Q: How long should the rationale of the study be?
Asked on 31 May, 2020
There is no prescribed length as such for the rationale (or justification) of the study. Plus, it depends on several factors.
- Research document: In a thesis/dissertation, you get more space compared with a journal article. So, your rationale in the former could be longer than that in the latter.
- Research question: Research into an absolutely new area may warrant a somewhat long/detailed justification, whereas research that aims to plug a gap in literature may not require a very long explanation.
- Background of study: At times, the background of the study may lead into or blend seamlessly into the rationale, as both in a way talk about the ‘why’ of the study.
You should let your research question and literature search guide you on the length. Having said that, you could go with a thumb rule of a para or so for the paper (adding a para or so if it’s a thesis/dissertation) and about three/four lines for the proposal. At times, the length in the proposal could be more because, after all, you need to convince your supervisor/senior/funder with a strong rationale. :-)
For tips on writing the actual rationale, you may refer to the following resources:
- How to write the rationale for research?
- Can you give an example of the "rationale of a study"?
- How to write the first paragraph in the rationale of research?
All the best for the rationale – and the entire study/paper!