Top 10 Ways to Support Theory of Research in PhD Dissertation

Dissertations are often very long pieces of written documents. The content and all the research in a dissertation are original. Therefore, supporting the theory of research in them can be a hectic job due to complexities. A researcher has to work very hard in order to find relevant data and build a theoretical framework. Today’s discussion will be centric on supporting the theory of research in a dissertation. Moreover, it will discuss what a theoretical framework is and what it should include. So, let’s begin our discussion with the definition of research theory.

A research theory is a carefully thought-out explanation of observations. The researcher often observes a phenomenon of the natural world. Based on his observations, he formulates a theory about that particular phenomenon. The theory of research means working on that theory to extract more knowledge from it. The researchers study the facts and the hypotheses formulated from those theories.

Researchers also formulate theories to challenge and expand existing knowledge. To support a research theory, the investigator first builds a theoretical framework. It is the structure that can hold or support a research theory. Before moving towards more details of the theoretical framework, let’s see how research theory is formulated.

How Do You Present A Research Theory?

Presenting a theory of research can be a daunting task. It is a matter of using the right approach and taking the correct steps. Below is an explanation of some of the things you must keep in your mind.

Clearly describe the concepts

While presenting any theory, being clear in all its concepts is necessary. Without this, a researcher can neither present the theory nor conduct research. This step also includes identifying the key theories in your field of study, specifically those that relate to your research. Every researcher develops his own framework while working on the theories. Therefore, taking a look at those models and concepts can help you immensely in presenting your theory of research. You can even get PhD dissertation writing services from a reliable firm like Cheap Essay Writing UK.

Position your theory within a broader context

The next step in presenting research theory is hitting the broader context. You should not choose the framework straightaway when hundreds of theories are out there. Therefore, always position your theory within a broader context.

Also, after selecting a particular theory, you should be able to support your theory of research in a dissertation. Without proper support and clear goals, nothing can go in your favour.

Use past tense

As you are talking about the theories of the past, using the past tense is necessary. The present tense is only used when you are building a framework. However, a mixture of both past and present tense is also used when needed. But generally, past tense is used when presenting a theory of research.

Make theoretical assumptions explicit

The methodological section in a dissertation should link back to the research theory. Here the assumptions should be very explicit and open. Making assumptions as straightforward as possible also makes you better present the theory of research. It allows you to understand the methods and methodology of the theory effectively.

Do not just take what the theory says

Reality is never accurately presented in any theory or written work. There are always some glitches and mistakes in the theory. You are also studying those glitches and trying to rectify them. Therefore, you should not take immediately what the theory says. Always take some time to understand and then decide according to the demands of your dissertation.

You should always note the limitations of a study. It includes studying those parts of the theory that require some further investigation.

What Should A Theoretical Framework Include?

A theoretical framework is used to hold and support a theory of research. A theoretical framework must include some basic things, which are as follows;

Details of the concepts

A theoretical framework must include all the details of the concepts and theories. All the definitions and the details of the models must be in it. For example, your dissertation is about the relationship between cultural values and communication skills (CS). In your framework, there must be details about all the communication skills. The details of their influence on the culture are also very important. Therefore, the first thing that theoretical frameworks include is the concept details and definitions.

Existing theories

The next thing is explaining the existing theories. Every dissertation topic has some kind of relevant old research data, which may be existing theories. The framework should include details about those theories.

Relation of your theory of research with the existing research is also important. There must be a relationship between your theory and the existing theories. Therefore, demonstrating relevant theories is essential in this regard. It enables you to clearly understand what is known and what needs to be explored.

Research the literature

A theoretical framework is not something that is readily available. It includes thorough research before coming to a conclusion. Thorough research and pertinent exploration of the relevant sources help you find a model that relates to your theory of research. The selection of a theoretical framework includes checking for its completeness and ease of application.

Not many theories

You can use as many relevant theories as you want. Most of the researchers deny this statement and say that they do not use more than two theories. Thus, a theoretical framework must include only two theories of research.

An example framework

The theoretical frameworks change with the researcher. Every researcher has to develop their own framework, but an example is below;

Conclusion

Supporting and writing a theory of research in PhD dissertation can be a daunting task in terms of the dissertation. At the same time, this activity can be fun with some proper guidelines. The above-described guidelines can be very helpful in structuring a theoretical framework. The example of the framework above is also a very good depiction. You can take help from it in case of any difficulty.