Objectives: Strategic Research

Research objectives are the compass that directs your study. They provide clarity on what you aim to learn or answer by the conclusion of your research efforts. These objectives stem directly from your research problem and establish boundaries for the questions you will ask. Here's how to effectively set research objectives:

Setting Clear Objectives

Effective research objectives share common characteristics:

1. Action-Oriented: Objectives should be framed as actions or verbs. They should specify what you intend to do or achieve through your research.
2. Aligned with Research Problem: Objectives should directly address the key issues raised in your research problem.

Example Objective:

Consider this example of a well-structured research objective:

Identify reasons patients are not taking medications.

This objective is action-oriented (identify) and directly addresses a potential barrier highlighted in the research problem.

The Role of Objectives

Essentially, objectives are what you think must be done or found out to truly address your research problem. These may get added to or removed over time as you learn, but they serve to focus your direction and make your research strategic by eliminating paths that may serve to distract. By setting objectives you'll find your research plan brings about the following:

1. Clarity: They provide clarity and focus by defining what you want to achieve through your research.
2. Alignment: Objectives ensure that your research is aligned with the research problem and the overarching goals of your project.
3. Guidance: They guide the formulation of research questions, methodologies, and data collection strategies.
4. Measurability: Objectives make it possible to measure the success of your research by determining if you have achieved your stated goals.

Conclusion

Objectives ensure your research remains aligned with your goals. By setting clear and action-oriented objectives, you empower your research team to uncover meaningful insights, answer critical questions, and contribute to informed decision-making.

In the next article we'll align questions to our objectives.

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