Chapter 4: Specifying a Purpose and Research Questions or Hypotheses

• What are Purpose Statements, Research Questions, Hypotheses, and Objectives?

  • A purpose statement states the overall direction or focus of the study

  • The Research question then narrows the purpose statement to questions that the researcher intends to answer and drives the methods of the study

  • Hypotheses are used when investigators make a prediction about the outcome of a relationship among attributes or characteristics

  • Research Objectives are the statement of intent that specifies the goals the investigator plans to achieve

• Why are they important?

  • They provide key components of understanding the results of a project while also addressing the simple central ideas

• Quantitative Purpose Statements, Research Questions, and hypotheses?

  • Identify the primary types of variables (a characteristic of an individual or organization that can be measured or observed):

    • independent (characteristic that influences an outcome or dependent variable)

      • Control variable (Measured for the purposes of eliminating it as a possibility)

      • Treatment Variable (comparing two groups who have been treated to different activities)

      • Moderating Variable (combination of two independent variables)

    • dependent (characteristic that is dependent on or influenced by the independent variable)

    • mediating (sometimes exists and sometimes does not, acts as the bridge between the two variables)

  • Researchers often use theories to test the relationship among variables

  • When writing a purpose statement, you must identify the variables, their relationship, the participants and site for research

  • When writing research questions, begin with “how”, “what”, or “why”

  • When writing hypotheses, narrow the focus of the study to at least one that provides a prediction about the outcome

• Qualitative Purpose Statement and Research Questions

  • Hypotheses and variables are not used. Only Research Questions

  • Based around a central phenomenon (a concept or process that is explored)

  • Researchers seek a deep understanding of the views of one group or single individuals rather than comparing groups or variables.

  • Writing purpose statements

    • use words like, “The purpose of this study is…

    • mention the participants and research site

    • Use words that convey exploration

  • Writing research questions

    • Use open-ended, general questions

    • Ask only a few

    • Design and write two types (central and subquestions)

      • Central- the overarching question you explore in your study

        • Begin with “how” or “what”

      • Subquestions

        • Issue

          • subdivides the central question into detailed questions

        • Procedural

          • subdivides the central question into steps for data collection

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