how do you write a research aim

Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

The “Golden Thread” Explained Simply (+ Examples)

By: David Phair (PhD) and Alexandra Shaeffer (PhD) | June 2022

The research aims , objectives and research questions (collectively called the “golden thread”) are arguably the most important thing you need to get right when you’re crafting a research proposal , dissertation or thesis . We receive questions almost every day about this “holy trinity” of research and there’s certainly a lot of confusion out there, so we’ve crafted this post to help you navigate your way through the fog.

Overview: The Golden Thread

What is the golden thread
What are research aims ( examples )
What are research objectives ( examples )
What are research questions ( examples )
The importance of alignment in the golden thread

What is the “golden thread”?

The golden thread simply refers to the collective research aims , research objectives , and research questions for any given project (i.e., a dissertation, thesis, or research paper ). These three elements are bundled together because it’s extremely important that they align with each other, and that the entire research project aligns with them.

Importantly, the golden thread needs to weave its way through the entirety of any research project , from start to end. In other words, it needs to be very clearly defined right at the beginning of the project (the topic ideation and proposal stage) and it needs to inform almost every decision throughout the rest of the project. For example, your research design and methodology will be heavily influenced by the golden thread (we’ll explain this in more detail later), as well as your literature review.

The research aims, objectives and research questions (the golden thread) define the focus and scope ( the delimitations ) of your research project. In other words, they help ringfence your dissertation or thesis to a relatively narrow domain, so that you can “go deep” and really dig into a specific problem or opportunity. They also help keep you on track , as they act as a litmus test for relevance. In other words, if you’re ever unsure whether to include something in your document, simply ask yourself the question, “does this contribute toward my research aims, objectives or questions?”. If it doesn’t, chances are you can drop it.

Alright, enough of the fluffy, conceptual stuff. Let’s get down to business and look at what exactly the research aims, objectives and questions are and outline a few examples to bring these concepts to life.

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Research Aims: What are they?

Simply put, the research aim(s) is a statement that reflects the broad overarching goal (s) of the research project. Research aims are fairly high-level (low resolution) as they outline the general direction of the research and what it’s trying to achieve .

Research Aims: Examples

True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording “this research aims to…”, “this research seeks to…”, and so on. For example:

“This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.” “This study sets out to assess the interaction between student support and self-care on well-being in engineering graduate students”

As you can see, these research aims provide a high-level description of what the study is about and what it seeks to achieve. They’re not hyper-specific or action-oriented, but they’re clear about what the study’s focus is and what is being investigated.

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Research Objectives: What are they?

The research objectives take the research aims and make them more practical and actionable . In other words, the research objectives showcase the steps that the researcher will take to achieve the research aims.

The research objectives need to be far more specific (higher resolution) and actionable than the research aims. In fact, it’s always a good idea to craft your research objectives using the “SMART” criteria. In other words, they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound”.

Research Objectives: Examples

Let’s look at two examples of research objectives. We’ll stick with the topic and research aims we mentioned previously.

For the digital transformation topic:

To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation. To assess employee perceptions of digital transformation in retail HR. To identify the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR.

And for the student wellness topic:

To determine whether student self-care predicts the well-being score of engineering graduate students. To determine whether student support predicts the well-being score of engineering students. To assess the interaction between student self-care and student support when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students.

As you can see, these research objectives clearly align with the previously mentioned research aims and effectively translate the low-resolution aims into (comparatively) higher-resolution objectives and action points . They give the research project a clear focus and present something that resembles a research-based “to-do” list.

The research objectives detail the specific steps that you, as the researcher, will take to achieve the research aims you laid out.

Research Questions: What are they?

Finally, we arrive at the all-important research questions. The research questions are, as the name suggests, the key questions that your study will seek to answer . Simply put, they are the core purpose of your dissertation, thesis, or research project. You’ll present them at the beginning of your document (either in the introduction chapter or literature review chapter) and you’ll answer them at the end of your document (typically in the discussion and conclusion chapters).

The research questions will be the driving force throughout the research process. For example, in the literature review chapter, you’ll assess the relevance of any given resource based on whether it helps you move towards answering your research questions. Similarly, your methodology and research design will be heavily influenced by the nature of your research questions. For instance, research questions that are exploratory in nature will usually make use of a qualitative approach, whereas questions that relate to measurement or relationship testing will make use of a quantitative approach.

Let’s look at some examples of research questions to make this more tangible.

Research Questions: Examples

Again, we’ll stick with the research aims and research objectives we mentioned previously.

For the digital transformation topic (which would be qualitative in nature):

How do employees perceive digital transformation in retail HR? What are the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR?

And for the student wellness topic (which would be quantitative in nature):

Does student self-care predict the well-being scores of engineering graduate students? Does student support predict the well-being scores of engineering students? Do student self-care and student support interact when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students?

You’ll probably notice that there’s quite a formulaic approach to this. In other words, the research questions are basically the research objectives “converted” into question format. While that is true most of the time, it’s not always the case. For example, the first research objective for the digital transformation topic was more or less a step on the path toward the other objectives, and as such, it didn’t warrant its own research question.

So, don’t rush your research questions and sloppily reword your objectives as questions. Carefully think about what exactly you’re trying to achieve (i.e. your research aim) and the objectives you’ve set out, then craft a set of well-aligned research questions . Also, keep in mind that this can be a somewhat iterative process , where you go back and tweak research objectives and aims to ensure tight alignment throughout the golden thread.

The importance of strong alignment

Alignment is the keyword here and we have to stress its importance . Simply put, you need to make sure that there is a very tight alignment between all three pieces of the golden thread. If your research aims and research questions don’t align, for example, your project will be pulling in different directions and will lack focus . This is a common problem students face and can cause many headaches (and tears), so be warned.

Take the time to carefully craft your research aims, objectives and research questions before you run off down the research path. Ideally, get your research supervisor/advisor to review and comment on your golden thread before you invest significant time into your project, and certainly before you start collecting data .

Recap: The golden thread

In this post, we unpacked the golden thread of research, consisting of the research aims , research objectives and research questions . You can jump back to any section using the links below.

As always, feel free to leave a comment below – we always love to hear from you. Also, if you’re interested in 1-on-1 support, take a look at our private coaching service here.

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39 Comments

Thank you very much for your great effort put. As an Undergraduate taking Demographic Research & Methodology, I’ve been trying so hard to understand clearly what is a Research Question, Research Aim and the Objectives in a research and the relationship between them etc. But as for now I’m thankful that you’ve solved my problem.

Well appreciated. This has helped me greatly in doing my dissertation.

An so delighted with this wonderful information thank you a lot.

so impressive i have benefited a lot looking forward to learn more on research.

I am very happy to have carefully gone through this well researched article.

Infact,I used to be phobia about anything research, because of my poor understanding of the concepts.

Now,I get to know that my research question is the same as my research objective(s) rephrased in question format.

I please I would need a follow up on the subject,as I intends to join the team of researchers. Thanks once again.

Thanks so much. This was really helpful.

I know you pepole have tried to break things into more understandable and easy format. And God bless you. Keep it up

i found this document so useful towards my study in research methods. thanks so much.

This is my 2nd read topic in your course and I should commend the simplified explanations of each part. I’m beginning to understand and absorb the use of each part of a dissertation/thesis. I’ll keep on reading your free course and might be able to avail the training course! Kudos!

Thank you! Better put that my lecture and helped to easily understand the basics which I feel often get brushed over when beginning dissertation work.

This is quite helpful. I like how the Golden thread has been explained and the needed alignment.

This is quite helpful. I really appreciate!

The article made it simple for researcher students to differentiate between three concepts.

Very innovative and educational in approach to conducting research.

I am very impressed with all these terminology, as I am a fresh student for post graduate, I am highly guided and I promised to continue making consultation when the need arise. Thanks a lot.

A very helpful piece. thanks, I really appreciate it .

Very well explained, and it might be helpful to many people like me.

Wish i had found this (and other) resource(s) at the beginning of my PhD journey… not in my writing up year… 😩 Anyways… just a quick question as i’m having some issues ordering my “golden thread”…. does it matter in what order you mention them? i.e., is it always first aims, then objectives, and finally the questions? or can you first mention the research questions and then the aims and objectives?

Thank you for a very simple explanation that builds upon the concepts in a very logical manner. Just prior to this, I read the research hypothesis article, which was equally very good. This met my primary objective.

My secondary objective was to understand the difference between research questions and research hypothesis, and in which context to use which one. However, I am still not clear on this. Can you kindly please guide?

In research, a research question is a clear and specific inquiry that the researcher wants to answer, while a research hypothesis is a tentative statement or prediction about the relationship between variables or the expected outcome of the study. Research questions are broader and guide the overall study, while hypotheses are specific and testable statements used in quantitative research. Research questions identify the problem, while hypotheses provide a focus for testing in the study.

Exactly what I need in this research journey, I look forward to more of your coaching videos.

This helped a lot. Thanks so much for the effort put into explaining it.

What data source in writing dissertation/Thesis requires?

What is data source covers when writing dessertation/thesis

This is quite useful thanks

I’m excited and thankful. I got so much value which will help me progress in my thesis.

where are the locations of the reserch statement, research objective and research question in a reserach paper? Can you write an ouline that defines their places in the researh paper?

Very helpful and important tips on Aims, Objectives and Questions.

Thank you so much for making research aim, research objectives and research question so clear. This will be helpful to me as i continue with my thesis.

Thanks much for this content. I learned a lot. And I am inspired to learn more. I am still struggling with my preparation for dissertation outline/proposal. But I consistently follow contents and tutorials and the new FB of GRAD Coach. Hope to really become confident in writing my dissertation and successfully defend it.

As a researcher and lecturer, I find splitting research goals into research aims, objectives, and questions is unnecessarily bureaucratic and confusing for students. For most biomedical research projects, including ‘real research’, 1-3 research questions will suffice (numbers may differ by discipline).

Awesome! Very important resources and presented in an informative way to easily understand the golden thread. Indeed, thank you so much.

Well explained

The blog article on research aims, objectives, and questions by Grad Coach is a clear and insightful guide that aligns with my experiences in academic research. The article effectively breaks down the often complex concepts of research aims and objectives, providing a straightforward and accessible explanation. Drawing from my own research endeavors, I appreciate the practical tips offered, such as the need for specificity and clarity when formulating research questions. The article serves as a valuable resource for students and researchers, offering a concise roadmap for crafting well-defined research goals and objectives. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced researcher, this article provides practical insights that contribute to the foundational aspects of a successful research endeavor.

A great thanks for you. it is really amazing explanation. I grasp a lot and one step up to research knowledge.

I really found these tips helpful. Thank you very much Grad Coach.

I found this article helpful. Thanks for sharing this.

thank you so much, the explanation and examples are really helpful

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Aims and Objectives – A Guide for Academic Writing
Doing a PhD

One of the most important aspects of a thesis, dissertation or research paper is the correct formulation of the aims and objectives. This is because your aims and objectives will establish the scope, depth and direction that your research will ultimately take. An effective set of aims and objectives will give your research focus and your reader clarity, with your aims indicating what is to be achieved, and your objectives indicating how it will be achieved.

Introduction

There is no getting away from the importance of the aims and objectives in determining the success of your research project. Unfortunately, however, it is an aspect that many students struggle with, and ultimately end up doing poorly. Given their importance, if you suspect that there is even the smallest possibility that you belong to this group of students, we strongly recommend you read this page in full.

This page describes what research aims and objectives are, how they differ from each other, how to write them correctly, and the common mistakes students make and how to avoid them. An example of a good aim and objectives from a past thesis has also been deconstructed to help your understanding.

What Are Aims and Objectives?

Research aims.

A research aim describes the main goal or the overarching purpose of your research project.

In doing so, it acts as a focal point for your research and provides your readers with clarity as to what your study is all about. Because of this, research aims are almost always located within its own subsection under the introduction section of a research document, regardless of whether it’s a thesis , a dissertation, or a research paper .

A research aim is usually formulated as a broad statement of the main goal of the research and can range in length from a single sentence to a short paragraph. Although the exact format may vary according to preference, they should all describe why your research is needed (i.e. the context), what it sets out to accomplish (the actual aim) and, briefly, how it intends to accomplish it (overview of your objectives).

To give an example, we have extracted the following research aim from a real PhD thesis:

Example of a Research Aim

The role of diametrical cup deformation as a factor to unsatisfactory implant performance has not been widely reported. The aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the diametrical deformation behaviour of acetabular cups and shells following impaction into the reamed acetabulum. The influence of a range of factors on deformation was investigated to ascertain if cup and shell deformation may be high enough to potentially contribute to early failure and high wear rates in metal-on-metal implants.

Note: Extracted with permission from thesis titled “T he Impact And Deformation Of Press-Fit Metal Acetabular Components ” produced by Dr H Hothi of previously Queen Mary University of London.

Research Objectives

Where a research aim specifies what your study will answer, research objectives specify how your study will answer it.

They divide your research aim into several smaller parts, each of which represents a key section of your research project. As a result, almost all research objectives take the form of a numbered list, with each item usually receiving its own chapter in a dissertation or thesis.

