Theoretical and conceptual frameworks
We have included this section to draw attention to the importance of the generation of theoretical frameworks or conceptual frameworks as part of the body of work .
Theoretical Frameworks
“The basic idea of a theoretical framework is that it is a guiding principle for research that provides structure or an explanation to a problem. It represents how an investigator considers, formulates, and solves a problem...In the social sciences, some well-known theories are postmodernism, critical theory, and feminist theory, each providing a framework or structure to what characterizes or explains social phenomenon.” (Wentz, 2014, p.83)
Conceptual Frameworks
“A conceptual framework explains, either graphically or in narrative form, the main things to be studied - the key factors, constructs or variables - and the presumed relationships among them. Frameworks can be rudimentary or elaborate, theory-driven or commonsensical, descriptive or causal.” (Miles & Huberman, 1994, p.18)
Learning resources
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Miles, M. B., & Huberman, M. (1994). Focusing and bounding the collection of data: The substantive start. In Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed., pp. 16–39). SAGE Publications Ltd.
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Wentz, E. A. (2014). The literature review. In How to design, write, and present a successful dissertation proposal (pp. 81–95). SAGE Publications Ltd.
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Thesis examples
