Honours Research Project (HRP)

Week 2: Research Aims and

Objectives
21st October 2014

Professor David J. Edwards

Intended learning objectives

The fundamental purpose of this lecture is to help you refine your thoughts and
ideas for finalising your research aims and objectives.
Specifically, the lecture will provide guidance on:
What is a research aim and what are the things you need to consider when
writing one;
What is a research objective(s) and what are the things you need to consider
when writing one;

The lecture concludes with a practical workshop where you present your
research aims and objectives for discussion and feedback.

What is a research aim?

Research aims are broad statements that describe what you hope to
accomplish in terms of the desired outcomes emanating from your research.

Aspirations

Outcomes

Research
aims

Accomplishments

Intentions

Aims project the future intended

outcomes arising as a result of
your research. A good research
project may have two or three
research aims and have several
objectives associated with it,
although there are no hard and fast
rules.

What is a research aim?

Questions to be asked
Before defining your aim ask yourself the following simple questions:
Is the proposed research
significant enough to warrant undertaking the
work?
Will the research results
be of use of value? Think
about social, political or
economic aspirations.
Why
is the
resear
ch a
priorit
y?

What is a research aim?

The process for generating good IDEAS

Discussion: Discuss and debate your ideas

with your peers and supervisors.

Enlightenment
Discussion

Introspection

Appreciation

Ideas

Introspection: Reflect upon your personal

and professional strengths and interests.
What subjects are you best at and what have
you enjoyed most?

Share

Enlightenment: Keep abreast of the

industrys latest developments by scanning
the professional media and conduct a
preliminary scan of the academic literature.
Appreciation: Refer to previous research
projects and dissertations to obtain an
appreciation for what you need to do.
Share: Work in groups to share ideas and
knowledge.

What is a research aim?

Make sure that your literature review is exhaustive
Are there gaps in
existing knowledge?
Have previous studies
conducted been
inconclusive?
Have previous studies
used inappropriate
methodological
designs?

What is a research aim?

When conceptualising your aim, consider:
Specific precisely target an area of research;
Measurable clearly specify the output(s) of your work together with any incremental
indicators of progress;
Achievable make sure that you can complete the programme of research specified;
Realistic definitively state what can realistically be achieved given available resources.
Time-related manage your time and allocate sufficient to complete each stage of the
research (that is, to include chapters relating to literature review, methodology, analysis,
results and discussions, conclusions and future research).

THINK SMART!

What is a research aim?

Whenever possible, use strong verbs within your aim(s) and avoid woolly
statements that incorporate weak verbs.

Strong verbs

Weak Verbs

E.g. Classify, develop,

measure & synthesise

E.g. Consider,
appreciate, learn &
understand

What are research objectives?

A research objective provides a clear and unequivocal declarative statement
that details, amongst other things:

How, where and what data you are going to collect;

How you are going to collate or measure variables;
How you are going to test differences, similarities or relationships between variables; and/ or
What the research will achieve or produce.

Objectives must be inextricably linked to the problem statement or hypothesis.

A good tip Make sure that you spend some time at the end of your research project writeup to revisit your projects aims and objectives.

What are research objectives?

When developing your
research objectives,
consider using
terminology such as:

Identify
Collect

Establish

Analyse

Describe

Research
objectives

Compare

Determine

Develop

Estimate

What are research objectives?

Clear and properly formulated research objectives therefore help the
researcher to:
Focus the study onto a specific area of scientific investigation;
Avoid researching tangential areas of interest that do not progress the core aims, questions
or hypothesis proposed;
Avoid wasting unnecessary time and energy collecting irrelevant data; and/ or
Organise the research far more logically and complete the work efficiently and effectively.

What are research objectives?

There are two types of objective:
General objectives
Broad goals to be achieved.
Generally less in number than specific
objectives.

Specific objectives
Specific objectives help to define the research
scope.
More specific objectives are cited.
They are narrowly defined and precise.
Often each specific objective will address a
various aspect of the research.

Differences between aims and objectives?

