An obligatory part of any scientific publication, be it an article, a monograph, a dissertation, or even abstracts, is an indication of the objectives of the study. In this article, we will show why a correctly formulated goal is the key to the success of scientific work.

The purpose of scientific research is to answer the question why this experiment is being conducted. The scientist must formulate the significance of the result that he hopes to obtain after completion of the work.

It is important to understand that scientific research can have only one goal. Sometimes it is permissible for it to consist of two parts, but then these components must necessarily be logically connected.

Let's see why this is so.

In fact, the goal follows from the research problem, and the problem is determined by the topic. You can build a whole hierarchical pyramid: theme - problems - goal - tasks.

For example, if a scientist works on the topic “The Impact of Global Warming on the Behavior of Polar Birds,” the problems will probably be related to the fact that climate change has significantly affected the lives of these animals and, probably, for the worse.

The purpose of this hypothetical article can be formulated in one of the possible ways presented below:

1. To study the effect of global warming on the behavior of polar birds.

2. To identify changes in the behavior of polar birds associated with global warming.

3. Demonstrate the relationship between changes in polar bird behavior and global warming.

The goal should be clear and understandable. You cannot write abstract statements and general phrases. Already at this stage it is necessary to clearly imagine whether it is possible to realize what was intended and, if so, how to do it. It is recommended to use verbs in an indefinite form: “study”, “determine”, “develop”, “reveal”, “establish”. Another option is to start the phrase with the noun: “investigation”, “determination”, “demonstration”, “clarification”.