How to write a problem statement, dissertation problem statement examples.

• What is already known about the problem?
• Is the problem limited to a certain time period or geographical area?
• How has the problem been defined and debated in the scholarly literature?

For theoretical research, think about the scientific, social, geographical and/or historical background:

This doesn’t mean you have to do something groundbreaking or world-changing. It’s more important that the problem is researchable, feasible, and clearly addresses a relevant issue in your field.

For practical research, focus on the concrete details of the situation:

Theoretical research problems

• What will happen if the problem is not solved?
• Who will feel the consequences?
• Does the problem have wider relevance (e.g. are similar issues found in other contexts)?

The problem statement should also address the relevance of the research: why is it important that the problem is solved?

Low voter turnout has been shown to have negative associations with social cohesion and civic engagement, and is becoming an area of increasing concern in many European democracies. When specific groups of citizens lack political representation, they are likely to become more excluded over time, leading to an erosion of trust in democratic institutions. Addressing this problem will have practical benefits for region X and contribute to understanding of this widespread phenomenon.

Now that you know what the problem statement is and why it is so important for your dissertation, it’s time to go on to the next step. Let’s show you how to write a problem statement for a dissertation in just 4 steps. Our experienced dissertation writers have put together this guide to help you compose your statement as fast as possible. After all, you have plenty of work to do with research, analysis, writing, editing, etc. We advise you to check our tips to learn more about these steps. Without further ado, the 4 steps to write a problem statement for dissertation:

1. Think about the ideal situation or the desired goal. Start the statement with how things should be, in an ideal case.
2. Think about what prevents this ideal situation. This is the problem you want to solve! Describe what is preventing the goal from being achieved and what stands in the way. In other words, use the second part of the statement to show your reader the problem you will be solving with your dissertation research and with your work.
3. Enumerate all the consequences of your solution (if the solution works, of course). How will your work improve the situation? What do you aim to achieve? This is the last part of the statement

   This is how a statement of the problem in thesis generally looks like. To make things even easier for you, we have 3 examples for you.

   First, we would like to make sure you understand what a problem statement is and what it is used for. Basically, the dissertation problem statement is a short paragraph of condensed ideas that show your readers how your research project will solve a problem. In other words, you will need to briefly state the current problem or problems, and then explain how your work solves them. You need to clearly define the problem and to show how you will address it, in a very clear and concise manner. You can then use this statement to write the research proposal. Of course, you can also integrate it into the introduction of your dissertation. Bottom line, the research statement, is considered by many academics and thesis writers to be the heart of your dissertation.

   How to Write a Problem Statement for a Dissertation: The 4 Steps

   Here are three dissertation problem statement examples that should make it clear how your statement should be organized:

   Do you want to write a dissertation problem statement for your academic paper? In this case, you probably know already that the dissertation problem statement is the first step towards writing the research proposal. And yes, it is a very important part of your dissertation. Truth be told, everyone working on a complex paper such as a dissertation, that requires extensive research, should start with a dissertation problem statement. You will learn why in just a bit. For now, let’s explain what problem statements really are, how you write them, and then show you a couple of excellent examples. We believe that you will be able to do a far better job writing the problem statement if you read a couple of examples.
   

   • According to various studies, university students are more focused and more efficient when their dorms are equipped with modern facilities (Ideal Situation). Students in Dorm B currently don’t have AC units and temperatures are exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit during summer months (Problem). My study plans to discover if students become more focused after AC units are installed in their dorm rooms (Solution).
   • All children must feel safe on the playground, regardless of where the playground is located in the city (Ideal Situation). Yet children in the northern part of the city fear playing on the playground after 6PM because of hooligans (Problem). My research shows that proper policing around playgrounds after 6PM greatly decreases violence against children (Solution).
   • Nonprofits need adequate funding and a supporting legal system to be able to help communities (Ideal Situation). The lack of funds and severe legal requirements are preventing certain foundation in the city from providing help to specific populations (Problem). My research demonstrates that softening regulations and increasing funding helps nonprofits provide assistance to 30% more people (Solution).

   

   How can you compose a research question that will earn you an outstanding grade?

   For a college student who wants to be successful in life, it is important that he be focused in his studies and does not give in to peer-pressure and coercion. Sadly, despite having knowledge of the consequences, many students are resorting to substance abuse practices because they are intimidated or bullied.

   School is a forum where students are preparing themselves for the future life. Through the school activities, they gain self-confidence and skills that will help them in being successful later in life. Interest of parents in a child’s schooling life also plays an important role in his self-confidence. The more parents participate in a child’s life, the more secure child will feel which in turn will raise his self-confidence. It is one of the ideal conditions where children’s personality can be built for future in a manner that they can tackle the challenges successfully.

