How to Write a Problem

Statement
INSTRUCTOR: WAQAR ALAM
Introduction

 A problem statement is a brief piece of writing that usually

comes at the beginning of a report or proposal to explain the
problem or issue the document is addressing to the reader.
 In general, a problem statement will outline the basic facts of
the problem, explain why the problem matters, and pinpoint a
solution as quickly and directly as possible.
 Problem statements are often used in the world of business for
planning purposes but can also be required in academic
situations as part of a proposal-style report or writing project.
What is a Research Problem?

 Generally speaking a research problem is a situation that

needs a solution and for which there are possible solutions.
 If a situation has no possible solutions then it makes little or no
sense expending resources researching it.
 For example take this statement, “everybody wants to go to
heaven but nobody wants to die”. Dying looks like a problem that
needs a solution yet there is no possible solution to it. People must
die. A research on how people can live forever makes little or no
sense.
What is a Research Problem?...

 A research problem may be described as an incongruence; a

discrepancy between what is and what ought to be.

 It may be also described as the gap in knowledge that needs

to be filled.
What is a Problem Statement?

 A problem statement is the description of an issue currently

existing which needs to be addressed.

 It provides the context for the research study and generates

the questions which the research aims to answer.

 The statement of the problem is the focal point of any

research.
What is a Good Problem Statement?

 A good problem statement is just one sentence (with several

paragraphs of elaboration).
 For example it could be: "The frequency of job layoffs is creating
fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle management
workers."
 While this problem statement is just one sentence, it should be
accompanied by a few paragraphs that elaborate on the
problem.
What is a Good Problem Statement?...

 The paragraphs could cover present persuasive arguments that make the
problem important enough to study.
 They could include the opinions of others (politicians, futurists, other
professionals); explanations of how the problem relates to business, social or
political trends via presentation of data that demonstrates the scope and
depth of the problem.
 A well-articulated statement of the problem establishes the foundation for
everything to follow in the proposal and will render less problematic most of
the conceptual, theoretical and methodological obstacles typically
encountered during the process of proposal development. This means that,
in subsequent sections of the proposal, there should be no surprises, such as
categories, questions, variables or data sources that come out of nowhere.
Key components of a problem statement

Problem statements often have three elements:

 1. The problem itself, stated clearly and with enough contextual detail to
establish why it is important.
 2. The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working
thesis.
 3. The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project being
proposed.
 These elements should be brief so that the reader does not get lost.
 One page is enough for a statement problem.
Criteria for Research Problem Statement

 The statement of the problem should clearly indicate what is to be

investigated.
 The actual statement may be in a declarative or in a question form.
 The statement should indicate the variables of interest and the specific
relationship between the variables that are to be studied.

 Please note: In some qualitative methodologies, a statement of variables will

not be possible and should not be done. However, an explanation of the
qualitative methodology and the parameters of the research methodology
should be explained.
Role of a Problem Statement

 The problem statement provides the context for the research study and typically
generates questions which the research hopes to answer.
 In your proposal the statement of the problem is oftentimes the first part to be read
with scrutiny. I am ignoring the title and the abstract because ideally a title should be
born out of a problem statement and an abstract should be a summary after the
problem has already been dealt with.
 The problem statement should, therefore, "hook" the reader and establish a persuasive
context for what follows.
 You need to be able to clearly answer the question: "what is the problem"? And "why
is this problem worth my attention"?
 At the same time, the problem statement limits scope by focusing on some variables
and not others. It also provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate why these
variables are important.
Where does the problem statement
originate from?

 A good problem originates from a research question formulated out of observation

of the reality.
 A literature review and a study of previous experiments, and research, are good
sources of research questions that are converted to statements of problem.
 The research question is formulated and then restated in the form of a statement that
notes the adverse consequences of the problem.
 The type of study determines the kinds of question you should formulate: Is there
something wrong in society, theoretically unclear or in dispute, or historically worth
studying? Is there a program, drug, project, or product that needs evaluation? What
do you intend to create or produce and how will it be of value to you and society?
Example

 Pose questions such as: What "should" be occurring?

