Chapter 5

Specifying a Purpose and Research

Questions or Hypotheses

Power Point Slides by Ronald J. Shope in collaboration with John W. Creswell

Key Ideas

• The difference between purpose

statements, hypotheses, and research
questions
• Variables in quantitative research
• Quantitative purpose statements,
questions, hypotheses
• Qualitative purpose statements,
questions, hypotheses
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What are Purpose Statements, Research
Questions, Hypotheses, and Objectives?

Purpose Research Research

Hypotheses
Statement Questions Objectives
Overall Raise questions Make predictions State Goals
Intent Direction to be answered about expectations

Form One or more One or more One or more One or More

sentences questions Objectives
questions
Quantitative
Use and Quantitative Quantitative Typically
and Research Quantitative
Qualitative
Qualitative Research
Research
Research
End of
Placement Introduction End of the introduction, after the literature
review, or in a separate section of the study
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Why are these statements
and questions important?

• Represent major signposts

• Help identify appropriate methods
• Help link intent with the results

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What We Need to Know to Design Quantitative
Purpose Statements, Research Questions, and
Hypotheses

• What is a variable?
• What is a theory?
• What elements go into these statements
and questions?

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

What is a Variable?
A Variable
(A Characteristic or Attribute)
That can be and

Measured
Varies
(Can be assessed
on an instrument (Can assume
and recorded on different values or
an instrument) scores for
different
individuals)
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 Examples of variables and
non-variables

Variables Difficult but Almost

possibly impossible
• Leadership style measurable
• Organizational
to measure
control variables
variables
• Autism
• Socialization
• Imagination • Subconscious
• Intuition thoughts
• Discrimination • World poverty
• Stereotypes
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 Categorical and Continuous
measures of variables

• A categorical measure is a value of a

variable assigned by the researcher into a
small number of categories. (e.g. Gender)
• A continuous measure is the value of a
variable assigned by the researcher to a
point along a continuum of scores, from
low to high. (e.g. Age)

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 Variables and Constructs

• A Variable is an attribute or characteristic

stated in a specific or applied way
• A Construct is an attribute or
characteristic expressed in an abstract,
general way.

Construct Student Achievement

Variable Grade Point Average

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The Family of Variables in
Quantitative Studies
Probable
Cause Effect
(X) (Y) (Z)
Independent Intervening Dependent
Variables Variables Variables
•Treatment
•Measured

Control
Variables

Moderating Confounding
Variables Variables
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Families of Variables

• Dependent Variables: An attribute or

characteristic influenced by the
independent variable.

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Families of Variables

• Independent Variable: An attribute or

characteristic that influences or effects
an outcome or dependent variable.
– Treatment Variable
– Measured Variable
– Control Variable
– Moderating Variable

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Intervening Variables

• Intervening Variables (Mediating

Variables): An attribute or
characteristic that “stands between” the
dependent and independent variables.

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Example of an Intervening
Variable
Independent Dependent
Step 1 Variable Variable

Example Convenient office hours Student seeks help

for students from faculty

Independent
Independent Intervening
Step 2 Variable Variable
Variable
Convenient office hours Student becomes willing
Example
for students to take risks

Independent Intervening Dependent

Step 3 Variable Variable Variable
Convenient office hours Student becomes willing
Example Student seeks help
for students to take risks from faculty
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Families of Variables

• Confounding Variables (Spurious

Variables): Attributes or characteristics
that the researcher cannot directly
measure because their effects cannot
be easily separated from the other
variables, even though they may
influence the relationship between the
independent and the dependent
variable.
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Theories as Bridges Between
Independent and Dependent Variables

Independent Dependent
Variables Variables

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 Different Types of Explanations in
quantitative research
Broad
Extensive Tests by Abstractions
other researchers
As a formal theory that is expressed by connected
hypotheses and variables identified by authors

As a conceptual framework often expressed as a

visual model by other authors for relationship

As a theoretical rationale posed by other authors

based on studies for relationship

As explanation posed by the author as a hunch for

why the independent variable relates to the
Narrow
No Test dependent variable Application
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Elements of quantitative
purpose statement
• Single sentence
• “The purpose of this study . . .”
• Theory
• Quantitative words (e.g. “Relate,”
“Compare,” “Describe”)

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Elements of quantitative
purpose statement
• Variables
– Independent Variable (1st position in
sentence)
– Dependent Variable (2nd position in
sentence)
– Control and/or mediating variable (3rd
position in sentence)
– Research site
– Participants

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Quantitative Research
Questions
• 3 types:
– Describe results to your variables
– Compare two or more groups on the
independent variable in terms of the
dependent variable
– Relate two or more variables

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Research Hypotheses

• Three types:
– Null hypothesis
– Directional alternative hypothesis
– Non-directional alternative hypothesis

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How do You Design Qualitative Purpose
Statements and Research Questions?

• Understand how these statements and

questions differ from quantitative
research
• Understand the role of a central
phenomenon in qualitative research
• Understand qualitative research as an
emerging process

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 Differences between quantitative and qualitative
purpose statements and research questions

Quantitative - more closed Qualitative - more open-ended

1. Probable Cause/Effect 1. Descriptive (“What
(“Why did it happen?”) happened?”)
2. Use of theories (Why did it 2. Interpretive (“What was the
happen in view of an meaning to people of what
explanation or theory?”) happened?”)
3. Assessing differences and 3. Process-oriented (“What
magnitude happened over time?”)
“How much happened?”
“How many times did it
happen?”
“What were the differences
among groups in what
happened?”

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 Explaining or predicting variables versus
exploring or understanding a Central
Phenomenon

Qualitative
Quantitative
Understanding or
Explaining or exploring a Central
Predicting Variables Phenomenon
X Y
The independent variable (X) Y
influences a dependent
variable (Y) In-depth understanding of Y;
external forces shape and are
shaped by Y
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 Two qualitative research
considerations

• The focus of the research is around a

Central Phenomenon which is an issue or
a process the researcher would like to
study.
• Qualitative research is built on an
emerging design

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Elements of qualitative
purpose statement
• Single sentence
• “The purpose of this study . . . ”
• Central Phenomenon
• State qualitative type of design
• Qualitative words (e.g. “explore,”
“understand,” “discover”)
• Participants
• Research site

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Two Types of qualitative
Research Questions:
• Central question
• Sub-questions
• Differences between research questions
and questions asked during data
collection

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