Purpose Statements,

Research Questions, and

Objectives

Presented by:
Shella Marie C. Garcia
What are Purpose Statements, Research Questions, and Objectives?
Distinguish among purpose statements, research questions, hypotheses, and objectives

Purpose Research Hypothesis Objectives

Statement Questions
Hypotheses are statements Research objectives are the
The research question(s) in a a researcher makes about goals a researcher has for a
The purpose statement study. This component is not
provides the reader with quantitative or qualitative study the potential outcome(s) of
narrows the purpose down to a always included in a study.
the overall focus and a study based on the
specific question(s) for the examination of the
direction of a study.  researcher to find answers.
literature. 
To examine the correlation
between organizational
The purpose of this study is to What kinds of experiences commitment and the rate of
explore student experiences at a have students had while Students who have a higher college completion
university in Thailand about
completing their degree? perception of organizational
completing their tertiary commitment will also have a
degree. higher likelihood of
completing college.
Interrelating the Purpose, the Research Questions, and the Methods
• The purpose statement is the overall objective or intent of the study. In some projects it is
called the “study aim.” It is the most important statement in your qualitative study. It is a
statement that conveys the essence of a project.

• A central question is a single general question that reframes the purpose into a specific
question. This central question is the broadest question that can be asked.

• The central phenomenon is the core idea being explored in a qualitative study. It needs to
be stated in a way that is not too broad (e.g., experiences of individuals) or too narrow
(e.g., identity when at work).

• The central question can then be made more specific by writing five to seven sub-
questions that subdivide the central question into parts or topics.
Purpose Statement
• These objectives must directly address the problem and help close
the stated gap. Expressed as a formula:
 Elements to Include in a Good Purpose Statement

• Use keywords to denote to the reader that your statement is the

purpose statement.

• Use an appropriate verb tense in the statement.

• Keep the statement short and to the point.

• Use nondirectional language that opens up the responses from your

participants rather than closing them down.
 Elements to Include in a Good Purpose Statement
• Include the following elements in your statement:

◦ Mention that your study is qualitative research. Once you decide on the appropriate
qualitative design to use (see Chapter 30), you can insert the name of the design.

◦ Use an action verb to convey how you will learn about your topic, such as understand,
describe, develop, discover, or generate.

◦ State the central phenomenon. The central phenomenon is the core idea you want to
explore (e.g., being a professional, buckling under stress, tolerating ambiguity).

◦ Indicate the participants in your study. Who will be providing data in your project? If you
are gathering data from documents or audiovisual materials, these need to be specified.
 Elements to Include in a Good Purpose Statement

• Include the following elements in your statement:

(continuation)

◦ Indicate where you will gather the data—the research site. If it is a virtual
site, you could mention this fact. In some instances, it is wise to make the site
anonymous (e.g., “a large public university in the Midwest”).

◦ Provide a general definition of your central phenomenon if the term or

phrase is not self-evident to readers. You could provide a textbook definition,
a rephrased definition, or the definition you plan to use that is acceptable in
your field of study
A Suggested Script for Writing a Qualitative Purpose Statement

The elements can be put together in a “script” in which you fill in the
information on the basis of your study

The purpose of this __________ (qualitative approach) study is (was,

will be) to __________ (action verb—understand, describe, develop,
discover, etc.) __________ (the central phenomenon being studied)
for __________ (the participants) at __________ (the research site).
At this stage in the research, __________ (the central phenomenon)
will be generally defined as __________ (provide a general definition).
Example 1

Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study [qualitative

approach] was to generate a theoretical model that explores
[action verb] what low-income rural families [research site] with
young children do for fun [central phenomenon] from the
perspective of mothers [participants]. (Churchill, Plano Clark,
Prochaska-Cue, Creswell, & Ontai-Grzebik, 2007)
Example 2

Accordingly, the purpose of this multi-site qualitative

case study [qualitative approach] is to explore [action
verb] how adolescents [participants] talk about tobacco
use [central phenomenon] in their schools and in their
lives [research site]. (Plano Clark et al., 2002, pp. 1265–
1266)
Research Questions

• The research questions then narrow the purpose statement to

specific questions the qualitative researcher will answer by collecting
and analyzing data. In qualitative research, we ask research questions
rather than posing hypotheses.

