How to write problem statement in research proposal

Related slideshares at to write a statement sscollege_hed on dec 4, to write a statement you sure you want message goes lecturer at makerere university, for sharing such a great piece! You sure you want message goes or of operations at health connect was the best breakdown of a problem statement i have read to date! Thank you for posting you sure you want message goes ic librarian at fut is a very good write up and i have learnt alot from it because i and some of my colleagues have problems in this aspect of research. To write a statement proposal sor of kenyatta university of agriculture and is a constant complaint among those who evaluate proposals that frequent deficiency noted by them is the lack of a clear ent to define and guide the inquiry. Speaking a research problem is a situation that needs on and for which there are possible solutions. Dying looks like a problem that needs on yet there is no possible solution to it. Research problem may be described as an incongruence; a n what is and what ought to be. It may be also described as in knowledge that needs to be is a problem statement? It provides the context for the and generates the questions which the research aims to statement of the problem is the focal point of any research. This problem statement is just one sentence, it should anied by a few paragraphs that elaborate on the problem. They could include the opinions (politicians, futurists, other professionals); explanations of problem relates to business, social or political trends via data that demonstrates the scope and depth of the problem. Well articulated statement of the problem establishes the everything to follow in the proposal and will render less of the conceptual, theoretical and methodological lly encountered during the process of proposal development. That, in subsequent sections of the proposal, there should be ses, such as categories, questions, variables or data sources out of nowhere: if it can't be found in the problem section, at the implicit level, then it either does not belong in the study or m statement needs to be are key components of the m statements often have three elements:1. The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project elements should be brief so that the reader does not get lost. Is enough for a statement ia for research problem statements:• the statement of the problem should clearly indicate what is to. The statement should indicate the variables of interest and ic relationship between the variables that are to be studied. Please note: in some qualitative methodologies, a statement les will not be possible and should not be done. However,An explanation of the qualitative methodology and ters of the research methodology should be is the role of problem statement? Problem provides the context for the research study and tes questions which the research hopes to answer. In r or not to move forward with a research project, you lly spend some time considering the your proposal the statement of the problem is oftentimes the first be read with scrutiny. I am ignoring the title and the abstract y a title should be born out of a problem statement and an be a summary after the problem has already been dealt with. M statement should, therefore, "hook" the reader and establish sive context for what need to be able to clearly answer the question: "what is m"? It also provides an opportunity for you to these variables are does a problem statement originate from?

How to write a research problem

A literature review and a study of ments, and research, are good sources of research questions converted to statements of problem. Many scientific researchers an area where a previous researcher generated some s, but never followed up. It could be an interesting area of research,Which nobody else has fully research question is formulated and then restated in the form of ent that notes the adverse consequences of the problem. Sources of research problems are:Personal experience and interests of s theories in the discipline of the d literature- literature from one’s own area of interest. Reproduction of past research to write the statement problem statement implies some question that your research will ing. Sometimes it is necessary to draft or pre-write for a while er what that point will be (and often writers are unsure of until they have written the draft proposal and discover the the end of the proposal). You set up to write a statement problem you should know that looking for something wrong… or something that needs ion. Your problem statement is the statement that makes a the issues and information you are discussing, and is what the the proposal hinges upon. In other words there must be very ication between your topic and the statement importance of the problem should receive considerable sive attention [note that importance is inevitably subjective vary from researcher to researcher]. Nevertheless objectivity can ed by answering questions such as these:Is the problem of current interest? There evidence or authoritative opinion from others to support the problem statement should persuasively indicate that major be measured in some meaningful way. If you can identify ions to the study, identify and respond to them problem statement could close with a question. The purpose of the literature review s thereafter is to answer the research problem question. E question might be: this proposal poses the question, "what relationship between farm productivity and farmer use of fertilizer"? For example, in the good , the title of this research project would be something like this:"fertilizer use by small scale farmers in bungoma district and their ishing a research problem can be a challenging yet s. Careful selection of the research problem defines the work project and provides a direction for the entire process. Research problem usually consists of distinct phases:Research topic>research problem>problem statement>research design>research a broad area st–a research move from topic to m, ask the topic such as. Complete research several articles on er focus; note ologies that might orate readings-to-date ine this ent. Of course, as progresses, you may modify this more focused lized articles on content,Design and statement problem template should help you to draft your first problem be unchanging facts about the topic/ many years, people have debated about ______________________. About 50 professionals migrate abroad due to g conditions (specific problem with numbers ted with a citation). Quantitative statement of the problem: an american ty fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes in america (adams,2002). Problem with citation the 9/11 commission report (9/sion, 2004) recommended using an nbic system as a le and secure means of fighting terrorism. Purpose of this research study will be to examine tional factors necessary for the public to use voluntary nbics as.

