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The rationale for one’s research is the justification for undertaking a given study. It states the reason(s) why a researcher chooses to focus on the topic in question, including what the significance is and what gaps the research intends to fill. In short, it is an explanation that rationalises the need for the study. The rationale is typically followed by a hypothesis/ research question (s) and the study objectives.
When is the rationale for research written?
The rationale of a study can be presented both before and after the research is conducted.
- Before : The rationale is a crucial part of your research proposal , representing the plan of your work as formulated before you execute your study.
- After : Once the study is completed, the rationale is presented in a research paper or dissertation to explain why you focused on the particular question. In this instance, you would link the rationale of your research project to the study aims and outcomes.
Basis for writing the research rationale
The study rationale is predominantly based on preliminary data . A literature review will help you identify gaps in the current knowledge base and also ensure that you avoid duplicating what has already been done. You can then formulate the justification for your study from the existing literature on the subject and the perceived outcomes of the proposed study.
Length of the research rationale
In a research proposal or research article, the rationale would not take up more than a few sentences . A thesis or dissertation would allow for a longer description, which could even run into a couple of paragraphs . The length might even depend on the field of study or nature of the experiment. For instance, a completely novel or unconventional approach might warrant a longer and more detailed justification.
Basic elements of the research rationale
Every research rationale should include some mention or discussion of the following:
- An overview of your conclusions from your literature review
- Gaps in current knowledge
- Inconclusive or controversial findings from previous studies
- The need to build on previous research (e.g. unanswered questions, the need to update concepts in light of new findings and/or new technical advancements).
Example of a research rationale
Note: This uses a fictional study.
Abc xyz is a newly identified microalgal species isolated from fish tanks. While Abc xyz algal blooms have been seen as a threat to pisciculture, some studies have hinted at their unusually high carotenoid content and unique carotenoid profile. Carotenoid profiling has been carried out only in a handful of microalgal species from this genus, and the search for microalgae rich in bioactive carotenoids has not yielded promising candidates so far. This in-depth examination of the carotenoid profile of Abc xyz will help identify and quantify novel and potentially useful carotenoids from an untapped aquaculture resource .
In conclusion
It is important to describe the rationale of your research in order to put the significance and novelty of your specific research project into perspective. Once you have successfully articulated the reason(s) for your research, you will have convinced readers of the importance of your work!
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The research’s rationale describes why the study was undertaken (in a thesis or article) or why the study should be accompanied (in a proposal). This implies that the research justification should explain why the study is/was necessary to the reader or examiner. It is sometimes known as a study’s “purpose” or “justification.” While this is not difficult to understand in and of itself, you may be questioning how the study’s reasoning differs from your research question or the explanation of the problem of your study and how it turns into the remainder of your thesis or research paper.
Introduction
The rationale of your research is the objective of the study. The reason should explain why the research was started in the first place. It’s an essential part of your work since it demonstrates the significance and uniqueness of your research. As a result, it’s often referred to as the study’s reason. Your analysis would be arranged in an ideal world: observation, justification, hypothesis, objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions. To begin writing your rationale, offer background information on all the research on your study topic. Then consider, “What is missing?” or “What are the research’s unanswered questions?” Identify the gaps in the literature and explain why they must be filled. Finally, it resolves to serve as the foundation for your investigation.
A study’s reason might be provided before and after the investigation.
- Before : The reason is essential to your research proposal since it represents the work plan you developed before carrying out your investigation.
- After : When the investigation is over, the justification is given in a literature research paper or thesis to explain why you choose to focus on the specific subject. In this case, you would connect your research project’s logic to the study’s goals and outcomes.
The rationale for the study
Consider a research rationale, a set of arguments explaining why a study is required and significant in light of its context. It is also the study’s reason, rationale, or thesis statement. Essentially, you want to persuade your reader that you are not repeating what others have already stated and that your perspective did not emerge from thin air. You’ve researched and found a knowledge gap that this justification now fills.
Basic elements of the research rationale
Typically, a clinical research justification is provided near the conclusion of the introduction. This area is prominent in high-impact-factor international publications such as Nature and Science. There is usually a line after the introduction that begins with “here we show” or “in this paper, we demonstrate.” This paragraph is part of a logical sequence of information, which is often (but not always) presented in the following order:
- Research background : What brings you here? Present (and cite) previous research and data on the subject.