Remember that an aim is what you want to do whereas the objectives are how
you are going to do it. For example:
Aim:
To measure the impact of low vibration damping systems, fitted to electric
power tools, upon the vascular health of construction workers.
Objectives:
To synthesise the literature and provide a critical appraisal of works conducted to date;
To measure power tool emission values (m/s) using ISO 5349 standards parts 1&2; and
To conduct regular health surveillance monitoring of a sample of workers over a 3 year
longitudinal period.

Some worked examples

The following eight examples of aims and objectives are interjected with
reflective thoughts and commentary for discussion amongst students within the
class

Aims and objectives - Example 1

Aim:
To study earthquake resilience of UK construction methods

Objectives:

Visit UK earthquake hotspots

Interview property developers in hotspots
Compare UK with Japanese construction methods
Recommend changes to UK construction practices

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 1

Some questions that you may wish to pose:

Is the research area important given that the UK is largely earthquake free?
Is the comparison to Japan of value given that seismic readings in Japan are far greater than
those obtained within the UK?
Is the regurgitation of Japanese best practice a contribution to knowledge?

Aims and objectives - Example 2

Aim:
The aim of my research is to discover the publics perception of the UK planning system
within my local area.

Objectives:
To research the general publics knowledge and attitudes towards the UK planning system in
my local area with the construction of a questionnaire and structured interviews.
To discover the factors that contribute towards the public perception of the planning system
and suggest improvements that could be made.

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 2

Some questions that you may wish to pose

Is perception reality?
What is the value of this research and to whom?
Can the research findings be generalised to other local authorities i.e. what is the inherent value?
Is the research really UK wide when the study is focused upon an apparent case study of one
local authority?

Aims and objectives - Example 3

Aim:
The aim of this research is to review the issues involved with high rise flats in order to
determine the future for high rise flats and if this is the way forward.

Objectives:
Review the history on how these buildings came about, why they were demolished and
where they went wrong.
Review the technical, social, economic, environmental and security issues surrounding
these buildings.
Discuss the issues reviewed to conclude why high rise flats can be the way forward.

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 3

Some questions that you may wish to pose

What issues are we referring to here? Is the fundamental question vague?

What is the value of this research and to whom?
Is the research problem clearly defined and delineated?
Is a review and discussion a true contribution to new knowledge?

Aims and objectives - Example 4

Aim:
The central aim of this paper is to evaluate and criticise the effectiveness of collaborative
working in partnering arrangements throughout the construction industry.

Objectives:
This aim will be achieved by completing the following objectives:
Establish the reasoning and history behind the construction industrys move towards adopting
collaborative working techniques through partnering arrangements in the construction sector.
Identify a robust criteria for collaborative working within the construction industry from
established theoretical evidence.
Obtain and evaluate the view of professionals (working within a partnering arrangement) on the
identified collaborative working criteria, through primary research.
Distinguish the current limitations and challenges that partnering arrangements face when
implementing collaborative working.
Ascertain the importance of the examined criteria when utilising collaborative working.

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 4

Some questions that you may wish to pose

Is the research biased given that the work sets out to criticise contemporary practice?
Do the aims clearly state what the product of the research is?

Aims and objectives - Example 5

Aim:
The main aims of this project are:

What effect has the current recession had on industries compared to previous ones?
Describe what effect the recession has had on small businesses?
Describe the sectors/areas of the economy that have been worse affected?
Discuss if any areas of the economy are seeing benefits from the recession?
How has the recent years troubles affected people? The UK has seen a huge rise in
unemployment, what help has been offered by the government?
Discuss how the government and companies are working together to get through these
difficult times.
What impact will this have on future trading? Will it be more competitive now?
Discuss if businesses need to change the way they operate to help themselves in the
future?
Discuss what advice is being given? Is it correct and appropriate? Who is giving the advice?
Speak to business owners in different sectors and see how the recession has affected them
for better or worse?

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 5

Some questions that you may wish to pose

Are the proposed aims too broad and all encompassing?

Is it clear what industry(/ies) are under discussion here?
Are aims and objectives mixed together and would clearer definition [between aims and
objectives] improve the proposed work?
Is the proposed work broad, superficial and lacking in clarity?
Are the products of this research clearly elucidated upon?
Do the aims provide any clear guidance on how they will be realised?

Aims and objectives - Example 6

Aim:
This paper aims to critically evaluate development architecture and townscape design within
the JQ since 2002, in the context of the potential WH bid.

