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Research Purpose Statements

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Purpose Statement
Michael A. Lewkowicz
DOI: http://dx.doi.org.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/10.4135/9781412961288.n346 Print pages: 1143-1144Show page numbersShow sub-headings
A purpose statement is a declarative statement that summarizes a research project's main goal or goals. A purpose statement provides some guidance in establishing a research question and serves as an introduction to the resultant paper or dissertation chapter.

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Developing the Purpose Statement
At the beginning of a research project, it is helpful for the researcher to use a declarative sentence to state the main goal or goals of the project in specific terms. Statements that begin with the phrase "I wish to learn ..." or "I plan to examine ..." can be helpful insofar as they can move the topic's abstract notions to a concrete research question, which is the springboard for the resultant research design. Furthermore, a purpose statement can ground the researcher, providing a point of reference to which the researcher may return, particularly as the study increases in complexity. However, this does not imply that the purpose statement is final, because the researcher may revise the statement as needed. If external factors such as unavailability of relevant data force the researcher to make substantial changes to his or her research design, he or she may want to update the purpose statement to reflect those changes.

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Using the Purpose Statement
In addition to serving as a catalyst for the underlying research project, a purpose statement can be worked into subsequent papers or dissertation chapters derived from the project. Always near the end of the introduction, a purpose statement states the paper's intent, scope, and direction. Specifically, it provides for an abbreviated preview of the paper's main topic, while avoiding a discussion of the author's specific conclusions.

In research papers, purpose statements often start with phrases such as "This paper examines ...;" "The main purpose of this study is to ..." or "The aim of this article is to ..." Purpose statements should be specific and precise, and should avoid vague, ambiguous, or confusing language. This ensures that there is no doubt in the reader's mind as to the research project's intended direction.

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Introductions: Purpose Statements versus Thesis Statements
A purpose statement also serves as the foundation for a thesis statement, which provides assertions about the topic at hand and summarizes the author's conclusions. Unlike a purpose statement, a thesis statement provides a cursory answer to the question and is developed after the researcher has gathered evidence, which is presented in the body of the research paper.

The decision to use a thesis statement in the introduction is determined by the underlying norms of the specific discipline, as well as the author's preferences. In some cases, the author may simply state the paper's intended purpose at the outset, delaying the discussion of any results until the end of the paper. At the very least, a research paper introduction should provide a discussion of the research question and some information about how the author intends to explore the question, even if the answers are not presented until the conclusion.

Examples of Thesis and Purpose Statements
Ineffective purpose statement #1: "This paper examines the impact of elites upon elections." It is unclear about what types of elites, what types of elections, or even which potential electoral effects the researcher intends to examine.

Effective purpose statement #1: "This paper examines the extent to which public endorsements by political elites shape electoral participation, particularly in proposition elections where the traditional information shortcut of partisanship is absent."

Thesis statement #1: "Elite cues help increase electoral participation because they provide information shortcuts to potential voters who may not be fully informed about the details of a given electoral contest."

Ineffective purpose statement #2: "This paper examines changes to election laws." In addition to being nonspecific as to what types of election laws are being examined, it is unclear as to whether the author is examining the sources of those changes, or the potential impact of those changes.

Effective purpose statement #2: "This paper examines the potential impact of the straight-ticket voting option upon electoral down-ballot outcomes."

Thesis statement #2: "Although Illinois Republicans appeared to eliminate the straight-ticket option in 1997 for partisan reasons, evidence suggests that Democrats might have actually benefit-ted from this ballot format change."

Michael A. Lewkowicz

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Research Purpose Statements are examined.

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The author makes very salient points in regard to the importance of the purpose statement while providing the impetus for ensuring that students understand the need to establish a purpose for their research from the onslaught. Purposeful research can only occur through the use of defined purpose, and this is why the author ...

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