Doctoral Writing Center
What is a Framework?
The framework of your study provides the structure, or the foundation, of your study. Without it, you cannot start to build or develop your dissertation. Before we get into what the framework refers to in a research context, let’s look at what it refers to in general along with an equally generic example.
Consider this example: If you were building a house from scratch, what would you do?
Most likely:
- Look at what others have built successfully
- Compare the final products (homes) and see which you like best and want for yourself. (You might even combine a couple of features from different structures to create your own unique design.)
- Create a plan for how to build it with an assumption of what it would look like when it is finished.
Now, if that concept is clear… you’ve got it! That is exactly what you are doing when framing your research!
Creating a Framework for Your Research
Just like in the sample above, before beginning your personal research, you first need to provide a rationale to your readers for why your research is credible. In that, we need to prove that there is a reason for your choice of topic, based on what has been studied in the past and a reason for why you have decided to research it in the way you have (methods).