phd thesis statement of the problem

The Research Problem & Statement

What they are & how to write them (with examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewed By: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | March 2023

If you’re new to academic research, you’re bound to encounter the concept of a “ research problem ” or “ problem statement ” fairly early in your learning journey. Having a good research problem is essential, as it provides a foundation for developing high-quality research, from relatively small research papers to a full-length PhD dissertations and theses.

In this post, we’ll unpack what a research problem is and how it’s related to a problem statement . We’ll also share some examples and provide a step-by-step process you can follow to identify and evaluate study-worthy research problems for your own project.

Overview: Research Problem 101

What is a research problem.

• What is a problem statement?

Where do research problems come from?

• How to find a suitable research problem
• Key takeaways

A research problem is, at the simplest level, the core issue that a study will try to solve or (at least) examine. In other words, it’s an explicit declaration about the problem that your dissertation, thesis or research paper will address. More technically, it identifies the research gap that the study will attempt to fill (more on that later).

Let’s look at an example to make the research problem a little more tangible.

To justify a hypothetical study, you might argue that there’s currently a lack of research regarding the challenges experienced by first-generation college students when writing their dissertations [ PROBLEM ] . As a result, these students struggle to successfully complete their dissertations, leading to higher-than-average dropout rates [ CONSEQUENCE ]. Therefore, your study will aim to address this lack of research – i.e., this research problem [ SOLUTION ].

A research problem can be theoretical in nature, focusing on an area of academic research that is lacking in some way. Alternatively, a research problem can be more applied in nature, focused on finding a practical solution to an established problem within an industry or an organisation. In other words, theoretical research problems are motivated by the desire to grow the overall body of knowledge , while applied research problems are motivated by the need to find practical solutions to current real-world problems (such as the one in the example above).

As you can probably see, the research problem acts as the driving force behind any study , as it directly shapes the research aims, objectives and research questions , as well as the research approach. Therefore, it’s really important to develop a very clearly articulated research problem before you even start your research proposal . A vague research problem will lead to unfocused, potentially conflicting research aims, objectives and research questions .

What is a research problem statement?

As the name suggests, a problem statement (within a research context, at least) is an explicit statement that clearly and concisely articulates the specific research problem your study will address. While your research problem can span over multiple paragraphs, your problem statement should be brief , ideally no longer than one paragraph . Importantly, it must clearly state what the problem is (whether theoretical or practical in nature) and how the study will address it.

Here’s an example of a statement of the problem in a research context:

Rural communities across Ghana lack access to clean water, leading to high rates of waterborne illnesses and infant mortality. Despite this, there is little research investigating the effectiveness of community-led water supply projects within the Ghanaian context. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of such projects in improving access to clean water and reducing rates of waterborne illnesses in these communities.

As you can see, this problem statement clearly and concisely identifies the issue that needs to be addressed (i.e., a lack of research regarding the effectiveness of community-led water supply projects) and the research question that the study aims to answer (i.e., are community-led water supply projects effective in reducing waterborne illnesses?), all within one short paragraph.

Need a helping hand?

Wherever there is a lack of well-established and agreed-upon academic literature , there is an opportunity for research problems to arise, since there is a paucity of (credible) knowledge. In other words, research problems are derived from research gaps . These gaps can arise from various sources, including the emergence of new frontiers or new contexts, as well as disagreements within the existing research.

Let’s look at each of these scenarios:

New frontiers – new technologies, discoveries or breakthroughs can open up entirely new frontiers where there is very little existing research, thereby creating fresh research gaps. For example, as generative AI technology became accessible to the general public in 2023, the full implications and knock-on effects of this were (or perhaps, still are) largely unknown and therefore present multiple avenues for researchers to explore.

New contexts – very often, existing research tends to be concentrated on specific contexts and geographies. Therefore, even within well-studied fields, there is often a lack of research within niche contexts. For example, just because a study finds certain results within a western context doesn’t mean that it would necessarily find the same within an eastern context. If there’s reason to believe that results may vary across these geographies, a potential research gap emerges.

Disagreements – within many areas of existing research, there are (quite naturally) conflicting views between researchers, where each side presents strong points that pull in opposing directions. In such cases, it’s still somewhat uncertain as to which viewpoint (if any) is more accurate. As a result, there is room for further research in an attempt to “settle” the debate.

Of course, many other potential scenarios can give rise to research gaps, and consequently, research problems, but these common ones are a useful starting point. If you’re interested in research gaps, you can learn more here .

How to find a research problem

Given that research problems flow from research gaps , finding a strong research problem for your research project means that you’ll need to first identify a clear research gap. Below, we’ll present a four-step process to help you find and evaluate potential research problems.

If you’ve read our other articles about finding a research topic , you’ll find the process below very familiar as the research problem is the foundation of any study . In other words, finding a research problem is much the same as finding a research topic.

Step 1 – Identify your area of interest

Naturally, the starting point is to first identify a general area of interest . Chances are you already have something in mind, but if not, have a look at past dissertations and theses within your institution to get some inspiration. These present a goldmine of information as they’ll not only give you ideas for your own research, but they’ll also help you see exactly what the norms and expectations are for these types of projects.

At this stage, you don’t need to get super specific. The objective is simply to identify a couple of potential research areas that interest you. For example, if you’re undertaking research as part of a business degree, you may be interested in social media marketing strategies for small businesses, leadership strategies for multinational companies, etc.

Depending on the type of project you’re undertaking, there may also be restrictions or requirements regarding what topic areas you’re allowed to investigate, what type of methodology you can utilise, etc. So, be sure to first familiarise yourself with your institution’s specific requirements and keep these front of mind as you explore potential research ideas.

Step 2 – Review the literature and develop a shortlist

Once you’ve decided on an area that interests you, it’s time to sink your teeth into the literature . In other words, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the existing research regarding your interest area. Google Scholar is a good starting point for this, as you can simply enter a few keywords and quickly get a feel for what’s out there. Keep an eye out for recent literature reviews and systematic review-type journal articles, as these will provide a good overview of the current state of research.

At this stage, you don’t need to read every journal article from start to finish . A good strategy is to pay attention to the abstract, intro and conclusion , as together these provide a snapshot of the key takeaways. As you work your way through the literature, keep an eye out for what’s missing – in other words, what questions does the current research not answer adequately (or at all)? Importantly, pay attention to the section titled “ further research is needed ”, typically found towards the very end of each journal article. This section will specifically outline potential research gaps that you can explore, based on the current state of knowledge (provided the article you’re looking at is recent).

Take the time to engage with the literature and develop a big-picture understanding of the current state of knowledge. Reviewing the literature takes time and is an iterative process , but it’s an essential part of the research process, so don’t cut corners at this stage.

As you work through the review process, take note of any potential research gaps that are of interest to you. From there, develop a shortlist of potential research gaps (and resultant research problems) – ideally 3 – 5 options that interest you.

Step 3 – Evaluate your potential options

Once you’ve developed your shortlist, you’ll need to evaluate your options to identify a winner. There are many potential evaluation criteria that you can use, but we’ll outline three common ones here: value, practicality and personal appeal.

Value – a good research problem needs to create value when successfully addressed. Ask yourself:

• Who will this study benefit (e.g., practitioners, researchers, academia)?
• How will it benefit them specifically?
• How much will it benefit them?

Practicality – a good research problem needs to be manageable in light of your resources. Ask yourself:

• What data will I need access to?
• What knowledge and skills will I need to undertake the analysis?
• What equipment or software will I need to process and/or analyse the data?
• How much time will I need?
• What costs might I incur?

Personal appeal – a research project is a commitment, so the research problem that you choose needs to be genuinely attractive and interesting to you. Ask yourself:

• How appealing is the prospect of solving this research problem (on a scale of 1 – 10)?
• Why, specifically, is it attractive (or unattractive) to me?
• Does the research align with my longer-term goals (e.g., career goals, educational path, etc)?

Depending on how many potential options you have, you may want to consider creating a spreadsheet where you numerically rate each of the options in terms of these criteria. Remember to also include any criteria specified by your institution . From there, tally up the numbers and pick a winner.

Step 4 – Craft your problem statement

Once you’ve selected your research problem, the final step is to craft a problem statement. Remember, your problem statement needs to be a concise outline of what the core issue is and how your study will address it. Aim to fit this within one paragraph – don’t waffle on. Have a look at the problem statement example we mentioned earlier if you need some inspiration.

