For example, suppose you want to study how working the night shift affects the academic performance of college students who are taking classes during the day. A narrow question would measure a specific impact based on a specific amount of hours worked.
Justify the methodology you’re using. If there’s another methodology that might accomplish the same result, describe it and explain why your methodology is superior — perhaps because it’s more efficient, takes less time, or uses fewer resources. For example, you might get more information out of personal interviews, but creating an online questionnaire is more cost-effective. Particularly if you’re seeking funding or support, this section of your rationale will also include details about the cost of your study and the facilities or resources you’ll need. [4] X Research source
For example, if you’re studying the effect of working the night shift on academic performance, you might hypothesize that working 4 or more nights a week lowers students’ grade point averages by more than 1 point.
Use action words, such as “quantify” or “establish,” when writing your goals. For example, you might write that one goal of your study is to “quantify the degree to which working at night inhibits the academic performance of college students. " If you are a professional researcher, your objectives may need to be more specific and concrete. The organization you submit your rationale to will have details about the requirements to apply for funding and other support. [7] X Research source
Going into extensive detail usually isn’t necessary. Instead, highlight the findings of the most significant work in the field that addressed a similar question. Provide references so that your readers can examine the previous studies for themselves and compare them to your proposed study.
Methodological limitations: Previous studies failed to measure the variables appropriately or used a research design that had problems or biases Contextual limitations: Previous studies aren’t relevant because circumstances have changed regarding the variables measured Conceptual limitations: Previous studies are too tied up in a specific ideology or framework
For example, if a previous study had been conducted to support a university’s policy that full-time students were not permitted to work, you might argue that it was too tied up in that specific ideology and that this biased the results. You could then point out that your study is not intended to advance any particular policy.
As a student, you might emphasize your major and specific classes you’ve taken that give you particular knowledge about the subject of your study. If you’ve served as a research assistant on a study with a similar methodology or covering a similar research question, you might mention that as well. If you’re a professional researcher, focus on the experience you have in a particular field as well as the studies you’ve done in the past. If you have done studies with a similar methodology that were important in your field, you might mention those as well.
For example, if you are planning to conduct the study as fulfillment of the research requirement for your degree program, you might discuss any specific guidelines for that research requirement and list how your study meets those criteria.
In most programs, there will be specific wording for you to include in your rationale if you’re submitting it for a certain number of credits. Your instructor or advisor can help make sure you’ve worded this appropriately.
