Problem Statement – How to Write it

Ask yourself the following questions before writing the problem statement:

1. What is wrong in the research area/subarea XYZ?

2. Where did it happen?
3. When did it happen?
4. To what extent (how much)?
5. I know that because…(evidence)

‘What’ always defines the defect of the problem at hand and explains why it
matters? ‘Where’ defines the geological location of the problem. ‘When’
defines the history and the pattern of the problem, the goal of the stated
problem and the scope of research.

‘How much’ defines the trend of the problem as to how many objects are facing
the same defect and to what extent. The last part, ‘I know this because…’, will
help the researcher identify the standard(s) that he must meet.

Step 1: Understanding the Problem

The problem statement should provide a clear and concise background to the
research problem you are investigating. Before starting your research, review
the literature about the specific problem and find a gap to fill with your own
research.

Practical Research Problem Statement

If you are doing experimental research, you can identify problems by talking to
people working in a relevant field, studying research reports, and reviewing
previous research. Here are some examples of practical research problems:

• A problem that hinders the efficiency of a company

• An institutional process that needs interventions
• An area of concern in your field/sub-field of interest
• Members of a society facing a specific difficulty

The problem statement should focus on the details related to the problem,
such as:

• When and where was the problem observed?

• Who is/are affected by it?
• What research has been conducted and what practical steps have been
taken to resolve the problem?

Example of Practical Research Problem Statement

The production of a company is low for the months of July and August every
year. Initial research has been conducted by the company, which revealed poor
production in July and August is due to the unavailability of local raw material.

The company has made some effective attempts at engaging the local suppliers
to ensure an uninterrupted supply of the raw material, but these efforts are yet
to have any significant impact on the production levels.

Theoretical Research Problem Statement

According to USC Libraries, “A theoretical framework consists of concepts and,

together with their definitions and reference to relevant scholarly literature,
existing theory that is used for your particular study…theoretical framework
must demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts…relevant to the
topic of your research paper and that relate to the broader areas of knowledge
being considered.”

The theoretical research indirectly contributes to the change by identifying the

problem, expanding knowledge and improving understanding. The researcher
can find a specific problem by brainstorming the topic and reviewing already
published theories and research.

When writing a problem statement based on a theoretical research problem, it

is important to recognise the historical, geographical, social and scientific
background. Here are the elements of the theoretical problem statement
framework that you should consider:

• What are the facts about the problem?

• Does the problem relate to a certain geographical area or time period?
• How is the problem discussed and explained in the existing literature?

Example of Theoretical Research Problem Statement

The production of a company is low for July and August every year. Initial
research has been conducted by the company, which revealed poor production
in July and August is due to the unavailability of local raw material. The
company has made some effective attempts to engage the local suppliers to
ensure an uninterrupted raw material supply. Still, these efforts are yet to have
any significant impact on the production levels.

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Step 2 – Show why it’s Important and Relevant

By discussing the importance of the problem under investigation, you are

demonstrating the relevance of your research. However, this does not mean
that you will end up discovering something unimaginable or extraordinary.
The objective here is to clearly state how and why your research problem is
relevant in your chosen area of study and why it requires further research.

Practical Research Problem Statement

As indicated previously, practical research deals with a problem affecting

society, social group, firm or organisation on a broader scale. To elaborate on
why it is important to solve this problem and why your research is significant,
you could consider the following questions:

• What will be the consequences if the problem remains unsolved?

• Who do these consequences have the most implications for?
• What is the wider relevance of the problem being investigated?

Example of Practical Research Problem Statement

Low production in July and August negatively affects the company’s marketing
capital, thereby becoming an area of deep concern for the directors and
stakeholders. The marketing budget cut in July and August is hindering its
ability to promote its products uninterruptedly.

Addressing this problem will have practical benefits for the company and help
establish the reasons for disruption in raw material supply.

Theoretical Research Problem Statement

The relevance of all theoretical issues may not be too obvious, even though
most theoretical problems do have practical implications. Here are some
questions for you to ponder to establish the importance of your research
problem:

• Will your research help to advance understanding of the topic under

investigation?
• Are there any benefits of you resolving the problem for other researchers
who wish to explore this topic further in the future?
• What are the direct or indirect implications (s) of the problem you are trying
to solving?

Example of Theoretical Research Problem Statement

The new forms of employment such as freelance, contract-based work and

zero-hour work arrangements are recognised as either a manipulative last
option or a flexible active choice. It is necessary to conduct comprehensive
qualitative research to uncover why fresh graduates take up these types of
employment in the gig economy. There is a need to advance more vigorous
concepts relating to instability and flexibility in modern forms of employment
from employees’ perspectives, which will also help shape future policies.