   To conduct this study, we will gather data of teenage students from various colleges in the area through questionnaires and personal interviews.

   Step 1: state the current and ideal situation:

   • It should answer the 5 WH questions of the research. i.e., what, who, where, why and when
   • It should explain purpose of the research
   • It should explain the scope of study.
   • it should identify the major variables of the problem

   The aim of the research is to determine the impact of a parent’s participation in a child’s school activities to boost his self-confidence. We plan to study here that the more interest parent’s show, the more self-confident the child will be.

   To conduct this research, we will gather the data from all the local schools in the area and attempt to conduct this research through the help of questionnaires and personal interviews that will be filled by the students and their parents.

   

   Continuous improvement specialists are challenged to solve problems for their organizations or clients. They have acquired a wide array of tools, methods and techniques for that purpose.

   Question 3: Where is the problem observed? (location, products)

   • Gap: Identify the gap (pain) that exists today.
   • Timeframe, location and trend: Describe when and where the problem was first observed and what kind of trend it is following.
   • Impact: Quantify the gap (cost, time, quality, environmental, personal, etc.)
   • Importance: To the organization, the individual, etc. to better understand the urgency.

   Question 7: How often is the problem observed? (error rate, magnitude, trend)

   What Is a Problem Statement?

   

   A problem statement should describe an undesirable gap between the current-state level of performance and the desired future-state level of performance. A problem statement should include absolute or relative measures of the problem that quantify that gap, but should not include possible causes or solutions!

   Question 1: What is the problem that needs to be solved?

   The 5W2H (what, when, where, why, who, how, how much) method is deceptively simple. Ask the right questions in the right order and let the answers lead you to a great problem statement.

   

   The proposal allows you to understand your dissertation’s goals before you begin writing it. If you keep all your goals in mind, it will be much easier to develop a sound structure, to make a dissertation proposal outline, and to ultimately find the right direction. Doing all of this is also quite helpful for students who have never written such tasks before. While this is a good starting point, some are just unable to handle it. If you see that you can’t complete your paper on-time at a high academic level, you can use a dissertation proposal writing services to avoid these pitfalls.

   Introduction. Most academic papers usually start with this section. You can use it to demonstrate the background of the topic to your readers, provide a thesis statement, and your study’s objectives. You should also outline questions that you are going to answer in your dissertation research proposal.

   For example, if you need to write a proposal for a dissertation on the computational model of the acquisition of intellectual expertise, then you have to start from the title and note the name of your university.

   You can use this basic structure for writing dissertations for different subjects. Don’t forget to proofread your paper before sending it to your instructors to check its grammar. If there are any requirements given by your professor, you should follow them to get good results.

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   Research findings. This section helps you to show what information you already have and are going to use for your paper. Make sure you organize your findings list in accordance with the research objectives given in previous sections.

   If you want your thesis to be impactful, your paper should be significant for your subject area. You may describe the significance of your study in the introduction. You should also include useful definitions, limitations, delimitations, and other similar sections into your introduction depending on your department’s requirements.

   Creating a proposal for a dissertation helps you stay organized and create a complete dissertation. Without an outline, you could miss part of the text or create a poor structure. Find out writing dissertation proposal outlines can help your overall project.

   

   Articulating a problem statement is an important tool to help communicate to your team what they’re trying to solve on any given project. Ensuring everyone on your team understands the problem at hand ensures everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal. It also ensures everyone understands the importance of the project and what, specifically, they’re working towards.

   A problem statement is a significant piece of the process for a project that’s reaching for improvement because it will clearly identify goals and outline a clear path for a solution. It will help guide the activities and decisions of people working on the project.

   Remote workers across the organization should have the tools and means to communicate with their team members and colleagues efficiently and seamlessly, without getting inundated with unnecessary messages.

   Come with proof. If you’re claiming that the problem is costing the company more money, you need to come up with evidence. You should be prepared for difficult questions and knowing specifics to back up your claims. Do not neglect this step.

   What Is a Problem Statement?

   

   It will address what the problem is, who is affected, and why it needs to be solved. Consider including previous attempts of creative problem solving the issue at hand and why they may not have offered the solution necessary to fix the issue.

   It’s important to understand that the problem statement doesn’t define all the details of a solution or tasks necessary to reach that solution. It’s simply the declaration of the problem and the gap between it and the goal you’re looking to achieve.

   If you come unprepared with this information, your stakeholders or team members might not take your urgency seriously, and you may not be able to solve the problem the way you’d like to. Ensure you do plenty of research, cite all sources, and ensure they are credible and have the data at your fingertips.