- A gap in the literature : Which gaps haven’t been addressed based on the background evidence presented? Or, what is the problem that needs to be solved/process that needs to be improved?
- Research rationale : Why is it critical to fill these gaps or to solve/improve this problem/process?
- Research objectives and methodology : What will you investigate (your research question/goal)? How are you going to approach it (methods)?
Hope to accomplish
Describe the issue that your research will address: The problem your study will address, also known as your research subject, informs the reader about the scope of your investigation. Your research topic should be as detailed as possible, especially in a professional environment. In addition, specific research topics are more likely to lead to financing opportunities for your project.
Discourse the methodology for your study: Explain to your audience how you intend to conduct your clinical research and offer a broad timeline for each stage. Include details about how you plan to contact research participants if your study spans several months or years.
Predict the results of your study: A hypothesis isn’t always necessary, but it might assist in supporting your case. If you can make a more than speculative forecast, include it in your rationale. To represent your research topic, make your hypothesis as detailed as possible.
Clarify what you hope your study will accomplish: Your clinical research should uncover something fresh that has not before been explored in your sector. Finding something that no one else has discovered isn’t enough. You must also explain that your findings will significantly advance your field or that they will clear up a past misunderstanding.
In a journal-accepted research manuscript, your justification should be no more than a few words long (no longer than one brief paragraph). A longer description is generally allowed in a manuscript or thesis; depending on the length and type of your material, this might be up to several paragraphs lengthy. A wholly new or unique technique may require a more prolonged and extensive justification than one that deviates somewhat from well-established procedures and approaches.
It is critical to discuss the reason for your study to understand the relevance and uniqueness of your research effort. You will have persuaded readers of the significance of your work once you have adequately expressed the reason(s) for your study. Defining the justification research is a critical component of the research process and academic writing in any reasoning research endeavour . This is what you use in your research paper for the first time to explain the research problem inside your dissertation subject. This will give you the research reason you require to define your research topic and potential outcomes.
About Pubrica
Pubrica’s research team generates scientific and medical research articles that practitioners and authors may use as a resource. Pubrica medical writers help you create and modify the introduction by advising the reader of any defects or holes in the chosen research subject. Our experts are familiar with the structure that begins with a broad topic and then continues to a problem and background before going on to a targeted issue to provide the hypothesis.
- Huggett, Kathryn N., and William B. Jeffries. “Overview of active learning research and rationale for active learning.” How-to Guide for Active Learning . Springer, Cham, 2021. 1-7.
- Bandrowski, Anita, et al. “Sparc data structure: Rationale and design of a fair standard for biomedical research data.” bioRxiv (2021).
- Andriotis, Konstantinos. “RATIONALE FOR LAUNCHING A NEW JOURNAL.” Journal of Qualitative Research 1.1 (2020): 1-6.
- Russell, David R. “Retreading, Non-ing, and a TPC Rationale for Sub-disciplining in Writing Studies.” College English 82.5 (2020): 472-483.
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Rationale of the Study in Research Examples
What is the Rationale of the Study?
The rationale of the study explains the reason why the study was conducted (in an article or thesis) or why the study should be conducted (in a proposal). This means the study rationale should explain to the reader or examiner why the study is/was necessary. It is also sometimes called the “purpose” or “justification” of a study. While this is not difficult to grasp in itself, you might wonder how the rationale of the study is different from your research question or from the statement of the problem of your study, and how it fits into the rest of your thesis or research paper.
The rationale of the study links the background of the study to your specific research question and justifies the need for the latter on the basis of the former. In brief, you first provide and discuss existing data on the topic, and then you tell the reader, based on the background evidence you just presented, where you identified gaps or issues and why you think it is important to address those. The problem statement, lastly, is the formulation of the specific research question you choose to investigate, following logically from your rationale, and the approach you are planning to use to do that.
Table of Contents:
How to write a rationale for a research paper , how do you justify the need for a research study.
- Study Rationale Example: Where Does It Go In Your Paper?
The basis for writing a research rationale is preliminary data or a clear description of an observation. If you are doing basic/theoretical research, then a literature review will help you identify gaps in current knowledge. In applied/practical research, you base your rationale on an existing issue with a certain process (e.g., vaccine proof registration) or practice (e.g., patient treatment) that is well documented and needs to be addressed. By presenting the reader with earlier evidence or observations, you can (and have to) convince them that you are not just repeating what other people have already done or said and that your ideas are not coming out of thin air.