• In qualitative research, we try to keep our questions as open-ended

as possible so that multiple perspectives can emerge from
participants.
Two Types of
Research 1. central question
Questions in
Qualitative 2. sub-questions
Research
The Central Question

• The central question is the broadest question that can be asked about
the topic you are studying in your qualitative project.
• It is an interrogative statement in the form of a question.
• It also does not compare groups or relate variables,
• Often it uses language that is familiar to a wide audience and is not
social or health science-oriented, it repeats some of the wording
found in the purpose statement, and it consists of logical parts.
Logical Parts of Central Questions

• The central question begins with a word such as how or what.

• It states the central phenomenon, the core idea you want to explore
in the qualitative project.

• It identifies the participants in the study, the people from whom the
data will be collected.

• It may identify the research site or the place where the study will be
undertaken. Sometimes this element is implied by the statement and
left out.
 An Ideal Order of the Central Question Elements

Position
(1) (2) (3) (4)
What Central Participants Sites
Phenomenon
What (or how) does the _______ (central phenomenon)
mean for _______ (participants) at the ________ (site)?
Sub-questions

• Sub-questions then narrow the central question

to specific aspects.
For example, the central question “What is the campus climate
toward diversity?” (diversity is the central phenomenon) might be
subdivided into several sub-questions, such as:

• “What are student attitudes on campus toward forming diverse social

groups?”

• “How is diversity encouraged by the central administration?”

• “How is diversity encouraged in the undergraduate classes on

campus?”

• “How is diversity encouraged by the campus police force?”

Figure 12.1 Relationship of Central Question to Interview Questions

How have students learned Central Research Question

qualitative research?

In the classroom? Issue

At breaks? Sub-Questions
By interaction with others? (break central Phenomenon
By reading textbook? down into parts

Interview Protocol Interview Protocol

-Tell me about your qual class. -Ice-breaker
-How did you learn? (process) - 5-7 questions – a combination of Issue/
-Where did it occur? (breaks, etc.) - procedural sub-questions
-What was the most important aspect? - Concluding question
-How do you learn best (strategies)?
 The central phenomenon is the
core idea being explored in a
qualitative study. It needs to be
stated in a way that is not too broad
The Central (e.g., experiences of individuals) or
too narrow (e.g., identity when at
Phenomenon work).
The central phenomenon is stated
within both the purpose statement
and the central question
 Here are some suggestions for identifying the central phenomenon that
may help:
• State your central phenomenon in two to three words or fewer, such as “professional
development,” “integration of technology,” or “mothering.” Make your central
phenomenon as concise as possible.

• Realize that your central phenomenon may change during your study as you collect data
and actually analyze them. It is more important that you end with a clear central
phenomenon rather than start with one.

• Settle on a label (or name) for your central phenomenon, and then stay with it. Be
consistent, and do not change the words of the central phenomenon throughout your
project, as this will confuse the reader. Use the exact same name wherever the central
phenomenon appears in your study (e.g., in the title, in the purpose statement, in your
research questions, in your conclusion).
Example of a Changing Central Phenomenon

From the abstract of a study:

• The purpose of this study is to understand how college students interact in a

diverse class taught by a White teacher.

From the introduction to the same study:

• The purpose of this qualitative study is to discover how students react to

interactions with a White instructor teaching about diversity in a college
classroom at a public four-year university in the Midwest.
Summary
It is important to write the central question clearly. A “script” can
help that includes elements of the qualitative approach, the central
phenomenon, the participants, and the research site.Remember:
The central question narrows the purpose down to a general
question that will be addressed through the data collection. This
central question is the broadest question that can be asked, and its
general nature enables participants to share multiple perspectives.
The central question further subdivides into sub-questions that are
asked in a qualitative study. A small number of sub-questions
subdivide the central phenomenon into its parts. The central
phenomenon is the key core idea being explored in a study.
 thank you
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Further Resources Consider the specific chapter on writing a purpose statement in: Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research
design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.