In this section, consider how your problem, research question, and approach/design/methodology inform your purpose. See the attached PowerPoint presentation for how to approach your purpose statement for various designs.

If qualitative, fill in the blanks:

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).

If quantitative, fill in the blanks:

The purpose of this (experiment? survey?)study is (was? will be?)to test the theory of (theory name)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) will be defined as (provide a definition).