator, control variables) on the relationship between your independent and dependent variables by expanding your conceptual framework.

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What are the Types of Conceptual Frameworks?

These are the three basic types.

Visual representation
Mathematical description

Categorizing phenomena into classes is what this verbal description is all about. Within a class, there are clearly relationships, but there are no or weak relationships between classes. Conceptual frameworks of this type do not show the relationships between classes.

In many cases, the phenomena described are broad in scope, even if they are narrow in scope. Direct experience, logical reasoning, or empirical evidence can be used to support the phenomena. From a scientific perspective, the source may be considered lacking rigor.

Example: In addition to Gray and Robinson's (1960) visual depictions of the major aspects of reading, Goodman (1970) illustrated the reading process, and Smith and Carrigan (1959) illustrated the writing process.

Mathematical Description

A mathematical equation can be used to describe the phenomena, but verbal descriptions and pictorial representations are also possible. In a conceptual framework such as this, relationships between phenomena are quantified with specific weights assigned to each; this clearly distinguishes it from visual representations that only indicate the existence of a relationship, but not its degree; and taxonomy that may not indicate a relationship between classes. In terms of reading, the phenomena represented are probably narrow; however, this may change in the future.

The frameworks of this type require empirical evidence based on research, but logical explanations may not be necessary, since they only describe what is, rather than why it is. It is common for mathematical explanations to be narrow in scope because they only include evidence that can be empirically collected.

Example: A conceptual framework of this type can be found in the work of Holmes (1960, 1965) and Singer (1965).

Note: Conceptual frameworks are not specifically divided into three types. Visual representations and verbal descriptions are both possible for mathematical descriptions.

It is also possible to verbally describe a visual representation and to draw a diagram of taxonomy, although there may not be a clear connection between the various classes. The appropriate empirical evidence could eventually lead to the development of a mathematical description from a taxonomy or visual representation. Conceptual frameworks of one type are not necessarily superior to those of another.

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework: What are the Differences?

Community development can be enhanced by empowering residents to utilize their skills and abilities. Coming up with innovative ways to contribute to the betterment of other residents can help build and transform a community. Organizing a society fair by a stay-at-home mother or participating in a firefight to keep the community safe are both examples of community assets.

Research studies require both theoretical and conceptual frameworks. It is difficult for readers to comprehend a research paper without understanding the theoretical and conceptual framework behind the hypothesis and assertions made by the author. The research is sloppy and unprofessional as a result of this.

The advancement of knowledge can be greatly enhanced by a well-written research paper. Both frameworks are interchangeable, but they differ conceptually.

Research is guided by a theoretical framework that determines which concepts will be covered and how they will be measured. On a broader scale than traditional representations, it depicts the relationship between things and the relationship between things. Various research has yielded existing and time-tested theories incorporated into this theory.

The conceptual framework definition, however, focuses on how the researcher will explore the problem under research in a specific direction. It outlines how the variables identified in the study are related to one another and the whole study process. Instead of relying on others' work for conclusions or hypotheses, a conceptual framework relies on your own theory.

Conceptual Framework vs. Theoretical Framework

Conceptual Framework:

Describes and organizes the existing knowledge base.
Models are grouped into a conceptual framework based on their relationships.
Concepts are explicitly related in this framework.
Breaking down a concept into smaller ones, helps you understand a situation.
By using a conceptual framework, you are assuming that you know what you are going to do, and then researching the best way to accomplish that.

Theoretical Framework:

The goal is to create new theories.
Theories describe how we perceive reality or explain how something works.
Unknowns are explained by a theoretical framework.
Concepts, methods, and techniques can be discovered or developed using theoretical frameworks.
You can use this framework when you want to understand how something is done, but you don't know the outcome.

What are Some Conceptual Framework Guidelines?

Prepare a literature review and choose a topic for your research.
Research the subject matter to understand what has already been done.
Determine how the literature describes specific variables and examine their relationship.
Identify knowledge gaps and fill them.
A conceptual framework can be created using flowcharts, mind maps or concept maps, and then explained.

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Learning-Based Planning for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Towards Information Fusion and Trustworthy AI

Motion planning for Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) involves the crucial task of translating road environmental data obtained from sensors and connectivity devices into a sequence of executable vehicle actions. This task is critical for AVs and CAVs, because the efficacy of their driving decisions and overall performance depend on the quality of motion planning.

In the context of motion planning technologies, several fundamental questions and challenges remain despite the widespread adoption of advanced learning-based methods, including deep learning (DL) and deep reinforcement learning (DRL). In this regard, the following critical questions need to be answered: 1) How to design suitable DL architectures to comprehensively understand the driving scenario by integrating data from diverse sources including sensors and connectivity devices? 2) How to effectively use the fused information to make improved driving decisions, accounting for various optimality criteria? 3) How to leverage vehicle connectivity to generate cooperative decisions for multiple CAVs, in a manner that optimizes system-wide utility? 4) How to address the inherent interpretability limitations of DL-based methods to enhance user trust in AVs and CAVs? 5) Is it possible to extend learning-based approaches to operational-level decisions in a way that overcomes the inherent disadvantage of low explainability and lack of safety guarantee?

