what is the purpose of research statement

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Graduate School Applications: Writing a Research Statement

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The research statement is a common component of a potential candidate’s application for post-undergraduate study. This may include applications for graduate programs, post-doctoral fellowships, or faculty positions. The research statement is often the primary way that a committee determines if a candidate’s interests and past experience make them a good fit for their program/institution.

What is a Research Statement?

A research statement is a short document that provides a brief history of your past research experience, the current state of your research, and the future work you intend to complete.

What Should It Look Like?

Research statements are generally one to two single-spaced pages. You should be sure to thoroughly read and follow the length and content requirements for each individual application.

Your research statement should situate your work within the larger context of your field and show how your works contributes to, complicates, or counters other work being done. It should be written for an audience of other professionals in your field.

What Should It Include?

Your statement should start by articulating the broader field that you are working within and the larger question or questions that you are interested in answering. It should then move to articulate your specific interest.

The body of your statement should include a brief history of your past research . What questions did you initially set out to answer in your research project? What did you find? How did it contribute to your field? (i.e. did it lead to academic publications, conferences, or collaborations?). How did your past research propel you forward?

It should also address your present research . What questions are you actively trying to solve? What have you found so far? How are you connecting your research to the larger academic conversation? (i.e. do you have any publications under review, upcoming conferences, or other professional engagements?) What are the larger implications of your work?

Finally, it should describe the future trajectory on which you intend to take your research. What further questions do you want to solve? How do you intend to find answers to these questions? How can the institution to which you are applying help you in that process? What are the broader implications of your potential results?

Note: Make sure that the research project that you propose can be completed at the institution to which you are applying.

Other Considerations:

• What is the primary question that you have tried to address over the course of your academic career? Why is this question important to the field? How has each stage of your work related to that question?
• Include a few specific examples that show your success. What tangible solutions have you found to the question that you were trying to answer? How have your solutions impacted the larger field? Examples can include references to published findings, conference presentations, or other professional involvement.
• Be confident about your skills and abilities. The research statement is your opportunity to sell yourself to an institution. Show that you are self-motivated and passionate about your project.

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Research Paper Purpose Statement Examples

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When you’re doing academic research, it’s important to define your purpose. That is where a purpose statement comes in. It clearly defines the objective of your qualitative or quantitative research. Get the details on a research purpose statement and how to create one through unique and real-world examples.

What Is a Purpose Statement?

If you think about the words “purpose statement ,” it really tells you what it is. In a research paper , a purpose statement tells you what the purpose of the research will be. In a sentence or two, it clearly defines the direction, reason or goals for the research being conducted.

Making a Purpose Statement

A purpose statement will clearly define what is being explored or studied, how it is being explored and where it is being explored. You will typically see quantitative research purpose statements, which focus on comparing measurable variables, or qualitative research purpose statements, which explore a central phenomenon. Examine how these are different through examples.

Qualitative Research Purpose Statement Examples

Qualitative research purpose statements will present a clear purpose or intent, and study a specific idea. The data is descriptive in nature, rather than focusing on countable, numerical figures. Additionally, you’ll clearly see how and where the learning will take place. The examples clearly define this.

The present article describes a qualitative study of the career development of 18 prominent, highly achieving African American Black and White women in the United States across eight occupational fields. Our aim in the study was to explore critical influences on the career development of these women, particularly those related to their attainment of professional success.

In this psychological research purpose statement, the author is using a qualitative purpose statement. Not only does the author present right away that this will be a qualitative study, but the purpose statement focuses on one idea or concept. The author also uses the action word “explore” to explain how they will learn from the study, in addition to breaking down who will be in the study and where the research will take place.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to discover four genetic factors of aggression of female lions in the Atlanta zoo. The study aims to understand critical influences that affect this aggression through DNA analysis.

The use of the action word “discover” along with the study of a single phenomenon make this a clear qualitative study. The strategy for how the study will be conducted and where it will take place are broken down clearly.

Quantitative Research Purpose Examples

Unlike a qualitative research purpose statement, quantitative purpose statements explore how numerical variables relate or correlate with one another. These purpose statements will define the objective or intent, clarify the variables and outline where the research will take place. Check out the format of this type of research statement through examples.

This study had two purposes: (a) to examine the possible predicting abilities of socioeconomic status, per pupil expenditures, percentage of highly qualified teachers and attendance rates for on-time educational attainment in the state of Virginia and (b) to compare the Appalachian School Divisions of Virginia with the non-Appalachian school divisions for each of these variables.

This sociology paper offers a good example of a quantitative research purpose statement. Not only does the author break down what is going to be studied, but also the different variables that will be looked at. In this case, socioeconomic status, pupil expenditures and attendance, to name a few, are the attributes being recorded. They also discuss where the study will take place.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a relationship that might exist between oxidative balance and clinical features of PKU and MSUD patients in a South Alabama research facility. The oxidative DNA damage markers and amino acid plasma of 20 controls, 22 MSUD and 40 PKU patients were measured.

This quantitative purpose statement discusses the variables, participants and research site. It connects the independent and dependent variables in the first sentence to clarify for the reader the intention and goals of the study. It also breaks down the variables and how they will relate to one another.

A Unique Purpose

You might be wondering how a research paper purpose statement is different from a problem statement, thesis statement or research question.

• In a problem statement , you identify the need for the research because you have identified a problem that needs to be studied. It is the first step, before creating your purpose statement.
• A thesis statement is unique from a purpose statement in that it makes a prediction of the study. A purpose statement, on the other hand, just provides readers with your goals. It doesn’t make any assertions of what the study may find or conclude.
• Research questions are guided by your purpose statement. Using your goals, you can further modify what you want your research to answer through your research questions. When crafting your research questions, it is important to remember what makes a good research question and what doesn’t.

Creating a Purpose Statement

When creating your own purpose statement, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind:

• Clearly define your study as quantitative or qualitative.
• Use words to clarify your intent like “explore” or “compare.”
• Clearly define how the research will take place.
• Discuss who or what will be researched.
• Clarify where the research will take place.

Defining Your Purpose

When you’re doing research, it is important to define your purpose. Whether you’re testing genes or looking at behavior, you need to clearly define the aim of your research. To help you on your way to graduate writing prowess, it is important to perfect your academic writing skills .

How to Write a Research Statement

• Experimental Psychology

Task #1: Understand the Purpose of the Research Statement

The primary mistake people make when writing a research statement is that they fail to appreciate its purpose. The purpose isn’t simply to list and briefly describe all the projects that you’ve completed, as though you’re a museum docent and your research publications are the exhibits. “Here, we see a pen and watercolor self-portrait of the artist. This painting is the earliest known likeness of the artist. It captures the artist’s melancholic temperament … Next, we see a steel engraving. This engraving has appeared in almost every illustrated publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and has also appeared as the television studio back-drop for the …”

Similar to touring through a museum, we’ve read through research statements that narrate a researcher’s projects: “My dissertation examined the ways in which preschool-age children’s memory for a novel event was shaped by the verbal dialogue they shared with trained experimenters. The focus was on the important use of what we call elaborative conversational techniques … I have recently launched another project that represents my continued commitment to experimental methods and is yet another extension of the ways in which we can explore the role of conversational engagement during novel events … In addition to my current experimental work, I am also involved in a large-scale collaborative longitudinal project …”

Treating your research statement as though it’s a narrated walk through your vita does let you describe each of your projects (or publications). But the format is boring, and the statement doesn’t tell us much more than if we had the abstracts of each of your papers. Most problematic, treating your research statement as though it’s a narrated walk through your vita misses the primary purpose of the research statement, which is to make a persuasive case about the importance of your completed work and the excitement of your future trajectory.

Writing a persuasive case about your research means setting the stage for why the questions you are investigating are important. Writing a persuasive case about your research means engaging your audience so that they want to learn more about the answers you are discovering. How do you do that? You do that by crafting a coherent story.

Task #2: Tell a Story

Surpass the narrated-vita format and use either an Op-Ed format or a Detective Story format. The Op-Ed format is your basic five-paragraph persuasive essay format:

First paragraph (introduction):

• broad sentence or two introducing your research topic;
• thesis sentence, the position you want to prove (e.g., my research is important); and
• organization sentence that briefly overviews your three bodies of evidence (e.g., my research is important because a, b, and c).

Second, third, and fourth paragraphs (each covering a body of evidence that will prove your position):

• topic sentence (about one body of evidence);
• fact to support claim in topic sentence;
• another fact to support claim in topic sentence;
• another fact to support claim in topic sentence; and
• analysis/transition sentence.

Fifth paragraph (synopsis and conclusion):

• sentence that restates your thesis (e.g., my research is important);
• three sentences that restate your topic sentences from second, third, and fourth paragraph (e.g., my research is important because a, b, and c); and
• analysis/conclusion sentence.

Although the five-paragraph persuasive essay format feels formulaic, it works. It’s used in just about every successful op-ed ever published. And like all good recipes, it can be doubled. Want a 10-paragraph, rather than five-paragraph research statement? Double the amount of each component. Take two paragraphs to introduce the point you’re going to prove. Take two paragraphs to synthesize and conclude. And in the middle, either raise six points of evidence, with a paragraph for each, or take two paragraphs to supply evidence for each of three points. The op-ed format works incredibly well for writing persuasive essays, which is what your research statement should be.

The Detective Story format is more difficult to write, but it’s more enjoyable to read. Whereas the op-ed format works off deductive reasoning, the Detective Story format works off inductive reasoning. The Detective Story does not start with your thesis statement (“hire/retain/promote/ award/honor me because I’m a talented developmental/cognitive/social/clinical/biological/perception psychologist”). Rather, the Detective Story starts with your broad, overarching research question. For example, how do babies learn their native languages? How do we remember autobiographical information? Why do we favor people who are most similar to ourselves? How do we perceive depth? What’s the best way to treat depression? How does the stress we experience every day affect our long-term health?

Because it’s your research statement, you can personalize that overarching question. A great example of a personalized overarching question occurs in the opening paragraph of George Miller’s (1956) article, “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information.”

My problem is that I have been persecuted by an integer. For seven years this number has followed me around, has intruded in my most private data, and has assaulted me from the pages of our most public journals. This number assumes a variety of disguises, being sometimes a little larger and sometimes a little smaller than usual, but never changing so much as to be unrecognizable. The persistence with which this number plagues me is far more than a random accident. There is, to quote a famous senator, a design behind it, some pattern governing its appearances. Either there really is something unusual about the number or else I am suffering from delusions of persecution. I shall begin my case history by telling you about some experiments that tested how accurately people can assign numbers to the magnitudes of various aspects of a stimulus. …

In case you think the above opening was to a newsletter piece or some other low-visibility outlet, it wasn’t. Those opening paragraphs are from a Psych Review article, which has been cited nearly 16,000 times. Science can be personalized. Another example of using the Detective Story format, which opens with your broad research question and personalizes it, is the opening paragraph of a research statement from a chemist:

I became interested in inorganic chemistry because of one element: Boron. The cage structures and complexity of boron hydrides have fascinated my fellow Boron chemists for more than 40 years — and me for more than a decade. Boron is only one element away from carbon, yet its reactivity is dramatically different. I research why.

When truest to the genre of Detective Story format, the full answer to your introductory question won’t be available until the end of your statement — just like a reader doesn’t know whodunit until the last chapter of a mystery. Along the way, clues to the answer are provided, and false leads are ruled out, which keeps readers turning the pages. In the same way, writing your research statement in the Detective Story format will keep members of the hiring committee, the review committee, and the awards panel reading until the last paragraph.

Task #3: Envision Each Audience

The second mistake people make when writing their research statements is that they write for the specialist, as though they’re talking to another member of their lab. But in most cases, the audience for your research statement won’t be well-informed specialists. Therefore, you need to convey the importance of your work and the contribution of your research without getting bogged down in jargon. Some details are important, but an intelligent reader outside your area of study should be able to understand every word of your research statement.

Because research statements are most often included in academic job applications, tenure and promotion evaluations, and award nominations, we’ll talk about how to envision the audiences for each of these contexts.

Job Applications . Even in the largest department, it’s doubtful that more than a couple of people will know the intricacies of your research area as well as you do. And those two or three people are unlikely to have carte blanche authority on hiring. Rather, in most departments, the decision is made by the entire department. In smaller departments, there’s probably no one else in your research area; that’s why they have a search going on. Therefore, the target audience for your research statement in a job application comprises other psychologists, but not psychologists who study what you study (the way you study it).

Envision this target audience explicitly.Think of one of your fellow graduate students or post docs who’s in another area (e.g., if you’re in developmental, think of your friend in biological). Envision what that person will — and won’t — know about the questions you’re asking in your research, the methods you’re using, the statistics you’re employing, and — most importantly — the jargon that you usually use to describe all of this. Write your research statement so that this graduate student or post doc in another area in psychology will not only understand your research statement, but also find your work interesting and exciting.

Tenure Review . During the tenure review process, your research statement will have two target audiences: members of your department and, if your tenure case receives a positive vote in the department, members of the university at large. For envisioning the first audience, follow the advice given above for writing a research statement for a job application. Think of one of your departmental colleagues in another area (e.g., if you’re in developmental, think of your friend in biological). Write in such a way that the colleague in another area in psychology will understand every word  — and find the work interesting. (This advice also applies to writing research statements for annual reviews, for which the review is conducted in the department and usually by all members of the department.)

For the second stage of the tenure process, when your research statement is read by members of the university at large, you’re going to have to scale it down a notch. (And yes, we are suggesting that you write two different statements: one for your department’s review and one for the university’s review, because the audiences differ. And you should always write with an explicit target audience in mind.) For the audience that comprises the entire university, envision a faculty friend in another department. Think political science or economics or sociology, because your statement will be read by political scientists, economists, and sociologists. It’s an art to hit the perfect pitch of being understood by such a wide range of scholars without being trivial, but it’s achievable.

Award Nominations . Members of award selection committees are unlikely to be specialists in your immediate field. Depending on the award, they might not even be members of your discipline. Find out the typical constitution of the selection committee for each award nomination you submit, and tailor your statement accordingly.

Task #4: Be Succinct

When writing a research statement, many people go on for far too long. Consider three pages a maximum, and aim for two. Use subheadings to help break up the wall of text. You might also embed a well-designed figure or graph, if it will help you make a point. (If so, use wrap-around text, and make sure that your figure has its axes labeled.)

And don’t use those undergraduate tricks of trying to cram more in by reducing the margins or the font size. Undoubtedly, most of the people reading your research statement will be older than you, and we old folks don’t like reading small fonts. It makes us crabby, and that’s the last thing you want us to be when we’re reading your research statement.

Nice piece of information. I will keep in mind while writing my research statement

Thank you so much for your guidance.

HOSSEIN DIVAN-BEIGI

Absolutely agree! I also want to add that: On the one hand it`s easy to write good research personal statement, but on the other hand it`s a little bit difficult to summarize all minds and as result the main idea of the statement could be incomprehensible. It also seems like a challenge for those guys, who aren`t native speakers. That`s why you should prepare carefully for this kind of statement to target your goals.

How do you write an action research topic?? An then stAte the problem an purpose for an action research. Can I get an example on language development?? Please I need some help.

Thankyou I now have idea to come up with the research statement. If I need help I will inform you …

much appreciated

Just like Boote & Beile (2005) explained “Doctors before researchers” because of the importance of the dissertation literature review in research groundwork.

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About the Authors

Morton Ann Gernsbacher , APS Past President, is the Vilas Research Professor and Sir Frederic Bartlett Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Patricia G. Devine , a Past APS Board Member, is Chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Careers Up Close: Joel Anderson on Gender and Sexual Prejudices, the Freedoms of Academic Research, and the Importance of Collaboration

Joel Anderson, a senior research fellow at both Australian Catholic University and La Trobe University, researches group processes, with a specific interest on prejudice, stigma, and stereotypes.

