Masters Dissertation Example

1.3 Aims and Objectives 
This study aims to investigate empirically the conservation impact of research published in the 
scientific literature from the perspective of both researchers and practitioners. This broad aim 
can be separated into six main objectives: 
1)
To establish the extent to which research findings published in the scientific literature 
contribute to species conservation action. 
2)
To identify the factors that facilitate implementation of research findings in order to 
inform the debate as to how scientific information can best be used to maximise 
conservation impact. 
3)
To investigate whether the journal in which the research is published, and the 
characteristics of the paper, have any impact upon implementation of findings into 
conservation action 
4)
To establish the forms of dissemination that facilitate implementation of research 
findings 
5)
To inform the policy advocacy debate by quantifying the role of recommendations in 
implementation of research findings 
6)
To assess the perceptions of conservation practitioners in relation to the role of 
published research in practical species conservation action, and establish the extent to 
which practitioners consult the scientific literature 

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2. Background 
2.1 The role of research in conservation 
Conservation is an applied science (Robinson, 2006) and involves the interaction of a variety 
of different sectors and issues, of which scientific research is only one branch (Salafsky et al, 
2002). As an ideal, the role of research can be viewed as an iterative process by which 
conservation action is continually refined by research findings and monitoring, stimulating and 
promoting increasingly effective conservation measures (Fuller et al, 2003) (fig 1). This use of 
evidence of success and failures to refine techniques is known as adaptive management 
(Huetemman, 2005)