Following the example of the research aim shared above, here are it’s real research objectives as an example:

Example of a Research Objective

Develop finite element models using explicit dynamics to mimic mallet blows during cup/shell insertion, initially using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum.
Investigate the number, velocity and position of impacts needed to insert a cup.
Determine the relationship between the size of interference between the cup and cavity and deformation for different cup types.
Investigate the influence of non-uniform cup support and varying the orientation of the component in the cavity on deformation.
Examine the influence of errors during reaming of the acetabulum which introduce ovality to the cavity.
Determine the relationship between changes in the geometry of the component and deformation for different cup designs.
Develop three dimensional pelvis models with non-uniform bone material properties from a range of patients with varying bone quality.
Use the key parameters that influence deformation, as identified in the foam models to determine the range of deformations that may occur clinically using the anatomic models and if these deformations are clinically significant.

It’s worth noting that researchers sometimes use research questions instead of research objectives, or in other cases both. From a high-level perspective, research questions and research objectives make the same statements, but just in different formats.

Taking the first three research objectives as an example, they can be restructured into research questions as follows:

Restructuring Research Objectives as Research Questions

Can finite element models using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum together with explicit dynamics be used to mimic mallet blows during cup/shell insertion?
What is the number, velocity and position of impacts needed to insert a cup?
What is the relationship between the size of interference between the cup and cavity and deformation for different cup types?

Difference Between Aims and Objectives

Hopefully the above explanations make clear the differences between aims and objectives, but to clarify:

The research aim focus on what the research project is intended to achieve; research objectives focus on how the aim will be achieved.
Research aims are relatively broad; research objectives are specific.
Research aims focus on a project’s long-term outcomes; research objectives focus on its immediate, short-term outcomes.
A research aim can be written in a single sentence or short paragraph; research objectives should be written as a numbered list.

How to Write Aims and Objectives

Before we discuss how to write a clear set of research aims and objectives, we should make it clear that there is no single way they must be written. Each researcher will approach their aims and objectives slightly differently, and often your supervisor will influence the formulation of yours on the basis of their own preferences.

Regardless, there are some basic principles that you should observe for good practice; these principles are described below.

Your aim should be made up of three parts that answer the below questions:

Why is this research required?
What is this research about?
How are you going to do it?

The easiest way to achieve this would be to address each question in its own sentence, although it does not matter whether you combine them or write multiple sentences for each, the key is to address each one.

The first question, why , provides context to your research project, the second question, what , describes the aim of your research, and the last question, how , acts as an introduction to your objectives which will immediately follow.

Scroll through the image set below to see the ‘why, what and how’ associated with our research aim example.

Note: Your research aims need not be limited to one. Some individuals per to define one broad ‘overarching aim’ of a project and then adopt two or three specific research aims for their thesis or dissertation. Remember, however, that in order for your assessors to consider your research project complete, you will need to prove you have fulfilled all of the aims you set out to achieve. Therefore, while having more than one research aim is not necessarily disadvantageous, consider whether a single overarching one will do.

Research Objectives

Each of your research objectives should be SMART :

Specific – is there any ambiguity in the action you are going to undertake, or is it focused and well-defined?
Measurable – how will you measure progress and determine when you have achieved the action?
Achievable – do you have the support, resources and facilities required to carry out the action?
Relevant – is the action essential to the achievement of your research aim?
Timebound – can you realistically complete the action in the available time alongside your other research tasks?

In addition to being SMART, your research objectives should start with a verb that helps communicate your intent. Common research verbs include:

Table of Research Verbs to Use in Aims and Objectives

Table showing common research verbs which should ideally be used at the start of a research aim or objective.
(Understanding and organising information)	(Solving problems using information)	(reaching conclusion from evidence)	(Breaking down into components)	(Judging merit)
Review Identify Explore Discover Discuss Summarise Describe	Interpret Apply Demonstrate Establish Determine Estimate Calculate Relate	Analyse Compare Inspect Examine Verify Select Test Arrange	Propose Design Formulate Collect Construct Prepare Undertake Assemble	Appraise Evaluate Compare Assess Recommend Conclude Select

Last, format your objectives into a numbered list. This is because when you write your thesis or dissertation, you will at times need to make reference to a specific research objective; structuring your research objectives in a numbered list will provide a clear way of doing this.

To bring all this together, let’s compare the first research objective in the previous example with the above guidance:

Checking Research Objective Example Against Recommended Approach

Research Objective:

1. Develop finite element models using explicit dynamics to mimic mallet blows during cup/shell insertion, initially using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum.

Checking Against Recommended Approach:

Q: Is it specific? A: Yes, it is clear what the student intends to do (produce a finite element model), why they intend to do it (mimic cup/shell blows) and their parameters have been well-defined ( using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum ).

Q: Is it measurable? A: Yes, it is clear that the research objective will be achieved once the finite element model is complete.

Q: Is it achievable? A: Yes, provided the student has access to a computer lab, modelling software and laboratory data.

Q: Is it relevant? A: Yes, mimicking impacts to a cup/shell is fundamental to the overall aim of understanding how they deform when impacted upon.

Q: Is it timebound? A: Yes, it is possible to create a limited-scope finite element model in a relatively short time, especially if you already have experience in modelling.

Q: Does it start with a verb? A: Yes, it starts with ‘develop’, which makes the intent of the objective immediately clear.

Q: Is it a numbered list? A: Yes, it is the first research objective in a list of eight.

Mistakes in Writing Research Aims and Objectives

1. making your research aim too broad.

Having a research aim too broad becomes very difficult to achieve. Normally, this occurs when a student develops their research aim before they have a good understanding of what they want to research. Remember that at the end of your project and during your viva defence , you will have to prove that you have achieved your research aims; if they are too broad, this will be an almost impossible task. In the early stages of your research project, your priority should be to narrow your study to a specific area. A good way to do this is to take the time to study existing literature, question their current approaches, findings and limitations, and consider whether there are any recurring gaps that could be investigated .

Note: Achieving a set of aims does not necessarily mean proving or disproving a theory or hypothesis, even if your research aim was to, but having done enough work to provide a useful and original insight into the principles that underlie your research aim.

2. Making Your Research Objectives Too Ambitious

Be realistic about what you can achieve in the time you have available. It is natural to want to set ambitious research objectives that require sophisticated data collection and analysis, but only completing this with six months before the end of your PhD registration period is not a worthwhile trade-off.

3. Formulating Repetitive Research Objectives

Each research objective should have its own purpose and distinct measurable outcome. To this effect, a common mistake is to form research objectives which have large amounts of overlap. This makes it difficult to determine when an objective is truly complete, and also presents challenges in estimating the duration of objectives when creating your project timeline. It also makes it difficult to structure your thesis into unique chapters, making it more challenging for you to write and for your audience to read.

Fortunately, this oversight can be easily avoided by using SMART objectives.

Hopefully, you now have a good idea of how to create an effective set of aims and objectives for your research project, whether it be a thesis, dissertation or research paper. While it may be tempting to dive directly into your research, spending time on getting your aims and objectives right will give your research clear direction. This won’t only reduce the likelihood of problems arising later down the line, but will also lead to a more thorough and coherent research project.

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How to Write the Dissertation Aims and Objectives – Guide & Examples

Published by Grace Graffin at January 27th, 2023 , Revised On October 9, 2023

Aims and objectives are among the essential aspects of a dissertation. If you write aims and objectives effectively, they can act as a foundation to give your research clarity and focus.

This article will provide you with all the necessary information regarding aims and objectives, their differences, writing tips , and the common mistakes you should avoid while writing them.

The aim is often a single sentence or a short paragraph that describes your dissertation’s main goal and intent. It tells what you hope to achieve at the end. You should write the aim so that it becomes identifiable when it is achieved with the completion of your dissertation .

The aim is written in a subsection of the introduction to clarify the overall purpose of the dissertation .

Example: It is often observed that employees in culturally diverse workplaces struggle to work effectively in a team. A probable cause of this issue is bullying at the workplace. This research investigates the impact of bullying on employee job satisfaction at culturally diverse workplaces and the resulting loss of employee productivity. This research will use surveys and case study analysis to analyze the impact of bullying on employees.

The objectives in a dissertation describe the ways through which you intend to achieve the research aim. They are specific statements that break down the aim into several smaller key sections of the overall research. Suitable objectives can help you stay focused and conduct research in the direction of your aim.

The number of objectives should be realistic; usually, between three to six, and each one should be possible to achieve. The following example shows the objectives for the previously-mentioned dissertation aim.

1. identification of the behaviors that are considered as bullying 2. exploring the factors that cause bullying at a culturally diverse workplace 3. analyzing the relationship between bullying and job satisfaction of employees 4. providing suitable recommendations on minimizing the bullying at the workplace

The objectives of a dissertation should be SMART.

Specific: should be precise, focused, and well-defined
Measurable: the progress should be measurable, and you should be able to determine when you have achieved an objective.
Achievable: you should be able to carry out the required action within your available resources
Relevant: should be related to the dissertation aim
Time-bound: should be possible within the available time

Differences between aims and objectives

Aims and objectives are often mixed, but there are clear differences between them.

Aims	Objectives
describes “what” you intend to achieve through your research	focus on “how” you will achieve the aim
usually written in broad terms covering the entire dissertation	are specific statements describing steps through which the research aim will be achieved
is written as a single sentence or a small paragraph	should be written as a numbered list.
focuses on long-term outcomes	focus on short-term and immediate outcomes.

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How to write aims and objectives?

There is no particular way or standard to write the aims and objectives. Different researchers have different writing styles, and often it can be influenced by your research supervisor. However, you should follow certain basic principles while writing aims and objectives in a dissertation.

Writing the aim statement

The aim statement should cover the following essential elements.

Why is the research necessary? (covers the underlying problem on which the study is to be conducted)
What is the research about? (description of the research title)
How are you going to conduct it? (a brief statement of intended research methods)

An appropriate aim clearly defines the research purpose without confusing the reader. If you struggle to explain your research and its importance in simpler terms, you should consider refining your research to clarify it further.

Writing objectives

The objectives describe how you would achieve your research aim. You can do this through the following steps,

The first one to two objectives can be applied to the literature review . (Verbs to be used: investigate, examine, study)
One objective can be applied to the methodology portion. (Verbs to be used: collect, select, demonstrate, estimate)
Two to three objectives can cover the critical evaluation or discussion chapters (Verbs to be used: analyze, compare, evaluate)
The final objective will cover the conclusion or recommendation portion. (Verbs to be used: conclude, recommend)

Instead of writing like a paragraph, the objectives should be written as a numbered list to give them more clarity.

How many aims and objectives should be there?

It depends upon the topic of your research and mainly upon your supervisor’s requirements. Generally, a dissertation has a single broad statement as the research aim. However, it is acceptable to include a main aim along with two to three subsidiary aims.

Similarly, the number of objectives should be realistic and sufficient to measure the progress regarding the achievement of the research aim. Their number can generally vary from three to six depending upon the aim.

Common mistakes to avoid while writing research aims and objectives

Writing a broad research aim

Writing a broad research aim is a common mistake, and it often becomes difficult to achieve. It may create a problem when you are asked to prove how you have achieved your aims during your viva defense . It would be best to narrow your study to a specific area in the early stages of the dissertation.

Formulating overlapping research objectives

The objectives should be written such that they are measurable and distinct from each other. If they overlap, it makes it difficult to structure your dissertation properly in specific chapters.

Setting unrealistic aims

Students often get over-ambitious while describing the research aim and face problems afterward in achieving those aims. You should avoid this mistake and be realistic about what you can achieve in the available time and resources.

Aims and objectives are the sections that require significant time and attention to avoid future hassles while conducting research and writing your dissertation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to set dissertation aims and objectives.

To set dissertation aims and objectives, define your research goals clearly. Aims state what you want to achieve, while objectives outline specific, measurable steps to reach those goals. Ensure they align with your research question and contribute to your study’s significance.

What are you doing and how are you doing it? Articulating your aims and objectives.

Mar 6, 2019

Have you checked out the rest of The PhD Knowledge Base ? It’s home to hundreds more free resources and guides, written especially for PhD students.

How long does it take the person reading your thesis to understand what you’re doing and how you’re doing it? If the answer is anything other than ’in the opening paragraphs of the thesis’ then keep reading.

If you tell them as early as possible what you’re doing and how you’re doing it – and do so in clear and simple terms – whatever you write after will make much more sense. If you leave them guessing for ten pages, everything they read in those ten pages has no coherence. You’ll know where it is all leading, but they won’t.

Unless you tell them.

If you tell the reader what you’re doing as early as possible in clear and simple terms, whatever you write after will make much more sense.

What are aims & objectives?

If you build a house without foundations, it’s pretty obvious what will happen. It’ll collapse. Your thesis is the same; fail to build the foundations and your thesis just won’t work .

Your aims and objectives are those foundations. That’s why we’ve put them right at the top of our PhD Writing Template (if you haven’t already downloaded it, join the thousands who have by clicking here ).

If you write your aims and objectives clearly then you’ll make your reader’s life easier.

A lot of students fail to clearly articulate their aims and objectives because they aren’t sure themselves what they actually are.

Picture this: if there’s one thing that every PhD student hates it’s being asked by a stranger what their research is on.

Your PhD thesis. All on one page.

Use our free PhD structure template to quickly visualise every element of your thesis.

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Research aims

Your research aims are the answer to the question, ‘What are you doing?’

