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Cited by 683Methodologies in Health Research and PracticeQualitative Research Methods and ApplicationsEducational Research and Methods

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 21 of the 21 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Distinctions Between Theory, Theoretical Framework, and Conceptual Framework

Varpio, Lara, Paradis, Elise, Uijtdehaage, Sebastian, Young, Meredith·2020·Academic Medicine
DOI 10.1097/acm.0000000000003075
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Abstract

Health professions education (HPE) researchers are regularly asked to articulate their use of theory, theoretical frameworks, and conceptual frameworks in their research. However, all too often, these words are used interchangeably or without a clear understanding of the differences between these concepts. Further problematizing this situation is the fact that theory, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework are terms that are used in different ways in different research approaches. In this article, the authors set out to clarify the meaning of these terms and to describe how they are used in 2 approaches to research commonly used in HPE: the objectivist deductive approach (from theory to data) and the subjectivist inductive approach (from data to theory). In addition to this, given that within subjectivist inductive research theory, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework can be used in different ways, they describe 3 uses that HPE researchers frequently rely on: fully inductive theory development, fully theory-informed inductive, and theory-informing inductive data analysis.

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Grant, 2014, Understanding, selection, and integrating a theoretical framework in dissertation research: Creating the blueprint for your “house.”, Adm Issues J: Connect Educ Pract Res, 4, 12

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Metadata

Authors
Varpio, L., Paradis, E., Uijtdehaage, S., & Young, M.
Affiliations
  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (US)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • McGill University (CA)
Corresponding author
Varpio, Lara
ORCID
Venue
Academic Medicine
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2019-11-12
Volume
95
Issue
7
Pages
989-994
ISSN
1040-2446 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/acm.0000000000003075
OpenAlex
W2983904256
Cited by
681
References
21
Citations by year
2026: 117 · 2025: 130 · 2024: 118 · 2023: 136 · 2022: 103 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 1
FWCI
49.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Academic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Research and Theory › Methodologies in Health Research and Practice
  • Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Education › Educational Research and Methods
Keywords
theory, theoretical framework, conceptual framework, health professions education research
MeSH terms
Concept Formation, Health Occupations, Humans, Models, Theoretical, Research Design, Qualitative Research

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