difference between aims and objectives in a dissertation

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

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

Introduction

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

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

What Are Aims and Objectives?

Research aims.

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

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

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

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

Example of a Research Aim

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

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

Research Objectives

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

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

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

Example of a Research Objective

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

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

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

Restructuring Research Objectives as Research Questions

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

Difference Between Aims and Objectives

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

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

How to Write Aims and Objectives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Research Objectives

Each of your research objectives should be SMART :

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

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

Table of Research Verbs to Use in Aims and Objectives

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

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

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

Checking Research Objective Example Against Recommended Approach

Research Objective:

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

Checking Against Recommended Approach:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mistakes in Writing Research Aims and Objectives

1. making your research aim too broad.

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

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

2. Making Your Research Objectives Too Ambitious

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

3. Formulating Repetitive Research Objectives

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

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

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

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Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

The “Golden Thread” Explained Simply (+ Examples)

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

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

Overview: The Golden Thread

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

What is the “golden thread”?

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

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

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

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

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Research Aims: What are they?

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

Research Aims: Examples

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

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

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

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difference between aims and objectives in a dissertation

Research Objectives: What are they?

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

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

Research Objectives: Examples

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

For the digital transformation topic:

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

And for the student wellness topic:

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

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

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

Research Questions: What are they?

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

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

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

Research Questions: Examples

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The importance of strong alignment

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

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

Recap: The golden thread

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

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

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41 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks so much. This was really helpful.

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

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

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

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

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

This is quite helpful. I really appreciate!

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

Very innovative and educational in approach to conducting research.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What data source in writing dissertation/Thesis requires?

What is data source covers when writing dessertation/thesis

This is quite useful thanks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well explained

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

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

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

I found this article helpful. Thanks for sharing this.

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

This is a well researched and superbly written article for learners of research methods at all levels in the research topic from conceptualization to research findings and conclusions. I highly recommend this material to university graduate students. As an instructor of advanced research methods for PhD students, I have confirmed that I was giving the right guidelines for the degree they are undertaking.

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

Mar 6, 2019

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

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

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

Unless you tell them.

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

What are aims & objectives?

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

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

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

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

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

Your PhD thesis. All on one page.

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

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Research aims

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Research objectives

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

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

When you write them, make sure they are SMART.

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

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

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

What is the difference between research aims and objectives?

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

Let’s use an example to illustrate.

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

Objectives:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Formulating Research Aims and Objectives

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

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

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

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

Consider the following as an example:

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

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

Following research objectives would facilitate the achievement of this aim:

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

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

Formulation of research question, aim and objectives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Examples of SMART research objectives

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

John Dudovskiy

my research
contributions and comments

aims and objectives – what’s the difference?

You’re ready, you’re aimed, and now you have to fire off the objectives. But you’re a bit confused. What”s the difference between the two?

An aims-objectives confusion might arise when you are writing thesis proposal and the introductory thesis chapter. It’s always an issue in research bids. The what’s-the-difference question can have you going around in ever smaller unproductive circles if you can’t figure out a way to differentiate between the two things. And the difference is something I’ve recently been asked about, so I’ve decided to post something of an answer.

Dictionaries are only vaguely helpful when thinking about aims and objectives. My desk dictionary says that an aim is to do with giving direction. An aim is “something intended or desired to be obtained by one’s efforts”. On the other hand an objective is to do with achieving an object, it’s about actions, “pertaining to that whose delineation is known”. Now who actually speaks like this? The fact that these definitions are offered in this very formal language doesn’t help clarify matters. But, once past the antiquated expression, you might discern that the difference between the two is somehow related to a hope or ambition (aim) versus a material action (objective). Or we might say – and it is what is commonly said about aims and objectives – the aim is the what of the research, and the objective is the how .

So taking this what-how as a kind of loose and sloppy differentiation between the two, the rough rule of thumb with aims and objectives is generally that:

(1) The aim is about what you hope to do, your overall intention in the project. It signals what and/or where you aspire to be by the end. It’s what you want to know. It is the point of doing the research. An aim is therefore generally broad. It is ambitious, but not beyond possibility.

The convention is that an aim is usually written using an infinitive verb – that is, it’s a to + action . So aims often start something like.. My aim in this project is … to map, to develop, to design, to track, to generate, to theorise, to build … Sometimes in the humanities and social sciences we have aims which attempt to acknowledge the inevitable partiality of what we do, so we aim ‘to investigate, to understand, and to explore… ‘ But lots of project reviewers and supervisors prefer to see something less tentative than this – they want something much less ambivalent, something more like to synthesise, to catalogue, to challenge, to critically interrogate ….

(2) The objectives , and there are usually more than one, are the specific steps you will take to achieve your aim. This is where you make the project tangible by saying how you are going to go about it.

Objectives are often expressed through active sentences. So, objectives often start something like In order to achieve this aim, I will … collect, construct, produce, test, trial, measure, document, pilot, deconstruct, analyse … Objectives are often presented as a (1) (2) (3) formatted list – this makes visible the sequence of big steps in the project. The list of objectives spells out what you actually and really will do to get to the point of it all.

You have to make the objectives relatively precise . Having a bunch of vague statements isn’t very helpful – so ‘I will investigate’ or ‘I will explore’ for example aren’t particularly useful ways to think about the research objectives. How will you know when an investigation has ended? How will you draw boundaries around an exploration? In thinking about the answer to these questions, you are likely to come up with the actual objectives.

Objectives have to be practical, do-able and achievable . Research reviewers generally look to see if the time and money available for the research will genuinely allow the researcher to achieve their objectives. They also look to see if the objectives are possible, actually research-able.

Because the objectives also act as project milestones , it’s helpful to express them as things that are able to be completed – so for example scoping an archive of materials will have an end point which may then lead on to a next stage/objective. Even if objectives are to occur simultaneously, rather than one after the other, it is important to be clear about what the end point of each step/objective will be, and how it will help achieve the aim.

What not to do

It’s really helpful to think about what can go wrong with aims and objectives. There are some predictable problems that you want to avoid when writing them. These are some common aims-objectives issues:

• There are too many aims. One or two is usually enough. (I might stretch to three for other people’s projects if pushed, but I usually have only one for my own projects.)

• Aims and objectives waffle around, they don’t get to the point and the reader doesn’t have a clue what is actually intended and will be done – aims and objectives need to be concise and economically expressed.

• Aims and objectives don’t connect – the steps that are to be taken don’t match up with the overall intention.

• The aims and the objectives are not differentiated, they are basically the same things but said in different words.

• The objectives are a detailed laundry list rather than a set of stages in the research.

• The objectives don’t stack up with the research methods – in other words they are either not do-able, or what is to be done won’t achieve the desired results.

The final thing to say is that aims and objectives can’t be rushed. Because they generate the research questions and underpin the research design, sorting the aims and objectives are a crucial early stage in planning a research project. Aims and objectives are a foundation on which the entire project is constructed, so they need to be sturdy and durable.

About pat thomson

100 responses to aims and objectives – what’s the difference.

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I agree with you about the nature of the difference between aims and objectives and also about the fact that dictionaries are frustratingly vague about it.

I also agree that it is very helpful if you can match aims and objectives.

In research-grant writing I suggest that the matching can be done by stating the aims as things that we need to know. Then the objectives can be stated as the phases of the research project that will tell us the things we need to know. I recommend that aims and objectives are matched, that there are about four of each and that the y are presented in the same order.

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This is the best explanation so far that I have seen on the net

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I agree with Ruzivo. Excellent explanation. God Bless you Pat for clearing all our doubts. Its like having my glass window polished and is sparkling.

appreciated reading this too.

Hi Pat, Is there much of a difference between aims and hypothesis? Is it just a difference in phrasing and presenting the intention of the thesis?? Thanks.

Yes a lot of difference. A hypothesis can signal a particulate stance on knowledge, and/ or a particular research design. With a hypothesis you set out to test, answer yes/no or prove something. Most often used in RCTs or lab based research or other experimental work.

I’m looking for literature (books or scientific papers) where we can discuss how to properly construct the aim and objective, perhaps his epistemology. Thus, having better foundation, not just different opinions.

I would greatly appreciate your guidance.

Pat, Thanks very much for your blog. It contains a lot of very helpful information.

I am just starting out on my PhD and was interested to read your definitions of Aims and Objectives.

I was actually quite surprised to read that the objectives seem to present a high level plan rather than a set of goals as is the common usage.

You have said “This is where you make the project tangible by saying how you are going to go about it” whereas a common usage might be more like “something that one’s efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish” ( http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/objective ).

This info will help me write my thesis…. even if it is non-intuitive!

Like Andrew, I work with people who are writing grant applications. Two pet peeves that I would add to your “What not to do” list are:

1. There is no aim at all. This can take two forms. The most common is to have aims, but fail to express them clearly and succinctly up front. They are buried on page two, page five, page 23 and page 41. The less common problem is where there is no aim at all. That is, the whole project description is so vague, or so dense, that there doesn’t seem to be any point at all. This generally occurs in first drafts, or where there have been many, many drafts, with different ideas introduced in each iteration.

2. There are additional ‘bonus’ aims as little ‘easter eggs’ for the reader to find on their journey through your project description. I see this a lot. Three or four aims are expressed, clearly and succinctly, at the start of the project description. Then, on page five, I find “…with the aim of…”. On page eight, there is “Our overall aim is to…”. These bonus aims often don’t match at all with the PR aims on the front page. Once they have been dug out and dusted off, they often provide a much clearer picture of what the investigators are trying to do.

I share your peeves. I think (pure supposition on the basis of no data!) that both these faults are a result of the “start writing and hope that a useful document will emerge from the forest of words” approach to writing. I used to encourage academics to take this approach simply because it’s so hard to get them to start writing a grant application. Now I think that it has the drawback that it produces a kind of ‘learned helplessness’ in which the writer surrenders the responsibility for producing a good document to a reviewer.

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I am currently going through the ‘get them started at all costs’ stage. https://theresearchwhisperer.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/grant-camp/ Sometimes I feel like I am a helplessness teacher.

Excellent post. Very helpful and one I will certainly pass on to my students.

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the article was pretty informative, could you please shed some light over the difference between research objectives and research questions. thank you.

Thanks for this article! It was very clear and helpful 🙂

Your article makes the all too common mistake of confusing objectives with activities.

Objectives should be expressed as noun clauses, for example, a design, a breadboard prototype, a literature review, a performance improvement. These can be concrete or abstract nouns. Either was they must be SMART, specific and measurable, so it is possible to evaluate if, and to what extent, the objective has been achieved.

Having analysed a project and identified the objectives one can then consider the activities required to realise these objective, activities expressed as verb clauses. Activities take time and can be scheduled using critical path analysis.

We’ll have to agree to disagree on that. Research projects don’t always produce breadboards and objectives are usually expressed as “To” do something ie to produce a breadboard. I think you’ve conflated an objective and an outcome or product.

A few questions:

1. Could you clarify if this applies equally to writing a thesis? Or is this advice primarily for grant writing?

2. How do the ‘Aims and Objectives’ differ from the ‘Research Questions’ in a thesis? How to avoid “basically the same things but said in different words.” if including both sections in your thesis?