Key Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot of ground. Let’s do a quick recap of the key takeaways:

• A research problem is an explanation of the issue that your study will try to solve. This explanation needs to highlight the problem , the consequence and the solution or response.
• A problem statement is a clear and concise summary of the research problem , typically contained within one paragraph.
• Research problems emerge from research gaps , which themselves can emerge from multiple potential sources, including new frontiers, new contexts or disagreements within the existing literature.
• To find a research problem, you need to first identify your area of interest , then review the literature and develop a shortlist, after which you’ll evaluate your options, select a winner and craft a problem statement .

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• Research Process

What is a Problem Statement? [with examples]

• 5 minute read

Table of Contents

The statement of the problem is one of the first things that a colleague or potential client will read. With the vastness of the information available at one’s fingertips in the online9 world, your work may have just a few seconds to draw in a reader to take a deeper look at your proposal before moving on to the next option. It explains quickly to the reader, the problem at hand, the need for research, and how you intend to do it.

A strong, clear description of the problem that drew you to your research has to be straightforward, easy to read and, most important, relevant. Why do you care about this problem? How can solving this problem impact the world? The problem statement is your opportunity to explain why you care and what you propose to do in the way of researching the problem.

A problem statement is an explanation in research that describes the issue that is in need of study . What problem is the research attempting to address? Having a Problem Statement allows the reader to quickly understand the purpose and intent of the research. The importance of writing your research proposal cannot be stressed enough. Check for more information on Writing a Scientific Research Project Proposal .

It is expected to be brief and concise , and should not include the findings of the research or detailed data . The average length of a research statement is generally about one page . It is going to define the problem, which can be thought of as a gap in the information base. There may be several solutions to this gap or lack of information, but that is not the concern of the problem statement. Its purpose is to summarize the current information and where a lack of knowledge may be presenting a problem that needs to be investigated .

The purpose of the problem statement is to identify the issue that is a concern and focus it in a way that allows it to be studied in a systematic way . It defines the problem and proposes a way to research a solution, or demonstrates why further information is needed in order for a solution to become possible.

What is Included in a Problem Statement?

Besides identifying the gap of understanding or the weakness of necessary data, it is important to explain the significance of this lack.

-How will your research contribute to the existing knowledge base in your field of study?

-How is it significant?

-Why does it matter?

Not all problems have only one solution so demonstrating the need for additional research can also be included in your problem statement. Once you identify the problem and the need for a solution, or for further study, then you can show how you intend to collect the needed data and present it.

How to Write a Statement of Problem in Research Proposal

It is helpful to begin with your goal. What do you see as the achievable goal if the problem you outline is solved? How will the proposed research theoretically change anything? What are the potential outcomes?

Then you can discuss how the problem prevents the ability to reach your realistic and achievable solution. It is what stands in the way of changing an issue for the better. Talk about the present state of affairs and how the problem impacts a person’s life, for example.

It’s helpful at this point to generally layout the present knowledge and understanding of the subject at hand, before then describing the gaps of knowledge that are currently in need of study. Your problem statement is a proposed solution to address one of these gaps.

A good problem statement will also layout the repercussions of leaving the problem as it currently stands. What is the significance of not addressing this problem? What are the possible future outcomes?

Example of Problem Statement in Research Proposal

If, for example , you intended to research the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the immune system , you would begin with a review of the current knowledge of vitamin D’s known function in relation to the immune system and how a deficiency of it impacts a person’s defenses.

You would describe the ideal environment in the body when there is a sufficient level of vitamin D. Then, begin to identify the problems associated with vitamin D deficiency and the difficulty of raising the level through supplementation, along with the consequences of that deficiency. Here you are beginning to identify the problem of a common deficiency and the current difficulty of increasing the level of vitamin D in the blood.

At this stage, you may begin to identify the problem and narrow it down in a way that is practical to a research project. Perhaps you are proposing a novel way of introducing Vitamin D in a way that allows for better absorption by the gut, or in a combination with another product that increases its level in the blood.

Describe the way your research in this area will contribute to the knowledge base on how to increase levels of vitamin D in a specific group of subjects, perhaps menopausal women with breast cancer. The research proposal is then described in practical terms.

How to write a problem statement in research?

Problem statements differ depending on the type and topic of research and vary between a few sentences to a few paragraphs.

However, the problem statement should not drag on needlessly. Despite the absence of a fixed format, a good research problem statement usually consists of three main parts:

Context: This section explains the background for your research. It identifies the problem and describes an ideal scenario that could exist in the absence of the problem. It also includes any past attempts and shortcomings at solving the problem.

Significance: This section defines how the problem prevents the ideal scenario from being achieved, including its negative impacts on the society or field of research. It should include who will be the most affected by a solution to the problem, the relevance of the study that you are proposing, and how it can contribute to the existing body of research.

Solution: This section describes the aim and objectives of your research, and your solution to overcome the problem. Finally, it need not focus on the perfect solution, but rather on addressing a realistic goal to move closer to the ideal scenario.

Here is a cheat sheet to help you with formulating a good problem statement.

1. Begin with a clear indication that the problem statement is going to be discussed next. You can start with a generic sentence like, “The problem that this study addresses…” This will inform your readers of what to expect next.

2. Next, mention the consequences of not solving the problem . You can touch upon who is or will be affected if the problem continues, and how.

3. Conclude with indicating the type of research /information that is needed to solve the problem. Be sure to reference authors who may have suggested the necessity of such research.

This will then directly lead to your proposed research objective and workplan and how that is expected to solve the problem i.e., close the research gap.

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How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide

A draft isn’t a perfect, finished product; it is your opportunity to start getting words down on paper, writes Kelly Louise Preece

Kelly Louise Preece

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Congratulations; you’ve finished your research! Time to write your PhD thesis. This resource will take you through an eight-step plan for drafting your chapters and your thesis as a whole. 

Organise your material

Before you start, it’s important to get organised. Take a step back and look at the data you have, then reorganise your research. Which parts of it are central to your thesis and which bits need putting to one side? Label and organise everything using logical folders – make it easy for yourself! Academic and blogger Pat Thomson calls this  “Clean up to get clearer” . Thomson suggests these questions to ask yourself before you start writing:

• What data do you have? You might find it useful to write out a list of types of data (your supervisor will find this list useful too.) This list is also an audit document that can go in your thesis. Do you have any for the “cutting room floor”? Take a deep breath and put it in a separate non-thesis file. You can easily retrieve it if it turns out you need it.
• What do you have already written? What chunks of material have you written so far that could form the basis of pieces of the thesis text? They will most likely need to be revised but they are useful starting points. Do you have any holding text? That is material you already know has to be rewritten but contains information that will be the basis of a new piece of text.
• What have you read and what do you still need to read? Are there new texts that you need to consult now after your analysis? What readings can you now put to one side, knowing that they aren’t useful for this thesis – although they might be useful at another time?
• What goes with what? Can you create chunks or themes of materials that are going to form the basis of some chunks of your text, perhaps even chapters?

Once you have assessed and sorted what you have collected and generated you will be in much better shape to approach the big task of composing the dissertation. 

Decide on a key message

A key message is a summary of new information communicated in your thesis. You should have started to map this out already in the section on argument and contribution – an overarching argument with building blocks that you will flesh out in individual chapters.

You have already mapped your argument visually, now you need to begin writing it in prose. Following another of Pat Thomson’s exercises, write a “tiny text” thesis abstract. This doesn’t have to be elegant, or indeed the finished product, but it will help you articulate the argument you want your thesis to make. You create a tiny text using a five-paragraph structure:

• The first sentence addresses the broad context. This locates the study in a policy, practice or research field.
• The second sentence establishes a problem related to the broad context you have set out. It often starts with “But”, “Yet” or “However”.
• The third sentence says what specific research has been done. This often starts with “This research” or “I report…”
• The fourth sentence reports the results. Don’t try to be too tricky here, just start with something like: “This study shows,” or “Analysis of the data suggests that…”
• The fifth and final sentence addresses the “So What?” question and makes clear the claim to contribution.

