Chapter 4

The Purpose Statement

 Chapter Outline
Significance and Meaning of a Purpose
Statement
A Qualitative Purpose Statement
A Quantitative Purpose Statement
A Mixed Methods Purpose Statement
 Introduction
Whereas introduction focus on the problem
leading to the study, the purpose statement
establish direction for the study
In journal articles, purpose statements are
placed at the introduction whereas in
dissertation it is written in a separate section.
The purpose statement indicates why you
want to do the study and what you intend to
accomplish
 Significance and Meaning of a
Purpose Statement
The purpose statement
Is the central controlling idea in a study
Is written in a sentence or several sentences
Sets the objectives, the intent, or the major
idea of a proposal or a study

The purpose statement is NOT

The problem leading to a need for the study
The questions to be answered by collecting
data
 Qualitative Purpose Statements
A good qualitative purpose statement contains:
The central phenomenon
The participants
The research site
Include language drawn from qualitative
inquiry
Use words such as purpose, intent, or objective
Use action verbs such as describe, understand,
develop, examine the meaning of, or discover
Use neutral, non-directional language
Indicate the strategy of inquiry
Provide a general working definition of the central
phenomenon or idea
 A Script for Writing Qualitative
Purpose Statements
The purpose of this (strategy of inquiry, such as
ethnography, case study, or other type) study is
(was? will be?) to (understand? describe?
develop? discover?) the (central phenomenon
being studied) for (the participants, such as the
individual, groups, organization) at (research site).
At this stage in the research, the (central
phenomenon being studied) will be generally
defined as (provide a general definition).
 Quantitative Purpose Statements
A good quantitative purpose statement contains:
The variables (independent, dependent, and mediating,
moderating or control)
The participants
The research site
Include the following:
Use words such as purpose, intent, or objective
Identify the theory, model, or conceptual framework
Use words to connect the independent and dependent
variables such as related to or comparison of
Position the independent before the dependent variable;
other variables may go between the two or after the
dependent variable
Mention the specific strategy of inquiry
Provide general definitions of key variables
 Variables in Quantitative Research
 Independent
Variables that probably cause outcomes
 Dependent
The outcomes that depend on the independent variables
 Intervening or mediating
Variables that stand between the independent and dependent
variables
 Moderating
New variables that measure the joint impact of two variables
 Control
Independent variables that are measured and statistically
"controlled"
 Confounding
Variables that could also affect the dependent variables, but
cannot or will not be measured
 A Script for Writing Quantitative
Purpose Statements
The purpose of this (experiment? survey?) study
is (was? will be?) to test the theory of (theory
name) that (compares? relates?) the (independent
variable) to (dependent variable), controlling for
(control variables) for (participants) at (the research
site). The independent variable(s) will be
defined as (provide a definition). The dependent
variable(s) will be defined as (provide a
definition), and the control and intervening
variable(s) will be defined as (provide a
definition).
 Mixed Methods Purpose Statements
A good mixed methods purpose statement contains:
The overall intent of the study from a content perspective
Information about both the quantitative and qualitative
strands of the study
A rationale for combining both quantitative and
qualitative data
Guidelines include:
Use words such as purpose, intent, or objective
Indicate the type of mixed methods design
Include the aspects of good qualitative and quantitative
purpose statements
Consider adding information on both types of data
collection