Tips And Tricks On Making The Conceptual Framework Of Your Dissertation

A conceptual framework represents the sentences of literature by the researcher to explain the phenomenon under study. A conceptual framework outlines the actions that are required to complete the course of study. A researcher develops the conceptual framework based on previous knowledge and observations. It implies that in a conceptual framework, the researcher depicts his understanding. Besides, the conceptual framework indicates the variables may connect. Therefore, the conceptual framework identifies the variables related to the area of study and investigation. In this article, expert writers of a dissertation writing service have shared a step-by-step guide to developing a conceptual framework. If you are a researcher and eager to enhance your knowledge of a conceptual framework, this article can help you in many ways.

 

Select Key Concepts

The first step is to identify key concepts. You can find the key concepts from your topic, problem statement, and research questions. Your topic plays an important role in your conceptual framework. You extract your topic from a broad area of research. This area of research is based on your personal interest. Your topic should be well within your field of specialisation. You can always use brainstorming tips for selecting your research topic. Therefore, you need to be specific and clear about your topic. As you identify key concepts, the next step is to define each concept.

These concepts may have multiple definitions. Therefore, it is important to clearly define these concepts. Key concepts are an essential part of a research study. In a dissertation, key concepts are important to specify the dimensions of the study. Some studies use conceptual frameworks alternatively for the theoretical framework. These two are essentially similar concepts; however, you can find minor differences in the use. As you are able to define concepts, it will help in the next step of generating your conceptual framework.

 

Evaluate Relevant Theories, Definitions and Models

The next step is to review the previous literature on your area of interest. As you extract your topic, it is easy to identify relevant studies conducted in the past. While you go through the studies, you will find certain patterns. This pattern may include theories, definitions and models. Make a list of all this information, as it will help you understand the subject matter. This list will also help you to know how previous studies true connections between the key concepts. As you are able to evaluate different models and theories, you need to identify the best fit for your research.

A conceptual framework centres around a suitable theory or model. You need to identify that theory or model based on your gained knowledge. The literature review helps you in comparing different theories and models related to the key concepts. There is a white possibility that the researchers have explored those key concepts in different dimensions. You cannot use all the theories and models used in the previous studies. Therefore, you need to compare different theories. Besides, you may have to explain your choices under your critical evaluation.

Students can use theories and models in different ways using technical writing skills. For instance, you can see the use of agency theory in many business management studies. However, it is essential that you specify the context of using a particular theory. In some studies, a researcher replicates a particular study with a little change in the context. For instance, a researcher may want to investigate the role of CSR for the financial health of farms in the UK, replicating a similar study in the context of the US. In such a scenario, the researcher while replicating a previous study may base his study in a different theoretical background. It suggests that studies can find a research gap based on the theoretical underpinnings as well.

After you identify a theory or model for a conceptual framework, you need variables as well. Identify specific variables described in the previous studies. You also need to identify how these variables are related. There are different ways in which you can identify important variables. In some studies, the abstract section contains the variables along with the findings. In addition, some studies have a summary at the end of the paper. As you identify the variables, you should aim to show how your research would use these variables. Before the next step, you need to answer a few questions. The following questions will help you outline Essential elements of a conceptual framework.

• Will your study contribute by collecting original data, or will you test theory using secondary data?
• How does your theory relate to the variable of the study?
• Is your theoretical grounding a replication of the previous study?
• Does your research study challenge or critique an existing theory?

 

Generate a Conceptual Framework

As you respond to the questions previously raised, you are in a good position to generate your conceptual framework for dissertation or thesis writing. Use the variables you have identified from the literature review to build a conceptual framework. Make sure that the conceptual framework aligns with the problem statement and research objective of your study. Research studies always have something unique to contribute to previous studies. Therefore, your conceptual framework should be able to acknowledge the gap in research. As you generate a conceptual framework, its presentation is important as well. You can always look for different presentations for a conceptual framework. Keep in mind that your conceptual framework can be and only point of reference for other studies.

For instance, if a researcher wants to replicate your work, the conceptual framework should be able to provide all the information. Your conceptual Framework presentation contains information regarding the direction of the study. Therefore, you should give a lot of thought to presenting a Conceptual Framework in your dissertation. This article provides you with guidelines to develop your conceptual framework from scratch. By following these steps, you will be able to generate a conceptual framework in an effective manner. Considering all the guidelines, your conceptual framework will contain the information that will support other studies as well.