Once you have explained where you are coming from, you should justify the need for doing additional research–this is essentially the rationale of your study. Finally, when you have convinced the reader of the purpose of your work, you can end your introduction section with the statement of the problem of your research that contains clear aims and objectives and also briefly describes (and justifies) your methodological approach.
When is the Rationale for Research Written?
The author can present the study rationale both before and after the research is conducted.
- Before conducting research : The study rationale is a central component of the research proposal . It represents the plan of your work, constructed before the study is actually executed.
- Once research has been conducted : After the study is completed, the rationale is presented in a research article or PhD dissertation to explain why you focused on this specific research question. When writing the study rationale for this purpose, the author should link the rationale of the research to the aims and outcomes of the study.
What to Include in the Study Rationale
Although every study rationale is different and discusses different specific elements of a study’s method or approach, there are some elements that should be included to write a good rationale. Make sure to touch on the following:
- A summary of conclusions from your review of the relevant literature
- What is currently unknown (gaps in knowledge)
- Inconclusive or contested results from previous studies on the same or similar topic
- The necessity to improve or build on previous research, such as to improve methodology or utilize newer techniques and/or technologies
There are different types of limitations that you can use to justify the need for your study. In applied/practical research, the justification for investigating something is always that an existing process/practice has a problem or is not satisfactory. Let’s say, for example, that people in a certain country/city/community commonly complain about hospital care on weekends (not enough staff, not enough attention, no decisions being made), but you looked into it and realized that nobody ever investigated whether these perceived problems are actually based on objective shortages/non-availabilities of care or whether the lower numbers of patients who are treated during weekends are commensurate with the provided services.
In this case, “lack of data” is your justification for digging deeper into the problem. Or, if it is obvious that there is a shortage of staff and provided services on weekends, you could decide to investigate which of the usual procedures are skipped during weekends as a result and what the negative consequences are.
In basic/theoretical research, lack of knowledge is of course a common and accepted justification for additional research—but make sure that it is not your only motivation. “Nobody has ever done this” is only a convincing reason for a study if you explain to the reader why you think we should know more about this specific phenomenon. If there is earlier research but you think it has limitations, then those can usually be classified into “methodological”, “contextual”, and “conceptual” limitations. To identify such limitations, you can ask specific questions and let those questions guide you when you explain to the reader why your study was necessary:
Methodological limitations
- Did earlier studies try but failed to measure/identify a specific phenomenon?
- Was earlier research based on incorrect conceptualizations of variables?
- Were earlier studies based on questionable operationalizations of key concepts?
- Did earlier studies use questionable or inappropriate research designs?
Contextual limitations
- Have recent changes in the studied problem made previous studies irrelevant?
- Are you studying a new/particular context that previous findings do not apply to?
Conceptual limitations
- Do previous findings only make sense within a specific framework or ideology?
Study Rationale Examples
Let’s look at an example from one of our earlier articles on the statement of the problem to clarify how your rationale fits into your introduction section. This is a very short introduction for a practical research study on the challenges of online learning. Your introduction might be much longer (especially the context/background section), and this example does not contain any sources (which you will have to provide for all claims you make and all earlier studies you cite)—but please pay attention to how the background presentation , rationale, and problem statement blend into each other in a logical way so that the reader can follow and has no reason to question your motivation or the foundation of your research.
Background presentation
Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, most educational institutions around the world have transitioned to a fully online study model, at least during peak times of infections and social distancing measures. This transition has not been easy and even two years into the pandemic, problems with online teaching and studying persist (reference needed) .
While the increasing gap between those with access to technology and equipment and those without access has been determined to be one of the main challenges (reference needed) , others claim that online learning offers more opportunities for many students by breaking down barriers of location and distance (reference needed) .
Rationale of the study
Since teachers and students cannot wait for circumstances to go back to normal, the measures that schools and universities have implemented during the last two years, their advantages and disadvantages, and the impact of those measures on students’ progress, satisfaction, and well-being need to be understood so that improvements can be made and demographics that have been left behind can receive the support they need as soon as possible.
Statement of the problem
To identify what changes in the learning environment were considered the most challenging and how those changes relate to a variety of student outcome measures, we conducted surveys and interviews among teachers and students at ten institutions of higher education in four different major cities, two in the US (New York and Chicago), one in South Korea (Seoul), and one in the UK (London). Responses were analyzed with a focus on different student demographics and how they might have been affected differently by the current situation.
