Hey Everyone,

This is my first message to community. Here we go:

I am doing PhD in Sociology (London) and this is the beginning of my second year.

My supervisor wants me to write lit rev. and theoretical framework as two different chapters. Up to now, I have read so many materials and now not sure what to write specifically for each one. I am concerned about rewording.

So, what is the difference between lit rev and theoretical framework?

Thank you in advance for your help

Best Wishes,

Hi Insomnia,

I will try to explain this from what I understand your question to be:

Literature review has to do with all the past research in your area of interest, this will include what has been done and how they have done it (measures and procedure). It will also include arguments for and against what previous individual researcher has found in their studies. Say for example, gender, ethnicity, religion etc differences in whatever it is you're investigating. Additionally, some research will include prevalence and preventative measures etc.

In terms of framework, these are concepts in the field that you're looking at. For example, you could have a particular school of thought whose modus operandi is different from another school of thought. Theoretical framework include a structured way of looking at things, i.e. evolutionary, deductive, positivism, relativism etc are all framework in research.

I also think that your lit review comes with all these arguments, then you have to choose a particular framework that you think will suit your investigation and your reason why you think the particular framework is better in your investigation as compared to others. Well this is what I think.

Thank you very much for your answer.

So, let's assume that I am studying X.

The literature review will be about the literature on X. And, in theoretical framework I will discuss the X with a SPECIFIC theory such as Marxism, for instance.

Does it make sense?

Best,

That is basically it, yes. But rather than discussing X with a specific theory (since this will be done in detail in later chapters), you will probably need to say WHY you think that particular theory is suitable and HOW you intend to use it - beginning to lay out theories and frameworks that will be applied to your subject later on.

It is fairly common for the two aspects to broken up accordingly, so don't be concerned that your sup asked for this. :-)