The more hours a student studies, the more practice problems they will complete the more practice problems completed, the higher the student’s exam score will be. In this case, the mediator helps explain why studying more hours leads to a higher exam score. Here’s how the conceptual framework might look if a mediator variable were involved: Hours of study impacts the number of practice problems, which in turn impacts the exam score. Example: MediatorThe mediating variable of “number of practice problems completed” comes between the independent and dependent variables. Mediating variables link the independent and dependent variables, allowing the relationship between them to be better explained.

Now we’ll expand the framework by adding a mediating variable. Here, we see that a moderating variable does indeed change the cause-and-effect relationship between two variables. A student with this IQ will only need to invest five hours of study in order to get a perfect score. A student with this IQ will achieve a perfect score after just 15 hours of study.īelow, the value of the “IQ” moderator has been increased to 150. Here, a student who studies for 20 hours will get a perfect score.īut the graph looks different when we add our “IQ” moderator of 120. As expected, the more hours you study, the better your results. The graph below shows how the number of hours spent studying affects exam score. Let’s take a look at how this might work. We expect that the “IQ” moderator moderates the effect that the number of study hours has on the exam score. The higher the IQ, the fewer hours of study are needed to do well on the exam. Let’s add the moderator “IQ.” Here, a student’s IQ level can change the effect that the variable “hours of study” has on the exam score. Example: ModeratorWe expect that the number of hours a student studies is related to their exam score-i.e., the more you prepare, the higher your score will be. In other words, moderators change the “effect” component of the cause-and-effect relationship. Moderating variable (or moderators) alter the effect that an independent variable has on a dependent variable. Some common variables to include are moderating, mediating, and control variables. It’s crucial to identify other variables that can influence the relationship between your independent and dependent variables early in your research process. Step 4: Identify other influencing variables To indicate a causal relationship, each arrow should start from the independent variable (the cause) and point to the dependent variable (the effect).

We demonstrate this using basic design components of boxes and arrows. Now that you’ve figured out your research question and variables, the first step in designing your conceptual framework is visualizing your expected cause-and-effect relationship. Step 3: Visualize your cause-and-effect relationship For the purpose of this example, we’ll work with just one independent variable (“hours of study”). Note that causal relationships often involve several independent variables that affect the dependent variable. In other words, you suspect that “exam score” depends on “hours of study.” Thus, your hypothesis will be that the more hours a student studies, the better they will do on the exam. The expected effect, “exam score,” is the dependent variable (the response, or outcome variable).The expected cause, “hours of study,” is the independent variable (the predictor, or explanatory variable).

In order to move forward with your research question and test a cause-and-effect relationship, you must first identify at least two key variables: your independent and dependent variables. Step 2: Select your independent and dependent variables This will help you map out which variables you will measure and how you expect them to relate to one another. However, before you start collecting your data, consider constructing a conceptual framework. To investigate this question, you can use methods such as an experiment or a survey to test the relationship between variables. Example: Research questionLet’s say you want to study whether students who study more hours get higher exam scores.

Your research question guides your work by determining exactly what you want to find out, giving your research process a clear focus. Developing a conceptual framework in researchĪ conceptual framework is a representation of the relationship you expect to see between your variables, or the characteristics or properties that you want to study.Ĭonceptual frameworks can be written or visual and are generally developed based on a literature review of existing studies about your topic.

Package diagram visual paradigm