How to Write Research Objectives

The general objective expresses the main purpose of the study in one clear statement.

Example:

“To assess the factors associated with poor glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.”

Specific objectives break the general objective into smaller, measurable, and analysis-friendly components.

Example:

• To determine the level of glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. 

• To compare glycemic control according to demographic and clinical characteristics. 

• To identify factors associated with poor glycemic control. 

A good objective should be:

Avoid vague objectives such as “to know about all aspects of the problem.”

Do not include an outcome in the objective if it cannot be measured using your proposed methodology.

Do not create multiple specific objectives that address essentially the same issue with only minor changes in wording.

When the research objectives are properly formulated, the methodology, data collection process, and statistical analysis become much more structured and logically connected.