How to Write a Good Problem Statement

Research can be defined as the process of identifying information relevant to solving a specific problem, adding to existing knowledge, verifying an observation, and proving a possible solution to a problem that has been identified. Research must be conducted with a specific goal in mind, which highlights the problem (s) that the researcher intends to solve.

For every research, the problem must be clearly stated in order for the research to not be misworded, unfocused, or off-track.

A problem statement or statement of problem is a gap in knowledge that a researcher intends to fill. It gives a sense of direction.

REMEMBER: When there is no problem to solve, research is pointless.

When writing your research paper, how should you structure your problem statement?

The following are some aspects to consider:
Make sure you give the reader (s) enough background information so they understand why the research was necessary. Try to work on these for a few minutes:

• Who is affected by the problem?
• What effect it had on her
• And what are the implications.

You can also do well by citing those who have conducted similar studies that serve as the foundation for your research and how you intend to contribute. With all of this, believe me, you’re making a case for more research.

Furthermore, you need to

1. State the relevance of the study i.e, why it is important to carry out the study
2. Ensure you briefly state how you want to go about it highlighting the research design you will use in order to achieve reliable results.

On a Final Note:

• Your problem statement must be stated plainly and clearly in order for the reader to understand it.
• It must be measurable, which means that an appropriate design must be used to capture the information required to investigate or examine the stated issue.
• It should be easy to transform into research objectives, which can then be used to formulate a research question that can provide an answer to the stated problem.
• When a problem statement is poorly structured, achieving a reliable result becomes impossible, and vice versa. As a result, the problem statement becomes the heartbeat of any research project.

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