Conceptual Framework in Research: Necessity amid Conceptual Ambiguity

Abstract

          This article aims to (1) analyze the conceptual ambiguity surrounding the conceptual framework in research and (2) highlight the necessity of the conceptual framework as a crucial component of the research process. This is achieved through an analysis and comparison of scholarly explanations guided by four key questions: the meaning of the conceptual framework, the relationship between the conceptual framework and the theoretical framework, the scope of the two frameworks, and the necessity of the conceptual framework in qualitative research. The analysis reveals that such ambiguity does not stem solely from researchers’ misunderstanding but is also rooted in divergent scholarly perspectives. The article therefore proposes a synthesized definition by integrating diverse scholarly perspectives. Although the conceptual framework remains ambiguous in both meaning and application, it remains essential for research design and implementation, knowledge generation and development, scholarly communication, and the articulation of the researcher’s positionality. The article concludes that the conceptual framework should be understood as a conceptual structure that fosters clarity, logical coherence, and academic rigor in research.