3. How to accommodate for significant shifts over the life of PhD? What if the initial Aims and Objectives are not what the thesis is about at all the moment? Should they re-written as though the original Aims and Objectives never existed? Or should this section discuss the shift in aims and objectives?

By my experience with undergraduates whose English is not native, I have worked out an easy way of understanding and formulating the aim (I give same meaning to the “General Objective”) and Objectives( or Specific Objectives) of any project. Rewrite the topic of the research with “to + verb in infinitive” and you have got the Aim (or General Objective). Example: If the topic is “An Assessment of Capabilities of Rural Dwellers for Adaptation to Climate Change” then the Aim (or General Objective – singular-) is “The Aim of This study is to assess capabilities of rural dwellers for adaptation to climate change”. It is only one!!! once you have an aim you can make it colorful by adding various specification to it like ” in Asia” Accordingly, The aim of this study is to assess the potential capacity of rural dwellers in the dry zone of Sri Lanka to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Specific objectives (or Objectives). Yes, they are several. Again It is simple;

The Specific objectives of this study are to : You can list numbering…… of course not ten and not one. I advice undergraduates to have 3 or 4 as optimal.

The things you do to achieve above aim list like

Specific objectives Achieving the above aim it is need to reach following specific objectives: 1.To study rural individuals, in the selected region for their social, economic, psychological and technological capacities for adaptation to climate change with emphasis on their indigenous technologies, cultural practices and lifestyles supported to survive through centuries with different climatic conditions; 2.To recommend required policy alternatives and strategies with high level of applicability in adaptation to climate change.

Am I OK? Was it useful?

I appreciate your guidance. My main language is not English. I am doing my final year project report and want to be clear about every single section heading so that I can put the right content inside them. Your description is concise and helpful Thank you!

would i be right to look at the objectives as the parts and the AIM as the whole?

Not really. The aim is longer term, bigger, and might encompass more than this one project… the objectives are immediate and tangible and tied to the research question in hand.

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Aim: a verb

Objective: a noun.

Obviously objectives are the WHAT and aims are the HOW.

I can show you an objective… I can’t show you how I “objective”.

I can show you how to aim… I can’t show you an aim (nope, that’s a “sight”).

Basic grammar. QED.

In a research proposal the writer is basically asked to complete the sentences, My aim is to .. My objectives are therefore to… These are both about doing something. This is the GENRE. It is about writing not grammar. It’s important not to confuse grammar with sense making. Once you can get past the verb or noun category mistake (and of course an aim can be either a noun or a verb) the process of writing aims and objectives can indeed be understood as a what and a how, but this doesn’t capture the broader and narrower focusing that also has to go on.

You see, I agree with Jimmy there…it irks me that I have to tell students to do the opposite to what the words are actually saying. In fact yesterday, I did in fact swap them around when advising a student on their thesis. I’m going to have to get him to change it around now so it’s more conventional, even though it makes no sense.

Hi, I have been reading this blog post a few times and in general I find it very useful and this approach is what I have been using myself – there should be one overall aim for a thesis or a research paper. But in line with some of the previour commentors I’d really fove to know how to research questions come in? Is it sth like the aim taken into smaller and manageable pieces?

Reblogged this on Anthropology Musings of an anthro-tragic and commented: A clear and concise explanation – it’s certainly helped me overcome hurdles in my proposal.

This is more than enough i found it useful in my mini-proposal

hello, can two or three hypothesis investigate one research question?

I heistate to answer this and I hope someone else can. I don’t use hypotheses at all. My hunch is that the answer is usually no, you have a single hypothesis.

From my point of view hypothesis should apear in any research work; sometimes people don’t uses because they don’t know much about what he/she wants to study. That is, the researcher write a hypothesis that don’t need to be tested, because everybody knows the answer. A well designed hypothesis can truly guide not only the researcher but also the reader.

Is there any word count or proportion of the aim and the objective parts ? Coz I’m now writing a dissertation that about 12000 words long. So are there any suggestion?

Thanks a lot! Cherry

Most theses are between 80-100 k and each chapter between 8-10 k. So your aims and objectives will form part of one of the beginning chapters, possibly the first. You’ll also have other stuff to put in the same chapter like the rationale.

Hi Pat, you said “The final thing to say is that aims and objectives can’t be rushed. Because they generate the research questions…” Now I used to think that it’s the reverse, that RQs generate A&Os.

Hey Its really cool I am starting PhD now . I have my presentation also. What have I understood regarding aim and objective that what and why actually I want to do this project explaining by small abstract followed through in objective how I am going to achieve this with bullet points esp.. materials and methods. Is it right . Can you please suggest..

Hi Pat, Thanks for your informative post. Much appreciated. Just starting my MBA dissertation proposal, so thanks for the clarity. Regards Catherine

Nice concept

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Thank you very much Pat. This was really helpful, until I read this I always thought they were the same. I guess now I can do my assignment with more facts. Thank you very much.

I’m also writing my research proposal and I need to have the finitions clear.

research praposal is my assiment topic.. and there is no knowledge and words which i wrote it in my assiment……..

Thanks for the credible explanation you’v given above.

This is a very helpful peace of information

Dear Pat, Thank you for your outstanding explanation of the aim and the objectives of a research project and the difference between them. I kindly would like you to elaborate on how to write “Research Problem Statement” and its relationship with the aim and the objectives. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your knowledge! Mok

Thank you for this article, which has been very helpful. I have written my aims and objectives accordingly and have cited this page in my master thesis as reference. However I wanted to add that someone told me to be careful not to mix up objectives with research objectives as both are different. Research objectives being used interchangeably with the term research questions. I find this all very confusing to be honest but have decided to stick to your explanation for now on. Thank you

Explanation is clear and helpful

Thank you. It is very helpful so I can start doing the reports for projects. 🙂

Thanks a lot for the differentiation.

Thank you for a good understanding of the two.

Great tips! I work with university research faculty on grant writing and development – I love using this as a reference when I’m editing! Thanks!

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Really useful definition! Thanks very much for your time-generosity in sharing it. Helped no end with an art-commission proposal I was writing.

Best wishes Annabel Tilley Co-Author – What they didn’t teach you in art school (Octopus Books, 2016)

thank you. very helpful

Thank you. Immensely helpful and clear.

It has been extremely helpful for my work. Thank you!

Thank you for feeding me with clear understanding of this two words. I was critically comfused about the them, but now I am distinctly satisfied with the meanings. I am truly gratified to your perfect articulation God bless you.

I am SHS student in my final year,my name is call Raymond, my understanding is that,aim is what you are willing to do in a near by future whiles objective is the measures you won’t to lay down to guide you to achieve your aim.

Well articulated.

Fantastic and detailed enough. Thank you, Pat.

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Fantastic explanation, thanks for that!

Could you also recommend a reliable article/post on methodologies for data collection? That would be much appreciated. Thank you.

The difference between aim and objective explanation, succinct and very helpful. Thanks.

Nice one. I am very grateful. Thanks

Thank you for your outstanding explanation of the aim and the objectives, very informative and up to the point of query

Hi, Patt. Thank you so much for the post. It is really helpful. I have a question. Many professors use the word “purpose”. Is it “purpose” the same thing as “aim”? Thanks a lot Joao Paulo

That’s probably what they mean, but it might be a bit more philosophical. What’s the research for?

Psychoacoustics. In my report I used “Aim” and “Purpose” and they did not complying about. I think sometimes people use “Goal” instead “Aim”. Probably is the same.

Thank you so much for the detail description of Aim and Objective differentiating these two terms had really been so tough. From the defition given now it is quite clear only with the two key words : What=Aim. How=Objective Thanks and regards

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Incredibly helpful…… thank you.

This is wonderful. Giving more insight into aim and objectives.

Thanks a lot – hope I will finally complete my thesis proposal…

Thank you. Your explanation was very helpful!

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This has been very helpful as I sit and complete an adventurer’s expedition grant. Thankyou!

Really helpful and easy to understand. Thanks a lot.

Thank you Pat Really you release my confusion

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Hi Pat Thanks. It’s quite useful in relation to my situation. I was confused and struggled to write the aim and objectives in my PhD research proposal. So is the general objective of a project is similar to the aim?

Best wishes!

The objectives is specific, what you will do. The aim is broader.

Reblogged this on The Academic Triangle and commented: An old post but still very relevant. A lot of students I work with still struggle with the difference!

1. If the objectives are the steps one should do to achieve the aim then what are the tasks? To my knowledge tasks are the steps to achieve the objectives. 2. If mapping is to be done between objectives and the aim then all objectives will be mapped to one same aim. While tasks can be mapped to several objectives. 3. Can we use main objective and specific objectives instead of aim and objectives? 4. Can we have a concrete example showing aim, objectives and tasks.

This post and the other one about chapter introductions and conclusions proved very helpful to me, as a master student about to write my research proposal. I had serious difficulties in moving from aim to objectives in my research proposal. Having read these posts, I hope to write a convincing proposal and a coherent dissertation. Thank you!!!!!

I am thankful for so an amazing post. It has shed light to the dark area of my understanding about accademic writings..

Can i ask about the objectives for social media arising privacy

A research statement or question is also the aim of the research project. The objectives of the research develop from the aim of the research project. It is the order wherein it contains the steps on how to accomplish the aim of the research. The objective is commonly written in short phrases either in numbering or bullet points.

Hi Pat, The way you have explained the two different aspects of research is so simple and easily understandable! Just to say like many others I am also benefited from your blog. I am confused, can you please explain little about does there any difference between objectives and research question

Excellent clarification! Infact am excited

Thank so much with this helpful article

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How to Write Aims and Objectives for your Dissertation or Thesis?

Aims and Objectives Section for PhD Dissertation

Introduction

Understanding aims and objectives, crafting aims, break it down into objectives, developing specific objectives, align with research questions, consider feasibility, review and refine, seek feedback, documenting aims and objectives.

In a PhD or Post Graduate dissertation, the aims and objectives play a crucial role in shaping the research process and ensuring focus. They provide a clear roadmap for your study and serve as the guiding principles that steer your research in the right direction.

Aims represent the broader purpose or the overarching goal of your research. They define what you want to achieve with your dissertation. For example, let’s say you’re conducting a study on renewable energy sources. Your aim could be to analyze the economic viability and environmental impact of solar energy adoption in residential areas.

Objectives, on the other hand, break down the aim into specific, measurable, and achievable targets that help you accomplish your research goal. They outline the specific steps or tasks you need to undertake to fulfill the aim. Continuing with the previous example, some objectives could be:

Evaluate the current state of solar energy technologies and their efficiency.
Assess the economic costs and benefits associated with the installation of solar panels in residential areas.
Analyze the environmental impact of solar energy adoption in terms of carbon emissions reduction.
Investigate the potential barriers to the widespread adoption of solar energy in residential communities.
Develop recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to promote the use of solar energy in residential areas.

These objectives, when combined, address different aspects related to the aim of analyzing the economic viability and environmental impact of solar energy adoption. Each objective guides a specific aspect of the research and contributes to answering the research questions.

By having clear aims and objectives, you establish a solid framework for your study. They help you stay focused on the main purpose of your research and prevent you from getting sidetracked or overwhelmed by tangential topics. Moreover, they provide clarity to both you and your readers, ensuring that your research remains coherent and well-structured.