In an effort to address these questions and expand the existing knowledge in this domain, this dissertation introduces several learning-based motion planning frameworks tailored towards different driving scenarios of AV and CAV. Technically, these efforts target on developing trustworthy AI systems with a focus on the information fusion, “explainable AI” or XAI and safety critical AI. From a computational perspective, these frameworks introduce new learning-based models with state-of-the-art (SOTA) structures, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), Graph Neural Networks (GNN), Attention networks, and Transformers. They also incorporate reinforcement learning (RL) agents, such as Deep Q Networks (DQN) and Model-based RL. From an application standpoint, these developed frameworks can be deployed directly in AVs and CAVs at Level 3 and above. This can enhance the AV/CAV performance in terms of individual and system performance metrics, including safety, mobility, efficiency, and driving comfort.

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Theoretical Framework Example for a Thesis or Dissertation
Theoretical Framework Example for a Thesis or Dissertation. Published on October 14, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on July 18, 2023 by Tegan George. Your theoretical framework defines the key concepts in your research, suggests relationships between them, and discusses relevant theories based on your literature review.
PDF Building a Dissertation Conceptual and Theoretical Framework: A Recent
lens of one doctoral student's qualitative dissertation. Using Ravitch and Carl's (2021) conceptual framework guide, each key component is explored, using my own dissertation as an example. Breaking down each framework section step-by-step, my journey illustrates the iterative process that conceptual framework development requires.
PDF Understanding, Selecting, and Integrating a Theoretical Framework in
is an appropriate analogy of the theoretical framework of the dissertation. The theoretical framework is one of the most important aspects in the research process, and a component that is often minimally covered in doctoral coursework. Iqubal described the struggle to identify and prepare the theoretical framework for the dissertation as "the ...
Theoretical Framework for Dissertation
Content for Theoretical Framework. Your theoretical framework of a dissertation should incorporate existing theories that are relevant to your study. It will also include defining the terms mentioned in the hypothesis , research questions, and problem statement. All these concepts should be clearly identified as the first step.
What is a Theoretical Framework? How to Write It (with Examples)
A theoretical framework guides the research process like a roadmap for the study, so you need to get this right. Theoretical framework 1,2 is the structure that supports and describes a theory. A theory is a set of interrelated concepts and definitions that present a systematic view of phenomena by describing the relationship among the variables for explaining these phenomena.
PDF A Complete Dissertation
A Complete Dissertation The Big Picture OVERVIEW Following is a road map that briefly outlines the contents of an entire dissertation. This is ... • Conceptual framework: The conceptual framework draws on theory, research, and experience, and examines the relationship among constructs and ideas. As such, it
How to Pick a Theoretical / Conceptual Framework For Your Dissertation
First, figure out how your doctoral program deals with theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Go find the most recent 25 dissertations from your doctoral program. Try to find dissertations that are generally the same research design as you are pursuing: Quantitative or qualitative. Second, ask yourself: "Where, explicitly, is the theoretical ...
Theoretical Framework
Theoretical Framework. Definition: Theoretical framework refers to a set of concepts, theories, ideas, and assumptions that serve as a foundation for understanding a particular phenomenon or problem.It provides a conceptual framework that helps researchers to design and conduct their research, as well as to analyze and interpret their findings.. In research, a theoretical framework explains ...
What Is a Theoretical Framework: Definition & Writing Guide
Theoretical Framework Structure. The theoretical framework is an illustrative view of the link you anticipate seeing between variables of interest. These concepts are generated after reviewing relevant studies. Therefore, place this section just after a literature review segment to guide your methodology part.
Theoretical Framework
Step One. Look closely at the title of your dissertation and your research problem. The research problem is the foundation of your study and forms the base from which you can build your theoretical framework. There is a disconnect between the perception of beneficial/effective feedback by graduate students and their instructors.
Developing a Conceptual Framework for a Quantitative Dissertation
Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:41 am Fairly quickly into the dissertation process, you will need to develop a conceptual framework. Perhaps second only to the purpose statement in its importance for your dissertation, the conceptual framework shapes the direction of your research. Think of it this way: if the purpose statement is your target, then the conceptual framework is the arrow ...
Organizing Academic Research Papers: Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework may be rooted in a specific theory, in which case, you are expected to test the validity of an existing theory in relation to specific events, issues, or phenomena.Many social science research papers fit into this rubric. For example, Peripheral Realism theory, which categorizes perceived differences between nation-states as those that give orders, those that obey ...
How to Make a Conceptual Framework (With Examples)
Steps to Developing the Perfect Conceptual Framework. Pick a question. Conduct a literature review. Identify your variables. Create your conceptual framework. 1. Pick a Question. You should already have some idea of the broad area of your research project. Try to narrow down your research field to a manageable topic in terms of time and resources.
Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)
Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
What Is a Conceptual Framework?
Conceptual frameworks are often represented in a visual format and illustrate cause-and-effect relationships. You can start conceptualizing this as you determine your relevant paper, thesis, or dissertation topic. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to help you construct your own conceptual framework.
Choosing a Theoretical Framework: Popular Theories for Dissertation
The job demands-resources model (JD-R) is a popular choice of framework for our dissertation assistance clients who are conducting quantitative or qualitative research on the workplace. According to this model, the overall balance between job demands and job resources has an effect on employees' stress levels (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007).
Dissertation Specific: Framework
The framework of your study provides the structure, or the foundation, of your study. Without it, you cannot start to build or develop your dissertation. Before we get into what the framework refers to in a research context, let's look at what it refers to in general along with an equally generic example. Consider this example: If you were ...
Analyzing Theories, Conceptual Frameworks, and Research ...
Dissertation guiding principles and purposefully designed research curriculum guide the conceptualization and structure of dissertations in the EdD in Educational Technology at a large university in the US. An analysis of 69 dissertations completed by the first five cohorts over ten years was conducted to determine the theories, frameworks, and research designs used by professional students to ...
Frameworks
Using frameworks to develop your research question and search strategy. Sometimes it helps to write an answerable question that begins and ends with a patient, population, or problem. This helps to develop a clinical research and/or EBP question. Using one of the frameworks below for developing searchable and answerable clinical questions can ...
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practical level (interpretive frameworks) is a helpful heuristic. In Phase 2, we find the philosophical and paradigm/theoretical interpretative . frameworks addressed in this chapter. The following chapters in this book are devoted, then, to the Phase 3 research strategies, called approaches in this book, that will be
How to Develop a Conceptual Framework in Dissertation? |A Guideline
The conceptual framework in a dissertation or thesis outlines how the author will present the research. Developing a conceptual framework will depend on the type of research you are conducting. The conceptual framework for a dissertation allows theorists and researchers to test hypotheses to verify their validity. Additionally, you can observe ...
Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
However, often neglected from this important conversation are the voices who have long served and embraced feminist, anti-racist, and transgressive pedagogical frameworks in the classroom and beyond. Gloria Jean Watkins (1952-2021), known by her pen name bell hooks, was an American author and activist known for her foundational writings about ...
Learning-Based Planning for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Towards
Technically, these efforts target on developing trustworthy AI systems with a focus on the information fusion, "explainable AI" or XAI and safety critical AI. From a computational perspective, these frameworks introduce new learning-based models with state-of-the-art (SOTA) structures, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN).