Objectives:
This will be achieved through the following objectives:
Assess the significance of the JQ architectural and townscape form in the WH Cultural
Heritage definition.
Outline guidance regarding development within potential WH sites.
Develop criteria against which to critically evaluate development within the JQ since 2002.
Critically evaluate development since 2002 against the criteria.
Recommend modification of existing local conservation planning policy with regard to the
WH ambition.

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 6

Some questions that you may wish to pose

Are acronyms and abbreviations per se helpful in explaining research aims particularly to the
non-specialist reader?
Do the objectives adequately describe how the criteria is going to be developed?

Aims and objectives - Example 7

Aim:
This research aims to examine the implications of legal, and illegal, urban growing initiatives
in terms of local sustainability and land use.

Objectives:
Explore the issue of urban food production in relation to land use and the impact on local
sustainability.
Critically review the relationship and differences between established legal food growing
initiatives (such as community growers) and illegal action (guerrilla gardeners).
Investigate, for a small number of such groups, the key stakeholders, structures, aspirations
and means of selecting/using land.
Consider the groups/individuals impact on the space surrounding where they grow.
Provide recommendations for increasing urban sustainability in terms of local urban food
production.

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 7

Some questions that you may wish to pose

Can the aim be easily comprehended?

Are the objectives clearly defined and do they provide a clear route to developing a research
product?
Is the inherent value of the research clearly elucidated upon?

Aims and objectives - Example 8

Aim:
The aim of the research was: To determine how interventions can facilitate sustainable energy
behaviours. In this context interventions refer to different types of sustainable energy projects,
be they projects initiated by agencies (e.g. local authorities, housing associations, etc) or local
residents, which install either a renewable energy technology onto a home or public building, or
energy efficiency measures, or both. These installations may be part of a wider project about
energy sustainability. Sustainable energy behaviours include choosing to participate in a
project, having technologies or energy efficiency measures installed, or reducing consumption of
energy.

Objectives:
Critically review theories of individuals and their relationship to technology, and communities and
their relationship to technology.
Explore individual uses of energy, and how these change in response to interventions.
Investigate the significance of community and how this changes in response to interventions.
Examine the role of key individuals in facilitating sustainable energy behaviours, and how this is
different (if indeed it is) in different types of interventions.
Determine key factors which facilitate sustainable behaviours.

Pause for thought - Commentary on Example 8

Some questions that you may wish to pose

Could the aims be more concise and lucid or be split into two (or more) clearly defined aims?
Do the objectives overly rely upon a synthesis of literature?
Is the product of the research clearly defined and elaborated upon?
What is the value of [what appears to be largely] a literature review?

A good example?
Aim: The underlying aim of the research was to develop algorithms for predicting the total average
hourly maintenance costs of tracked hydraulic excavators. Where the concept of total cost includes
both the direct costs of general maintenance and repair works, and the indirect costs of downtime
(the financial loss of lost production). The objectives associated with this aim are:

Objectives:

Conduct a thorough literature review of the plant management practices currently used within the
construction plant sector;
Reveal any weaknesses of maintenance strategies adopted;
Identify factors which impact upon machine maintenance costs;
Develop a model for predicting machine maintenance costs;
Determine the financial loss incurred as a result of plant breakdown and consequently, develop a
model with which to accurately predict such costs; and
Propose future work which will aim to integrate both indirect and direct costs of maintenance.

Ingredients within a good example?

Novelty the work has not previously been
undertaken to such an extent.
Product clearly defined as an algorithm for
predicting total costs of maintenance on
excavators.
Context precise and draws upon a critical
synthesis of the literature.

Approach clearly defined via the scientific

measurement of factors/ variables.

Could it be improved upon?

Yes of course!

Task for this weeks workshop

Present and discuss your aims and objectives to your peers.

Revise aims and objectives as appropriate.

Present a first draft of your aims and objectives to your supervisors.

Thank you for listening! Be sure to

finalise your research aims and
objectives this week if possible!
21st October 2014

Professor David J. Edwards, BSc, PhD,

MABS, MCMPE, Ass.M.RE, FIoQ
Head of the Centre for Plant and Machinery Management