How to Write a Specific Purpose Statement for a Dissertation (Template)

When writing a thesis or dissertation, you will need to have a specific purpose statement. A specific purpose statement provides the objectives you intend to achieve. 

Difference between the Problem Statement and Specific Purpose Statement 

It is important not to confuse the problem statement with the purpose statement. The problem statement answers the question: “Why I am doing this research?” The specific purpose statement answers the question: “What type of research am I doing to address the problem?”

Main Components of the Specific Purpose Statement 

In your specific purpose statement, describe the intent of your study by following these guidelines:

• Specifically address the reason(s) for conducting the research
• Address the research question(s)
• Identify the type of methodology 
• Have a brief overview of how the research will be conducted, including the data collection methods, participants/population, and setting (if applicable)
• Identify the constructs/variables and/or concept/idea/phenomenon
• Include some delimitations that help define the parameters of the research (for example, whether the research will be limited to only a particular group of people, or take place only in a particular setting)  

Qualitative/ Quantitative/ and Mixed Methods Purpose Statements

The main types of research methodology are qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. All the purpose statements for these types of methods should contain the components described in the above “Main Components of the Specific Purpose Statement.” However, there are some added components that are specific to each of the types of methods. 

Qualitative Purpose Statement

Qualitative research methods are designed to investigate the beliefs, behavior, experiences, attitudes, and/or interactions of target participants from a humanistic or idealistic approach. The types of qualitative designs are descriptive, survey, correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental. The data are non-numerical. Use the following guidelines when writing a purpose statement for qualitative research:

• Use action verbs and phrases, such as, understand, discover, develop, examine, and explore to represent the controlling idea. 
• State whether the study will be grounded theory, ethnographic, phenomenological, narrative approach, case study, or another qualitative research strategy. 
• Identify, define, and state the main phenomenon, concept or idea that will be investigated. 
• Do not use words that state an outcome of the research that may or may not occur. 

The following script is an example of the script for specific purpose statements in qualitative research: 

The purpose of this (type of qualitative method) study is to (understand, discover, develop, examine, explore) the (main phenomenon being studied) for (the participants, such as the individuals, groups, organization) at (research site). At this stage in the research, the (central phenomenon being studied) will be generally defined as (general definition).

Quantitative Purpose Statement 

Quantitative research involves the deductive testing of theories or relationships. The data are numbers and statistics. Use the following guidelines when writing a purpose statement for quantitative research:

• Identify the type of research.  
• Identify the model, theory, or theoretical/conceptual framework (Do not describe the conceptual framework in detail.).
• Identify and define the study’s proposed major variables (independent, dependent, intervening, and any moderating, mediating, or control variables).  
• Explain how the variables will be observed or measured. 
• Use words that show how the independent and dependent variables are related and connected, such as the relationship between, controlling for, and comparison of. 

The following script is an example of the script for specific purpose statements in quantitative research: 

The purpose of this (experiment/survey) study is to test the (model, theory, or theoretical/conceptual framework) or (compares/relates) the (independent variable) to the (dependent variable), controlling for (control variables) for (participants) at (research site). The independent variable(s) will be defined as (definition). The dependent variable(s) will be defined as (definition), and the control and intervening variable(s) (identify the control and intervening variables) will be defined as (definition). 

Mixed Methods Purpose Statement 

The mixed method is used for research that has both qualitative and quantitative purposes. The types of mixed methods designs are sequential explanatory, sequential exploratory, sequential transformative, concurrent triangulation, concurrent embedded, and concurrent transformative. The data are both non-numerical and numbers and statistics Use the following guidelines when writing the mixed method purpose statement:

• Identify and explain the type of mixed methods design you will use. 
• Provide a rationale for incorporating both the quantitative and qualitative methods to study the research problem. 

The following script is an example of the script for specific purpose statements in mixed methods research: 

This mixed methods study will address (aim/central phenomenon), using a (survey, embedded sequential design, exploratory sequential design, or other design). The (type of qualitative method) will be incorporated. This method will consist of (type of data collection, and analysis). Also, the (type of quantitative method) will be incorporated. This method will consist of (type of data collection, and analysis). The reason for collecting both quantitative and qualitative data is to (mixing reason).

To ensure that you are writing the appropriate specific purpose statement for your research, review examples of purpose statements found in recent published theses or dissertations. 

Note: For more information, refer to the following pdf document and video:

“Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods” pdf:  https://kanashablue.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/The-Purpose-Statement.pptx.pdf

The Purpose Statement at: https://youtu.be/ePPalG3_zwQ