Published on November 6, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 28, 2022. A problem statement is a concise and concrete
summary of the research problem you seek to address. It should: There are various situations in which you might have to write a problem statement. In the business world, writing a problem statement is often the first step in kicking off an improvement project. In this case, the problem statement is usually a stand-alone document. In academic research, writing a problem statement can help you contextualize and understand the significance of
your research problem. It is often several paragraphs long, and serves as the basis for your research proposal. Alternatively, it can be condensed into just a few sentences in your introduction. A problem statement looks different depending on whether you’re
dealing with a practical, real-world problem or a theoretical issue. Regardless, all problem statements follow a similar process. The problem statement should frame your research problem, giving some background on what is already known. Practical research problemsFor practical research, focus on the concrete details of the situation:
Theoretical research problemsFor theoretical research, think about the scientific, social, geographical and/or historical background:
Step 2: Show why it mattersThe problem statement should also address the relevance of the research. Why is it important that the problem is addressed? Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to do something groundbreaking or world-changing. It’s more important that the problem is researchable, feasible, and clearly addresses a relevant issue in your field. Practical research problemsPractical research is directly relevant to a specific problem that affects an organization, institution, social group, or society more broadly. To make it clear why your research problem matters, you can ask yourself:
Theoretical research problemsSometimes theoretical issues have clear practical consequences, but sometimes their relevance is less immediately obvious. To identify why the problem matters, ask:
Step 3: Set your aims and objectivesFinally, the problem statement should frame how you intend to address the problem. Your goal here should not be to find a conclusive solution, but rather to propose more effective approaches to tackling or understanding it. The research aim is the overall purpose of your research. It is generally written in the infinitive form:
The research objectives are the concrete steps you will take to achieve the aim:
The aims and objectives should lead directly to your research questions. Learn how to formulate research questions Problem statement exampleYou can use these steps to write your own problem statement, like the example below. Problem statement example Step 1: Contextualize the problem Step 2: Show why it matters Step 3: Set your aims and objectives Frequently asked questions about problem statementsHow do I write a research objective? Once you’ve decided on your research objectives, you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement. Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one. Example: Verbs for research objectivesI will assess …I will compare … I will calculate … Cite this Scribbr articleIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... In which section of research report might the problem statement be located?If you write a statement of the problem for a research proposal, then you could include it as a separate section at the very beginning of the main text (unless you are given a specific different structure or different headings, however, then you will have to adapt to that).
Which step follows the stating or statement of the research problem?Formulation of Hypothesis
After finding your research problem, the next step is to formulate your own hypothesis. A hypothesis is a theoretical statement in solving a logical relationship between variables.
What does the problem statement in a study identify quizlet?A conceptual definition is the theoretical meaning of a variable. The problem statement indicates the gap in knowledge needed for practice and provides a basis for the study.
Where in a research article would you find a description of how data was collected?The methodology section or methods section tells you how the author(s) went about doing their research. It should let you know a) what method they used to gather data (survey, interviews, experiments, etc.), why they chose this method, and what the limitations are to this method.
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