To purpose, a quantitative type of study research study students, faculty, administrative personnel, and employees of ity colleges in los angeles county, phical course - linkedin e prep: writing a strong course - linkedin ng complex course - linkedin to build your problem g your problem sity of statement of the e of a research problem g objectives & problem problem sent successfully.. Now customize the name of a clipboard to store your can see my click here if you are not redirected within a few basics of writing a statement of the problem for your research . It can be divided into two general categories: (1) basic research, which is inquiry aimed at increasing scientific knowledge, and (2) applied research, which is effort aimed at using basic research for solving problems or developing new processes, products, or first and most important step in any research is to identify and delineate the research problem: that is, what the researcher wants to solve and what questions he/she wishes to answer. A research problem may be defined as an area of concern, a gap in the existing knowledge, or a deviation in the norm or standard that points to the need for further understanding and investigation. Although many problems turn out to have several solutions (the means to close the gap or correct the deviation), difficulties arise where such means are either not obvious or are not immediately available. Statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study. The statement of the problem briefly addresses the question: what is the problem that the research will address? Ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused research and careful g a statement of the problem should help you clearly identify the purpose of the research project you will propose. Often, the statement of the problem will also serve as the basis for the introductory section of your final proposal, directing your reader’s attention quickly to the issues that your proposed project will address and providing the reader with a concise statement of the proposed project itself. Statement of problem need not be long and elaborate: one page is more than enough for a good statement of are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem? Good research problem should have the following characteristics:It should address a gap in should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of should lead to further problem should render itself to investigation through collection of should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and approach towards solving the problem should be is the format for writing a statement of the problem? Persuasive statement of problem is usually written in three parts:Part a (the ideal): describes a desired goal or ideal situation; explains how things should b (the reality): describes a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value in part a from being achieved or realized at this time; explains how the current situation falls short of the goal or c (the consequences): identifies the way you propose to improve the current situation and move it closer to the goal or a: according to the xy university mission statement, the university seeks to provide students with a safe, healthy learning environment. The rooms are not only unhealthy, but they inhibit student productivity and academic c: in response to this problem, our study proposes to investigate several options for making the dorms more hospitable. We will also consider less expensive ways to mitigate some or all of the problems noted above (such as creating climate-controlled dorm lounges and equipping them with better study areas and computing space). Is a simple four-step guide to writing a statement of the problem:Step 1 (statement 1): describe a goal or desired state of a given situation, phenomenon etc. 2 (statement 2): describe a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value discussed in step 1 from being achieved or realized at the present time. 4 (statement 3): using specific details, show how the situation in step 2 contains little promise of improvement unless something is done. Then emphasize the benefits of research by projecting the consequences of possible are some examples of how you can write a statement of the problem using the steps mentioned above:The government of kenya has a goal to industrialize the nation by the year 2030 (quote). There are several sessional papers (quote/cite) that contain specific measures to encourage and support 2 and 3 (statement 2). Developing a more informed disbursement system could help better implement the consistency focus of the ministry and at the same time help the ministry better monitor and evaluate its proposed research aspires to explore options for a new funds disbursement system that would focus on consistency. To do this, the researcher will carry out a full stakeholder analysis and use it to propose appropriate policy r way to write a statement of the problem is to use a template. Here is a simple template which might be useful for researchers:There is a problem in ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______________________(e. Perhaps a study which investigates_________________ by a ___________(paradigm/method) could help resolve the is a sample statement of the problem that has been created using the above template:An established trend in the small business start-up financing in kenya is to establish funds.

First, they face problems in management which lead to a marketing problem and eventually to stagnation and early exit. Post is a modified version of the article is it problem statement or statement of the problem? H2>the basics of writing a statement of the problem for your research proposal

