What is the difference between a conceptual, theoretical and research framework?

In academic research, conceptual, theoretical, and research frameworks serve distinct but interconnected roles. Understanding these differences is crucial for structuring and presenting research effectively.

Conceptual framework

The conceptual framework is a broad outline that connects different concepts, ideas, and variables that are relevant to the research topic. It provides a visual or narrative structure that illustrates the relationships between these elements, guiding the overall direction of the study. The conceptual framework helps to clarify the research problem, objectives, and questions, and it often includes the main ideas or constructs central to the research. It also includes the concepts under study, outlining how they are expected to interact, the assumptions underlying the research, and how the concepts connect to the research question. The conceptual framework can even be developed before conducting the literature review, such that it reflects the researcher’s understanding of how different aspects of the research problem are connected.

Theoretical framework

The theoretical framework is more specific than the conceptual framework and is grounded in established theories and models within a particular field of study. It provides a lens through which the research problem is analyzed and interpreted, guiding the development of research questions and objectives. The theoretical framework draws from existing theories to provide a foundation for the research. It explains how these theories apply to the research problem and provides clear definitions of key concepts based on the chosen theories. The theoretical framework is essential for ensuring that the research is conceptually sound and aligns with established knowledge in the field.

Research framework

The research framework, often referred to as the research design or methodology, outlines the procedural aspects of the study, encompassing any conceptual or theoretical frameworks used in the research. It details the methods and techniques used for data collection and analysis, ensuring the study is systematically and rigorously conducted. The research framework includes the overall strategy and approach used to conduct the research (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods). It also involves the tools and techniques used to gather data (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments), the methods used to analyze the collected data (e.g., narrative analysis, thematic analysis), and the process of selecting participants or samples for the study. The research framework ensures that the study is methodologically sound and provides a clear roadmap for conducting the research.