Experimental Methods Are Not Neutral Tools

Ana Sofia Morais and Ralph Hertwig explain how experimental psychologists have painted too negative a picture of human rationality, and how their pessimism is rooted in a seemingly mundane detail: methodological choices. 

APS Fellows Elected to SEP

In addition, an APS Rising Star receives the society’s Early Investigator Award.

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Writing a Research Statement

What is a research statement.

A research statement is a short document that provides a brief history of your past research experience, the current state of your research, and the future work you intend to complete.

The research statement is a common component of a potential student's application for post-undergraduate study. The research statement is often the primary way for departments and faculty to determine if a student's interests and past experience make them a good fit for their program/institution.

Although many programs ask for ‘personal statements,' these are not really meant to be biographies or life stories. What we, at Tufts Psychology, hope to find out is how well your abilities, interests, experiences and goals would fit within our program.

We encourage you to illustrate how your lived experience demonstrates qualities that are critical to success in pursuing a PhD in our program. Earning a PhD in any program is hard! Thus, as you are relaying your past, present, and future research interests, we are interested in learning how your lived experiences showcase the following:

• Perseverance
• Resilience in the face of difficulty
• Motivation to undertake intensive research training
• Involvement in efforts to promote equity and inclusion in your professional and/or personal life
• Unique perspectives that enrich the research questions you ask, the methods you use, and the communities to whom your research applies

How Do I Even Start Writing One?

Before you begin your statement, read as much as possible about our program so you can tailor your statement and convince the admissions committee that you will be a good fit.

Prepare an outline of the topics you want to cover (e.g., professional objectives and personal background) and list supporting material under each main topic. Write a rough draft in which you transform your outline into prose. Set it aside and read it a week later. If it still sounds good, go to the next stage. If not, rewrite it until it sounds right.

Do not feel bad if you do not have a great deal of experience in psychology to write about; no one who is about to graduate from college does. Do explain your relevant experiences (e.g., internships or research projects), but do not try to turn them into events of cosmic proportion. Be honest, sincere, and objective.

What Information Should It Include?

Your research statement should describe your previous experience, how that experience will facilitate your graduate education in our department, and why you are choosing to pursue graduate education in our department. Your goal should be to demonstrate how well you will fit in our program and in a specific laboratory.

Make sure to link your research interests to the expertise and research programs of faculty here. Identify at least one faculty member with whom you would like to work. Make sure that person is accepting graduate students when you apply. Read some of their papers and describe how you think the research could be extended in one or more novel directions. Again, specificity is a good idea.

Make sure to describe your relevant experience (e.g., honors thesis, research assistantship) in specific detail. If you have worked on a research project, discuss that project in detail. Your research statement should describe what you did on the project and how your role impacted your understanding of the research question.

Describe the concrete skills you have acquired prior to graduate school and the skills you hope to acquire.

Articulate why you want to pursue a graduate degree at our institution and with specific faculty in our department.

Make sure to clearly state your core research interests and explain why you think they are scientifically and/or practically important. Again, be specific.

What Should It Look Like?

Your final statement should be succinct. You should be sure to thoroughly read and follow the length and content requirements for each individual application. Finally, stick to the points requested by each program, and avoid lengthy personal or philosophical discussions.

How Do I Know if It is Ready?

Ask for feedback from at least one professor, preferably in the area you are interested in. Feedback from friends and family may also be useful. Many colleges and universities also have writing centers that are able to provide general feedback.

Of course, read and proofread the document multiple times. It is not always easy to be a thoughtful editor of your own work, so don't be afraid to ask for help.

Lastly, consider signing up to take part in the Application Statement Feedback Program . The program provides constructive feedback and editing support for the research statements of applicants to Psychology PhD programs in the United States.

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Research question, purpose statement, hypothesis(es).

Here’s a good example of how to narrow your topic into a good research question:

• Too broad — Rural America
• Narrowed topic — Role of women in rural America?
• Research question — What is the central role of women in today’s farming communities?

If you’re asked to write a proposal before you begin your actual research, the proposal will contain a purpose statement that states in some detail what you want to learn about in your research project; it looks something like this:

• Ex.: “This study will examine the…”

Your purpose statement leads you to write a more refined thesis statement or hypothesis(es), an assertion that you can defend and support with evidence gathered in your literature review and research. Here are some examples:

• Ex.: “In the United States, government regulation plays an important role in the fight against air pollution.” Or, conversely,
• Ex.: “United States government regulation has little effect in the fight against air pollution.”

The type of design selected for your study depends on your research question(s), hypothesis(es), or problem.

You’ll use evidence you’ve gathered in your research to confirm — or reject — your hypothesis.

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Research proposal or statement of purpose.

Second only to the Personal Statement, is your Research/Project Proposal or Purpose Statement, which you can also expect to include in nearly every national scholarship or fellowship application.  And, you can certainly anticipate some variation of this particular kind of statement to be an expected part of your graduate school applications as well.  As with your Personal Statement, it needs to reflect something of you but with a much more specific focus on your academic plans and preparation.  A Purpose Statement will also be relatively short, at most two-pages in length, and is your opportunity to make a well-substantiated case for what you are proposing to do in the future. Most students will find the Purpose Statement, Research or Project Proposal surprisingly comfortable to write as opposed to the Personal Statement because it is expected that your Purpose Statement is written from a largely academic focus.  Your statement should include the following:

• A clear, early (as in the first sentence or two) introduction of what you intend to do and/or study;
• A well-substantiated (through your CV, transcripts, other essays, writing sample, and letters  of recommendation) case for your exceptional preparation for what you are proposing to pursue and/or study;
• A description of the institution, program, department, research group, faculty and resources that you are interested in being a part of and engaging with in your advanced studies.  Note: the more specific, the better.  It is appropriate, perhaps even expected, to name the individual faculty you would like to work with and make every effort to contact those individuals in advance of submitting your application.  Keep in mind that you are making a case for the following:
• Why you have to be at that particular location or institution;
• With whom you must study in order to be most successful in your efforts;
• What resources will support and sustain your efforts (research and lab facilities, archives, special collections, field-work opportunities, etc.

In short, try to convince your reader that what you are proposing to research or work on can only be done in that particular part of the world and that you, simply, must be there to be the most successful. 

As with your Personal Statement, the more time you devote to careful planning, thought, and writing, the stronger your Purpose Statement will be.  Make sure to ask your faculty mentors and advisors to review your Purpose Statement and/or Research Proposal as they will be able to best guide you in refining your subject and even providing you with further contacts and resources.  Give yourself time to revise, edit, and revise some more. 

NOTE: Some national scholarship and fellowship opportunities require an actual Research Essay ( Goldwater  and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship ).  In this case, expect to submit a very detailed description of your undergraduate research efforts and how you expect to see the work continue in the coming years.  Successful Goldwater research essays often include graphs, charts, notes and bibliographies to give evidence not only to the quality of the research but also to the quality of the students’ ability to put it in writing. 

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program’s research- and study-grants also requires a similar effort in crafting a highly specific project-proposal based on what an applicant intends to pursue in a foreign country.  The proposal needs to be a specific and targeted articulation on research and project plans while still attending to the Fulbright’s ultimate concern of cultural exchange. 

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11.1 The Purpose of Research Writing

Learning objectives.

• Identify reasons to research writing projects.
• Outline the steps of the research writing process.

Why was the Great Wall of China built? What have scientists learned about the possibility of life on Mars? What roles did women play in the American Revolution? How does the human brain create, store, and retrieve memories? Who invented the game of football, and how has it changed over the years?

You may know the answers to these questions off the top of your head. If you are like most people, however, you find answers to tough questions like these by searching the Internet, visiting the library, or asking others for information. To put it simply, you perform research.

Whether you are a scientist, an artist, a paralegal, or a parent, you probably perform research in your everyday life. When your boss, your instructor, or a family member asks you a question that you do not know the answer to, you locate relevant information, analyze your findings, and share your results. Locating, analyzing, and sharing information are key steps in the research process, and in this chapter, you will learn more about each step. By developing your research writing skills, you will prepare yourself to answer any question no matter how challenging.

Reasons for Research

When you perform research, you are essentially trying to solve a mystery—you want to know how something works or why something happened. In other words, you want to answer a question that you (and other people) have about the world. This is one of the most basic reasons for performing research.

But the research process does not end when you have solved your mystery. Imagine what would happen if a detective collected enough evidence to solve a criminal case, but she never shared her solution with the authorities. Presenting what you have learned from research can be just as important as performing the research. Research results can be presented in a variety of ways, but one of the most popular—and effective—presentation forms is the research paper . A research paper presents an original thesis, or purpose statement, about a topic and develops that thesis with information gathered from a variety of sources.

If you are curious about the possibility of life on Mars, for example, you might choose to research the topic. What will you do, though, when your research is complete? You will need a way to put your thoughts together in a logical, coherent manner. You may want to use the facts you have learned to create a narrative or to support an argument. And you may want to show the results of your research to your friends, your teachers, or even the editors of magazines and journals. Writing a research paper is an ideal way to organize thoughts, craft narratives or make arguments based on research, and share your newfound knowledge with the world.

Write a paragraph about a time when you used research in your everyday life. Did you look for the cheapest way to travel from Houston to Denver? Did you search for a way to remove gum from the bottom of your shoe? In your paragraph, explain what you wanted to research, how you performed the research, and what you learned as a result.

Research Writing and the Academic Paper

No matter what field of study you are interested in, you will most likely be asked to write a research paper during your academic career. For example, a student in an art history course might write a research paper about an artist’s work. Similarly, a student in a psychology course might write a research paper about current findings in childhood development.

Having to write a research paper may feel intimidating at first. After all, researching and writing a long paper requires a lot of time, effort, and organization. However, writing a research paper can also be a great opportunity to explore a topic that is particularly interesting to you. The research process allows you to gain expertise on a topic of your choice, and the writing process helps you remember what you have learned and understand it on a deeper level.

Research Writing at Work

Knowing how to write a good research paper is a valuable skill that will serve you well throughout your career. Whether you are developing a new product, studying the best way to perform a procedure, or learning about challenges and opportunities in your field of employment, you will use research techniques to guide your exploration. You may even need to create a written report of your findings. And because effective communication is essential to any company, employers seek to hire people who can write clearly and professionally.

Writing at Work

Take a few minutes to think about each of the following careers. How might each of these professionals use researching and research writing skills on the job?

• Medical laboratory technician
• Small business owner
• Information technology professional
• Freelance magazine writer

A medical laboratory technician or information technology professional might do research to learn about the latest technological developments in either of these fields. A small business owner might conduct research to learn about the latest trends in his or her industry. A freelance magazine writer may need to research a given topic to write an informed, up-to-date article.

Think about the job of your dreams. How might you use research writing skills to perform that job? Create a list of ways in which strong researching, organizing, writing, and critical thinking skills could help you succeed at your dream job. How might these skills help you obtain that job?

Steps of the Research Writing Process

How does a research paper grow from a folder of brainstormed notes to a polished final draft? No two projects are identical, but most projects follow a series of six basic steps.

These are the steps in the research writing process:

• Choose a topic.
• Plan and schedule time to research and write.
• Conduct research.
• Organize research and ideas.
• Draft your paper.
• Revise and edit your paper.

Each of these steps will be discussed in more detail later in this chapter. For now, though, we will take a brief look at what each step involves.

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

As you may recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , to narrow the focus of your topic, you may try freewriting exercises, such as brainstorming. You may also need to ask a specific research question —a broad, open-ended question that will guide your research—as well as propose a possible answer, or a working thesis . You may use your research question and your working thesis to create a research proposal . In a research proposal, you present your main research question, any related subquestions you plan to explore, and your working thesis.

Step 2: Planning and Scheduling

Before you start researching your topic, take time to plan your researching and writing schedule. Research projects can take days, weeks, or even months to complete. Creating a schedule is a good way to ensure that you do not end up being overwhelmed by all the work you have to do as the deadline approaches.

During this step of the process, it is also a good idea to plan the resources and organizational tools you will use to keep yourself on track throughout the project. Flowcharts, calendars, and checklists can all help you stick to your schedule. See Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” , Section 11.2 “Steps in Developing a Research Proposal” for an example of a research schedule.

Step 3: Conducting Research

When going about your research, you will likely use a variety of sources—anything from books and periodicals to video presentations and in-person interviews.

Your sources will include both primary sources and secondary sources . Primary sources provide firsthand information or raw data. For example, surveys, in-person interviews, and historical documents are primary sources. Secondary sources, such as biographies, literary reviews, or magazine articles, include some analysis or interpretation of the information presented. As you conduct research, you will take detailed, careful notes about your discoveries. You will also evaluate the reliability of each source you find.

Step 4: Organizing Research and the Writer’s Ideas

When your research is complete, you will organize your findings and decide which sources to cite in your paper. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence you have collected and determine whether it supports your thesis, or the focus of your paper. You may decide to adjust your thesis or conduct additional research to ensure that your thesis is well supported.

Remember, your working thesis is not set in stone. You can and should change your working thesis throughout the research writing process if the evidence you find does not support your original thesis. Never try to force evidence to fit your argument. For example, your working thesis is “Mars cannot support life-forms.” Yet, a week into researching your topic, you find an article in the New York Times detailing new findings of bacteria under the Martian surface. Instead of trying to argue that bacteria are not life forms, you might instead alter your thesis to “Mars cannot support complex life-forms.”

Step 5: Drafting Your Paper

Now you are ready to combine your research findings with your critical analysis of the results in a rough draft. You will incorporate source materials into your paper and discuss each source thoughtfully in relation to your thesis or purpose statement.

When you cite your reference sources, it is important to pay close attention to standard conventions for citing sources in order to avoid plagiarism , or the practice of using someone else’s words without acknowledging the source. Later in this chapter, you will learn how to incorporate sources in your paper and avoid some of the most common pitfalls of attributing information.

Step 6: Revising and Editing Your Paper

In the final step of the research writing process, you will revise and polish your paper. You might reorganize your paper’s structure or revise for unity and cohesion, ensuring that each element in your paper flows into the next logically and naturally. You will also make sure that your paper uses an appropriate and consistent tone.

Once you feel confident in the strength of your writing, you will edit your paper for proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and formatting. When you complete this final step, you will have transformed a simple idea or question into a thoroughly researched and well-written paper you can be proud of!

Review the steps of the research writing process. Then answer the questions on your own sheet of paper.

• In which steps of the research writing process are you allowed to change your thesis?
• In step 2, which types of information should you include in your project schedule?
• What might happen if you eliminated step 4 from the research writing process?

Key Takeaways

• People undertake research projects throughout their academic and professional careers in order to answer specific questions, share their findings with others, increase their understanding of challenging topics, and strengthen their researching, writing, and analytical skills.
• The research writing process generally comprises six steps: choosing a topic, scheduling and planning time for research and writing, conducting research, organizing research and ideas, drafting a paper, and revising and editing the paper.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Research statement, what is a research statement.

The research statement (or statement of research interests) is a common component of academic job applications. It is a summary of your research accomplishments, current work, and future direction and potential of your work.

The statement can discuss specific issues such as:

• funding history and potential
• requirements for laboratory equipment and space and other resources
• potential research and industrial collaborations
• how your research contributes to your field
• future direction of your research

The research statement should be technical, but should be intelligible to all members of the department, including those outside your subdiscipline. So keep the “big picture” in mind. The strongest research statements present a readable, compelling, and realistic research agenda that fits well with the needs, facilities, and goals of the department.

Research statements can be weakened by:

• overly ambitious proposals
• lack of clear direction
• lack of big-picture focus
• inadequate attention to the needs and facilities of the department or position

Why a Research Statement?