1. You need to clearly describe what your intentions are and what you hope to achieve. These are your aims.

2. Your aims may be to test theory in a new empirical setting, derive new theory entirely, construct a new data-set, replicate an existing study, question existing orthodoxy, and so on. Whatever they are, clearly articulate them and do so early. Definitely include them in your introduction and, if you’re smart, you’ll write them in your abstract .

3. Be very explicit . In the opening paragraphs, say, in simple terms, ‘ the aim of this thesis is to …’

4. Think of your aims then as a statement of intent. They are a promise to the reader that you are going to do something. You use the next two hundred pages or so to follow through on that promise. If you don’t make the promise, the reader won’t understand your follow-through. Simple as that.

Because they serve as the starting point of the study, there needs to be a flow from your aims through your objectives (more on this below) to your research questions and contribution and then into the study itself. If you have completed your research and found that you answered a different question (not that uncommon), make sure your original aims are still valid. If they aren’t, refine them.

If you struggle to explain in simple terms what your research is about and why it matters, you may need to refine your aims and objectives to make them more concise.

When writing up your aims, there are a number of things to bear in mind.

1. Avoid listing too many. Your PhD isn’t as long as you think it is and you won’t have time or room for more than around two or three.

2. When you write them up, be very specific. Don’t leave things so vague that the reader is left unsure or unclear on what you aim to achieve.

3. Make sure there is a logical flow between each of your aims. They should make sense together and should each be separate components which, when added together, are bigger than the sum of their parts.

Research objectives

Your aims answer the question, ‘What are you doing?’ The objectives are the answer to the question, ‘How are you doing it?’

Research objectives refer to the goals or steps that you will take to achieve your aims.

When you write them, make sure they are SMART.

S pecific: talk in a precise and clear way about what you are going to do.
M easurable: how will you know when you have achieved your aim?
A chievable: make sure that you aren’t overly ambitious.
R ealistic: recognise the time and resource constraints that come with doing a PhD and don’t attempt to do too much.
T ime constrained: determine when each objective needs to be completed.

You need to be as explicit as possible here. Leave the reader in no doubt about what you will do to achieve your aims. Step by step. Leave no ambiguity. At the same time, be careful not to repeat your methods chapter here. Just hint at your methods by presenting the headlines. You’ll have plenty of space in your methods discussion to flesh out the detail.

Elsewhere in the thesis you will necessarily have to talk in a complex language and juggle complex ideas. Here you don’t. You can write in clear, plain sentences.

What is the difference between research aims and objectives?

The aims of a study describe what you hope to achieve. The objectives detail how you are going to achieve your aims.

Let’s use an example to illustrate.

To understand the contribution that local governments make to national level energy policy.

Objectives:

Conduct a survey of local politicians to solicit responses.
Conduct desk-research of local government websites to create a database of local energy policy.
Interview national level politicians to understand the impact these local policies have had.
Data will be coded using a code book derived from dominant theories of governance.

If you’re still struggling, Professor Pat Thompson’s great blog has a guide that will help.

Leave the reader in no doubt about what you will do to achieve your aims. Step by step. Leave no ambiguity.

I can’t articulate them clearly, my research is complicated!

Of course your research is complex. That’s the name of the game. But the sign of someone being able to master complexity is their ability to summarise it . Sure, you’re not looking to capture all the richness and detail in a short summary of aims and objectives, but you are looking to tell the reader what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.

If you’re struggling to clearly articulate your aims and objectives, then try the following task. At the top of a Post-it note write the sentence: ‘In this research I will…’. Then keep trying until you can fit an answer onto one single Post-it note. The answer should answer two questions: what are are you doing and how are you doing it?

Remember – whenever you write, make it as clear as possible. Pay attention to the words ‘as possible’ there. That means you should write as clearly as you can given the fact that your subject and research is necessarily complex. Think of it the other way: it’s about not making things more complicated and unclear than they need to be.

In other words, make your reader’s job as easy as you can. They’ll thank you for it.

If you’re still having trouble, get in touch to arrange a one-on-one coaching session and we can work through your aims and objectives together.

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Research Aims and Objectives: The dynamic duo for successful research

Picture yourself on a road trip without a destination in mind — driving aimlessly, not knowing where you’re headed or how to get there. Similarly, your research is navigated by well-defined research aims and objectives. Research aims and objectives are the foundation of any research project. They provide a clear direction and purpose for the study, ensuring that you stay focused and on track throughout the process. They are your trusted navigational tools, leading you to success.

Understanding the relationship between research objectives and aims is crucial to any research project’s success, and we’re here to break it down for you in this article. Here, we’ll explore the importance of research aims and objectives, understand their differences, and delve into the impact they have on the quality of research.

Understanding the Difference between Research Aims and Objectives

In research, aims and objectives are two important components but are often used interchangeably. Though they may sound similar, they are distinct and serve different purposes.

Research Aims:

Research aims are broad statements that describe the overall purpose of your study. They provide a general direction for your study and indicate the intended achievements of your research. Aims are usually written in a general and abstract manner describing the ultimate goal of the research.

Research Objectives:

Research objectives are specific, measurable, and achievable goals that you aim to accomplish within a specified timeframe. They break down the research aims into smaller, more manageable components and provide a clear picture of what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it.

In the example, the objectives provide specific targets that must be achieved to reach the aim. Essentially, aims provide the overall direction for the research while objectives provide specific targets that must be achieved to accomplish the aims. Aims provide a broad context for the research, while the objectives provide smaller steps that the researcher must take to accomplish the overall research goals. To illustrate, when planning a road trip, your research aim is the destination you want to reach, and your research objectives are the specific routes you need to take to get there.

Aims and objectives are interconnected. Objectives play a key role in defining the research methodology, providing a roadmap for how you’ll collect and analyze data, while aim is the final destination, which represents the ultimate goal of your research. By setting specific goals, you’ll be able to design a research plan that helps you achieve your objectives and, ultimately, your research aim.

Importance of Well-defined Aims and Objectives

The impact of clear research aims and objectives on the quality of research cannot be understated. But it’s not enough to simply have aims and objectives. Well-defined research aims and objectives are important for several reasons:

Provides direction: Clear aims and well-defined objectives provide a specific direction for your research study, ensuring that the research stays focused on a specific topic or problem. This helps to prevent the research from becoming too broad or unfocused, and ensures that the study remains relevant and meaningful.
Guides research design: The research aim and objectives help guide the research design and methodology, ensuring that your study is designed in a way that will answer the research questions and achieve the research objectives.
Helps with resource allocation: Clear research aims and objectives helps you to allocate resources effectively , including time, financial resources, human resources, and other required materials. With a well-defined aim and objectives, you can identify the resources required to conduct the research, and allocate them in a way that maximizes efficiency and productivity.
Assists in evaluation: Clearly specified research aims and objectives allow for effective evaluation of your research project’s success. You can assess whether the research has achieved its objectives, and whether the aim has been met. This evaluation process can help to identify areas of the research project that may require further attention or modification.
Enhances communication: Well-defined research aims and objectives help to enhance communication among the research team, stakeholders, funding agencies, and other interested parties. Clear aims and objectives ensure that everyone involved in your research project understands the purpose and goals of the study. This can help to foster collaboration and ensure that everyone is working towards the same end goal.

How to Formulate Research Aims and Objectives

Formulating effective research aims and objectives involves a systematic process to ensure that they are clear, specific, achievable, and relevant. Start by asking yourself what you want to achieve through your research. What impact do you want your research to have? Once you have a clear understanding of your aims, you can then break them down into specific, achievable objectives. Here are some steps you can follow when developing research aims and objectives:

Identify the research question : Clearly identify the questions you want to answer through your research. This will help you define the scope of your research. Understanding the characteristics of a good research question will help you generate clearer aims and objectives.
Conduct literature review : When defining your research aim and objectives, it’s important to conduct a literature review to identify key concepts, theories, and methods related to your research problem or question. Conducting a thorough literature review can help you understand what research has been done in the area and what gaps exist in the literature.
Identify the research aim: Develop a research aim that summarizes the overarching goal of your research. The research aim should be broad and concise.
Develop research objectives: Based on your research questions and research aim, develop specific research objectives that outline what you intend to achieve through your research. These objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Use action verbs: Use action verbs such as “investigate,” “examine,” “analyze,” and “compare” to describe your research aims and objectives. This makes them more specific and measurable.
Ensure alignment with research question: Ensure that the research aim and objectives are aligned with the research question. This helps to ensure that the research remains focused and that the objectives are specific enough to answer your research question.
Refine and revise: Once the research aim and objectives have been developed, refine and revise them as needed. Seek feedback from your colleagues, mentors, or supervisors to ensure that they are clear, concise, and achievable within the given resources and timeframe.
Communicate: After finalizing the research aim and objectives, they should be communicated to the research team, stakeholders, and other interested parties. This helps to ensure that everyone is working towards the same end goal and understands the purpose of the study.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid While Formulating Aims and Objectives

There are several common mistakes that researchers can make when writing research aims and objectives. These include:

Being too broad or vague: Aims and objectives that are too general or unclear can lead to confusion and lack of focus. It is important to ensure that the aims and objectives are concise and clear.
Being too narrow or specific: On the other hand, aims and objectives that are too narrow or specific may limit the scope of the research and make it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions or implications.
Being too ambitious: While it is important to aim high, being too ambitious with the aims and objectives can lead to unrealistic expectations and can be difficult to achieve within the constraints of the research project.
Lack of alignment: The aims and objectives should be directly linked to the research questions being investigated. Otherwise, this will lead to a lack of coherence in the research project.
Lack of feasibility: The aims and objectives should be achievable within the constraints of the research project, including time, budget, and resources. Failing to consider feasibility may cause compromise of the research quality.
Failing to consider ethical considerations: The aims and objectives should take into account any ethical considerations, such as ensuring the safety and well-being of study participants.
Failing to involve all stakeholders: It’s important to involve all relevant stakeholders, such as participants, supervisors, and funding agencies, in the development of the aims and objectives to ensure they are appropriate and relevant.

To avoid these common pitfalls, it is important to be specific, clear, relevant, and realistic when writing research aims and objectives. Seek feedback from colleagues or supervisors to ensure that the aims and objectives are aligned with the research problem , questions, and methodology, and are achievable within the constraints of the research project. It’s important to continually refine your aims and objectives as you go. As you progress in your research, it’s not uncommon for research aims and objectives to evolve slightly, but it’s important that they remain consistent with the study conducted and the research topic.

In summary, research aims and objectives are the backbone of any successful research project. They give you the ability to cut through the noise and hone in on what really matters. By setting clear goals and aligning them with your research questions and methodology, you can ensure that your research is relevant, impactful, and of the highest quality. So, before you hit the road on your research journey, make sure you have a clear destination and steps to get there. Let us know in the comments section below the challenges you faced and the strategies you followed while fomulating research aims and objectives! Also, feel free to reach out to us at any stage of your research or publication by using #AskEnago and tagging @EnagoAcademy on Twitter , Facebook , and Quora . Happy researching!

This particular material has added important but overlooked concepts regarding my experiences in explaining research aims and objectives. Thank you

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What Are Research Objectives and How to Write Them (with Examples)

Table of Contents

Introduction

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. 1 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!

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:

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.

This article discusses the importance of clear, well-thought out objectives and suggests methods to write them clearly.

What is the introduction in research papers?

Research objectives are usually included in the introduction section. This section is the first that the readers will read so it is essential that it conveys the subject matter appropriately and is well written to create a good first impression. A good introduction sets the tone of the paper and clearly outlines the contents so that the readers get a quick snapshot of what to expect.

A good introduction should aim to: 2,3

Indicate the main subject area, its importance, and cite previous literature on the subject
Define the gap(s) in existing research, ask a research question, and state the objectives
Announce the present research and outline its novelty and significance
Avoid repeating the Abstract, providing unnecessary information, and claiming novelty without accurate supporting information.

Why 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.

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

Types of research objectives

Research objectives can be broadly classified into general and specific objectives . 4 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.

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.

In addition to this broad classification, research objectives can be grouped into several categories depending on the research problem, as given in Table 1.

Table 1: 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
Predictive	Predicts future outcomes or events based on existing data samples or trends
Diagnostic	Identifies factors contributing to a particular problem
Comparative	Compares two or more groups or phenomena to identify similarities and differences
Historical	Examines past events and trends to understand their significance and impact
Methodological	Develops and improves research methods and techniques
Theoretical	Tests and refines existing theories or helps develop new theoretical perspectives

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. 5,6

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.

How to write research objectives?

Research objectives can be written using the following steps: 7

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
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.
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 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.
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.

Advantages of research objectives

Adding clear research objectives has the following advantages: 4,8

Maintains the focus and direction of the research
Optimizes allocation of resources with minimal wastage
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

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

Key takeaways

Research objectives are concise statements that describe what the research is aiming to achieve.
They define the scope and direction of the research and maintain focus.
The objectives should be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
Clear research objectives help avoid collection of data or resources not required for the study.
Well-formulated specific objectives help develop the overall research methodology, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and utilization.
Research objectives should cover all aspects of the problem statement in a coherent way.
They should be clearly stated using action verbs.

Frequently asked questions on research objectives

Q: what’s the difference between research objectives and aims 9.

A: Research aims are statements that reflect the broad goal(s) of the study and outline the general direction of the research. They are not specific but clearly define the focus of the study.

Example: This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.

