A claim that explains the problem addressed by a study is referred to as a statement of the problem in research. The problem statement provides a succinct answer to the question: What is the problem that the research will address?
The goal of the research study you will propose should be clearly identified by writing a statement of the problem. The statement of the problem will frequently act as the foundation for the opening portion of your final proposal, drawing the reader’s attention to the challenges that your proposed project would address and providing the reader with a brief statement of the proposed problem.
What are the key characteristics of a problem statement?
The following characteristics should be included in a good research problem:
1. It should fill a knowledge void.
2. It must be significant enough to add to the existing body of knowledge.
3. It should lead to more investigation.
4. The problem should lend itself to data collection as a means of study.
5. It should pique the researcher’s attention and be appropriate for his or her abilities, time, and resources.
6. The problem should be solved in an ethical manner.
Considerations in composing the Statement of a Problem
The Ideal
Explains how things should be; describes a desired aim or ideal scenario.
The reality
Describes a scenario that precludes Part A’s aim, state, or value from being reached or realized at this moment; shows how the actual situation falls short of the goal or ideal.
Impacts
Describes how you plan to enhance the current condition and bring it closer to the aim or ideal.
Other considerations are;
- Put the issue into Context
The problem statement should set the context for your research problem and provide some background on what is already known about it.
Problems in the field of research;
Focus on the specifics of the situation when conducting practical research:
• When and where does the issue occur?
• Who is affected by the issue?
• Have any attempts to solve the problem been made?
- Explain why it’s Important
The relevance of the research should also be addressed in the problem statement: why is it vital to tackle the problem?
This does not imply that you must achieve something revolutionary or world-changing. The challenge must be researchable, viable, and clearly address a relevant issue in your field.
Practical research problems
Practical research is focused on a specific issue that impacts a company, institution, social group, or society as a whole. You can ask yourself the following questions to clarify why your research problem is important
Theoretical research problems
Theoretical difficulties can have evident practical implications in some cases, but their significance in other cases is less obvious. To figure out why the problem is important, consider the following questions
- Make a list of your Goals and Objectives.
Finally, the problem statement should specify how you plan to solve the issue. Your goal should not be to come up with a definitive answer, but rather to figure out what’s causing the problem and propose more effective ways to deal with or understand it.
The goal of your research is the overarching goal. In most cases, it’s written in the infinitive:
• The goal of this research is to find out…
• The goal of this initiative is to…
• I intend to look into…
The objectives are the specific steps you’ll take to accomplish your goal:
• To identify… qualitative methodologies will be applied.
• I’ll collect data through questionnaires…
• The research will use statistical analysis to determine…