• It conveys to search committees the pieces of your professional identity and charts the course of your scholarly journey.
• It communicates a sense that your research will follow logically from what you have done and that it will be different, important, and innovative.
• It gives a context for your research interests—Why does your research matter? The so what?
• It combines your achievements and current work with the proposal for upcoming research.
• areas of specialty and expertise
• potential to get funding
• academic strengths and abilities
• compatibility with the department or school
• ability to think and communicate like a serious scholar and/or scientist

Formatting of Research Statements

The goal of the research statement is to introduce yourself to a search committee, which will probably contain scientists both in and outside your field, and get them excited about your research. To encourage people to read it:

• make it one or two pages, three at most
• use informative section headings and subheadings
• use bullets
• use an easily readable font size
• make the margins a reasonable size

Organization of Research Statements

Think of the overarching theme guiding your main research subject area. Write an essay that lays out:

• The main theme(s) and why it is important and what specific skills you use to attack the problem.
• A few specific examples of problems you have already solved with success to build credibility and inform people outside your field about what you do.
• A discussion of the future direction of your research. This section should be really exciting to people both in and outside your field. Don’t sell yourself short; if you think your research could lead to answers for big important questions, say so!
• A final paragraph that gives a good overall impression of your research.

Writing Research Statements

• Avoid jargon. Make sure that you describe your research in language that many people outside your specific subject area can understand. Ask people both in and outside your field to read it before you send your application. A search committee won’t get excited about something they can’t understand.
• Write as clearly, concisely, and concretely as you can.
• Keep it at a summary level; give more detail in the job talk.
• Ask others to proofread it. Be sure there are no spelling errors.
• Convince the search committee not only that you are knowledgeable, but that you are the right person to carry out the research.
• Include information that sets you apart (e.g., publication in  Science, Nature,  or a prestigious journal in your field).
• What excites you about your research? Sound fresh.
• Include preliminary results and how to build on results.
• Point out how current faculty may become future partners.
• Acknowledge the work of others.
• Use language that shows you are an independent researcher.
• BUT focus on your research work, not yourself.
• Include potential funding partners and industrial collaborations. Be creative!
• Provide a summary of your research.
• Put in background material to give the context/relevance/significance of your research.
• List major findings, outcomes, and implications.
• Describe both current and planned (future) research.
• Communicate a sense that your research will follow logically from what you have done and that it will be unique, significant, and innovative (and easy to fund).

Describe Your Future Goals or Research Plans

• Major problem(s) you want to focus on in your research.
• The problem’s relevance and significance to the field.
• Your specific goals for the next three to five years, including potential impact and outcomes.
• If you know what a particular agency funds, you can name the agency and briefly outline a proposal.
• Give broad enough goals so that if one area doesn’t get funded, you can pursue other research goals and funding.

Identify Potential Funding Sources

• Almost every institution wants to know whether you’ll be able to get external funding for research.
• Try to provide some possible sources of funding for the research, such as NIH, NSF, foundations, private agencies.
• Mention past funding, if appropriate.

Be Realistic

There is a delicate balance between a realistic research statement where you promise to work on problems you really think you can solve and over-reaching or dabbling in too many subject areas. Select an over-arching theme for your research statement and leave miscellaneous ideas or projects out. Everyone knows that you will work on more than what you mention in this statement.

Consider Also Preparing a Longer Version

• A longer version (five–15 pages) can be brought to your interview. (Check with your advisor to see if this is necessary.)
• You may be asked to describe research plans and budget in detail at the campus interview. Be prepared.
• Include laboratory needs (how much budget you need for equipment, how many grad assistants, etc.) to start up the research.

Samples of Research Statements

To find sample research statements with content specific to your discipline, search on the internet for your discipline + “Research Statement.”

• University of Pennsylvania Sample Research Statement
• Advice on writing a Research Statement (Plan) from the journal  Science

• Section 1: Home
• Narrowing Your Topic
• Problem Statement

Purpose Statement Overview

Writing an effective purpose statement, best practices for writing your purpose statement, sample purpose statements.

• Conceptual Framework
• Avoiding Common Mistakes
• Synthesis and Analysis in Writing Support This link opens in a new window
• Qualitative Research Questions This link opens in a new window
• Quantitative Research Questions This link opens in a new window
• Qualitative & Quantitative Research Support with the ASC This link opens in a new window
• Library Research Consultations This link opens in a new window
• Library Guide: Research Process This link opens in a new window
• ASC Guide: Outlining and Annotating This link opens in a new window
• Library Guide: Organizing Research & Citations This link opens in a new window
• Library Guide: RefWorks This link opens in a new window
• Library Guide: Copyright Information This link opens in a new window

Purpose Statement 

The purpose statement succinctly explains the objectives of the doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice. These objectives must directly address the problem. The purpose statement also identifies the project methodology and design.

A problem and a missing piece in combination can lead to different objectives, and hence, different purpose statements. 

The purpose of the applied doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice must not only align with the problem and address a missing piece; it must also align with the chosen project method. In fact, the template requires you to name the research method at the very beginning of the purpose statement. In general, quantitative studies involve “closed-ended” research verbs such as determine, measure, correlate, explain, compare, validate, identify, or examine; whereas qualitative studies involve “open-ended” research verbs such as explore, understand, narrate, articulate [meanings], discover, or develop.  

Qualitative Purpose Statement

A qualitative purpose statement following the color-coded problem statement (assumed here to be low well-being among financial sector employees) + missing piece (lack of research on followers of mid-level managers), might start like this: 

In response to declining levels of employee well-being, the purpose of the qualitative phenomenology was to explore and understand the lived experiences related to the well-being of the followers of novice mid-level managers in the financial services industry.  The levels of follower well-being have been shown to correlate to employee morale, turnover intention, and customer orientation (Eren et al., 2013).  A combined framework of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory and the employee well-being concept informed the research questions and supported the inquiry, analysis, and interpretation of the findings to be applied in the financial services industry.   

Quantitative Purpose Statement

A quantitative purpose statement for the same problem and gap might start like this: 

In response to declining levels of employee well-being, the purpose of the quantitative correlational study was to determine which leadership factors predict employee well-being of the followers of novice mid-level managers to be applied in the financial services industry. Leadership factors were measured by the Leader Member Exchange (LMX) assessment framework by Mantlekow (2015), and employee well-being was conceptualized as a compound variable consisting of self-reported turnover-intent and psychological test scores from the Mental Health Survey (MHS) developed by Johns Hopkins University researchers.  

Both of these purpose statements reflect viable research strategies and both align with the problem and gap so it’s up to the practitioner to design a doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice in a manner that reflects personal preferences and desired study outcomes. Note that the quantitative research purpose incorporates operationalized concepts, or variables; that reflect the way the practitioner intends to measure the key concepts under study; whereas the qualitative purpose statement isn’t about translating the concepts under study as variables but instead aim to explore and understand the core research phenomenon.

An important step in the successful completion of an Applied Doctoral Project/Dissertation in Practice is starting off with an accurate and precise purpose statement.  Read through the information below to get some general ideas or guidelines related to effective purpose statements and how to compose them.  All this information comes from faculty who want you to succeed in the process.

General Guidelines

Keep these in mind as you begin to compose your purpose statement

Good purpose statements:

• Flow from the problem statement and actually address the proposed problem
• Are concise and clear
• Answer the question ‘Why are you doing this project?’
• Match the methodology to your  questions
• Have a ‘hook’ to get the reader’s attention
• Set the stage by clearly stating, “The purpose of this (qualitative or quantitative) study is to ...”

Writing your Purpose Statement:

• The Problem Statement is why I am doing the project or dissertation-in-practice
• The Purpose Statement is what type of project or study I am doing to fit or address the problem

The Purpose Statement includes:

• Design and Method of Study
• Specific Population

Creswell (2002) suggested that purpose statements in qualitative projects or studies include deliberate phrasing to alert the reader to the purpose statement. Verbs are key to indicate what will take place in the project or study research and the use of non-directional language that does not suggest an outcome. A purpose statement should focus on a single idea or concept with a broad definition of that idea or concept. How the concept will be investigated should also be included, as well as participants in the study and study locations to give the reader a sense of with whom and where the project or study will occur.  

Creswell (2003) advised the following script for purpose statements in qualitative methodology:

“The purpose of this qualitative_________________ (strategy of inquiry, such as ethnography, case study, or other type) study is (was? will be?) to ________________ (understand? describe? develop? discover?) the _________________(central phenomenon being studied) for ______________ (the participants, such as the individual, groups, organization) at __________(site). At this stage in the project, the __________ (central phenomenon being studied) will be generally defined as ___________________ (provide a general definition)” (pg. 90).

Quantitative Purpose Statement

Creswell (2003) offers vast differences between the purpose statements written for qualitative methodology and those written for quantitative methodology, particularly with respect to language and the inclusion of variables. The comparison of variables is often a focus of quantitative methodology with the variables distinguishable by either the temporal order or how they are measured. As with qualitative purpose statements, Creswell (2003) recommends the use of deliberate language to alert the reader to the purpose of the project or study, though quantitative purpose statements also include the theory or conceptual framework guiding the project or study, the variables that are being studied, and how those variables are related.  

Creswell (2003) suggests the following script for drafting purpose statements in quantitative projects:

“The purpose of this _____________________ (experiment? survey?) project is (was? will be?) to test the theory of _________________that _________________ (compares? relates?) the ___________(independent variable) to _________________________(dependent variable), controlling for _______________________ (control variables) for ___________________ (participants) at _________________________ (site). The independent variable(s) _____________________ will be generally defined as _______________________ (provide a general definition). The dependent variable(s) will be generally defined as _____________________ (provide a general definition), and the control and intervening variables(s), _________________ (identify the control and intervening variables) will be statistically controlled in this project” (pg. 97).

Creswell, J. (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research.  Merrill Prentice Hall. 7.  Creswell, J. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.).  SAGE Publications.

Always keep in mind that the process is iterative, and your writing, over time, will be refined as clarity is gradually achieved. Most of the time, greater clarity for the purpose statement and other components is the result of a growing understanding of the literature in the field. As you increasingly master the literature you will also increasingly clarify the purpose of your project or study. 

The purpose statement should flow directly from the problem statement. There should be clear and obvious alignment between the two, and that alignment will get tighter and more pronounced as your work progresses.

The purpose statement should specifically address the reason for conducting the project or study, with emphasis on the word specifically. There should not be any doubt in your readers’ minds as to the purpose of your project or study. To achieve this level of clarity, you will need to also ensure there is no doubt in your mind as to the purpose of your project or study. 

You may benefit from stopping your work during the process when insight strikes you in order to write about that insight while it is still fresh in your mind. This pause can help you clarify all aspects of the project or study, including clarifying its purpose. 

Your Chair and your committee members can help you to clarify the purpose of your project or dissertation-in-practice, so carefully attend to any feedback they offer.

The purpose statement should reflect the questions proposed and vice versa. The chain of alignment that began with the problem description and continues on to the purpose, questions, and methodology must be respected at all times during development. You are to succinctly describe the overarching goal of the project or dissertation-in-practice that reflects the questions. Each question narrows and focuses the purpose statement. Conversely, the purpose statement encompasses all of the questions. 

Identify in the purpose statement the methodology as quantitative, qualitative or mixed (i.e., “The purpose of this [qualitative/quantitative/mixed] study is to ...)

Follow the initial declaration of purpose with a brief overview of how the project or study will be conducted, including instruments, data, with whom (sample), and where (as applicable). Identify variables/constructs and/or phenomenon/concept/idea. Since this section is to be a concise paragraph, emphasis must be placed on the word brief. However, adding these details will give your readers a very clear picture of the purpose of your project or dissertation-in-practice.

Developing the purpose section is usually not achieved in a single flash of insight. The process involves a great deal of reading to find out what other practitioners have done to address the problem you have identified. The purpose section could well be the most important paragraph you write during your academic career, and every word should be carefully selected. Think of it as the DNA of your project or study. Everything else you write should emerge directly and clearly from your purpose statement. In turn, your purpose statement should emerge directly and clearly from your problem description. It is good practice to print out your problem statement and purpose statement and keep them in front of you as you work on each part of your project or dissertation-in-practice in order to ensure alignment.

It is helpful to collect several project or dissertation-in-practice reports or literature similar to the one you envision creating. Extract the problem descriptions and purpose statements of other authors and compare them in order to sharpen your thinking about your own work.  Comparing how other authors have handled the many challenges you are facing can be an invaluable exercise. Keep in mind that individual universities use their own tailored protocols for presenting key components, so your review of these purpose statements should focus on content rather than form.

Once your purpose statement is set, it must be consistently presented throughout the project or dissertation-in-practice. This consistency may require some recursive editing because the way you articulate your purpose may evolve as you work on various aspects of your project or dissertation-in-practice. Whenever you make an adjustment to your purpose statement, you should carefully follow up on the editing and conceptual ramifications throughout the entire document.

In establishing your purpose, you should NOT advocate for a particular outcome. Your review of the literature should be done to answer questions, not to prove a point. As a scholar-practitioner, you are to inquire with an open mind, and even when you come to the work with clear assumptions, your job is to support the validity of the conclusions reached. For example, you would not say the purpose of your project or study is to demonstrate that there is a relationship between two variables. Such a statement presupposes you know the answer before your review of the literature conducted and promotes or supports (advocates on behalf of) a particular outcome. A more appropriate purpose statement would be to examine or explore the relationship between two variables. 

Your purpose statement should not imply that you are going to prove something. You may be surprised to learn that we cannot prove anything in scholarly review of the literature for two reasons. First, in quantitative analyses, statistical tests calculate the probability that something is true rather than establishing it as true. Second, in qualitative methodology, the study can only purport to describe what is occurring from the perspective of the participants. Whether or not the phenomenon they are describing is true in a larger context is not knowable. We cannot observe the phenomenon in all settings and in all circumstances. 

Here are some example purpose statements for your consideration.

Purpose Statement 1

The purpose of this qualitative project was to determine how participation in service-learning in an alternative school impacted students academically, civically, and personally.  There is ample evidence demonstrating the failure of schools for students at-risk; however, there is still a need to demonstrate why these students are successful in non-traditional educational programs like the service-learning model used at TDS.  This study was unique in that it examined one alternative school’s approach to service-learning in a setting where students not only serve, but faculty serve as volunteer teachers.  The use of a constructivist approach in service-learning in an alternative school setting was examined in an effort to determine whether service-learning participation contributes positively to academic, personal, and civic gain for students, and to examine student and teacher views regarding the overall outcomes of service-learning.  This study was completed using an ethnographic approach that included observations, content analysis, and interviews with teachers at The David School.

Purpose Statement 2

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional linear, multiple regression design study was to investigate the relationship among early childhood teachers’ self-reported assessment of multicultural awareness as measured by responses from the Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS) and supervisors’ observed assessment of teachers’ multicultural competency skills as measured by the Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale (MTCS) survey. Demographic data such as number of multicultural training hours, years teaching in Dubai, curriculum program at current school, and age were also examined and their relationship to multicultural teaching competency. The study took place in the emirate of Dubai where there were 14,333 expatriate teachers employed in private schools (KHDA, 2013b). 

Purpose Statement 3

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental project is to examine the degree to which stages of change, gender, acculturation level and trauma types predicts the reluctance of Arab refugees, aged 18 and over, in the Dearborn, MI area, to seek professional help for their mental health needs. This study will utilize four instruments to measure these variables: University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA: DiClemente & Hughes, 1990); Cumulative Trauma Scale (Kira, 2012); Acculturation Rating Scale for Arabic Americans-II Arabic and English (ARSAA-IIA, ARSAA-IIE: Jadalla & Lee, 2013), and a demographic survey. This study will examine 1) the relationship between stages of change, gender, acculturation levels, and trauma types and Arab refugees’ help-seeking behavior, 2) the degree to which any of these variables can predict Arab refugee help-seeking behavior.  Additionally, the outcome of this study could provide researchers and clinicians with a stage-based model, TTM, for measuring Arab refugees’ help-seeking behavior and lay a foundation for how TTM can help target the clinical needs of Arab refugees. Lastly, this attempt to apply the TTM model to Arab refugees’ condition could lay the foundation for future research to investigate the application of TTM to clinical work among refugee populations.

