Strong nursing dissertation aims and
objectives give a study a clear direction. Specifically, the
aim states what the dissertation intends to achieve overall, while the
objectives divide that purpose into specific, answerable tasks.
Therefore, this guide explains how to write both, choose suitable verbs
and keep them aligned with the research question, method, findings and
conclusion.
Above all, the key principle is alignment. Together, your objectives should
collectively achieve the aim without introducing a different population,
setting, intervention or outcome.
In addition, recheck the objectives after any agreed change to your research question so the project remains consistent.
Key Takeaways
- Use one focused overarching aim unless your university requires
otherwise. - Write three to five distinct objectives when that number fits the
project. - Choose verbs that match the study design and the claims it can
support. - State what the study will establish, not the methods used to obtain
evidence. - Trace every objective through the findings, discussion and
conclusion.
What Is a Nursing Dissertation Aim?
In particular, a research aim is a concise statement describing the
overall purpose of the dissertation. Specifically, it should identify
the central topic and, where relevant, the population, setting,
intervention or phenomenon of interest. Moreover, nursing research texts
emphasise that a clear purpose helps maintain consistency between the
research problem, design and interpretation (Gray and Grove, 2021; Polit
and Beck, 2021).
In practical terms, a useful aim answers:
What is this dissertation trying to achieve?
Weak aim:
To investigate diabetes.
Better aim:
To evaluate evidence on nurse-led education for supporting
self-management among adults with type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, the stronger version specifies the topic, population and
purpose. Moreover, it is focused without predicting the result.
What Are Research Objectives?
In practice, research objectives break the overall aim into smaller
tasks. Therefore, together, they show what the dissertation must
establish to fulfil its purpose.
For example:
Aim:
To explore registered nurses’ experiences of caring for adults with
dementia in acute hospital wards.
Objectives:
- To identify the main challenges nurses experience when caring for
adults with dementia. - To explore factors affecting person-centred dementia care.
- To examine barriers to effective communication.
- To identify implications arising from the findings for nursing
practice.
Consequently, each objective performs a different function while
contributing to the same overall purpose.
Aim vs Objectives
| Aim | Objectives |
|---|---|
| States the overall purpose | Break the purpose into specific tasks |
| Is broad enough to encompass the whole study but remains focused |
Are narrower and individually answerable |
| Usually appears as one main statement | Usually appear as several related statements |
| Explains what the study seeks to achieve | Explain what must be examined to achieve it |
For example, a useful way to remember the difference is:
Aim = destination
Objectives = steps needed to reach it
How to Turn an Aim Into Objectives
First, create an objective ladder. Begin with the
overall purpose, then divide it into distinct analytical stages.
For example, suppose your aim is:
To explore newly qualified nurses’ experiences of workplace support
during transition into acute hospital practice.
Objective 1: Identify the Main Issue
To identify the forms of workplace support reported by newly
qualified nurses.
Objective 2: Explore the Experience
To explore how newly qualified nurses perceive the influence of
workplace support on transition.
Objective 3: Examine Barriers and Facilitators
To examine barriers and facilitators affecting access to workplace
support.
Objective 4: Identify Relevant Implications
To identify implications arising from the findings for supporting
newly qualified nurses during transition.
Next, read the objectives together. Therefore, they should fulfil the
aim collectively, yet each should add something different.
Use the SMART Test Carefully
For example, students are told to make objectives SMART: specific,
measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. In particular, this can
be helpful, particularly in quantitative, quality-improvement and
project-based work. However, not every qualitative or evidence-review
objective needs a numerical measure or a deadline written into the
sentence.
Therefore, use the framework as a feasibility check rather than
forcing awkward wording:
- Specific: Is the population, issue or relationship
clear? - Measurable or answerable: Can the proposed evidence
address it? - Achievable: Is it realistic within the available
access, time and word count? - Relevant: Does it contribute directly to the
aim? - Time-aware: Can it be completed within the
dissertation schedule?
However, your university’s guidance and approved design should take
priority over a generic formula.
Choose the Right Verbs
Moreover, the opening verb should reflect what the study can
realistically achieve.
