The role of

theory in
research
THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
Three ways of thinking about
theory
 That which underpins research design
 Theory as paradigm
 That which may inform our understanding of the
phenomenon under investigation
 Theory as a ‘lens’
 That which may emerge from our study
 Theory as new knowledge
Theory as paradigm

 Philosophical assumptions about what constitutes social

reality (ontology)
 What we accept as valid evidence of that reality
(epistemology)
 The means by which we investigate that context
(methodology)
 The means by which we gather evidence (methods)
 4 key ‘paradigm’ questions
1. What do we believe exists? (Ontology)
– Fundamental beliefs that someone holds about the nature of the social world
and its relationship to individual social actors.
• Social reality exists independent of the observer
• Social reality is constructed by people in particular social, cultural and historical
contexts

2. What constitutes reliable & valid knowledge? (Epistemology)

• Causal relationships between observable phenomena
• Interpretations of meaning
 4 key ‘paradigm questions

(contd.)
How we produce reliable and valid knowledge? (Methodology)
 What ‘Strategies of inquiry’ (Creswell) are appropriate to our
ontological/epistemological position
 (descriptive/confirmatory <-> explanatory/exploratory)
(‘Flat world’ theory <-> Exploring other cultures)
 How can we collect data to test our theories or describe social phenomena?
(Methods)
 What data collection approaches/tools are appropriate to the the methodology
Models of social research
1. Qualitative study
 An inquiry which seeks to understand social
phenomena through the exploration and
interpretation of the meanings people attach
to, and make sense of, their experiences of
the social world “
 Associated with the Interpretive paradigm
 Key principle: Subjectivity/interpretation
 Theory developed: during and/or after (‘a posteriori’) the
study (theory generation)
 Process: Inductive
Models of social research
2. Quantitative study
 An inquiry based on testing a theory composed of
variables, measured with numbers and analysed
with statistical procedures, in order to determine
whether the predictive generalisations of the
theory hold true
 Associated with: Post/positivist paradigm
 Key principle: Objectivity
 Theory stated: before (‘a priori’) the study (theory
verification)
 Process: Deductive
Models of social research
3. Mixed-method study
• Qualitative and quantitative strategies used in a single study

Concurrent:
Quantitative and qualitative strategies employed in parallel
Sequential:
Qualitative informs quantitative (or vice versa)

Brannen
Denscombe
Denzin
Johnson & Onwuegbuzie
Teddlie & Tashakkori
 Theory as a lens
 Existing theory(s) which seek to explain how aspects of
social reality ‘work’ (models). E.g.
 Models of learning
 Behaviourist (Skinner); Constructivist (Piaget); Social constructivist (Vygotsky); Deep
learning (Anderson)
 Models of professional/expertise development
 Situated learning; Communities of practice (Lave; Wenger)
 Models of second language acquisition
 Krashen’s SLA theory; Oxford’s S2R;
Theory as new knowledge

 Adaptation, revision or confirmation of existing theory

 Generation of new theory

 Relates to conceptual framework

Conceptual framework

• A written or visual presentation that:

– “explains either graphically, or in
narrative form, the main things to be
studied – the key factors, concepts or
variables - and the presumed
relationship among them”
(Miles and Huberman, 1994, P18)
Conceptual framework

 Quantitative research
 Typically developed after literature review
 Provides the structure/content for the whole study based on
literature and personal experience
 Revisited at the conclusion of the study
 Qualitative research
 Initial framework after literature review
 Further developed as participants’ views and issues are gathered
and analysed.