In summary, clear aims and objectives are instrumental in guiding the research process of a PhD dissertation. They provide a roadmap, define the research goal, and break it down into specific targets. Through the example provided, it is evident how aims and objectives bring focus to a study on renewable energy sources and solar energy adoption in residential areas.

If you are in paucity of time, not confident of your writing skills and in a hurry to complete the writing task then you can think of hiring a research consultant that solves all your problems. Please visit my article on Hiring a Research consultant for your PhD tasks for further details.

Aims and objectives play a crucial role in guiding research projects. It’s important to define these terms and differentiate between them to ensure a clear focus in your work.

Aims represent the broader purpose or goal of your study. They define what you aim to achieve through your research project. Aims provide the overarching context and direction for your work, guiding the selection of topics, methodologies, and outcomes.

Example: Suppose you’re working on a PhD dissertation in computer science with a focus on natural language processing. Your aim could be: “To develop an efficient and accurate algorithm for sentiment analysis in social media data.”

In this example, the aim highlights the objective of creating an algorithm specifically for sentiment analysis in social media data, indicating the main objective of your research.

Objectives break down the aim into specific, measurable, and achievable targets that contribute to achieving the overall goal. They are more focused and concrete than aims, outlining the steps or tasks necessary to fulfill the aim. Objectives serve as the building blocks of your research, guiding the implementation and evaluation of your work.

Example: Continuing with the previous aim, let’s define some specific objectives:

Collect and preprocess a large dataset of social media posts for sentiment analysis.
Explore and compare existing sentiment analysis techniques to identify their limitations and strengths.
Design and develop a novel algorithm that addresses the limitations of current approaches.
Implement the algorithm and evaluate its performance on the collected dataset.
Analyze the results and compare them with existing state-of-the-art sentiment analysis methods.

These objectives, when combined, address different aspects necessary to fulfill the aim of developing an efficient and accurate sentiment analysis algorithm for social media data. Each objective represents a specific task or milestone that contributes to the overall research goal.

The relationship between aims and objectives is critical in driving research. Objectives are derived from the aim and provide the means to accomplish it. They act as stepping stones, guiding the researcher towards achieving the broader aim.

In summary, aims provide the broader context and goal, while objectives break down the aim into specific tasks and milestones. Together, they ensure focus and direction in your research, guiding the selection of topics, methodologies, and outcomes. The objectives serve as the means to achieve the overall aim, highlighting the relationship between aims and objectives in driving research in the computer science domain.

Formulating the overarching aim of your research is a crucial step in defining the direction and purpose of your dissertation. The aim represents the primary goal or intention of your study, and crafting it effectively is essential for setting the foundation of your research.

Research Topic: Enhancing cybersecurity in cloud computing environments.

In this example, the aim focuses on improving cybersecurity in the context of cloud computing. The aim should be formulated in a concise and focused manner that aligns with the research topic. Here’s an example of how the aim could be crafted effectively:

Aim: Develop an efficient and robust security framework for ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and availability in cloud computing environments.

The above aim encapsulates the overall goal of the research, which is to develop a security framework for enhancing cybersecurity in cloud computing. It clearly states the intention to address key aspects such as data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The aim is concise, specific, and directly aligned with the research topic.

The significance of a well-defined aim cannot be overstated. It serves as a guiding beacon throughout your research journey, providing a clear direction and purpose. A well-crafted aim helps you stay focused and ensures that your efforts are aligned with the research’s core objectives. It also helps you communicate the purpose of your study to others, including your advisor, peers, and potential readers of your dissertation.

Additionally, an effective aim sets the stage for the subsequent development of specific objectives and research questions. It serves as a foundation upon which you can break down the aim into smaller, manageable objectives that contribute to achieving the overall research goal. Each objective should align with the aim and work together harmoniously to address the research questions and gaps in the field.

Moreover, a concise and aligned aim allows readers to quickly grasp the essence of your research. It provides them with a clear understanding of the research’s scope and purpose. By stating the aim concisely and aligning it with the research topic, you demonstrate your ability to articulate the core objective of your study in a succinct manner.

In summary, crafting effective aims involves formulating the overarching goal or intention of your research in a concise and focused manner. A well-defined aim sets the direction for your dissertation, guiding your efforts and ensuring alignment with the research topic. It serves as a foundation for the development of specific objectives and research questions. By presenting a clear and aligned aim, you convey the purpose of your study to others and demonstrate your ability to articulate the core objective of your research.

After defining the aim of your research, it’s important to break it down into smaller, manageable objectives. These objectives should address key research questions or subtopics that are necessary to achieve the overall aim. Additionally, objectives should be specific, measurable, and utilize action verbs to describe the intended actions or achievements.

Example: Suppose the aim of your research is to develop a recommendation system for an e-commerce platform. Here are some examples of specific objectives:

Action Verbs: Analyze, Identify
Description: Gather and analyze user preferences and historical data from the e-commerce platform to identify patterns in user behavior and item preferences.
Action Verbs: Design, Implement
Description: Develop and implement collaborative filtering algorithms, such as user-based or item-based methods, to generate personalized recommendations based on user similarities or item similarities.
Action Verbs: Incorporate
Description: Integrate machine learning techniques, such as matrix factorization or deep learning models, into the recommendation system to improve the accuracy and personalization of the recommendations.
Action Verbs: Evaluate
Description: Conduct experiments and evaluate the performance of the recommendation system using appropriate evaluation metrics, such as precision, recall, or mean average precision, to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.
Action Verbs: Optimize
Description: Identify and implement optimization techniques, such as parallel computing or distributed systems, to enhance the scalability and efficiency of the recommendation algorithm, allowing it to handle large-scale datasets and real-time recommendations.

By breaking down the aim into these specific objectives, you address key components of developing a recommendation system, such as data analysis, algorithm design, evaluation, and optimization. Each objective represents a distinct step that contributes to achieving the overall aim.

Importantly, these objectives are specific and measurable, allowing you to determine whether you have successfully achieved them. For instance, you can measure the accuracy of the recommendation system, evaluate its performance against baseline models, or assess its scalability in terms of handling large datasets.

In summary, when conducting research, breaking down the aim into specific objectives helps in managing the workload and providing a clear roadmap for your research. These objectives should address key research questions or subtopics, be specific and measurable, and use action verbs to describe the intended actions or achievements. By following this approach, you can ensure a systematic and focused research process.

To develop specific objectives for your research, you need to break down the overarching aim into smaller, measurable objectives. These objectives should be clear, specific, and actionable, providing a roadmap for your research and guiding the entire research process.

Aim: Develop a machine learning-based system for automated sentiment analysis in social media data.

Objective 1: Conduct a comprehensive literature review on existing sentiment analysis techniques and methodologies.

Breakdown: This objective focuses on reviewing the literature in the field of sentiment analysis, specifically examining the various techniques and methodologies that have been developed and applied. It involves gathering and analyzing research papers, books, and other relevant sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of the existing knowledge in sentiment analysis.

Objective 2: Collect a large dataset of social media posts for training and evaluation.

Breakdown: This objective entails the collection of a substantial amount of social media data that will be used as input for training and evaluating the machine learning model. It involves designing data collection mechanisms, such as web scraping or utilizing available APIs, to gather a diverse set of social media posts from platforms like Twitter or Facebook.

Objective 3: Design and implement a machine learning algorithm capable of accurately detecting sentiment polarity in social media text.

Breakdown: This objective focuses on the development of a machine learning algorithm tailored for sentiment analysis in social media text. It involves designing and implementing the necessary algorithms, selecting appropriate feature representations, and training a model to accurately classify sentiment polarity (positive, negative, or neutral) of social media posts.

Objective 4: Evaluate the performance of the developed sentiment analysis system against benchmark datasets and compare it with existing state-of-the-art approaches.

Breakdown: This objective involves assessing the performance of the developed sentiment analysis system by evaluating it against established benchmark datasets. It requires selecting appropriate evaluation metrics and comparing the system’s performance with existing state-of-the-art approaches in sentiment analysis, such as accuracy, precision, recall, or F1 score.

The importance of clear, specific objectives cannot be overstated. These objectives provide a clear roadmap and direction for your research, guiding your efforts and ensuring that you stay on track. They help you structure your research activities, allocate resources effectively, and measure progress along the way.

Using action verbs to articulate objectives effectively is another crucial aspect. Action verbs convey specific actions or achievements that need to be accomplished. They provide clarity and precision, leaving no room for ambiguity. For example:

By using action verbs, you explicitly state what needs to be done or achieved in each objective, making it easier to track progress and assess the completion of objectives.

In summary, developing specific objectives involves breaking down the overarching aim into smaller, measurable objectives. Clear and specific objectives provide a roadmap for your research and guide the entire research process. By using action verbs, you articulate objectives effectively, leaving no room for ambiguity. These objectives help structure your research activities, allocate resources effectively, and measure progress, ultimately leading to the successful completion of your research.

When formulating objectives for your research, it is essential to ensure that they align with the research questions you have formulated. Each objective should contribute to addressing or answering a specific research question, creating a cohesive and focused research framework.

Example: Suppose your research in computer science focuses on developing an automated system for detecting and preventing cybersecurity threats. Here are examples of objectives aligned with research questions:

Research Question: How can machine learning algorithms be utilized to detect and mitigate cybersecurity threats effectively?

Objective 1: Evaluate and compare different machine learning algorithms for cybersecurity threat detection.

Description: Explore and assess various machine learning algorithms, such as decision trees, random forests, or neural networks, to identify the most suitable approach for detecting cybersecurity threats accurately and efficiently.

Objective 2: Develop a dataset representative of diverse cybersecurity threats.

Description: Create a comprehensive dataset containing various types of cybersecurity threats, including malware, phishing attacks, and network intrusions, to train and evaluate the machine learning models effectively.

Research Question: What are the key challenges and vulnerabilities in existing cybersecurity systems that need to be addressed?

Objective 3: Conduct a systematic analysis of existing cybersecurity systems and identify vulnerabilities.

Description: Analyze and evaluate existing cybersecurity systems, such as intrusion detection systems or antivirus software, to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and potential areas of improvement that can inform the development of a more robust automated system.

Objective 4: Propose novel techniques to enhance the resilience of the cybersecurity system.

Description: Develop innovative approaches, such as anomaly detection algorithms or behavior-based analysis techniques, to enhance the resilience of the automated cybersecurity system and address the identified vulnerabilities.

By aligning the objectives with the research questions, you ensure that each objective contributes to addressing a specific aspect of your research. For example, Objective 1 directly addresses the research question regarding the utilization of machine learning algorithms for cybersecurity threat detection. Objective 3 focuses on analyzing existing systems to identify vulnerabilities, which is in line with the question about challenges and vulnerabilities in existing cybersecurity systems.

The alignment between research questions and objectives helps maintain a clear focus on the research objectives and ensures that your efforts are directed towards addressing the research questions. It also enhances the coherence of your research, as each objective becomes a stepping stone towards answering the research questions and achieving the overall aim of your study.

In summary, aligning objectives with research questions is crucial in research. It ensures that each objective contributes to answering or addressing a specific research question, creating a logical and cohesive framework for your study. By establishing this alignment, you can maintain a clear focus on the research objectives and make meaningful contributions to the field.

When setting objectives for your research, it is important to consider their feasibility. Feasibility refers to the realistic achievability of your objectives within the scope of your PhD research, taking into account available resources, time constraints, and other practical limitations.