 (For example: Based on the national average, small scale farmers in
Bungoma district should be harvesting (xy) tons of maize per acre)
 What is occurring?
 (For example: A recent household survey reported that 56% of these farmers
harvest only (xy-ab) tons per acre.)
 What could happen if the problem is not addressed?
 (For example: persistent low farm productivity in the district may lead to
widespread food insecurity and defeat the government policy on the
same.)
Common Sources of Research
Problem

Common sources of research problems are:

 Personal experience and interests of researchers.

 Various theories in the discipline of the researcher.
 Related Literature- Literature from one’s own area of interest.
 A reproduction of past research studies.
How to Write a Problem Statement?

 The problem statement implies some question that your research will be
answering.

 When you set up to write a statement problem you should know that you
are looking for something wrong… or something that needs close attention.

 Your problem statement is the statement that makes a point about the
issues and information you are discussing, and is what the rest of the
proposal hinges upon. It is not just your topic, but what you are saying
about your topic. In other words there must be very good communication
between your topic and the statement problem.
How Objectivity Can be Injected in
the Problem Statement?

Objectivity can be injected by answering questions such as these:

 Is the problem of current interest?

 Is it topical (relevant, newsworthy, interesting)?
 Is the problem likely to continue into the future?
 Will more information about the problem have practical application?
 Will more information about the problem have theoretical importance?
 How large is the population affected by the problem?
How Objectivity (Impartiality) Can be
Injected in the Problem Statement?

 How important, influential, or popular is this population?

 Would this study substantially revise or extend existing
knowledge?
 Would this study create or improve an instrument of some utility?
 Would research findings lead to some useful change in best
practice?
 Is there evidence or authoritative opinion from others to support
the need for this research?
 The problem statement could close with a question.
 Typically, the question could contain two variables, a measurable relationship,
and some indication of population.
 The purpose of the literature review that follows thereafter is to answer the
research problem question.
 An example question might be: this proposal poses the question, "What is the relationship
between farm productivity and farmer use of fertilizer"?
 The information needed is (1) productivity levels and (2) some measure of fertilizer use
 A bad example might be: "What is the best way to train for use of fertilizer"?
 This is insufficient because: What are the variables? What will be measured? What relationships will
be examined?
Relationship between the research title and
the problem statement question.

 There should be a close relationship between the title of the proposal and the
problem statement question.
 For example, in the good example above, the title of this research project would be
something like this:

 "Fertilizer Use by Small Scale Farmers in Charsadda District and Their Farm Productivity"

 Establishing your research problem usually consists of distinct phases:

 Research topic>research problem>problem statement>research design>research
proposal
 Problem Statement Template

 This template should help you to draft your first problem statement.
 Stable Context: Describe unchanging facts about the topic/problem.
 For many years, people have debated about ______________________. Or ____________________ has been
controversial because __________________________________________________________.
 Or ______________________ has dominated discussions of _____________.
 Status Quo: State common but incorrect or incomplete assumptions.
 Many people think ________________________________________________________.
 Or At first glance, it may seem like ______________________________________________.
 Destabilizing Moment: Describe something that reveals the status quo assumptions to be incomplete or
inaccurate.
 This initial perception fails to take into account __________________________________________________________.
 Or This theory can't explain __________________________________________________________.
 Or People have failed to notice, however, __________________________________________________________.
 Consequences: Show readers why they should care: what bad things will happen if people
continue to believe the status quo? What good things will happen once they stop believing it?

 If we continue to believe _______________, we'll never understand the larger question of

__________________________________________________________. OR
 Unless we change _____________________, we will continue to have trouble with_______________
_________________________________________________________________. OR
 Once we understand ___________________, we'll begin to see the answer to the problem ______
__________________________________________________________. OR
 By rethinking our approach to ___________________, we can fix ________________.