Here’s an example that Thomson provides:

Secondary school arts are in trouble, as the fall in enrolments in arts subjects dramatically attests. However, there is patchy evidence about the benefits of studying arts subjects at school and this makes it hard to argue why the drop in arts enrolments matters. This thesis reports on research which attempts to provide some answers to this problem – a longitudinal study which followed two groups of senior secondary students, one group enrolled in arts subjects and the other not, for three years. The results of the study demonstrate the benefits of young people’s engagement in arts activities, both in and out of school, as well as the connections between the two. The study not only adds to what is known about the benefits of both formal and informal arts education but also provides robust evidence for policymakers and practitioners arguing for the benefits of the arts. You can  find out more about tiny texts and thesis abstracts on Thomson’s blog.

• Writing tips for higher education professionals
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Write a plan

You might not be a planner when it comes to writing. You might prefer to sit, type and think through ideas as you go. That’s OK. Everybody works differently. But one of the benefits of planning your writing is that your plan can help you when you get stuck. It can help with writer’s block (more on this shortly!) but also maintain clarity of intention and purpose in your writing.

You can do this by creating a  thesis skeleton or storyboard , planning the order of your chapters, thinking of potential titles (which may change at a later stage), noting down what each chapter/section will cover and considering how many words you will dedicate to each chapter (make sure the total doesn’t exceed the maximum word limit allowed).

Use your plan to help prompt your writing when you get stuck and to develop clarity in your writing.

Some starting points include:

• This chapter will argue that…
• This section illustrates that…
• This paragraph provides evidence that…

Of course, we wish it werethat easy. But you need to approach your first draft as exactly that: a draft. It isn’t a perfect, finished product; it is your opportunity to start getting words down on paper. Start with whichever chapter you feel you want to write first; you don’t necessarily have to write the introduction first. Depending on your research, you may find it easier to begin with your empirical/data chapters.

Vitae advocates for the “three draft approach” to help with this and to stop you from focusing on finding exactly the right word or transition as part of your first draft.

This resource originally appeared on Researcher Development .

Kelly Louse Preece is head of educator development at the University of Exeter.

If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter .

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Defining The Problem Statement

How to write the problem statement.

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Problem Statement 

The problem needs to be very focused because everything else from the applied doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice logically flows from the problem. If the problem is too big or too vague, it will be difficult to scope out a purpose that is manageable, given the time to execute and finish the project. The problem should be the result of a practical need or an opportunity to further an applicational study or project.

Given the above, the problem statement should do four things: 

Specify and describe the problem (with appropriate citations) 

Provide evidence of the problem’s existence  

Explain the consequences of NOT solving the problem  

Identify what is not known about the problem that should be known.

What is a problem?

Example of a proper, specific, evidence-based, real-life problem: , evidence-based, what are consequences.

Consequences are negative implications experienced by a group of people, organization, profession, or industry as a result of the problem. The negative effects should be of a certain magnitude to warrant research. For example, if fewer than 1% of the stakeholders experience a negative consequence of a problem and that consequence only constitutes a minor inconvenience, research is probably not warranted. Negative consequences that can be measured weigh stronger than those that cannot be put on some kind of scale. 

In the example above, a significant negative consequence is that women face much larger barriers than men when attempting to get promoted to executive jobs; or are 94% less likely than men to get to that level in Corporate America. 

While a problem may be referred to as a gap in traditional research, in a doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice, the problem could be a statement of the situational condition that requires a scholar-practitioner approach. For the applied degree, this may be the part of the program or procedure that is not working. 

NOTE: The applied doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice includes checklists for all sections of the document, including problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions. You should make sure you use these checklists and follow margin instructions. The present document is intended to provide additional help and examples, and also explain the importance of alignment. Alignment enables you to ensure consistency in your language and presentation of information, as well as provide a logical flow of your narrative.

Resource: Ellis, T., & Levy, Y. (2008). Framework of problem-based research: A guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. Informing Science , 11, 17-33.  http://proxy1.ncu.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db= a9h&AN=36030721&site=eds-live  

• PDF Template

Option 1: Writing the Problem Statement

Do not exceed 250-300 words.

It is helpful to begin the problem statement with a sentence:  “The problem to be addressed through this project  is…”

Paragraph 1

The problem should be evidenced-based and focus on practice within your perspective field or domain.  Then, fill out the rest of the paragraph with an elaboration of that specific problem, making sure to “document” it, as your doctoral committee will look for evidence that it is indeed a problem (emphasis also on the timeliness of the problem, supported by citations within the last 5 years).  Identify the negative consequences that are occurring as a result of the problem.

Paragraph 2

Next, write a paragraph explaining the consequences of NOT solving the problem. Who will be affected? How will they be affected? How important is it to fix the problem? Again, your doctoral committee will want to see research-based citations and statistics that indicate the negative implications are significant. 

Paragraph 3

In the final paragraph, you will explain what is not known that should be known. What isn’t known about the problem? Presumably, if your problem and purpose are aligned, your research will try to close or minimize this gap by investigating the problem. Have other practitioners investigated the issue? What has their research left unanswered? 

Option 2: Writing the Problem Statement

Another way to tackle the statement of the problem: .

The Statement of the Problem section is a very clear, concise identification of the problem. It must stay within the template guidelines of 250-300 words but more importantly, must contain four elements as outlined below.

A worthy problem should be able to address all of the following points: 

• identification of the problem itself--what is "going wrong" (Ellis & Levy, 2008) 
• who is affected by the problem 
• the consequences that will result from a continuation of the problem 
• a brief discussion of 
• at least 3 authors’ research related to the problem; and 
• their stated suggestion/recommendation for further research related to the problem 

Use the following to work on the Statement of the Problem by first outlining the section as follows: 

One clear, concise statement that tells the reader what is not working in the profession or industry. Be specific and support it with current studies. 

Tell who is affected by the problem identified in #1. 

Briefly tell what will happen if the problem isn’t addressed. 

Find at least 3 current studies and write a sentence or two for each study that 

• briefly discusses the author(s)’ work, what they studied, and 
• state their recommendation for further insight or exploration about the problem 

Option 3: Writing the Problem Statement

Finally, you can follow this simple 3-part outline when writing the statement of the problem section.

Your problem statement is a short (250-300 words), 3 paragraph section, in which you:

Example of a problem statement that follows this 3-part outline (295 words):  

• Statement of the Problem Template Use this fillable PDF to help craft your Statement of the Problem
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How to Write a statement of the problem for a PhD Dissertation

How to write a conclusion chapter for a phd dissertation, how to write a synopsis  for phd dissertation .

Writing a statement of the problem for a PhD dissertation involves identifying and clearly articulating the research problem the dissertation seeks to address. The statement of the problem should be concise, clear, and relevant to the research topic. Remember that identifying the research problem is an iterative process, and you may need to refine your problem statement several times before it is appropriate for your dissertation.

Here are some steps to help you write a statement of the problem for your PhD dissertation:

Review the literature: Conduct a thorough review of the literature related to the research problem. This will help you identify the existing gaps in knowledge and the areas that need further exploration.

Identify the research problem: Start by identifying the research problem or issue that you intend to investigate. This should be a problem that is significant, relevant and requires further investigation.

Define the research problem: Once you have identified the research problem, clearly define it in your own words. This should include the context, scope, and objectives of the study.

State the scope and significance: Consider the scope of the research problem and ensure that it is appropriate for the scope of your dissertation. This includes considering the time, resources, and data required to investigate the problem. Explain why the research problem is significant and why it needs further investigation. This should include the study's potential contributions to the research field.

State the research questions hypothesis: State the specific research questions the dissertation seeks to answer. These questions should be aligned with the research problem and should be clear, concise, and measurable. If your study involves a hypothesis, clearly state it in the statement of the problem. This should be a clear and testable statement explaining the research's expected outcome.

Provide an overview: Finally, provide an overview of the research methodology you intend to use to investigate the research problem.

Refine the problem: Refine your research problem to ensure it is specific, clear, and focused on a research question you can answer through your research methodology.

Remember that a good statement of the problem should be clear, concise, and relevant to the research topic. It should also provide a strong foundation for the rest of the dissertation.