Purpose Statement 4

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological project is to describe the lived experiences of LLM for 10 EFL learners in rural Guatemala and to utilize that data to determine how it conforms to, or possibly challenges, current theoretical conceptions of LLM. In accordance with Morse’s (1994) suggestion that a phenomenological study should utilize at least six participants, this study utilized semi-structured interviews with 10 EFL learners to explore why and how they have experienced the motivation to learn English throughout their lives. The methodology of horizontalization was used to break the interview protocols into individual units of meaning before analyzing these units to extract the overarching themes (Moustakas, 1994). These themes were then interpreted into a detailed description of LLM as experienced by EFL students in this context. Finally, the resulting description was analyzed to discover how these learners’ lived experiences with LLM conformed with and/or diverged from current theories of LLM.

Purpose Statement 5

The purpose of this qualitative, embedded, multiple case project was to examine how both parent-child attachment relationships are impacted by the quality of the paternal and maternal caregiver-child interactions that occur throughout a maternal deployment, within the context of dual-military couples. In order to examine this phenomenon, an embedded, multiple case study was conducted, utilizing an attachment systems metatheory perspective. The study included four dual-military couples who experienced a maternal deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) when they had at least one child between 8 weeks-old to 5 years-old.  Each member of the couple participated in an individual, semi-structured interview with the researcher and completed the Parenting Relationship Questionnaire (PRQ). “The PRQ is designed to capture a parent’s perspective on the parent-child relationship” (Pearson, 2012, para. 1) and was used within the proposed study for this purpose. The PRQ was utilized to triangulate the data (Bekhet & Zauszniewski, 2012) as well as to provide some additional information on the parents’ perspective of the quality of the parent-child attachment relationship in regards to communication, discipline, parenting confidence, relationship satisfaction, and time spent together (Pearson, 2012). The researcher utilized the semi-structured interview to collect information regarding the parents' perspectives of the quality of their parental caregiver behaviors during the deployment cycle, the mother's parent-child interactions while deployed, the behavior of the child or children at time of reunification, and the strategies or behaviors the parents believe may have contributed to their child's behavior at the time of reunification. The results of this project may be utilized by the military, and by civilian providers, to develop proactive and preventive measures that both providers and parents can implement, to address any potential adverse effects on the parent-child attachment relationship, identified through the proposed study. The results of this project may also be utilized to further refine and understand the integration of attachment theory and systems theory, in both clinical and research settings, within the field of marriage and family therapy. 

Compiled by Dr. Darren Adamson, Department Chair, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences 

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Thesis and Purpose Statements

Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.

In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.

A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.

As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.

Thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.

Purpose statements

A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

Common beginnings include:

“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”

A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.

A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.

A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.

This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.

Sample purpose and thesis statements

The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).

The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.

For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

educational research techniques

Research techniques and education.

Research Purpose, Hypotheses, and Questions

Four key components to a research project are the purpose statement, research questions, hypotheses, and research objectives. In this post, we will define each of these.

Definitions

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between college completion and organizational commitment of undergraduate students in Thailand. 

Here is an example of a qualitative purpose statement.

The purpose of this study is to explore student experiences at a university in Thailand about completing their tertiary degree.

Both of these examples are short one-sentence responses to what the study will attempt to do. This is a critical first step in shaping the study.

Research Question

The research question(s) in a quantitative or qualitative study narrows the purpose down to a specific question(s) for the researcher to find answers. Below are examples from both the quantitative and qualitative perspective. We are continuing the research themes from the previous section on the purpose statement.

Quantitative

Does organizational commitment affect college completion of students?

Qualitative

What kinds of experiences have students had while completing their degree?

On closer examination, you may have noticed that the research questions sound a lot like the purpose statement. Research questions often split a part a long complex purpose statement into several questions. This is why questions sound so redundant when compared to the purpose statement. Despite this apparent problem, this thought process helps researchers to organize their thinking and proceed in a manner that is much more efficient.

The next two components only relate to quantitative research and they are the hypotheses and research objective(s). For this reason our illustration of qualitative concepts will stop at this point.

Hypotheses are statements a researcher makes about the potential outcome(s) of a study based on the examination of literature. Below is an example from the same theme as before.

Students who have a higher perception of organizational commitment will also have a higher likelihood of completing college.

Again, the wording of the research questions, hypotheses and purpose statement are similarly. The difference is only slightly and is due to context. Seeing these similarities quickly will help you to move faster in finishing a study. The difference between these elements is a matter of perspective rather than a strong difference, as they do sound awfully similar.

Research Objectives

Research objectives are the goals a researcher has for a study. This component is not always included in a study. Below is an example.

To examine the correlation between organizational commitment and the rate of college completion

Share this:

10 thoughts on “ research purpose, hypotheses, and questions ”.

This is the wrong use of the word, it should be “their” not “there”.

The purpose of this study is to explore student experiences at a university in Thailand about completing there tertiary degree.

Whoops, thanks for catching that

Thank you for this, very helpful 🙂

This has been helpful.

This was helpful. Thank you

Pingback: Developing a Data Analysis Plan | educational research techniques

This was helpful.

Glad to be of service

As an emerging researcher, my worry is that I have six objectives but five research questions and hypotheses. Am I correct or they must all be the same in times of numbers? Thank you

Thank you, this information helped me so much.

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Research statements for faculty job applications

The purpose of a research statement.

The main goal of a research statement is to walk the search committee through the evolution of your research, to highlight your research accomplishments, and to show where your research will be taking you next. To a certain extent, the next steps that you identify within your statement will also need to touch on how your research could benefit the institution to which you are applying. This might be in terms of grant money, faculty collaborations, involving students in your research, or developing new courses. Your CV will usually show a search committee where you have done your research, who your mentors have been, the titles of your various research projects, a list of your papers, and it may provide a very brief summary of what some of this research involves. However, there can be certain points of interest that a CV may not always address in enough detail.

• What got you interested in this research?
• What was the burning question that you set out to answer?
• What challenges did you encounter along the way, and how did you overcome these challenges?
• How can your research be applied?
• Why is your research important within your field?
• What direction will your research take you in next, and what new questions do you have?

While you may not have a good sense of where your research will ultimately lead you, you should have a sense of some of the possible destinations along the way. You want to be able to show a search committee that your research is moving forward and that you are moving forward along with it in terms of developing new skills and knowledge. Ultimately, your research statement should complement your cover letter, CV, and teaching philosophy to illustrate what makes you an ideal candidate for the job. The more clearly you can articulate the path your research has taken, and where it will take you in the future, the more convincing and interesting it will be to read.

Separate research statements are usually requested from researchers in engineering, social, physical, and life sciences, but can also be requested for researchers in the humanities. In many cases, however, the same information that is covered in the research statement is often integrated into the cover letter for many disciplines within the humanities and no separate research statement is requested within the job advertisement. Seek advice from current faculty and new hires about the conventions of your discipline if you are in doubt.

Timeline: Getting Started with your Research Statement

You can think of a research statement as having three distinct parts. The first part will focus on your past research, and can include the reasons you started your research, an explanation as to why the questions you originally asked are important in your field, and a summary some of the work you did to answer some of these early questions.

The middle part of the research statement focuses on your current research. How is this research different from previous work you have done, and what brought you to where you are today? You should still explain the questions you are trying to ask, and it is very important that you focus on some of the findings that you have (and cite some of the publications associated with these findings). In other words, do not talk about your research in abstract terms, make sure that you explain your actual results and findings (even if these may not be entirely complete when you are applying for faculty positions), and mention why these results are significant.

The final part of your research statement should build on the first two parts. Yes, you have asked good questions, and used good methods to find some answers, but how will you now use this foundation to take you into your future? Since you are hoping that your future will be at one of the institutions to which you are applying, you should provide some convincing reasons why your future research will be possible at each institution, and why it will be beneficial to that institution, or to the students at that institution.

While you are focusing on the past, present, and future or your research, and tailoring it to each institution, you should also think about the length of your statement and how detailed or specific you make the descriptions of your research. Think about who will be reading it. Will they all understand the jargon you are using? Are they experts in the subject, or experts in a range of related subjects? Can you go into very specific detail, or do you need to talk about your research in broader terms that make sense to people outside of your research field focusing on the common ground that might exist? Additionally, you should make sure that your future research plans differ from those of your PI or advisor, as you need to be seen as an independent researcher. Identify 4-5 specific aims that can be divided into short-term and long-term goals. You can give some idea of a 5-year research plan that includes the studies you want to perform, but also mention your long-term plans, so that the search committee knows that this is not a finite project.

Another important consideration when writing about your research is realizing that you do not perform research in a vacuum. When doing your research you may have worked within a team environment at some point, or sought out specific collaborations. You may have faced some serious challenges that required some creative problem-solving to overcome. While these aspects are not necessarily as important as your results and your papers or patents, they can help paint a picture of you as a well-rounded researcher who is likely to be successful in the future even if new problems arise, for example.

Follow these general steps to begin developing an effective research statement:

Step 1: Think about how and why you got started with your research. What motivated you to spend so much time on answering the questions you developed? If you can illustrate some of the enthusiasm you have for your subject, the search committee will likely assume that students and other faculty members will see this in you as well. People like to work with passionate and enthusiastic colleagues. Remember to focus on what you found, what questions you answered, and why your findings are significant. The research you completed in the past will have brought you to where you are today; also be sure to show how your research past and research present are connected. Explore some of the techniques and approaches you have successfully used in your research, and describe some of the challenges you overcame. What makes people interested in what you do, and how have you used your research as a tool for teaching or mentoring students? Integrating students into your research may be an important part of your future research at your target institutions. Conclude describing your current research by focusing on your findings, their importance, and what new questions they generate.

Step 2: Think about how you can tailor your research statement for each application. Familiarize yourself with the faculty at each institution, and explore the research that they have been performing. You should think about your future research in terms of the students at the institution. What opportunities can you imagine that would allow students to get involved in what you do to serve as a tool for teaching and training them, and to get them excited about your subject? Do not talk about your desire to work with graduate students if the institution only has undergraduates! You will also need to think about what equipment or resources that you might need to do your future research. Again, mention any resources that specific institutions have that you would be interested in utilizing (e.g., print materials, super electron microscopes, archived artwork). You can also mention what you hope to do with your current and future research in terms of publication (whether in journals or as a book), try to be as specific and honest as possible. Finally, be prepared to talk about how your future research can help bring in grants and other sources of funding, especially if you have a good track record of receiving awards and fellowships. Mention some grants that you know have been awarded to similar research, and state your intention to seek this type of funding.

Step 3: Ask faculty in your department if they are willing to share their own research statements with you. To a certain extent, there will be some subject-specific differences in what is expected from a research statement, and so it is always a good idea to see how others in your field have done it. You should try to draft your own research statement first before you review any statements shared with you. Your goal is to create a unique research statement that clearly highlights your abilities as a researcher.

Step 4: The research statement is typically a few (2-3) pages in length, depending on the number of images, illustrations, or graphs included.  Once you have completed the steps above, schedule an appointment with a career advisor to get feedback on your draft. You should also try to get faculty in your department to review your document if they are willing to do so.

Explore other application documents:

How to Write a Purpose Statement (Templates, Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on September 30, 2023 — 15 minutes to read

• Key Elements of a Purpose Statement Part 1
• How to Write a Purpose Statement Step-by-Step Part 2
• Identifying Your Goals Part 3
• Defining Your Audience Part 4
• Outlining Your Methods Part 5
• Stating the Expected Outcomes Part 6
• Purpose Statement Example for a Research Paper Part 7
• Purpose Statement Example For Personal Goals Part 8
• Purpose Statement Example For Business Objectives Part 9
• Purpose Statement Example For an Essay Part 10
• Purpose Statement Example For a Proposal Part 11
• Purpose Statement Example For a Report Part 12
• Purpose Statement Example For a Project Part 13
• Purpose Statement Templates Part 14

A purpose statement is a vital component of any project, as it sets the tone for the entire piece of work. It tells the reader what the project is about, why it’s important, and what the writer hopes to achieve.

Part 1 Key Elements of a Purpose Statement

When writing a purpose statement, there are several key elements that you should keep in mind. These elements will help you to create a clear, concise, and effective statement that accurately reflects your goals and objectives.

1. The Problem or Opportunity

The first element of a purpose statement is the problem or opportunity that you are addressing. This should be a clear and specific description of the issue that you are trying to solve or the opportunity that you are pursuing.

2. The Target Audience

The second element is the target audience for your purpose statement. This should be a clear and specific description of the group of people who will benefit from your work.

3. The Solution

The third element is the solution that you are proposing. This should be a clear and specific description of the action that you will take to address the problem or pursue the opportunity.

4. The Benefits

The fourth element is the benefits that your solution will provide. This should be a clear and specific description of the positive outcomes that your work will achieve.

5. The Action Plan

The fifth element is the action plan that you will follow to implement your solution. This should be a clear and specific description of the steps that you will take to achieve your goals.

Part 2 How to Write a Purpose Statement Step-by-Step

Writing a purpose statement is an essential part of any research project. It helps to clarify the purpose of your study and provides direction for your research. Here are some steps to follow when writing a purpose statement:

• Start with a clear research question: The first step in writing a purpose statement is to have a clear research question. This question should be specific and focused on the topic you want to research.
• Identify the scope of your study: Once you have a clear research question, you need to identify the scope of your study. This involves determining what you will and will not include in your research.
• Define your research objectives: Your research objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They should also be aligned with your research question and the scope of your study.
• Determine your research design: Your research design will depend on the nature of your research question and the scope of your study. You may choose to use a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approach.
• Write your purpose statement: Your purpose statement should be a clear and concise statement that summarizes the purpose of your study. It should include your research question, the scope of your study, your research objectives, and your research design.

Research question: What are the effects of social media on teenage mental health?

Scope of study: This study will focus on teenagers aged 13-18 in the United States.

Research objectives: To determine the prevalence of social media use among teenagers, to identify the types of social media used by teenagers, to explore the relationship between social media use and mental health, and to provide recommendations for parents, educators, and mental health professionals.

Research design: This study will use a mixed-methods approach, including a survey and interviews with teenagers and mental health professionals.

Purpose statement: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of social media on teenage mental health among teenagers aged 13-18 in the United States. The study will use a mixed-methods approach, including a survey and interviews with teenagers and mental health professionals. The research objectives are to determine the prevalence of social media use among teenagers, to identify the types of social media used by teenagers, to explore the relationship between social media use and mental health, and to provide recommendations for parents, educators, and mental health professionals.

Part 3 Section 1: Identifying Your Goals

Before you start writing your purpose statement, it’s important to identify your goals. To do this, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I want to achieve?
• What problem do I want to solve?
• What impact do I want to make?

Once you have a clear idea of your goals, you can start crafting your purpose statement. Your purpose statement should be a clear and concise statement that outlines the purpose of your work.

For example, if you’re writing a purpose statement for a business, your statement might look something like this:

“Our purpose is to provide high-quality products and services that improve the lives of our customers and contribute to the growth and success of our company.”

If you’re writing a purpose statement for a non-profit organization, your statement might look something like this:

“Our purpose is to improve the lives of underserved communities by providing access to education, healthcare, and other essential services.”

Remember, your purpose statement should be specific, measurable, and achievable. It should also be aligned with your values and goals, and it should inspire and motivate you to take action.

