Conceptual (Theoretical) Frameworks …

1 10/16/20101 Conceptual / theoretical FrameworkOctober 16 2010 October 16, 2010 Conceptual ( theoretical ) FrameworkszOrganizerszThe key ideas that organize and shape your thinkingyour Conceptual ( theoretical ) FrameworkzShould grow logically out of your literature lead to your methodology and provide a rationale for why you are proceeding in aa rationale for why you are proceeding in a particular ( theoretical ) FrameworkzConceptual Frameworks attempt to connect to all aspects of inquiry ( , problem definition, purpose, literature review methodology data collection andreview, methodology, data collection and analysis). zConceptual Frameworks should act like maps that give coherence to your inquiry. Put Another Conceptual key constructs and terms, introduces or clarifies any theoretical modelszSituates your work within prior theory and research on the the phenomena you propose to analyze and the justification for studying them.

2 A Sample Conceptual Framework10/16/20102 THEORY(IdeologyEitl)CommunitiesDiscourse Academic Disciplines )PRACTICE(Pedagogy)ofPracticeDiscourseCo mmunitiesWriting a Conceptual FrameworkzBegin with an introductory paragraph introducing the elements of the Conceptual with a summation that helps review the need for your study and transitions to the methodology you will FrameworkzWhen purpose and framework are aligned, other aspects of the research such as methodological choices and statistical techniques become simpler to did you approach your problem in THIS particular way?Formatting Can Help You Think!zUse APA levels of headers to present the components of your Conceptual Levels of HeaderszHeading Levels use formatting to communicate a hierarchy of ideas for of equal importance should have same heading level throughout a Levels of HeaderszAPA heading style has 5 formatting styleszBased on level of subordinationzPage 62 BUT NO BOLD ithi th MS!

3 !!(Thi BOLD within the MS!!! (This is a requirement of Graduate Studies, not APA.) your dissertation, use modified APA!10/16/20103 APA Heading Levels1. Centered, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading2. Flush Left, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading3. Indented, lowercase paragraph heading with a Indented, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading with a 1zChapter Titles = Level 1 (Centered, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading) zIntroductionzProblem StatementzProblem StatementzPurpose and SignificancezResearch QuestionszOverview of MethodologyzLimitations and DelimitationszOrganization of the DissertationFor 1zTitle = Level 1 (Centered, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading) zIntroduction: Heading optionalzProblem Statement = Level 2zProblem Statement = Level 2zPurpose and Significance = Level 2zResearch Questions = Level2zOverview of Methodology = Level 2zLimitations and Delimitations = Level 2zOrganization of the Dissertation = Level 2 For 2zTitle = Level 1zIntroduction.)

4 Heading optionalzReview of Literature = Level 2zSub headings that group your sourcesLevel 3zSub headings that group your sources--Level 3zTheoretical/ Conceptual framework = Level 2zSub headings that group the parts of your framework = Level 3zSummary = Level 2 Conceptual framework SubheadingszAre your categories tied to the research questions? zDo you have at least one category per research question?research question?zAre your descriptors based on the literature? Do they make sense?zDid you forget any descriptors?zAre your descriptors in the best order?Suggestion!zFind and read several Conceptual / theoretical Frameworks in leadership dissertations to get a sense of how they might look.