What is a Theoretical Framework? How to Write It (with Examples) 

Theoretical framework ^1,2 is the structure that supports and describes a theory. A theory is a set of interrelated concepts and definitions that present a systematic view of phenomena by describing the relationship among the variables for explaining these phenomena. A theory is developed after a long research process and explains the existence of a research problem in a study. A theoretical framework guides the research process like a roadmap for the research study and helps researchers clearly interpret their findings by providing a structure for organizing data and developing conclusions.  

A theoretical framework in research is an important part of a manuscript and should be presented in the first section. It shows an understanding of the theories and concepts relevant to the research and helps limit the scope of the research. 

What is a theoretical framework? 

A theoretical framework in research can be defined as a set of concepts, theories, ideas, and assumptions that help you understand a specific phenomenon or problem. It can be considered a blueprint that is borrowed by researchers to develop their own research inquiry. A theoretical framework in research helps researchers design and conduct their research and analyze and interpret their findings. It explains the relationship between variables, identifies gaps in existing knowledge, and guides the development of research questions, hypotheses, and methodologies to address that gap. 

Now that you know the answer to ‘What is a theoretical framework?’, check the following table that lists the different types of theoretical frameworks in research:³

Developing a theoretical framework in research can help in the following situations:⁴

• When conducting research on complex phenomena because a theoretical framework helps organize the research questions, hypotheses, and findings 
• When the research problem requires a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts 
• When conducting research that seeks to address a specific gap in knowledge 
• When conducting research that involves the analysis of existing theories 

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Importance of a theoretical framework 

The purpose of theoretical frameworks is to support you in the following ways during the research process:² 

• Provide a structure for the complete research process 
• Assist researchers in incorporating formal theories into their study as a guide 
• Provide a broad guideline to maintain the research focus 
• Guide the selection of research methods, data collection, and data analysis 
• Help understand the relationships between different concepts and develop hypotheses and research questions 
• Address gaps in existing literature 
• Analyze the data collected and draw meaningful conclusions and make the findings more generalizable

Theoretical vs. Conceptual framework 

While a theoretical framework covers the theoretical aspect of your study, that is, the various theories that can guide your research, a conceptual framework defines the variables for your study and presents how they relate to each other. The conceptual framework is developed before collecting the data. However, both frameworks help in understanding the research problem and guide the development, collection, and analysis of the research. 

The following table lists some differences between conceptual and theoretical frameworks.⁵

How to write a theoretical framework 

The following general steps can help those wondering how to write a theoretical framework: ²

1. Identify and define the key concepts clearly and organize them into a suitable structure. 
2. Use appropriate terminology and define all key terms to ensure consistency. 
3. Identify the relationships between concepts and provide a logical and coherent structure. 
4. Develop hypotheses that can be tested through data collection and analysis. 
5. Keep it concise and focused with clear and specific aims. 

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Examples of a theoretical framework 

Here are two examples of a theoretical framework.^6,7

Example 1.  

An insurance company is facing a challenge cross-selling its products. The sales department indicates that most customers have just one policy, although the company offers over 10 unique policies. The company would want its customers to purchase more than one policy since most customers are purchasing policies from other companies. 

Objective: To sell more insurance products to existing customers. 

Problem: Many customers are purchasing additional policies from other companies. 

Research question: How can customer product awareness be improved to increase cross-selling of insurance products? 

Sub-questions: What is the relationship between product awareness and sales? Which factors determine product awareness? 

Since “product awareness” is the main focus in this study, the theoretical framework should analyze this concept and study previous literature on this subject and propose theories that discuss the relationship between product awareness and its improvement in sales of other products. 

Example 2.

A company is facing a continued decline in its sales and profitability. The main reason for the decline in the profitability is poor services, which have resulted in a high level of dissatisfaction among customers and consequently a decline in customer loyalty. The management is planning to concentrate on clients’ satisfaction and customer loyalty. 

Objective: To provide better service to customers and increase customer loyalty and satisfaction. 

Problem: Continued decrease in sales and profitability. 

Research question: How can customer satisfaction help in increasing sales and profitability? 

Sub-questions: What is the relationship between customer loyalty and sales? Which factors influence the level of satisfaction gained by customers? 

Since customer satisfaction, loyalty, profitability, and sales are the important topics in this example, the theoretical framework should focus on these concepts. 

