Conceptual Framework

1. Research Problem

1.1. Part of conceptual framework

1.2. Key task when designing a study

1.3. Shows people why your research is important

2. Constructed

2.1. Incorporates concepts from other places but you built the main structure

2.2. Understanding existing theories and research that is in existence because that is what is going on with those phenomena.

2.3. Make sure to critically examine each idea or research finding to see if it is applicable or valid for use for constructing a theory that will inform your study.

3. Research Design

3.1. Researchers identify this with the conceptual framework of a study as the literature review.

4. Reasons for not summarizing some body of theoretical or empirical publications

4.1. It can lead to a narrow focus on the literature, ignoring any other conceptual resources that may be of equal or greater importance.

4.1.1. "In any active area of inquiry the current knowledge base is not in the library-- it is in the invisible college of informal associations among research workers" Locke, Sprirduso and Silverman (p.48)

4.2. It tends to generate a strategy of "covering the field" rather than focusing specifically on those studies.

4.3. It can lead you to think that your task is simply descriptive