Part 4 Section 2: Defining Your Audience

Once you have established the purpose of your statement, it’s important to consider who your audience is. The audience for your purpose statement will depend on the context in which it will be used. For example, if you’re writing a purpose statement for a research paper, your audience will likely be your professor or academic peers. If you’re writing a purpose statement for a business proposal, your audience may be potential investors or clients.

Defining your audience is important because it will help you tailor your purpose statement to the specific needs and interests of your readers. You want to make sure that your statement is clear, concise, and relevant to your audience.

To define your audience, consider the following questions:

• Who will be reading your purpose statement?
• What is their level of knowledge or expertise on the topic?
• What are their needs and interests?
• What do they hope to gain from reading your purpose statement?

Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can begin to craft your purpose statement with their needs and interests in mind. This will help ensure that your statement is effective in communicating your goals and objectives to your readers.

For example, if you’re writing a purpose statement for a research paper on the effects of climate change on agriculture, your audience may be fellow researchers in the field of environmental science. In this case, you would want to make sure that your purpose statement is written in a way that is clear and concise, using technical language that is familiar to your audience.

Or, if you’re writing a purpose statement for a business proposal to potential investors, your audience may be less familiar with the technical aspects of your project. In this case, you would want to make sure that your purpose statement is written in a way that is easy to understand, using clear and concise language that highlights the benefits of your proposal.

The key to defining your audience is to put yourself in their shoes and consider what they need and want from your purpose statement.

Part 5 Section 3: Outlining Your Methods

After you have identified the purpose of your statement, it is time to outline your methods. This section should describe how you plan to achieve your goal and the steps you will take to get there. Here are a few tips to help you outline your methods effectively:

• Start with a general overview: Begin by providing a brief overview of the methods you plan to use. This will give your readers a sense of what to expect in the following paragraphs.
• Break down your methods: Break your methods down into smaller, more manageable steps. This will make it easier for you to stay organized and for your readers to follow along.
• Use bullet points: Bullet points can help you organize your ideas and make your methods easier to read. Use them to list the steps you will take to achieve your goal.
• Be specific: Make sure you are specific about the methods you plan to use. This will help your readers understand exactly what you are doing and why.
• Provide examples: Use examples to illustrate your methods. This will make it easier for your readers to understand what you are trying to accomplish.

Part 6 Section 4: Stating the Expected Outcomes

After defining the problem and the purpose of your research, it’s time to state the expected outcomes. This is where you describe what you hope to achieve by conducting your research. The expected outcomes should be specific and measurable, so you can determine if you have achieved your goals.

It’s important to be realistic when stating your expected outcomes. Don’t make exaggerated or false claims, and don’t promise something that you can’t deliver. Your expected outcomes should be based on your research question and the purpose of your study.

Here are some examples of expected outcomes:

• To identify the factors that contribute to employee turnover in the company.
• To develop a new marketing strategy that will increase sales by 20% within the next year.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a new training program for improving customer service.
• To determine the impact of social media on consumer behavior.

When stating your expected outcomes, make sure they align with your research question and purpose statement. This will help you stay focused on your goals and ensure that your research is relevant and meaningful.

In addition to stating your expected outcomes, you should also describe how you will measure them. This could involve collecting data through surveys, interviews, or experiments, or analyzing existing data from sources such as government reports or industry publications.

Part 7 Purpose Statement Example for a Research Paper

If you are writing a research paper, your purpose statement should clearly state the objective of your study. Here is an example of a purpose statement for a research paper:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of social media on the mental health of teenagers in the United States.

This purpose statement clearly states the objective of the study and provides a specific focus for the research.

Part 8 Purpose Statement Example For Personal Goals

When writing a purpose statement for your personal goals, it’s important to clearly define what you want to achieve and why. Here’s a template that can help you get started:

“I want to [goal] so that [reason]. I will achieve this by [action].”

Example: “I want to lose 10 pounds so that I can feel more confident in my body. I will achieve this by going to the gym three times a week and cutting out sugary snacks.”

Remember to be specific and realistic when setting your goals and actions, and to regularly review and adjust your purpose statement as needed.

Part 9 Purpose Statement Example For Business Objectives

If you’re writing a purpose statement for a business objective, this template can help you get started:

[Objective] [Action verb] [Target audience] [Outcome or benefit]

Here’s an example using this template:

Increase online sales by creating a more user-friendly website for millennial shoppers.

This purpose statement is clear and concise. It identifies the objective (increase online sales), the action verb (creating), the target audience (millennial shoppers), and the outcome or benefit (a more user-friendly website).

Part 10 Purpose Statement Example For an Essay

“The purpose of this essay is to examine the causes and consequences of climate change, with a focus on the role of human activities, and to propose solutions that can mitigate its impact on the environment and future generations.”

This purpose statement clearly states the subject of the essay (climate change), what aspects will be explored (causes, consequences, human activities), and the intended outcome (proposing solutions). It provides a clear roadmap for the reader and sets the direction for the essay.

Part 11 Purpose Statement Example For a Proposal

“The purpose of this proposal is to secure funding and support for the establishment of a community garden in [Location], aimed at promoting sustainable urban agriculture, fostering community engagement, and improving local access to fresh, healthy produce.”

Why this purpose statement is effective:

• The subject of the proposal is clear: the establishment of a community garden.
• The specific goals of the project are outlined: promoting sustainable urban agriculture, fostering community engagement, and improving local access to fresh produce.
• The overall objective of the proposal is evident: securing funding and support.

Part 12 Purpose Statement Example For a Report

“The purpose of this report is to analyze current market trends in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, assess consumer preferences and buying behaviors, and provide strategic recommendations to guide [Company Name] in entering this growing market segment.”

• The subject of the report is provided: market trends in the electric vehicle industry.
• The specific goals of the report are analysis of market trends, assessment of consumer preferences, and strategic recommendations.
• The overall objective of the report is clear: providing guidance for the company’s entry into the EV market.

Part 13 Purpose Statement Example For a Project

“The purpose of this project is to design and implement a new employee wellness program that promotes physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace.”

This purpose statement clearly outlines the objective of the project, which is to create a new employee wellness program. The program is designed to promote physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace, which is a key concern for many employers. By implementing this program, the company aims to improve employee health, reduce absenteeism, and increase productivity. The purpose statement is concise and specific, providing a clear direction for the project team to follow. It highlights the importance of the project and its potential benefits for the company and its employees.

Part 14 Purpose Statement Templates

When writing a purpose statement, it can be helpful to use a template to ensure that you cover all the necessary components:

Template 1: To [action] [target audience] in order to [outcome]

This template is a straightforward way to outline your purpose statement. Simply fill in the blanks with the appropriate information:

• The purpose of […] is
• To [action]: What action do you want to take?
• [Target audience]: Who is your target audience?
• In order to [outcome]: What outcome do you hope to achieve?

For example:

• The purpose of our marketing campaign is to increase brand awareness among young adults in urban areas, in order to drive sales and revenue growth.
• The purpose of our employee training program is to improve customer service skills among our frontline staff, in order to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• The purpose of our new product launch is to expand our market share in the healthcare industry, by offering a unique solution to the needs of elderly patients with chronic conditions.

Template 2: This [project/product] is designed to [action] [target audience] by [method] in order to [outcome].

This template is useful for purpose statements that involve a specific project or product. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate information:

• This [project/product]: What is your project or product?
• Is designed to [action]: What action do you want to take?
• By [method]: What method will you use to achieve your goal?
• This app is designed to provide personalized nutrition advice to athletes by analyzing their training data in order to optimize performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key elements of a purpose statement.

A purpose statement should clearly communicate the main goal or objective of your writing. It should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your work. The key elements of a purpose statement include the topic or subject matter, the intended audience, and the overall goal or objective of your writing.

How can a purpose statement benefit your writing?

A purpose statement can help you stay focused and on track when writing. It can also help you to avoid going off-topic or getting bogged down in unnecessary details. By clearly identifying the main goal or objective of your writing, a purpose statement can help you to stay organized and ensure that your writing is effective and impactful.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a purpose statement?

One common mistake is being too vague or general in your purpose statement. Another mistake is making your purpose statement too long or complex, which can make it difficult to understand. Additionally, it’s important to avoid including unnecessary information or details that are not directly relevant to your main goal or objective.

How can you tailor your purpose statement to your audience?

When writing a purpose statement, it’s important to consider your audience and their needs. You should tailor your purpose statement to your audience by using language and terminology that they will understand. You should also consider their level of knowledge or expertise on the subject matter and adjust your purpose statement accordingly.

What are some effective templates for writing a purpose statement?

There are many effective templates for writing a purpose statement, but one common approach is to use the following structure: “The purpose of this writing is to [insert goal or objective] for [insert audience] regarding [insert topic or subject matter].”

Can you provide examples of successful purpose statements?

• “The purpose of this report is to provide an analysis of the current market trends and make recommendations for future growth strategies for our company.”
• “The purpose of this essay is to explore the impact of social media on modern communication and its implications for society.”
• “The purpose of this proposal is to secure funding for a new community center that will provide educational and recreational opportunities for local residents.”
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What is Research? – Purpose of Research

• By DiscoverPhDs
• September 10, 2020

The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.

What is Research

Simply put, research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known.

As a more formal definition of research, the following has been extracted from the Code of Federal Regulations :

While research can be carried out by anyone and in any field, most research is usually done to broaden knowledge in the physical, biological, and social worlds. This can range from learning why certain materials behave the way they do, to asking why certain people are more resilient than others when faced with the same challenges.

The use of ‘systematic investigation’ in the formal definition represents how research is normally conducted – a hypothesis is formed, appropriate research methods are designed, data is collected and analysed, and research results are summarised into one or more ‘research conclusions’. These research conclusions are then shared with the rest of the scientific community to add to the existing knowledge and serve as evidence to form additional questions that can be investigated. It is this cyclical process that enables scientific research to make continuous progress over the years; the true purpose of research.

What is the Purpose of Research

From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and how things work – with the ultimate goal of improving our lives.

The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.

Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:

• Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
• Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
• Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.

Characteristics of Research

There are 8 core characteristics that all research projects should have. These are:

• Empirical  – based on proven scientific methods derived from real-life observations and experiments.
• Logical  – follows sequential procedures based on valid principles.
• Cyclic  – research begins with a question and ends with a question, i.e. research should lead to a new line of questioning.
• Controlled  – vigorous measures put into place to keep all variables constant, except those under investigation.
• Hypothesis-based  – the research design generates data that sufficiently meets the research objectives and can prove or disprove the hypothesis. It makes the research study repeatable and gives credibility to the results.
• Analytical  – data is generated, recorded and analysed using proven techniques to ensure high accuracy and repeatability while minimising potential errors and anomalies.
• Objective  – sound judgement is used by the researcher to ensure that the research findings are valid.
• Statistical treatment  – statistical treatment is used to transform the available data into something more meaningful from which knowledge can be gained.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Types of Research

Research can be divided into two main types: basic research (also known as pure research) and applied research.

Basic Research

Basic research, also known as pure research, is an original investigation into the reasons behind a process, phenomenon or particular event. It focuses on generating knowledge around existing basic principles.

Basic research is generally considered ‘non-commercial research’ because it does not focus on solving practical problems, and has no immediate benefit or ways it can be applied.

While basic research may not have direct applications, it usually provides new insights that can later be used in applied research.

Applied Research

Applied research investigates well-known theories and principles in order to enhance knowledge around a practical aim. Because of this, applied research focuses on solving real-life problems by deriving knowledge which has an immediate application.

Methods of Research

Research methods for data collection fall into one of two categories: inductive methods or deductive methods.

Inductive research methods focus on the analysis of an observation and are usually associated with qualitative research. Deductive research methods focus on the verification of an observation and are typically associated with quantitative research.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is a method that enables non-numerical data collection through open-ended methods such as interviews, case studies and focus groups .

It enables researchers to collect data on personal experiences, feelings or behaviours, as well as the reasons behind them. Because of this, qualitative research is often used in fields such as social science, psychology and philosophy and other areas where it is useful to know the connection between what has occurred and why it has occurred.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is a method that collects and analyses numerical data through statistical analysis.

It allows us to quantify variables, uncover relationships, and make generalisations across a larger population. As a result, quantitative research is often used in the natural and physical sciences such as engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, finance, and medical research, etc.

What does Research Involve?

Research often follows a systematic approach known as a Scientific Method, which is carried out using an hourglass model.

A research project first starts with a problem statement, or rather, the research purpose for engaging in the study. This can take the form of the ‘ scope of the study ’ or ‘ aims and objectives ’ of your research topic.

Subsequently, a literature review is carried out and a hypothesis is formed. The researcher then creates a research methodology and collects the data.

The data is then analysed using various statistical methods and the null hypothesis is either accepted or rejected.

In both cases, the study and its conclusion are officially written up as a report or research paper, and the researcher may also recommend lines of further questioning. The report or research paper is then shared with the wider research community, and the cycle begins all over again.

Although these steps outline the overall research process, keep in mind that research projects are highly dynamic and are therefore considered an iterative process with continued refinements and not a series of fixed stages.

Do you need to have published papers to do a PhD? The simple answer is no but it could benefit your application if you can.

The unit of analysis refers to the main parameter that you’re investigating in your research project or study.

The scope and delimitations of a thesis, dissertation or paper define the topic and boundaries of a research problem – learn how to form them.

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Guy is in the 3rd and final year of his PhD in Immunology and Microbiology at The University of Newcastle, Australia. His research primarily focuses on investigating roles of our immune system outside of the typical pathogen surveillance.

Freija is half way through her PhD at the Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, researching the transport of microplastics through the Mekong River and to the South China Sea.

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Importance of a Purpose Statement in Research

How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Summary

No matter what subject you are studying, serious research projects and papers require a statement of purpose. A statement of purpose explains to the reader what the goal of the study is, as well as what hypothesis will be tested and what types of studies or literature will be referenced. Without the statement of purpose, the reader may become lost in technical terms and data, or he may skip reading the study if he does not understand what its significance will be.

Location and Length

The purpose statement should come at the end of the introduction and can range in length from several sentences to an entire paragraph. Very often, the thesis statement will be included as part of the statement of purpose. The researcher should never reveal his or her findings in the statement of purpose, because then the reader has no reason to continue reading the study.

The statement of purpose should consist of several components to successfully communicate the rationale of the research to the reader. It should give the reader the framework for the research, and specifically, what field or area it will cover. It should discuss the main concepts of the paper and what process will be used for the investigation. It should also explain how results will be measured and what impact the study will have.

A statement of purpose is different than a thesis statement in several ways. A thesis statement sets up the main argument or claim the researcher is going to make, while the statement of purpose explains how the research was conducted and analyzed to make that claim. The statement of purpose also sets the stage for the thesis by introducing the topic and the breadth of the research.

How it Helps the Researcher

In addition to orienting the reader, the statement of purpose helps the researcher as he begins his project or paper. It does several things: it allows the researcher to delve more deeply into the topic, helps narrow the project focus to relevant information only, forms the thesis statement, and saves time during the research process. The researcher should know that several drafts of the statement can be written as he works through primary research.

Related Articles

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What Is the Function of the Hypothesis?

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: Thesis and Purpose Statements

Noel Rozny is a web editor and content manager who has been working in communications since 1998. She currently writes for the education and career blog, myPathfinder. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and her master's degree from the University of Chicago.

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• Research Objectives | Definition & Examples

Research Objectives | Definition & Examples

Published on July 12, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on November 20, 2023.

Research objectives describe what your research is trying to achieve and explain why you are pursuing it. They summarize the approach and purpose of your project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement . They should:

• Establish the scope and depth of your project
• Contribute to your research design
• Indicate how your project will contribute to existing knowledge

Table of contents

What is a research objective, why are research objectives important, how to write research aims and objectives, smart research objectives, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research objectives.

Research objectives describe what your research project intends to accomplish. They should guide every step of the research process , including how you collect data , build your argument , and develop your conclusions .

