In academic research, we usually require a framework—serving as a "skeleton structure"—to support our work. This framework can take the form of either a theoretical framework or a conceptual framework. But what distinguishes the two? And in what situations should we use a theoretical framework versus a conceptual framework?
Liwei Liu In simple terms, both a theoretical framework and a conceptual framework help guide and structure your research, but they have different focuses.
A theoretical framework is like a foundation built on existing theories and concepts. It comes from the ideas and beliefs that are already established in the field. This framework helps you position your research within these existing theories and shows how your work builds on or challenges them. For example, if you were researching the impact of social media on mental health, you might use psychological theories like the Social Comparison Theory or the Cognitive Dissonance Theory as your theoretical framework.
A conceptual framework, on the other hand, is more flexible and is used to illustrate the specific concepts you’ll be looking at in your study. It focuses on how you will investigate the topic and the relationships between the different variables in your research. For instance, if you're studying how different factors (like age, frequency of social media use, and social support) affect mental health, your conceptual framework would outline how these factors are linked together and what you're going to measure.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Oil