Research Workflow

and Conceptual
Framework
FFFB6244/FFFK8124

Dr Zulkarnain Md Idris
Department of Parasitology & Medical Entomology
Faculty of Medicine UKM – 10 June 2021; Thursday @ 0900 hrs –1
What is research workflow?
• For laboratory scientist, research workflow includes design and funding,
moves through data collection and analysis and takes them to assessment
and showcasing.

• Schematic of basic illustration of a certain researcher workflow:

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Research workflow overview

Ince S et al. Research workflow skills for education doctoral students and postdocs: A qualitative study. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2020 3
What is conceptual framework?

• A written or visual presentation that:

• Explains either graphically or narrative form the main things to be
studied – The key factors, concepts or variables
• And the presumed relationship among them

• The conceptualization part of research process might well be

called thinking part of the research, while the factual part of the
research process is more related to doing aspect.

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What conceptual framework should cover?

• Establishment of tentative relationships between the

dependent and independent variables included in the study.

• Visualizing conceptual causal threads to form a

representation of inter-relatedness among the identified
issues or variables.

• What are the assumptions? What are the relationships?

• Identification of possible answers to the research questions?

How are the possible answers to the question explained and
defended?
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Where does the conceptual framework fit in – Research?
Part of Your Research What it is suppose to have…

Research problem: The issue of theoretical or practical interest.

Aims and objectives: What we want to know and how the answer may built up.

Literature review: A critical and evaluative review of the thoughts and

experience of others.
Conceptual framework: Provides the structure/content for the whole study based on
literature and personal experience.
Research questions: Specific questions that require answers.

Data collection and analysis: Methodology, methods and analysis.

Interpretation of the results: Making sense of the results.

Evaluation of the research: Revisit conceptual framework

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Purpose?

• Identify relevant variables

• Define variables

• Have and idea of analysis

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Concepts and theories?

• A theory is used in the broad sense to refer to an abstraction

which summarizes and explains phenomena.

• Concepts are mental images or ideas relating to phenomena

or objects that share common properties.

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Conceptual framework vs. Theoretical framework

Conceptual Framework Theoretical Framework

Genesis Created from a variety of Adapted from existing

conceptual and theoretical theory
perspectives

Conceptual Meaning Synthesis of relevant Application of a theory as a

concepts whole or in part

Underlining Process Inductive Deductive

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How to draw a conceptual framework?

• If you drew a picture of your statistical model, this would be a

conceptual framework because is visualizes the variables
and how they are related.

• Generally framework may include one outcome and multiple

hypothesized associated factors.

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Step in developing conceptual framework

1. Identifying the relevant concepts

2. Defining the concepts
3. Operationalizing the concepts
4. Identifying any moderating or intervening variables
5. Identifying the relationship between variables

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How does it look?

• It can take the form of Equation or a Diagram or may simply

description of how the variables are related.

• Diagram may take the form of:

• Overlapping domains framework
• Sequential framework
• Ecological framework

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Conceptual framework as an equation

A + B = C
Diarrhea = β1(Age) + β2(Sex) + β3(Toilet) + β4(Water)

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Conceptual framework as Overlapping domains

Domain
A Genetic factor

Hair fall Environmental

Domain Domain Individual
B C factors factors

Age, sex, Pollution

bathing habits Temperature

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Conceptual framework as sequential diagram

Distal Proximate Outcome

Determinants Determinants

Sub-
domain
Domain A
Sub-
domain Condition

Sub- Domain B
domain

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Conceptual framework

Food consumption
(24-hour recall)
Socio-economic
status

Lifestyle
disease
Knowledge and Dietary habits and
OBESITY
awareness practices
• Diabetes

• Hypertension

Attitudes
Physical activity

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 Fig. 1 Conceptual framework on the relationship between malnutrition, infections and poverty

Rytter MJ, Kolte L, Briend A, Friis H, Christensen VB. The immune system in children with malnutrition--a systematic review. PLoS One. 2014 Aug
25;9(8):e105017. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105017 17
Conceptual framework as ecological model

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Development of conceptual framework is
an iterative process, develop once and
keep revising as you move on…

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Thank you!

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