STEP 1 - SETTING OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
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What are Objectives?
● Aim or goal of an action
● It is what the research expects to achieve or
the outcome he hopes to produce
○ It is the solution to the research
problem
○ Its the attainment will give
affirmation/non-affirmation to the
hypothesis
Why are objectives necessary in research?
● Give an indication of the relevant variables to
be considered in the study
● Guide the researcher in the choice of research
design/methods
● Tell the researcher what data to collect
● Helpful in planning the analysis of the results
● Bases for the interpretation of the results
How are research objectives stated?
2 Types of Research Objectives
1. General Objective
● It is the general purpose of the
research
● It is services from the statement of the
broad problem and the hypothesis
● It is stated by transforming the
problem statement from an
interrogative form to a declarative
form
● Examples:
○ Is there a relationship
between socio-economic
background and the incidence
of ischemic stroke?
■ To determine the
relationship between
socio-economic
background and the
incidence of ischemic
stroke
○ What is the magnitude and
pattern of Autism Spectrum
Disorder in Cagayan de Oro
City?
■ To determine the
magnitude and
pattern of Autism
Spectrum Disorder in
Cagayan de Oro City
○ Does Constraint Induced
Movement Therapy promote
the use of the affected upper
limb in stroke patients?
■ To ascertain if
constraint-induced
movement therapy
improves the use of
the affected upper
limb in stroke
patients.
○ Is there a rs bet.
circumference and vital
capacity measures among
faculty?
■ …
2. Specific Objective
● Are statements of the specific
outcome expected of the study
● Based on the components
(subproblems) of the broad problem
● Should be clearly stated in
measurable terms
IDENTIFYING RESEARCH VARIABLES
What are research variables?
- Events, factors or characteristics which may
influence a given study.
- They may include:
● Characteristics of the subjects of the
study
● Outcomes or results of a process
● Factors that influence the subject of
the research
Why should research variables be specified?
● Serve as tools and basis for classification of
subjects and the indicators used to measure
the event or changes in the events under
investigation
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONCEPT AND A
VARIABLE
● Concepts
○ Concepts are mental images or
perceptions and therefore their
meaning vary markedly from
individual to individual
■ Subjective impressions
■ Cannot be measured
● Variable
○ Measurable but with varying degrees
of accuracy
What is an Indicator?
● Indicators ​are the computed or collated
collective characteristics of the person
making up the study
● Measurements- mean, variance, frequency
● Counts - rates and citations (incidence rate,
prevalence rate, death rate)
TYPES OF RESEARCH VARIABLES Variables
Classifications: ● Must be defined in OPERATIONAL term and
● Causal relationship not in conceptual or dictionary definitions
Types of Research Variables: ● The research should define the variable
● INDEPENDENT VARIABLE according to what it means in the research
○ Stimulus variable
○ The cause supposed to be responsible
for bringing about change in a
phenomenon or situation
○ Capable of effecting change in the
other variable A factor that can be
measured, manipulated or selected
● DEPENDENT VARIABLE
○ It is the presumed effect
○ It is the consequence
○ It is the outcome or objective of the
study brought about by changes in an
independent variable
● EXTRANEOUS VARIABLE
○ Factors in real-life situation that affect
changes attributed to independent
variable
○ May increase/decrease the magnitude
or strength of the relationship
between IV and DV
● INTERVENING VARIABLE
○ Links the IV and DV
○ In some situations, the IV will have
the assumed effect only in the
presence of intervening variable
● Design of the Study
Types of Research Variables:
● ACTIVE VARIABLES
○ Those variables that can be
manipulated, changed, or controlled
● ATTRIBUTE VARIABLES
○ Those variables that CANNOT be
manipulated, changed, or controlled,
and reflect the characteristics of the
study population
● Unit of Measurement
Types of Research Variables:
● CATEGORICAL VARIABLES
○ Measured on nominal or ordinal
measurement scales
○ Types of categorical variables:
■ Constant Variable – a variable
with only 1 value or category
■ Dichotomous Variable – a
variable with 2 categories
■ Polytomous variable – a
variable with more than 2
categories
● CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
○ Type of variable having community in
their measurements
■ Income
■ Weight
■ Height
■ Age