Critical Skills: Problem Statements

Problem statements are brief explanations of challenges that researchers aim to address through their work. These statements are an important part of most research projects, including graduate-level dissertations, because they help guide research projects. Problem statements express the fundamental reason why the researchers are doing the work and indicate why the research is worthwhile or important. Problem statements also generally use research and data to help explain the cause of the problem. Researchers often use a multistep, iterative process to create high-quality problem statements.

Problem statements vary in length depending on the type of research project. Some statements are only one-sentence long, while others are hundreds of words long. Problem statements can also be formal or informal based on the type of research project. In academic and professional settings, researchers most often design formal problem statements consisting of multiple paragraphs. Most formal problem statements include at least three parts: the problem; the context that helps explain the problem; and the purpose of the research.

Studies indicate that researchers benefit from using a multistep process to design their problem statements. Many groups and individuals have suggested various processes that can be used to develop problem statements. However, most processes begin with researchers writing crude initial drafts of their problem statements. At first, researchers do not have enough knowledge, information, or data to design finalized problems statements. Their initial problem-statement drafts are important, however, because they guide the researchers’ initial work.

After researchers create preliminary problem statements, they often conduct literature reviews. A literature review is preliminary research that researchers use to help them better understand their topic and, eventually, improve the problem statement. Researchers collect data and information during the literature review. They obtain information about the problems they want to research. Researchers aim to collect and analyze information that will help them revise their problem statements and explain the causes of the problems.

After researchers conduct literature reviews, they revise and expand on their problem statements. This revision period is the time when researchers add context to the problem. They can explain the problem’s causes and use data from their research to support their ideas. They also explain why the problem is important and the research is worthwhile.

A problem statement is generally the first part of a research project and guides the research process. In a formal research project, such as a doctoral dissertation, a researcher refers to the problem statement throughout the work. Therefore, having a high-quality problem statement is necessary to have a high-quality overall project.

A problem statement must have certain characteristics to adequately guide a research project. For starters, it must clearly state a problem. Although it seems obvious that the statement should include a clearly stated problem, professionals have said that succinctly stating the problem can be difficult for some researchers. To ensure that their problem statement clearly and succinctly states the problem, researchers should create a first draft using language such as, “The problem to be addressed by this study is . . .” Furthermore, the problem in the problem statement should be important enough to devote research to it. A researcher can emphasize why a problem is important and worthy of research by adding context to the problem statement. The researcher can use data from the literature to indicate why the audience should care about the problem and desire a solution.

High-quality problem statements also indicate why the research project is necessary. Researchers often do this by identifying gaps in the current research. If they can fill in one or more of these gaps, it will show audiences that their research is important.

Core Skills & Competencies

Those writing problem statements can benefit from developing other skills that assist in this process. For example, researching skills are important for individuals writing problem statements. The literature review that a researcher conducts when developing the problem statement should give the researcher data and context about the problem. Having good researching skills helps people identify and analyze as much information as possible about the problem. The information that a researcher collects during the literature review shapes the problem statement. It also shapes the researcher’s opinions about the problem, its causes, and its importance. Researchers who can identify and analyze relevant information will be better able to design a high-quality problem statement.

Good writing, editing, and revising skills are essential in creating a problem statement. The best problem statements state the problem clearly and concisely. This is achieved by being able to write and revise well. High-quality writing and revision skills also help researchers convince readers that the problem is important, and the research is worthwhile. Researchers who cannot write or revise effectively may confuse readers or fail to convey their message.

Critical thinking skills are important when crafting problem statements. Those who think critically analyze information and make judgments based on it. Researchers use critical thinking to transform the knowledge they have and the information they gain through research into an original problem statement. Researchers also use critical thinking when they conduct the literature review to determine if research is relevant to the topic they are researching. Since good problem statements identify gaps in research, researchers must use critical thinking during the literature review to identify the aspects of the topic that have not been adequately researched. Furthermore, researchers use critical thinking when they choose specific context and details to support and expand their problem statements.

Self-efficacy is also beneficial for researchers. This refers to researchers’ belief in their ability to achieve a specific outcome. Those with a high level of self-efficacy believe that they can control their own motivation and behavior to achieve their desired outcomes. The research process is long and requires researchers to revise and edit their own work. Researchers who have high levels of self-efficacy can most likely overcome obstacles and revise their own work.

Research & Theory

Developing a problem statement is a vital part of the research process. The problem statement impacts and is linked to nearly all other parts of the research project. Experts suggest that writers maintain consistency between the problem statement and other parts of the research project, such as the title, purpose, and research question. Researchers can maintain consistency by using similar language throughout the project and repeatedly referring to the same sources of information.

Other studies indicate that the problem statement is vital to the research process because its structure—including its exact words and phrasing—influence the outcomes of the research project. These studies contend that that changing the wording of a problem statement significantly influences the rest of the research project. Because of this, researchers should use great care when developing, revising, and editing problem statements.

Research also indicates that a literature review can significantly impact problem statements. The information researchers collect and analyze during a literature review can alter researchers’ perceptions of the topic and the problem. The literature review also helps researchers provide their audiences with context about the problem, its causes, and its possible solutions. Studies have also found that a literature review helps researchers make their problem statements on target and concise.

Although writing effective problem statements is vital to developing successful research projects, doing so is difficult for many people. Experts contend that researchers can more easily write high-quality problem statements when they use an iterative, multistep writing process. They also advise researchers to focus on problems that they care about and animate them, as most people find that it is easier to write about subjects are important to them. Furthermore, some experts claim that writing problem statements—and completing research projects in general—is a learned skill that individuals master through experience. Individuals should also understand that the research process will continue to change as technology evolves.

Bibliography

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