AP Sept 11 12:17pm

Grant and Osanloo (2014) used a house blueprint analogy to explain the difference between a theoretical framework and a conceptual framework. Theoretical framework was compared to a house's exterior blueprint. Just as an architect chooses a house style that determines the building's overall design, a researcher chooses a theory that guides the problem statement, literature review, methodology, and interpretation of findings. In contrast, the conceptual framework is narrowed to best address the specific research problem. Conceptual framework is compared to the house's interior floor plan. It is developed by the researcher and represents how the specific concepts, variables, and relationships in the study fit together. The theoretical framework provides abroad perspective, while the conceptual framework outlines how the study will be conducted. The authors illustrate this distinction with two dissertation examples. In the first, a student studying parents' perceptions of services for children with special needs used Educational Equity Theory as the theoretical framework. This theory emphasized ideas such as equality, fairness, and social justice. The student's conceptual framework consisted of specific concepts from Response to Intervention, including screening, diagnosis, and progress monitoring. In the second example, a student named Alicia examined gender gaps in school finance dissertation topics. Alicia used Feminist Theory as her theoretical framework, focusing on concepts such as gender discrimination, oppression, and patriarchy. Alicia’s conceptual framework included more specific factors related to her study, such as gender socialization in education, women's professional experiences, and male dominance in finance related academic fields. These examples show that the theoretical framework provides the broad explanation and guiding perspective for a study, while the conceptual framework identifies the specific concepts and relationships that help answer the research question. Respond to one of your colleagues’ posts by clarifying or expanding your understanding of the conceptual and theoretical frameworks. Use as an example from an article on your topic of interest that uses a theoretical or conceptual framework. Topic of interest is aging population