. P style="text-align: justify;">research is a systematic investigative process employed to increase or revise current knowledge by discovering new facts. It can be divided into two general categories: (1) basic research, which is inquiry aimed at increasing scientific knowledge, and (2) applied research, which is effort aimed at using basic research for solving problems or developing new processes, products, or techniques. P style="text-align: justify;">the first and most important step in any research is to identify and delineate the research problem: that is, what the researcher wants to solve and what questions he/she wishes to answer. P style="text-align: justify;">a statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study. P style="text-align: justify;">what are the goals of a statement of the problem? P style="text-align: justify;">the ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision-making. P style="text-align: justify;">writing a statement of the problem should help you clearly identify the purpose of the research project you will propose. P style="text-align: justify;">a statement of problem need not be long and elaborate: one page is more than enough for a good statement of problem. P style="text-align: justify;">what are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem? Ol>
  • a good research problem should have the following characteristics:
  • . Li style="text-align: justify;">it should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research. Li style="text-align: justify;">the problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data. Li style="text-align: justify;">it should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources. Ol>

    what is the format for writing a statement of the problem? P style="text-align: justify;">a persuasive statement of problem is usually written in three parts:

    . Text-align: justify;">part a: according to the xy university mission statement, the university seeks to provide students with a safe, healthy learning environment. Text-align: justify;">part c: in response to this problem, our study proposes to investigate several options for making the dorms more hospitable. P style="text-align: justify;">here is a simple four-step guide to writing a statement of the problem:

    . P style="text-align: justify;">step 1 (statement 1): describe a goal or desired state of a given situation, phenomenon etc. P style="text-align: justify;">step 4 (statement 3): using specific details, show how the situation in step 2 contains little promise of improvement unless something is done.

    P style="text-align: justify;">here are some examples of how you can write a statement of the problem using the steps mentioned above:

    . P style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 40px;">thus, there is a need to examine the public universities’ motivation systems and procedures, which is the aim of the proposed research. P style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: justify;">this proposed research aspires to explore options for a new funds disbursement system that would focus on consistency. To do this, the researcher will carry out a full stakeholder analysis and use it to propose appropriate policy interventions. P style="margin-left: 6pt; text-align: justify;">another way to write a statement of the problem is to use a template. P style="margin-left: 6pt; text-align: justify;">here is a sample statement of the problem that has been created using the above template:

    . 28file=is%20it%20problem%20statement%20or%20statement%20of%20the%">is it problem statement or statement of the problem? To choose the right funding option at different stages of your academic careerchallenges faced by postdoctoral researchers in the us and the ukwriting an effective research grant popular in this to write an effective title and abstract and choose appropriate keywords. Basic tips on writing a good research paper is the best way of stating the background of a study? Categories » education and communications » writing » official writing and approvedwikihow to write a problem parts:sample problem statementswriting your own problem statementpolishing your problem statementcommunity q& wikihow will teach you how write a problem best write a problem statement, describe the ideal situation and explain what problem is preventing your ideal situation from happening. Include the financial costs of the problem and provide evidence to back up your claims. 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. Before you even mention your problem, explain in a few sentences how things would be if the problem didn't 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. 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 . 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 the problem being addressed to the reader in a way that's clear, straightforward, and easy to understand. Succinctly 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. To show that the problem you've identified is what is preventing the ideal vision from being a '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. Soon after you state your problem, you'll want to explain why it's a big deal — after all, no one has the time or resources to try to solve every single minor problem. 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. 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 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. 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 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. They describe the cost of the problem, but don't explain how this cost was found. Note the footnote — in an actual problem statement, this would correspond to a reference or appendix containing the data e 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 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. 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. After you've presented the ideal vision for your company, identified the problem keeping your 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 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. 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 academic work, don't forget a thesis statement. When you have to write a problem statement for school, rather than for work, the process will be largely the same, but there may be extra items you'll need to take into account to assure a good grade. For instance, many composition classes will require you to include a thesis statement in your problem statement. The thesis statement (sometimes just called the "thesis") is a single sentence that summarizes your entire argument, boiling it down to its bare essentials. A good thesis statement identifies both the problem and the solution as succinctly and clearly as instance, let's say we're writing a paper on the problem of academic essay mills — companies that sell pre-written and/or custom works for students to purchase and turn in as their own work. As our thesis statement, we might use this sentence, which acknowledges the problem and the solution we're about to propose: "the practice of buying academic essays, which undermines the learning process and gives an advantage to rich students, can be combated buy providing professors with stronger digital analysis tools. Classes explicitly require you to put your thesis sentence at a certain place in your problem statement (for instance, as the very first or very last sentence). Other times, you'll have more freedom — check with your teacher if you're not the same process for conceptual problems. Not all problem statements are going to be for documents dealing with practical, tangible problems. Some, especially in academics (and especially in the humanities), are going to deal with conceptual problems — problems that have to do with the way we think about abstract ideas. In these cases, you can still use the same basic problem statement framework to present the problem at hand (while obviously shifting away from a business focus). In other words, you'll want to identify the problem (often, for conceptual problems, this will be that some idea is not well-understood), explain why the problem matters, explain how you plan to solve it, and sum up all of this in a instance, let's say that we're asked to write a problem statement for a report on the importance of religious symbolism in the brothers karamazov by fyodor dostoevsky. In this case, our problem statement should identify some poorly-understood aspect of the religious symbolism in the novel, explain why this matters (for instance, we might say that by better understanding the religious symbolism in the novel, it's possible to draw new insights from the book), and lay out how we plan to support our ing your problem concise.

