Why should research objectives be developed?
The formulation of objectives will help you to:
Focus The Study (narrowing it down to essentials);
Avoid The Collection of data which are not strictly necessary for
understanding and solving the problem you have identified; and
Organize The Study in clearly defined parts or phases.
Properly formulated, specific objectives will facilitate the development of
your research methodology and will help to orient the collection, analysis,
interpretation and utilization of data.
Characteristics of a Good Research Objective
Should be:
1. stated in simple language
2. measurable concepts
3. attainable
4. result oriented
5. Time bounded
Hypothesis
Hypothesis is a tentative, intelligent guess as to the solution of the problem.
There is often a 1-1 correspondence between a sub problem and a
hypothesis.
Hypotheses can direct later research activities since they can help
determine the nature of the research and methods applied.
Types of Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis is a denial of an existence, an attribute, a relationship, a
difference or an effect.
Alternative Hypothesis states the very opposite of the of what the null hypothesis
predicts. It affirms the existence of a phenomenon.
Characteristics of a good hypothesis:
1. measurable
2. testable
3. conforms with the result of previous studies
Uses of the Hypothesis
Hypotheses serve the following uses:
1. They provide guide and direction to the research
2. Indicate the major independent and dependent
variable being considered
3. Suggest the type of data that must be collected
4. Suggest the type of analyses that must be made
5. Indicate the type of statistical measures
appropriate to the various test to be conducted
Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks
The theoretical and conceptual frameworks provide explicit explanations why the
problems under study by showing how the variables involved in the problem are
related to each other.
Theoretical framework makes use of a theory or theories in explaining
why a certain phenomenon exists. Makes use of abstract concepts.
Conceptual framework makes use of specific or well defined concepts
called constructs.
What is a variable?
Variable refers to a characteristic that has two or more mutually exclusive values
or properties
Major types of a variable:
1. Independent variable is the presumed cause of the dependent variable which is the
presumed effect in a relational study
2. Dependent variable is the focus of the investigation which behavior or status is
influenced by the independent variable
3. Intervening variable is the variable which comes between the independent and
dependent variable
Importance/Significance of the Study
Many research problems have a kind of theoretical feel about them. Such projects
often need to be justified:
What is the research project’s practical value?
Without this justification, it will prove difficult to convince others that the
problem in question is worth study.
Contributions of the study should be stated
Scope and Delimitations
Scope defines the coverage or boundaries of the study in terms of the area or
locality and subjects or population covered, the duration or period of the study
and the research issues or concerns to which the investigation is focused.
Limitations are statements which alert the reader of the research report to certain
constraints over which the researcher has no control.
All research has limitations and thus tells us certain work that will not be
performed.
The work that will not be undertaken is described as the delimitations of the
research.
Definition of Terms
Define each technical term as it is used in relation to your research study.
This helps remove significant ambiguity from the research itself by
ensuring that reviewers/readers, while they may not agree with your
definitions, at least know what you’re talking about.
Two major types of Definitions:
1. Conceptual definition is the meaning understood by people (universal
meaning)
2. Operational definition is the meaning of the concept or term as used in the
study