Theoretical Framework for Dissertation – What and How

Content for Theoretical Framework

Theoretical Framework Goals

2. Define and Evaluate Relevant Concepts, Theories, and Models

3. Adding Value to the Existing Knowledge

Types of Research Questions you can Answer

Theoretical Framework Structure

Length of Theoretical Framework of Dissertation

Sample Theoretical Framework of a Dissertation

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Theoretical Framework – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Theoretical Framework

Types of Theoretical Framework

Conceptual Framework

Deductive Framework

Inductive Framework

Empirical Framework

Normative Framework

Explanatory Framework

Components of Theoretical Framework

How to Write Theoretical Framework

Theoretical Framework Examples

When to Have A Theoretical Framework

Purpose of Theoretical Framework

Characteristics of Theoretical Framework

Advantages of Theoretical Framework

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

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Theoretical Framework in Research: Definition & How to Write It

What Is a Theoretical Framework: Definition

Why Are Theoretical Frameworks Important?

Types of Research Theories

Theoretical Framework in Research

Theoretical Framework Structure

How to Write a Theoretical Framework

1. Inspect Your Research Problem

2. Determine the Key Variables

3. Conduct a Literature Review

4. Discuss Relevant Theories

5. Go Beyond the Existing Theories

Theoretical Framework Writing Tips

Theoretical Framework Checklist

Bottom Line on Theoretical Framework

FAQ About Theoretical Frameworks

2. How long should a theoretical framework be?

3. What is the difference between a theoretical framework and a literature review?

5. What tense should I use when writing a theoretical framework?

4. What should I include in a theoretical framework?

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Prerequisites

How to Create a Conceptual Framework

Step Two: Identify the variables affecting your problem.

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Step Three: Identify the relationships between the key variables.

Step Four: Create a visual representation of your conceptual framework.

Step Five: Explain your visual representation in narrative form.

Simple Conceptual Framework Visual Example

Narrative Explanation of the Example Conceptual Framework

Steve Tippins

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