    Problem statements shouldn't be any longer than they need to be to accomplish their task of laying out the problem and its solution for the reader. Don't get bogged down in minor details — problem statements should deal only with the essentials of your problem and solution. Problem statement is no place to add your own personal commentary or "flavor", as this makes the problem statement longer for no practical purpose. When making a problem statement, it's important to remember that you're writing for someone else, not for yourself. Different audiences will have different sets of knowledge, different reasons for reading, and different attitudes toward your problem, so try to keep your intended audience in mind as you write. You want your problem statement to be as clear and easy for your audience to understand as possible, which means you may need to change your tone, style, and diction from one audience to another. As you write, try to ask yourself questions like:"who, specifically, am i writing for? As noted above, your problem statement should be written so that it's as easy for your audience to understand as possible. However, if we're writing to an audience made up of both physicians and wealthy hospital investors who may or may not be medically trained, it's a good idea to introduce the word "metacarpal" with its definition — the bone between the first two joints of the to a narrow, defined problem. Generally, narrow, defined topics are easier to write convincingly about than large, vague ones, so whenever possible, you'll want to keep the scope of your problem statement (and thus the body of your document) well-focused. If this makes your problem statement (or the body of your document) short, this is usually a good thing (except in academic situations where you have minimum page limits for your assignment). Good rule of thumb is to only address problems that you can definitively solve beyond a shadow of a doubt. If you're not sure of a definitive solution that can solve your entire problem, you may want to narrow the scope of your project and change your problem statement to reflect this new keep the scope of a problem statement under control, it can be helpful to wait until after completing the body of the document or proposal to write the problem statement. In this case, when we write our problem statement, we can use our actual document as a guideline so that we don't have to guess about the ground we may cover when we write er the "five ws". Problem statements should be as informative as possible in as few words as possible, but shouldn't delve into minute details. If you're ever in doubt of what to include in your problem statement, a smart idea is to try to answer the five ws (who, what, where, when, and why), plus how. Addressing the five ws gives your reader a good baseline level of knowledge to understand the problem and solution without treading into unnecessary levels of instance, if you're writing a problem statement to propose a new building development to your local city council, you might address the five ws by explaining who the development would benefit, what the development would require, where the development should be, when construction should begin, and why the development is ultimately a smart idea for the a formal voice. Because of this, you'll want to use a formal, dignified writing style (the same as the style hopefully used for the body of the document) in the problem statement. Don't attempt to win your reader over by taking a friendly or casual tone in your problem statement. Good problem statements know that they have a job to accomplish and don't waste any time or ink on unnecessary closest you can usually get to including purely "entertaining" content in academic writing in the humanities. Here, occasionally, it's possible to encounter problem statements that begin with a quote or epigraph. Even in these cases, however, the quote has some bearing on the problem being discussed and the rest of the problem statement is written in a formal proofread for errors. When you're finally satisfied with the structure of your problem statement, double-check it for spelling, grammar, and formatting 'll never regret re-reading your problem statement before you turn it in.

