Aims and Objectives 2

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

NOW THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC, THE NEXT STAGE IS TO BEGIN DESIGNING AND PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT IS USUALLY EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF AN AIM AND OBJECTIVES (3)

WHAT ARE AIMS & OBJECTIVES?

AN AIM IS A GENERAL STATEMENT, WHICH REFLECTS THE INTENTION OR PURPOSE OF YOUR CHOSEN AREA OF RESEARCH.
AN OBJECTIVE IS A SPECIFIC STATEMENT RELATING TO THE DEFINED GOAL / AIM OF YOUR RESEARCH.
IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE OBJECTIVE TO SATISFY YOUR RESEARCH AIM BUT IT IS SUGGESTED THAT YOU LIMIT THIS TO 3
IN SIMPLE TERMS THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES ARE INTERRELATED. THE AIM IS WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE, AND THE OBJECTIVE DESCRIBES HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT AIM.

WRITING AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

FIRSTLY YOU NEED TO CONSIDER EXACTLY WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR RESEARCH. THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THE VERB YOU USE. YOU NEED TO CONVINCE YOURSELF AND YOUR SUPERVISOR THAT WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO IS ACHIEVABLE

AS YOU CAN SEE THE AIM PAINTS THE PICTURE OF YOUR RESEARCH.
THE KIND OF VERBS YOU SHOULD BE USING ARE:
TO INVESTIGATE
TO ASSESS
TO DETERMINE
TO IDENTIFY

YOU MUST DISCUSS THIS AIM THOROUGHLY WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR, MISTAKES AT THIS STAGE CAN HAVE SERIOUS EFFECTS ON THE WHOLE DISSERTATION

SOME EXAMPLES FROM PAST DISSERTATIONS ARE:-

TO INVESTIGATE CONSUMER AWARENESS OF THE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN “TOO MUCH SALT IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH”

TO IDENTIFY IF BRITAIN IS TRULY A NATION OF BINGE DRINKERS

TO INVESTIGATE HOW THE NEW LICENSING LAWS WILL AFFECT PEOPLE’S DRINKING HABITS

TO INVESTIGATE IF CONSUMER NEEDS ARE BEING MET IN THE VEGETARAN MEAT-FREE MARKET, SPECIFICALLY IN SUPERMARKETS AND RESTAURANTS

TO DETERMINE WHICH INDIVIDUAL HOTEL ATTRIBUTES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN SELECTING FIVE STAR ACCOMODATION

TO INVESTIGATE CONSUMER’S LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT AA STAR HOTEL CLASSIFICATION GRADING SCHEME

TO INVESTIGATE THE CHANGES IN LICENSING LAW

TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THE AVERAGE PERSON DRINKS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS

TO ASSESS CONSUMER AWARENESS OF THE HEALH & SOCIAL RISKS OF ALCOHOL

WHICH OF THESE DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE GOOD AIMS AND WHY?

ONCE THE AIM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, THE NEXT TASK IS TO THINK ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES.

MOST OF YOU OBJECTIVES WILL BE ATTITUDINAL OR KNOWLEDGE OBJECTIVES ALTHOUGH THERE ARE OTHER TYPES.
KNOWLEDGE OBJECTIVES USUALLY ENCOMPASSES A LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING, PROBLEM- SOLVING AND /OR THE ABILITY TO RECALL INFORMATION
ATTITUDINAL OBJECTIVES USUALLY DEAL WITH GAINING INFORMATION FROM A GROUP OF PEOPLE RELATING TO THEIR ATTITUDES
ATTITUDINAL OBJECTIVES ALLOW FOR ASSUMPTIONS TO BE MADE AS WELL AS AN ACCEPTANCE OF OTHER (LESS CONVENTIONAL ) VIEWS
E.G. TO REVIEW RELEVANT LITERATURE TO ASSESS CONSUMER OPINIONS OF………. TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO……….. TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS LINKED TO OCCUPATION
ETC. ETC.
THE OBJECTIVES CAN DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE METHODOLOGY TO BE USED,
E.G. COST-ANALYSIS
E.G. FOCUS GROUPS / QUESTIONNAIRES
YOU MUST REMEMBER OBJECTIVES HAVE TO FULFIL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AIM
IT IS ALSO USEFUL TO NOTE, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REALISTIC TIME SCHEDULE MAY HELP TO PRIORITISE YOUR OBJECTIVES AND HELP TO MINIMISE WASTED TIME AND EFFORT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO WRITE BOTH THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES CLEARLY AND PRECISELY AS THIS HELPS TO REFLECT YOUR LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING WITH REGARDS TO THE RESEARCH TOPIC. IN ADDITION, THE CLARITY OF YOUR AIM AND OBJECTIVES WILL ALLOW THE READER TO ASCERTAIN: • WHO : YOUR CHOSEN SUBJECTS, UNITS, GOODS OR SERVICES • WHERE : YOUR RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT • WHAT : YOUR FACTOR OF INTEREST • HOW : YOUR PLAN TO ACHIEVE YOUR AIM AND OBJECTIVES