 Resolution: Provide a better theory/explanation to replace the status quo.

 State your claim. ___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________.
Template…

 PROBLEM STATEMENT 4 required parts:

 1. Start with a general problem identifying the need for the study.
 E.g. The problem of this study is ______
 2. State the specific problem proposed for research. (use citation & usually a number
to make it clear to the reader,
 E.g. 30% of the farms have been affected by the Napier grass disease
 3. Introductory words describing Methodological approach (i.e. Research Design)
are given and are appropriate to the specific proposal problem,
 E.g. this qualitative study will explore... or this quantitative study will examine ...
 4. General population group of proposed study is identified.
 E.g., Small scale farmers in affected locations will be surveyed to determine ...
Writing Your Own Problem Statement

 Describe the "ideal" state of affairs. There are lots of different ways to write a
problem statement — some sources will recommend jumping right to the
problem itself, while others recommend providing background context first
so that problem (and its solution) are easier to understand for the reader.
 If you're ever unsure of how to begin, opt for the latter option. While
conciseness (shortness) is something every piece of practical writing should
aim for, it's even more important to be well-understood.
 Start by describing how things should work. Before you even mention your
problem, explain in a few sentences how things would be if the problem
didn't exist.
Explanation with an Airline Example

 For instance, let's say that we work at a major airline and that
we've noticed that the way passengers board our planes is
an inefficient use of time and resources.
Describe an Ideal Situation

 In this case, we might begin our problem statement by describing an ideal

situation where the boarding system isn't inefficient that the company
should shoot for, like this:

 "The boarding protocols used by ABC Airlines should aim to get each flight's
passengers aboard the plane quickly and efficiently so that the plane can
take off as soon as possible. The process of boarding should be optimized
(enhanced) for time-efficiency but also should be straightforward enough
that it can be easily understood by all passengers."
Explain Your Problem

Explain your problem.

 In the words of the inventor Charles Kettering, "A problem well-stated is a
problem half-solved."[1] One of the most important goals (if not the most
important goal) of any problem statement is to articulate (express) the
problem being addressed to the reader in a way that's clear,
straightforward, and easy to understand.

 Succinctly (concisely, briefly) summarize the problem you intend to solve —

this cuts to the heart of the issue immediately and positions the most
important information in the problem statement near the top, where it's
most visible.
 If you've just stated an "ideal" state of affairs as suggested above, you may
want to start your sentence with phrasing like:

 "However, ..." or "Unfortunately, ..." to show that the problem you've

identified is what is preventing the ideal vision from being a reality.
 Let's say that we think we've developed a quicker, more efficient system for
getting passengers aboard our planes than the typical "back to front"
seating system. In this case, we might continue with a few sentences like,

 "However, ABC Airline's current passenger boarding system is an inefficient

use of the company's time and resources. By wasting employee man hours,
the current boarding protocols make the company less competitive, and
by contributing to a slow boarding process, they create an unfavorable
brand image."
Explain Problem’s Financial Costs

 Explain your problem's financial costs.

 Soon after you state your problem, you'll want to explain why it's a big deal. In the
business world, money is almost always the bottom line, so you'll want to try to
highlight the financial impact of your problem on the company or organization
you're writing for.
 For instance, is the problem you're discussing keeping your business from making
more money? Is it actively costing your business money? Is it damaging your brand
image and thus indirectly costing your business money? Be as exact and specific
about the financial burden of your problem — try to specify an exact dollar amount
(or a well-supported estimate) for your problem's cost.
 For our airline example, we might proceed to explain the problem's
financial cost like this:

 "The inefficiency of the current boarding system represents a significant

financial burden for the company. On average, the current boarding
system wastes roughly four minutes per boarding session, resulting in a total
of 20 wasted man-hours per day across all ABC flights. This represents a
waste of roughly $400 per day, or $146,000 per year."
Backup Your Assertions

Back up your assertions.