    Since, by its very nature, the problem statement is usually the first part of a proposal or report that someone will read, any errors here will be especially embarrassing for you and can even reflect negatively on your entire do i write a problem statement? The problem, back it up with evidence and explain your problem statement can i write on a subject fading out of schools? A citation, you list the source, the author, the year it was published, and on what day you found can i write a statement of the problem on the quality of ground and surface do i write a problem statement on the risk factors for cancer in ugandan women? Can i write a problem statement about the ideal retiring age for a correctional officer? Do i write a problem statement on search engines which searches a word from wikipedia? More unanswered to write a resignation to write a letter requesting to write a letter of to write a complaint letter to a to make an authorization to address a letter to an to write an executive to write a standard operating to address a letter to a government to write letters to the s and :///schoolhouse/wp/:///faculty/c/a/caw43/behrendwriting/:///6553371/academic_writing_ries: official writing and h: einen problembericht schreiben, português: escrever uma declaração de problema, español: escribir un planteamiento de problema, 中文: 写问题陈述, italiano: scrivere formalmente la definizione di un problema, français: écrire un énoncé de problème, русский: написать постановку задачи, bahasa indonesia: menuliskan rumusan masalah, čeština: jak napsat popis problému, हिन्दी: कोई समस्या कथन लिखें (kaise, problem, statement, likhain), العربية: كتابة تقرير المشكلة, tiếng việt: viết đặt vấn đề, 日本語: 問題提起文を書く, 한국어: 문제정의서 작성하는 법. I was working on my research proposal draft, and was challenged most with writing up a good research problem statement. I have a business exam in 5 days, and writing a problem statement is major portion in that. This article demonstrated the importance of being able to flow; thus engaging a reader to see a problem from your point of view. I was very confused about how to write a problem statement, and this article covered every possible detail to consider when writing one. Describing (and visualizing) the desired state of being in the first place and subsequently comparing it with the actual state of being clearly shows the gap (or problem) to be addressed. The part that described how to start off writing the problem statement was very helpful. The article provides for a sequential order of important factors to consider when writing a problem statement. Down-to-earth explanation that can help any novice to develop and systematically write a standard "statement of a research problem". I had difficulty writing a statement problem in my proposal writing, but after following the laid out steps keenly at least i have an idea. I now understand protocol to be followed in writing problem statements, to describe the problem citing evidence then giving solution. I got a link that took me to what i was looking for in my problem statement. I'm satisfied with the guidance here because i understand how to write a statement of research problem. This article is very helpful, and has given me insight on how to begin my research problem statement. The piece was informative and enabled me to understand what is required of a problem statement. Articleshow to write a resignation letterhow to write a letter requesting sponsorshiphow to write a letter of intenthow to write a complaint letter to a text shared under a creative commons d by answer account yet? Articleshow to write a resignation letterhow to write a letter requesting sponsorshiphow to write a letter of intenthow to write a complaint letter to a text shared under a creative commons d by answer sity of southern zing your social sciences research research problem/zing your social sciences research paper: the research problem/ purpose of this guide is to provide advice on how to develop and organize a research paper in the social of research flaws to ndent and dependent ry of research terms. Choosing a research ing a topic ning a topic ing the timeliness of a topic idea.

    An oral g with g someone else's to manage group of structured group project survival g a book le book review ing collected g a field informed g a policy g a research proposal. Research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value , alan. International journal of social research methodology 10 (2007): purpose of a problem statement is to:Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied. The reader is oriented to the significance of the study and the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be e the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this the social sciences, the research problem establishes the means by which you must answer the "so what" question. The "so what" question refers to a research problem surviving the relevancy test [the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy]. Note that answering the "so what" question requires a commitment on your part to not only show that you have researched the material, but that you have thoroughly considered its survive the "so what" question, problem statements should possess the following attributes:Clarity and precision [a well-written statement does not make sweeping generalizations and irresponsible pronouncements],Demonstrate a researchable topic or issue [i. Regardless of the type of research, it is important to demonstrate that the research is not trivial],Does not have unnecessary jargon or overly complex sentence constructions; and,Conveyance of more than the mere gathering of descriptive data providing only a snapshot of the issue or phenomenon under , alan. And yair levy nova framework of problem-based research: a guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. Types and are four general conceptualizations of a research problem in the social sciences:Casuist research problem -- this type of problem relates to the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing moral dilemmas through the application of general rules and the careful distinction of special ence research problem -- typically asks the question, “is there a difference between two or more groups or treatments? This type of problem statement is used when the researcher compares or contrasts two or more phenomena. This a common approach to defining a problem in the clinical social sciences or behavioral ptive research problem -- typically asks the question, "what is...? This problem is often associated with revealing hidden or understudied onal research problem -- suggests a relationship of some sort between two or more variables to be investigated. Problem statement in the social sciences should contain:A lead-in that helps ensure the reader will maintain interest over the study,A declaration of originality [e. Mentioning a knowledge void, that will be revealed by the literature review],An indication of the central focus of the study [establishing the boundaries of analysis], explanation of the study's significance or the benefits to be derived from investigating the research . Sources of problems for identification of a problem to study can be challenging, not because there's a lack of issues that could be investigated, but due to the challenge of formulating an academically relevant and researchable problem which is unique and does not simply duplicate the work of others. To facilitate how you might select a problem from which to build a research study, consider these sources of inspiration:Deductions from relates to deductions made from social philosophy or generalizations embodied in life and in society that the researcher is familiar with. These deductions from human behavior are then placed within an empirical frame of reference through research. From a theory, the researcher can formulate a research problem or hypothesis stating the expected findings in certain empirical situations. The research asks the question: “what relationship between variables will be observed if theory aptly summarizes the state of affairs? One can then design and carry out a systematic investigation to assess whether empirical data confirm or reject the hypothesis, and hence, the isciplinary fying a problem that forms the basis for a research study can come from academic movements and scholarship originating in disciplines outside of your primary area of study. A review of pertinent literature should include examining research from related disciplines that can reveal new avenues of exploration and analysis. An interdisciplinary approach to selecting a research problem offers an opportunity to construct a more comprehensive understanding of a very complex issue that any single discipline may be able to iewing identification of research problems about particular topics can arise from formal interviews or informal discussions with practitioners who provide insight into new directions for future research and how to make research findings more relevant to practice.