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Writing a statement of the problem for a PhD dissertation involves identifying and clearly articulating the research problem the dissertation seeks to address

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How to Write the Statement of the Problem in Research

Do you want to write a dissertation problem statement for your academic paper? In this case, you probably know already that the dissertation problem statement is the first step towards writing the research proposal. And yes, it is a very important part of your dissertation. Truth be told, everyone working on a complex paper such as a dissertation, that requires extensive research, should start with a dissertation problem statement. You will learn why in just a bit. For now, let’s explain what problem statements really are, how you write them and then show you a couple of excellent examples. We believe that you will be able to do a far better job writing the problem statement if you read a couple of examples.

What Is the Dissertation Problem Statement?

How to write a problem statement for a dissertation: the 4 steps, three dissertation problem statement examples, final word on problem statement.

First, we would like to make sure you understand what a problem statement is and what it is used for. Basically, the dissertation problem statement is a short paragraph of condensed ideas that show your readers how your research project will solve a problem. In other words, you will need to briefly state the current problem or problems, and then explain how your work solves them. You need to clearly define the problem and show how you will address it, in a very clear and concise manner. You can then use this statement to write the research proposal. Of course, you can also integrate it into the introduction of your dissertation. The bottom line, the research statement, is considered by many academics and thesis writers to be the heart of your dissertation.

Now that you know what the problem statement is and why it is so important for your dissertation, it’s time to go on to the next step. Let’s show you how to write a problem statement for a dissertation in just 4 steps. Our experienced dissertation writers have put together this guide to help you compose your statement as fast as possible. After all, you have plenty of work to do with research, analysis, writing, editing, etc. We advise you to check our tips to learn more about these steps. Without further ado, the 4 steps to write a problem statement for a dissertation:

• Think about the ideal situation or the desired goal. Start the statement with how things should be, in an ideal case.
• Think about what prevents this ideal situation. This is the problem you want to solve! Describe what is preventing the goal from being achieved and what stands in the way. In other words, use the second part of the statement to show your reader the problem you will be solving with your dissertation research and with your work.
• Enumerate all the consequences of your solution (if the solution works, of course). How will your work improve the situation? What do you aim to achieve? This is the last part of the statement; the part where you show your readers the benefits of your work.
• Read everything out loud and make sure it flows. The logic behind the statement must be strong and everything should be very clearly stated. Avoid ambiguity and don’t be afraid to cut our sections that don’t add value to the statement!

This is how a statement of the problem in the thesis generally looks like. To make things even easier for you, we have 3 examples for you.

Here are three dissertation problem statement examples that should make it clear how your statement should be organized:

• According to various studies, university students are more focused and more efficient when their dorms are equipped with modern facilities (Ideal Situation). Students in Dorm B currently don’t have AC units and temperatures are exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months (Problem). My study plans to discover if students become more focused after AC units are installed in their dorm rooms (Solution).
• All children must feel safe on the playground, regardless of where the playground is located in the city (Ideal Situation). Yet children in the northern part of the city fear playing on the playground after 6 PM because of hooligans (Problem). My research shows that proper policing around playgrounds after 6 PM greatly decreases violence against children (Solution).
• Nonprofits need adequate funding and a supporting legal system to be able to help communities (Ideal Situation). The lack of funds and severe legal requirements are preventing certain foundations in the city from providing help to specific populations (Problem). My research demonstrates that softening regulations and increasing funding helps nonprofits provide assistance to 30% more people (Solution).

You can use any of the examples above as a thesis proposal template. Keep in mind that the problem statement for the dissertation must put the problem in context, describe all the details of the problem, show why the problem is important, and then clearly show what your research demonstrates. In other words, clearly and concisely show your audience why the problem is serious and how your research uncovers the best solution.

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How to Write an Effective Statement of the Problem

As PhD students or early career researchers, one of the most important tasks in your academic journey is drafting a research proposal that will help you get the necessary funds and support for performing your research. You may find that, among the different components of a proposal, writing the statement of the problem is perhaps the most challenging since it sets the tone for your proposal. A badly written statement of the problem not only sets the precedent for an unconvincing research proposal, but may also indirectly point to your lack of understanding about your own research. Therefore, it is essential to dedicate sufficient time and effort toward drafting this particular component of a research proposal. And, if you, like many others are struggling with writing statement of the problem in research proposal, then this article might help you out.  

What is the statement of the problem in research proposals?

Before we begin deep-diving into the details, let us understand what a statement of the problem actually signifies. A statement of the problem should ideally be a comprehensive summary of the question that will be addressed as a part of the research, while convincing the reader that the time spent on the research is worth the monetary investment.   

Naturally therefore, a lot needs to be taken into consideration while writing this component. Here are some of the key characteristics of the statement of problem in research proposals: 

• Addresses a distinct gap area – a research proposal will only be truly significant if you are describing a gap area that is distinct and unexplored. To identify this unique and distinct gap area, you may need to perform some background research regarding the current issues in your field as well as your ability to address them using your specific skill-set or knowledge. The more relevant a problem is to real-world issues, the better are your chances of getting it funded. Therefore, this is a key point you must remember even before writing a statement of the problem.  
• Provides a clear solution – apart from addressing a distinct gap area, the statement of the problem should also provide a clear solution to solve the issue at hand. Further, this clarity should be demonstrated adequately. Therefore, it is important to be practical while choosing the gap area and to ensure that the solution is attainable as well as feasible.  
• Leads to further research in the same or relevant field – the statement of the problem should not only describe the research that you are going to undertake, but should also set the stage for any further research that could be carried out in order to contribute toward the existing knowledge base. 
• Is reproducible and subject to investigation – a good statement of the problem is always subject to scrutiny and allows for a critical analysis of the feasibility and efficacy of the solution that is being provided. It is important to demonstrate that, although you are addressing a distinct gap area, the solution/research work is reproducible.  

The ideal structure when writing a statement of the problem

Apart from the above-mentioned key characteristics, there is also a structural approach that you can follow in order to draft a good statement of the problem.  

• Begin with a short background of the gap area that you wish to address with your research. In this part, you may also include some aspects about any previous work that was done to address the gap area. 
• After the background, you can proceed to discuss the consequences of not addressing that particular gap area. Additionally, you can also discuss about the potential benefits of addressing the gap area properly. Here, you can briefly introduce your solution and also talk about how your solution might help circumvent any roadblocks that previous studies might have encountered.  
• You can then proceed to describe your solution in depth, by talking about the specific areas that will be addressed with the help of your research. Avoid adding too many technical details in this part as you would be describing them in depth in the latter part of your proposal. Here you can also talk about the greater significance of your research – this should include indirect benefits that are not addressed by your research but are nonetheless relevant.  
• Keep the length crisp and precise – the main intention is to get the reader invested in your research proposal, and also keep him/her interested enough to read through the rest of the proposal.  

We hope that the above guidelines help you in drafting a strong statement of the problem, which can translate into a compelling research proposal. 

Further reading

1. The basics of writing a statement of the problem for your research proposal. Editage Insights https://www.editage.com/insights/the-basics-of-writing-a-statement-of-the-problem-for-your-research-proposal (2018). 

2. Graffin, G. How to Write Statement of a Problem in Research. Research Prospect https://www.researchprospect.com/how-to-write-statement-of-a-problem-in-research/ (2021). 

3. What is a Problem Statement? With Examples | Author Services Blog. Elsevier Author Services – Articles https://scientific-publishing.webshop.elsevier.com/research-process/what-problem-statement-examples/ (2022). 

4. How to write the problem statement for your research | CW Authors. https://www.cwauthors.com/article/how-to-write-the-statement-of-a-problem. 

Related Reads:

• 6 Simple Steps to Convert a PhD Thesis Into a Journal Article
• How to Present Data and Statistics in Your Research Paper: Language Matters 
• Know the Difference: Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing 
• 4 Key Writing Styles and Examples of Academic Writing  

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Problem Statement Example – A Comprehensive Guide

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The problem statement poses a crucial section of any dissertation, research project, and thesis, providing a concise and clear outline of the issue the study seeks to address. A well-written problem statement  serves as  a cornerstone in guiding the research process and sets the foundation for your methodology , findings, and research questions . This article will provide problem statement examples that can serve as models for articulating the critical issues your research aims to resolve.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 In a Nutshell – Problem Statement Example
• 2 Definition: Problem statement example
• 3 Writing a problem statement with examples
• 4 Final problem statement example
• 5 Do’s and don’ts for an effective problem statement

In a Nutshell – Problem Statement Example

• A problem statement is essential in guiding and targeting research efforts.
• This section provides an overview of the study’s context and its relevance.
• The purpose and existence of the research are explained and justified.
• The section forms a crucial link between the literature review and the whole study.