Benefits of a theoretical framework 

There are several benefits of a theoretical framework in research:² 

• Provides a structured approach allowing researchers to organize their thoughts in a coherent way. 
• Helps to identify gaps in knowledge highlighting areas where further research is needed. 
• Increases research efficiency by providing a clear direction for research and focusing efforts on relevant data. 
• Improves the quality of research by providing a rigorous and systematic approach to research, which can increase the likelihood of producing valid and reliable results. 
• Provides a basis for comparison by providing a common language and conceptual framework for researchers to compare their findings with other research in the field, facilitating the exchange of ideas and the development of new knowledge. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q1. How do I develop a theoretical framework?⁷

A1. The following steps can be used for developing a theoretical framework: 

1. Identify the research problem and research questions by clearly defining the problem that the research aims to address and identifying the specific questions that the research aims to answer.
2. Review the existing literature to identify the key concepts that have been studied previously. These concepts should be clearly defined and organized into a structure.
3. Develop propositions that describe the relationships between the concepts. These propositions should be based on the existing literature and should be testable.
4. Develop hypotheses that can be tested through data collection and analysis.
5. Test the theoretical framework through data collection and analysis to determine whether the framework is valid and reliable.

Q2. How do I know if I have developed a good theoretical framework or not?⁸

A2. The following checklist could help you answer this question: 

• Is my theoretical framework clearly seen as emerging from my literature review? 

• Is it the result of my analysis of the main theories previously studied in my same research field? 
• Does it represent or is it relevant to the most current state of theoretical knowledge on my topic? 
• Does the theoretical framework in research present a logical, coherent, and analytical structure that will support my data analysis? 
• Do the different parts of the theory help analyze the relationships among the variables in my research? 
• Does the theoretical framework target how I will answer my research questions or test the hypotheses? 

• Have I documented every source I have used in developing this theoretical framework? 
• Is my theoretical framework a model, a table, a figure, or a description? 
• Have I explained why this is the appropriate theoretical framework for my data analysis? 

Q3. Can I use multiple theoretical frameworks in a single study? 

A3. Using multiple theoretical frameworks in a single study is acceptable as long as each theory is clearly defined and related to the study. Each theory should also be discussed individually. This approach may, however, be tedious and effort intensive. Therefore, multiple theoretical frameworks should be used only if absolutely necessary for the study. 

Q4. Is it necessary to include a theoretical framework in every research study? 

A4. The theoretical framework connects researchers to existing knowledge. So, including a theoretical framework would help researchers get a clear idea about the research process and help structure their study effectively by clearly defining an objective, a research problem, and a research question. 

Q5. Can a theoretical framework be developed for qualitative research? 

A5. Yes, a theoretical framework can be developed for qualitative research. However, qualitative research methods may or may not involve a theory developed beforehand. In these studies, a theoretical framework can guide the study and help develop a theory during the data analysis phase. This resulting framework uses inductive reasoning. The outcome of this inductive approach can be referred to as an emergent theoretical framework. This method helps researchers develop a theory inductively, which explains a phenomenon without a guiding framework at the outset. 

Q6. What is the main difference between a literature review and a theoretical framework? 

A6. A literature review explores already existing studies about a specific topic in order to highlight a gap, which becomes the focus of the current research study. A theoretical framework can be considered the next step in the process, in which the researcher plans a specific conceptual and analytical approach to address the identified gap in the research. 

Theoretical frameworks are thus important components of the research process and researchers should therefore devote ample amount of time to develop a solid theoretical framework so that it can effectively guide their research in a suitable direction. We hope this article has provided a good insight into the concept of theoretical frameworks in research and their benefits. 

References 

1. Organizing academic research papers: Theoretical framework. Sacred Heart University library. Accessed August 4, 2023. https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185919#:~:text=The%20theoretical%20framework%20is%20the,research%20problem%20under%20study%20exists. 
2. Salomao A. Understanding what is theoretical framework. Mind the Graph website. Accessed August 5, 2023. https://mindthegraph.com/blog/what-is-theoretical-framework/ 
3. Theoretical framework—Types, examples, and writing guide. Research Method website. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://researchmethod.net/theoretical-framework/ 
4. Grant C., Osanloo A. Understanding, selecting, and integrating a theoretical framework in dissertation research: Creating the blueprint for your “house.” Administrative Issues Journal: Connecting Education, Practice, and Research; 4(2):12-26. 2014. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1058505.pdf 
5. Difference between conceptual framework and theoretical framework. MIM Learnovate website. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://mimlearnovate.com/difference-between-conceptual-framework-and-theoretical-framework/ 
6. Example of a theoretical framework—Thesis & dissertation. BacherlorPrint website. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://www.bachelorprint.com/dissertation/example-of-a-theoretical-framework/ 
7. Sample theoretical framework in dissertation and thesis—Overview and example. Students assignment help website. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://www.studentsassignmenthelp.co.uk/blogs/sample-dissertation-theoretical-framework/#Example_of_the_theoretical_framework 
8. Kivunja C. Distinguishing between theory, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework: A systematic review of lessons from the field. Accessed August 8, 2023. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1198682.pdf 

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