Research objectives focus on the action to be taken to achieve the aims. They make the aims more practical and should be specific and actionable.

Example: To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation.

Q: What are the examples of research objectives, both general and specific?

A: Here are a few examples of research objectives:

To identify the antiviral chemical constituents in Mumbukura gitoniensis (general)
To carry out solvent extraction of dried flowers of Mumbukura gitoniensis and isolate the constituents. (specific)
To determine the antiviral activity of each of the isolated compounds. (specific)
To examine the extent, range, and method of coral reef rehabilitation projects in five shallow reef areas adjacent to popular tourist destinations in the Philippines.
To investigate species richness of mammal communities in five protected areas over the past 20 years.
To evaluate the potential application of AI techniques for estimating best-corrected visual acuity from fundus photographs with and without ancillary information.
To investigate whether sport influences psychological parameters in the personality of asthmatic children.

Q: How do I develop research objectives?

A: Developing research objectives begins with defining the problem statement clearly, as illustrated by Figure 1. Objectives specify how the research question will be answered and they determine what is to be measured to test the hypothesis.

Q: Are research objectives measurable?

A: The word “measurable” implies that something is quantifiable. In terms of research objectives, this means that the source and method of collecting data are identified and that all these aspects are feasible for the research. Some metrics can be created to measure your progress toward achieving your objectives.

Q: Can research objectives change during the study?

A: Revising research objectives during the study is acceptable in situations when the selected methodology is not progressing toward achieving the objective, or if there are challenges pertaining to resources, etc. One thing to keep in mind is the time and resources you would have to complete your research after revising the objectives. Thus, as long as your problem statement and hypotheses are unchanged, minor revisions to the research objectives are acceptable.

Q: What is the difference between research questions and research objectives? 10


Broad statement; guide the overall direction of the research	Specific, measurable goals that the research aims to achieve
Identify the main problem	Define the specific outcomes the study aims to achieve
Used to generate hypotheses or identify gaps in existing knowledge	Used to establish clear and achievable targets for the research
Not mutually exclusive with research objectives	Should be directly related to the research question
Example:	Example:

Q: Are research objectives the same as hypotheses?

A: No, hypotheses are predictive theories that are expressed in general terms. Research objectives, which are more specific, are developed from hypotheses and aim to test them. A hypothesis can be tested using several methods and each method will have different objectives because the methodology to be used could be different. A hypothesis is developed based on observation and reasoning; it is a calculated prediction about why a particular phenomenon is occurring. To test this prediction, different research objectives are formulated. Here’s a simple example of both a research hypothesis and research objective.

Research hypothesis : Employees who arrive at work earlier are more productive.

Research objective : To assess whether employees who arrive at work earlier are more productive.

To summarize, research objectives are an important part of research studies and should be written clearly to effectively communicate your research. We hope this article has given you a brief insight into the importance of using clearly defined research objectives and how to formulate them.

Farrugia P, Petrisor BA, Farrokhyar F, Bhandari M. Practical tips for surgical research: Research questions, hypotheses and objectives. Can J Surg. 2010 Aug;53(4):278-81.
Abbadia J. How to write an introduction for a research paper. Mind the Graph website. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://mindthegraph.com/blog/how-to-write-an-introduction-for-a-research-paper/
Writing a scientific paper: Introduction. UCI libraries website. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://guides.lib.uci.edu/c.php?g=334338&p=2249903
Research objectives—Types, examples and writing guide. Researchmethod.net website. Accessed June 17, 2023. https://researchmethod.net/research-objectives/#:~:text=They%20provide%20a%20clear%20direction,track%20and%20achieve%20their%20goals .
Bartle P. SMART Characteristics of good objectives. Community empowerment collective website. Accessed June 16, 2023. https://cec.vcn.bc.ca/cmp/modules/pd-smar.htm
Research objectives. Studyprobe website. Accessed June 18, 2023. https://www.studyprobe.in/2022/08/research-objectives.html
Corredor F. How to write objectives in a research paper. wikiHow website. Accessed June 18, 2023. https://www.wikihow.com/Write-Objectives-in-a-Research-Proposal
Research objectives: Definition, types, characteristics, advantages. AccountingNest website. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.accountingnest.com/articles/research/research-objectives
Phair D., Shaeffer A. Research aims, objectives & questions. GradCoach website. Accessed June 20, 2023. https://gradcoach.com/research-aims-objectives-questions/
Understanding the difference between research questions and objectives. Accessed June 21, 2023. https://board.researchersjob.com/blog/research-questions-and-objectives

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Turabian Format: A Beginner’s Guide

Formulating Research Aims and Objectives

Formulating research aim and objectives in an appropriate manner is one of the most important aspects of your thesis. This is because research aim and objectives determine the scope, depth and the overall direction of the research. Research question is the central question of the study that has to be answered on the basis of research findings.

Research aim emphasizes what needs to be achieved within the scope of the research, by the end of the research process. Achievement of research aim provides answer to the research question.

Research objectives divide research aim into several parts and address each part separately. Research aim specifies WHAT needs to be studied and research objectives comprise a number of steps that address HOW research aim will be achieved.

As a rule of dumb, there would be one research aim and several research objectives. Achievement of each research objective will lead to the achievement of the research aim.

Consider the following as an example:

Research title: Effects of organizational culture on business profitability: a case study of Virgin Atlantic

Research aim: To assess the effects of Virgin Atlantic organizational culture on business profitability

Following research objectives would facilitate the achievement of this aim:

Analyzing the nature of organizational culture at Virgin Atlantic by September 1, 2022
Identifying factors impacting Virgin Atlantic organizational culture by September 16, 2022
Analyzing impacts of Virgin Atlantic organizational culture on employee performances by September 30, 2022
Providing recommendations to Virgin Atlantic strategic level management in terms of increasing the level of effectiveness of organizational culture by October 5, 2022

Figure below illustrates additional examples in formulating research aims and objectives:

Formulation of research question, aim and objectives

Common mistakes in the formulation of research aim relate to the following:

1. Choosing the topic too broadly . This is the most common mistake. For example, a research title of “an analysis of leadership practices” can be classified as too broad because the title fails to answer the following questions:

a) Which aspects of leadership practices? Leadership has many aspects such as employee motivation, ethical behaviour, strategic planning, change management etc. An attempt to cover all of these aspects of organizational leadership within a single research will result in an unfocused and poor work.

b) An analysis of leadership practices in which country? Leadership practices tend to be different in various countries due to cross-cultural differences, legislations and a range of other region-specific factors. Therefore, a study of leadership practices needs to be country-specific.

c) Analysis of leadership practices in which company or industry? Similar to the point above, analysis of leadership practices needs to take into account industry-specific and/or company-specific differences, and there is no way to conduct a leadership research that relates to all industries and organizations in an equal manner.

Accordingly, as an example “a study into the impacts of ethical behaviour of a leader on the level of employee motivation in US healthcare sector” would be a more appropriate title than simply “An analysis of leadership practices”.

2. Setting an unrealistic aim . Formulation of a research aim that involves in-depth interviews with Apple strategic level management by an undergraduate level student can be specified as a bit over-ambitious. This is because securing an interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook or members of Apple Board of Directors might not be easy. This is an extreme example of course, but you got the idea. Instead, you may aim to interview the manager of your local Apple store and adopt a more feasible strategy to get your dissertation completed.

3. Choosing research methods incompatible with the timeframe available . Conducting interviews with 20 sample group members and collecting primary data through 2 focus groups when only three months left until submission of your dissertation can be very difficult, if not impossible. Accordingly, timeframe available need to be taken into account when formulating research aims and objectives and selecting research methods.

Moreover, research objectives need to be formulated according to SMART principle,

where the abbreviation stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.


Study employee motivation of Coca-Cola	To study the impacts of management practices on the levels of employee motivation at Coca-Cola US by December 5, 2022
Analyze consumer behaviour in catering industry	Analyzing changes in consumer behaviour in catering industry in the 21 century in the UK by March 1, 2022
Recommend Toyota Motor Corporation management on new market entry strategy	Formulating recommendations to Toyota Motor Corporation management on the choice of appropriate strategy to enter Vietnam market by June 9, 2022
Analyze the impact of social media marketing on business	Assessing impacts of integration of social media into marketing strategy on the level of brand awareness by March 30, 2022
Finding out about time management principles used by Accenture managers	Identifying main time-management strategies used by managers of Accenture France by December 1, 2022

Examples of SMART research objectives

At the conclusion part of your research project you will need to reflect on the level of achievement of research aims and objectives. In case your research aims and objectives are not fully achieved by the end of the study, you will need to discuss the reasons. These may include initial inappropriate formulation of research aims and objectives, effects of other variables that were not considered at the beginning of the research or changes in some circumstances during the research process.

John Dudovskiy

39.7k views
Study Background & Introduction

Q: How do I write the aims and objectives of a research?

Asked by Sena Barnabas on 26 Jan, 2020

The aim of the research is the overall purpose of conducting the research. It could be to add to the knowledge in the area, to address an existing gap in the knowledge, to devise and test a solution to an existing problem, and so on. Objectives are the specific outcomes you expect to achieve through your research and that will enable you to meet the aim of your research. While there is one aim of the research, there can be multiple objectives. Also, and most importantly, the objectives should be attainable, that is, you should be able to advance the understanding of the field no matter what your results are.

To arrive at the objectives, you need to go through existing literature in the area by doing a literature search. The literature search will typically reveal gaps that you can choose to study in your research.

For more information on writing the research aim and objective and doing a literature search, you may refer to the following resources:

How to formulate research objectives?
What are research objectives?
Tips for effective literature searching and keeping up with new publications

Answered by Editage Insights on 29 Jan, 2020

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A Complete Guide to Write Research Aims and Objectives

The importance of making a good quality aim and objectives of a research is paramount in the success of the research.

In this post, you will learn:

What is research aim?
What are research objectives?
How to differentiate between research aim and research objective
Examples of research aims and objectives
Key points to remember while writing research aim and objectives
Do’s and Don’ts

What Is Research Aim?

The research aim is the primary focus of the research and determines what the research serves to do. It defines the purpose of the research and tells the audience what the research aims to achieve.

Because research aims are so important for the study, a sun heading in the introductory chapter is usually dedicated to them. They are written in a paragraph form and define the main purpose of conducting the research on a topic.

Example of a good quality research aim

Research about the effects of climate change on the mental health of young adults can be worded as follows:

“The effects of climate change information on the minds of young adults are under researched. This research aims to find the effects that climate change information has on the mental health of young adults. By studying the effects of the intensity and frequency of the consumption of climate change news and forecasts among young adults, this study aims to see how climate change information is influencing their mental health.”

The above research aim is focused and clear and presents the reader with a clear understanding of the purpose of the research.

What Is Research Objective?

Research aims are related to research objectives. The research aim determines the overall purpose of the study, and the objectives determine in what ways that purpose will be achieved. The purpose of the research aim is separated into subsections. However, If any you need to order IT Research Paper help services then you have to take a survey on the net. These subsections are smaller steps that define the objectives of the research.

Research objectives are usually written in the form of a list. These small bits of steps can be checked off as the research progresses. They are written in chronological order, starting with the first objective that needs to be achieved and ending with the final one.

Example of research objectives

Taking the example of the research aim above, we can divide it into smaller sections to create specific aims of the research.

Understand the concepts of climate change and mental health
Understand the relationship between climate change and mental health
Determine the frequency and intensity of climate change news consumption among young adults
Determine the frequency and intensity of news affects the mental health of young adults
Develop recommendations for clinical practice in the field

From this example, you can see how the research aim was broken down into smaller, specific objectives that were then listed down.

Differentiate Research Between Aims & Objectives

Although the two concepts are related, they are not the same. The differences between research aim and research objectives are:

The way they are worded are different: Research aim is worded in a wide scoped way, while research objectives are worded as specific, narrowed down tasks.
The focus of the two are different: research aim focuses on the overall purpose while research objectives focus on how to achieve that purpose.
The purpose of the two are different: research aims are concerned with the overall findings of a research, which are long-term, while research objectives serve to define the short term aims of the research.
The way they are presented are different: research aims are written in a small paragraph form while the objectives are written in the form of a list.

3 Key Points To Remember While Drafting Research Aim

The ways of writing a research aim varies with the researcher, but there are certain points to keep in mind to write a good quality research aim:

1. Answer the “why” question of the research: A research aim needs to provide an answer for why the study is being conducted. It needs to describe, in a small sentence or phares, why the research is important to conduct.

Taking the example of the research aim above, we can see that it answers the why question:

“The effects of climate change information on the minds of young adults are under researched”.

2. Answer the “what” question of the research: this is the main purpose of the research aim, as it signifies the main aim of the research.

From the example above, the “what” question is answered as follows:

“This research aims to find the effects that climate change information has on the mental health of young adults.”

3. Lastly, the research aim needs to answer the “how” question. In a simple sentence or a few phrases, it should outline the main way in which you are planning to achieve the aim.

From the example above, the “how” question is answered as follows:

“By studying the effects of the intensity and frequency of the consumption of climate change news and forecasts among young adults, this study aims to see how climate change information is influencing their mental health.”