Definition: Problem statement example

A problem statement is like a lighthouse in the vast sea of research. Its purpose is to provide a brief and straightforward statement that outlines the issue or problem that the study seeks to solve. It highlights the gap in current knowledge or context that the research aims to fill.

Writing a problem statement with examples

Step 1: identify the problem, step 2: provide context, step 3: state the consequences, step 4: propose a solution.

The first step in writing a problem statement is to identify the problem. The problem could be an unmet need, a gap in knowledge, or an issue that has not been properly addressed. It’s essential that the problem is not just a symptom of another problem, but the actual issue that needs to be addressed.

Suppose you’re conducting a research study about nutrition in public schools. After some preliminary research, you’ve identified that many students are not eating the provided school meals, resulting in poor nutrition and concentration.

Once you have identified the problem, the next step is to provide context for the problem. This includes information about who is affected by the problem, where the problem occurs, and what consequences the problem may have if not addressed.

“Many students in our city’s public schools are not consuming the meals provided at school. This is leading to poor nutrition, affecting their concentration and overall academic performance negatively.”

The next step is to explicitly state what will happen if the problem is not solved. This helps readers understand the seriousness of the issue and the importance of finding a solution.

“If this problem is not addressed, we risk our city’s students continuing to underperform academically, affecting their future prospects and overall health.”

The last step in writing a problem statement is to propose a potential solution to the problem or an approach to finding a solution. The solution doesn’t have to be definitive; it could be what you aim to achieve through your research.

“This study aims to explore the reasons behind students’ reluctance to consume school meals and develop strategies to improve meal consumption and nutritional intake. We will use a combination of surveys and interviews to gather data from students, parents, and school administrators.”

Final problem statement example

Considering all four step, the final problem statement could look like this:

“Many students in our city’s public schools are not consuming the school-provided meals, leading to poor nutrition and affecting their concentration and overall academic performance. If this problem is not addressed, we risk our city’s students continuing to underperform academically, affecting their future prospects and overall health. This study aims to explore the reasons behind students’ reluctance to consume school meals and develop strategies to improve meal consumption and nutritional intake. We will use a combination of surveys and interviews to gather data from students, parents, and school administrators.”

This problem statement clearly states the problem, provides context, discusses the consequences of inaction, and proposes a research approach to find solutions. Following these steps will guide you in writing a comprehensive, clear, and effective problem statement for your research.

Do’s and don’ts for an effective problem statement

• Be concise: Stick to the point for a direct problem statement example.
• What, why, how: What is the problem? Why is it important? How is it solved?
• Be specific: Specify your problem statement and address a real issue.
• Avoid vagueness: Steer clear from vague and ambiguous statements.
• Don’t overcomplicate: Keep the language simple and straightforward.
• Avoid jargon: Use plain, accessible, and comprehensive language.

Is a problem statement always necessary?

Yes, a problem statement is crucial in any type of research paper or study, as it outlines the focus and direction of the research.

Can a problem statement change during the research?

Although it’s best to stick to your initial problem statement, research is an exploratory process. Thus, minor adjustments may be made as long as they do not significantly alter the research’s direction.

Is there a length requirement for a problem statement?

No, there is no strict length requirement. However, a problem statement should be as concise as possible while still adequately addressing the problem, its relevance, and the proposed method to address it.

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• How to Write a Problem Statement | Guide & Examples

How to Write a Problem Statement | Guide & Examples

Published on 8 November 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George.

A problem statement is a concise and concrete summary of the research problem you seek to address. It should:

• Contextualise the problem. What do we already know?
• Describe the exact issue your research will address. What do we still need to know?
• Show the relevance of the problem. Why do we need to know more about this?
• Set the objectives of the research. What will you do to find out more?

Table of contents

When should you write a problem statement, step 1: contextualise the problem, step 2: show why it matters, step 3: set your aims and objectives.

Problem statement example

Frequently asked questions about problem statements

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 contextualise 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.

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The problem statement should frame your research problem, giving some background on what is already known.

Practical research problems

For practical research, focus on the concrete details of the situation:

• Where and when does the problem arise?
• Who does the problem affect?
• What attempts have been made to solve the problem?

Theoretical research problems

For theoretical research, think about the scientific, social, geographical and/or historical background:

• What is already known about the problem?
• Is the problem limited to a certain time period or geographical area?
• How has the problem been defined and debated in the scholarly literature?

The 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 is directly relevant to a specific problem that affects an organisation, institution, social group, or society more broadly. To make it clear why your research problem matters, you can ask yourself:

• What will happen if the problem is not solved?
• Who will feel the consequences?
• Does the problem have wider relevance? Are similar issues found in other contexts?

Sometimes theoretical issues have clear practical consequences, but sometimes their relevance is less immediately obvious. To identify why the problem matters, ask:

• How will resolving the problem advance understanding of the topic?
• What benefits will it have for future research?
• Does the problem have direct or indirect consequences for society?

Finally, 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 aim of this study is to determine …
• This project aims to explore …
• This research aims to investigate …

The research objectives are the concrete steps you will take to achieve the aim:

• Qualitative methods will be used to identify …
• This work will use surveys to collect …
• Using statistical analysis, the research will measure …

The aims and objectives should lead directly to your research questions.

Learn how to formulate research questions

You can use these steps to write your own problem statement, like the example below.

Step 1: Contextualise the problem A family-owned shoe manufacturer has been in business in New England for several generations, employing thousands of local workers in a variety of roles, from assembly to supply-chain to customer service and retail. Employee tenure in the past always had an upward trend, with the average employee staying at the company for 10+ years. However, in the past decade, the trend has reversed, with some employees lasting only a few months, and others leaving abruptly after many years.

Step 2: Show why it matters As the perceived loyalty of their employees has long been a source of pride for the company, they employed an outside consultant firm to see why there was so much turnover. The firm focused on the new hires, concluding that a rival shoe company located in the next town offered higher hourly wages and better “perks”, such as pizza parties. They claimed this was what was leading employees to switch. However, to gain a fuller understanding of why the turnover persists even after the consultant study, in-depth qualitative research focused on long-term employees is also needed. Focusing on why established workers leave can help develop a more telling reason why turnover is so high, rather than just due to salaries. It can also potentially identify points of change or conflict in the company’s culture that may cause workers to leave.

Step 3: Set your aims and objectives This project aims to better understand why established workers choose to leave the company. Qualitative methods such as surveys and interviews will be conducted comparing the views of those who have worked 10+ years at the company and chose to stay, compared with those who chose to leave.

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.

I will compare …

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarise the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis – a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

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McCombes, S. & George, T. (2022, November 08). How to Write a Problem Statement | Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 3 June 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/write-a-problem-statement/

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How to Write a Problem Statement for Your Dissertation?

After successfully specifying your project’s research problem, penning a problem statement pursues. Two crucial properties of an efficient problem statement are its conciseness and tangibility.

Penning a problem statement

After successfully specifying your project’s research problem, penning a  problem statement  pursues. Two crucial properties of an efficient problem statement are its conciseness and tangibility. Therefore, a productive problem statement should

a) lay the problem in its appropriate milieu, covering what you have already known

b) specifically define the issue to be covered, stating what you need to learn

c) depict the applicability of the problem, disclosing why you must learn about it

d) ultimately delineate the research objective, suggesting what you will or hope to discover.

What is the right time for writing a problem statement?

Many situations exist to render the writing of research problem indispensable. Penning a problem statement is critical in improvement projects for businesses and other organizations. If you wish to find and apply practical solutions, you should have a plainly-defined and easily comprehendible problem statement. Suppose it is the case. Then, the problem statement will be a separate document.

In academic research, thanks to a problem statement, you can contextualize and understand the vitality of your research problem. A problem statement can include many paragraphs and functions as the foundation for your research proposal. In contrast, it can merely have a couple of sentences in the introduction of your dissertation, thesis, or article. It would be best to remember that the problem statement primarily depends on whether you handle a practical, real-world problem or address a theoretical issue. Irrespective of the case, all problem statements undergo ingeniously similar processes. 