How long is a study rationale?
In a research article bound for journal publication, your rationale should not be longer than a few sentences (no longer than one brief paragraph). A dissertation or thesis usually allows for a longer description; depending on the length and nature of your document, this could be up to a couple of paragraphs in length. A completely novel or unconventional approach might warrant a longer and more detailed justification than an approach that slightly deviates from well-established methods and approaches.
Consider Using Professional Editing Services
Now that you know how to write the rationale of the study for a research proposal or paper, you should make use of our free grammar checker , Wordvice AI, or receive professional proofreading services from Wordvice, including research paper editing services and manuscript editing services to polish your submitted research documents.
You can also find many more articles, for example on writing the other parts of your research paper , on choosing a title , or on making sure you understand and adhere to the author instructions before you submit to a journal, on the Wordvice academic resources pages.
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How to Write the Rationale for a Research Paper
A research rationale answers the big SO WHAT? that every adviser, peer reviewer, and editor has in mind when they critique your work. A compelling research rationale increases the chances of your paper being published or your grant proposal being funded. In this article, we look at the purpose of a research rationale, its components and key characteristics, and how to create an effective research rationale.
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The rationale for your research is the reason why you decided to conduct the study in the first place. The motivation for asking the question. The knowledge gap. This is often the most significant part of your publication. It justifies the study’s purpose, novelty, and significance for science or society. It’s a critical part of standard research articles as well as funding proposals.
Essentially, the research rationale answers the big SO WHAT? that every (good) adviser, peer reviewer, and editor has in mind when they critique your work. A compelling research rationale increases the chances of your paper being published or your grant proposal being funded. In this article, we look at:
- the purpose of a research rationale
- its components and key characteristics
- how to create an effective research rationale
What is a research rationale?
Think of a research rationale as a set of reasons that explain why a study is necessary and important based on its background. It’s also known as the justification of the study, rationale, or thesis statement.
Essentially, you want to convince your reader that you’re not reciting what other people have already said and that your opinion hasn’t appeared out of thin air. You’ve done the background reading and identified a knowledge gap that this rationale now explains.
A research rationale is usually written toward the end of the introduction. You’ll see this section clearly in high-impact-factor international journals like Nature and Science. At the end of the introduction there’s always a phrase that begins with something like, “here we show…” or “in this paper we show…” This text is part of a logical sequence of information, typically (but not necessarily) provided in this order:
Here’s an example from a study by Cataldo et al. (2021) on the impact of social media on teenagers’ lives.
Note how the research background, gap, rationale, and objectives logically blend into each other.
The authors chose to put the research aims before the rationale. This is not a problem though. They still achieve a logical sequence. This helps the reader follow their thinking and convinces them about their research’s foundation.
Elements of a research rationale
We saw that the research rationale follows logically from the research background and literature review/observation and leads into your study’s aims and objectives. This might sound somewhat abstract. A helpful way to formulate a research rationale is to answer the question, “Why is this study necessary and important?” Generally, that something has never been done before should not be your only motivation. Use it only If you can give the reader valid evidence why we should learn more about this specific phenomenon.
A well-written introduction covers three key elements:
- What’s the background to the research?
- What has been done before (information relevant to this particular study, but NOT a literature review)?
- Research rationale
Now, let’s see how you might answer the question.
1. This study complements scientific knowledge and understanding
Discuss the shortcomings of previous studies and explain how’ll correct them. Your short review can identify:
- Methodological limitations . The methodology (research design, research approach or sampling) employed in previous works is somewhat flawed. Example : Here , the authors claim that previous studies have failed to explore the role of apathy “as a predictor of functional decline in healthy older adults” (Burhan et al., 2021). At the same time, we know a lot about other age-related neuropsychiatric disorders, like depression. Their study is necessary, then, “to increase our understanding of the cognitive, clinical, and neural correlates of apathy and deconstruct its underlying mechanisms.” (Burhan et al., 2021).
- Contextual limitations . External factors have changed and this has minimized or removed the relevance of previous research. Example : You want to do an empirical study to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of tourists visiting Sicily. Previous studies might have measured tourism determinants in Sicily, but they preceded COVID-19.
