Page 22 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

Bound. This principle guides the process of creating research
objectives that are clear, quantifiable, realistic, aligned with
the research purpose, and defined within a specific timeframe.

◆ Specific- Research objective should be clear, precise, and
free from ambiguity and should address the questions of
what precisely needs to be accomplished and what the
desired outcome is.

◆ Measurable- In order to assess progress and determine
completion, research objectives should be measurable. By
formulating objectives that are measurable, researchers
can track their progress and determine if they have
achieved the desired outcomes, thereby improving the
overall efficacy of the research process.

◆ Goals of the study ◆ Achievable- The researcher should set realistic and
attainable objectives only after considering the available
resources, time constraints, and the researcher’s
capabilities.

◆ Relevant- The research objective should address
significant issues and make a valuable contribution to the
field of study. They should directly contribute to bridging
the research gap or resolving the specific research problem
at hand.

◆ Time-bound- Research objectives should be set in such a
way that there should be timeframes for competition. It
helps to complete the work in a timely manner.

d. Developing a working hypothesis
Hypothesis is a provisional formulation or possible solution or

◆ Tentative tentative explanation or suggested answers to the problem facing
assumption the researcher. A hypothesis is therefore, essentially tentative, likely
to be modified during the investigation of the facts discovered if
the course of enquiry demands it. It is an explanation that needs to
be established before it can be accepted.

For example, the null and alternate hypothesis related to
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities by companies
are as follows:

Null Hypothesis (H ): There is no significant relationship
0
between a company’s CSR activities and its reputation among
consumers.

Alternate Hypothesis (H ): There is a significant relationship
1
between a company’s CSR activities and its reputation among
consumers.

16 SGOU - SLM -MCom Research Methodology