Your research objectives may evolve slightly as your research progresses, but they should always line up with the research carried out and the actual content of your paper.

Research aims

A distinction is often made between research objectives and research aims.

A research aim typically refers to a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear at the end of your problem statement, before your research objectives.

Your research objectives are more specific than your research aim and indicate the particular focus and approach of your project. Though you will only have one research aim, you will likely have several research objectives.

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Research objectives are important because they:

• Establish the scope and depth of your project: This helps you avoid unnecessary research. It also means that your research methods and conclusions can easily be evaluated .
• Contribute to your research design: When you know what your objectives are, you have a clearer idea of what methods are most appropriate for your research.
• Indicate how your project will contribute to extant research: They allow you to display your knowledge of up-to-date research, employ or build on current research methods, and attempt to contribute to recent debates.

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.

Step 2: Decide on specific objectives

Break down your aim into a limited number of steps that will help you resolve your research problem. What specific aspects of the problem do you want to examine or understand?

Step 3: Formulate your aims and objectives

Once you’ve established your research aim and objectives, you need to explain them clearly and concisely to the reader.

You’ll lay out your aims and objectives at the end of your problem statement, which appears in your introduction. Frame them as clear declarative statements, and use appropriate verbs to accurately characterize the work that you will carry out.

The acronym “SMART” is commonly used in relation to research objectives. It states that your objectives should be:

• Specific: Make sure your objectives aren’t overly vague. Your research needs to be clearly defined in order to get useful results.
• Measurable: Know how you’ll measure whether your objectives have been achieved.
• Achievable: Your objectives may be challenging, but they should be feasible. Make sure that relevant groundwork has been done on your topic or that relevant primary or secondary sources exist. Also ensure that you have access to relevant research facilities (labs, library resources , research databases , etc.).
• Relevant: Make sure that they directly address the research problem you want to work on and that they contribute to the current state of research in your field.
• Time-based: Set clear deadlines for objectives to ensure that the project stays on track.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

Your research objectives indicate how you’ll try to address your research problem and should be specific:

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

Scope of research is determined at the beginning of your research process , prior to the data collection stage. Sometimes called “scope of study,” your scope delineates what will and will not be covered in your project. It helps you focus your work and your time, ensuring that you’ll be able to achieve your goals and outcomes.

Defining a scope can be very useful in any research project, from a research proposal to a thesis or dissertation . A scope is needed for all types of research: quantitative , qualitative , and mixed methods .

To define your scope of research, consider the following:

• Budget constraints or any specifics of grant funding
• Your proposed timeline and duration
• Specifics about your population of study, your proposed sample size , and the research methodology you’ll pursue
• Any inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Any anticipated control , extraneous , or confounding variables that could bias your research if not accounted for properly.

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CPS Online Library Research Guide (UNH Manchester Library): Define the Topic

• Home & Table of Contents
• Different Types of Information
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• Understanding the Assignment
• Preliminary Considerations
• 7 Steps to Completing a Research Assignment
• Define the Topic
• Find & Evaluate Your Sources
• Research Integrity & Citing Your Sources
• Searching for Information
• Evaluating Information
• How to Read an Academic Journal Article This link opens in a new window
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• Writing Your Research Paper
• Create a Literature Review
• Summarize an Article
• How to Write an Abstract
• How to Write a Book Review
• How to Do an Annotated Bibliography
• Finding Professional Organizations
• Find Key Journals in Your Field of Study
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• Research a Company This link opens in a new window
• Citing Your Sources
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• NHCUC Libraries
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Explore Your Topic

How to begin.

It might be that you have an idea or have been given a topic to research. But, what do you really know about your topic? There are several very effective ways to being doing a little background research. One approach is to do an information scan.

The Information Scan

Completing an information scan on a topic provides a superficial view of your topic. Using an information scan technique will help you refine your topic, identify the most relevant sources of information, and where to find the information. By using some of the tools described below you can get a broad overview of your topic, an idea of where researchers might be focusing their efforts, and some ideas on what aspects of your topic should be emphasized. You are in the exploring stage.

Create a Thesis Statement

Start with a statement of purpose.

A Statement of Purpose is a sentence that you write, which states, in some detail, what you want to learn about in your research topic. The statement guides you as you work so that you will read and take notes only on what’s needed for your project. Writing a statement of purpose will do 4 things to help you:

• You will get more interested in your project.
• It will keep you from getting overwhelmed and panicky at all the information you may find.
• It will help you develop a strong thesis statement, which comes later on in the research process.
• It saves you valuable time and effort.

What Is a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a strong statement that you can prove with evidence. It is not a simple statement of fact. A thesis statement should be the product of your own critical thinking after you have done some research. Your thesis statement will be the main idea of your entire project. It can also be thought of as the angle or point of view from which you present your material.

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively.

You will develop a thesis statement about your research topic after you have written a statement of purpose (see above) and done some actual research into the topic. You will then present your thesis statement in your introduction, prove it with evidence in the body of your paper, project, or presentation, and finally restate it along with a summary of your evidence in your conclusion.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis,” a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement.

• Look again at your Statement of Purpose
• Look at the kinds of information you have been finding while taking notes.
• Decide what kind of statement you have enough evidence to prove. (Be sure that you have done enough research to make a strong argument. You may be challenged.)
• Write that as your thesis statement.

There are many ways to approach writing a thesis statement.

Just make sure that it is not simple a fact and that you can support it with good evidence from reliable sources.

Here are some ways to approach it:

• Define a problem and state your opinion about it
• Discuss the current state of an issue or problem and predict how it might resolve
• Put forth a possible solution to a problem
• Look at an issue/topic from a new, interesting perspective
• Theorize how the world might be different today if something had/had not happened in the past
• Compare two or more of something similar and give your rating about them (cars, authors,computers, colleges, books)
• Put out your ideas about how something was influenced to be the way it is or was (music, art, political leadership, genocide)

Some Examples

Here are some Statements of Purpose developed into possible thesis statements

You can see that there is more than one way to write a thesis statement, depending on what you find out in your research and what your opinion is.

Is Your Thesis Statement Strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following:

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is, “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

From the Thesis Statement you can then begin to develop an outline for your research paper.

Modified from Cambridge & Latin School Research Guide , and the University of North Carolina Writing Center .

Steps to Defining Your Topic

Think About Your Topic

There are two scenarios possible when considering a topic for your research paper. Your instructor may give you the topic, or more commonly you will be asked to develop your own topic. Before you begin your research assignment, you need to spend some time thinking about and planning your topic. This will save you a LOT of time once you begin researching and writing your paper.

How to Select a Topic

Don’t choose a topic that is too broad or too narrow. Your instructor can give your guidance on how narrow or broad your topic should be. In general narrowing your topic generally leads to a more in-depth and well-researched paper. Very broad papers, particularly when short, merely gloss over a topic.

Ask open-ended questions.Research topics are generally open-ended, i.e. you want to discover something through researching the subject. You are actively looking for differing opinions and research on an idea.

Avoid topics that are too speculative:   Good research topics allow you to find facts, evidence, and objective discussions. While you may add your own opinion, unless asked for in a research paper. it is best to stick with reporting what the experts think.

Select topics that are of interest to you: Choose a topic that will be interesting and intellectually challenging  to you. If you are bored by your topic the reader will be too!  

Your topic should have at least 2 main ideas or concepts: A well-formulated research question will always contain at least two aspects or main ideas. Think about connecting these concepts with a joining word such as "on," 'in," or "led to."

Example: what was the effect of [concept 1] on [concept 2]

Key Questions to Consider as You Finalize Your Topic

What topic are you researching?

What do you know about this topic?

What? What is your topic about? Provide a 2-3 sentence explanation: b. Where? Does this topic fit into a local, regional, or global scheme? Is there a particular physical environment for this topic?

When? Is there a certain time frame when this topic became important or experienced change? Do you want to research the current or historical view of this topic?

Who? Specific names or groups of people involved; consider gender, ethnicity, age groups, occupations, etc. Who does this topic affect?

Why? Why is this topic important? Why are you interested in researching this topic? f. How? How do aspects of this topic affect one another? How does this topic affect you and  others? If this topic involves a process, how do aspects of this topic function?

What would you like to find out about this topic? What questions do you have?

Create a Concept Map

" Example Concept Map " by Hamlett and Lacy is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

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Research Objectives: The Compass of Your Study

Table of contents

• 1 Definition and Purpose of Setting Clear Research Objectives
• 2 How Research Objectives Fit into the Overall Research Framework
• 3 Types of Research Objectives
• 4 Aligning Objectives with Research Questions and Hypotheses
• 5 Role of Research Objectives in Various Research Phases
• 6.1 Key characteristics of well-defined research objectives
• 6.2 Step-by-Step Guide on How to Formulate Both General and Specific Research Objectives
• 6.3 How to Know When Your Objectives Need Refinement
• 7 Research Objectives Examples in Different Fields
• 8 Conclusion

Embarking on a research journey without clear objectives is like navigating the sea without a compass. This article delves into the essence of establishing precise research objectives, serving as the guiding star for your scholarly exploration.

We will unfold the layers of how the objective of study not only defines the scope of your research but also directs every phase of the research process, from formulating research questions to interpreting research findings. By bridging theory with practical examples, we aim to illuminate the path to crafting effective research objectives that are both ambitious and attainable. Let’s chart the course to a successful research voyage, exploring the significance, types, and formulation of research paper objectives.

Definition and Purpose of Setting Clear Research Objectives

Defining the research objectives includes which two tasks? Research objectives are clear and concise statements that outline what you aim to achieve through your study. They are the foundation for determining your research scope, guiding your data collection methods, and shaping your analysis. The purpose of research proposal and setting clear objectives in it is to ensure that your research efforts are focused and efficient, and to provide a roadmap that keeps your study aligned with its intended outcomes.

To define the research objective at the outset, researchers can avoid the pitfalls of scope creep, where the study’s focus gradually broadens beyond its initial boundaries, leading to wasted resources and time. Clear objectives facilitate communication with stakeholders, such as funding bodies, academic supervisors, and the broader academic community, by succinctly conveying the study’s goals and significance. Furthermore, they help in the formulation of precise research questions and hypotheses, making the research process more systematic and organized. Yet, it is not always easy. For this reason, PapersOwl is always ready to help. Lastly, clear research objectives enable the researcher to critically assess the study’s progress and outcomes against predefined benchmarks, ensuring the research stays on track and delivers meaningful results.

How Research Objectives Fit into the Overall Research Framework

Research objectives are integral to the research framework as the nexus between the research problem, questions, and hypotheses. They translate the broad goals of your study into actionable steps, ensuring every aspect of your research is purposefully aligned towards addressing the research problem. This alignment helps in structuring the research design and methodology, ensuring that each component of the study is geared towards answering the core questions derived from the objectives. Creating such a difficult piece may take a lot of time. If you need it to be accurate yet fast delivered, consider getting professional research paper writing help whenever the time comes. It also aids in the identification and justification of the research methods and tools used for data collection and analysis, aligning them with the objectives to enhance the validity and reliability of the findings.

Furthermore, by setting clear objectives, researchers can more effectively evaluate the impact and significance of their work in contributing to existing knowledge. Additionally, research objectives guide literature review, enabling researchers to focus their examination on relevant studies and theoretical frameworks that directly inform their research goals.

Types of Research Objectives

In the landscape of research, setting objectives is akin to laying down the tracks for a train’s journey, guiding it towards its destination. Constructing these tracks involves defining two main types of objectives: general and specific. Each serves a unique purpose in guiding the research towards its ultimate goals, with general objectives providing the broad vision and specific objectives outlining the concrete steps needed to fulfill that vision. Together, they form a cohesive blueprint that directs the focus of the study, ensuring that every effort contributes meaningfully to the overarching research aims.

• General objectives articulate the overarching goals of your study. They are broad, setting the direction for your research without delving into specifics. These objectives capture what you wish to explore or contribute to existing knowledge.
• Specific objectives break down the general objectives into measurable outcomes. They are precise, detailing the steps needed to achieve the broader goals of your study. They often correspond to different aspects of your research question , ensuring a comprehensive approach to your study.

To illustrate, consider a research project on the impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior. A general objective might be “to explore the influence of digital marketing on consumer purchasing decisions.” Specific objectives could include “to assess the effectiveness of social media advertising in enhancing brand awareness” and “to evaluate the impact of email marketing on customer loyalty.”

Aligning Objectives with Research Questions and Hypotheses

The harmony between what research objectives should be, questions, and hypotheses is critical. Objectives define what you aim to achieve; research questions specify what you seek to understand, and hypotheses predict the expected outcomes.

This alignment ensures a coherent and focused research endeavor. Achieving it necessitates a thoughtful consideration of how each component interrelates, ensuring that the objectives are not only ambitious but also directly answerable through the research questions and testable via the hypotheses. This interconnectedness facilitates a streamlined approach to the research process, enabling researchers to systematically address each aspect of their study in a logical sequence. Moreover, it enhances the clarity and precision of the research, making it easier for peers and stakeholders to grasp the study’s direction and potential contributions.

Role of Research Objectives in Various Research Phases

Throughout the research process, objectives guide your choices and strategies – from selecting the appropriate research design and methods to analyzing data and interpreting results. They are the criteria against which you measure the success of your study. In the initial stages, research objectives inform the selection of a topic, helping to narrow down a broad area of interest into a focused question that can be explored in depth. During the methodology phase, they dictate the type of data needed and the best methods for obtaining that data, ensuring that every step taken is purposeful and aligned with the study’s goals. As the research progresses, objectives provide a framework for analyzing the collected data, guiding the researcher in identifying patterns, drawing conclusions, and making informed decisions.

Crafting Effective Research Objectives

The effective objective of research is pivotal in laying the groundwork for a successful investigation. These objectives clarify the focus of your study and determine its direction and scope. Ensuring that your objectives are well-defined and aligned with the SMART criteria is crucial for setting a strong foundation for your research.

Key characteristics of well-defined research objectives

Well-defined research objectives are characterized by the SMART criteria – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Specific objectives clearly define what you plan to achieve, eliminating any ambiguity. Measurable objectives allow you to track progress and assess the outcome. Achievable objectives are realistic, considering the research sources and time available. Relevant objectives align with the broader goals of your field or research question. Finally, Time-bound objectives have a clear timeline for completion, adding urgency and a schedule to your work.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Formulate Both General and Specific Research Objectives

So lets get to the part, how to write research objectives properly?

• Understand the issue or gap in existing knowledge your study aims to address.
• Gain insights into how similar challenges have been approached to refine your objectives.
• Articulate the broad goal of research based on your understanding of the problem.
• Detail the specific aspects of your research, ensuring they are actionable and measurable.

How to Know When Your Objectives Need Refinement

Your objectives of research may require refinement if they lack clarity, feasibility, or alignment with the research problem. If you find yourself struggling to design experiments or methods that directly address your objectives, or if the objectives seem too broad or not directly related to your research question, it’s likely time for refinement. Additionally, objectives in research proposal that do not facilitate a clear measurement of success indicate a need for a more precise definition. Refinement involves ensuring that each objective is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, enhancing your research’s overall focus and impact.

Research Objectives Examples in Different Fields

The application of research objectives spans various academic disciplines, each with its unique focus and methodologies. To illustrate how the objectives of the study guide a research paper across different fields, here are some research objective examples:

• In Health Sciences , a research aim may be to “determine the efficacy of a new vaccine in reducing the incidence of a specific disease among a target population within one year.” This objective is specific (efficacy of a new vaccine), measurable (reduction in disease incidence), achievable (with the right study design and sample size), relevant (to public health), and time-bound (within one year).
• In Environmental Studies , the study objectives could be “to assess the impact of air pollution on urban biodiversity over a decade.” This reflects a commitment to understanding the long-term effects of human activities on urban ecosystems, emphasizing the need for sustainable urban planning.
• In Economics , an example objective of a study might be “to analyze the relationship between fiscal policies and unemployment rates in developing countries over the past twenty years.” This seeks to explore macroeconomic trends and inform policymaking, highlighting the role of economic research study in societal development.

