1. Chapter Six: The Purpose Statement

2. Chapter Outline
The Purpose Statement Significance and Meaning of a Purpose Statement A Qualitative Purpose Statement Example 6.1. A Purpose Statement in a Qualitative Phenomenology Study Example 6.2. A Purpose Statement in a Case Study Example 6.3. A Purpose Statement in an Ethnography Example 6.4. A Purpose Statement in a Grounded Theory Study A Quantitative Purpose Statement Example 6.5. A Purpose Statement in a Published Survey Study Example 6.6. A Purpose Statement in a Dissertation Survey Study Example 6.7. A Purpose Statement in an Experimental Study A Mixed Methods Purpose Statement Example 6.8. A Convergent Mixed Methods Purpose Statement Example 6.9. An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Purpose Statement Example An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Purpose Statement

3. Significance and Meaning of a Purpose Statement
The purpose statement
Indicates why you want to do the study and what you intend to accomplish
Is the central controlling idea in a study
Is written in a sentence or several sentences
Sets the objectives, the intent, or the major idea of a proposal or a study
The purpose statement is NOT
The problem leading to a need for the study (see Chapter 5)
The questions to be answered by collecting data (see Chapter 7)

4. Qualitative Purpose Statements
A good qualitative purpose statement contains:
The central phenomenon
The participants
The research site
Include language drawn from qualitative inquiry
Use words such as purpose, intent, or objective to signal attention to this statement as the central controlling idea.
Focus on a single phenomenon, narrow the study to one idea to be explored or understood. This statement should acknowledge that the study may evolve into an exploration of relationships or comparisons among ideas.

5. Qualitative Purpose Statements Cont.
Include language drawn from qualitative inquiry cont.
Use action verbs such as describe, understand, develop, examine the meaning of, or discover to convey how learning will take place
Use neutral words and phrases, nondirectional language such as “self-expression experiences of individuals”
Provide a general working definition of the central phenomenon or idea, particularly those not typically understood by a broad audience
Include words that indicate the strategy of inquiry to be used in data collection, analysis and the process of research
Mention the participants in the study
Identify the site for the research
Delimit the scope of participation or research sites in the study

6. A Script for Writing Qualitative Purpose Statements
The purpose of this _________________ (strategy of inquiry, such as ethnography, case study, or other type) study is (was? will be?) to ___________________ (understand? explore? develop? discover?) the ___________ (central phenomenon being studied) for ______________(the participants, such as the individual, groups, organization) at ______________ (research site). At this stage in the research, the _________________ (central phenomenon being studied) will be generally defined as ________________ (provide a general definition).

7. Purpose Statement in a Qualitative Phenomenology Study

8. Purpose Statement in a Case Study

9. Purpose Statement in an Ethnography

10. Purpose Statement in a Grounded Theory Study

11. Quantitative Purpose Statements
This statement differs from the purpose statement in a qualitative study in terms of language and focus
Focus on relating or comparing the variables (independent, dependent, and mediating, moderating or control) and how these relate to:
The participants
The research site
Identify the proposed major variables in a study
Discuss the intent of using the variables

12. Quantitative Purpose Statements Cont.
A good quantitative purpose statement includes the following:
Words to signal the major intent of the study, such as purpose, intent, or objective
Identify the theory, model, or conceptual framework to provide emphasis to the importance of the theory to be used in the study
Identify the independent and dependent variables as well as any mediating, moderating, or control variables used in the study
Use words that connect the independent and dependent variables to indicate that they are related (comparison, relationship between, describe)
Position the independent before the dependent variable; other variables may go between the two or after the dependent variable
Mention the specific strategy of inquiry used in the study
Mention the participants or unit of analysis
Use the literature to define the key variables

13. A Script for Writing Quantitative Purpose Statements
The purpose of this _______________ (experiment? survey?) study is (was? will be?) to test the theory of ______________ (theory name) that ____________ (compares? relates?) the ____________ (independent variable) to _________________ (dependent variable), controlling for (control variables) for (participants) at ___________ (the research site). The independent variable(s) ______________ will be defined as (provide a definition). The dependent variable(s) will be defined as ____________ (provide a definition), and the control and intervening variable(s), ___________, (identify the control and intervening variables) will be defined as ________ (provide a definition).

14. Purpose Statement in a Published Survey Study

15. Purpose Statement in a Dissertation Survey Study

16. Purpose Statement in an Experimental Study

17. Mixed Methods Purpose Statements
A good mixed methods purpose statement contains:
The overall intent of the study from a content perspective
Information about both the quantitative and qualitative strands of the study
A rationale for combining both quantitative and qualitative data
Guidelines include:
Use words and phrases that signal intent such as: purpose, intent of, or objective
Indicate the overall purpose of the study from a content perspective
Indicate the type of mixed methods design

18. Mixed Methods Purpose Statements Cont.
Guidelines include:
Discuss the reasons for combining both quantitative and qualitative data:
A convergent design
An explanatory sequential design
An exploratory sequential design
Multiphase design

19. Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods Purpose Statements
Convergent Mixed Methods Strategy
This mixed methods study will address ___________ [overall content aim]. A convergent mixed methods design will be used, and it is a type of design in which qualitative and quantitative data are collected in parallel, analyzed separately, and then merged. In this study, ___________ [quantitative data] will be used to test the theory of ___________ [the theory] that predicts that [independent variables] will ___________ [positively, negatively] influence the ___________ [dependent variables] for ___________ [participants] at ___________ [the site]. The ___________ [type of qualitative data] will explore___________ [the central phenomenon] for ___________ [participants] at ___________ [the site]. The reason for collecting both quantitative and qualitative data is to ___________ [the mixing reason].

20. Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods Purpose Statements
Explanatory Sequential Design
This study will address ___________ [content aim]. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design will be used, and it will involve collecting quantitative data first and then explaining the quantitative results with in-depth qualitative data. In the first, quantitative phase of the study, ___________ [quantitative instrument] data will be collected from ___________ [participants] at ___________ [research site] to test ___________ [name of theory] to assess whether ___________ [independent variables] relate to ___________ [dependent variables]. The second, qualitative phase will be conducted as a follow up to the quantitative results to help explain the quantitative results. In this exploratory follow-up, the tentative plan is to explore ___________ [the central phenomenon] with ___________ [participants at a ___________ [research site].

21. Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods Purpose Statements
Exploratory sequential design
This study addresses ___________ [content aim]. The purpose of this exploratory sequential design will be to first qualitatively explore with a small sample and then to determine if the qualitative findings generalize to a large sample. The first phase of the study will be a qualitative exploration of ___________ [the central phenomenon] in which ___________ [types of data] will be collected from ___________ [participants] at ___________ [research site]. From this initial exploration, the qualitative findings will be used to develop assessment measures that can be administered to a large sample. In the tentatively planned quantitative phase, ___________ [instrument data] will be collected from ___________ [participants] at ___________ [research site].

22. Convergent Mixed Methods Purpose Statement

23. Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Purpose Statement

24. Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Purpose Statement

25. Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Purpose Statement