By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed by: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019
Chapter How to structure a theoretical framework
The theoretical framework is the scaffolding on which your thesis is built. When you have finished writing a chapter or section of your theoretical framework, your reader should be able to answer the following questions:
- What theoretical concepts are used in the research? What assumptions, if any, do you use?
- Why did you choose this theory?
- What are the implications of using this theory?
- How is the theory related to the existing literature, the approach to its problem and its epistemological and ontological position? How has this theory been used by others in similar contexts? What can you learn from them and how are you different?
- How do you apply theory and measure concepts (referring to the literature review / problem statement)?
- What is the relationship between the different elements and concepts within the model? Can you visualize this?
Main sections of a doctoral thesis
In almost all doctoral theses or dissertations there are standard sections. Of course, some of them may differ, depending on the requirements of your university or department, as well as your subject of study, but this will give you a good idea of the basic components of a doctoral dissertation format.
- Abstract: The abstract is a summary that briefly explains your research, addresses each of the main sections of your thesis, and clearly explains your contribution to the field through your doctoral thesis. Even if the summary is very brief, similar to what you have seen in published research papers, its impact should not be underestimated. The summary is there to answer the reviewer’s most important question. “Why is this important?”
- Introduction: In this section, you’ll help the reviewer understand your overall thesis, including what your article is about, why it’s important to the field, a brief description of your approach, and the nature of your research. and thesis sent. Think of your introduction as an extension of your summary.
- Literature review: As part of the literature review, you make an argument for your new research by telling the story of work that has already been done. It will cover some of the history of the subject and how its study fits into the present and the future.
- Theoretical framework: Here you explain the assumptions related to your study. Here you explain to the exam what theoretical concepts you might have used in your research, how this relates to existing knowledge and ideas.
- Methods: This section of a doctoral thesis is usually the most detailed and descriptive, depending on the progress of your research. Here you will discuss the specific methods you used to obtain the information you were seeking, as well as the appropriateness and appropriateness of those methods, and how you specifically used each described method. .
- Results: Here you present your empirical results. This section is sometimes referred to as the “empiracs” chapter. This section is usually very simple and technical, and full of details. Do not summarize this chapter.
- Discussion: This chapter can be tricky, because this is where you want to show the reviewer that you know what he’s talking about. You have to speak like a doctor against a student. The discussion chapter is similar to the empirical/results chapter, but you rely on these results to drive the new information you learned, before reaching a conclusion.
- Conclusion: Here you take a step back and reflect on your initial goals and objectives for the search. You will explain them in the context of your new discoveries and insights.