General and Specific Research Objectives: Examples for Quantitative and Qualitative Studies
Research objectives tell your reader exactly what your study will do. Clear objectives make your research easier to plan, easier to examine and easier to defend. Many universities ask for one general objective and several specific objectives, and the way you write them often depends on whether your study is quantitative or qualitative. This guide explains the difference and gives examples you can learn from.
What Are Research Objectives?
Research objectives are short statements that describe what your study aims to achieve. They turn your broad research aim into concrete, achievable steps. Each objective usually starts with an action verb, such as identify, examine, compare or evaluate.
General Objective vs Specific Objectives
| General objective | Specific objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The overall purpose of the study | The smaller, measurable steps needed to achieve the general objective |
| How many | Usually one | Usually three to five |
| Level of detail | Broad | Narrow and precise |
| Example | To examine the factors affecting employee retention in UK retail firms | To identify the main reasons staff leave; to assess the effect of pay on retention; to evaluate the role of training opportunities |
The general objective is very close to your research aim. Some departments use “aim” and “general objective” to mean the same thing. Our guide to dissertation aims and objectives explains the difference in more detail.
How to Write Good Research Objectives
Strong objectives are often described as SMART:
- Specific: they focus on one clear task.
- Measurable: you can tell when they have been achieved.
- Achievable: they are realistic within your time and resources.
- Relevant: they relate directly to your research problem.
- Time-bound: they can be completed within your project timeline.
Useful verbs for research objectives
- Quantitative studies: measure, determine, compare, assess, test, examine the relationship between, estimate.
- Qualitative studies: explore, understand, describe, interpret, investigate, identify themes in.
- Both: identify, evaluate, analyse, recommend.
Avoid vague verbs such as know, study or look at, as they do not show what you will actually do.
Quantitative Research Objectives: Examples
Quantitative objectives focus on measuring variables, testing relationships and comparing groups.
Business
General objective: To examine the relationship between social media marketing and brand loyalty among young UK consumers.
- To measure the frequency of consumers’ engagement with brands on social media.
- To determine the relationship between social media engagement and repeat purchase intention.
- To compare brand loyalty levels across different social media platforms.
Education
General objective: To assess the effect of online quizzes on students’ exam performance.
- To compare the exam scores of students who used weekly quizzes with those who did not.
- To determine whether quiz frequency is related to final grades.
- To measure students’ satisfaction with the quizzes.
Health
General objective: To evaluate the impact of a workplace exercise programme on employee wellbeing.
- To measure employees’ self-reported wellbeing before and after the programme.
- To compare sickness absence rates between participants and non-participants.
- To assess whether participation levels differ by age group.
Qualitative Research Objectives: Examples
Qualitative objectives focus on exploring experiences, perceptions and meanings.
Social work
General objective: To explore the experiences of young carers in accessing support services.
- To understand how young carers describe their caring responsibilities.
- To identify the barriers young carers face when seeking support.
- To explore what young carers believe would improve existing services.
Nursing
General objective: To explore nurses’ perceptions of patient-centred care on busy hospital wards.
- To describe how nurses define patient-centred care.
- To identify the challenges nurses face in delivering it.
- To explore the strategies nurses use to overcome these challenges.
Management
General objective: To investigate how managers in small businesses experience remote team leadership.
- To explore managers’ views on communication with remote teams.
- To identify themes in how managers build trust remotely.
- To recommend practical approaches for leading remote teams.
For thematic analysis, a common method for qualitative objectives like these, see our guide on what thematic analysis is.
Research Objectives Format and Template
Most departments expect objectives to follow a simple, consistent format. A common structure is:
To + action verb + what you will study + in which context or population.
- To identify + the main causes of staff turnover + in UK hospitality businesses.
- To compare + attendance rates + between online and face-to-face students.
- To explore + the experiences of first-generation students + at a UK university.
