Writing Research

questions and
Objectives
Learning outcomes for this week will be to:
• Understand the nature and use of research questions
• Learn to formulate appropriate and relevant research questions
• Define what research objectives are
• Learn how to formulate research objectives correctly
• Discuss examples of proposal introductions and how express
objectives
• Start thinking about your own research questions and objectives
• Apply the new knowledge to business case studies
Where do we start?
• We usually start from an area of research that interests us or
experience:
• Effectiveness of management strategies
• Employees job satisfaction
• Business expansion
• Marketing strategies
• Brand awareness
• ………………………………
• ……………………………….
• ……………………………….
Where do we start?
We can also consider
• Organisational problems, such as how to measure employees’
performance in a way that allows the workers to feel valued, develop
their skills and career and check on their productivity

• New developments in organisations, such as the diffusion of new

models of management, customer service or the introduction of new
technology systems
Example: Total quality management
(TQM)
Research aims, questions and objectives
• Aims: Describes the overarching purpose of the research in 1 short
paragraph

• Research Questions: Specific questions your research study

intends to answer

• Research Objectives: Specific actions undertaken to answer the

research questions
Research aims
Based on the following topic/title:

Barriers in Internationalisation of SMEs in Sri Lanka

The research aim can be the following:

The aim of the study is to explore the reasons behind the low number of Sri Lankan SMEs in the
international market and identify the most common barriers faced by entrepreneurs from an
internal and external perspective
Criteria for evaluating research questions
(Bryman, 2016)
• Questions should be clear: can your question be understood by
others?

How does technology help businesses?

Criteria for evaluating research questions
• Researchable – can the question be operationalised?

How does technology help businesses?

Criteria
• Not too broad or narrow - is the question at the right level of
granularity?

How does technology help businesses?

Criteria
• Questions should connect with established theory and research –
what is the current literature?
• Original contribution - does the question make an original
contribution?

How does technology help businesses?

Criteria
• If you have more than one question, they should be linked to each
other – are the questions congruent?

How does ICT help businesses?

Does ICT provide businesses with competitive advantage?
Does ICT provide businesses with innovation?
What are the factors affecting the businesses ability to take full
advantage of ICT?
Research objectives
• They operationalise research questions, and in general, specify the
aspects the researcher will be focusing on:
Examples are:
• To assess if X is happening at Company Z
• To assess the impact of factor B in causing X to Company Z
• To develop (or identify) solutions for factor B (or problem X) at
Company Z
• To advise Company Z how to implement solution A for problem X
 Command Verbs for Aims and Objectives (Bloom,
1956)
• Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Action and Measurable Verbs:

 Describe and classify observable knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviours, abilities

 By creating learning objectives using measurable verbs, you indicate explicitly

what you must do to demonstrate learning (indicating cognitive activity)

• The choice of such verbs must be appropriate for Level 7 and must demonstrate
Critical Thinking:

Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Break down objects or ideas into Compile component ideas into a Make and defend judgments based
simpler parts and find evidence new whole or propose alternative on internal evidence or external
to support Generalizations solutions. criteria
 Command Verbs for Aims and Objectives

Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

• Analyse • Experiment • Arrange • Generate • Appraise • Evaluate
• Appraise • Identify • Assemble • Plan • Argue • Explain
• Breakdown • Illustrate • Categorize • Prepare • Assess • Judge
• Calculate • Infer • Collect • Rearrange • Attach • Justify
• Categorize • Model • Combine • Reconstruct • Choose • Interpret
• Compare • Outline • Comply • Relate • Compare • Relate
• Contrast • Point out • Compose • Reorganize • Conclude • Predict
• Criticize • Question • Construct • Revise • Contrast • Rate
• Diagram • Relate • Create • Rewrite • Defend • Select
• Differentiate • Select • Design • Set up • Describe • Summarize
• Discriminate • Separate • Develop • Summarize • Discriminate • Support
• Distinguish • Subdivide • Devise • Synthesize • Estimate • Value
• Examine • Test • Explain • Tell
• Formulate • Write
Let’s practice!
• Consider your research idea/topic and formulate research aims,
questions and objectives considering the following:
• What is the research context and how do you translate that into research
aims?
• What could be the possible research question/s be?
• Do your research questions pass the criteria discussed?
• Can you formulate objectives?

Then go to blackboard and create a post in the discussion forum in week 4

learning material folder to share with your peers and tutors! You can also read
some of your peers post and contribute feedback to their ideas!
References
• Bloom, B. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Book I
Cognitive Domain. New York David Mckay.
• Bryman, A. (2015). Social Research Methods (5th ed.).
Oxford University Press.