For Exploratory or Qualitative Studies
- explore;
- understand;
- examine;
- identify;
- describe.
For Quantitative Studies
- assess;
- determine;
- compare;
- estimate;
- examine the association between.
For Evidence-Review Dissertations
- synthesise;
- evaluate;
- compare;
- identify;
- examine.
However, avoid unnecessarily strong wording such as
prove, guarantee or confirm
that X causes Y unless the design can genuinely establish
causality. For example, a cross-sectional study may examine an
association, but it normally cannot prove that one variable caused
another.
Nursing Dissertation Aim and Objectives Examples
Example 1: Qualitative Nursing Dissertation
Topic: Nurses’ experiences of dementia care.
Aim:
To explore registered nurses’ experiences of caring for adults with
dementia in acute hospital wards.
Objectives:
- To identify challenges nurses experience when caring for adults with
dementia. - To explore factors supporting person-centred care.
- To examine barriers to effective communication.
- To identify implications for nursing practice.
Example 2: Quantitative Nursing Dissertation
Topic: Nurse staffing and inpatient falls.
Aim:
To examine the association between registered nurse staffing levels and
inpatient fall rates in adult medical wards.
Objectives:
- To describe registered nurse staffing levels within the study
setting. - To determine inpatient fall rates during the study period.
- To examine the association between staffing levels and fall
rates.
Therefore, this wording does not claim that staffing levels cause
falls because an observational design may establish association rather
than causation.
Example 3: Nursing Literature Review
Topic: Nurse-led diabetes education.
Aim:
To synthesise evidence on nurse-led education for supporting
self-management among adults with type 2 diabetes.
Objectives:
- To identify studies examining nurse-led education for adults with
type 2 diabetes. - To compare the characteristics of the interventions.
- To synthesise reported self-management outcomes.
- To identify gaps in the available evidence.
Align the Problem, Question, Aim and Objectives
Although these elements have different jobs, they must describe the
same study.
| Component | Example |
|---|---|
| Problem | The experiences of registered nurses providing end-of-life care in acute hospitals are not fully understood |
| Research question | How do registered nurses experience providing end-of-life care in acute hospitals? |
| Aim | To explore registered nurses’ experiences of providing end-of-life care in acute hospitals |
| Objective 1 | To identify challenges nurses experience |
| Objective 2 | To explore factors supporting effective care |
| Objective 3 | To examine barriers to communication |
For instance, if the project concerns registered nurses,
end-of-life care and acute hospitals, an objective about
family satisfaction in hospices introduces a different
population and setting. Therefore, either remove it or revise the whole
project coherently.
Meanwhile, if you are still defining the underlying issue, read our
guide to writing
a nursing research problem statement.
Do Not Confuse Objectives With Methods
Notably, this is a common mistake.
Method:
Search CINAHL and MEDLINE.
Objective:
To identify contemporary studies examining nurse-led discharge
education.
Similarly:
Method:
Conduct semi-structured interviews.
Objective:
To explore nurses’ experiences of communicating with patients receiving
end-of-life care.
In short, objectives explain what the dissertation needs to
establish. By contrast, methods explain how the
evidence will be obtained and analysed. For example, a search
strategy, interview schedule, questionnaire or statistical test
therefore belongs in the methodology rather than the objective list.
How Many Objectives Should You Have?
However, there is no universal number. For many student
dissertations, three to five focused objectives are manageable, but the
university brief and supervisor’s guidance take priority.
Therefore, do not add objectives simply to make the study appear more
substantial. In addition, every objective should contribute directly to
the aim. Ask:
- Is this objective necessary?
- Can my data or reviewed evidence answer it?
- Is it distinct from the other objectives?
- Will I address it in the findings and conclusion?
Overall, a small set of coherent objectives is stronger than a long
list that the dissertation cannot fulfil.
Map Objectives Across the Dissertation
Moreover, objectives should not disappear after the introduction. For
example, create a tracking table during planning and update it while
writing.
| Objective | Findings | Discussion | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective 1 | Evidence presented? | Meaning interpreted? | Answer summarised? |
| Objective 2 | Evidence presented? | Meaning interpreted? | Answer summarised? |
| Objective 3 | Evidence presented? | Meaning interpreted? | Answer summarised? |
Consequently, this check prevents objective drift,
where the dissertation begins with one set of objectives but analyses
something different. It also helps organise the discussion chapter
around the questions the study promised to address.
