This paper stresses the need for a sound conceptual specification of research constructs prior to fitting them to explanatory models.
These threats should be addressed using recognised approaches, including appropriate choice of comparators, detailed understanding of the change processes at work, careful specification of research questions, and the use of falsification tests and other methods for strengthening causal attribution.
This meant that in our case, the process of developing the conceptual framework and the work on the overall programme theory followed, not preceded, the specification of research tools in the proposal submitted to the funder.
During the design stages of a trial many decisions are made that determine the relevance and conduct of the proposed research: the precise specification of the research question, including the outcomes to be measured; visit schedules; methods of data collection; recruitment and consent procedures.
We hope that this will result in better task design, improved assessment outcomes for test takers, more detailed test specifications, better replicability of research and a shared research agenda.
The construction of the questionnaire is, according to the Theory of Planned Behavior, specific to the definition of the behavior and the specification of the research population [ 33, 41].
In order to test H1, we follow the generic specification of our research model and include a broad set of control variables.
In order to test H1, we conform to the generic specification of our research model and include a broad set of control variables.
Specification of the research questions: this is considered to be the most important part of the systematic review, as these questions will guide all the following steps, as the search for primary studies, extraction and analysis of information.
CG and DO contributed to the specification of the research question and the writing of the manuscript.