Checklist of research aim:

Tells the purpose of research
Tells why the research is important
Tells how the aim will be achieved
Is clear and concise

5 Key Points To Remember While Drafting Research Objective

An easy way to determine the quality of your research objectives is to apply the SMART method to them:

You need to make sure that the objectives are worded as specific tasks you need to achieve. They should not be vague.
You should ensure that the objectives are measurable, meaning that they allow you to see how much of them have been achieved and how much are left to work on.
The objectives need to be achievable, meaning you should have the resources to work on them.
They need to be relevant to getting to your research aim.
They need to be achievable in the time you have available for your research project.

In the example above the objectives follow the above mentioned criteria. While making your own objectives, make sure to evaluate them using the points above to ensure your objectives are good quality.

Checklist of research objectives

Do’s and Don’ts of research aims and objectives

What to do and what to avoid in writing aims and objectives

The Takeaway

The research aim is the primary focus of the research.
Research aims are related to research objectives
The objectives determine in what ways that purpose will be achieved.
Research aim needs to answer the “what”, “why” and “how” questions of the research.
Research objectives need to be SMART.

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Writing Tips

How to Write Research Objectives

3-minute read

22nd November 2021

Writing a research paper, thesis, or dissertation ? If so, you’ll want to state your research objectives in the introduction of your paper to make it clear to your readers what you’re trying to accomplish. But how do you write effective research objectives? In this post, we’ll look at two key topics to help you do this:

How to use your research aims as a basis for developing objectives.
How to use SMART criteria to refine your research objectives.

For more advice on how to write strong research objectives, see below.

Research Aims and Objectives

There is an important difference between research aims and research objectives:

A research aim defines the main purpose of your research. As such, you can think of your research aim as answering the question “What are you doing?”
Research objectives (as most studies will have more than one) are the steps you will take to fulfil your aims. As such, your objectives should answer the question “How are you conducting your research?”

For instance, an example research aim could be:

This study will investigate the link between dehydration and the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in intensive care patients in Australia.

To develop a set of research objectives, you would then break down the various steps involved in meeting said aim. For example:

This study will investigate the link between dehydration and the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in intensive care patients in Australia. To achieve this, the study objectives w ill include:

Replicat ing a small Singaporean study into the role of dehydration in UTIs in hospital patients (Sepe, 2018) in a larger Australian cohort.
Trialing the use of intravenous fluids for intensive care patients to prevent dehydration.
Assessing the relationship between the age of patients and quantities of intravenous fluids needed to counter dehydration.

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Note that the objectives don’t go into any great detail here. The key is to briefly summarize each component of your study. You can save details for how you will conduct the research for the methodology section of your paper.

Make Your Research Objectives SMART

A great way to refine your research objectives is to use SMART criteria . Borrowed from the world of project management, there are many versions of this system. However, we’re going to focus on developing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound objectives.

In other words, a good research objective should be all of the following:

S pecific – Is the objective clear and well-defined?
M easurable – How will you know when the objective has been achieved? Is there a way to measure the thing you’re seeking to do?
A chievable – Do you have the support and resources necessary to undertake this action? Are you being overly ambitious with this objective?
R elevant – Is this objective vital for fulfilling your research aim?
T imebound – Can this action be realistically undertaken in the time you have?

If you follow this system, your research objectives will be much stronger.

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Whatever your research aims and objectives, make sure to have your academic writing proofread by the experts!

Our academic editors can help you with research papers and proposals , as well as any other scholarly document you need checking. And this will help to ensure that your academic writing is always clear, concise, and precise.

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Primacy of the research question, structure of the paper, writing a research article: advice to beginners.

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Thomas V. Perneger, Patricia M. Hudelson, Writing a research article: advice to beginners, International Journal for Quality in Health Care , Volume 16, Issue 3, June 2004, Pages 191–192, https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzh053

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Writing research papers does not come naturally to most of us. The typical research paper is a highly codified rhetorical form [ 1 , 2 ]. Knowledge of the rules—some explicit, others implied—goes a long way toward writing a paper that will get accepted in a peer-reviewed journal.

A good research paper addresses a specific research question. The research question—or study objective or main research hypothesis—is the central organizing principle of the paper. Whatever relates to the research question belongs in the paper; the rest doesn’t. This is perhaps obvious when the paper reports on a well planned research project. However, in applied domains such as quality improvement, some papers are written based on projects that were undertaken for operational reasons, and not with the primary aim of producing new knowledge. In such cases, authors should define the main research question a posteriori and design the paper around it.

Generally, only one main research question should be addressed in a paper (secondary but related questions are allowed). If a project allows you to explore several distinct research questions, write several papers. For instance, if you measured the impact of obtaining written consent on patient satisfaction at a specialized clinic using a newly developed questionnaire, you may want to write one paper on the questionnaire development and validation, and another on the impact of the intervention. The idea is not to split results into ‘least publishable units’, a practice that is rightly decried, but rather into ‘optimally publishable units’.

What is a good research question? The key attributes are: (i) specificity; (ii) originality or novelty; and (iii) general relevance to a broad scientific community. The research question should be precise and not merely identify a general area of inquiry. It can often (but not always) be expressed in terms of a possible association between X and Y in a population Z, for example ‘we examined whether providing patients about to be discharged from the hospital with written information about their medications would improve their compliance with the treatment 1 month later’. A study does not necessarily have to break completely new ground, but it should extend previous knowledge in a useful way, or alternatively refute existing knowledge. Finally, the question should be of interest to others who work in the same scientific area. The latter requirement is more challenging for those who work in applied science than for basic scientists. While it may safely be assumed that the human genome is the same worldwide, whether the results of a local quality improvement project have wider relevance requires careful consideration and argument.

Once the research question is clearly defined, writing the paper becomes considerably easier. The paper will ask the question, then answer it. The key to successful scientific writing is getting the structure of the paper right. The basic structure of a typical research paper is the sequence of Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (sometimes abbreviated as IMRAD). Each section addresses a different objective. The authors state: (i) the problem they intend to address—in other terms, the research question—in the Introduction; (ii) what they did to answer the question in the Methods section; (iii) what they observed in the Results section; and (iv) what they think the results mean in the Discussion.

In turn, each basic section addresses several topics, and may be divided into subsections (Table 1 ). In the Introduction, the authors should explain the rationale and background to the study. What is the research question, and why is it important to ask it? While it is neither necessary nor desirable to provide a full-blown review of the literature as a prelude to the study, it is helpful to situate the study within some larger field of enquiry. The research question should always be spelled out, and not merely left for the reader to guess.

Typical structure of a research paper

Introduction

State why the problem you address is important

State what is lacking in the current knowledge

State the objectives of your study or the research question

Methods

Describe the context and setting of the study

Specify the study design

Describe the ‘population’ (patients, doctors, hospitals, etc.)

Describe the sampling strategy

Describe the intervention (if applicable)

Identify the main study variables

Describe data collection instruments and procedures

Outline analysis methods

Results

Report on data collection and recruitment (response rates, etc.)

Describe participants (demographic, clinical condition, etc.)

Present key findings with respect to the central research question

Present secondary findings (secondary outcomes, subgroup analyses, etc.)

Discussion

State the main findings of the study

Discuss the main results with reference to previous research

Discuss policy and practice implications of the results

Analyse the strengths and limitations of the study

Offer perspectives for future work

Introduction

State why the problem you address is important

State what is lacking in the current knowledge

State the objectives of your study or the research question

Methods

Describe the context and setting of the study

Specify the study design

Describe the ‘population’ (patients, doctors, hospitals, etc.)

Describe the sampling strategy

Describe the intervention (if applicable)

Identify the main study variables

Describe data collection instruments and procedures

Outline analysis methods

Results

Report on data collection and recruitment (response rates, etc.)

Describe participants (demographic, clinical condition, etc.)

Present key findings with respect to the central research question

Present secondary findings (secondary outcomes, subgroup analyses, etc.)

Discussion

State the main findings of the study

Discuss the main results with reference to previous research

Discuss policy and practice implications of the results

Analyse the strengths and limitations of the study

Offer perspectives for future work

The Methods section should provide the readers with sufficient detail about the study methods to be able to reproduce the study if so desired. Thus, this section should be specific, concrete, technical, and fairly detailed. The study setting, the sampling strategy used, instruments, data collection methods, and analysis strategies should be described. In the case of qualitative research studies, it is also useful to tell the reader which research tradition the study utilizes and to link the choice of methodological strategies with the research goals [ 3 ].

The Results section is typically fairly straightforward and factual. All results that relate to the research question should be given in detail, including simple counts and percentages. Resist the temptation to demonstrate analytic ability and the richness of the dataset by providing numerous tables of non-essential results.

The Discussion section allows the most freedom. This is why the Discussion is the most difficult to write, and is often the weakest part of a paper. Structured Discussion sections have been proposed by some journal editors [ 4 ]. While strict adherence to such rules may not be necessary, following a plan such as that proposed in Table 1 may help the novice writer stay on track.

References should be used wisely. Key assertions should be referenced, as well as the methods and instruments used. However, unless the paper is a comprehensive review of a topic, there is no need to be exhaustive. Also, references to unpublished work, to documents in the grey literature (technical reports), or to any source that the reader will have difficulty finding or understanding should be avoided.

Having the structure of the paper in place is a good start. However, there are many details that have to be attended to while writing. An obvious recommendation is to read, and follow, the instructions to authors published by the journal (typically found on the journal’s website). Another concerns non-native writers of English: do have a native speaker edit the manuscript. A paper usually goes through several drafts before it is submitted. When revising a paper, it is useful to keep an eye out for the most common mistakes (Table 2 ). If you avoid all those, your paper should be in good shape.

Common mistakes seen in manuscripts submitted to this journal

The research question is not specified

The stated aim of the paper is tautological (e.g. ‘The aim of this paper is to describe what we did’) or vague (e.g. ‘We explored issues related to X’)

The structure of the paper is chaotic (e.g. methods are described in the Results section)

The manuscripts does not follow the journal’s instructions for authors

The paper much exceeds the maximum number of words allowed

The Introduction is an extensive review of the literature

Methods, interventions and instruments are not described in sufficient detail

Results are reported selectively (e.g. percentages without frequencies, -values without measures of effect)

The same results appear both in a table and in the text

Detailed tables are provided for results that do not relate to the main research question

In the Introduction and Discussion, key arguments are not backed up by appropriate references

References are out of date or cannot be accessed by most readers

The Discussion does not provide an answer to the research question

The Discussion overstates the implications of the results and does not acknowledge the limitations of the study

The paper is written in poor English

The research question is not specified

The stated aim of the paper is tautological (e.g. ‘The aim of this paper is to describe what we did’) or vague (e.g. ‘We explored issues related to X’)

The structure of the paper is chaotic (e.g. methods are described in the Results section)

The manuscripts does not follow the journal’s instructions for authors

The paper much exceeds the maximum number of words allowed

The Introduction is an extensive review of the literature

Methods, interventions and instruments are not described in sufficient detail

Results are reported selectively (e.g. percentages without frequencies, -values without measures of effect)

The same results appear both in a table and in the text

Detailed tables are provided for results that do not relate to the main research question

In the Introduction and Discussion, key arguments are not backed up by appropriate references

References are out of date or cannot be accessed by most readers

The Discussion does not provide an answer to the research question

The Discussion overstates the implications of the results and does not acknowledge the limitations of the study

The paper is written in poor English

Huth EJ . How to Write and Publish Papers in the Medical Sciences , 2nd edition. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1990 .

Browner WS . Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research . Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 1999 .

Devers KJ , Frankel RM. Getting qualitative research published. Educ Health 2001 ; 14 : 109 –117.

Docherty M , Smith R. The case for structuring the discussion of scientific papers. Br Med J 1999 ; 318 : 1224 –1225.

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December 2023	2,335
January 2024	2,825
February 2024	2,630
March 2024	2,874
April 2024	2,311
May 2024	2,108
June 2024	953

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Writing High Quality Research Aims

The Specific Aims page is the cliff notes of your grant application.

The first paragraph should explain why there is a need for your proposal and end with communicating your main objective. Be explicit, if any other disease can replace the disease that you are describing, then you are not including enough detail.

One guideline is to imagine that each Specific Aim will lead to at least one manuscript. If you cannot imagine Aims 1 and 2 as standalone manuscripts, then there is probably not enough meat for each aim. Consider combining them and developing a new Aim.

Be sure to highlight any unique resources that you plan to use. For example the Utah Population Data Base (UPDB) or a novel tool that your group has developed. In the case of an NIH grant application, any tool that your group has developed should be published.

Meeting with the SDBC/PHR collaborators will help insure that your aims are testable and feasible with your current sample size. It is helpful to meet early in the grant writing process (ideally 2-3 months prior to submission).

The following guides may be helpful for crafting your Specific Aims page.

Guide to key elements of specific aims: NIH Grant Applications The Anatomy of a Specific Aims

Concise tips using keywords for each element of the aim and color coded examples to highlight each key element.

1:NIH Grant Applications The Anatomy of a Specific Aims Page. Release Date: April 09, 2015 Category: Scientific Grant Writing Author: Michelle S., Ph.D., E.L.S.

http://www.biosciencewriters.com/NIH-Grant-Applications-The-Anatomy-of-a-Specific-Aims-Page.aspx

Peyman JA, Robinson JH, Allen KDMD, Specific Aims – Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s and Don’ts of writing specific Aims with eye toward reviewers.