 No matter how much money you claim your problem is costing your
company, if you can't back up your claims with reasonable evidence, you
may not be taken seriously.
 As soon as you start making specific claims about how serious your problem
is, you'll need to start supporting your statements with evidence. In some
cases, this may be from your own research, from data from a related study
or project, or even from reputable third-party sources.
 In some corporate and academic situations, you may need to explicitly
reference your evidence in the text of your problem statement, while in
other situations, it may be enough to simply use a footnote or another form
of shorthand for your citations.
 Let's reexamine the sentences we used in the previous step. They describe
the cost of the problem, but don't explain how this cost was found. A more
thorough explanation might include this:

 "...Based on internal performance tracking data,[1] on average, the current

boarding system wastes roughly four minutes per boarding session, resulting
in a total of 20 wasted man-hours per day across all ABC flights. Terminal
personnel are paid an average of $20 per hour, so this represents a waste of
roughly $400 per day, or $146,000 per year."
Propose a Solution

Propose a solution.
 When you've explained what the problem is and why it's so important,
proceed to explain how you propose to deal with it. As with the initial
statement of your problem, your explanation of your solution should be
written to be as clear and concise as possible. Stick to big, important,
concrete concepts and leave any minor details for later — you'll have
plenty of opportunities to get into every minor aspect of your proposed
solution in the body of your proposal.
 In our airline example, our solution to the problem of inefficient boarding
practices is this new system we've discovered, so we should briefly explain the
broad strokes of this new system without getting into the minor details. We
might say something like,

 "Using a modified boarding system proposed by Dr. Edward Right of the

Kowlard Business Efficiency Institute which has passengers board the plane from
the sides in rather than from the back to the front, ABC Airlines can eliminate
these four minutes of waste.“

 We might then go on to explain the basic gist (essence, substance) of the new
system, but we wouldn't use more than a sentence or two to do this, as the
"meat" of our analysis will be in the body of the proposal.
Explain Benefits of the Solution

Explain the benefits of the solution.

 Again, now that you've told your readers what should be done about the
problem, it's a very good idea to explain why this solution is a good idea.
Since businesses are always trying to increase their efficiency and earn more
money, you'll want to focus primarily on the financial impact of your solution
— which expenses it will reduce, which new forms of revenue it will
generate, and so on. You can also explain non-tangible benefits, like
improved customer satisfaction, but your total explanation shouldn't be too
much longer than a few sentences to a paragraph.
 In our example, we might briefly describe how our company could
conceivably benefit from the money saved with our solution. A few
sentences along these lines might work:

 "ABC Airlines stands to benefit substantially from the adoption of this new
boarding program. For instance, the $146,000 in estimated yearly savings
can be re-directed to new sources of revenue, such as expanding its
selection of flights to high-demand markets. In addition, by being the first
American airline to adopt this solution, ABC stands to gain considerable
recognition as an industry trend-setter in the areas of value and
convenience."
Conclude by Summarizing the
Problem and Solution

Conclude by summarizing the problem and solution.

 After you've presented the ideal vision for your company, identified the
problem keeping you from achieving this ideal, and suggested a solution,
you're almost done. All that's left to do is to conclude with a summary of
your main arguments that allows you transition easily into the main body of
your proposal. There's no need to make this conclusion any longer than it
needs to be — try to state, in just a few sentences, the basic gist of what
you've described in your problem statement and the approach you intend
to take in the body of the article.
 In our airline example, we might conclude like this:

 "Optimization of current boarding protocols or adoption of new, more-

effective protocols is crucial for the continued competitiveness of the
company. In this proposal, the alternative boarding protocols developed by
Dr. Right are analyzed for their feasibility and steps for effective
implementation are suggested."

 This sums up the main point of the problem statement — that the current
boarding procedure isn't very good and that this new one is better — and
tells the audience what to expect if they continue reading.