Also see: How to Write the Abstract for Dissertation

Step 3 – Declaring the Problem

Before you jump on to state your research’s problem statements, it’s important
to devote a sentence or two to let your readers know the precise, narrowed-
down research problem you will be discussing about.

For language clarity purposes, here are some strong opening statements to
achieve this step:

• Recently, there has been growing interest in …

• The possibility of…has generated wide interest in …
• The development of…is a classic problem in…
• The development of…has led to the hope that …
• The…has become a favourite topic for analysis …
• Knowledge of…has great importance for …
• The study of…has become an important aspect of …
• A central issue in…is…
• The…has been extensively studied in recent years.
• Many investigators have recently turned to …
• The relationship between…has been investigated by many researchers.

• Many recent studies have found out…

Step 4 – Establishing Aim and Objectives

The last step in writing a problem statement is to provide a framework for

solving the problem. This will help you, the researcher, stay focused on your
research aims and not stray; it will also help you readers keep in mind the
reason as to why you conducted this study, to begin with.

A good problem statement does not provide the exact solution to any problem.
Rather, it focuses more on how to effectively understand or tackle a problem by
establishing the possible causes.

The aim of a research study is its end goal or overall purpose. Following are
some examples of how you can craft your research aim statements:

• This research study aims to investigate…

• This paper is aimed at exploring…
• This research aims to identify…

On the other hand, objectives are the smaller steps that a researcher must take
to address the aim of the research. Once you have laid out the research
problem your research will deal with, it’s important to next mention
the how behind that. Objectives are mostly imperative statements, often
beginning with transitive verbs like ‘to analyse,’ ‘to investigate,’ etc.

Some more examples are:

• Statistical analysis will be conducted to determine…

• Both quantitative and qualitative research methods will be employed to
probe…
• Face-to-face interviews will be carried out with the participants to establish…

Practical Research Aim and Objectives

This project aims to identify the causes of disturbed supply of raw material in
the region, which resulted in low production for the company in July and
August. This will be achieved by conducting interviews and surveys with the
suppliers to understand why the supply is unpredictable in those two months
and what can be done to ensure orderliness. Practical experiments will also be
conducted to observe the effectiveness of proposed solutions.

Theoretical Research Aim and Objectives

This study aims to understand and unearth the experiences of fresh graduates
in the modern economy. The sample population will participate in this study
through qualitative research methods, which are expected to provide a deeper
insight into the perceptions and motives of these fresh graduates working as
freelancers and contract-based employees. The data collected from this
exercise and the existing literature on the topic will be analysed in statistical
analysis software.

TIP: Search the common themes of the problem statement in your field of
research before writing a problem statement.

Also see: Argumentative Essay Writing Service

Problem Statement versus Significance of the

Study
Even though both may sound similar, the statement of the problem and the
significance of your study are going to be different. The latter does develop
upon and from the former, though.

The problem statement tells your readers what’s wrong, whereas the
significance of the study will tell them how your research contributed to that
problem. You can’t have a significance of a study without mentioning the
problem statement first.

Furthermore, signifying your study implies mentioning 4 key points related to it:

• How your study will further develop the theory behind the existing problem
• Practical solutions that might be implemented to solve the problem
(especially in field research work)
• Whether your study or research will pave way for innovative methods to
solve the existing problem.
• How your study can help in policy making and implementation, impact
studies, etc.

Conclusion
Problem statement in research is the description of an existing issue that needs
to be addressed. The problem statement is a focal point of any research and a
bridge between the literature review and the research methodology.

Problem statement often has three elements; the problem itself, the method of
solving the problem, and the purpose. There are five aspects of every problem:
What, Where, When, to what extent, and what defects you know about the
topic. Here is an example of a problem statement in a research proposal for
your better understanding.

If you wish to know more about how to start your research process, then you
might want to take a look at the “Starting the Research Process” section on our
website, which has several articles relating to a research problem, problem
statement, research aim and objectives, and research proposal.

ResearchProspect is a UK-registered business that offers academic support and

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Is it necessary to write a problem statement?

Yes, the most important step to perform any research is to identify a problem
that needs to be solved. Therefore, it is necessary to define a research problem
before starting the actual research process.

How is a problem statement different from a problem statement written for an

organisation?
What is a practical research problem?
What is a theoretical research problem?
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