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Writing Effective Purpose Statements

The document discusses writing effective purpose statements. It states that a purpose statement should be specific, concise, clear, and goal-oriented. It provides examples of ineffective purpose statements that are too vague or broad, and examples of effective purpose statements that clearly state what will be discussed and the intended outcome for the reader. The document also gives common introductory phrases that can be used to write a purpose statement.

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Muhammad Bilal
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35 views

Writing Effective Purpose Statements

The document discusses writing effective purpose statements. It states that a purpose statement should be specific, concise, clear, and goal-oriented. It provides examples of ineffective purpose statements that are too vague or broad, and examples of effective purpose statements that clearly state what will be discussed and the intended outcome for the reader. The document also gives common introductory phrases that can be used to write a purpose statement.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Bilal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Writing Effective Purpose Statements

A purpose statement is a declarative sentence which summarizes the specific topic and
goals of a document. It is typically included in the introduction to give the reader an
accurate, concrete understanding what the document will cover and what he/she can
gain from reading it. To be effective, a statement of purpose should be:

A purpose statement is a declarative sentence which summarizes the specific topic and
goals of a document. It is typically included in the introduction to give the reader and
accurate, concrete understanding what the document will cover and what he/she can
gain from reading it. To be effective, a statement of purpose should be:

 Specific and precise - not general, broad or obscure


 Concise - one or two sentences
 Clear - not vague, ambiguous or confusing
 Goal-oriented - stated in terms of desired outcomes

Some common introductory phrases for purpose statements include:

 "The purpose of this paper/letter/document is to..."


 "In this paper, I will describe/explain/review/etc. the..."
 "My reason for writing is to..."
 "This paper will discuss the..."
 "The purpose of this paper is twofold: to ___ and ___"

Examples of Ineffective Purpose Statements:


(1) "The purpose of this paper is to describe the changes that are occurring in
corporate America."

Critique: too vague and broad. No clear expectation of what the reader will
learn. Questions: What specific changes in corporate America will be
described? What types of changes? What aspects of corporate America will be
discussed? Will this paper also discuss the effects of these changes?

(2) "The purpose of this report is to discuss the eating disorders Anorexia and
Bulimia."

Critique: too vague and broad. It is not clear what aspect of these disorders will
be discussed, or what the reader will learn. Questions: What specific aspects of
these eating disorders will be discussed? The causes of these disorders? The
signs or symptoms of these disorders? The effects of these disorders? If so,
what types of effects - physical, emotional, psychological?

(3) "This article will cover the different ways a company can become
organized."

Critique: obscure and misleading. It is not clear what is meant by "different


ways" or "become organized." These terms are vaguely stated and
ambiguous. Questions: What is meant by "different ways" and "become
organized"? What, specifically, will the reader learn about companies and how
they become organized? Any specific types of organization? Any specific types
of companies?

Examples of effective purpose statements:


(1) "This paper will describe four common causes of co-worker conflict in
organizations and explain how to use a five-step procedure to constructively
manage this conflict."

Critique: Very specific about what aspects of conflict will be discussed. Very


precise about how much information will be given. Very clear about what the
reader will learn.

(2) "This report will explain how supervisors can use four planning strategies to
improve employee productivity in the workplace."

 Critique: Very specific about what will be discussed (planning


strategies), and what the outcome will be for the reader (how to improve
employee productivity).

(3) "This purpose of this report is to describe the main causes of traffic
congestion in Seattle."

Critique: Leaves no doubt about the report's main purpose. Specific about the
focus of the traffic congestion (Seattle).

Phenomenology has its roots in a 20th century philosophical movement based on the work of the
philosopher Edmund Husserl. As research tool, phenomenology is based on the academic
disciplines of philosophy and psychology and has become a widely accepted method for
describing human experiences.  Phenomenology is a qualitative research method that is used to
describe how human beings experience a certain phenomenon.  A phenomenological study
attempts to set aside biases and preconceived assumptions about human experiences, feelings,
and responses to a particular situation.  It allows the researcher to delve into the perceptions,
perspectives, understandings, and feelings of those people who have actually experienced or
lived the phenomenon or situation of interest.  Therefore, phenomenology can be defined as the
direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced by people living
those experiences.  Phenomenological research is typically conducted through the use of in-depth
interviews of small samples of participants.  By studying the perspectives of multiple
participants, a researcher can begin to make generalizations regarding what it is like to
experience a certain phenomenon from the perspective of those that have lived the experience.

Following is a list of the main characteristics of phenomenology research:

 It seeks to understand how people experience a particular situation or phenomenon.


 It is conducted primarily through in-depth conversations and interviews; however, some
studies may collect data from diaries, drawings, or observation.
 Small samples sizes, often 10 or less participants, are common in phenomenological
studies.
 Interview questions are open-ended to allow the participants to fully describe the
experience from their own view point.
 Phenomenology is centered on the participants’ experiences with no regard to social or
cultural norms, traditions, or preconceived ideas about the experience.
 It focuses on these four aspects of a lived experience:  lived spaced, lived body, lived
time, and lived human relations.
 Data collected is qualitative and analysis includes an attempt to identify themes or make
generalizations regarding how a particular phenomenon is actually perceived or
experienced.
Researchers conducting phenomenological studies are interested in the life experiences of
humans.  This type of research can be applied to wide variety of situations and phenomena.  
Below are just a few examples of topics that would lend themselves to phenomenological study:

 How do parents of an autistic child cope with the news that their child has autism?
 What is it like to experience being trapped in a natural disaster, such as a flood or
hurricane?
 How does it feel to live with a life-threatening aneurism?
 What is it like to be a minority in a predominantly white community?
 What is like to survive an airplane crash?
 How do cancer patients cope with a terminal diagnosis?
 What is it like to be a victim of sexual assault?
The next modules in this series will explore phenomenology research methods, data analysis and
the strengths and limitations of this type of research.

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