Relationship between the preliminary review of literature, problem statements, and conceptual framework of study in quantitative research methodology

 Preliminary Review of Literature

Literature review is a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated (Rocco & Plakhotnik, 2009).  According to Pokhrel and Chhetri (2021), literature review surveys from various sources such as articles, books, and documents to generate constructs of chosen area of research. The scholar, Creswell (2002) stated that literature review helps to determine whether the topic is worth studying, and it provides insight into ways in which the researcher can limit the scope to a needed area of inquiry. Some of scholars as Hart (2018); Maxwell (2012); Kothari (2004) noted that research study commences with a review of literature with the objective of establishing a detailed stock of conceptual and evidence-based knowledge related to the concerned theme of study.

Thus, review of literature should enumerate, describe, summarize and clarify the previous studies, and the preliminary literature review section presents the initial conceptual framework to focus the study. It identifies the need for the study by identifying gaps in knowledge.

Problem Statement

According to Creswell (2013), problem statement is a short statement describing the problems that is required to be addressed, which serves as basis of study. Rocco and Plakhotnik (2009) claimed problem statement is a concise description of the problem or issues a project seeks to address. In (Nenty, 2009; Baron, 2008), scholars have claimed that a problem statement is an important communication tool that can help ensure everyone working on a project knows what the problem they need to address is and why the project is important. A problem statement is a concise description of a problem to be addressed or a condition to be improved upon that identifies the gap between the current state and desired state of a process or product (Chawla & Sodhi, 2011)

Thus, a statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study. A good research problem should address an existing gap in knowledge in the field and lead to further research.

Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework is a synthesis of interrelated components and variables which help in solving a real-world problem. It is the final lens used for viewing the deductive resolution of an identified issue (Imenda, 2014). According to Tamene (2016), a conceptual framework represents the researcher’s synthesis of the literature on how to explain a phenomenon It maps out the actions required in the course of the study, given his previous knowledge of other researchers’ point of view and his observations on the subject of research. The conceptual framework relates concepts, empirical research, and relevant theories to advance and systematize knowledge about related concepts or issues (Watson, 2007).  In addition Vinz (2020) recalled the conceptual framework as concepts in our research, proposes relations between them, and discusses relevant theories based on a literature review with strongly giving our research direction, allowing us to convincingly interpret, explain and generalize from our findings.

Thus, from all above statement, the conceptual framework is a visual tool that helps you analyze and get a comprehensive understanding. This analytical tool can be used in different variations and contacts, so it is useful in many fields of work. It is commonly used to visually explain systems, relationships, concepts, and ideas in an organized way.

Relationship between preliminary literature review, problem statement, and conceptual framework

By the study of Hart (2018), Creswell (2013), Maxwell (2012), Rocco and Plakhotnik (2009), and Kothari (2004), the research study commences with a review of literature with the objective of establishing a detailed conceptual and evidence-based knowledge related to the concerned theme of study. And, it enumerates, describe, summarize and clarify the previous studies, and the preliminary literature review section presents the initial conceptual framework to focus the study. It identifies the need for the study by identifying gaps in knowledge. Also in Creswell (2013), Chawla and Sodhi (2011), Baron (2008), Rocco and Plakhotnik (2009), and Nenty (2009), the problem of statement is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study. A good research problem should address an existing gap in knowledge in the field and lead to further research. Also, conceptual framework is a visual tool that helps you analyze and get a comprehensive understanding. This analytical tool can be used in different variations and contacts, so it is useful in many fields of work. In this quote, the problem statement can precede or follow the literature review, and conceptual framework. When the problem statements are presented, the literature review or conceptual framework that supports the problem follows. The problem statement flows from the literature review or conceptual framework. The conceptual framework is used gradually refines and narrows the topic to an identifiable gap in what is known about the topic. The gap is then articulated into a problem statement of a few paragraphs in length that clearly delineates what the field needs to investigate. Conceptual framework also builds the case for the research problem in the beginning of the paper, gradually narrowing the focus of the paper to end with a problem statement, which concludes with the purpose of the paper and this can be followed by research questions or propositions and then the research design.

The purpose of the literature review is to determine if a topic is researchable, to report the results of closely related studies, and to establish the importance of the current study in relationship to previous studies. The literature review might be seen as casting a broad net around an area to explore the topic.

Conclusions

In summary, a clear understanding of the relationship among the literature review, problem statement, and conceptual framework provides better guidance for organizing, conceptualizing, and conducting research. Since, research is the systematic and scientific inquiry of a subject or a problem in order to explore relevant information, in quantitative research, review of literature is very important task for identifying the research gap, expanding the body of knowledge of researcher, crafting main constructs of the study in chosen area of research and designing overall conceptual framework of the study. Defining the problem and crafting conceptual framework need review of literature. Thus, there is triangular relationship between statement of problem, review of literature and conceptual framework of the study to accomplish the research work.

 

 

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