RESEARCH GUIDE 

Part 1 - Starting    |    Part 2-Researching      |     Part 3-Goal Statement     |     Part 4-Scope of the Problem     |     Part 5-Past Policy 

Part 6-Current Policy    |     Part 7-Policy Options     |     Part 8-Orgs & People     |     Part 9-Glossary      |     Part 10- Presenting

Part 3 - Developing a Goal Statement

1. Overview

2. Elements in the process

3. Characteristics of effective goal statements

4. Sample goal statements

Overview

The goal statement presents the purpose of the research in light of a clear and focused topic.  It forecasts the type of information you are hoping to determine.  For example, a goal statement related to the topic of educational testing and its effects on students with disabilities could be: “To help alleviate the stresses of state testing on students with disabilities as well as to affectively increase the proportion of disabled students participating in regents examinations.” 

In some cases, the goal statement could also be what you are trying to figure out options for.  For example, a student at Hamilton College wanted to do the issue brief because “The goal of this initiative is to double the amount of money available to Annie's Fund, a last-resort fund aiding women of Herkimer and Oneida Counties in New York.” 

Steps to create a goal statement

To create a solid topic or goal statement, you want to formulate the purpose of the research.  This purpose should align with the interests or needs of the partner agency or group, if you have one, but should also remain objective and impartial in its approach.  You are not aiming to prove one particular response or line of policy.  Rather, you are aiming to frame the type of research that you are doing.

Think about framing the goal as a Best Practices research question. Articulate the statement as a goal which the community wishes to achieve, such as "to reduce the number of assaults."

It may be necessary for the researcher and community to jointly whittle down the scope of the goal into a manageable research question, with the context of the timeframe and research team's assignment. For example, a goal such as "to increase public safety in the neighborhood" would pose a difficult, possibly insurmountable, challenge to a researcher. Does this mean "to reduce traffic fatalities", "to reduce the murder rate", or "to make playgrounds safer for neighborhood children?" Without community input and narrowing, a goal this broad would include many sub-goals. Ideally, the research goal should be as specific as possible. IN terms of language, it's helpful to start with a verb (to XX) and then the goal, possibly including numbers as measures.  

Characteristics of effective topic statements

Effective goal or topic statements do the following:

1. They are objective or impartial
2. They clearly state the purpose of the research
3. They help frame the research, giving it a clear focus that is appropriate for the broader context (e.g., the course assignment, the duration of the research, and so on).

Sample goal/topic statements

Below are some examples of properly framed research goals.

• Within the topic of Child Care: Goal: To increase the number of fully-subsidized child care slots available to neighborhood residents.
• Within the topic of Recreation: Goal: To provide after-school recreational and sports activities for elementary school students (grades 1 through 8).
• Within the topic of Job Training: Goal: To provide on-the-job training for unemployed high school graduates.
• Within the topic of Public Safety: Goal: To reduce gang activity in inner-city neighborhoods.
• Within the topic of Health: Goal: To provide preventative health services to low-income residents.
• Within the topic of Economic Development: Goal: To increase the number and success rate of small business start-ups.

Defining the goal properly is absolutely crucial. Without first attending to this detail, the ensuing research will either be overwhelming upon execution or its results will be unusable upon delivery. When a goal appears too broad, consult the needs and asset and encourage community partners to tie its research questions to potential plans for action.