The Purpose StatementThe Purpose Statement

研究方法論課程報告報告人：余惟茵指導老師：任維廉教授

OutlineOutlineIntroduction of the authorSignificance and meaning of a

purpose statement◦A qualitative purpose statement◦A quantitative purpose statement◦A mixed methods purpose statement

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Introduction about the Introduction about the authorauthor

John  W. Creswell ◦ Professor of Educational Psychology at the

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Educational Profile: 

◦ 1967, B.A., History/Political Science, Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio

◦ 1971, M.A., Student Personnel and Counseling, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

◦ 1974, Ph.D., Higher Education, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

Specialization:◦ Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Methods◦ Qualitative Research, Mixed Method

Research◦ Postsecondary Education Studies

(Departmental Leadership and Faculty Issues in Higher Education)

Current Advisees ◦ Doctoral, 5◦ Doctoral Committees, 15◦ Masters, 3 3

SIGNIFICANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING OF A MEANING OF A PURPOSE STATEMENTPURPOSE STATEMENT

Why you want to do the study and what you want to accomplish (Locke et al., 2007).

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Significance and meaning of Significance and meaning of a purpose statementa purpose statementThis passage conveys the overall

intent of a proposed study in a sentence or several sentences.

The purpose statement sets the objectives, the intent, or the major idea of a proposal or a study.

The idea builds on a need (the problem) and is refined into specific questions (the research questions).

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A QUALITATIVE A QUALITATIVE PURPOSE PURPOSE STATEMENTSTATEMENT

Information about the central phenomenon explored in the studyThe participants in the studyResearch siteEmerging designUsing research words drawn from the language of qualitative inquiry

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A Qualitative Purpose A Qualitative Purpose StatementStatementThe basic design features for writing

the qualitative purpose statement:◦Use words such as purpose, intent, or objective to signal attention to this statement as the central controlling idea.

The purpose (or intent or objective) of this study is (was) (will be) ….

◦ Focus on a single phenomenon (or concept or idea).

◦Use action verbs to convey how learning will take place.

e.g., describe, understand, develop, examine the meaning of, discover…

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A Qualitative Purpose A Qualitative Purpose StatementStatementThe basic design features for writing

the qualitative purpose statement:◦Use neutral words and phrases

(nondirectional language).(O) experiences of individuals(X) successful experiences of individualsProblematic words: useful, positive, informing….◦Provide a general working definition of the

central phenomenon or idea.◦ A tentative definition at this time for ____ (central

phenomenon) is ….◦ Include words denoting the strategy of

inquiry to be used in data collection, analysis, and the process of research.

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A Qualitative Purpose A Qualitative Purpose StatementStatementThe basic design features for writing

the qualitative purpose statement:◦Mention the participants in the study.e.g., individual(s), a group of people, or an entire

organization.

◦Identify the site for the research.e.g., homes, classrooms, organizations, programs, or

events.

◦Include some language that delimits the scope of participation or research sites in the study.

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A Qualitative Purpose A Qualitative Purpose StatementStatementA script for drafting a complete statement:

The purpose of this ______ (strategy of inquiry, such as ethnography, case study, or other type ) study is (was? will be?) to ______ (understand? describe? develop? discover?) the ______ (central phenomenon being studied) for ______ (the participants, such as the individual, groups, organization) at ______ (research site).

At this stage in the research, the ______ (central phenomenon being studied) will be generally defined as ______ (provide a general definition).

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A QUANTITATIVE A QUANTITATIVE PURPOSE PURPOSE STATEMENTSTATEMENT

The variables in the study and their relationshipThe participantsResearch siteLanguage associated with quantitative researchThe deductive testing of relationships or theories

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A quantitative purpose A quantitative purpose statementstatement

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A quantitative purpose A quantitative purpose statementstatementThe major components of a good

quantitative purpose statement include the following:◦ Include words to signal the major intent of

the study. e.g., purpose, intent, or objective.The purpose (or intent or objective) of this study is (was)

(will be) ….◦ Identify the theory, model, or conceptual

framework.Writing a separate “Theoretical Perspective” section.◦ Identify the independent and dependent

variables.

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A quantitative purpose A quantitative purpose statementstatementThe major components of a good

quantitative purpose statement include the following:◦Use words that connect the independent and

dependent variables to indicate that they are related.

the relationship between two or more variables

a comparison of two or more groups

◦Position or order the variable from left to right in the purpose statement, with the independent variable followed by the dependent variable.

controlling for…14

A quantitative purpose A quantitative purpose statementstatementThe major components of a good

quantitative purpose statement include the following:◦Mention the specific type of strategy of

inquiry (such as survey or experimental research)used in the study.

◦Make reference to the participants in the study and mention the research site.