These examples of research objectives describe the versatility and significance of research objectives in guiding scholarly inquiry across different domains. By setting clear, well-defined objectives, researchers can ensure their studies are focused and impactful and contribute valuable knowledge to their respective fields.

Defining research studies objectives and problem statement is not just a preliminary step, but a continuous guiding force throughout the research journey. These goals of research illuminate the path forward and ensure that every stride taken is meaningful and aligned with the ultimate goals of the inquiry. Whether through the meticulous application of the SMART criteria or the strategic alignment with research questions and hypotheses, the rigor in crafting and refining these objectives underscores the integrity and relevance of the research. As scholars venture into the vast terrains of knowledge, the clarity, and precision of their objectives serve as beacons of light, steering their explorations toward discoveries that advance academic discourse and resonate with the broader societal needs.

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• Clinical guidelines for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence: a systematic review of recommendations (part 2)
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• http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5898-0900 Jo Taylor ,
• Ruth Hall ,
• Claire Heathcote ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0415-3536 Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt ,
• Trilby Langton ,
• Lorna Fraser
• Department of Health Sciences , University of York , York , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Jo Taylor, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK; dohs-gender-research{at}york.ac.uk

Background Increasing numbers of children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence are being referred to specialist gender services and there are various published guidelines outlining approaches to clinical care.

Aim To examine the recommendations about the management of children and/or adolescents (age 0-18) experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence in published guidelines or clinical guidance. A separate paper examines the quality and development of guidelines.

Methods A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were searched to April 2022 and web-based searches and contact with international experts continued to December 2022, with results assessed independently by two reviewers. The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation tool was used to examine guideline quality.

Results 23 guidelines/clinical guidance publications (1998–2022) were identified (4 international, 3 regional, 16 national). Guidelines describe a similar care pathway starting with psychosocial care for prepubertal children, puberty suppressants followed by hormones for eligible adolescents and surgical interventions as these adolescents enter adulthood. In general, there is consensus that adolescents should receive a multidisciplinary assessment, although clear guidance about the purpose or approach is lacking. There are differing recommendations about when and on what basis psychological and medical interventions should be offered. There is limited guidance about what psychological care should be provided, about the management of prepubertal children or those with a non-binary gender identity, nor about pathways between specialist gender services and other providers.

Conclusions Published guidance describes a similar care pathway; however, there is no current consensus about the purpose and process of assessment for children or adolescents with gender dysphoria/incongruence, or about when psychological or hormonal interventions should be offered and on what basis.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42021289659.

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable as no datasets were generated and/or analysed for this study.

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See:  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ .

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2023-326500

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WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN

Increasing numbers of children and adolescents are being referred to specialist gender services.

Several clinical guidelines exist to support the clinical care of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria/incongruence and their families.

There are divergent clinical approaches to the management of these children/adolescents and a need to synthesise guideline recommendations to explore areas of consensus, disagreement or uncertainty.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

The clinical guidance identified describes a similar care pathway involving psychosocial care for prepubertal children followed by medical interventions for adolescents who meet certain criteria.

There is consensus that those requiring specialist gender care should receive a multidisciplinary assessment and be offered psychosocial support, although there is a lack of clarity about who should be involved in this and any differences for children and adolescents.

There are differing recommendations about when and on what basis psychological and hormone interventions should be offered, and limited guidance about prepubertal children or those with a non-binary gender identity.

HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY

Clinicians should consider the diverging recommendations about when and on what basis psychosocial or hormone interventions should be offered to children and adolescents when working with this population. Detailed guidance to support psychological care is needed.

Introduction

The prevalence of gender dysphoria/incongruence in children and adolescents is currently unknown due to limited population-level data. 1 2 However, the number of referrals to paediatric gender services internationally has increased over the last 10-15 years. 2 These children and adolescents require timely, appropriate and evidence-based care. Numerous guidelines exist to inform healthcare provision for this population. 3 4 However, there remains debate about the most appropriate assessment and care pathways. 5

Three systematic reviews have appraised clinical guidelines for transgender care. 3 4 6 They each focus on a subset: Dahlen et al 3 reviewed international guidelines, and Ziegler et al 4 6 focused on guidelines for use in primary care. This systematic review builds on these by appraising and synthesising all published clinical guidance that includes recommendations regarding the care of children/adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence. The review is reported in two papers. The first describes the review methods and examines guideline quality and development. 7 This second paper provides a synthesis of recommendations.

This review forms part of a linked series examining the epidemiology, care pathways, outcomes and experiences for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence (PROSPERO registration number CRD42021289659 8 ).

To synthesise recommendations, we identified common areas of clinical care for which recommendations are given and worked systematically through guidance to extract and summarise recommendations pertaining to each topic. This enabled us to map recommendations as well as identify areas of consensus, uncertainty or disagreement. The full methods for this review are reported in the first paper. 7

In total, 15 guidelines and 8 clinical guidance publications including at least one recommendation about the management of children/adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence were identified ( figure 1 ). The term guideline will be used in the synthesis.

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Study flow diagram.

Guidelines were published from 1998 to 2022. Four guidelines are international, 9–12 three regional (Europe, 13 Asia and the Pacific, 14 the Caribbean 15 ) and others national (four US, 16–19 two Spain 20 21 and one from Australia, 22 23 Canada, 24 Denmark, 25 Finland, 26 Italy, 27 New Zealand, 28 29 Norway, 30 South Africa, 31 32 Sweden 33 and the UK 34 ).

Nine guidelines are about management of children and/or adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence. 11 19 20 22 24 26 27 33 34 One focuses on co-occurring autism spectrum condition (ASC) and gender dysphoria/incongruence. 12 Others cover broader populations ( online supplemental table 1 and figure 2 ).

Supplemental material

A timeline for the included guidelines by geographical region, country and target population. AACAP, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics; APA, American Psychological Association; ESSM, European Society for Sexual Medicine; HPP, Health Policy Project; PAHO, Pan American Health Organisation; RCHM, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne; RCPsych, UK Royal College of Psychiatrists; SAHCS, South African HIV Clinicians Society; SAHM, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine; SSEN, Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition; UCSF, University California, San Francisco; WPATH, World Professional Association for Transgender Health.

Guideline quality varies; the majority are of low to moderate quality. The development and recommendations of most guidelines were influenced by two international guidelines—version 7 of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guideline published in 2012 35 (version 8 was published in 2022 9 ), and the 2009 36 and 2017 10 versions of the Endocrine Society guideline. Details about this and guideline quality are reported in the first paper.

Guideline synthesis

The following sections summarise recommendations for key areas of practice identified ( box 1 ). More guidelines focus on medical treatments than psychosocial care. The synthesis includes the latest version of guidelines and may not capture changes within guidelines over time.

Main practice areas in guidelines

Care models, principles and practices

Multidisciplinary team composition, roles, competencies and training

Psychosocial care

Information, education and advocacy

Social transition

Puberty suppressant hormones

Feminising/Masculinising hormones

Surgical interventions

Fertility care

Other interventions (eg, voice therapy, hair removal)

Sexual health and functioning

Physical health and lifestyle

Care models

Most guidelines recommend that a specialist multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, endocrinologists and other professionals with expertise in gender and child development delivers assessment and care. Acknowledging different healthcare infrastructures, the WPATH guideline 9 and regional blueprints for Asia and the Pacific 14 and the Caribbean 15 recommend healthcare professionals involve relevant disciplines as an alternative to establishing multidisciplinary teams.

Six guidelines discuss the role of other services. The UK Royal College of Psychiatrist (RCPsych) guideline 34 recommends mental health services assess for gender dysphoria and co-occurring mental health difficulties. The University California, San Francisco guideline 16 states that paediatricians may provide care while recommending a role for mental health professionals. More recently, the Finnish, 26 Norwegian 30 and Swedish 33 guidelines recommend that local mental health services provide assessment and psychosocial interventions, and the Finnish guideline describes multiple different pathways between local mental health and specialist gender services. 26 The Australian guideline outlines the roles for different professionals who might be involved in the assessment and/or care of a child/adolescent, although there is a lack of clarity about the referral pathways between local and specialist gender services. This is the only guideline that discusses transition to adult gender services, and recommends support for this. 22

Most guidelines distinguish between care for prepubertal children and adolescents, recommending a phased approach. This begins with psychosocial support for children/adolescents and parents, followed by puberty suppressants and then hormones for adolescents, and surgical interventions in adulthood ( figure 3 ). Assessment and psychoeducation are suggested along the pathway. Two guidelines 27 33 explicitly adopt the Dutch model (the earliest paediatric treatment protocol 37 ), and most guidelines reflect this pathway. One of these, however, recommends that medical interventions occur under a research framework and modifies the original criteria for treatment. 33 Four guidelines propose an individualised approach to medical interventions, while still describing a phased approach. 16 22 28 31

The phased pathway of assessment and care described across the guidelines.

Care principles lack consensus and clarity about theoretical models or approaches. The following are referred to: informed consent model, a minority stress approach, a developmental approach and individualised or person-centred care. Sixteen guidelines use the term gender-affirming. Eight promote gender-affirming healthcare as a care principle, 9 11 16 18 19 22 28 31 defined as ‘healthcare that is respectful and affirming of a person’s unique sense of gender and provides support to identify and facilitate gender healthcare goals’. 28 The other eight use the term as a label for interventions like hormone treatments. 10 12–15 26 30 33

All guidelines recommend multidisciplinary assessment. Three types were identified: (1) comprehensive psychosocial assessment, (2) medical or ‘readiness’ assessment for adolescents seeking hormonal treatments and (3) diagnostic assessment for gender dysphoria/incongruence. Some guidelines integrate these, while others present them separately. In most guidelines, there is no distinct assessment section or recommendations. There is limited clarity about assessment purpose. Most cited reasons are to inform a care plan, or assess eligibility for hormone treatment. Although most guidelines describe different pathways for children and adolescents, only three provide separate guidance. 9 22 31 Five recent guidelines propose that prepubertal children only require assessment if gender-related psychosocial care is needed but provide limited detail about this. 9 22 26 28 30 Others propose all children be assessed. There is little consideration of how a psychosocial assessment might be different for children and adolescents.

Assessment domains

All guidelines recommend that discussion of gender development and identity forms part of assessment, however few provide detail. Several recommend assessing duration, severity, and persistence of gender dysphoria, and exploring different aspects including incongruence, distress, identity, expression, plans and future desires. Only four guidelines suggest formal measures to assess gender. 9 17 24 33 Three name specific measures, without a strong recommendation to use them ( online supplemental table S2 ). 17 24 33 In the eight guidelines referring to a diagnostic classification system, four recommend the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition 37 gender dysphoria classification, 17 24 27 33 three the International Classification of Diseases 38 gender incongruence 9 30 31 and four either. 10 21 22 34

Sixteen guidelines suggest what else should be assessed ( table 1 ). 9 10 13–15 17 18 22 24 25 27 28 30 31 33 34 Common domains include mental health, family functioning/support and psychosocial functioning. Less common domains include cognition/intellectual functioning, sexuality, sexual health, physical health and body image/satisfaction. The latter is discussed in seven guidelines 9 10 12 24 28 31 33 but only recommended for assessment in one. 24

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Recommended assessment domains

Five guidelines recommend assessing for neurodevelopment conditions. The guideline by Strang et al recommends those with gender dysphoria/incongruence be screened for ASC and vice versa. 12 The Swedish guideline recommends screening for ASC and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 33 The South African HIV Clinicians Society (SAHCS), 31 New Zealand 28 and WPATH 9 guidelines also recommend assessing for ASC. The guideline by Strang et al , 12 and Swedish 33 and WPATH 9 guidelines suggest children with ASC may require extended assessment. There is a lack of guidance about what support might be indicated if both are present.

Assessment process

Recommendations regarding assessment process are sparse. Several guidelines suggest using multiple methods 9 24 27 33 and gathering information from multiple sources. 9 10 12 24 27 31 33 Nine guidelines describe a process involving multiple sessions with children/adolescents and/or parents. 9 12 14 15 19 24 27 31 33 One guideline suggests joint and separate sessions. 15 Four guidelines discuss confidentiality, with emphasis on giving the child/adolescent a safe and confidential environment and discussing limits of confidentiality. 9 17 31 33 The WPATH guideline recommends considering factors affecting accurate reporting by child/adolescent or caregiver(s). 9 Three guidelines outline when parental involvement may not be appropriate. 9 31 33 Three other guidelines identify confidentiality as an overall principle of care. 22 24 28

Only the Swedish 33 and WPATH 9 guidelines contain detail on assessment process. Both recommend duration, structure and content be varied according to age, complexity and gender development. The Swedish guideline discusses benefits and risks of assessment, and recommends providing information about this. 33

Psychosocial care for children and adolescents

All but two guidelines 11 20 describe psychosocial care as a key care component. Less consensus exists about approach, and there is limited guidance. There is little consideration of any differences in provision for prepubertal children versus adolescents. Guidelines use varying different terms, including psychosocial care, psychological care or psychotherapy, which are not defined. Most guidelines describe multiple aims with limited agreement. These range from supporting exploration of gender experiences and identity; improving psychosocial functioning; treating co-occurring mental health difficulties; facilitating healthy psychosexual development; alleviating gender-related distress/dysphoria; assisting families to create a gender-affirming environment; preparing/supporting social or medical transition and support to manage stigma or discrimination.

Most guidelines describe a needs-based approach and five recent guidelines state not all children or adolescents will require psychosocial care. 9 22 28 30 31 All but one of these 30 promote a model of gender-affirming healthcare and indicate that those with ‘a stable gender identity’ and ‘supportive family and school environment’ may not require psychosocial care. This recommendation marks a departure from earlier guidelines which describe psychosocial care as the mainstay of treatment, and the recent Finnish 26 and Swedish 33 guidelines which describe it as first-line treatment for childhood gender dysphoria/incongruence.

In around half of the guidelines, assessment and psychosocial care are presented as overlapping. 12–15 21 22 25 27 31 33 34 Only the European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) 13 and Swedish 33 guidelines recommend psychosocial support for gender exploration during the assessment process. Other guidelines emphasise the importance of gender exploration, although there is a lack of definition and consensus, particularly regarding adolescents. For example, the ESSM 13 and Swedish 33 recommendations do not distinguish between children and adolescents. In contrast, the Australian 22 and WPATH 9 guidelines identify gender exploration for children as potentially useful whereas recommendations for adolescents focus on psychosocial support for social and/or medical transition. Several other guidelines adopt this approach, citing evidence that gender development is more fluid in childhood, that most children will not experience gender dysphoria/incongruence into adolescence and uncertainty about which children will have persistent dysphoria/incongruence. 10 14 16 18 34

Most guidelines recommend co-occurring mental health difficulties are assessed and managed. 9 10 12–16 18 21 22 24–28 30 31 33 34 Only five consider how this might be integrated with psychological care for gender incongruence/dysphoria. The Finnish guideline recommends that local and specialist mental health services provide psychosocial support and any psychological care that is needed. 26 The early RCPsych guideline, 34 and the Swedish 33 and Danish 25 guidelines describe more of an integrated approach, although clarity and detail is lacking. The latter two recommend mental healthcare is provided outside the gender service if needed. The Australian guideline contains no explicit recommendation but describes different pathways depending on presentation. 22

Several guidelines acknowledge additional challenges in caring for looked after children. 9 11 16 22 24 31 The Australian guideline suggests providing advocacy for these children and support for carers. 22

Psychosocial support for parents

Seventeen guidelines discuss psychosocial support for parents. 9 13–19 21 22 24–26 28 30 31 33 While there is no consensus or clear purpose detailed, most highlight that children benefit from parental support in their gender development or care. There is no consensus about which interventions should be offered, and terms applied include counselling, supportive counselling, psychosocial support, support, education, psychoeducation, consultation and psychotherapy. Five guidelines recommend considering family therapy. 17–19 21 24 There is no consideration of how parental support may be different for those of prepubertal children versus adolescents.