- Conceptual limitations . Previous studies are too bound to a specific ideology or a theoretical framework. Example : The work of English novelist E. M. Forster has been extensively researched for its social, political, and aesthetic dimensions. After the 1990s, younger scholars wanted to read his novels as an example of gay fiction. They justified the need to do so based on previous studies’ reliance on homophobic ideology. This kind of rationale is most common in basic/theoretical research.
2. This study can help solve a specific problem
Here, you base your rationale on a process that has a problem or is not satisfactory. For example, patients complain about low-quality hospital care on weekends (staff shortages, inadequate attention, etc.). No one has looked into this (there is a lack of data). So, you explore if the reported problems are true and what can be done to address them. This is a knowledge gap.
Or you set out to explore a specific practice. You might want to study the pros and cons of several entry strategies into the Japanese food market.
It’s vital to explain the problem in detail and stress the practical benefits of its solution. In the first example, the practical implications are recommendations to improve healthcare provision.
In the second example, the impact of your research is to inform the decision-making of businesses wanting to enter the Japanese food market. This kind of rationale is more common in applied/practical research.
3. You’re the best person to conduct this study
It’s a bonus if you can show that you’re uniquely positioned to deliver this study, especially if you’re writing a funding proposal . For an anthropologist wanting to explore gender norms in Ethiopia, this could be that they speak Amharic (Ethiopia’s official language) and have already lived in the country for a few years (ethnographic experience). Or if you want to conduct an interdisciplinary research project, consider partnering up with collaborators whose expertise complements your own. Scientists from different fields might bring different skills and a fresh perspective or have access to the latest tech and equipment. Teaming up with reputable collaborators justifies the need for a study by increasing its credibility and likely impact.
When is the research rationale written?
You can write your research rationale before, or after, conducting the study. In the first case, when you might have a new research idea, and you’re applying for funding to implement it. Or you’re preparing a call for papers for a journal special issue or a conference. Here , for instance, the authors seek to collect studies on the impact of apathy on age-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
In the second case, you have completed the study and are writing a research paper for publication. Looking back, you explain why you did the study in question and how it worked out.
Although the research rationale is part of the introduction, it’s best to write it at the end. Stand back from your study and look at it in the big picture. At this point, it’s easier to convince your reader why your study was both necessary and important.
How long should a research rationale be?
The length of the research rationale is not fixed. Ideally, this will be determined by the guidelines (of your journal, sponsor etc.). The prestigious journal Nature , for instance, calls for articles to be no more than 6 or 8 pages, depending on the content. The introduction should be around 200 words, and, as mentioned, two to three sentences serve as a brief account of the background and rationale of the study, and come at the end of the introduction.
If you’re not provided guidelines, consider these factors:
- Research document : In a thesis or book-length study, the research rationale will be longer than in a journal article. For example, the background and rationale of this book exploring the collective memory of World War I cover more than ten pages.
Which verb tenses to use in the research rationale?
It’s best to use the present tense. Though in a research proposal, the research rationale is likely written in the future tense, as you’re describing the intended or expected outcomes of the research project (the gaps it will fill, the problems it will solve).
Example of a research rationale
Research question : What are the teachers’ perceptions of how a sense of European identity is developed and what underlies such perceptions?
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology , 3(2), 77-101. Burhan, A.M., Yang, J., & Inagawa, T. (2021). Impact of apathy on aging and age-related neuropsychiatric disorders. Research Topic. Frontiers in Psychiatry Cataldo, I., Lepri, B., Neoh, M. J. Y., & Esposito, G. (2021). Social media usage and development of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence: A review. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 11. CiCe Jean Monnet Network (2017). Guidelines for citizenship education in school: Identities and European citizenship children’s identity and citizenship in Europe. Cohen, l, Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education . Eighth edition. London: Routledge. de Prat, R. C. (2013). Euroscepticism, Europhobia and Eurocriticism: The radical parties of the right and left “vis-à-vis” the European Union P.I.E-Peter Lang S.A., Éditions Scientifiques Internationales. European Commission. (2017). Eurydice Brief: Citizenship education at school in Europe. Polyakova, A., & Fligstein, N. (2016). Is European integration causing Europe to become more nationalist? Evidence from the 2007–9 financial crisis. Journal of European Public Policy , 23(1), 60-83. Winter, J. (2014). Sites of Memory, Sites of Mourning: The Great War in European Cultural History . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Rationale for the Study
It is important for you to be able to explain the importance of the research you are conducting by providing valid arguments. Rationale for the study, also referred to as justification for the study, is reason why you have conducted your study in the first place. This part in your paper needs to explain uniqueness and importance of your research. Rationale for the study needs to be specific and ideally, it should relate to the following points:
1. The research needs to contribute to the elimination of a gap in the literature. Elimination of gap in the present literature is one of the compulsory requirements for your study. In other words, you don’t need to ‘re-invent the wheel’ and your research aims and objectives need to focus on new topics. For example, you can choose to conduct an empirical study to assess the implications of COVID-19 pandemic on the numbers of tourists visitors in your city. This might be previously undressed topic, taking into account that COVID-19 pandemic is a relatively recent phenomenon.
