Relating Your Research Purpose to Write the Problem Statement

A research problem establishes the background for the rest of the work, provides context for the topic, and describes the purpose of the study. It informs the readers why the research is significant (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Before creating your problem statement, ensure that your research purpose aligns with the study's function. You must also determine the context and significance of the issue to choose the specific component that your study will target in your problem statement (Booth et al., 2016; Creswell, 2014).

1. Contextual background

   1. Who is affected by the issue?

   2. Is this a long-standing problem, or is it a recent discovery?

   3. What research has previously been carried out?

   4. Has anyone offered any solutions?

   5. What are the current arguments on the issue, and what do you believe is missing?

2. Significance of the issue

   1. What specific location, time, and/or people will you concentrate on?

   2. What areas will you be unable to address?

   3. What are the ramifications if the problem is not resolved?

   4. Who will gain from fixing the problem?

A. Research Purpose

A problem statement is often referred to as the backbone of research; it is a problem, difficulty, or knowledge gap being addressed in research (Ellis & Levy, 2008). The purpose of the research depends on the conceptualised research area, as reflected in the defined research title. The title should consist of only one problem: the solution that will contribute to the development of the existing body of knowledge and lead to further research (Booth et al., 2016). Generally, the purposes of social sciences research are as follows:

1. Exploratory: Exploration of a topic

2. Descriptive: Description of a phenomenon

3. Explanatory: Explanation of a behaviour

A problem statement should not be confused with a research question and thesis statement. These three are connected, but they are not the same. A problem statement expresses your research challenge in words and how you intend to go from your research question to your thesis statement. It should be stated in a way that enables research into the question (Booth et al., 2016; Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The research question is a statement that aims to study, examine, and explore the research topic. The answer to your research question is expressed in a thesis statement. It is the culmination of your study and effort in your research, and it acts as the final argument in your thesis.

B. Research Types

Ask yourself: Is the research being conducted purely theoretical to expand the related knowledge field or for some more practical purpose? In general, there are two types of research as follows:

a. Fundamental/Theoretical/Basic/Pure Research

1. This is the right type of research to advance scientific knowledge about global phenomena.

2. Theoretically based research seeks data to support or refute theories, models, or related hypotheses about the phenomenon.

3. It focuses on expanding knowledge and understanding rather than directly contributing to change (Bordage, 2009).

4. It can be exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory.

5. It deals with intellectually challenging problems.

6. It has no obvious practical usefulness.

7. It may yield a body of knowledge that can be used in applied research.

8. The researcher usually refers to the research findings.

9. You can identify a research problem by reading recent research, theory and debates on your topic to find a gap in what is currently known.

10. Examples of the fundamental/theoretical/basic/pure research problems include:

    1. A phenomenon or context that has not been closely studied

    2. A contradiction between two or more perspectives

    3. A situation or relationship that is not well understood

    4. A troubling question that has yet to be resolved

b. Applied Research

1. This should be your choice if you wish to solve a specific problem through research.

2. It focuses on a practical problem.

3. The identified problem demands an effective solution (Ellis & Levy, 2008).

4. The research findings are frequently referred to and used by others.

5. Reading reports, following up on past research, and talking to people who work in the relevant sector or organisation might help you identify an issue while conducting applied research.

6. Examples of applied research problems include:

   1. Problems with organisational performance or efficiency

   2. Processes that may be improved in an institution

   3. Areas of concern among practitioners in a field

   4. Difficulties experienced by certain groups of individuals in society

C. Identifying Problem Statement Solutions

A problem statement is a succinct summary of an issue, often written in one sentence, describing the issue that needs to be addressed or the condition that needs to be remedied. It should lay the groundwork for everything your research paper will address (Creswell, 2014). Most importantly, the problem statement should only address one research topic and add to the current knowledge pool (Bordage, 2009). A problem statement identifies the gap between the existing problem and the desired goal for a process or product's states.

Writing a well-defined problem statement can help you stay focused on the specific issue under consideration and produce more cohesive, guided research that yields better results. Quantitative researchers frequently describe the problem as a particular query concerning the relationship between variables. In contrast, qualitative researchers start with a broad topic of interest and then focus on the why and how of specific events. There are two components of a problem statement:

1. General Statement

   1. What is expected to be the research focus?

2. Specific Problem

   1. Derive from a series of empirical questions.

   2. Reflect on the theoretical framework developed from the literature review.

   3. Refer to the relevant authors' published work (in-text citations).

Before solving the identified problem, understanding the problem through a problem statement is key. As a researcher, you should emphasise the problem statement that can help you not just with the statement of the problem itself but also with the research as a whole to seek an effective solution. It should address the what, who, when, where, why, and how the problem is solved while focusing on the facts. Here are five steps to defining a problem statement:

1. Determine the goals of the research being initiated.

2. Understand the background of the problem.

3. Identify the root of the problem by distinguishing the source of the problem from its causes or implications.

4. Determine the analysis process.

5. Determine the related variables to clarify what is to be investigated.

   1. Categorical variable:

      1. A variable with several distinct or classification values

   2. Discrete variable:

      1. A variable with several exact values

   3. Continuous variable:

      1. A variable with any value within a specific range

   4. Dependent variable:

      1. A variable to be predicted or explained

   5. Independent variable:

      1. A variable to be expected to affect the dependent variable

   6. Moderating variable:

      1. A variable (or moderator) that affects the strength and direction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables

   7. Mediating variable:

      1. A variable (or mediator) that explains how independent and dependent variables are related

a. How to Write a Well-Crafted Problem Statement?

The problem can be constructed either as a declarative sentence or a question. A problem statement must be supported by numerous sentences that explain the problem. Hence, you may write a four-sentence problem statement as needed. Since your problem statement should describe your research problem, the best way is to ask questions that your problem statement addresses. Below is a series of questions to aid you, along with a predefined structure:

1. Sentence 1: What are we already aware of?

   1. Put the issue into context.

   2. Create a backdrop for your study issue.

2. Sentence 2: What exactly is the issue?

   1. Define precisely what your paper will address.

   2. If somebody asks about your paper, this sentence should explain it.

3. Sentence 3: Why is the problem important?

   1. Explain why the problem is important and why it must be solved.

   2. If your study is more theoretical, discuss how it may be advanced or altered.

4. Sentence 4: How will you prove it?

   1. This is where you go into detail about your technique.

   2. Focus on how you intend to approach the topic in your thesis.

A problem statement can be written in one sentence. If you need to condense everything into a single statement, use Sentence 2 above. That is the core of your study and a summary of all you hope to accomplish in your thesis. Make it a succinct, straightforward, and to-the-point description of the problem. While a problem statement is typically one sentence long, it can be supported by numerous paragraphs that explain the related situation. Below is an example of how to define your problem statement in a way that offers solutions based on a deductive approach.

b. SIL and SIL's Learner Domain

The performance analysis and systematic literature review found poor writing skills in terms of language and cognitive development (Mah et al., 2013). The related past studies were reviewed to identify the causes of poor writing skills among undergraduates, and nine L2 writing challenges were identified. These challenges can be summarised into three domains, illustrated as SIL–a chain reaction diagram. SIL demonstrates the sequence of corrective measures from the system (S) to the instructor (I), and finally to the learner (L). The remedial actions should begin with the largest perspective, the system, which can have helpful effects on other smaller perspectives, such as the instructor and learner.

Lecture time, institutional e-learning system, and ICT research fall under the system perspective. Besides, classroom practice, ICT interest and the L2 writing approach are the concerns from the instructor's perspective. From a learner's perspective, it covers reading habits, language proficiency, and the influence of the first language. Rooted in the nine L2 writing challenges from SIL (Mah et al., 2013), the scope has been narrowed deductively by focusing on poor writing skills from SIL’s learner perspective, identifying seven perspectives of poor writing skills. These seven perspectives, including writing complexity, literacy, proficiency, critical thinking, information literacy, interlanguage, and writing anxiety, can be further categorised into four clusters: complexity, deficiencies (literacy, proficiency, critical thinking, and information literacy), interlanguage, and anxiety.

In summary, conducting research gives the necessary information to make educated decisions. This information can be quantitative or qualitative data obtained through primary or secondary sources, which have been further analysed to meet the defined research objectives. To successfully deal with a problem, every researcher should start with a solid problem statement. However, there can be no solid problem statement without first being supported by research. Thus, the problem statement must be written clearly and unambiguously.

References

• Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2016). The craft of research (4th ed.). University of Chicago Press.

• Bordage, G. (2009). Conceptual frameworks to illuminate and magnify. Medical Education, 43(4), 312–319. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2009.03295.x

• Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

• Ellis, T. J., & Levy, Y. (2008). Framework of problem-based research: A guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, 11, 17–33.

• Mah, B. Y., Umar, I. N., & Chow, V. F. T. (2013). L2 writing challenges for the undergraduates: A performance analysis and a literature review on SIL domains. The Asian Conference on Language Learning 2013 Official Conference Proceedings, 302–316. IAFOR Papers.

• Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. Wiley.

Let's Recall...

1. What are the key components that should be included in a well-defined problem statement, and why are they important for guiding research?

2. Who are the stakeholders or groups affected by the issue under investigation, and what are the potential implications if the problem is not addressed?

3. How does the distinction between fundamental and applied research influence the approach to identifying and solving research problems?

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