Psychoeducation and advocacy

Most guidelines suggest providing education about gender development and identity to children/adolescents and families, although detailed guidance is lacking. 9 12–19 22 24 27 28 30 31 33 Several guidelines suggest peer support groups, 9 15 17 22 24 28 30 31 33 with a further two suggesting this for ‘people’ but not specifically children/adolescents. 14 18 Joint working, education and/or advocacy with schools and other services is recommended in 17 guidelines. 9 11 13–19 22 24 26 28 30 31 33 34

Eighteen guidelines discuss social transition. 9 10 12–19 21 22 24 28 30 31 33 34 Nearly all recommend providing information about benefits and risks of social transition, and psychosocial care for decision-making and during social transition, although detailed guidance is limited. Several guidelines recommend an educational and advocacy role with families, schools and other settings. Guidelines vary in whether recommendations refer to children and adolescents. For example, in the Australian, 22 South African 31 and WPATH 9 guidelines, recommendations are included in sections about children but not adolescents.

Two early guidelines 34 35 describe social transition decisions as ones requiring clinical judgement; others do not. The WPATH 9 and Swedish 33 guidelines discuss the limited evidence base regarding social transition, particularly for prepubertal children, and these and several others including the American Psychological Association 18 and SAHCS 31 guidelines recommend framing social transition in a way that ensures children/adolescents feel free to reconsider or reconceptualise their gender feelings as they develop.

Six guidelines discuss items such as binders or packers for adolescents. 9 22 24 28 31 33 A further four include recommendations for ‘people’, 14–16 30 which may apply to adolescents. Most recommend education about risks and benefits and if necessary safe use. The Swedish guideline 33 recommends health services provide items to facilitate transition for adolescents after full assessment. The Norwegian guideline recommends this for ‘people’, which may apply to adolescents. 30

Medical treatments

Medical treatments are not recommended for prepubertal children in any guideline.

For adolescents, most guidelines describe a phased approach starting with puberty suppression (specifically gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues) before feminising/masculinising hormones (oestrogen or testosterone). The Swedish guideline is unique in recommending that hormone treatments be provided under a research framework and in exceptional cases until this is established. 33 The Finnish guideline, which describes medical treatments for adolescents as experimental due to the limited evidence-base, also recommends a cautious approach and mandates that medical treatments are only provided in two centralised research clinics which should collect data about the outcomes of treatment. 26 Three recent guidelines 9 30 31 use gender incongruence as the clinical indication for treatment, 38 others use gender dysphoria. 39

Seven guidelines provide treatment protocols. 9 10 16 21 22 27 28 The Endocrine Society guideline 10 is the basis for others, resulting in similar recommendations regarding treatment contraindications, dosing, menstrual suppression and physical health risks and monitoring. Few guidelines address known treatment side effects and monitoring recommendations omit these.

Puberty suppression

Puberty suppressing treatments are discussed in all but one guideline. 34 Across guidelines there is ambiguity regarding treatment aims with various presented, including reducing gender-related distress/dysphoria, improving quality of life, allowing time for decision-making, supporting gender exploration or prolonging the diagnostic phase. Most guidelines emphasise full reversibility as a justification, while highlighting potential adverse effects on bone health, and uncertainty regarding cognitive development. Some guidelines discuss concerns about prolonged use, although few provide management suggestions. The Australian guideline 22 recommends vitamin D or early initiation of hormones as potential approaches.

Thirteen guidelines present eligibility criteria for puberty suppression. 9 10 13–15 20–22 24 25 27 28 33 Twelve recommend waiting until a child has achieved at least Tanner stage 2 of puberty, and the Swedish guideline recommends Tanner stage 3 to ensure adolescents experience more of puberty. This and the WPATH guideline discuss different options for treatment in early stage versus late-stage puberty. 9 33 Other common criteria are: presence of gender dysphoria (n=11) or incongruence (n=2), gender dysphoria has emerged or worsened at onset/progression of puberty (n=9), mental health difficulties are managed/unlikely to impact treatment (n=9), the adolescent has decision-making capacity (n=8), and parental consent (n=8). Several guidelines also require family/social support (n=6). Only two guidelines specify a minimum age (of 12 years). 20 33

Masculinising/Feminising hormones

All but one guideline 34 discusses hormones for adolescents and eight provide eligibility criteria. 9 10 21 22 25 27 28 33 Common criteria are: presence of gender dysphoria (n=7) or incongruence (n=1) with most requiring persistence over time, capacity to consent (n=8) and that mental health difficulties are managed/unlikely to affect treatment (n=6). Several require parental consent (n=5) and/or family/social support (n=4). Most guidelines reference age 16 years as the typical starting point, although only five specify this as the minimum age. 20 21 27 30 33 Two of these require the adolescent to have lived experience in their gender identity, one from Spain published in 2012 21 and the Swedish guideline published in 2022. 33 One guideline recommends puberty suppression before initiating hormones. 24

There are no recommendations about how to manage adolescents who, having started to medically transition wish to detransition (discontinue treatment and live as their birth-registered sex or retransition to an alternative gender 40 ), although the Swedish 33 and WPATH 9 guidelines recommend supporting these adolescents.

Surgical treatments

Fourteen guidelines include recommendations about surgery. Six do not recommend surgery for adolescents. 21 24 26–28 34 Six do not recommend genital surgery but support mastectomy. 10 16 22 25 30 33 Only the Swedish guideline 33 includes minimum age criterion 17 for mastectomy if carried out under a research framework. The two remaining guidelines (WPATH 9 and SAHCS 31 ), which also support surgery, include no restrictions for adolescents, although WPATH suggests phalloplasty be delayed until adulthood.

Nine guidelines offer no clear recommendations; three describe practice that includes chest surgery for adolescents, 14 15 19 three describe surgery as deferred until adulthood 12 17 20 and three contain no discussion. 11 13 18

Fertility and sexual healthcare

Eighteen guidelines recommend providing information regarding the impact of hormones and surgery on fertility, and fertility preservation options with consensus that this should precede treatment initiation. Four of these guidelines, 9 10 22 33 published post-2017, explicitly require this for hormone treatments. Fertility counselling and preservation recommendations are lacking.

Few guidelines include recommendations about sexual healthcare and primarily discuss pregnancy-prevention and sexually transmitted diseases. The ESSM guideline seeks to address this gap by recommending psychosexual education about the effects on body satisfaction and sexual function before any interventions. 13 This is also recommended in the Swedish 33 and WPATH 9 guidelines.

Management of children/adolescents with non-binary gender identities

Fourteen guidelines recommend care that views gender as a spectrum. 9 11–13 16 18 19 22 24 26 28 30 31 33 Three guidelines explicitly discuss provision for those who identify as non-binary. The Swedish 33 and Norwegian 30 guidelines do not recommend hormone treatments due to lack of evidence. The Swedish guideline recommends non-binary children/adolescents receive psychosocial care. 33 Recommendations in the WPATH guideline are included in a separate chapter about non-binary people, which may apply to adolescents. 9

This systematic review identified 23 clinical guidance publications (1998 to 2022), 9 focusing on management of children/adolescents with gender dysphoria/incongruence. 11 19 20 22 24 26 27 33 34 The review identified areas on which there is agreement and areas of divergence and uncertainty with limited guidance on how to implement recommendations. Overall, guidelines describe a care pathway similar to the original Dutch protocol that involves psychosocial care for prepubertal children followed by hormonal interventions for adolescents who meet specific criteria, provided by a specialist multidisciplinary team. 41 This approach continues to dominate clinical guidance despite lack of high-quality evidence regarding treatments, 42–50 or exploring alternative care models. 5

Although guidelines recommend similar treatments there are different recommendations about when hormone interventions should be offered and on what basis. The Dutch protocol required a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from early childhood that intensified during puberty as well as applying minimum age criterion for puberty suppressants and hormones. 37 Most subsequent guidance, influenced by WPATH version 7, 35 lacked minimum age criteria until the Swedish guideline re-introduced these. 33 The Swedish guideline additionally recommends adolescents are exposed to puberty until Tanner stage 3. The Swedish and Finnish guidelines require a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. In contrast, the South African, 31 Norwegian 30 and WPATH 9 guidelines specify gender incongruence as the treatment indication. The Finnish guideline, which views medical treatments for adolescents as experimental due to the limited evidence-base, recommends a cautious approach and the need for the centralised research clinics that provide these treatments to collect outcome data. The Swedish guideline recommends that these treatments are only provided under a research framework. This differs considerably to other guidance which identifies reversibility of puberty suppression as key justification for its use in practice, despite uncertainty about long-term effects. 45 48 51 A report by the Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board 52 recommends a change in line with the cautious approach adopted by Sweden and Finland. 52

Detailed guidance regarding assessment is lacking with no consensus about the aim or clinical approach, nor the necessity for assessment in prepubertal children. Although most guidance recommends assessing gender, mental health, psychosocial and family functioning, other domains vary. Few guidelines recommend exploring sexual orientation or assessing body image, despite these being identified as important factors. 1 18 53 Few recommend specific assessment tools, and those suggested have not been developed and/or validated for this population. 54–56

Psychosocial care is recommended across guidelines, but detailed guidance is limited. Specifically lacking are recommendations regarding psychological care, how this overlaps with assessment, which children/adolescents receive it and how to manage co-occurring psychosocial concerns. There is a lack of clarity about how local mental health and gender services should work together. Such guidance may help reduce barriers to equitable and evidence-based care. However, limited research about psychosocial care for this population may prevent development of evidence-based guidance. 42–44

There is uncertainty regarding management of specific groups highlighted in the literature, for example, those with non-binary identities, or those presenting in mid-adolescence without a long-standing history of gender incongruence. 57 58 The Dutch protocol was not developed for these groups, 37 and they may have different outcomes and needs. There is consensus among international experts that adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence should be screened for ASC and those with co-occurring ASC may require extended assessment, 12 but detailed guidance is lacking. 12 59 Finally, there are no recommendations about the management of those who, having started to socially or medically transition, wish to desist, detransition or ‘re-transition’. 40

Strengths and limitations

Strengths include a published protocol, robust search strategies and comprehensive narrative synthesis. Including no date restrictions enabled us to map the development of guidance in this area of practice and consider how recommendations have changed. However, including older guidelines may have shaped the synthesis and review conclusions. Some guidelines not published in English may not have been identified. As searches were conducted to April 2022, this review does not include more recently published guidance; as this is a rapidly evolving area this is a limitation.

Conclusions

Published guidance recommends a care pathway for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria/incongruence for which there is limited evidence about benefits and risks, and long-term effects. Divergence of recommendations in recent guidelines suggest there is no current consensus about the purpose and process of assessment, or about when psychosocial care or hormonal interventions should be offered and on what basis.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication.

Not applicable.

Ethics approval

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Supplementary materials

Supplementary data.

This web only file has been produced by the BMJ Publishing Group from an electronic file supplied by the author(s) and has not been edited for content.

• Data supplement 1
• Data supplement 2

Contributors LF and TL conceived the study. LF, TL, JT, RH, and CH contributed to the design of the review. JT, RH and CH conducted selection, extraction and synthesis. JT, CEH, RH, LF, and TL assisted with interpretation of synthesis. JT drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to and reviewed the manuscript before submission. CEH accepts full responsibility for the finished work and/or the conduct of the study, had access to the data, and controlled the decision to publish.

Funding This work was funded by NHS England to inform the Cass Review (Independent review of gender identity services for children and young people). The funder and Cass Review team had a role in commissioning the research programme but no role in the study conduct, interpretation or conclusion.

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.

Linked Articles

• Original research Clinical guidelines for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence: a systematic review of guideline quality (part 1) Jo Taylor Ruth Hall Claire Heathcote Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Trilby Langton Lorna Fraser Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326499
• Original research Care pathways of children and adolescents referred to specialist gender services: a systematic review Jo Taylor Ruth Hall Trilby Langton Lorna Fraser Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326760
• Original research Psychosocial support interventions for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence: a systematic review Claire Heathcote Jo Taylor Ruth Hall Stuart William Jarvis Trilby Langton Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Lorna Fraser Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326347
• Original research Gender services for children and adolescents across the EU-15+ countries: an online survey Ruth Hall Jo Taylor Claire Heathcote Trilby Langton Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Lorna Fraser Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326348
• Original research Impact of social transition in relation to gender for children and adolescents: a systematic review Ruth Hall Jo Taylor Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Claire Heathcote Stuart William Jarvis Trilby Langton Lorna Fraser Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326112
• Original research Characteristics of children and adolescents referred to specialist gender services: a systematic review Jo Taylor Ruth Hall Trilby Langton Lorna Fraser Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326681
• Original research Interventions to suppress puberty in adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence: a systematic review Jo Taylor Alex Mitchell Ruth Hall Claire Heathcote Trilby Langton Lorna Fraser Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326669
• Original research Masculinising and feminising hormone interventions for adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence: a systematic review Jo Taylor Alex Mitchell Ruth Hall Trilby Langton Lorna Fraser Catherine Elizabeth Hewitt Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326670
• Editorial Holistic approach to gender questioning children and young people Camilla C Kingdon Archives of Disease in Childhood 2024; - Published Online First: 09 Apr 2024. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327100

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NBA 5060 Financial Statement Analysis

Course description.

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024 . Courses of Study 2024-2025 is scheduled to publish mid-June.

The purpose of this course is to give students a broad understanding of financial statement analysis and valuation issues. The emphasis is on helping students understand the basic equity research process for use in investment and business decision applications. The course format is a combination of examples, case studies, and lectures. Potential topics include information sources, strategic ratio analysis, accounting quality, non-GAAP metrics, cash flow analysis, forecasting financial statements, and firm valuation using discounted cash flow and residual income techniques. The course deliverables include an equity research project and a final exam.

When Offered Fall, Spring.

Permission Note Enrollment limited to: Johnson, graduate students, and undergraduate seniors. Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: NCC 5000, NCC 5060 or permission of instructor.

View Enrollment Information

  Seven Week - First.  

Credits and Grading Basis

1.5 Credits GradeNoAud (Letter grades only (no audit))

Class Number & Section Details

12718 NBA 5060   LEC 001

Meeting Pattern

• MW 8:40am - 9:55am To Be Assigned
• Aug 26 - Oct 9, 2024

Instructors

To be determined. There are currently no textbooks/materials listed, or no textbooks/materials required, for this section. Additional information may be found on the syllabus provided by your professor.

For the most current information about textbooks, including the timing and options for purchase, see the Cornell Store .

Additional Information

Instruction Mode: In Person Enrollment restricted to: Johnson MBA, Graduate and Undergraduate Senior students Only. Add/Drop Dates: August 19th at 9:00 am - September 3rd at 11:59 pm. Permission from faculty required to add/drop after September 3rd. A late fee of $100.00 will be charged after September 3rd. Deadline to drop without “W” September 9th after this date, "W" on your transcript in addition to the late fees. This course counts as a Management Science Elective.

12719 NBA 5060   LEC 002

• MW 10:10am - 11:25am To Be Assigned

12720 NBA 5060   LEC 003

• MW 11:40am - 12:55pm To Be Assigned

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Available Syllabi

About the class roster.

The schedule of classes is maintained by the Office of the University Registrar . Current and future academic terms are updated daily . Additional detail on Cornell University's diverse academic programs and resources can be found in the Courses of Study . Visit The Cornell Store for textbook information .

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