Alternatively, if you cannot find a new topic to research, you can attempt to offer fresh perspectives on existing management, business or economic issues. For example, while thousands of studies have been previously conducted to study various aspects of leadership, this topic as far from being exhausted as a research area. Specifically, new studies can be conducted in the area of leadership to analyze the impacts of new communication mediums such as TikTok, and other social networking sites on leadership practices.
You can also discuss the shortcomings of previous works devoted to your research area. Shortcomings in previous studies can be divided into three groups:
a) Methodological limitations . Methodology employed in previous study may be flawed in terms of research design, research approach or sampling.
b) Contextual limitations . Relevance of previous works may be non-existent for the present because external factors have changed.
c) Conceptual limitations . Previous studies may be unjustifiably bound up to a particular model or an ideology.
While discussing the shortcomings of previous studies you should explain how you are going to correct them. This principle is true to almost all areas in business studies i.e. gaps or shortcomings in the literature can be found in relation to almost all areas of business and economics.
2. The research can be conducted to solve a specific problem. It helps if you can explain why you are the right person and in the right position to solve the problem. You have to explain the essence of the problem in a detailed manner and highlight practical benefits associated with the solution of the problem. Suppose, your dissertation topic is “a study into advantages and disadvantages of various entry strategies into Chinese market”. In this case, you can say that practical implications of your research relates to assisting businesses aiming to enter Chinese market to do more informed decision making.
Alternatively, if your research is devoted to the analysis of impacts of CSR programs and initiatives on brand image, practical contributions of your study would relate to contributing to the level of effectiveness of CSR programs of businesses.
Additional examples of studies that can assist to address specific practical problems may include the following:
- A study into the reasons of high employee turnover at Hanson Brick
- A critical analysis of employee motivation problems at Esporta, Finchley Road, London
- A research into effective succession planning at Microsoft
- A study into major differences between private and public primary education in the USA and implications of these differences on the quality of education
However, it is important to note that it is not an obligatory for a dissertation to be associated with the solution of a specific problem. Dissertations can be purely theory-based as well. Examples of such studies include the following:
- Born or bred: revising The Great Man theory of leadership in the 21 st century
- A critical analysis of the relevance of McClelland’s Achievement theory to the US information technology industry
- Neoliberalism as a major reason behind the emergence of the global financial and economic crisis of 2007-2009
- Analysis of Lewin’s Model of Change and its relevance to pharmaceutical sector of France
3. Your study has to contribute to the level of professional development of the researcher . That is you. You have to explain in a detailed manner in what ways your research contributes to the achievement of your long-term career aspirations.
For example, you have selected a research topic of “ A critical analysis of the relevance of McClelland’s Achievement theory in the US information technology industry ”. You may state that you associate your career aspirations with becoming an IT executive in the US, and accordingly, in-depth knowledge of employee motivation in this industry is going to contribute your chances of success in your chosen career path.
Therefore, you are in a better position if you have already identified your career objectives, so that during the research process you can get detailed knowledge about various aspects of your chosen industry.
My e-book, The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Dissertation in Business Studies: a step by step assistance offers practical assistance to complete a dissertation with minimum or no stress. The e-book covers all stages of writing a dissertation starting from the selection to the research area to submitting the completed version of the work within the deadline.
John Dudovskiy
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How do you Write the Rationale for Research?
- By DiscoverPhDs
- October 21, 2020
What is the Rationale of Research?
The term rationale of research means the reason for performing the research study in question. In writing your rational you should able to convey why there was a need for your study to be carried out. It’s an important part of your research paper that should explain how your research was novel and explain why it was significant; this helps the reader understand why your research question needed to be addressed in your research paper, term paper or other research report.