Example: Suppose your research focuses on developing a new algorithm for real-time video processing and analysis. Here are examples of objectives that consider feasibility:

Objective 1: Implement the real-time video processing algorithm on a high-performance computing cluster.

Feasibility Considerations: Before setting this objective, assess whether you have access to a high-performance computing cluster and the necessary resources (e.g., hardware, software, computational power) to support the implementation and testing of the algorithm. If such resources are available within your research environment or institution, this objective is feasible.

Objective 2: Collect and annotate a large-scale video dataset for algorithm training and evaluation.

Feasibility Considerations: Consider the practical aspects of collecting and annotating a large-scale video dataset. Evaluate the time, manpower, and equipment required for this task. Assess whether you have access to the necessary resources (e.g., cameras, storage, annotation tools) and the capability to manage and process such a dataset. If these resources and capabilities are available within your research context, this objective is feasible.

Objective 3: Collaborate with industry partners to obtain real-world video data for testing and validation.

Feasibility Considerations: Evaluate the feasibility of establishing collaborations with industry partners to obtain real-world video data. Consider factors such as data sharing agreements, legal and privacy considerations, and the willingness of industry partners to provide access to their data. Assess the potential challenges and limitations that may arise during this collaboration process. If such collaborations are feasible and can be established within the constraints of your research, this objective is feasible.

By considering feasibility, you ensure that your objectives are realistically achievable within the resources, time, and other constraints of your PhD research. It helps you avoid setting objectives that are too ambitious or beyond the scope of what you can reasonably accomplish.

Feasibility assessment is crucial in ensuring the successful completion of your research project. It allows you to allocate resources effectively, manage your time, and avoid potential pitfalls or setbacks that could hinder your progress. By setting feasible objectives, you can maintain a practical and manageable research plan that is more likely to lead to meaningful outcomes within the given constraints.

In summary, considering feasibility when setting objectives in computer science research is essential. Assess the available resources, time constraints, and practical limitations to ensure that your objectives are realistically achievable within the scope of your PhD research. By doing so, you can plan and execute your research effectively, making the most of the resources at your disposal and increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes.

Once you have defined your aims and objectives for your research, it’s important to review and refine them to ensure clarity, coherence, and logical flow. This step allows you to make any necessary revisions to ensure that your aims and objectives accurately reflect the scope and purpose of your research.

Example: Suppose your research in computer science focuses on developing a mobile application for enhancing cybersecurity awareness among smartphone users. Here’s an example of reviewing and refining aims and objectives:

Aim: Develop a mobile application for enhancing cybersecurity awareness among smartphone users.

Objective 1: Conduct a comprehensive literature review on cybersecurity awareness strategies and mobile application design principles.

Review and Refinement: Upon review, you find that the objective is clear and aligned with the aim. However, you decide to refine it to include specific aspects you intend to cover in the literature review, such as user education techniques, persuasive design elements, and existing cybersecurity awareness mobile applications.

Objective 2: Design and develop a user-friendly mobile application prototype that delivers educational content and interactive features.

Review and Refinement: During the review, you realize that the objective lacks specificity regarding the educational content and interactive features. You refine it to explicitly mention the inclusion of topics like phishing prevention, password management, and interactive quizzes to reinforce learning.

Objective 3: Conduct usability testing and collect feedback from potential users to evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile application.

Review and Refinement: While reviewing, you realize that the objective could benefit from additional information. You refine it to include details such as the target user group (e.g., smartphone users aged 18-35), the number of participants you plan to involve in the usability testing, and the specific metrics you will use to evaluate the effectiveness of the application.

By reviewing and refining your aims and objectives, you ensure that they accurately capture the scope and purpose of your research. It helps you identify any gaps, ambiguities, or areas that need further clarification. Through this process, you can enhance the clarity, coherence, and logical flow of your aims and objectives, making them more robust and aligned with your research goals.

Additionally, reviewing and refining your aims and objectives allows you to align them with the current state of knowledge in the field. As you conduct literature reviews and gain more insights into existing research, you may discover the need to make adjustments to your aims and objectives to reflect the most relevant and up-to-date information.

In summary, reviewing and refining aims and objectives in research is essential to ensure clarity, coherence, and logical flow. By carefully reviewing each aim and objective, you can identify areas for improvement, refine them to include specific details, and align them with the current state of knowledge in the field. This process enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of your aims and objectives, providing a strong foundation for your research.

Once you have developed your aims and objectives for your research, it is important to seek feedback from your supervisor or peers. Sharing your aims and objectives with others allows you to gather valuable insights, suggestions, and perspectives that can help refine and improve your objectives, ensuring they are appropriate and aligned with your research.

Imagine you have formulated the following objectives for your computer science research on developing an intelligent tutoring system:

Objective 1: Conduct a literature review on existing intelligent tutoring systems and their effectiveness in enhancing student learning outcomes.

Objective 2: Design and develop an adaptive learning algorithm to personalize the tutoring experience based on individual student needs.

Objective 3: Implement a user-friendly interface for the intelligent tutoring system that provides an intuitive and engaging learning environment.

Objective 4: Evaluate the effectiveness of the developed intelligent tutoring system through a series of user studies and compare it with traditional tutoring methods.

At this stage, it would be beneficial to share your aims and objectives with your supervisor or peers to receive feedback. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions to help you refine and improve your objectives. For example:

Your supervisor may suggest including a specific research question to further clarify the focus of Objective 1, such as “What are the key features and techniques used in successful intelligent tutoring systems?”
Peers may provide feedback on the clarity and specificity of Objective 2, suggesting adding details on the specific adaptability mechanisms to be incorporated.
Your supervisor might suggest considering the inclusion of usability testing as part of Objective 3 to ensure the interface meets the needs and preferences of the target users.
Peers may offer suggestions on additional evaluation metrics or experimental setups to strengthen Objective 4 and provide more robust comparisons.

By seeking feedback, you open yourself up to constructive criticism and valuable perspectives that can help enhance the quality and effectiveness of your aims and objectives. Feedback from experienced researchers or knowledgeable peers can help you identify any potential gaps or weaknesses in your objectives and provide suggestions for improvement.

Remember that feedback is an iterative process, and it is important to carefully consider the suggestions provided while also critically evaluating them in the context of your research. Incorporating constructive feedback will help you refine your aims and objectives, ensuring they are robust, relevant, and aligned with your research goals.

In summary, seeking feedback on your aims and objectives is a valuable step in the process of developing your research. Sharing your objectives with your supervisor or peers allows you to gather insights, suggestions, and perspectives that can help refine and improve your objectives. Feedback helps ensure that your objectives are appropriate, clear, and aligned with your research goals, ultimately strengthening the overall quality of your research.

When writing your dissertation, it is crucial to properly document and present your aims and objectives. The placement and presentation of aims and objectives play a significant role in providing readers with a clear understanding of the research’s purpose and direction.

Placement: The aims and objectives of your research should be presented early on in your dissertation, typically within the introduction chapter. This allows readers to grasp the overall scope and intent of your research from the beginning. Placing them in the introduction helps set the context and provides a roadmap for the rest of the dissertation.

Presentation: When presenting aims and objectives, it is important to clearly distinguish between the two and articulate their role in driving the research. Here’s an example of how you can document aims and objectives:

Aims: Start by presenting the overarching aim of your research, which represents the primary goal or intention of your study. It should be a concise statement that captures the essence of your research focus.

For example:

Aim: The aim of this research is to develop a machine learning-based system for automated sentiment analysis in social media data.

Objectives: Following the aim, present a list of specific objectives that outline the key steps or milestones required to achieve the aim. Each objective should be clear, specific, and measurable. Here’s an example:

Objectives:

Analyze existing sentiment analysis techniques and methodologies in the literature to identify their limitations and challenges.
Collect and preprocess a large dataset of social media posts to serve as the training and evaluation data for the sentiment analysis system.
Design and implement a machine learning algorithm capable of accurately detecting sentiment polarity in social media text.
Evaluate the performance of the developed sentiment analysis system against existing state-of-the-art approaches, using appropriate evaluation metrics.
Optimize the system for scalability and efficiency, allowing it to handle large volumes of real-time social media data.

By clearly documenting the aims and objectives in your dissertation, you provide readers with a clear understanding of the purpose and direction of your research. This enables them to follow your thought process and evaluate the relevance and significance of your study. Aims and objectives serve as guideposts that help readers navigate through your dissertation and understand the specific research questions you seek to address.

Moreover, the well-documented aims and objectives help you maintain focus throughout your research journey and provide a framework for organizing your dissertation. They establish the foundation upon which your methodology, analysis, and conclusions are built.

In summary, when documenting aims and objectives in a dissertation, it is important to place them in the introduction chapter and clearly present their role in guiding the research. Aims and objectives should be distinct, with the aim of capturing the overarching goal and the objectives outlining the specific steps or milestones to achieve it. By effectively documenting aims and objectives, you provide readers with a clear understanding of the research’s purpose and direction, facilitating their engagement with your work.

Crafting clear and well-defined aims and objectives is a critical aspect of writing a PhD or Post Graduate dissertation. These aims and objectives provide a solid foundation for your research, guiding your efforts and ensuring a focused and coherent study. Through this discussion, we have explored the importance of aims and objectives in a PhD dissertation and how they contribute to the research process.

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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

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.

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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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Research Aims and Objectives: The dynamic duo for successful research

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

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

Understanding the Difference between Research Aims and Objectives

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

Research Aims:

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

Research Objectives:

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

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

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

Importance of Well-defined Aims and Objectives

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

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

How to Formulate Research Aims and Objectives

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

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

Common Pitfalls to Avoid While Formulating Aims and Objectives

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

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

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

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

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

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Difference between Aim and Objectives of a Research Study

Understanding the difference between aims and objectives in research.

In the field of research, distinguishing between the terms “aim” and “objective” is crucial yet often confusing. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they represent different aspects of the research process. This comprehensive guide will clarify the difference between aims and objectives, how to use them effectively, and why understanding this distinction is essential for successful research.

What Is the Aim of a Research Study?

The aim of a research study is a broad, overarching statement that defines the general purpose and goal of the research. It addresses the fundamental question of why the study is being conducted and what the researcher hopes to achieve. The aim provides a high-level overview and sets the direction for the entire study. A well-defined aim is crucial as it helps to frame the research questions, guides the research process, and communicates the significance of the study to stakeholders such as funding bodies, academic peers, and the public. It essentially provides the foundation upon which the research is built.

For example, if a researcher is investigating the impact of diet on cardiovascular health, the aim might be: “To explore the effects of dietary habits on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in adults.”

What Are the Objectives of a Research Study?

Objectives are specific, detailed statements that outline the steps or actions required to achieve the aim of the study. They break down the broad aim into manageable tasks and provide a clear roadmap for conducting the research. Objectives are more detailed and measurable compared to the aim, and they help operationalize the research process.

The key functions of objectives include:

Clarifying the Research Question: Objectives refine and specify the research question by detailing the exact aspects of the study to be investigated.
Identifying Key Variables: They help in pinpointing the key variables and factors that need to be measured or analyzed.
Outlining the Research Methodology : Objectives provide a structured approach to the research methodology, detailing the methods and procedures that will be employed.
Ensuring Focus and Direction: By breaking down the aim into smaller tasks, objectives help maintain focus and direction throughout the research process.