2: Peyman JA, Robinson JH, Allen KDMD, Specific Aims – Do’s and Don’ts.

https://www.rheumatology.org/Portals/0/Files/Specific%20Aims%20-%20Do's%20and%20Don'ts.pdf

Overview of grant writing process and getting started
Resources for power and sample size calculation
Writing a statistical section that supports a successful grant proposal
Useful online resources

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Acknowledging the SDBC

Please use the following text to acknowledge the CTSI Study Design and Biostatistics Center:

" This investigation was supported by Translational Research: Implementation, Analysis and Design (TRIAD), with funding in part from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UM1TR004409 . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. "

"This investigation was supported by the Study Design and Biostatistics Center (SDBC), with funding in part from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UM1TR004409 . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health."

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Recommended Reading: Vanderbilt Biostatistics

Medical Citations for Statistics Issues: Vanderbilt Biostatistics

National Biostatistics and Epidemiology Core Ethics Site

National Biostatistics and Epidemiology Reproducible Research Standards

How To Write a Specific Aim – 3 Parts to a simple and clear aim that your reviewers will “get”

The Specific Aims (for NIH) or Objectives (NSF) are the key to what you are proposing. You want them to be not only clearly understandable to your reviewer (right?), but also captivating and interesting. It seems like a straight-forward writing goal, but unfortunately, I’ve seen many people wander off into confusing, overly-detailed, or just plain boring aims.

So, what makes an Aim / Objective really WORK?

In this video, I take two separate, high scoring NIH proposals in different fields, and examine the primary Aims. I break them down for you into 3 major parts, and what you want to communicate in each of these parts (very concisely!).

Watch this if you want to ensure the Aims you write are connecting with your reviewers.

If you want more clarity on getting funded in our currently crazy environment, I’ve got a free online training that will teach you how to get your reviewers excited and ready to fund your project. Sign up here.

2 replies to "How To Write a Specific Aim – 3 Parts to a simple and clear aim that your reviewers will “get”"

dear dr giddings and team–your live event isn’t accessible yet–and it’s 7 minutes after. unfortunately we can’t all sit at our computers and wait

I sincerely apologize. I thought I was broadcasting, but due to a newbie type mistake, I wasn’t. I restarted about 15 minutes in, I realize some people will not have had time to wait that long.

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How to Use This Site
Core Competencies
Write Your Specific Aims Page

The specific aims page, especially the aims themselves, are the crux of your grant application. Use the following tips to write a strong, clear specific aims page. Use the Specific Aims Page Checklist to assess your writing and to ensure that you have included all of the necessary components.

Create a ‘Funnel Shape’ Conceptually

Create a focused lead paragraph that has a "funnel shape" conceptually. Lead the reader from the general to the specific, so that by the time your specific aims appear, it's clear what gap in the literature you're addressing and how this new knowledge will fit into the field. This introduction should also indicate how this proposal builds upon your previous data.

Example: "The mechanism by which cirrhosis of the liver occurs in a subset of patients with Cystic Fibrosis is unknown. Our data over the past 3 years has demonstrated that gene X is a candidate modifier gene by crossing Cystic Fibrosis knockout mice with gene X deficient mice. This proposal will build upon these results and test the hypothesis that Gene X is a modifier gene through its fibrogenic activation properties."

Write a Clear, Testable Hypothesis

Strive to create one clear hypothesis first that will be tested through your specific aims . Know the difference between specific aims and long-term goals .

Note: Depending on the grant you are seeking, this rule may not be possible or desirable. For example, if you are applying for an R01 grant in health services/outcomes research, the typical grant in this area has a data collection project at its core that often addresses more than one goal . Therefore, the nature of the project is often briefly described in the last sentence of the introduction, rather than in the specific aims.

Example: "We will conduct a multi-center, prospective, longitudinal study of 1000 patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation for hematologic malignancies in order to..."

Do: "Three cloves of garlic per day cure colon cancer through activation of the caspase death pathway in tumor cells."

Don't: "There are various chemicals within garlic that have different effects on all cells including tumor cells."

Tips on Writing Specific Aims

Make Aims Concise and Highly Focused
Ensure Clear Results
Write Aims that Test Single Hypothesis
Indicate Why, What and How
Avoid Sub-Aims

Your specific aims is the crux of your proposal so make sure they are concise and highly focused. Get them critiqued, and rewrite until the aims are solid and provide a foundation for the rest of your proposal.

Ensure that your specific aims will provide clear results and that they test your hypothesis . Do: Hypothesis: "Three cloves of garlic per day cure colon cancer through activation of the caspase death pathway in tumor cells." Specific Aims: "1. Test in vitro in T84 colon cancer cells and in vivo in a mouse model of colon cancer that garlic activates the caspase death pathway. 2. Activation of this caspase pathway leads to tumor regression."

Don't: Hypothesis: "There are various chemicals within garlic that have different effects on all cells including tumor cells." Specific aims: "1. We will explore whether incubating different cell types in vitro with garlic affects cell survival. 2. Garlic proteins will be extracted and analyzed by mass spectroscopy."

Write specific aims that test a single, overarching hypothesis , and not individual aims connected to their own hypotheses. Note: Depending on the grant you are seeking, this rule may not be possible or desirable. For example, if you are applying for an R01 grant in health services/outcomes research, the typical grant in this area has a data collection project at its core that often addresses more than one goal . Therefore, the nature of the project is often briefly described in the last sentence of the introduction, rather than in the specific aims.

Example: "We will conduct a multi-center prospective, longitudinal study of 1000 patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation for hematologic malignancies in order to..."

Convey specific aims that indicate why you want to do the work, what you want to do, and how you will do it.

Include no more than three aims and no sub-aims , if possible. Generally, you should not have four or more aims with sub-aims and/or their own hypotheses .

NIH K GRANT SPECIFIC AIMS PAGE RUBRIC

The rubric below provides recommendations for a Specific Aims page of a NIH K grant application . In addition to overall considerations, this rubric is broken up into four parts that correspond to the four sections of a Specific Aims page: the introduction paragraph, the body paragraph(s), the specific aims themselves, and the closing, or impact paragraph.

Use this rubric after you’ve completed a Specific Aims page draft to ensure that you have included all the necessary components. Review the completed rubric and carefully note any unchecked boxes. Review the resources linked throughout this document and use them to improve your Specific Aims page.

Please Note: While this rubric is meant to be a comprehensive resource, we acknowledge that there is no singular correct way to write a grant application and in some cases, deviation from this rubric may be warranted.

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5 tips on how to write a research aim

A research aim is what the author or writer hopes to achieve at the end of the research. It gives an overview of what readers will gain at the end of the theme. Furthermore, it outlines the focal point of the study.

The audience wants to find the reason to read your thesis or proposal. The research aim and objectives serve as a glue that ties them to your topic.

It serves as a background, and it will give a foundation and structure to your topic of discussion. Most research aims come with a brief overview of the promises and benefits of reading the research paper.

In this article, we will focus on outlining the tips on how to write a gripping researching aim.

#1. Explicitly state the aim and objectives of your research.

Most researchers often omit the place of clearly stating the research aim. This omission has given most thesis a directionless motion. Most readers don’t prefer reading proposals without first reading the guide.

Try to define your focus on the proposal. Expressly state the variables to be estimated. Include the active steps you’ll take. Your studies should have limits, state it. Don’t include unnecessary points in stating your research aim. How do I state my research aim and objective?

In stating your research aim, use action-verb words. Avoid using slack and dull words. Preferably, your statements should be in verb-form.

#2. Determine the number of aims that should be in your proposal

Most supervisors prefer to see one predominant research aim and then an additional subsidiary research aim.

While there is no hard and fast rule to the number of aims, a thesis should contain a reasonable number of objectives.

#3. Write them with broad terms

Research aims are to be written with a broad term that captures the whole essence of the work. While objectives should be concise, as they capture the small unit of actions to be taken to achieve those aims.

#4. Make It Short

Your research aim and objectives should be very short. The purpose of this is to make your readers remember your dreams and objectives. It should not be written with complex sentences. Both the aim and objectives of your proposal should not exceed 500 to 1000 words.

#5. Let Them Relate to Each other

While stating your aims and objectives, let them flow with each other. If your goals do not relate to each other, then you maim the believability of your work. The question is, the aims and objectives you stated, can they be actualized with one factor?

We have covered the steps to achieving a readable and relatable way of writing your aim and objectives in your thesis, proposals, project defense, and your books. It all depends on your being precise.

be it a big-name brand working with a digital marketing agency into the nitty-gritty of the coronavirus\' impact on digital marketing. marketing agenc...

liked this presentation as it also serves as a model for writing a blog post or article meant to convey one\'s own thoughts. scripting the aim beforeh...

a few examples of right and wrong drafting of aim could have been given.

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Research paper

Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide

Published on September 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 27, 2023.

The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several key goals:

Present your topic and get the reader interested
Provide background or summarize existing research
Position your own approach
Detail your specific research problem and problem statement
Give an overview of the paper’s structure

The introduction looks slightly different depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument by engaging with a variety of sources.

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Step 1: introduce your topic, step 2: describe the background, step 3: establish your research problem, step 4: specify your objective(s), step 5: map out your paper, research paper introduction examples, frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.

The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. This is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook.

The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. Think of an interesting fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your topic.

For example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental impact of cattle farming:

A more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent girls might use the following hook:

Don’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. Clarity and relevance are still more important than catchiness. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas.

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This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking.

In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. In a more empirical paper, this is the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in.

Argumentative paper: Background information

After you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your topic.

Provide only the most relevant background information. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth; if more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body .

Empirical paper: Describing previous research

For a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that has already been conducted. This is a sort of miniature literature review —a sketch of the current state of research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences.

This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. Your search can be less extensive than in a full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.

Begin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research that you intend to respond to.

The next step is to clarify how your own research fits in and what problem it addresses.

Argumentative paper: Emphasize importance

In an argumentative research paper, you can simply state the problem you intend to discuss, and what is original or important about your argument.

Empirical paper: Relate to the literature

In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature. Think in terms of these questions:

What research gap is your work intended to fill?
What limitations in previous work does it address?
What contribution to knowledge does it make?

You can make the connection between your problem and the existing research using phrases like the following.


Although has been studied in detail, insufficient attention has been paid to .	You will address a previously overlooked aspect of your topic.
The implications of study deserve to be explored further.	You will build on something suggested by a previous study, exploring it in greater depth.
It is generally assumed that . However, this paper suggests that …	You will depart from the consensus on your topic, establishing a new position.

Now you’ll get into the specifics of what you intend to find out or express in your research paper.

The way you frame your research objectives varies. An argumentative paper presents a thesis statement, while an empirical paper generally poses a research question (sometimes with a hypothesis as to the answer).

Argumentative paper: Thesis statement

The thesis statement expresses the position that the rest of the paper will present evidence and arguments for. It can be presented in one or two sentences, and should state your position clearly and directly, without providing specific arguments for it at this point.

Empirical paper: Research question and hypothesis

The research question is the question you want to answer in an empirical research paper.

Present your research question clearly and directly, with a minimum of discussion at this point. The rest of the paper will be taken up with discussing and investigating this question; here you just need to express it.

A research question can be framed either directly or indirectly.

This study set out to answer the following question: What effects does daily use of Instagram have on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls?
We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls.

If your research involved testing hypotheses , these should be stated along with your research question. They are usually presented in the past tense, since the hypothesis will already have been tested by the time you are writing up your paper.

For example, the following hypothesis might respond to the research question above:

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The final part of the introduction is often dedicated to a brief overview of the rest of the paper.

In a paper structured using the standard scientific “introduction, methods, results, discussion” format, this isn’t always necessary. But if your paper is structured in a less predictable way, it’s important to describe the shape of it for the reader.

If included, the overview should be concise, direct, and written in the present tense.

This paper will first discuss several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then will go on to …
This paper first discusses several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then goes on to …

Full examples of research paper introductions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.

Argumentative paper
Empirical paper

Are cows responsible for climate change? A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. This paper argues that the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle farmers, to transition to sustainable vegetable farming. It first establishes the inadequacy of current mitigation measures, then discusses the various advantages of the results proposed, and finally addresses potential objections to the plan on economic grounds.

The rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of body image issues among women and girls. This correlation has received significant academic attention: Various empirical studies have been conducted into Facebook usage among adolescent girls (Tiggermann & Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014). These studies have consistently found that the visual and interactive aspects of the platform have the greatest influence on body image issues. Despite this, highly visual social media (HVSM) such as Instagram have yet to be robustly researched. This paper sets out to address this research gap. We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls. It was hypothesized that daily Instagram use would be associated with an increase in body image concerns and a decrease in self-esteem ratings.

The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

A hook to catch the reader’s interest
Relevant background on the topic
Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

A thesis statement or research question
Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

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54+ Resume Objective Examples & Writing Guide

A good resume objective makes hiring managers want to keep reading your resume. We’ll teach you how to write an effective objective statement and provide resume objective examples for various jobs and situations.

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A resume objective is a brief statement of your qualifications and career goals that’s used to start your resume . Your resume objective should be tailored to a specific job and explain how you’re qualified for the position.

When writing a resume , you should spend a few extra minutes making your introduction as compelling as possible to catch – and keep – hiring managers’ attention.

In this article, we’ll explain what a resume objective is, show you how to write one, and provide 54+ unique resume objective examples .