The rationale for research is also sometimes referred to as the justification for the study. When writing your rational, first begin by introducing and explaining what other researchers have published on within your research field.
Having explained the work of previous literature and prior research, include discussion about where the gaps in knowledge are in your field. Use these to define potential research questions that need answering and explain the importance of addressing these unanswered questions.
The rationale conveys to the reader of your publication exactly why your research topic was needed and why it was significant . Having defined your research rationale, you would then go on to define your hypothesis and your research objectives.
Final Comments
Defining the rationale research, is a key part of the research process and academic writing in any research project. You use this in your research paper to firstly explain the research problem within your dissertation topic. This gives you the research justification you need to define your research question and what the expected outcomes may be.
The term monotonic relationship is a statistical definition that is used to describe the link between two variables.
Self-plagiarism is when you try and pass off work that you’ve previously done as something that is completely new.
The term research instrument refers to any tool that you may use to collect, measure and analyse research data.
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This article will answer common questions about the PhD synopsis, give guidance on how to write one, and provide my thoughts on samples.
The unit of analysis refers to the main parameter that you’re investigating in your research project or study.
Dr Cesário has a PhD in Digital Media from the University of Porto. She’s now pursuing an academic career as a Postdoc in HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) as part of an EU project. She’s also aiming to teach in subjects including User-Centered Design and Interactive Media Design.
Dr Joseph gained her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2018 and is now a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Physics at the University. Her research is on better understanding how cells organises its contents via the process of liquid-liquid phase separation.
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Literature Review: Purpose of a Literature Review
- Literature Review
- Purpose of a Literature Review
- Work in Progress
- Compiling & Writing
- Books, Articles, & Web Pages
- Types of Literature Reviews
- Departmental Differences
- Citation Styles & Plagiarism
- Know the Difference! Systematic Review vs. Literature Review
The purpose of a literature review is to:
- Provide foundation of knowledge on topic
- Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication and give credit to other researchers
- Identify inconstancies: gaps in research, conflicts in previous studies, open questions left from other research
- Identify need for additional research (justifying your research)
- Identify the relationship of works in context of its contribution to the topic and to other works
- Place your own research within the context of existing literature making a case for why further study is needed.
Videos & Tutorials
VIDEO: What is the role of a literature review in research? What's it mean to "review" the literature? Get the big picture of what to expect as part of the process. This video is published under a Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license. License, credits, and contact information can be found here: https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/litreview/
Elements in a Literature Review
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Rationale For Literature Review
Question 2. review the scholarly literature within the.
Review the scholarly literature within the field of your program specialization related to your proposed (or School-approved) dissertation topic. Analyze the reviewed literature to determine what is already known about your proposed (or School-approved) dissertation topic and what remains unknown. Synthesize your findings and evaluate how a study on your proposed (or School-approved) dissertation topic could be designed to advance the scholarly research in this area while maintaining ethical research requirements.
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The rationale behind selection a literature review as study methodology, because the literature review method help to demonstrate and describe current knowledge
What Factors Are Involved in the Increasing Prevalence of Type II Diabetes in Adolescents living in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 11 Works Cited
Systematically carrying out a literature review involves step by step processes (Machi and McEvoy, 2009) of how the selection and appraisal of important articles was done. This should be transparent, reproducible and rigorous. Literature reviews are important in research because it is progressive to build a new research concept on existing body of knowledge.
Nursing Research Class Notes
Literature Review: A summary of key research findings from other studies, which lead into your study. If you are studying in a
A Sample Quantitative Research Proposal
[Note: This sample proposal is based on a composite of past proposals, simulated information and references, and material I’ve included for illustration purposes – it is based roughly on a fairly standard research proposal; I say roughly because there is no one set way of creating a quantitative research proposal. Much of its design is based on the nature of the research, your preferences, and your decisions regarding how to describe or portray what it is you plan to accomplish. The material in this document was adopted from a dissertation proposal created by Dr. Ralph Brockett. A biography
FINAL Psy 325
Dunbar, G. (2005). Evaluating Research Methods in Psychology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Cdv/5353 Week 1 Assignment
I narrowed search to include articles that have been peer reviewed and published between 2005 and 2015
Sociological View on Deviance and Drug Use Essay
"This literature review will use a selection of available documents on the topic, which contain information, ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfill certain aims or express certain views on the nature of the topic and how it is to be investigated, and the effective evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being proposed."
