What is a Problem

Statement?
Presented By
Dr. Hanuma Kasagani
Assistant Professor
CED-VRSEC
Starting the Research Process
Step 1: Choose your topic

 First you have to come up with some ideas. Your thesis or dissertation topic can start out very broad.
Think about the general area or field you’re interested in – it’s often a good idea to choose a topic that you
already know a bit about.

 Do some reading to begin narrowing down your topic. Look for the top journals in your field and skim
through some recent issues. If an article interests you, check the reference list to find other relevant
sources.

 As you read, take notes and try to identify problems, questions, debates, contradictions and gaps. Your
aim is to narrow down from a broad area of interest to a specific niche.

 Make sure to consider the practicalities: the requirements of your programme, the amount of time you
have to complete the research, and how difficult it will be to access sources and data on the topic. Before
moving onto the next stage, it’s a good idea to discuss the topic with your thesis supervisor.
Step 2: Identify a problem

 So you’ve settled on a topic and found a niche – but what exactly will your research investigate, and why does
it matter? To give your project focus and purpose, you have to define a research problem.

 The problem might be a practical issue – for example, a process or practice that isn’t working well, an area of
concern in an organization’s performance, or a difficulty faced by a specific group of people in society.

 Alternatively, you might choose to investigate a theoretical problem – for example, an underexplored
phenomenon or relationship, a contradiction between different models or theories, or an unresolved debate
among scholars.

 To put the problem in context and set your objectives, you can write a problem statement. This describes who
the problem affects, why research is needed, and how your research project will contribute to solving it.
Step 3: Formulate research questions

 Next, based on the problem statement, you need to write one or more research questions. These target
exactly what you want to find out. They might focus on describing, comparing, evaluating, or explaining the
research problem.

 A strong research question should be specific enough that you can answer it thoroughly using appropriate
qualitative or quantitative research methods. It should also be complex enough to require in-depth
investigation, analysis, and argument. Questions that can be answered with “yes/no” or with easily available
facts are not complex enough for a thesis or dissertation.

 In some types of research, at this stage you might also have to develop a conceptual framework and
testable hypotheses.
Step 4: Create a research design

 The research design is a practical framework for answering your research questions. It involves making
decisions about the type of data you need, the methods you’ll use to collect and analyze it, and the
location and timescale of your research.

 There are often many possible paths you can take to answering your questions. The decisions you make
will partly be based on your priorities. For example, do you want to determine causes and effects, draw
generalizable conclusions, or understand the details of a specific context?

 You need to decide whether you will use primary or secondary data and qualitative or quantitative
methods. You also need to determine the specific tools, procedures, and materials you’ll use to collect
and analyze your data, as well as your criteria for selecting participants or sources.
Step 5: Write a research proposal

 Finally, after completing these steps, you are ready to complete a research proposal. The proposal outlines
the context, relevance, purpose, and plan of your research.

 As well as outlining the background, problem statement, and research questions, the proposal should also
include a literature review that shows how your project will fit into existing work on the topic. The research
design section describes your approach and explains exactly what you will do.

 You might have to get the proposal approved by your supervisor before you get started, and it will guide
the process of writing your thesis or dissertation.
 After you have identified a research problem for your project, the next step is to write a problem
statement. An effective problem statement is concise and concrete. It should:

 Put the problem in context (what do we already know?)

 Describe the precise issue that the research will address (what do we need to know?)
 Show the relevance of the problem (why do we need to know it?)
 Set the objectives of the research (what will you do to find out?)

When should you write a problem statement?

 In academic research, writing a problem statement can help you contextualize and understand the
significance of your research problem.

 A problem statement can be several paragraphs long and serve as the basis for your research
proposal, or it can be condensed into just a few sentences in the introduction of your paper or
thesis.

 The problem statement will look different depending on whether you’re dealing with a practical real-
world problem or a theoretical scientific issue. But all problem statements follow a similar process.
 When should you write a problem statement?

 In academic research, writing a problem statement can help you contextualize and understand the
significance of your research problem.

 A problem statement can be several paragraphs long and serve as the basis for your research
proposal, or it can be condensed into just a few sentences in the introduction of your paper or
thesis.

 The problem statement will look different depending on whether you’re dealing with a practical real-
world problem or a theoretical scientific issue. But all problem statements follow a similar process.
Step 1: Contextualize the problem

The problem statement should frame your research problem in its particular context and give some
background on what is already known about it.