Common Mistakes and Corrections
Writing an Aim That Is Too Broad
Weak: To explore patient safety.
Better: To explore registered nurses’ experiences of
medication-administration interruptions on adult medical wards.
Repeating the Aim in Every Objective
Instead, objectives should divide the aim into different analytical
tasks rather than restating it several times with minor wording
changes.
Introducing a New Topic
Likewise, keep the same population, issue and setting throughout the
aim and objectives.
Writing Objectives That Cannot Be Answered
Instead, do not include an objective if your data, access or
literature cannot address it. Therefore, reframe it before data
collection or review screening rather than ignoring it later.
Predicting the Result
Importantly, an objective should not assume that an intervention will
work or that a relationship will be significant. Instead, state what
will be assessed, compared or explored.
Forgetting the Objectives in the Conclusion
Finally, the final chapter should state whether the aim was achieved
and summarise how each objective was addressed. Moreover, it should not
introduce new findings.
Five-Question Objective Test
Finally, before keeping an objective, ask:
- Does it contribute directly to the aim?
- Is it specific and distinct?
- Can the available evidence answer it?
- Does its verb match the research design?
- Can I trace it through the findings, discussion and conclusion?
Therefore, if several answers are no, revise the objective or
reconsider the project scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a nursing dissertation have more than one aim?
However, yes, depending on the project and university requirements.
However, one focused overarching aim is often easier to manage and
defend.
Should objectives be numbered?
Therefore, numbering is useful because it makes individual objectives
easier to track throughout the dissertation.
Do literature-review dissertations need objectives?
Often, yes. Their objectives normally describe what evidence will be
identified, compared, synthesised or evaluated. Finally, follow the
approved review type and university template.
Should objectives appear again in the conclusion?
Accordingly, the conclusion should make clear whether the overall aim
was achieved and how the main objectives were addressed. It does not
need to copy every sentence word for word.
Can I change my objectives after starting the dissertation?
In addition, objectives can be refined when reading, feasibility
checks or supervisor feedback reveal a problem. However, any change must
also be reflected in the question, method, analysis and relevant
approval documents. Therefore, do not quietly change an objective after
collecting data if doing so would alter the approved study.
Final Checklist
Finally, before finalising your nursing dissertation aims and
objectives, check that:
- the aim states one clear overall purpose;
- every objective contributes directly to the aim;
- each objective performs a different task;
- the same population, setting and key concepts remain
consistent; - the verbs match what the evidence and design can establish;
- methods have not been presented as objectives;
- every objective can be addressed using the available evidence;
- the findings, discussion and conclusion return to the stated
objectives; - the wording follows the university brief and any approved
protocol.
Get Help Aligning Your Nursing Dissertation
For example, if your topic, problem statement, question, aim and
objectives do not yet form one coherent chain, our nursing
dissertation support can help you identify the mismatch and improve
the research plan. Importantly, support should strengthen your
understanding and decision-making; it should never involve fabricated
data, invented references or misrepresentation of authorship.
Conclusion
Overall, strong nursing dissertation aims and
objectives keep the entire project focused. First, begin with
one clear overall aim and divide it into a small number of distinct,
feasible and answerable objectives.
Ultimately, the most important check is alignment. Moreover, each
objective should contribute directly to the same purpose and remain
visible in the method, findings, discussion and conclusion.
Consequently, when the language matches the research design and the
scope fits the available evidence, the dissertation becomes easier to
structure and defend.
References
Gray, J.R. and Grove, S.K. (2021) Burns and Grove’s The Practice
of Nursing Research: Appraisal, Synthesis, and Generation of
Evidence. 9th edn. St Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Polit, D.F. and Beck, C.T. (2021) Nursing Research: Generating
and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice. 11th edn.
Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
University of Manchester (n.d.) Academic Phrasebank: Introducing
Work. Available at: https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/introducing-work/
(Accessed: 24 August 2026).