Analyse Research Assignment
Peer-review means that the article is reviewed by colleagues that are specialized in the topic of interest. Peer-review is important to research because it gives the article legitimacy.
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It is therefore vital for students to be able to evaluate and critique research papers in order for them to regulate the validity of a study and to apply theories to practise. A research critique measures the value and importance of a study and this is going to be determined by evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the study (Brockopp & Tolsma, 2003, p. 400). Critical appraisal is the process of carefully and systematically examining research to judge its trustworthiness, and its value and relevance in a particular context (Astin 2009). The aim of this essay is to
Australia’s Cultural Perspective of Gender and Violence, A Research Outline
The purpose of a literature review is to collect information on the proposed research topic, and to identify what research, if any, has already been done (McKinney, 2008). This will highlight what information is still needed in order to gain a better understanding of the topic (McKinney, 2008). It is important to know what is already understood about the topic, so that any research conducted will contribute to the field and further develop the existing knowledge (McKinney, 2008).
Article Bibliography : Annotated Bibliography
An essential part to a good research plan that will result in a completed dissertation is having reliable information that will support the need for the research topic in the first place (2004). Trochim (2006) discussed validity of information variable relationships in regards to their validity being conclusive, internal construct or external; or a combination of the four based on the researchers observations. Articles critiques require researchers’ to locate scholarly information that could potentially relate to their research topic. The literature review relationship with the research topic is essential; in that it might provide the bases for additional research in a particular area. The literature review can expand manuscript quality and peer reviewing abilities potentially improving the acceptance of the completed work (Kulage, & Larson, 2016).
Cautions Of Outcomes Of A Literature Review
Taylor, D. (2010, June 28). Writing the Literature Review (Part One): Step-by-Step Tutorial for Graduate Students [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IUZWZX4OGI
Critique Of A Scholastic Literature Review
Review of Related Literature and Studies is known as an overview of previous researches and or publications on the author’s area of concentration or topic. According to Mongan-Rallis (2014), a literature review, which is another term for the
A Research Study On Choosing A Topic Essay
A review of the literature provides more detailed information on the chosen topic. Its purpose is to give the researcher knowledge that will form the foundation for his or her study and therefore, the information must be related to the topic. Not only does it provide basic information on the variables in the topic but also covers various relatable studies conducted in the past; how, where they were conducted, and the conclusions that the researcher(s) came to. Literature can be obtained from a wide variety of sources; newspapers, journals, databases, books, encyclopedias, digital sources, and much more. Information obtained in this section helps the researcher understand the magnitude of the problem defined in the first stage, recognize any consequences and gaps that other researchers may have not filled, and identify potential strategies to combat the problem. It serves as a secondary source of information. Based on
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COMMENTS
A good example of centralization is the establishment of the Common Core State Standards Initiative in the United States. Centralization is a process by which planning and decision-making of an organization are concentrated in one group or ...
The two types of literature are written and oral. Written literature includes novels and poetry. It also has subsections of prose, fiction, myths, novels and short stories. Oral literature includes folklore, ballads, myths and fables.
The two most general types of literature are fiction and nonfiction. Fiction is literature created through the author’s imagination, while nonfiction is literature based on fact. Within these two categories, literature can be broken down in...
Example of a research rationale. Note: This uses a fictional study. Abc xyz is a newly identified microalgal species isolated from fish tanks. While Abc xyz
The research's rationale describes why the study was undertaken (in a thesis or article) or why the study should be accompanied (in a proposal). This implies
The rationale of the study explains the reason why the study was conducted (in an article or thesis) or why the study should be conducted (in a
Here, you base your rationale on a process that has a problem or is not satisfactory. For example, patients
To write your rationale, you should first write a background on what all research has been done on your study topic. Follow this with 'what is
Rationale for the Study · 1. The research needs to contribute to the elimination of a gap in the literature. · 2. The research can be conducted to solve a
The term rationale of research means the reason for performing the research study in question. In writing your rational you should able to
Identify inconstancies: gaps in research, conflicts in previous studies, open questions left from other research; Identify need for additional
It also outlines the main strategies which you can use to write a good literature review. The essay will also analyze the advantages of literature review, the
1.6 Problem Description · 2.3 Let's Write: First Lines and Literature Review Of Research Thesis · 1.7 Research Aim, Questions and Objectives · 1.3
through making one aware of the many findings evident within literature reviews on the topic. They argue for example that many of the studies carried out