Novices’ Struggles with Conceptual and Theoretical Framing in Writing Dissertations and Papers for Publication

In this conceptual paper, we address the problem that novice scholars in social sciences sometimes have in constructing conceptual or theoretical frameworks for their dissertations and papers for publication. In the first part of the paper, we discuss why the topic is important in the high pressure...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Publications (Basel) 2015-06, Vol.3 (2), p.104-119
Main Authors: Casanave, Christine, Li, Yongyan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
conceptual framing
Experts versus novices
Graduate studies
novice researchers
qualitative research
Scholarly publishing
Social sciences
theoretical framing
theory
Writing
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Summary:In this conceptual paper, we address the problem that novice scholars in social sciences sometimes have in constructing conceptual or theoretical frameworks for their dissertations and papers for publication. In the first part of the paper, we discuss why the topic is important in the high pressure environment that novice scholars face, in which finishing a doctoral degree and getting published can make a difference in career success or failure, and explain our understanding of theoretical/conceptual framing, including provisionally defining some key terms. We then elucidate ten problems that novice scholars have with theoretical/conceptual framing, using our own experiences as manuscript reviewers and writers as examples. The paper concludes with ways that novice scholars can address the task of framing their scholarly work conceptually and theoretically, on the understanding that the struggles continue over the lifetime of a scholarly career.
ISSN:2304-6775
2304-6775
DOI:10.3390/publications3020104