Objectives are often framed using the SMART criteria:

– Specific: Clear and unambiguous.

– Measurable: Includes criteria to measure progress and success.

– Achievable: Feasible within the given timeframe and resources.

– Relevant: Directly related to the aim of the study.

– Time-bound: Has a defined deadline for completion.

Examples Illustrating the Difference Between Aims and Objectives

To better understand the difference between aims and objectives, consider the following examples:

– aim: to investigate the relationship between physical activity and mental health..

Objectives:

– To review existing literature on the relationship between physical activity and mental health.

– To collect data on physical activity levels and mental health indicators in a sample population.

– To analyze the data to determine the influence of physical activity on mental health .

– To draw conclusions based on the findings and make recommendations for future research or interventions.

In this example, the aim is to explore the broader relationship between physical activity and mental health. https://www.manuscriptedit.com/scholar-hangout/explore-the-social-determinants-of-mental-health/The objectives break down this aim into specific tasks, such as reviewing literature, collecting data, analyzing results, and making recommendations.

– Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a new teaching method for improving student performance in mathematics.

– To identify the core components and theoretical basis of the new teaching method.

– To implement the teaching method in selected classrooms.

– To collect and analyze data on student performance before and after the implementation.

– To evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching method based on the performance data.

– To provide recommendations for optimizing the teaching method and its implementation.

Here, the aim is to assess the effectiveness of a new teaching method. The objectives detail the steps required to evaluate this effectiveness , including identifying components, implementing the method, collecting data, analyzing results, and making recommendations.

Why Understanding the Difference Matters

Recognizing the difference between aims and objectives is important for several reasons:.

Clarity: A clear distinction helps in formulating precise research questions and hypotheses, ensuring that the research is well-structured and focused.
Planning: Well-defined aims and objectives aid in planning the research methodology and resources, allowing for efficient allocation of time and resources.
Communication: Clearly defined aims and objectives facilitate better communication of the research purpose and scope to stakeholders, including reviewers, funders, and collaborators.
Evaluation: Objectives provide measurable targets that can be used to assess the progress and success of the research, aiding in evaluating the research process and outcomes.

Conclusion

In summary, while the aim of a research study represents the broad goal or purpose, objectives are specific statements that outline the steps necessary to achieve that aim. Understanding the difference between aims and objectives helps in creating a clear and structured research plan, ensuring that the study remains focused and aligned with its overall purpose. By clearly defining both aims and objectives, researchers can enhance the clarity, effectiveness, and impact of their research .

For more insights and resources on research and academic writing , visit our website [ManuscriptEdit](https://www.manuscriptedit.com). If you have any queries or need assistance, feel free to contact us at [email protected].

References: “Thesis Writing.” Google Books , books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=LZSSEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA77&dq=Difference+between+Aim+and+Objectives+of+a+Research+Study&ots=s96gshgb-7&sig=vPygp_US9INyKqT-T6N-EC3x_2s&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Difference%20between%20Aim%20and%20Objectives%20of%20a%20Research%20Study&f=false .

Hirsch, E. D. “Objective Interpretation.” PMLA/Publications of the Modern Language Association of America , vol. 75, no. 4-Part1, Sept. 1960, pp. 463–79. https://doi.org/10.2307/460609 .

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A Complete Guide to Write Research Aims and Objectives

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

In this post, you will learn:

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

What Is Research Aim?

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

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

Example of a good quality research aim

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

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

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

What Is Research Objective?

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

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

Example of research objectives

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

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

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

Differentiate Research Between Aims & Objectives

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

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

3 Key Points To Remember While Drafting Research Aim

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Checklist of research aim:

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

5 Key Points To Remember While Drafting Research Objective

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

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

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

Checklist of research objectives

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

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

The Takeaway

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

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

Table of Contents

Introduction

Research is at the center of everything researchers do, and setting clear, well-defined research objectives plays a pivotal role in guiding scholars toward their desired outcomes. Research papers are essential instruments for researchers to effectively communicate their work. Among the many sections that constitute a research paper, the introduction plays a key role in providing a background and setting the context. 1 Research objectives, which define the aims of the study, are usually stated in the introduction. Every study has a research question that the authors are trying to answer, and the objective is an active statement about how the study will answer this research question. These objectives help guide the development and design of the study and steer the research in the appropriate direction; if this is not clearly defined, a project can fail!

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

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

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

What is the introduction in research papers?

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

A good introduction should aim to: 2,3

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

Why are research objectives important?

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

A good research objective:

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

Types of research objectives

Research objectives can be broadly classified into general and specific objectives . 4 General objectives state what the research expects to achieve overall while specific objectives break this down into smaller, logically connected parts, each of which addresses various parts of the research problem. General objectives are the main goals of the study and are usually fewer in number while specific objectives are more in number because they address several aspects of the research problem.

Example (general objective): To investigate the factors influencing the financial performance of firms listed in the New York Stock Exchange market.

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

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

Table 1: Types of research objectives


Exploratory	Explores a previously unstudied topic, issue, or phenomenon; aims to generate ideas or hypotheses
Descriptive	Describes the characteristics and features of a particular population or group
Explanatory	Explains the relationships between variables; seeks to identify cause-and-effect relationships
Predictive	Predicts future outcomes or events based on existing data samples or trends
Diagnostic	Identifies factors contributing to a particular problem
Comparative	Compares two or more groups or phenomena to identify similarities and differences
Historical	Examines past events and trends to understand their significance and impact
Methodological	Develops and improves research methods and techniques
Theoretical	Tests and refines existing theories or helps develop new theoretical perspectives

Characteristics of research objectives

Research objectives must start with the word “To” because this helps readers identify the objective in the absence of headings and appropriate sectioning in research papers. 5,6

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

How to write research objectives?

Research objectives can be written using the following steps: 7

State your main research question clearly and concisely.
Describe the ultimate goal of your study, which is similar to the research question but states the intended outcomes more definitively.
Divide this main goal into subcategories to develop your objectives.
Limit the number of objectives (1-2 general; 3-4 specific)
Assess each objective using the SMART
Start each objective with an action verb like assess, compare, determine, evaluate, etc., which makes the research appear more actionable.
Use specific language without making the sentence data heavy.
The most common section to add the objectives is the introduction and after the problem statement.
Add the objectives to the abstract (if there is one).
State the general objective first, followed by the specific objectives.

Formulating research objectives

Formulating research objectives has the following five steps, which could help researchers develop a clear objective: 8

Identify the research problem.
Review past studies on subjects similar to your problem statement, that is, studies that use similar methods, variables, etc.
Identify the research gaps the current study should cover based on your literature review. These gaps could be theoretical, methodological, or conceptual.
Define the research question(s) based on the gaps identified.
Revise/relate the research problem based on the defined research question and the gaps identified. This is to confirm that there is an actual need for a study on the subject based on the gaps in literature.
Identify and write the general and specific objectives.
Incorporate the objectives into the study.

Advantages of research objectives

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

Maintains the focus and direction of the research
Optimizes allocation of resources with minimal wastage
Acts as a foundation for defining appropriate research questions and hypotheses
Provides measurable outcomes that can help evaluate the success of the research
Determines the feasibility of the research by helping to assess the availability of required resources
Ensures relevance of the study to the subject and its contribution to existing literature

Disadvantages of research objectives

Research objectives also have few disadvantages, as listed below: 8

Absence of clearly defined objectives can lead to ambiguity in the research process
Unintentional bias could affect the validity and accuracy of the research findings

Key takeaways

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

Frequently asked questions on research objectives

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

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

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

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

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

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

A: Here are a few examples of research objectives:

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

Q: How do I develop research objectives?

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

Q: Are research objectives measurable?

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

Q: Can research objectives change during the study?

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

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


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

Q: Are research objectives the same as hypotheses?

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

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

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

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

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How To Write Dissertation Objectives

Wondering how you can develop a compelling dissertation objective that will impress your professor? Some students don’t know where to begin while others get blank right after selecting the dissertation topic. Well, you don’t have to worry because this guide will teach you how to write captivating aims and objectives. So read ahead because this is something even the best dissertation writing services UK won’t tell you!

So let’s find out how to compose the aims and objectives of the dissertation using the following information. Aims and objectives help you to support logical ideas through arguments on which your investigation will be based. Hence you develop the aims and objectives right after you select the research topic of your research study. This will give a direction for your entire investigative process on how to go about each section of your report. Therefore, let’s start with what is the difference between the aims and objectives in dissertation writing.

Aims Versus Objectives In A Dissertation:

Both (the aims and objectives) display the purpose of your study/research along with expected outcomes. Aims differ in a way that they are generally broad statements on the research theme while the objectives are more precise and give way to further tasks in the research process. In research, the aim is only one while the objectives can be many in number.

How To: Write Aims & Objectives

Typically, your aims and objectives should answer the following given questions. So while writing this section, just make sure you answer these questions to make the further process easier. Let’s see what the 1H-3W approach says!

This talks about the target audience of your research or study.

Discussion of where you conducted the research. Include the Name of the locality, city, country, or environment that is the subject of your research.

This addresses the main purpose of your study and what do you wish to achieve from it.

This should reveal the method you used to conduct this study.

Another great way to make your research objectives compelling is to use the SMART criteria method. This is similar to what you will see in management as there are many versions of this system. However, this revolves around composing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound ‘objectives’. In simple words: a good research objective always has all of the following elements:

Make sure your study objective is clear and well-defined.

Measurable :

How can you tell when your research objective has been achieved? Make sure there is a way to measure the thing you’re trying to do in this study.

Achievable :

Do you have the support and resources needed to sustain your research process? Remember not to be overly ambitious or optimistic with your objective.

Is your objective vital for accomplishing the research aim? Make sure that your objective is directly linked to your study theme.

Time-Bound :

Can you realistically execute this research objective within the time you have?

This SMART system is a surefire way to help make your research objectives much stronger. Now that you know the best methods for writing dissertation objectives, let’s move further. Want to know more tips to write a good dissertation objective successfully? Read Ahead!

Start Beforehand

Once you consider the possible topics early, you can have more time to write the objectives. A good dissertation requires lots of reading, talking, and thinking about the interesting areas of your subject. Hence you will have enough time to change your mind several times before finalizing your objectives.

Be Practical

Don’t be too ambitious when deciding your aims and objectives. Moreover, thoroughly research how you will tackle any expected hurdles to prevent mishaps. Plus, consider in-depth what you can do if you are not able to make this plan work.

Know What To Say

To help you focus your thoughts and come up with the best objectives, think about what you would like your readers to understand by the end of this section. Once you write your objectives, ask someone what they think it means when they read these statements. Their feedback will help you remove any misleading words or phrases from your objectives.

Make a List

Write clear research objectives and then choose compatible methods that will help you meet those objectives. Use tables for yourself to link each objective to possible methods if it’s too complicated. You can also list your objectives on a separate page to get advice on which is the best one.

Don’t Panic

A guaranteed way to bring the best out of your work is to remain calm while writing this section. Don’t worry if you don’t have your objectives planned right after the topic. Furthermore, remember that you might have to change your objectives if your professor disapproves. That’s alright. You can always come back to your computer and brainstorm your way to the perfect objective.

