What is meant by the Conceptual and Theoretical Framework? I feel that to truly join the academic 'circle of trust' I need to be able to reel the definition off with no thought (as I have recently witnessed, and I hastened to add- did not understand).

People who can do real work make up frameworks. Conceptual framework is built from a set of concepts linked to a planned or existing system of methods, behaviors, functions, relationships and objects. Conceptual frameworks are used in computing.

Not sure what a theoretical one is.

I wish I was clever enough to answer

I was asked what my theoretical and conceptual framework was by a fellow PhD student and I couldn't help thinking "idiot" (think harsher word than this). It is such a pompous way of talking. Certain departments seem to encourage this sort of jargon - particularly those renowned for theory based PhDs. But in the real world, people ask, "what is your methodology? what literatures are you drawing on?" None of this theory and concept that okay is important but makes you sound like you have spent too long in the library

I went to a conference dinner a couple of weeks ago and didnt understand A WORD of what was going on around the dinner table. I felt really stupid. My only contribution to the conversation was that i quite fancied the waiter which lowered the tone of the evening, but at least everyone lightened up a bit!!

Yes I agree with the general feeling that it is an elaborate way of describing how your work is going to pan out (conceptual) and what arguements you support (theoretical). I have been dreading that they might ask me this question in the transfer report (which is still some way off) and I freeze!!!

Only use the terms conceptual and theoretical framework in making grant applications to make it look management-friendly.

Have been struggling with this question for the last 3 years. My supervisor insists I have a chapter called 'theoretical framework' separate from my lit review and methodology...

Wow that seems harsh. Is that usually the case?

I've read quite a lot of PhD theses and only a couple have a whole chapter on the theoretical framework, but most have some kind of statement about the theoretical perspective of the study, e.g. feminism (I'm in social sciences by the way). I'm finding it really hard because I'm drawing on a range of different concepts and trying to integrate them into a cohesive piece of work rather than adopting 1 existing theoretical framework. I think this has been the most difficult chapter for me to write because it's hard to discuss the theory separate from the literature or my findings.