Our free-to-use resume builder can make you a resume in as little as 5 minutes. Just pick the template you want, and our software will format everything for you.

General resume objective examples

An image depicting different colored pieces of paper scattered over a surface.

Here are a few examples of generic resume objectives to give you a better idea of what yours should look like:

No experience resume objective

Fast-learning high school student with a strong desire to learn. Excel in math and memorizing information. Ready to apply these skills to provide next-level customer service as a cashier at Hoppy’s Grocer.

Resume with no experience
Resume for your first job

Entry level resume objective

Recent graduate with a certificate in HVAC repair. Possess specialized knowledge and skills needed to diagnose and efficiently resolve mechanical issues in all types of HVAC systems. Equipped to positively affect JT Repair’s bottom line as your next Repair Technician.

Entry-level resume

Resume objective for experienced worker

Fresh college graduate with 2 years of experience working as a part-time customer service representative. Known for quickly resolving customer issues via phone, email, and instant message. Anticipating building on this success as a Call Center Representative at Mellow May.

Mid-career resume

How to write a good objective for your resume

An image depicting a pair of hands holding a pencil and a list of three things to include in a resume objective: intro, hard/soft skills, and goals.

To write a strong resume objective, first research the company and think about how your personal background (experience, skills, education, and interests) makes you the best fit for the role.

Once you determine what details will be most compelling to the employer, summarize it in three sentences, like this:

First sentence: Self-introduction where you mention your years of relevant experience (if any) and degree or level of education
Second sentence: Your most job-relevant hard and soft skills
Third sentence: The role you’re targeting and how you plan to help the company achieve its goals

Here’s an example of a resume objective following this basic structure:

General example of a resume objective — nursing sample

Generate a customized resume objective

The easiest way to create a good objective for your resume is to use software that’s designed specifically for that purpose.

The free resume summary generator tool below will help you quickly create a basic resume introduction. Afterward, you can tweak your summary to focus on your career objectives.

Generate a professional resume summary instantly, or use our AI-powered summary generator to customize your own in 2 minutes.

1. What word best describes the type of job seeker you are?

Intermediate
Entry-level

2. What work environment are you looking to work in?

Organization
Establishment

3. What position are you applying for?

4. What are your main responsibilities at work?

5. What word best describes you in your professional life?

Detail-oriented
Hard-working
Goal-oriented
Results-oriented
Quality-oriented
Experienced
Extroverted

6. Which soft skills would your peers and/or clients praise you for?

communication
creative thinking
critical thinking
interpersonal
multitasking
organizational
problem-solving
collaboration
negotiation
conflict resolution
time management
motivational
goal-setting

7. What are your top professional skills?

8. Do you have any relevant licenses or certifications?

Situational career objective examples

An image depicting a man taking off a lab coat and leaving behind laboratory equipment on the left side of the image while reaching for art supplies on the right side of the image.

Sometimes you need to write a resume to match your situation in life (e.g., a resume for an internship ). Below are five resume objective examples for different life situations:

Career change resume objective

Friendly customer care expert with 5+ years of experience in a retail environment. Switching my career focus to the hospitality industry, bringing well-developed transferable skills such as conflict resolution, empathy, and POS expertise. Ready to thrive in a new role as Front Desk Associate at Carmichael Inn.

Career change resume

High school student resume objective

Responsible and ambitious student (3.8/4.0 GPA) with excellent time management ability. Possess proven communication skills and a strong work ethic that will aid your company in meeting its milestones. Seeking to apply my customer service abilities and project/event planning skills to the Business Development summer internship at LT Inc.

High school student resume

College student resume objective

Hardworking college freshman majoring in International Business. Gained communication skills as a part-time barista throughout all four years of high school. Confident I can make a positive impact on prospective students and increase enrollment as a Tour Guide at Regent University.

College student resume

Internship resume objective

Energetic and passionate college student working toward a BS in Marketing at the University of Georgia. Aiming to use my knowledge of advertising, PR, product development, and consumer research strategies to undertake the marketing internship at MarTek.

Internship resume
Grad school resume

Part-time job resume objective

Dependable delivery driver with 3+ years’ experience transporting auto parts from suppliers to mechanics. Hold a perfect driving record and an intimate knowledge of navigating the Mechanicsburg area. Targeting part-time employment as Pizza Palace’s Night Delivery Driver.

Resume for a part-time job

Job-specific resume objective examples

An image depicting people in different jobs.

Administration & Office Support

Banking & finance, customer service & retail, engineering, food & food service, information technology (it), legal & law enforcement, manual labor & skilled trades, sales & marketing.

Looking for a resume objective example for an academic CV or resume? Here’s a research assistant resume objective example that you can use as inspiration:

Research Assistant Resume Objective

Recent Political Science graduate (3.8 GPA) with 6 months’ experience conducting polling research while interning at Win Yellow Strategies. Excellent understanding of neutral survey methods and quantitative analysis. Seeking to leverage my data analysis knowledge to obtain a Research Assistant position at Top Seat Consulting.

Research assistant CV
Teacher assistant resume
Lab technician resume

If you’re seeking an office-based role, here are some resume objectives for inspiration.

Administrative Assistant Resume Objective

Administrative Assistant with experience preparing flawless presentations, assembling reports, and maintaining the utmost confidentiality in student government. Possess a BA in History and expertise in Microsoft Excel. Looking to leverage my knowledge and experience into a role as a Project Manager at Fleeble.

Administrative assistant resume

Executive Assistant Resume Objective

Discreet and professional executive assistant with 2+ years of internship experience supporting the owner of a 10-employee startup with everything from scheduling to taking meeting notes. Track record of being organized and skilled at time management. 120 WPM typist and highly proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, as well as remote tools like Google Meet, Zoom, and Slack.

Executive assistant resume

Office Assistant Resume Objective

New college graduate with 2+ years of student work experience handling confidential paperwork and making routine office tasks as efficient as possible. Exceptional organizational, multitasking, customer service, data entry skills, and professional-level Microsoft Office expertise. Seeking to leverage my qualifications to succeed in JK International’s open Office Assistant role.

Office assistant resume
Office manager resume
Receptionist resume
Secretary resume

Applying for a job in the banking and finance industry? Here are resume objective examples for an accountant, bank teller, and financial analyst:

Accounting Resume Objective

Newly Certified Public Accountant with 3+ years of experience volunteering and interning at major accounting firms. Comfortable with ledger processes, reconciliations, payroll, and detailed reporting. Seeking to grow my professional expertise and experience to flourish as an Accounting Assistant at KL & Associates.

Accounting resume
Staff accountant resume
Accounting assistant resume

Bank Teller Resume Objective

Experienced retail cashier with a genuine love for engaging with customers on a daily basis. Fast learner able to quickly gain a deep understanding of digital systems, and proficient at accurately performing basic calculations in my head. Excited to begin a career in banking as a Teller at Middletown Credit Union.

Bank teller resume
Personal banker resume

Financial Analyst Resume Objective

Focused and efficient financial analyst with an MS in Accounting. Trained in developing and presenting informed analyses to guide executive-level decisions and have extensive experience in the latest financial software. Excited to improve my analytical skills to support the Gold Capital team and position myself as an invaluable contributor.

Financial analyst resume
Entry-level financial analyst resume
Finance resume

To showcase your skills in the beauty industry, follow the example of these resume objectives:

Esthetician Resume Objective

Certified esthetician trained in designing care programs for various skin types. Gained hands-on experience through internships and work placements, receiving rave reviews from both supervisors and clients. Prepared to apply excellent interpersonal skills to caring for Diane Beauty’s clients.

Esthetician resume

Cosmetology Resume Objective

Licensed Cosmetologist seeking to provide customers with a full range of hair care services. Skilled at building a strong client base and performing administrative duties. Aiming to use my natural customer service, sales, and communication skills to effectively fill the Hair Stylist position at Sally’s Salon.

Hair stylist resume
Cosmetologist resume

Look at the example below to get an idea of how to write a resume objective for your childcare resume:

Babysitter Resume Objective

Responsible Babysitter with experience caring for children during weekends, evenings, and summer and winter breaks. Skilled at creating fun, engaging, and educational activities, while demonstrating a priority for children’s safety. Excited to meet and care for your children.

Babysitter resume
Childcare resume

Below are examples of resume objectives written for customer service and retail jobs:

Customer Service Resume Objective

Hardworking high school student with strong interpersonal and management skills. Possess ability to cooperate with others and resolve conflicts. Seeking to leverage my experience in student government and theater to fulfill the duties of a Customer Service Representative at Walmart.

Customer service resume
Technical support resume
Customer service resume objective examples

Call Center Resume Objective

Outgoing and enthusiastic individual with 4 years’ part-time customer service experience at various retail and food-service establishments. Achieved 99% service satisfaction ratings at every job I’ve held. Confident I can help Verizon exceed its service and sales targets as a Call Center Representative.

Call center resume

Cashier Resume Objective

Diligent high school student (3.7/4.0 GPA) with excellent communication and research skills. I’m confident my enthusiasm to learn new skills quickly will help your company exceed its milestones. Aiming to use my abilities to successfully fulfill the cashier position at Pete’s Pets.

Retail sales associate resume
Grocery store cashier resume
Retail manager resume
Store manager resume

School hiring managers look for your teacher skills on your resume . Let employers know immediately that you can lead the classroom by listing your most relevant teaching qualifications in your resume objective like these educators do:

Preschool Teacher Resume Objective

State-licensed preschool teacher with 3 years’ experience as a tutor and student assistant. Well-trained in classroom management, child psychology, and lesson planning. Excited to prepare preschoolers for kindergarten as a Preschool Teacher at Tiny Hands Institute.

Elementary teacher resume
Math teacher resume
Special education teacher resume
Teacher resume
Teacher resume objective examples

Substitute Teacher Resume Objective

Certified substitute teacher with proven ability to engage groups of young learners in classroom settings. Passionate about lesson planning and increasing student test scores. Skilled at implementing classroom technology (visualizers, smart displays, and learning apps) and eager to enhance Sunny Day Middle School’s educational quality as a Substitute Teacher.

Substitute teacher resume
Tutor resume
Librarian resume
Library page resume

Whether you’re a soon-to-graduate engineering student or an experienced engineer changing your industry focus, you can use these resume objective examples for inspiration:

Civil Engineer Resume Objective

A registered member of the ICE and CIOB. Capable of working independently with minimum supervision, and committed to providing high-quality service to every project. Specialize in health, safety, and environmental issues. Motivated individual who can consistently perform in challenging environments, and ready to exceed expectations for YT Group.

Civil engineer resume
Engineering resume

Mechanical Engineer Resume Objective

Recent graduate with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and 2+ years of internship experience. Trained in designing and maintaining tools, industrial processing systems, and equipment. Skilled at creating technical drawings and blueprints. Seeking to make an immediate impact as a Mechanical Engineer at Lockheed Martin.

Mechanical engineer resume

Looking for work in the food and food service industry? Highlight your relevant skills like the applicants do in these resume objectives:

Bartender Resume Objective

Bartender with experience in cocktail preparation and creation. Possess a deep knowledge of local craft beers, wine, spirits, and cocktails, as well as a friendly, outgoing personality. Seeking to apply my bartending skills to fulfill the Bartender position at Draft Bar.

Bartender resume

Food Service Resume Objective

Food service worker with excellent customer service skills and a passion for serving and preparing food. Recognized for my ability to learn quickly, memorize large numbers of wines and entrees, and use POS terminals. Looking to leverage my knowledge of the industry as a Server at Jim’s Restaurant.

Food service resume
Server resume

Line Cook Resume Objective

Aspiring Line Cook with 5 years of experience prepping Cajun, Creole, and Middle Eastern cuisines at home. Possess expertise in creating sauces and cooking seafood and poultry, as well as following recipes and instructions with meticulous detail. Seeking to take my talents for cooking out of my own kitchen and into the kitchen at J’s Fine Dining.

Line cook resume
Prep cook resume
Chef resume

Fast Food Resume Objective

Fast food worker with a year of experience in food service. A quick learner and self-starter with strong interpersonal skills and a keen sense of quality service. I am looking to grow my expertise at the Centralia branch by contributing to the team as a Shift Manager.

Fast food resume
McDonalds crew member resume

Waiter Resume Objective

Enthusiastic waiter with a Certification in Food Handling and Safety. Skilled at interacting with customers and upselling. Seeking to leverage proven skills and acquired knowledge into a Waiter position to help achieve Outback Steakhouse’s goals.

Waitress resume

Providing medical care to patients requires good carer skills. Learn how to show hiring managers you have these skills by using these resume objectives to learn how to write your own:

Medical Assistant Resume Objective

Attentive and detail-oriented medical assistant. AAMA Certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) since 2022, with knowledge of both administrative and clinical duties and a true passion for helping people in the health profession. Seeking to apply my range of clinical skills and experience as the new Medical Assistant at Centerville Hospital.

Medical assistant resume
Physician assistant resume
Medical assistant resume objective examples
Caregiver resume

Nursing Resume Objective

Nurse RN with experience providing quality care to a wide variety of patients. Possess a master’s qualification in nursing and currently focused on earning a doctorate degree. Aiming to leverage my experience and knowledge to effectively fill the nursing position at Hilldale Health Center.