Use the Right Language

Stick to using strong positive statements when writing your objectives. For example, there are the strong verbs you should consider: collect, construct, classify, develop, devise, measure, produce, revise, etc. Meanwhile, try to stay away from Weak verbs like appreciate, consider, enquire, learn, know, understand, be aware of, appreciate, and listen.

Conclusion:

Properly writing the objectives of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper is important for dissertation success. Your objectives will define how your research ultimately looks when it comes to the scope, depth, and direction. Coming up with good research objectives had many advantages for your paper. It can make your research clear in the minds of your readers. Plus, you’d be able to show what you wish to achieve, and how you will do that.

Moreover, a research objective will give you a clearer direction for your research if you take the time to develop this portion. So use our expert guide for fewer future issues and a more thorough and cohesive research project. If you feel like you could still use some assistance, simply consult with the best dissertation writing services UK now!

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Glasgow School for Business and Society

The Glasgow School for Business and Society integrates the areas of business, law and social sciences to ensure that they are well placed to meet the needs of business and society. The School has an international outlook and is committed to developing partnerships across the world.

Research Proposal and Dissertation

In addition to the information research skills which you develop as you progress through your course, undergraduate honours students and postgraduate students are required to develop and carry out a small-scale piece of research as part of their degree course. For undergraduate students, the research process starts either in Semester B of L3 or in semester A of L4, depending on how your course is structured. For postgraduate students, this process starts in Semester B of your course.

The research process during your degree has two stages:

A research methods module, which is assessed through a research proposal (referred to as dissertation proposal in undergraduate Social Sciences courses)
The dissertation module, which is assessed through the dissertation.

Unlike an essay or report, which evaluates, draws conclusions and makes judgements on the basis of published evidence (ie the literature), a research proposal does not answer a question, but identifies/develops a question for research and explains

Why it's important to explore the problem
How the researcher will explore the problem: what research strategy will be used, what type of data will be collected; how data will be analysed.

Once the research proposal has been approved by a supervisor, the researcher gathers primary or secondary data, analyses it and presents the results in the dissertation.

What topics/issues in your field interest you? Don’t limit yourself to one topic – you may need to consider several issues/topics before you find one that you can do.
What specific problems around this issue have been identified by researchers or practitioners in the sector/industry?
Is an under-researched issue identified in the literature?

A research question is not the same as a topic. A research question should be specific and narrowly-focussed on a context such as a type of organisation (SME, third sector organisation, supermarket, national park, etc); a sector (telecommunications, voluntary sector, retail, a social group that meets specific criteria such as demographic, gender or experience; a geographical area). Because a research question is focused on a specific context, the answer to the question is not in the published research literature: the research question you develop will be answered in your dissertation by analysing the data that you collect. The type of data that you collect depends on what you want to find out

Primary data is information that you gather from your informants (through, for example, survey questionnaires, interviews or focus groups) Most students doing research for a business or social sciences research.
Secondary data is information that has already been published (eg financial information, information in a database, reports) that has been collected/compiled for a different purpose. Researchers analyse secondary data for a different purpose than it was originally intended.

The type of data you need depends on your research question. Most students doing research for a business or marketing topic are encouraged not to analyse only secondary data, but also to gather and analyse primary data. By contrast, it is quite common for students in finance and finance-related disciplines to develop a research question that requires only secondary analysis (eg of published financial or numerical data). Students studying history often analyse documentary sources (secondary data), while criminology, politics or sociology students may gather primary data from informants, or may analyse secondary data sources. Media research often involves analysis of media content.

In identifying a research question, access is possibly the most important consideration. In order to answer your research question, you must have access to the primary or secondary data sources that can provide the information you need. You also need to bear in mind that information may be confidential, either for commercial reasons or because of its sensitive nature and so it may not be available to you.

People in your previous/current jobs?
Can friends/family help you get access to the people you want to talk to?
Organisations may be willing to give you access to employees, but they are unlikely to help you if the research does not benefit them in some way.
If you need secondary data, is the data publicly available?

All research proposals for dissertations have a similar structure, although the terminology relating to sections within the proposal may vary. The word count also varies – check your module handbook for a detailed description of what is required and the word count for each section.

What research or events demonstrate that this question is important?
Have recent developments made this question important?
How is this question important in the research context that you have identified?
What is the value of doing this research?
The aim is a clear statement of what you want to find out
The objectives can be compared to a process – what do you need to find out in order to achieve your aim
What are the key perspectives/theories/models in the literature that are relevant to your study?
What gap or underresearched area does your literature review highlight?
Are you going to analyse primary or secondary data? Why?
Are you collecting quantitative or qualitative data? Or both? Why?
How are you going to collect this data?
If you’re going to collect primary data, what is your sampling strategy?
How are you going to analyse the data?
What potential problems or challenges do you anticipate in doing this study?
Projected time scale (Visually represented – Gantt chart or Excel spreadsheet)
What has limited the scope of this study?
What might make it difficult for you to achieve your aim?
What might go wrong?

The aim of the literature is to identify key theories, models and/or research studies that shape our understanding of the issue. The research proposal is only a preliminary overview of the literature – the word count at this stage is not sufficient for a comprehensive literature review. You will explore the literature in greater depth in your dissertation.

Your review of the literature should be guided by these questions:

Are the definitions really different or just expressed in different words?
What are the shared elements across definitions?
Where/How are definitions different – in scope/focus?
How have definitions changed over time - why?
Which definition is being used for this study?
What are the points of agreement and difference?
How strong is the weight of research evidence for a particular perspective?
How are these perspectives relevant to your research?
Best practice/strategies
Challenges to good practice
Difficulties and barriers to addressing this issue?
Does the research show a gap/mismatch between organisational/sector policy and practice?
Is there enough research?
Are the research findings generalizable to your proposed study?
Geographical location
Industry/sector
Demographic.
How does the model help us understand how to address issue?
What are the criticisms and/or limitations of this theory, model or framework?

A dissertation is an extended piece of work (around 10-12,000 words) on a subject related to your degree course. You will normally choose the subject yourself which may develop from a research proposal you have completed earlier.

The dissertation is typically based on original research and demonstrates your expertise on the subject area. Dissertation comes from the Latin word ‘dissertare’ = ‘to debate’. Therefore your dissertation should include an examination of the subject from a number of different viewpoints.

Typically your dissertation should:

Be a logically organised, critical analysis of a specific topic
Show critical analysis of current literature on the specific topic
Include a small-scale investigation to investigate a gap, key issues, themes or questions raised in the literature review
Critically compare findings/data from primary research with that of existing evidence
Draw conclusions and make recommendations.

This website contains general information and guidance on dissertation writing. However, always check your module handbook and with your supervisor for specific details.

A dissertation is a detailed report on your research investigation. It focuses on exploration of the particular issue or problem that your initial research proposal identifies as requiring further research. The key differences between the proposal and dissertation are that you will now be putting your proposed research design into practice to collect and then analyse your data.

Typically a dissertation has the following key features:

Length and structure : 10 – 12,000 words that are logically organised in clearly linked chapters; chapters are arranged thematically in sections [See sample table of contents];
A clear research aim : The dissertation is developed from, and closely directed by a specific research question and/or aim. The aim should be presented as a clear, straightforward statement of what you want to achieve [See: How do I write a clear research aim and /or question and objectives for my dissertation?]
A literature review : A critical review of literature on issues relevant to the research topic. This key stage and chapter should develop a clear discussion of what is known about the research topic in more detail. It includes critical comparison and questioning of key points of view, current thinking, definitions, relevant theories, models and previous research as found in the wider literature. From this literature review, you identify a gap in knowledge, key issues, themes and/or raise questions about your topic which requires the collection of new data to provide answers to these questions and/or fill the research gap.
Analysis of data collected : You analyse the data you have collected through critical comparison of it with existing data you have reviewed in the literature review that explored definitions, relevant theories, models, major themes/debates and other previous research;
Conclusions and recommendations : You provide conclusions to your research aim and/or question, key research objectives or hypotheses and make recommendations for future research and practice

Always check with your dissertation supervisor for specific details.

As for the proposal, the dissertation is developed from, and closely directed by a specific research question and/or aim [A clear statement of what you want to find out or achieve]. These may change from your initially proposed aim and/or question. Your research aim and/ or question should clearly and simply express the focus of your inquiry and the key variables you explore. The research question is not the same as a topic. A research question should be specific and narrowly-focussed on a context for example a type of organisation (SME, third sector organisation, supermarket, national park, etc); a sector (telecommunications, voluntary sector, retail); a social group that meets specific criteria such as demographic, gender or experience and/or a particular geographical area).

Because a research question is focussed on a specific context, the answer to the question is not in the published research literature: the research question you develop will be answered by analysing data that you collect.

A research aim and/or question can be built around the following key phrases:

Aim: To critically explore the extent to which … Question: " To what extent do/does... ...?"
Aim: To critically explore how X impacts on Y in the context of organisation Z Question: "In what ways/How does/What is the impact of X on organisation/population Y in the context of Z?"
Aim : To critically analyse the factors that have contributed to the development of X in organisation/population Y Question: "What factors have contributed to the development of X in organisation/population Y?"
Aim: To critically evaluate the role and impact of X on Y in Z Question: " What is the role and impact of X on Y in Z?"

A dissertation is further directed by having research objectives. These are clear statements that explain how you will meet your research aim and/or address the research question you have established. Objectives can be built using the following wording:

To critically review X in order to
To measure X by...
To evaluate X by...
To gain insight into X through
To examine X by...
To calculate X through the use of...
To compare X with Y by...
To assess the impact of X on Y by...
To interpret X through application of Y...

For many dissertations the objectives correspond to each main chapter or key stage of the research process:

Literature review: To critically review relevant theoretical and research-based literature in order to evaluate how ...
Methodology : To adopt a mixed methods research design and undertake interviews with X in order to gain insight into how/why…
Data analysis : To analyse the data collection through application of X’s theory… through comparison with previous research
Conclusions and recommendations : To provide recommendations on how X could improve...

The introduction chapter provides the background/bigger picture and rationale to your dissertation. This can be developed in a range of ways:

It outlines the relevant historical, legal, policy, sectoral and organisational context(s) in which the study is located;
It explains what the study is about and why the study is important (the rationale) and what factors are driving the study – key changes? What is the research problem to be explored?
Key terms/variables are broadly defined.
Links can be made to key debates/perspectives that are relevant to study
Introduce where the study is conducted, with whom and why: specific sector and organisation, key respondents?
Narrows down to a clear statement of research aim, objectives and/or research questions that direct your study;
Provides a summary of the content of the main chapters

The following two samples illustrate how two writers clearly meet these purposes.

Intro example file 1

Intro example file 2

What is a literature review?

The literature review chapter critically reviews key themes/issues relevant to your research topic and study’s aim, drawing on references to academic literature as appropriate. It presents a logical, detailed and coherent picture of what literature tells us about your selected research topic. Specifically it weaves together analysis of some or all of the following, funnelling down from a broad to specific analysis of the issues relevant to your dissertation:

Compares debates/key perspectives relevant to your study that can assist in analysis of points of view expressed in the data you collect
Compares definitions of key terms to assist in analysis of how definitions are expressed in your data
Compares and evaluates models, frameworks and /or theories that may assist in analysing the data you collect
Builds a picture of previous research through comparison of studies in journal publications: what does this research tell us about:
Key challenges/problems faced and how other organisations have addressed these?
The development of innovative approaches/strategies/’best’ practices used successfully in other organisations/sectors?
The application of a model or framework to guide practice in other organisations/sectors?

