Conceptual Framework (Simplified)

your proposal says conceptual framework in the title your proposal says conceptual framework in the title and you have a diagram in your proposal your supervisor asks you can you walk me through this your supervisor asks you can you walk me through this but you don't know what to say this is what a conceptual framework is this is what a conceptual framework is and how to build one that you can actually defend and how to build one that you can actually defend I'll give you the simplest possible definition first I'll give you the simplest possible definition first a conceptual framework is the map of your research a conceptual framework is the map of your research it shows what you are studying it shows what you are studying how those things connect how those things connect and what direction the relationship goes and what direction the relationship goes it's not literature review it's not literature review and is not a list of your theories and is not a list of your theories it's a visual it's a visual written explanation of the logic in your study written explanation of the logic in your study of the logic in your study The 3 Jobs of a Conceptual Framework The 3 Jobs of a Conceptual Framework it tells you what to measure it tells you what to measure if your conceptual framework says if your conceptual framework says drought affects photosynthesis drought affects photosynthesis you must measure photosynthesis you must measure photosynthesis because if it is not in your framework because if it is not in your framework then why are you measuring it then why are you measuring it the second job of a conceptual framework the second job of a conceptual framework it tells you how to analyze it tells you how to analyze if your framework says if your framework says the growth stage affects the growth stage affects the consequence of drought on yield the consequence of drought on yield that means you may need to test an interaction effect that means you may need to test an interaction effect in your statistical model in your statistical model your analysis must follow from the framework your analysis must follow from the framework the framework tells the reader what to expect the framework tells the reader what to expect a good conceptual framework a good conceptual framework sets up a testable prediction sets up a testable prediction if drought reduces photosynthetic efficiency if drought reduces photosynthetic efficiency and if growth stage moderates this relationship and if growth stage moderates this relationship then we expect photosynthesis decline to be steeper then we expect photosynthesis decline to be steeper during greenfield than during tillering during greenfield than during tillering some of you that are not in which Eco Physiology some of you that are not in which Eco Physiology will not understand these terms but what I'm trying to tell you is that but what I'm trying to tell you is that your results must support your results must support partially support or challenge your framework partially support or challenge your framework and that is research and that is research don't just copy a framework that you saw in a paper don't just copy a framework that you saw in a paper and present it as your own and present it as your own a conceptual framework a conceptual framework is different from a theoretical framework is different from a theoretical framework build it from your research question build it from your research question not copy it from a paper and it must drive your methods and your analysis and it must drive your methods and your analysis I'll see you in the next