What Is the Purpose of a Framework, in a Study

What is the purpose of a framework, in a study of hypoxia as a possible cause for autism in the genetically susceptible?

A) It ensures that the researcher treats the subjects with autism ethically during the study.
B) It implies that the study is well constructed and logical, and that the researcher's reasoning about causes of autism is correct.
C) The framework's relationships between autism and other concepts assist the researcher to formulate research questions and hypotheses.
D) It demonstrates for the reader where the findings of this study related to hypoxia fit into all that is known about autism.
E) It gives the reader a collection of connected ideas, from which to think about both the study and the entire research area of autism's causes.