Problem+Statement

The problem statement is the place where research begins. The resources below for the most part are quotations from different research books. I am pursuing a quantitative study, so the resources on this and other pages will focus on that. If you have additional quotations or thoughts regarding a research pages topic, please include it below. Please attempt to follow the structure, formatting, and citing examples already given. Thank you.


 * "In well-crafted journal articles, the problem and purpose statements are clearly stated in the introduction" (Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE., p. 36 ).


 * "So, what are you passionate about? What important, socially significant problem do you want to study in depth and become a leading expert on as a result of your dissertation research" (Levasseur, R. E. (2011). Dissertation research: An integrative approach. St Augstine, FL: MindFire Press. p. 10 )?

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 * "Write a brief description (i.e., no more than a paragraph) of each problem based on your understanding of it at this time. [Note: This is an iterative process, so you can always come back and refine any of your descriptions later.] . . . Once you have a problem statement that you are excited about, you then have to find out if anyone else in the research community is too. You do this by conducting an effective search of the literature related to your topic to find the grounding literature for your potential study" (Levasseur, R. E. (2011). Dissertation research: An integrative approach. St Augstine, FL: MindFire Press. p. 11 ).
 * "Clearly describe and document the problem that prompts the study and directly leads to the study purpose. Please consider: Whose problem is it? What are the potential negative consequences if the study is never conducted? Include appropriate sources to document the existence of a problem worthy of doctoral level research" (Concept Paper Template. (2011). Retrieved from Northcentral University website: http://learners.ncu.edu/ncu_diss/ ).

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 * In approximately 250 to 300 words articulate a concise problem statement. "The problem statement is a brief discussion of a problem or observation succinctly identifying and documenting the need for and importance of the study.
 * 1) Present the general issue/observation that in theory or practice leads to the need for the study (unless considered seminal, citations within the last 5 years are included).
 * 2) Present a focused problem that led to the need for a research response. For some degree programs (DBA, EdD) the problem identified may be a practical problem or issue" ( Concept Paper Template. (2011). Retrieved from Northcentral University website: http://learners.ncu.edu/ncu_diss/ ).
 * "The Problem Statement concisely states what will be studied by describing at least two factors and a conjectured relationship among them that leads to an identified problem. **Problem Statement 4 required parts **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">General Problem identifying the need for the study. Provide current statistics and research to support that the problem is real and exists NOW. [e,g, About 21-24% of American children and adolescents are overweight and another 16-18% are obese (NIH, 2010)]
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Specific “Problem” proposed for research. It is important to understand if the “Healthy Children” program has helped reduce childhood obesity.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Introductory words describing methodological approach (i.e. Research Design) are given and are appropriate to the specific proposal “problem”, E.g. This mixed method case study will explore the efficacy of the Healthy Children program
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">General population group of proposed study is identified. Stakeholders in the Healthy Children program in Baltimore, Maryland will be enrolled in this study" ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Simon, M. K. (2011). Creating the problem statement: The key to your dissertation or research project. Retrieved from http://dissertationrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Creating-the-Problem-Statement.pdf, pp. 48-49 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">).

> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Apply the 5 W's**. Within the problem statement, it's good to keep the focus on presenting as wide an array of facts as possible. This includes the common meme of the five W's, or in other words, who, what, why, when and how. Addressing each of these can make a problem statement more informative and effective. > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Think about including a vision in the problem statement**. The vision for a problem statement is simply described as "what you want" or what the group wants out of the situation. In other words, it is the desirable outcome. > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Conclude the problem statement**. Bring all of this information together in an effective conclusion that restates the issue and the main ideas that the writer is trying to address. Think of the conclusion as a concise restatement of the general issue. It's also sometimes useful to make a final appeal to the reader or present the entire issue in a new or different way. For example, some effective conclusions can add a sense of urgency to underscore what the writer has been saying throughout the document, especially if the writer is approaching the issue from an angle of advocacy. > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Do a final edit**. The final edit will help the writer to catch all sorts of problems, from simple typos to larger problems with grammar and style. > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Figure out whether the entire problem statement is cohesive and flows easily. Make sure all of the main principles are addressed and key information is not left out. The final edit is often the difference between a great problem statement and a poorly written or somewhat ineffective one" ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Byankno1. (n.d.). How to write a problem statement. Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Problem-Statement <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). >
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">"**Set up a thesis statement**. The thesis statement, or opening statement, will identify the problem, and is an important part of a problem statement. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Identify solutions**. Another part of writing a problem statement is to identify various solutions that the writer can come up with. The placement of these solutions depends on the overall format of the problem statement, but generally, these are presented in the context of fact after the problem has been clearly identified.

**© 2013 Stephen W. Watts. All Rights Reserved.**
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