From Research Objectives to Questions and Hypotheses
Your research objectives, research questions and hypotheses should read like a chain: each one follows from the one before. When they do not line up, examiners notice quickly. In this blog, we'll look at how to move from objectives to questions and, where appropriate, to testable hypotheses.
Start with a Clear Aim:
- Your aim is one broad statement of what the study sets out to achieve, for example "to examine how workload affects nurse retention in private hospitals".
- Objectives break the aim into specific, achievable steps.
Write SMART Objectives:
- Good objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
- Begin each one with an action verb such as "to identify", "to examine", "to compare" or "to evaluate".
- For example: "To examine the relationship between perceived workload and turnover intention among nurses."
Turn Each Objective into a Question:
- Rewrite each objective as a question your data can answer. The objective above becomes: "What is the relationship between perceived workload and turnover intention among nurses?"
- Keep one idea per question, and make sure every question links back to an objective.
- Exploratory and qualitative studies often use "how" and "why" questions, while quantitative studies often use "what is the relationship" or "is there a difference" questions.
Develop Hypotheses Where Appropriate:
- Hypotheses are used mainly in quantitative studies that test relationships or differences.
- A hypothesis is a testable prediction based on theory or previous research, for example: "Perceived workload is positively related to turnover intention."
- Statistical testing is framed around a null hypothesis (no relationship or no difference) and an alternative hypothesis (a relationship or difference exists).
- Qualitative studies usually do not state hypotheses. They rely on open research questions instead.
Check the Alignment:
- Build a simple table with four columns: objective, research question, hypothesis (if any) and the data or analysis that will answer it.
- If a question has no matching data source or analysis, revise it or remove it.
Clear objectives lead to focused research questions, and focused questions lead to testable hypotheses where your design calls for them. Taking time to align these three elements early will save you a great deal of rewriting when you reach your methodology and findings chapters.