Structure of the literature review

Ensuring clear structure in individual chapters: where and how
Include an introductory section to the whole chapter: states what the literature review aims to do, and identifies the key themes it explores;
The chapter is divided up in individual sections that focus on one key theme/issue. Each key theme/issues is identified with clear headings and where necessary subheadings may be used to identify subthemes;
The theme in each section is clearly introduced: you can briefly comment on relevance of the theme for your study’s aim
In each section, the review of the literature on the key theme/issue is built up paragraph by paragraph [Please see the downloadable PDF: GUIDANCE NOTES: STRUCTURING YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER]

Guidance Notes

Writing critically in the literature review

Writing critically in the literature review about key debates/points of view

Critical writing can be developed by considering these questions:

What are the key points of view on my dissertation topic?
How do these views compare, diverge or conflict? Why?
Why and/or how are these views relevant to my dissertation?

Writing critically in the literature review about definitions

What key terms do I need to define?
How have definitions changed, developed or evolved?
Why have definitions changed?
How do definitions conflict?
What key points do definitions share?
Are definitions viewed as too narrow; too broad; out of date and/or limited in some other way for my dissertation?
Which definition is being used for my dissertation – why? Is it the most comprehensive? Most widely applicable?

Writing critically in the literature review about models, frameworks and/or theories

Who is/are the main proponents of this model?
What is/are the purpose(s) of this model? How has it developed over time? What are the key stages and structure of the model? How does the model work? What does it seek to explain?
Why this model is potentially relevant to my dissertation?
How can the model be used to help understand particular marketing, management, organisational, financial, HR, operational, social, cultural, psychological, economic and political issues? What processes or practices can this model guide/inform – what are its advantages?/ What insights does it provide?
What are the criticisms and/or limitations /weaknesses of this model? Why?
What are the possibilities of applying another model which is better? Why is this other model better – more holistic, comprehensive, up-to-date or can be used in combination with another model?

Writing critically in the literature review about research articles from journal publications

What are the major findings of several research papers about this particular theme/issue?
How have findings about this theme/issue developed from earlier to more recent research studies?
How do findings compare, contrast or conflict on specific theme/issue?
What issue is under-researched?
What are the strengths and limitations of the research methods used?
What challenges/problems are identified in studies?
What examples of best practice/solutions do these studies highlight?
What lessons could my research, case study organisation learn from these examples of best practice?

How does the literature review chapter link with the methodology?

From a critical review of the literature you identify key issues/themes/gaps/questions that require further investigation through the small-scale research project that you will explain and justify in the methodology. Overall your literature review should inform and direct your methodology in terms of what data you will collect, how you will do so, from where and from whom, allowing you to address the questions the literature raises.

What is a methodology chapter?

In the methodology chapter you are expected to draw on a range of textbooks on research methods to explain and justify all aspects of your chosen research design. The explanations and justifications in each of the following typical sections should continually link to your investigation and generally follow this structure:

Research philosophy : explain briefly what e.g. interpretive philosophy of research is about and justify why it is most appropriate for meeting your study’s aim
Research approach : explain briefly what e.g. an abductive approach involves; why was this most appropriate for your study?
Sample and sampling approach : explain briefly what e.g. purposive sampling is; why is this approach best for your study?
Choice of methods : explain e.g. what forms of data are collected through qualitative methods; why did a qualitative method provided you with appropriate data to meet your research aim?
Data collection methods : explain briefly what e.g. a focus group involves; why did a focus group offer the most advantages for your study?
Data analysis methods : explain what e.g. thematic analysis involves; why was analysing your data in this way the most appropriate choice?
Ethical considerations : explain main ethical issues your study raised and how you addressed these
Limitations : explain main limitations of your research design e.g. in relation to sample size and the implications of this for your findings

Please check your dissertation module handbook and with your supervisor for specific guidelines on the content and structure expected for the methodology chapter.

What is included in a findings chapter?

For some dissertations you will be asked to have a stand-alone findings chapter. This chapter focuses on the presentation of your data. This is typically presented in tables, charts and graphs etc., with accompanying concise commentary that describes, compares and contrasts e.g. patterns, trends and statistical results. It is in the next chapter where you use previous research and theory as explored in the literature review, to analyse and interpret these data as presented in the findings chapter.

extracts/quotations from interviews and focus groups;
comparative/descriptive statistics from questionnaires that are described and displayed in graphs, pie charts, tables etc.;
results of different statistical tests or mathematical models/formulae;
documentary information e.g. extracts of information from companies’ policies, financial reports, audit reports and annual reports; government policy in particular areas;
extracts from series of newspaper articles reporting on a specific issue.

You do this through comparing your data with previous debates, definitions, theories, models and/or research as reviewed in your literature review chapter

Which theory or model(s)/frameworks explored in the literature review provides an explanation for my data/ findings? How do my findings for this theme match up or align with the theory’s or model’s explanations? Do my findings point to a limitation of this model or theory?
For this theme, are my data supported/confirmed by the research studies I discuss in the literature review? In what way?
What are the similarities between my data/findings and past research findings in relation to this theme?
Do my data/findings contradict, challenge or conflict with previous research findings? If so in what way? Why?
Taken together what do my findings contribute to knowledge about/understanding of the research topic?
What could my findings mean for practice?

(See GUIDANCE NOTES: Using the literature review to analyse your data for further key questions to prompt comparison of your data with previous research)

Overview of the chapter As with every chapter in a dissertation, provide a brief overview that clearly explains/signposts the focus, content and structure of the chapter. For the analysis chapter in particular, you should identify clearly the main themes that will be addressed, emphasising that you will draw upon previous literature to analyse these themes.
Profile of case study organisation If your study has been conducted in an organisation you can provide a profile, presented in a table that identifies e.g. its size, geographical location(s), number of employees, market share etc. – you should include profile information that is most relevant to your dissertation topic.
Profile of interview and/or focus group participants Present in table form key information about your interview participants: age, gender, individual’s position in organisation, make-up of focus group participants etc. - you should include profile information that is most relevant to your dissertation topic.
Profile of respondents to questionnaire Present in table form key information about who responded to your questionnaire e.g.: how many questionnaires were distributed and to whom; number of returned questionnaires; demographic details relevant to your study,
Introduce the theme - refer back to literature review, draw on authors to outline the significance of this theme
Present/report data: compare and contrast your data in relation to this theme e.g. compare questionnaire respondents’ choices with those of views of interviewees
Provide analysis of this theme through comparison with previous debates, definitions, theories, models and/or research as reviewed in your literature review chapter.
Next major theme….

The conclusion chapter is not just a simple summary of all you have covered in the dissertation e.g. “I have looked at literature, then I designed an investigation and I analysed results…” Instead, you should restate, and offer answers to your research aim and/or question, key research objectives or hypotheses e.g. Key issues to emerge from the literature were… From comparing the data interviews with previous research it can be concluded that… Based on your conclusions you should be able to make recommendations for:

Further research issues that a future investigation could explore
Enhancement/improvement/development of particular practice as explored in a case study organisation
How particular policy could change
How effectiveness of theory or model could be further developed You may also be asked to identify the limitations of your study. Some supervisors prefer that this section is included in the methodology chapter. It is important to consult her/him on this.

Provide an overview of the chapter in which you:

Restate what your dissertation set out to do: research aim and/or question, key research objectives and/or research questions or hypotheses
Briefly remind reader of the context, background and/or importance of the topic or indicate the problem, controversy or a gap in the field of study.
Clearly outline the purposes and structure of the chapter [See sample]

You can then conclude on each research objective in turn:

What are you able to reasonably conclude from your review of the literature – key themes, debates, issues and or/gap in research you found?
How suitable was your research design overall for meeting your aim and investigating these key issues raised by the literature review?
How suitable was your research design overall for testing/upholding your hypotheses?
What reasonable conclusions/insights can you offer from your analysis of your data through comparison with and support from previous research?
What key contributions/new insights does your study offer to knowledge about the research issue?
What further questions do your study raise that future research could address? [See sample]

Make recommendations based on key conclusions:

Depending on your research topic, what can you suggest for future research, organisational practice and policy and/or development of a conceptual model or theory? [See sample]

In assessing your dissertation the marker expects to see that:

you have developed a research project that has a realistic, well defined aim and/or question with related objectives;
analyses key themes/issues that are relevant to your study;
critically questions, compares and evaluates conflicting views, theoretical claims and previous research findings relevant to your topic;
provides a detailed picture of current knowledge with which you can then analyse the data you collect;
you have a methodology chapter that is informed and shaped by the literature review;
you have carefully selected data collection and analysis methods that are clearly explained and justified as fit for purpose and which provide relevant data to meet your research aim;
you have a logically structured analysis chapter in which you apply a range of literature to interpret and make sense of the data you have collected
you have a conclusion chapter that makes concise and reasonable conclusions on the extent to which you have met
how future research could be developed to address any questions your study raises;
how an organisation could build upon and enhance its current practices

Please your dissertation module handbook for the specific marking criteria that will be used to assess your work.

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Dissertation Objectives

Table of Contents

How to Develop Effective Dissertation Aims and Objectives that’ll Impress Your Supervisors

Are you trying to compose your dissertation aims and objectives and don’t know where to start, you have selected the theme of your research but don’t know what to do next.

Don’t worry because we will guide you.

Not only will we tell you how to compose the aims and objectives of the dissertation, but we will also give you easy-to-understand Dissertation aims and objectives examples that will help you in composing your own research aims and objectives.

The purpose of the aim and objectives of the research report is to support a logical supposition with valid arguments on which your investigation and data analysis will be based.

After the selection of your research theme, the most important step is to develop the aims and objectives of your research study. This will give a clear direction for your entire investigative process; the hypothesis, data collection method, statistical tool, analysis, and conclusion of your report.

What is the difference between the aims and objectives in a dissertation?

Both the statements in a research report try to determine the purpose of the study with assumed outcomes. The only difference between the two is that the aims are generally broad statements that are based on the research theme while the dissertation objectives examples are more specific statements that give way to further tasks in the investigative process. There is one general aim of the research while there can be several objectives.

How to formulate the aims and objectives?

Keep in mind that your research aims and objectives should answer the following questions. While composing this part of your research report, just make sure that you answer the following questions which will make the composition process easier.

While composing the dissertation objectives, just keep these factors in mind

Your objectives should be interlinked with the theme of the research and should be leading up to it
The scope of your objectives should not be so broad that your research becomes too generic or insignificant.
Make sure that the objectives that you have listed are realistic and doable.

Dissertation aims and objectives examples

Substance abuse patterns in college students.

To determine the factors that result in substance abuse patterns in college students

To determine the effect of peer pressure on substance abuse patterns among college students.
To determine the effect of educational pressure on substance abuse patterns among college students.

There you have all the information you need to know to develop effective aims and objectives for your dissertation that will impress your supervisors.

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What are Dissertation Research Aims and Objectives?

