MELODY B. PLAZA - THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES.pptx

research

1. THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Report By: MELODY B. PLAZA

2. Research is at the center of everything researchers do, and setting clear, well-defined research objectives plays a pivotal role in guiding scholars toward their desired outcomes. Research papers are essential instruments for researchers to effectively communicate their work. Among the many sections that constitute a research paper, the introduction plays a key role in providing a background and setting the context

3. Research objectives, which define the aims of the study, are usually stated in the introduction. Every study has a research question that the authors are trying to answer, and the objective is an active statement about how the study will answer this research question. These objectives help guide the development and design of the study and steer the research in the appropriate direction; if this is not clearly defined, a project can fail!

4. Research studies have a research question, research hypothesis, and one or more research objectives. A research question is what a study aims to answer, and a research hypothesis is a predictive statement about the relationship between two or more variables, which the study sets out to prove or disprove. Objectives are specific, measurable goals that the study aims to achieve. The difference between these three is illustrated by the following example:

5. Research question : How does low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) compare with a placebo device in managing the symptoms of skeletally mature patients with patellar tendinopathy ? Research hypothesis : Pain levels are reduced in patients who receive daily active-LIPUS (treatment) for 12 weeks compared with individuals who receive inactive-LIPUS (placebo). Research objective : To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy symptoms.

6. Wh y are research objectives important ? Objectives can help you stay focused and steer your research in the required direction. They help define and limit the scope of your research, which is important to efficiently manage your resources and time. The objectives help to create and maintain the overall structure, and specify two main things—the variables and the methods of quantifying the variables.

7. A good research objective: defines the scope of the study gives direction to the research helps maintain focus and avoid diversions from the topic minimizes wastage of resources like time, money, and energy

8. Types of research objectives Research objectives can be broadly classified into  general and specific objectives .  General objectives state what the research expects to achieve overall while specific objectives break this down into smaller, logically connected parts, each of which addresses various parts of the research problem. General objectives are the main goals of the study and are usually fewer in number while specific objectives are more in number because they address several aspects of the research problem.

9. Example (general objective):  To investigate the factors influencing the financial performance of firms listed in the New York Stock Exchange market. Example (specific objective):  To assess the influence of firm size on the financial performance of firms listed in the New York Stock Exchange market .

10. Types of research   objectives Exploratory- Explores a previously unstudied topic, issue, or phenomenon; aims to generate ideas or hypotheses. Descriptive- Describes the characteristics and features of a particular population or group. Explanatory- Explains the relationships between variables; seeks to identify cause-and-effect relationships.

11. 4. Predictive- Predicts future outcomes or events based on existing data samples or trends. 5. Diagnostic- Identifies factors contributing to a particular problem. 6. Comparative- Compares two or more groups or phenomena to identify similarities and differences

12. Characteristics of research objectives Research objectives must start with the word “To” because this helps readers identify the objective in the absence of headings and appropriate sectioning in research papers. A good objective is SMART (mostly applicable to specific objectives): Specific—clear about the what, why, when, and how Measurable—identifies the main variables of the study and quantifies the targets Achievable—attainable using the available time and resources Realistic—accurately addresses the scope of the problem Time-bound—identifies the time in which each step will be completed Research objectives clarify the purpose of research. They help understand the relationship and dissimilarities between variables. They provide a direction that helps the research to reach a definite conclusion.

13. How to write research objectives? Research objectives can be written using the following steps: Brainstorming your objectives State your main research question clearly and concisely. Describe the ultimate goal of your study, which is similar to the research question but states the intended outcomes more definitively. Divide this main goal into subcategories to develop your objectives. Limit the number of objectives (1-2 general; 3-4 specific) Assess each objective using the SMART

14. Using the right language Start each objective with an action verb like assess, compare, determine, evaluate, etc., which makes the research appear more actionable. Use specific language without making the sentence data heavy.

15. Writing the research objectives The most common section to add the objectives is the introduction and after the problem statement. Add the objectives to the abstract (if there is one). State the general objective first, followed by the specific objective

16. Formulating research objectives Formulating research objectives Formulating research objectives has the following five steps, which could help researchers develop a clear objective: 8 Identify the research problem. Review past studies on subjects similar to your problem statement, that is, studies that use similar methods, variables, etc. Identify the research gaps the current study should cover based on your literature review. These gaps could be theoretical, methodological, or conceptual.

17. Define the research question(s) based on the gaps identified. Revise/relate the research problem based on the defined research question and the gaps identified. This is to confirm that there is an actual need for a study on the subject based on the gaps in literature. Identify and write the general and specific objectives. Incorporate the objectives into the study.

18. Advantages of research objectives Adding clear research objectives has the following advantages: Maintains the focus and direction of the research Optimizes allocation of resources with minimal wastage Saves time

19. Acts as a foundation for defining appropriate research questions and hypotheses Provides measurable outcomes that can help evaluate the success of the research Determines the feasibility of the research by helping to assess the availability of required resources Ensures relevance of the study to the subject and its contribution to existing literature

20. Disadvantages of research objectives Research objectives also have few disadvantages, as listed below: 8 Absence of clearly defined objectives can lead to ambiguity in the research process Unintentional bias could affect the validity and accuracy of the research findings.

21. Statement of the Problem

22. A  statement of the problem   is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study. briefly addresses the question: What is the problem that the research will address ?

23. What are the goals of a statement of the problem? The ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision-making .

24. Writing a statement of the problem should help you clearly identify the purpose of the research project you will propose. Often, the statement of the problem will also serve as the basis for the introductory section of your final proposal, directing your reader’s attention quickly to the issues that your proposed project will address and providing the reader with a concise statement of the proposed project itself.

25. A statement of problem need not be long and elaborate: one page is more than enough for a good statement of problem. What are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem?

26. What are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem ? A good research problem should have the following characteristics: It should address a gap in knowledge. It should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research It should lead to further research The problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data It should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources The approach towards solving the problem should be ethical

27. What is the format for writing a statement of the problem? A persuasive statement of problem is usually written in three parts: Part A (The ideal):  Describes a desired goal or ideal situation; explains how things should be. Part B (The reality):  Describes a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value in Part A from being achieved or realized at this time; explains how the current situation falls short of the goal or ideal . Part C   (The consequences):  Identifies the way you propose to improve the current situation and move it closer to the goal or ideal.

28. THANK YOU ….