◦Generally define each key variable, preferably using set and accepted established definitions found in the literature.

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A quantitative purpose A quantitative purpose statementstatementA quantitative purpose statement script:

The purpose of this ______ (experiment? Survey?) study is (was? will be?) to test the theory of ______ that ______ (compares? relates? ) the ______ (independent variable) to ______ (dependent variable), controlling for ______ (control variables) for ______ (participants) at ______ (the research site).

The independent variable(s) ______ will be defined as ______ (provide a definition).

The dependent variable(s) ______ will be defined as ______ (provide a definition), and the control and intervening variable(s), ______, (identify the control and intervening variables) will be defined as _________ (provide a general definition).

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A MIXED METHODS A MIXED METHODS PURPOSE PURPOSE STATEMENTSTATEMENT

The overall intent of the studyInformation about both the quantitative and qualitative strands of the studyA rationale of incorporating both strands to study the research problem

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A mixed methods purpose A mixed methods purpose statementstatementThe guidelines of the organization

and presentation of the mixed methods purpose statement:◦Begin with signaling words.The purpose of… The intent of …◦ Indicate the overall intent of the study

from a content perspective.This intent is to learn about…. The intent is to examine ….◦ Indicate the type of mixed methods

design, such as sequential, concurrent, or transformational, that will be used.

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A mixed methods purpose A mixed methods purpose statementstatementThe guidelines of the organization

and presentation of the mixed methods purpose statement:◦Discuss the reasons for both

quantitative and qualitative data.◦ Include the characteristics of a good

qualitative purpose statement.◦ Include the characteristics of a good

quantitative purpose statement.◦Considering adding information about

the specific types of both qualitative and quantitative data collection.

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A mixed methods purpose A mixed methods purpose statementstatement

Mixed methods purpose statement script:1. A sequential study with a quantitative phase

building on initial qualitative phase:The intent of this two-phase, sequential mixed

methods study is to ______ (mention content objective of the study). The first phase will be a qualitative exploration of a ______ (central phenomenon) by collecting ______ (type of data) from ______ (participants) at ______ (research site).

Finding from this quantitative phase will then used to test (a theory, research questions, or hypotheses) that ______ (relate, compare) ______ (independent variable) with ______ (dependent variable), controlling for ______ (control variables) for ______ (sample of population) at ______ (the research site).

The reason for collecting qualitative data initially is that ______ (e.g., instruments are inadequate or not available, variables are not known, there is little guiding theory or few taxonomies). 20

A mixed methods purpose A mixed methods purpose statementstatement Mixed methods purpose statement script:

2. A sequential study with the qualitative follow-up phase building on and helping to explain the initial quantitative phase:The intent of this two-phase, sequential mixed

methods study will be to ______ (mention content objective of the study).

In the first phase, quantitative research questions or hypotheses will address the ______ relationship or comparison of ______ (independent) and ______ (dependent) variables with ______ (participants) at ______ (research site).

Information form this first phase will be explored further in a second qualitative phase. In the second phase, qualitative interviews or observations will be used to probe significant ______ (qualitative results) by exploring aspects of the ______ (central phenomenon) with ______ (a few participants) at ______ (research site).

The reason for following up with qualitative research in the second phase is to ______ (e.g., better understand and explain the quantitative results).

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A mixed methods purpose A mixed methods purpose statementstatementMixed methods purpose statement script:3. A concurrent study with the intent of gathering both

quantitative and qualitative data and merging or integrating them to best understand a research problem:The intent of this concurrent mixed methods

study is to ______ (content objective of the study). In this study, ______ (quantitative instruments) will be used to measure the relationship between ______ (independent variable) and ______ (dependent variable).

At the same time, ______ (central phenomenon) will be explored using ______ (qualitative interviews or observations) with ______ (participants) at ______ (the research site).

The reason for combining both quantitative and qualitative data is better understand this research problem by converging both quantitative (broad numeric trends) and qualitative (detailed views) data.

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A mixed methods purpose A mixed methods purpose statementstatementMixed methods purpose statement script:4. A script that a mixed methods researcher might use with

a transformative mixed methods strategy of inquiry.

The intent of this concurrent mixed methods study is to ______ (state issue that needs to be addressed for group or individual). In this study, ______ (quantitative instruments) will be used to measure the relationship between ______ (independent variable) and ______ (dependent variable).

At the same time, ______ (central phenomenon) will be explored using ______ (qualitative interviews or observations) with ______ (participants) at ______ (the research site).

The reason for combining both quantitative and qualitative data is better understand this research problem by converging both quantitative (broad numeric trends) and qualitative (detailed views) data to advocate for change for ______ (groups or individuals). 23

Q & AQ & A

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