You can use the following template in your introduction or proposal:
The general objective of this study is to [verb] [topic] in [context]. To achieve this, the study has the following specific objectives:
1. To [verb] [first part of the problem].
2. To [verb] [second part of the problem].
3. To [verb] [third part of the problem].
4. To recommend [practical outcome] based on the findings.
Many dissertations end the list with an objective that leads to recommendations, as this shows how the research will be useful in practice.
Examples of Research Objectives in a Research Proposal
In a research proposal, objectives show your supervisor or review panel that your project is focused and achievable. Here are examples for different subjects.
Marketing (mixed methods)
General objective: To evaluate the influence of online customer reviews on hotel booking decisions.
- To measure how often customers read reviews before booking a hotel.
- To determine whether review ratings are related to booking intention.
- To explore how customers judge whether a review is trustworthy.
Psychology (quantitative)
General objective: To examine the relationship between social media use and sleep quality among university students.
- To measure students’ daily social media use.
- To assess students’ self-reported sleep quality.
- To test whether higher social media use before bedtime is associated with poorer sleep quality.
Education (qualitative)
General objective: To explore teachers’ experiences of using artificial intelligence tools in lesson planning.
- To describe how teachers currently use AI tools when planning lessons.
- To identify the benefits and concerns teachers associate with these tools.
- To explore what support teachers feel they need to use AI tools effectively.
Accounting and finance (quantitative)
General objective: To assess the relationship between corporate governance practices and financial performance in listed UK companies.
- To identify the corporate governance practices disclosed in company annual reports.
- To measure company financial performance using published financial data.
- To examine whether board characteristics are related to financial performance.
Aims vs Objectives vs Research Questions
| Element | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Aim | States the overall purpose in one sentence | To understand why students drop out of online courses |
| Objectives | Breaks the aim into actions | To identify the reasons students give for leaving online courses |
| Research questions | Turns each objective into a question to answer | What reasons do students give for leaving online courses? |
How Objectives Link to Research Questions
Each specific objective should usually have a matching research question. For example:
| Objective | Research question |
|---|---|
| To identify the barriers young carers face when seeking support | What barriers do young carers face when seeking support? |
| To determine the relationship between social media engagement and repeat purchase intention | Is there a relationship between social media engagement and repeat purchase intention? |
This link keeps your dissertation focused, and makes it easy to show in your conclusion that every objective has been met.
How to Write the “Objectives of the Study” Section
The “objectives of the study” section is usually short, often half a page. Follow these steps:
- Restate the research problem in one sentence, so the reader understands why the objectives matter.
- State the general objective, starting with “The general objective of this study is to…”.
- List the specific objectives as a numbered list, each starting with an action verb.
- Check the order. Arrange the objectives in a logical sequence, usually the order in which you will address them in your findings chapter.
- Check each objective against your methods. Make sure your data collection will actually allow you to achieve every objective.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too many objectives: five or more specific objectives can be hard to achieve in a single dissertation.
- Objectives that are really methods: “To conduct interviews” describes a method, not an objective.
- Overlapping objectives: each one should cover a distinct part of the study.
- Objectives that do not match the problem statement: your objectives should respond directly to the research problem. See our problem statement examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many specific objectives should a dissertation have?
Most dissertations have three to five specific objectives, but check your department’s guidance.
Can objectives change during research?
Small changes are common, especially in qualitative research. Discuss any major changes with your supervisor.
Where do research objectives go?
They are usually stated in the introduction chapter, after the background and problem statement, and they are often repeated in the methodology and conclusion.
Should quantitative and qualitative objectives use different verbs?
Yes. Quantitative objectives usually use verbs such as measure, compare or determine, while qualitative objectives use verbs such as explore, understand or describe. Mixed-methods studies often use both.
What is the difference between general and specific objectives?
The general objective states the overall purpose of the study. Specific objectives break it into smaller, measurable steps that together achieve the general objective.
More Research Objectives Examples
For more examples across subjects, see our research objectives examples. If you need help writing your proposal, our dissertation proposal writing service can support you.