Stage 1: The problem contextualization

Ensure that you have framed your  research problem  in its given context and presented what has already been covered about that issue.

a. Down-to-earth research problems

Suppose you conduct practical research. In that case, you must concentrate on the tangible details of the situation addressing the following issues. You must state where and when the problem has originated. You must also note who the problem affects the most. On top of that, you must list the attempts to solve the issue. The pursuing sample problem might help you.

Sample problem

Students’ participation in clubs has dramatically declined over the past five years. The surveys have shown that this is especially true for engineering students. Even though the university administration has provided incentives to increase student involvement, the impact is not imminent.

b. Hypothetical research problems

Hypothetical research covers the scientific, social, geographical, or historical background. Therefore, it should address what has already been known about the problem, state whether the problem is specific or affects a larger geographical region, and how the literature has described and discussed the issue. The pursuing sample is helpful.

The “online economy” has boosted unprecedented levels in the past three years. It has raised e-commerce’s share of global retail trade from 14% in 2019 to approximately 17% in 2020. Because lockdowns befitted the new trend, businesses and consumers had to go digital, providing and purchasing more goods and services online. UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Isabelle Durant stated: “Businesses and consumers that were able to ‘go digital’ have helped mitigate the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.’’

Stage 2: Depict why it is crucial

The problem statement is expected to cover the weight of the research and explain why the problem must be addressed. It does not necessarily suggest that you must conduct something groundbreaking or world-changing. Exceedingly critical illustrates that the problem is addressable and viable and clearly discusses a pertinent issue in your field.

Stage 3: Establish your objectives

Ultimately, the problem statement should formulate how you target addressing the problem. Your goal should be beyond finding a definitive solution. Instead, it should explore the reasons behind the problem and suggest more fundamental approaches to confronting or comprehending it.

The research aim should be inclusive and cover the entire research. More frequently, the literature uses the infinitive form. Therefore, you can find expressions such as “the objective of this study is to determine such and such; this research aims to investigate the following, and finally, we aim to explore…”

The research objectives include the tangible stages you follow to achieve the goal. They can have statements like “we will employ quantitative methods to identify parameters; we will utilize surveys to collect the data, and we will use ‘x’ statistical software for the statistical analysis.”

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This article explains how to write a problem statement for a dissertation or thesis. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.

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You have been working hard on your research paper and want to write an excellent dissertation/thesis. You have researched all the materials, and your data are perfect— all you need to do is put them together in a dissertation or thesis. But how do you manage that? While working on the research is not easy, it’s structuring a dissertation or thesis that the main issue lies with. Therefore, if you are struggling with structuring your dissertation or thesis, this article may be of help.

While composing a thesis or dissertation, a student must experience some predicted traps. Falling into these traps can affect one’s academic career. However, handling potential blunders and pitfalls wisely, while developing a thesis, can lead you to success. The process of writing may be frustrating but learning about the probable pitfalls may ease your stress. Here, we bring you the list of the most common mistakes we have noticed as a professional proofreading and editing service provider.

At the end of most undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, you are required to submit a thesis or a dissertation based on original research. The way of writing and the structure of a dissertation depends on your field of study and sometimes your program. However, it is largely divided into at least four or five chapters, including the introduction and conclusion. A dissertation is an extended usually written treatment of a subject, specifically one submitted for a doctorate. This article provides a step-by-step guide on writing and structuring a dissertation

The dissertation writing process is a lengthy, extensive and multi-faceted undertaking spanning several months (or even years). It is an exacting exercise comprising several steps, each with its own requisites that scholars need to fulfill duly. Hence, regardless of how strategic and meticulous a scholar's dissertation writing approach is, there are bound to be certain inconsistencies - grammatical errors, incoherent phrasing, inappropriate synonyms, formatting errors, etc., - even in the final draft.

Your thesis or dissertation ends with the conclusion. Its primary purposes include addressing the main research question, summarizing and echoing the study, presenting future studies recommendations, and depicting your contribution's novel knowledge.

The first step includes choosing a subject for your thesis, dissertation, or research project and ensuring the process becomes rewarding and smooth. One should consider many issues before deciding on a topic.

The central tendency, mean, median, and mode depict where most data points concentrate, while variability illustrates how far they are. It is exceedingly crucial because the amount of variability demonstrates the generalization one can make from the sample to the population. Low variability is desirable because it implies that predicting information about the population using sample data is well-justified. Contrarily, high variability illustrates decreased consistency, making data predictions harder.

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ARTICLE: Problem Statement Development: How to Write a Problem Statement in A Dissertation

Most researchers and doctoral students have considerable trouble writing a problem statement with their research projects dissertations, and theses. We have to ask ourselves, why that is? Why are we encountering doctoral students and researchers that have trouble writing the problem statement? Why the disconnect? This is a common occurrence with doctoral students. We would think the required research methods course would address this. However, that is not case. Thus, this article addresses, discusses and illustrates how to develop a problem statement. This article will provide a model and template for developing a problem statement. As basis for a research study, it is important the researcher and doctoral student know how to construct a problem statement. First, this article discusses the problem statement. Second, this article provides a model as a for developing a problem statement. Last, the article provides examples of problem statements using the conceptual template. Doctoral Student Workshop: Problem Statement Development and Strategies

Related Papers

International Journal of Doctoral Studies

shardul pandya

Aim/Purpose: Provide methodology suggesting steps to doctoral mentors to work with students in constructing their research problem statement in their dissertation. Background: Doctoral students face difficulties writing their dissertation and they begin by writing the research problem statement. Methodology: This paper uses a framework widely used to describe student adjustment to graduate studies in general and to doctoral program in particular. Contribution: This study provides a framework to mentors/advisors that is helpful in guiding the students to writing their research problem statement. Findings: Writing a research problem statement is difficult by itself. Following a methodological approach suggested in this study could help with writing it. Recommendations for Practitioners: A methodological approach in writing the dissertation is helpful to mitigate the difficulties of writing the dissertation. Our study tackles difficulties with writing the research problem statement. Re...

InSITE Conference

Aim/Purpose: Develop instructional rubrics that help in writing and evaluating the doctoral dissertation research problem statement. Background: This is a follow-up study. In the first paper, we introduced a model for writing a research problem statement that takes the students through four phases to complete their writing. In this paper, we introduce an instructional rubric to be used for helping to write the research problem statement. Methodology: This paper builds on the previous model and adds Socratic questions to trigger critical thinking to help with writing the research problem statement. Contribution: Developing the instructional rubrics is the contribution of this study. The instructional rubrics can help with writing the research problem statement. Findings: Writing a research problem statement is difficult by itself. Following the methodological approach suggested in this study will help students with the task of writing their own. Following this instructional rubric wi...

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Mahyuddin K. M. Nasution

This paper aims to provide an understanding of designing a problem statement that must be present in every research proposal or other scientific work. A study, from proposals to scientific papers, requires a problem statement. The design of the program statement is basically always present from research interests. Objectives as a translation of the problem statement will be described through a methodology that matches the answers to be given to the interests. In the industry 4.0 era, problem statement in research prioritize innovation or change to improve welfare.

Leo Andrew B . Diego

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Manu Mathew

Dr. Md Inaam Akhtar

Aptisi Transactions on Management (ATM)

Eka Purnama Harahap

Basically in conducting a study there are problems that can be used as a means toachieve a goal or goal in the study. Everyone who conducts research must have their ownmethod, concept, or method in formulating the problem that is the object of the research. In thispaper will explain the techniques or ways that can be done in relation to formulating problems inresearch including determining a topic to be discussed in research, making backgroundproblems, explaining problem identification, limiting the scope of research, determiningproblems that are worthy of research, making questions in research, and determine the goals,benefits, and uses of the research. With the concept of planning and mature thinking toformulate and determine the formulation of the problem, it is expected that the research that willbe conducted will be focused and directed so that it does not extend to the discussion that is notthe topic of his research. With the formulation of this problem also the reader becomes...

Princy Jain

Edupedia Publications

Research is an investigation or experimentation that is aimed at a discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of theories or laws or practical application of the new or revised theories or laws. Identification of research problem leads in conducting a research. To initiate a research, the necessity for the research, to be carried out should be generated.The ideas and topics are developed while consulting literatures, discussions with experts and continuation of activities related to the subject matter. These ideas/topics generally called research problems and are statements about areas of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value question. The problem must be significant researchable lead to further research and suitable for the researcher. Formulation of the problem should lead to empirical investigation. Formulation of research problem should depict what is to be determined and scope of the study.It also involves key concept definitions questions to be asked. The objective of the present paper highlights the above stated issues.

International Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

IJHASS Journal

The current study aims at investigating the difficulties encountering Jordanian EFL students in the writing problem statement section. The study grouped those difficulties into two main categories, namely academic skills difficulties and language skills difficulties. It has been noticed that undergraduate as well as postgraduate students, lack the required skills enabling them to conduct a well-constructed research article, which sparkles the idea of this study. In addition, no previous study has examined the challenges encountered by Jordanian EFL students when conducting a research paper in general and the problem statement section in particular. For the purpose of collecting the required data of the present study, twenty Jordanian EFL students had a teaching program about research writing skills. They were introduced thoroughly to all sections of the research article, with special emphasis on the research problem, section which is the main concern of this study following that the participants were given a month period to accomplish their research papers before submission. The results of the study reveal that the participants lack the academic skills enabling them to conduct a well-constructed problem statement section. More specifically, the vast majority of the participants fail to provide an overview of their topics and to identify their research gap within the current literature. The study also shows that the participants face serious grammatical errors when writing research problem section. It could be concluded that conducting a scholarly research article in general and problem statement, in particular, is a demanding issue and need to be further highlighted by researchers and academicians to identify the challenges facing learners.

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How to write a PhD thesis problem statement

• How to write a PhD thesis literature review
• How to Write a PhD or Master research proposal

What is a problem statement?

The term “research” refers to a systematic investigation procedure used to add to or update existing knowledge through the discovery of new facts. It may be classified into two broad categories: (1) fundamental research, which is focused on expanding scientific knowledge, and (2) applied research, which is focused on using basic research to solve problems or develop new processes, products, or procedures.

The first and most critical stage in doing any research work is defining and defining the research problem: that is, what the researcher intends to solve and what questions he or she wishes to answer. A research problem may be characterized as an area of concern, a knowledge gap, or a divergence from the norm or standard that indicates the need for more understanding and inquiry. While many issues have many solutions (the means to close the gap or correct the deviation), challenges emerge when the methods to close the gap or correct the deviation are either not evident or not immediately available. This therefore needs more study in order to arrive at a feasible answer.

A thesis research problem statement is a short paragraph that defines the scope of the research. It should include the problem, relevant issue, and how it can be solved. The thesis research problem statement should be able to answer some of these questions:

-What is the current situation? -What are some of the problems with the current situation? -How can I solve this problem?

When do you need a problem statement.

There are several instances where you may be required to create a problem statement. Writing a problem statement is a critical stage in business and other organizations’ improvement efforts. It is critical to have a well-defined and well-understood problem in order to identify and implement successful solutions. Typically, the problem statement is a self-contained document in this situation.

Writing a problem statement might assist you in contextualizing and comprehending the relevance of your research topic in academic research. A problem statement might be many pages lengthy and serve as the foundation for your research proposal, or it can be reduced into a few words for your paper or thesis’s introduction. The problem statement will vary based on whether you are addressing a practical real-world issue or a theoretical scientific one. However, all issue statements are created in a same manner.

Why is the problem statement important?

The issue statement should also highlight the research’s relevance: why is it critical to tackle the problem?

This does not need you to accomplish anything revolutionary or world-changing. It is more critical that the challenge be researchable, practical, and directly address a pertinent issue in your profession.

Define your research objectives

Finally, the problem statement should define your approach to resolving the issue. Your objective should not be to discover a definite answer, but to ascertain the underlying causes of the problem and to offer more effective strategies for resolving or comprehending it. The objective is the overarching goal of your research. Typically, it is written in an infinitive manner like “This work aims to investigate or explore or propose or develop”.

Once you’ve created your issue statement, you may begin writing the remainder of your paper. From this point on, you’ll be detailing your methods, presenting the findings of your study, and reporting your conclusions, all of which will be founded in a solid issue statement that established the thesis’s purpose from the start.

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Mixed and Joint Corporations as Tools of Economic Development: A Case Study Based on India's Experiments in New Types of Enterprises

The problem of increasing American private investment abroad presents massive difficulties. It will yield to action by the U.S. Government in the short-run only by the application of radical inducements with particular reference to noncontrolling investments in foreign securities by individuals and institutions. In the absence of such radical measures, the problem becomes one of bits and pieces to be attacked on many fronts by many agencies by many techniques. Results will be slow in coming, but the effort bust be continued and intensified. There is no plausible way other than the stimulation of private investment to assist friendly foreign countries to achieve balanced economic development.

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Brandeis Alumni, Family and Friends

Undergraduate commencement address by ken burns, descriptive transcript.

SCENE: Ken Burns, in a black academic robe with a white hood, speaks at a podium in front of a large blue banner with Brandeis University and the university logo. Also on the stage are other faculty members and distinguished guests wearing academic robes.

KEN BURNS SPEAKING:

Brandeisian, love it.

President Liebowitz, Ron, Chair Lisa Kranc, and other members of the board of trustees, Provost Carol Fierke, fellow honorees, distinguished faculty and staff, proud and relieved parents, calm and serene grandparents, distracted but secretly pleased siblings, ladies and gentlemen, graduating students of the class of 2024, good morning.

I am deeply honored and privileged that you have asked me here to say a few words at such a momentous occasion that you might find what I have to say worthy of your attention on so important a day in all of your lives. Thank you for this honor.

Listen, I am in the business of history. It is not always a happy subject on college campuses these days, particularly when forces seem determined to eliminate or water down difficult parts of our past, particularly when the subject may seem to sum an anachronistic and irrelevant pursuit, and particularly with the ferocious urgency this moment seems to exert on us. It is my job, however, to remind people of the power our past also exerts, to help us better understand what's going on now with compelling story, memory, and anecdote. It is my job to try to discern patterns and themes from history to enable us to interpret our dizzying and sometimes dismaying present.

For nearly 50 years now, I have diligently practiced and rigorously tried to maintain a conscious neutrality in my work, avoiding advocacy if I could, trying to speak to all of my fellow citizens. Over those many decades I've come to understand a significant fact, that we are not condemned to repeat, as the saying goes, what we don't remember. That is a beautiful, even poetic phrase, but not true. Nor are there cycles of history as the academic community periodically promotes. The Old Testament, Ecclesiastes to be specific, got it right, I think. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. What those lines suggest is that human nature never changes or almost never changes. We continually superimpose that complex and contradictory human nature over the seemingly random chaos of events, all of our inherent strengths and weaknesses, our greed and generosity, our puritanism and our prurience, our virtue, and our venality parade before our eyes, generation after generation after generation. This often gives us the impression that history repeats itself. It does not. "No event has ever happened twice, it just rhymes," Mark Twain is supposed to have said. I have spent all of my professional life on the lookout for those rhymes, drawn inexorably to that power of history. I am interested in listening to the many varied voices of a true, honest, complicated past that is unafraid of controversy and tragedy, but equally drawn to those stories and moments that suggest an abiding faith in the human spirit, and particularly the unique role this remarkable and sometimes also dysfunctional republic seems to play in the positive progress of mankind.

During the course of my work, I have become acquainted with hundreds if not thousands of those voices. They have inspired, haunted, and followed me over the years. Some of them may be helpful to you as you try to imagine and make sense of the trajectory of your lives today.

Listen, listen. In January of 1838, shortly before his 29th birthday, a tall, thin lawyer prone to bouts of debilitating depression addressed the young men's lyceum in Springfield, Illinois. "At what point shall we expect the approach of danger?" He asked his audience, "Shall we expect some trans-Atlantic military giant to step the earth and crush us at a blow?" Then he answered his own question. "Never. All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men, we must live through all time or die by suicide." It is a stunning, remarkable statement, one that has animated my own understanding of the American experience since I first read it more than 40 years ago. That young man was of course Abraham Lincoln, and he would go on to preside over the closest this country has ever come to near national suicide, our civil war, and yet embedded in his extraordinary, disturbing, and prescient words is also a fundamental optimism that implicitly acknowledges the geographical forcefield two mighty oceans east and west and two relatively benign neighbors north and south have provided for us since the British burned the White House in the War of 1812 and inspired Francis Scott Key.