Nursing resume
Nursing resume objective examples
CNA resume objective

CNA Resume Objective

Friendly and compassionate certified nursing assistant with a passion for helping elderly patients. Comfortable bathing, dressing, and feeding physically impaired patients, as well as changing bedpans and helping medical staff respond to emergencies. Confident in my ability to enhance the medical services provided by Happy Hills Nursing Home as your new Staff CNA.

Certified nursing assistant (CNA) resume

Phlebotomist Resume Objective

Experienced and passionate phlebotomist with training in blood sample collection and testing. Able to insert and remove IVs, administer injections and immunizations, and handle patient intake. Excited to apply extensive knowledge of phlebotomy practices to care for patients as a Phlebotomist at Johnsonville Health Clinic.

Phlebotomist resume

If you work in IT, you already know software and hardware skills are essential. But you might not know how to write a compelling resume objective. Here are some examples to show you how:

IT Project Manager Resume Objective

Agile-certified project manager with 5+ years of experience leading hardware projects from design through to implementation. Known for motivating teams of all sizes to work efficiently. Seeking to transfer this experience to the software field as a Project Manager at Epps Technologies Inc.

IT project manager resume

Data Entry Clerk Resume Objective

Information Processor who thrives in high-pressure and fast-paced professional environments. Possess a BSc in Computer Science. Independently motivated team player aiming to boost efficiency at BlazeBots by successfully completing projects with tight deadlines.

Data entry resume
Clerical resume

Software Developer Resume Objective

Recent Computer Science graduate with backend development experience. Possess more than 1 year of internship experience building and testing applications for Android, iOS, and Windows. Skilled with C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Swift. Seeking an entry-level position as a Software Developer at Jamflex Software.

Web developer resume
Software engineer resume

Here are resume objective examples for a paralegal and police officer:

Paralegal Resume Objective

Paralegal intern with 2+ years of experience assisting lawyers with legal research and documentation for criminal trials. Expertise in drafting legal memorandums and preparing for depositions. Motivated to contribute to Johnson & Merk Law Firm’s success as a Litigation Paralegal.

Paralegal resume
Lawyer resume
Legal assistant resume
Law school resume

Police Officer Resume Objective

Police academy graduate with high marks in physical fitness, weapons training, strategy, and team coordination. Driven to keep community residents safe and looking forward to advancing to a leadership position. Ready to take the first step in my criminal justice career as an Entry-Level Police Officer at Middlebrook Police Department.

Police officer resume

Attention to detail and technical abilities should be at the top of your resume if you’re a blue-collar worker or skilled laborer. Learn how to showcase these skills by looking at these sample resume objectives:

Construction Worker Resume Objective

Enthusiastic laborer who is always willing to learn new skills and take on more responsibility. Possess an Associate’s in Building Construction Technology. Seeking to apply acquired academic knowledge and work experience as a Construction Worker at Ken’s Contracting.

Construction worker resume
Laborer resume
Welder resume

Housekeeper Resume Objective

Housekeeper with 1 year of experience seeking to put my proven professional skills to work in a full-time housekeeping role. Won an award at my current job for being the most productive member of the cleaning staff. Possess excellent time management and cleaning skills. Looking to fill the Housekeeper position at the Hyatt in Pasadena.

Housekeeper resume
Hotel housekeeping resume with no experience
Hospitality resume

Custodian Resume Objective

Conscientious cleaner with 6+ years of experience cleaning houses professionally. Able to lift 60+ lbs. and comfortable working on my feet for 10+ hours daily. Seeking to apply my high-level knowledge of OSHA cleaning standards to the open Day Custodian position at Connie’s Pro Cleaning Services.

Custodian resume
Janitor resume

Security Guard Resume Objective

Professional Court Security Officer looking to transition into corporate security. Possess a CPR certification and strong observation and communication skills. Eager to use my excellent security skills and experience to enhance safety at INK Tech.

Security guard resume
Firefighter resume

Truck Driver Resume Objective

Motivated driver with 6+ years of experience commuting from Northern Nevada to Northern California every month for both personal and professional reasons. Possess a Class A Certified Driver’s License and ME Certificate. Looking to apply my strong safety record (zero accidents and injuries in 10 years of driving) as a new Truck Driver for Swift.

Truck driver resume
Delivery driver resume

Warehouse Worker Resume Objective

General warehouse worker with 1 year of experience in operations and shipping at Amazon. Earned an award for my above-average efficiency. Fast learner and passionate about delivering excellent service. Seeking to put my skill set to work as a Warehouse Associate at Mansfield Industries.

Warehouse worker resume
Security officer resume

Marketing is an ever-changing industry, so show employers you’re adaptable and open to new ideas in your resume objective. Below are three examples of well-written sales and marketing resume objectives:

Sales Resume Objective (College Graduate)

MBA graduate with a firm grasp of the principles behind driving profitability through strategic growth, leading teams, and quality control. Fiercely competitive in my approach to acquire clients, and able to handle complex situations from a strategic and tactical perspective. Presently seeking a sales position with a market-leading, high-growth company that offers opportunities for advancement into management.

Sales manager resume
Operations manager resume

Sales Resume Objective (No Degree)

Enthusiastic retail sales associate with 1 year of professional experience in fashion sales. Consistently exceed average monthly sales goals by more than 12%. Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and am seeking to fill the Entry-Level Sales Associate position at Zara.

Sales resume

Marketing Assistant Resume Objective

Recent Business graduate (3.7 GPA) with 5 months of internship experience at Kroger. Recognized for my ability to conduct in-depth market research, create innovative marketing campaigns, and provide brand management insight. Looking to continue helping marketing teams achieve success as a Marketing Assistant at Westfield Inc.

Marketing assistant resume
Marketing resume

Social Media Resume Objective

Recent graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, excited to begin a brand management career. Self-motivated and a fast learner, passionate about working with all social media platforms and keeping up with the latest industry trends. Aiming to apply my relevant educational background and experience to Buzz Beat’s open Social Media Marketer position.

Social media marketing resume
Social media manager resume

Fundraiser Resume Objective

Motivated and results-oriented individual with 1 year of fundraising experience for volunteer causes and a knack for steering others toward participating in philanthropic activities. Skilled in project management, event implementation, and public speaking. Seeking a part-time position as a Fundraising Coordinator for PETA.

Fundraising resume

As a writer, your resume objective should show hiring managers that you have the writing skills they’re looking for. Here’s an example resume objective for a journalist resume that you can follow:

Journalism Resume Objective

Recent Journalism graduate (3.6 GPA) with strong writing and copy editing experience. Recently completed a 6-month internship at the Washington Post, where I helped cover financial news. Superb research and communication skills. Seeking to drive engagement as a Finance Reporter at BuzzFeed.

Freelance writer resume

Copywriter resume objective

Innovative Copywriter with 4+ years of experience writing compelling copy for web content, press releases, newsletters, and advertising materials. Adept at a range of communication formats including feature articles, headlines, blogs, emails, podcasts, and social media. Seeking a full-time Copywriter position at Vinta Technologies to develop my skills further.

Copywriter resume
Technical writer resume

Resume Objective

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Research Questions, Objectives & Aims (+ Examples)
Research Aims: Examples. True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording "this research aims to…", "this research seeks to…", and so on. For example: "This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.". "This study sets out to assess the interaction between student ...
Aims and Objectives
Summary. One of the most important aspects of a thesis, dissertation or research paper is the correct formulation of the aims and objectives. This is because your aims and objectives will establish the scope, depth and direction that your research will ultimately take. An effective set of aims and objectives will give your research focus and ...
How to Write the Aims and Objectives
Writing objectives. The objectives describe how you would achieve your research aim. You can do this through the following steps, The first one to two objectives can be applied to the literature review. (Verbs to be used: investigate, examine, study) One objective can be applied to the methodology portion.
Writing your research aims and objectives
2. When you write them up, be very specific. Don't leave things so vague that the reader is left unsure or unclear on what you aim to achieve. 3. Make sure there is a logical flow between each of your aims. They should make sense together and should each be separate components which, when added together, are bigger than the sum of their parts.
Writing Effective Research Aims and Objectives
This step in your research journey is usually the first written method used to convey your research idea to your tutor. Therefore, aims and objectives should clearly convey your topic, academic foundation, and research design. In order to write effective research aims and objectives, researchers should consider all aspects of their proposed work.
Research Objectives
How to write research aims and objectives. Once you've established a research problem you want to address, you need to decide how you will address it. This is where your research aim and objectives come in. Step 1: Decide on a general aim. Your research aim should reflect your research problem and should be relatively broad.
Research Aims and Objectives: The dynamic duo for successful ...
Research aims and objectives are the foundation of any research project. They provide a clear direction and purpose for the study, ensuring that you stay focused and on track throughout the process. They are your trusted navigational tools, leading you to success. Understanding the relationship between research objectives and aims is crucial to ...
What Are Research Objectives and How to Write Them (with Examples)
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.
Formulating Research Aims and Objectives
Formulating research aim and objectives in an appropriate manner is one of the most important aspects of your thesis. This is because research aim and objectives determine the scope, depth and the overall direction of the research. Research question is the central question of the study that has to be answered on the basis of research findings.
Q: How do I write the aims and objectives of a research?
The aim of the research is the overall purpose of conducting the research. It could be to add to the knowledge in the area, to address an existing gap in the knowledge, to devise and test a solution to an existing problem, and so on. Objectives are the specific outcomes you expect to achieve through your research and that will enable you to ...
Research Aims and Objectives
The ways of writing a research aim varies with the researcher, but there are certain points to keep in mind to write a good quality research aim: 1. Answer the "why" question of the research: A research aim needs to provide an answer for why the study is being conducted. It needs to describe, in a small sentence or phares, why the research ...
How to Write Research Objectives
To develop a set of research objectives, you would then break down the various steps involved in meeting said aim. For example: This study will investigate the link between dehydration and the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in intensive care patients in Australia. To achieve this, the study objectives w ill include:
How to Write a Research Proposal
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management".
Writing a research article: advice to beginners
Writing research papers does not come naturally to most of us. The typical research paper is a highly codified rhetorical form [1, 2]. Knowledge of the rules—some explicit, others implied—goes a long way toward writing a paper that will get accepted in a peer-reviewed journal. ... 'The aim of this paper is to describe what we did') or ...
Writing High Quality Research Aims
It is helpful to meet early in the grant writing process (ideally 2-3 months prior to submission). The following guides may be helpful for crafting your Specific Aims page. The Specific Aims page is the cliff notes of your grant application. The first paragraph should explain why there is a need for your proposal and end with communicating your ...
Aims and Hypotheses
Hypotheses. A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a precise, testable statement of what the researchers predict will be the outcome of the study. This usually involves proposing a possible relationship between two variables: the independent variable (what the researcher changes) and the dependant variable (what the research measures).
What's the difference between research aims and objectives?
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is ...
How To Write a Specific Aim
In this video, I take two separate, high scoring NIH proposals in different fields, and examine the primary Aims. I break them down for you into 3 major parts, and what you want to communicate in each of these parts (very concisely!). Watch this if you want to ensure the Aims you write are connecting with your reviewers.
Write Your Specific Aims Page
Write specific aims that test a single, overarching hypothesis, and not individual aims connected to their own hypotheses. Note: Depending on the grant you are seeking, this rule may not be possible or desirable. For example, if you are applying for an R01 grant in health services/outcomes research, the typical grant in this area has a data collection project at its core that often addresses ...
Writing Strong Research Questions
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
PDF Writing a Clear & Compelling Specific Aims Section
A specific aim should describe concisely and realistically what the proposed research is intended to accomplish: test a stated hypothesis. create a novel design solve a specific problem challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice address a critical barrier to progress in a field develop a new technology.
5 tips on how to write a research aim
In stating your research aim, use action-verb words. Avoid using slack and dull words. Preferably, your statements should be in verb-form. #2. Determine the number of aims that should be in your ...
Writing a Research Paper Introduction
Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
54+ Good Resume Objective Examples & Writing Guide
To write a strong resume objective, first research the company and think about how your personal background (experience, skills, education, and interests) makes you the best fit for the role. Once you determine what details will be most compelling to the employer, summarize it in three sentences, like this:

Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

Overview: The Golden Thread

What is the “golden thread”?

Research Aims: What are they?

Research Aims: Examples

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Research Objectives: What are they?

Research Objectives: Examples

Research Questions: What are they?

Research Questions: Examples

The importance of strong alignment

Recap: The golden thread

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Introduction

What Are Aims and Objectives?

Example of a Research Aim

Research Objectives

Example of a Research Objective

Restructuring Research Objectives as Research Questions

Difference Between Aims and Objectives

How to Write Aims and Objectives

Research Objectives

Table of Research Verbs to Use in Aims and Objectives

Checking Research Objective Example Against Recommended Approach

Mistakes in Writing Research Aims and Objectives

2. Making Your Research Objectives Too Ambitious

3. Formulating Repetitive Research Objectives

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What Are Research Objectives and How to Write Them (with Examples)

Introduction

What is the introduction in research papers?

Why are research objectives important?

Types of research objectives

Characteristics of research objectives

How to write research objectives?

Formulating research objectives

Advantages of research objectives

Disadvantages of research objectives

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions on research objectives

Q: What are the examples of research objectives, both general and specific?

Q: How do I develop research objectives?

Q: Are research objectives measurable?