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?
Step 2: Show why it matters

The problem statement should also address the relevance of the research: why is it important that the
problem is solved?
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 problems

Practical research is directly relevant to a specific problem that affects an organization, institution, social group, or
society more broadly. To make it clear why your research problem matters, you can ask yourself:
 What will happen if the problem is not solved?
 Who will feel the consequences?
 Does the problem have wider relevance (e.g. are similar issues found in other contexts)?

Theoretical research problems

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?
Step 3: Set your aims and objectives

Finally, the problem statement should frame how you intend to address the problem. Your goal should not be to
find a conclusive solution, but to seek out the reasons behind the problem and propose more effective
approaches to tackling or understanding it.

The 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…
•I aim to investigate…

The objectives are the concrete steps you will take to achieve the aim:
•Qualitative methods will be used to identify…
•I will use surveys to collect…
•Using statistical analysis, the research will measure…
 What is a problem statement?

A problem statement is a concise description of the problem or issues a project seeks to address.
The problem statement identifies the current state, the desired future state and any gaps between
the two.

A problem statement is an important communication tool that can help ensure everyone working
on a project knows what the problem they need to address is and why the project is important.

How to write a problem statement

1.Identify the problem

2.Begin your statement with your ideal situation
3.Describe current gaps
4.State the consequences of the problem
5.Make a proposal for addressing the problem
1. Identify the problem
Before you can begin writing your problem statement, you first need to identify what the problem is.
2. Begin your statement with your ideal situation
Next, you can begin writing your problem statement by describing what the ideal environment would look like if
your problem didn't exist. This section should try to describe what your company hopes to accomplish as a result
of the process improvement project.
3. Describe current gaps
Next, write the reality section of your problem statement. Your goal in this section should be to clearly identify what
the current environment looks like. In this section, you should identify what the problem is, what is causing the
problem and why it is an issue. You should also describe when, where and how you were able to identify the
problem.
4. State the consequences of the problem
Next, write the consequences section of your problem statement. This section is used to quantify and support the
claim of what the problem is. You can use this section to identify specific numbers such as the amount of time or
revenue being lost or the number of resources being wasted. It is important to include concrete numbers that
support your claims in this section.
5. Make a proposal for addressing the problem
Finally, end your statement with a proposal section. In this section, you should try to identify how your company
will make progress toward reaching your goals and accomplishing your ideal environment. While you may choose
to identify several possible solutions in this section, it is more important to focus on identifying how your company
will find those solutions than it is to identify the specific solution that will be used.
Nine attributes that respondents associated with problem statements

1.clarity and precision (a well-written statement does not make sweeping generalizations and
irresponsible statements);
2. identification of what would be studied, while avoiding the use of value-laden words and
terms;
3. identification of an overarching question and key factors or variables;
4. identification of key concepts and terms;
5. articulation of the study's boundaries or parameters;
6. some generalizability;
7. conveyance of the study's importance, benefits, and justification (regardless of the type of
research, it is important to address the “so what” question and to demonstrate that the
research is not trivial);
8. no use of unnecessary jargon; and
9. conveyance of more than the mere gathering of descriptive data providing a snapshot.
 The components of a problem statement

1.Lead-in; (helps set up the third component and attract a readership)

2.Declaration of originality (mentioning a knowledge void, which would be supported by the literature review);

3. Indication of the central focus of the study; and

4. Explanation of study significance or the benefits to be derived from an investigation of the problem.
 Tips on Writing a Problem Statement
Tip One: Write out your vision.
In order to decide what must be done when solving the problem, it is important to understand the vision. Be
sure to include the benefit of solving the problem. Take the time to write your vision clearly and concisely.
Tip Two: Write out your issue statement.
Write an issue statement that describes the problem and why solving the problem is important. This two-
sentence statement simply describes the problems that you are encountering and specific issues related to
the problem.
Tip Three: Organize your method.
Writing out the method that you plan to use to solve the problem is a crucial part of writing out your problem
statement. It is through your method that you convey the steps that you will take in solving the problem.
Tip Four: Use your "Ws."
Think back to grade school and you will recall how your English teacher probably taught you about the five
"Ws" - who, what, where, when, and why - questions that you need to answer when writing an essay. As you
proceed to write your problem statement, you should incorporated the five Ws, and answer them completely.
Thank You