Lincoln's words that day suggest what is so great and so good about the people who happen to inhabit this lucky and exquisite country of ours. That's the world you now inherit: our work ethic and our restlessness, our innovation and our improvisation, our communities and our institutions of higher learning, our suspicion of power. The fact that we seem resolutely dedicated to parsing the meaning between individual and collective freedom; What I want versus what we need. That we are all so dedicated to understanding what Thomas Jefferson really meant when he wrote that mysterious phrase, "The pursuit of happiness". Hint, it happens right here in the lifelong learning and perpetual improvement this university is committed to.

But the isolation of those two oceans has also helped to incubate habits and patterns less beneficial to us: our devotion to money and guns and conspiracies, our certainty about everything, our stubborn insistence on our own exceptionalism blinding us to that which needs repair, especially with regard to race and ethnicity. Our preoccupation with always making the other wrong at an individual as well as a global level. I am reminded of what the journalist I.F. Stone once said to a young acolyte who was profoundly disappointed in his mentor's admiration for Thomas Jefferson. "It's because history is tragedy," Stone admonished him, "Not melodrama." It's the perfect response. In melodrama all villains are perfectly villainous and all heroes are perfectly virtuous, but life is not like that. You know that in your guts and nor is our history like that. The novelist, Richard Powers recently wrote that, "The best arguments in the world," — and ladies and gentlemen, that's all we do is argue — "the best arguments in the world," he said, "Won't change a single person's point of view. The only thing that can do that is a good story." I've been struggling for most of my life to do that, to try to tell good, complex, sometimes contradictory stories, appreciating nuance and subtlety and undertow, sharing the confusion and consternation of unreconciled opposites.

But it's clear as individuals and as a nation we are dialectically preoccupied. Everything is either right or wrong, red state or blue state, young or old, gay or straight, rich or poor, Palestinian or Israeli, my way or the highway. Everywhere we are trapped by these old, tired, binary reactions, assumptions, and certainties. For filmmakers and faculty, students and citizens, that preoccupation is imprisoning. Still, we know and we hear and we express only arguments, and by so doing, we forget the inconvenient complexities of history and of human nature. That, for example, three great religions, their believers, all children of Abraham, each professing at the heart of their teaching, a respect for all human life, each with a central connection to and legitimate claim to the same holy ground, violate their own dictates of conduct and make this perpetually contested land a shameful graveyard. God does not distinguish between the dead. "Could you?"

[Audience applauding]

"Could you?" A very wise person I know with years of experience with the Middle East recently challenged me, "Could you hold the idea that there could be two wrongs and two rights?"

Listen, listen. In a filmed interview I conducted with the writer James Baldwin, more than 40 years ago, he said, "No one was ever born who agreed to be a slave, who accepted it. That is, slavery is a condition imposed from without. Of course, the moment I say that," Baldwin continued, "I realize that multitudes and multitudes of people for various reasons of their own enslave themselves every hour of every day to this or that doctrine, this or that delusion of safety, this or that lie. Anti-Semites, for example," he went on, "are slaves to a delusion. People who hate Negroes are slaves. People who love money are slaves. We are living in a universe really of willing slaves, which makes the concept of liberty and the concept of freedom so dangerous," he finished. Baldwin is making a profoundly psychological and even spiritual statement, not just a political or racial or social one. He knew, just as Lincoln knew, that the enemy is often us. We continue to shackle ourselves with chains we mistakenly think is freedom.

Another voice, Mercy Otis Warren, a philosopher and historian during our revolution put it this way, "The study of the human character at once opens a beautiful and a deformed picture of the soul. We there find a noble principle implanted in the nature of people, but when the checks of conscience are thrown aside, humanity is obscured." I have had the privilege for nearly half a century of making films about the US, but I have also made films about us. That is to say the two letter, lowercase, plural pronoun. All of the intimacy of "us" and also "we" and "our" and all of the majesty, complexity, contradiction, and even controversy of the US. And if I have learned anything over those years, it's that there's only us. There is no them. And whenever someone suggests to you, whomever it may be in your life that there's a them, run away. Othering is the simplistic binary way to make and identify enemies, but it is also the surest way to your own self imprisonment, which brings me to a moment I've dreaded and forces me to suspend my longstanding attempt at neutrality.

There is no real choice this November. There is only the perpetuation, however flawed and feeble you might perceive it, of our fragile 249-year-old experiment or the entropy that will engulf and destroy us if we take the other route. When, as Mercy Otis Warren would say, "The checks of conscience are thrown aside and a deformed picture of the soul is revealed." The presumptive Republican nominee is the opioid of all opioids, an easy cure for what some believe is the solution to our myriad pains and problems. When in fact with him, you end up re-enslaved with an even bigger problem, a worse affliction and addiction, "a bigger delusion", James Baldwin would say, the author and finisher of our national existence, our national suicide as Mr. Lincoln prophesies. Do not be seduced by easy equalization. There is nothing equal about this equation. We are at an existential crossroads in our political and civic lives. This is a choice that could not be clearer.

Listen, listen. 33 years ago, the world lost a towering literary figure. The novelist and storyteller, not arguer, Isaac Bashevis Singer. For decades he wrote about God and myth and punishment, fate and sexuality, family and history. He wrote in Yiddish a marvelously expressive language, sad and happy all at the same time. Sometimes maddeningly all knowing, yet resigned to God's seemingly capricious will. It is also a language without a country, a dying language in a world more interested in the extermination or isolation of its long suffering speakers. Singer, writing in the pages of the Jewish Daily Forward help to keep Yiddish alive. Now our own wonderfully mongrel American language is punctuated with dozens of Yiddish words and phrases, parables and wise sayings, and so many of those words are perfect onomatopoeias of disgust and despair, hubris and humor. If you've ever met a schmuck, you know what I'm talking about. [audience laughs] Toward the end of his long and prolific life, Singer expressed wonder at why so many of his books written in this obscure and some said useless language would be so widely translated, something like 56 countries all around the world. "Why," he would wonder with his characteristic playfulness, "Why would the Japanese care about his simple stories of life in the shtetls of Eastern Europe 1,000 years ago?" "Unless," Singer paused, twinkle in his eye, "Unless the story spoke of the kinship of the soul." I think what Singer was talking about was that indefinable something that connects all of us together, that which we all share as part of organic life on this planet, the kinship of the soul. I love that.

Okay, let me speak directly to the graduating class. Watch out, here comes the advice. Listen. Be curious, not cool. Insecurity makes liars of us all. Remember, none of us get out of here alive. The inevitable vicissitudes of life, no matter how well gated our communities, will visit us all. Grief is a part of life, and if you explore its painful precincts, it will make you stronger. Do good things, help others. Leadership is humility and generosity squared. Remember the opposite of faith is not doubt. Doubt is central to faith. The opposite of faith is certainty. The kinship of the soul begins with your own at times withering self-examination. Try to change that unchangeable human nature of Ecclesiastes, but start with you. "Nothing so needs reforming," Mark Twain once chided us, "As other people's habits." [audience laughs]

Don't confuse success with excellence. Do not descend too deeply into specialism. Educate all of your parts, you will be healthier. Do not get stuck in one place. "Travel is fatal to prejudice," Twain also said. Be in nature, which is always perfect and where nothing is binary. Its sheer majesty may remind you of your own atomic insignificance, as one observer put it, but in the inscrutable and paradoxical ways of wild places, you will feel larger, inspirited, just as the egotist in our midst is diminished by his or her self regard.

At some point, make babies, one of the greatest things that will happen to you, I mean it, one of the greatest things that will happen to you is that you will have to worry, I mean really worry, about someone other than yourself. It is liberating and exhilarating, I promise. Ask your parents.

[Audience laughs]

Choose honor over hypocrisy, virtue over vulgarity, discipline over dissipation, character over cleverness, sacrifice over self-indulgence. Do not lose your enthusiasm, in its Greek etymology the word enthusiasm means simply, "god in us". Serve your country. Insist that we fight the right wars. Denounce oppression everywhere.

Convince your government, as Lincoln understood that the real threat always and still comes from within this favored land. Insist that we support science and the arts, especially the arts.

[Audience cheering]

They have nothing to do with the actual defense of our country; They just make our country worth defending.

Remember what Louis Brandeis said, "The most important political office is that of the private citizen." Vote. You indelibly... [audience applauding] Please, vote. You indelibly underscore your citizenship, and most important, our kinship with each other when you do. Good luck and godspeed.