Research is at the center of everything researchers do, and setting clear, well-defined research objectives plays a pivotal role in guiding scholars toward their desired outcomes. Research papers are essential instruments for researchers to effectively communicate their work. Among the many sections that constitute a research paper, the introduction plays a key role in providing a background and setting the context.1 Research objectives, which define the aims of the study, are usually stated in the introduction. Every study has a research question that the authors are trying to answer, and the objective is an active statement about how the study will answer this research question. These objectives help guide the development and design of the study and steer the research in the appropriate direction; if this is not clearly defined, a project can fail! Research studies have a research question, research hypothesis, and one or more research objectives. A research question is what a study aims to answer, and a research hypothesis is a predictive statement about the relationship between two or more variables, which the study sets out to prove or disprove. Objectives are specific, measurable goals that the study aims to achieve. The difference between these three is illustrated by the following example:

  • 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).
  • Research objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy symptoms.
This article discusses the importance of clear, well-thought out objectives and suggests methods to write them clearly.

What is the introduction in research papers?

Research objectives are usually included in the introduction section. This section is the first that the readers will read so it is essential that it conveys the subject matter appropriately and is well written to create a good first impression. A good introduction sets the tone of the paper and clearly outlines the contents so that the readers get a quick snapshot of what to expect. A good introduction should aim to: 2,3
  • Indicate the main subject area, its importance, and cite previous literature on the subject
  • Define the gap(s) in existing research, ask a research question, and state the objectives
  • Announce the present research and outline its novelty and significance
  • Avoid repeating the Abstract, providing unnecessary information, and claiming novelty without accurate supporting information.

Why are research objectives important?

Objectives can help you stay focused and steer your research in the required direction. They help define and limit the scope of your research, which is important to efficiently manage your resources and time. The objectives help to create and maintain the overall structure, and specify two main things—the variables and the methods of quantifying the variables. A good research objective:
  • defines the scope of the study
  • gives direction to the research
  • helps maintain focus and avoid diversions from the topic
  • minimizes wastage of resources like time, money, and energy

Types of research objectives

Research objectives can be broadly classified into general and specific objectives.4 General objectives state what the research expects to achieve overall while specific objectives break this down into smaller, logically connected parts, each of which addresses various parts of the research problem. General objectives are the main goals of the study and are usually fewer in number while specific objectives are more in number because they address several aspects of the research problem. Example (general objective): To investigate the factors influencing the financial performance of firms listed in the New York Stock Exchange market. Example (specific objective): To assess the influence of firm size on the financial performance of firms listed in the New York Stock Exchange market. In addition to this broad classification, research objectives can be grouped into several categories depending on the research problem, as given in Table 1. Table 1: Types of research objectives
Type of research objective Definition
Exploratory Explores a previously unstudied topic, issue, or phenomenon; aims to generate ideas or hypotheses
Descriptive Describes the characteristics and features of a particular population or group
Explanatory Explains the relationships between variables; seeks to identify cause-and-effect relationships
Predictive Predicts future outcomes or events based on existing data samples or trends
Diagnostic Identifies factors contributing to a particular problem
Comparative Compares two or more groups or phenomena to identify similarities and differences
Historical Examines past events and trends to understand their significance and impact
Methodological Develops and improves research methods and techniques
Theoretical Tests and refines existing theories or helps develop new theoretical perspectives

Characteristics of research objectives

Research objectives must start with the word “To” because this helps readers identify the objective in the absence of headings and appropriate sectioning in research papers.5,6
  • A good objective is SMART (mostly applicable to specific objectives):
    • Specific—clear about the what, why, when, and how
    • Measurable—identifies the main variables of the study and quantifies the targets
    • Achievable—attainable using the available time and resources
    • Realistic—accurately addresses the scope of the problem
    • Time-bound—identifies the time in which each step will be completed
  • Research objectives clarify the purpose of research.
  • They help understand the relationship and dissimilarities between variables.
  • They provide a direction that helps the research to reach a definite conclusion.

How to write research objectives?

Research objectives can be written using the following steps:7
  1. Brainstorming your objectives
    1. State your main research question clearly and concisely.
    2. Describe the ultimate goal of your study, which is similar to the research question but states the intended outcomes more definitively.
    3. Divide this main goal into subcategories to develop your objectives.
    4. Limit the number of objectives (1-2 general; 3-4 specific)
    5. Assess each objective using the SMART
  2. Using the right language
    1. Start each objective with an action verb like assess, compare, determine, evaluate, etc., which makes the research appear more actionable.
    2. Use specific language without making the sentence data heavy.
  3. Writing the research objectives
    1. The most common section to add the objectives is the introduction and after the problem statement.
    2. Add the objectives to the abstract (if there is one).
    3. State the general objective first, followed by the specific objectives.

Formulating research objectives

Formulating research objectives has the following five steps, which could help researchers develop a clear objective:8
  1. Identify the research problem.
  2. Review past studies on subjects similar to your problem statement, that is, studies that use similar methods, variables, etc.
  3. Identify the research gaps the current study should cover based on your literature review. These gaps could be theoretical, methodological, or conceptual.
  4. Define the research question(s) based on the gaps identified.
  5. Revise/relate the research problem based on the defined research question and the gaps identified. This is to confirm that there is an actual need for a study on the subject based on the gaps in literature.
  6. Identify and write the general and specific objectives.
  7. Incorporate the objectives into the study.

Advantages of research objectives

Adding clear research objectives has the following advantages:4,8
  • Maintains the focus and direction of the research
  • Optimizes allocation of resources with minimal wastage
  • Saves time
  • Acts as a foundation for defining appropriate research questions and hypotheses
  • Provides measurable outcomes that can help evaluate the success of the research
  • Determines the feasibility of the research by helping to assess the availability of required resources
  • Ensures relevance of the study to the subject and its contribution to existing literature

Disadvantages of research objectives

Research objectives also have few disadvantages, as listed below:8
  • Absence of clearly defined objectives can lead to ambiguity in the research process
  • Unintentional bias could affect the validity and accuracy of the research findings

Key takeaways

  • Research objectives are concise statements that describe what the research is aiming to achieve.
  • They define the scope and direction of the research and maintain focus.
  • The objectives should be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
  • Clear research objectives help avoid collection of data or resources not required for the study.
  • Well-formulated specific objectives help develop the overall research methodology, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and utilization.
  • Research objectives should cover all aspects of the problem statement in a coherent way.
  • They should be clearly stated using action verbs.

Frequently asked questions on research objectives

Q: What’s the difference between research objectives and aims?9

A: Research aims are statements that reflect the broad goal(s) of the study and outline the general direction of the research. They are not specific but clearly define the focus of the study. Example: This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR. Research objectives focus on the action to be taken to achieve the aims. They make the aims more practical and should be specific and actionable. Example: To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation.