Frameworks
What is a Framework?
A framework is a set of broad concepts or principles that guide research. It is a logically developed and connected set of concepts and premises, drawn from one or more theories, that provides a scaffold for the research study. The researcher must define any concepts and theories that will form the groundwork for the research, establish logical connections between them, and relate these concepts to the study being carried out. In using a particular theory to guide their study, the researcher needs to ensure that the theoretical framework is clearly reflected throughout their work.
It is important to acknowledge that the terms ‘theories’, ‘frameworks’, and ‘paradigms’ are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are differences between these concepts. To complicate matters further, both theoretical frameworks and conceptual frameworks are also used. In addition, quantitative and qualitative researchers usually start from different standpoints in terms of theories and frameworks.
Why Do We Use Frameworks?
A framework helps guide the questions used to develop and structure your data collection. A framework is not prescriptive, but it needs to be suitable for the research question(s), setting, and participants. Therefore, the researcher might use different frameworks to guide different research studies.
A framework informs the study’s recruitment and sampling, and helps guide how data is structured, collected, and analyzed.
Examples of studies which describe how foundational frameworks are used to guide nursing research:
- Basic Framework of Health/Illness: “Health, Disease, and Illness as Conceptual Tools” by Amzat & Razum (2014).
- Social Determinants of Health Framework: “Ontario Health’s Social Determinants of Health Framework… A Paradigm Shift” by Ontario Health (2024).
| Conceptual Frameworks | Theoretical Frameworks |
| First finalized before any research is started | Uses pre-established theory to guide research |
| Involves the articulation of hypotheses that are to be tested using the data collected | Provides a lens or model to interpret findings, without necessarily testing specific hypotheses |
| Top-down approach; general to specific | Often derived from existing theory; can guide interpretation and analysis from a theoretical perspective |
Activity
Watch the video Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks in Research [3:32] by Lynette Pretorius: University Study Made Easy (2021) on YouTube.
Note: If you are using a printed copy of this resource, watch the video by scanning the QR code with your mobile device.
| Feature/ Element | Conceptual Frameworks | Theoretical Frameworks |
| Timing | Developed before research | Based on pre-existing theory |
| Approach | Top-down, general → specific | Theory-driven, guides research |
| Purpose | Organizes study concepts | Explains or predicts phenomena |
| Hypotheses | Involves articulation of hypotheses to be tested | Provides a lens or model to interpret findings |
| Orientation | General concepts guide research design | Derived from existing theory; guides interpretation and analysis |
Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
Inductive and deductive reasoning are two key approaches to thinking and research, each plays a role in how conceptual and theoretical frameworks are developed and used. Inductive reasoning is driven by the participants’ perspectives and the data they provide, using the data to generate new theories (data driven). For example, consider a study exploring seniors’ perceptions of health and loneliness. This study is inductive because it seeks to describe and explore seniors’ perceptions rather than test a pre-existing theory.
Deductive reasoning, on the other hand, is guided by a pre-existing theory, framework, or series of questions. It is hypothesis-driven or theory-testing. For example, a study with the hypothesis that prolonged immobility increases the risk of pressure ulcers in bedridden patients illustrates a deductive approach because the researcher would apply an established principle about immobility and pressure ulcers to a specific patient population.
How to Choose the Right Framework
It is important to be able to assess and evaluate the appropriateness of a framework guiding research. The framework must be relevant, clearly defined, and appropriate to the topic. Concepts and variables need to be clearly defined. The study needs to present enough literature to support the hypothesis and concepts selected. There also needs to be logical coherence, clear links between concepts, and measurable methods.
Remixed from:
- Qualitative Research – A Practical Guide for Health and Social Care Researchers and Practitioners, by Darshini Ayton, Tess Tsindos, and Danielle Berkovic (2023), published by Pressbooks under a CC BY-NC license.
References
Amzat, J., & Razum, O. (2014). Health, Disease, and Illness as Conceptual Tools. Medical Sociology in Africa, 21–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03986-2_2
Ayton, D., Tsindos, T. & Berkovic, D. (2023). Chapter 2: Foundations of qualitative research – paradigms, philosophical underpinnings. In Qualitative research – A practical guide for health and social care researchers and practitioners. OER Collective. https://oercollective.caul.edu.au/qualitative-research/chapter/__unknown__-2/
Ayton, D., & Tsindos, T. (2023). Chapter 4: Theoretical frameworks for qualitative research. In Qualitative research – A practical guide for health and social care researchers and practitioners. OER Collective. https://oercollective.caul.edu.au/qualitative-research/chapter/__unknown__-4/
Lynette Pretorius: University Study Made Easy . (2021, August 3). Theoretical and conceptual frameworks in research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic2pE3KHc3c
Ontario Health. (2024). Social determinants of health framework: A paradigm shift [PDF]. https://www.ontariohealth.ca/content/dam/ontariohealth/documents/social-determinants-of-health-framework.pdf
A framework is a structured set of concepts or principles that guides the design, data collection, and analysis of a study. It provides a conceptual foundation that connects theories to the research question and helps ensure the study is coherent, focused, and aligned with its underlying assumptions.
A reasoning approach that builds generalizations or theories based on specific observations or data; it is data-driven and exploratory.
A reasoning approach that tests hypotheses or applies existing theories to specific cases; it is theory-driven and confirmatory.