How to Develop a Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework describes what the writer expects to find in their research work. The author defines all the relevant frameworks and variables of the study as well as maps out the relationships that exists between them. As a researcher, it would be best that you construct a conceptual framework before starting the process of data collection. The conceptual framework is normally written the second chapter of a research paper.
There are four basic steps involved when it comes to developing a conceptual framework. The first step is deciding on the right topic based on the field of specialization. In the following step, the researcher may decide to perform an in-depth literature review. It is essential that they obtain information from peer reviewed sources as well as scientific journals.
The third step entails isolation of all the important variables. The researcher identifies all the relevant variables and figures out how they are related. The final step entails generating the conceptual framework. The research should address the existing knowledge gap.