Constructing a Theoretical Framework Through and for Justification

• In Event: Communicating Empirical Research in Mathematics Education: Insights From Flagship Journal Peer Review

Abstract

The theoretical framework is an essential element of a research report. It provides the underlying justification for the study and guides each decision along the way (Spangler & Williams, in press). Specifically, the theoretical framework should help to: a) make the case for the purpose of a study and shape the literature review; b) justify the study design and methods; and c) guide the reporting, interpretation, and discussion of results and their implications (Grant & Osanloo, 2014; Lester, 2005; Maxwell, 2005). The theoretical framework must be carefully constructed to be useful for the conduct and reporting of the study at hand, even when elements of the framework are chosen from existing frameworks. If it is too general or if it merely combines several different theoretical frameworks incoherently, it will provide little guidance for the study.

To examine reviewers’ concerns about theoretical frameworks, we analyzed an entire year of reviews for all manuscripts submitted to a flagship research journal that received a decision of Reject, Revise and Resubmit, or Accept. The sample included 631 reviews for 149 manuscripts. We began by reading through all of the reviews to obtain a general sense of the concerns. We then generated a list of key terms, developed initial codes, and coded several reviews to test the viability of the initial codes for characterizing reviewers’ concerns. Additional codes were added as needed to capture distinctions in the reviewers’ comments. Two researchers coded the reviews and established an interrater reliability of .93. After coding, we identified key recurring concerns and examined them with respect to the final decisions made for each manuscript.

Common concerns regarding theoretical frameworks included a lack of a sufficiently developed framework, an overly broad or narrow framework, and insufficient coherence between the framework and the rest of the study. Over 25% of the reviews for rejected manuscripts included such comments. Table 1 provides a summary of results from the analysis.

To avoid these issues, we suggest that a study’s theoretical framework be conceptualized as constructed through and for justification (Eisenhart, 1991). It is constructed through justification when researchers ask themselves questions as they conceptualize and conduct studies: Why is this topic important to study? What do I expect to learn? How is the knowledge I expect to learn connected to what is already known? What do I think the answers to my research questions will be? Why do I expect those findings? Considering such questions will help researchers develop a theoretical framework that will subsequently guide the selection of research questions and methods and support compelling explanations of the findings that can move the field forward.

The theoretical framework is also constructed for justification and, in particular, for explaining to others the reasoning that underlies the decisions made throughout a research study. In particular, the theoretical framework must support three kinds of justifications in the report: the why (the purpose of the study), the how (the methodology of the study), and the what (the discussion of the study’s findings and their implications).

Author

• Jinfa Cai, University of Delaware