In addition, kindly explain the order of both? By this I mean which comes first?
First: research objective, and second: research questions? Or
First: research question and, second research objective?
Or simply relying on either research question or research objective is ok too?
What are the research objectives?
In general, research objectives describe what we expect to achieve by a project.
Research objectives are usually expressed in lay terms and are directed as much to the client as to the researcher. Research objectives may be linked with a hypothesis or used as a statement of purpose in a study that does not have a hypothesis.
Even if the nature of the research has not been clear to the layperson from the hypotheses, s/he should be able to understand the research from the objectives.
A statement of research objectives can serve to guide the activities of research. Consider the following examples.
- Objective: To describe what factors farmers take into account in making such decisions as whether to adopt a new technology or what crops to grow.
- Objective: To develop a budget for reducing pollution by a particular enterprise.
- Objective: To describe the habitat of the giant panda in China.
Research question.
A research question is the question that the research project sets out to answer.
In actual fact, a research study may set out to answer several questions.
The methodology used for that study, and the tools used to conduct the research, all depend upon the research questions being asked.
For example, in the example of a qualitative research study, the following two research questions that underpin the study, and also needed to be answered by the study, are shown in the box below.
There are two research questions that will need to be answered by this phase of the research.
These are:
- 'Are the perceived needs of the patients and users of South Bedfordshire's palliative care services being met?'
- 'If not, what needs to be done if these needs are to be met in the future?'
Hypotheses are used in quantitative studies unlike research questions which is popular in qualitative research. However, each of them is driven by well formulated research objectives that always precede and informs either the hypotheses or research questions.
Hello,
Notably, research objectives precede the research questions and they should be compatible with the number of research questions formulated.
Best regards,
R. Biria
Research objective(s) precedes research questions and the research objective(s) are like basement and the research questions are like pillars. All the research questions should cover the objectives.
This is an important question. In addition to the helpful answers already given, there is a bit more to add.
The first part of this question calls for a distinction between research questions and research objectives. A good discussion concerning research questions is available on RG at
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_a_good_research_question
See, for example, the detailed as well as informative observations about research questions by @ Behrouz Ahmadi-Nedushan and @ Ljubomir Jacić.
A related discussion on how to narrow down a research question for a Ph.D. thesis is available at
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_a_good_way_to_narrow_down_your_research_question_for_a_doctoral_dissertation
See, for example, the very helpful answer by @ Han Ping Fung.
More to the point, a careful, complete formulation of a research question
leads to formulation of research objectives. One must know the research
problem before it is possible to set forth the steps that promise to yield a solution to the proposed research problem.
Hello,
Research questions such as 'why' or 'what if' are among the research key factors. These questions open the gate of research in a specific issue. The research objectives comes in the second order where the questions are translated into set of concise and clear action plan items.
Dr. Harry and Dr. James given a good explanation.
In addition following links are useful.
Article Practical tips for surgical research: Research questions, hy...
Here, we can see an example for question hypothesis and objective.
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).
Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy symptoms.
Similarly, see
http://www.idi.ntnu.no/grupper/su/publ/html/totland/ch012.htm
In my opinion, you may have one objective being answered by several research questions
Dear Zeeshan while we are doing research we are immerse in a non-lineal process but research methodology's standards show us the endeavor as a lineal and logical process. While it is in fact logical it is only lineal when any of us read a research report then the concern about the temporal sequence of questions and objectives seems as a secondary issue.
From the preceding answers I want to rescue two useful tips that could guide a research: (1) research objectives must be compatible with the research questions formulated (as Reza claim) and (2) Dibakar Pal claim and gorgeous James Peters remark "a careful, complete formulation of a research question leads to formulation of research objectives. One must know the research problem before it is possible to set forth the steps that promise to yield a solution to the proposed research problem." In this hint my opinion is that the order is supported more in the relative importance of each research act than in a simple timely vision.
My conclusion is that research questions, research objective and the title of the project/report are deeply overlapped. The practical consequence of that assertion is that any of us can generate our research ideas from questions or from the objective because for any of us could be easier formulate questions (a reflexive mind as philosopher or soft system thinkers) or formulate objectives (a practical mind as any professional i.e. engineers or medical doctors) but both has to be compatible always.
Research questions will come first. On the basis of research questions research objectives are framed.
Regards
Research objectives are statement about how the research is going to answer the specific research questions. Objectives state which outcome measures are going to be used within their statements.
Hi,
It is an important question. First, you have to define the aims of your research. It may be helpful to answer the following question: what are the research goals? You can do it by writing statement. For example: The aim of the research is to understand the self adjustment of gifted and nongifted children. Then, you can state a question: Is there difference in self adjustment between gifted and nongifted children? Most of the time the study's questions are at the end of the literature review before the method section.
If I might add, I can see how/where Zeeshan Hamid might be confused. Objectives are ususally descriptive and more general, while the questions are more specific on how the objectives will be reached. Using the first example, here is how I would break it down to objective and questions.
Objective: to find out how farmers make decsions to adopt or not new technology; to find out how farmers decide what crops to grow
Question: What are the factors take in to account in making such decision? Which factors are the most important/the least important? i.e. How much weight is given to each of these factors?
As Jeevan implies above, research questions drive research objectives; e. g. (in design / methodological terms) to answer my research question, I must do 'this' and 'this' and 'this'...(research objectives).
Part of the research objectives are answers to the research questions
Yeah, research objective is the overarching term, research question is about boiling it down to manageable components.
In-a-nutshell, our research objectives are what we do / the milestones we reach towards answering our research questions; applicable to quantitative or qualitative research.
RQ's are more specific, which has to be answered through analysisand RO's are the statements and goal of ones entire study
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-study-objectives-and-hypothesis
This is an important question. In addition to the helpful answers already given, there is a bit more to add.
The first part of this question calls for a distinction between research questions and research objectives. A good discussion concerning research questions is available on RG at
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_a_good_research_question
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_a_good_way_to_narrow_down_your_research_question_for_a_doctoral_dissertation
See, for example, the very helpful answer by @ Han Ping Fung.
More to the point, a careful, complete formulation of a research question
leads to formulation of research objectives. One must know the research
problem before it is possible to set forth the steps that promise to yield a solution to the proposed research problem.
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