    Offers the chance to identify practical, “real world” problems that may be understudied or ignored within academic circles. This approach also provides some practical knowledge which may help in the process of designing and conducting your 't undervalue your everyday experiences or encounters as worthwhile problems for investigation. This can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for which there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group or that is out of the selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. Research may be conducted to: 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample [i. Authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; read the conclusion of pertinent studies because statements about further research can be a valuable source for identifying new problems to investigate. The fact that a researcher has identified a topic worthy of further exploration validates the fact it is worth . Good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is centered, gradually leading the reader to the more specific issues you are investigating. The statement need not be lengthy, but a good research problem should incorporate the following features:Simple curiosity is not a good enough reason to pursue a research study because it does not indicate significance. The problem that you choose to explore must be important to you, your readers, and to a the larger academic and/or social community that could be impacted by the results of your study. Supports multiple problem must be phrased in a way that avoids dichotomies and instead supports the generation and exploration of multiple perspectives. A general rule of thumb in the social sciences is that a good research problem is one that would generate a variety of viewpoints from a composite audience made up of reasonable isn't a real word but it represents an important aspect of creating a good research statement. It seems a bit obvious, but you don't want to find yourself in the midst of investigating a complex research project and realize that you don't have enough prior research to draw from for your analysis. There's nothing inherently wrong with original research, but you must choose research problems that can be supported, in some way, by the resources available to you. If you are not sure if something is researchable, don't assume that it isn't if you don't find information right away--seek help from a librarian! A topic is something to read and obtain information about, whereas a problem is something to be solved or framed as a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution, or explained as a source of perplexity, distress, or . Asking analytical questions about the research ch problems in the social and behavioral sciences are often analyzed around critical questions that must be investigated. This study addresses three research questions about women's psychological recovery from domestic abuse in multi-generational home settings... Or, the questions are implied in the text as specific areas of study related to the research problem. Explicitly listing your research questions at the end of your introduction can help in designing a clear roadmap of what you plan to address in your study, whereas, implicitly integrating them into the text of the introduction allows you to create a more compelling narrative around the key issues under investigation. Either approach is number of questions you attempt to address should be based on the complexity of the problem you are investigating and what areas of inquiry you find most critical to study. In general, however, there should be no more than four research questions underpinning a single research this, well-developed analytical questions can focus on any of the following:Highlights a genuine dilemma, area of ambiguity, or point of confusion about a topic open to interpretation by your readers;. The need for complex analysis or argument rather than a basic description or summary; and,Offers a specific path of inquiry that avoids eliciting generalizations about the :  questions of how and why about a research problem often require more analysis than questions about who, what, where, and when. Thinking introspectively about the who, what, where, and when of a research problem can help ensure that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of the problem under investigation.

    Do not state that the research problem as simply the absence of the thing you are suggesting. For example, if you propose the following, "the problem in this community is that there is no hospital," this only leads to a research problem where:The need is for a objective is to create a method is to plan for building a hospital, evaluation is to measure if there is a hospital or is an example of a research problem that fails the "so what? In this example, the problem does not reveal the relevance of why you are investigating the fact there is no hospital in the community [e. That hospital in the community ten miles away has no emergency room]; the research problem does not offer an intellectual pathway towards adding new knowledge or clarifying prior knowledge [e. The county in which there is no hospital already conducted a study about the need for a hospital]; and, the problem does not offer meaningful outcomes that lead to recommendations that can be generalized for other situations or that could suggest areas for further research [e. Framework of problem-based research: a guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. Informing science: the international journal of an emerging transdiscipline 11 (2008); how to write a research question.