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
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

What are Purpose Statements, Research

Questions, Hypotheses, and Objectives?
Purpose Research
Research
Hypotheses
Statement Questions
Objectives
Intent

Overall
Direction

Form

One or more

Use

Quantitative
and
Qualitative
Research

Placement

sentences

End of
Introduction

Raise questions
to be answered

Make predictions
about expectations

One or more
questions

One or more
questions

One or More
Objectives

Quantitative
and
Qualitative
Research

Quantitative
Research

Typically
Quantitative
Research

State Goals

End of the introduction, after the literature

review, or in a separate section of the study

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

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?

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What is a Variable?
A Variable
(A Characteristic or Attribute)

That can be
Measured
(Can be assessed
on an instrument
and recorded on
an instrument)

and

Varies
(Can assume
different values or
scores for
different
individuals)

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Examples of variables and

non-variables
Difficult but
possibly
measurable
variables

Variables

Leadership style
Organizational
control
Autism

Socialization
Imagination
Intuition
Discrimination

Almost
impossible
to measure
variables
Subconscious
thoughts
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

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

The Family of Variables in

Quantitative Studies
Probable
Cause
(X)

Independent
Variables
Treatment
Measured

(Y)
Intervening
Variables

Effect
(Z)
Dependent
Variables

Control
Variables
Moderating
Variables

Confounding
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
Step 1

Independent
Variable

Dependent
Variable

Example Convenient office hours

Student seeks help

from faculty

for students

Step 2
Example

Step 3
Example

Independent
Independent
Variable
Variable
Convenient office hours
for students

Independent
Variable
Convenient office hours
for students

Intervening
Variable
Student becomes willing
to take risks

Intervening
Variable
Student becomes willing
to take risks

Dependent
Variable
Student seeks help
from faculty

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

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
Variables

Dependent
Variables

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Different Types of Explanations in

quantitative research
Extensive Tests by
other researchers As a formal theory that is expressed by connected

Broad
Abstractions

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

No Test

As explanation posed by the author as a hunch for

why the independent variable relates to the
dependent variable

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Narrow
Application

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
1. Probable Cause/Effect
(Why did it happen?)
2. Use of theories (Why did it
happen in view of an
explanation or theory?)
3. Assessing differences and
magnitude
How much happened?
How many times did it
happen?
What were the differences
among groups in what
happened?

Qualitative - more open-ended

1. Descriptive (What
happened?)
2. Interpretive (What was the
meaning to people of what
happened?)
3. Process-oriented (What
happened over time?)

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Explaining or predicting variables versus

exploring or understanding a Central
Phenomenon

Quantitative
Explaining or
Predicting Variables
X

Qualitative
Understanding or
exploring a Central
Phenomenon

The independent variable (X)

influences a dependent
variable (Y)

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

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

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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