Aligning Research Method, Design, Purpose Statement, and Research Questions
What is the purpose of the research method, design, purpose statement, and research questions? How are they to be aligned? The answer sounds in the following way: all the mentioned components aim at the thorough analysis of a particular issue, be it qualitative or quantitative research (Buckley & Delicath, 2013). Each of the above components contributes to the comprehensive consideration of a topic and is responsible for a separate task.
It should be emphasized that the alignment of these components is of great importance for writing a high-quality paper. To fully address the chosen issue, it is necessary to stick to a specific sequence (Lentz, 2009). First, the purpose of the research should be stated. The elaborated purpose statements should delineate both method and design creating a basis for the research questions. According to Newman and Covrig (2013), “checking for consistency means you have the ideas or concepts of a previous section aligned with the ideas in the next section” (p. 75). In other words, each of the components stated in the title of this section should be associated with the previous and subsequent ones. This promotes an appropriate aligning of the four principal elements of the research including research method, design, purpose statement, and research questions. Also, such an alignment ensures the flow of the paper and designs a strong foundation for prospective research.
Furthermore, Mertens (2015) notes that the logical connection between the structural components guarantees a successful approval of the paper. It is also essential to point out that an appropriate alignment attracts the readers’ attention and keeps them interested in the topic. Thus, the role of the alignment of the four mentioned components cannot be overestimated as they serve as a basis for the research paper.
How does the Purpose Statement Drive the Research Questions?
There is a direct connection between research questions and a purpose statement. Research questions should be formulated as a response to the purpose of the paper.
First, it is essential to briefly reflect the essence of the terms of the purpose statement and research questions. The purpose statement might be regarded as an announcement of the scope and aim of the research (Mateo & Kirchhoff, 2009). It pinpoints the core direction and specifics of the paper, yet it does not preview any conclusions. As a rule, it appears at the end of the introduction. In its turn, research questions are to be answered and reveal what is being studied in detail.
As a rule, research questions appear in the form of the reformulation of the purpose statement. In other words, the research questions are derived from the purpose. Likewise, Buckley and Delicath, (2013) consider that “all studies must include research questions, which are overarching questions that represent the research goals” (p. 166). Aligning well with the purpose statement, research questions would reflect deep understanding and consistency of the research. Even though research questions are stated both in qualitative and quantitative studies, they differ to some extent. However, this dependence also might be traced from the purpose statement. In particular, the quantitative research purpose seeks to detect the connection between the two or more variables while the qualitative one asks about process or phenomenon (Johnson & Christensen, 2011). It becomes clear from the above observations that the connection between the purpose statement and research questions is that the latter specifies the first one.
References
Buckley, R., & Delicath, T. (2013). Dissertation and research success: Hands-on coaching for doctoral success before, during, and after your dissertation. New York, NY: Xlibris Corporation.
Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. B. (2011). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Lentz, C. A. (2009). The refractive thinker: An anthology of higher learning. Las Vegas, NV: Lentz Leadership Institute.
Mateo, M. A., & Kirchhoff, K. T. (2009). Research for advanced practice nurses: From evidence to practice. New York, NY: Springer.
Mertens, D. M. (2015). Research and evaluation in education and psychology integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Newman, I., & Covrig, D. M. (2013). Building consistency between title, problem statement, purpose, & research questions to improve the quality of research plans and reports. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 25(1), 70-79. doi:10.1002/nha.20009