The aim of your research needs to be precise and expressed in a way that it should be easy to find out when it has been accomplished. While, the objectives plans certain stages that you will require to accomplish you aim of research. Objectives explains that WH questions of your research.

Importance of Aims and Objectives in Research

Aim and objectives are an important part of a dissertation. Aims are the understanding and awareness that your require to resolve your research question. Well-established aim links your research to the questions that stimulates it. While, objectives are certain actions of your research which you propose to perform in your project of research.

Major Difference between Aims and Objectives

How to Write Research Aims and Objectives?

There is no defined structure in writing aim and objectives of research. Every researcher will have a slightly different approach in writing it. However, there are few simple ethics that you need to follow for virtuous practice, such as:

Your research aim needs to answer the questions given below:

Why is this study necessary?
What is this study all about?
How do you intent to do it?

While, each objective of your research needs to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achiveable, Relevant, Timebound);

Do’s and Don’ts in Writing Research Aims and Objectives

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Dissertation vs. Thesis: Understanding Differences & Similarities

Many graduate students hear two important words a lot: "dissertation" and "thesis." These words can be confusing because they seem alike. But they're actually quite different, and knowing the difference can help you with your research and studies.

This guide will help explain dissertations and theses. We want to make things clear so you can feel more sure about your schoolwork. Let's look at the main differences between dissertations and theses to help you understand your school path better.

Thesis and Dissertations — Definitions

First, let's explain what is a dissertation vs thesis.

A thesis is a big research project usually needed for a master's degree. It shows a student’s knowledge about a subject and ability to do research. A thesis often looks at what other people have written and uses it to form their own ideas.

A dissertation is new research done for a doctoral degree. It tries to add new knowledge to a field of study. Dissertations need to be original, detailed and well-supported. They're often published as books or as several articles in academic journals.

Interestingly, these meanings can be different in different places. In the United States, people usually write dissertations for Ph.D. programs and theses for master's degrees. But in Europe, it's the other way around — dissertations are for master's programs, and theses are for Ph.D.s.

Differences between Thesis and Dissertations

Now that we know the basics, let's look at the main differences between a thesis and a dissertation:

Purpose: A thesis shows you know a lot about a subject. A dissertation adds new knowledge to a field.
Scope: Theses usually focus on a smaller area. Dissertations look at bigger, broader topics.
Length: Theses are usually shorter (80-100 pages). Dissertations are longer (150-200+ pages).
New Ideas: Both involve research, but dissertations are expected to bring new findings or theories.
Presentation: Dissertations often need a formal presentation. Theses might or might not need one.
Readers: Theses are usually for a school committee. Dissertations are for more academic readers.
Research Depth: Theses look deeply at existing work. Dissertations do new research and also look at existing work.

When working on these big projects, tools like Aithor can help organize your thoughts and keep your writing sounding natural and academic throughout your thesis or dissertation.

Differences Between Thesis and Dissertation Across Academic Levels

The difference between theses and dissertations can change depending on the school level:

Undergraduate Level

At this level, a thesis is usually a focused study showing what a student can do with a specific topic. Dissertations are less common for undergraduates but might involve broader research.

Master's Level

A master's thesis shows a student knows a lot about a subject by looking at and combining existing research. A master's dissertation is less common but involves new research that adds to the field.

Doctoral Level

For Ph.D.s, the difference between a thesis and a dissertation is bigger. A doctoral thesis vs dissertation comparison shows that a dissertation involves a lot of research, collecting data, and creating new theories. It aims to make a big step forward in the field and is very important for getting a Ph.D.

Similarities Between Dissertation and Thesis

Even though they're different, thesis versus dissertation comparisons also show some things that are the same:

1. Structure

Both usually have these parts:

Introduction
Literature Review
Research methods/materials
Bibliography

2. Supervision

Both are done with help from a teacher who guides the student through the research process.

3. Other Similarities

Both are long research projects needed to get a degree.
They both need to explain research using proper academic writing.
Both need a clear question or idea to research.
Students must show they know a lot about their subject in both.
Thinking carefully and working on your own are important for both.

If students find it hard to write so much for theses and dissertations, tools like Aithor can help keep long documents consistent and suggest ways to make the writing clearer and more academic.

Final Notes

Knowing the difference between thesis and dissertation is really important for graduate students. While they have some things in common, their different purposes and requirements make them distinct. Whether you're working on a thesis or a dissertation, remember that both let you show what you know and add to your field of study.

If you're worried about writing a thesis or dissertation, don't stress. Aithor can help you organize your ideas, build your arguments, and improve your writing. This can make the process easier and less stressful. With the right tools and attitude, you can write an impressive academic paper that you'll be proud of for a long time.

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Aims and Objectives
Difference Between Aims and Objectives. Hopefully the above explanations make clear the differences between aims and objectives, but to clarify: The research aim focus on what the research project is intended to achieve; research objectives focus on how the aim will be achieved. Research aims are relatively broad; research objectives are specific.
How to Write the Aims and Objectives
Aims and objectives are among the essential aspects of a dissertation. If you write aims and objectives effectively, they can act as a foundation to give your research clarity and focus. This article will provide you with all the necessary information regarding aims and objectives, their differences, writing tips, and the common mistakes you ...
Research Questions, Objectives & Aims (+ Examples)
Research Aims: Examples. True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording "this research aims to…", "this research seeks to…", and so on. For example: "This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.". "This study sets out to assess the interaction between student ...
What's the difference between research aims and objectives?
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.
Writing your research aims and objectives
Aim: To understand the contribution that local governments make to national level energy policy. Objectives: Conduct a survey of local politicians to solicit responses. Conduct desk-research of local government websites to create a database of local energy policy.
Formulating Research Aims and Objectives
Formulating research aim and objectives in an appropriate manner is one of the most important aspects of your thesis. This is because research aim and objectives determine the scope, depth and the overall direction of the research. Research question is the central question of the study that has to be answered on the basis of research findings.
aims and objectives
An aims-objectives confusion might arise when you are writing thesis proposal and the introductory thesis chapter. It's always an issue in research bids. The what's-the-difference question can have you going around in ever smaller unproductive circles if you can't figure out a way to differentiate between the two things.
PhD Student Tips How to Write Dissertation Aims and Objectives
These are the actionable steps you take to achieve your aims. Use dynamic words like calculate, clarify, define, locate, explain, formulate, identify, and the list goes on. But, there's a catch - don't turn your objectives into a mundane list of dissertation chapters. Your objectives should be sophisticated, spanning across multiple chapters ...
PRDV009 (2020.A.01): Aims vs. Objectives
An aims-objectives confusion might arise when you are writing a thesis proposal and the introductory thesis chapter. It is always an issue in research bids. The what is-the-difference question can have you going around in ever smaller unproductive circles if you cannot figure out a way to differentiate between the two things.
PRDV009: Aims vs. Objectives
Confusion between aims and objectives may arise when writing a thesis proposal and the introductory thesis chapter. It is always an issue in research bids. The what-is-the-difference question can make you go around in ever-smaller, unproductive circles if you cannot figure out how to differentiate the two.
How to Write Aims and Objectives for PhD Dissertation?
The objectives serve as the means to achieve the overall aim, highlighting the relationship between aims and objectives in driving research in the computer science domain. Crafting Aims Formulating the overarching aim of your research is a crucial step in defining the direction and purpose of your dissertation.
Dissertation Aims and Objectives
What are the aims and objectives of a dissertation? What's the difference between aims and objectives? Here's my quick summary, and a cheeky cheat sheet!// M...
Research Objectives
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.
Research Aims and Objectives: The dynamic duo for successful ...
Research aims and objectives are the foundation of any research project. They provide a clear direction and purpose for the study, ensuring that you stay focused and on track throughout the process. They are your trusted navigational tools, leading you to success. Understanding the relationship between research objectives and aims is crucial to ...
Difference between Aim and Objectives of a Research Study
Conclusion. In summary, while the aim of a research study represents the broad goal or purpose, objectives are specific statements that outline the steps necessary to achieve that aim. Understanding the difference between aims and objectives helps in creating a clear and structured research plan, ensuring that the study remains focused and ...
How To Write Aims And Objectives For Your Research Project ...
Aims and objectives are an important part of a research project and will usually first be identified during the development of a research proposal or a resea...
Research Aims and Objectives
The differences between research aim and research objectives are: The way they are worded are different: Research aim is worded in a wide scoped way, while research objectives are worded as specific, narrowed down tasks. The focus of the two are different: research aim focuses on the overall purpose while research objectives focus on how to ...
What Are Research Objectives and How to Write Them (with Examples)
Formulating research objectives has the following five steps, which could help researchers develop a clear objective: 8. Identify the research problem. Review past studies on subjects similar to your problem statement, that is, studies that use similar methods, variables, etc.
How To Write Dissertation Objectives
Both (the aims and objectives) display the purpose of your study/research along with expected outcomes. Aims differ in a way that they are generally broad statements on the research theme while the objectives are more precise and give way to further tasks in the research process. In research, the aim is only one while the objectives can be many ...
Research Proposal and Dissertation
Aim and Objectives . ... The key differences between the proposal and dissertation are that you will now be putting your proposed research design into practice to collect and then analyse your data. ... Restate what your dissertation set out to do: research aim and/or question, key research objectives and/or research questions or hypotheses ...
Developing Of Effective Dissertation Objectives and Aims with Examples
The only difference between the two is that the aims are generally broad statements that are based on the research theme while the dissertation objectives examples are more specific statements that give way to further tasks in the investigative process. There is one general aim of the research while there can be several objectives.
Research Aim and Objectives
Aim and objectives are an important part of a dissertation. Aims are the understanding and awareness that your require to resolve your research question. Well-established aim links your research to the questions that stimulates it. While, objectives are certain actions of your research which you propose to perform in your project of research.
What is the difference between aim and objectives in dissertation?
What is the difference between aim and objectives in dissertation? Research aims focus on a project's long-term outcomes; research objectives focus on its immediate, short-term outcomes. A research aim can be written in a single sentence or short paragraph; research objectives should be written as a numbered list.
Dissertation vs. Thesis: Understanding Differences & Similarities
For Ph.D.s, the difference between a thesis and a dissertation is bigger. A doctoral thesis vs dissertation comparison shows that a dissertation involves a lot of research, collecting data, and creating new theories. It aims to make a big step forward in the field and is very important for getting a Ph.D. Similarities Between Dissertation and ...

Introduction

What Are Aims and Objectives?

Example of a Research Aim

Research Objectives

Example of a Research Objective

Restructuring Research Objectives as Research Questions

Difference Between Aims and Objectives

How to Write Aims and Objectives

Research Objectives

Table of Research Verbs to Use in Aims and Objectives

Checking Research Objective Example Against Recommended Approach

Mistakes in Writing Research Aims and Objectives

2. Making Your Research Objectives Too Ambitious

3. Formulating Repetitive Research Objectives

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Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

Overview: The Golden Thread

What is the “golden thread”?

Research Aims: What are they?

Research Aims: Examples

Need a helping hand?

Research Objectives: What are they?

Research Objectives: Examples

Research Questions: What are they?

Research Questions: Examples

The importance of strong alignment

Recap: The golden thread

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

What are aims & objectives?

Your PhD thesis. All on one page.

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Research aims

Research objectives

What is the difference between research aims and objectives?

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

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