The 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 follow.
• Place the topic into a particular
context that defines the parameters of
what is to be investigated.
• Provide the framework for reporting the
results and indicates what is probably
necessary to conduct the study and
explain how the findings will present this
information.
So What!
In 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
significance.
To 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.e., feasibility of conducting
the study is based upon access to
information that can be effectively
acquired, gathered, interpreted,
synthesized, and understood],
• Identification of what would be
studied, while avoiding the use of
value-laden words and terms,
• Identification of an overarching
question or small set of questions
accompanied by key factors or
variables,
• Identification of key concepts and
terms,
• Articulation of the study's
boundaries or parameters or
limitations,
• Some generalizability in regards to
applicability and bringing results
into general use,
• Conveyance of the study's
importance, benefits, and
justification [i.e., 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 investigation.
Types and Content
There are four general conceptualizations of a research
problem in the social sciences:
1. 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 cases.
2. Difference 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 sciences.
3. Descriptive Research Problem --
typically asks the question, "what is...?"
with the underlying purpose to
describe the significance of a situation,
state, or existence of a specific
phenomenon. This problem is often
associated with revealing hidden or
understudied issues.
4. Relational Research Problem -- suggests
a relationship of some sort between
two or more variables to be
investigated. The underlying purpose is
to investigate qualities/characteristics
that are connected in some way.
A 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.g., 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], and

• An explanation of the study's significance or the

benefits to be derived from investigating the research
problem.
II. Sources of Problems for Investigation

The 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:
1. Deductions from Theory
This 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
theory
2. Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Identifying 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.
This can be an intellectually stimulating exercise.
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 provide.
Interviewing Practitioners
The 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. Discussions with experts in the field, such
as, teachers, social workers, health care providers,
lawyers, business leaders, etc., 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 study.
3. Personal Experience
Don't undervalue your everyday
experiences or encounters as worthwhile
problems for investigation. Think critically
about your own experiences and/or
frustrations with an issue facing society,
your community, your neighborhood, your
family, or your personal life. 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
ordinary.
4. Relevant Literature
The selection of a research problem can be
derived from a thorough review of pertinent
research associated with your overall area of
interest. This may reveal where gaps exist in
understanding a topic or where an issue has
been understudied. 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.e., different setting or different group of
people].
Also, 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 pursuing.
III. What Makes a Good Research Statement?
A 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:
1. Compelling Topic
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. The problem
chosen must be one that motivates you to address it.
2. Supports Multiple Perspectives
The 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 people.
3. Researchability
This 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!
NOTE: Do not confuse a research
problem with a research topic. 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
vexation.
IV. Asking Analytical Questions about the
Research Problem
Research problems in the social and
behavioral sciences are often analyzed
around critical questions that must be
investigated. These questions can be
explicitly listed in the introduction [i.e., "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
appropriate.
The 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. Practical
considerations, such as, the length of the
paper you are writing or the availability of
resources to analyze the issue can also
factor in how many questions to ask. In
general, however, there should be no
more than four research questions
underpinning a single research problem.
Given 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;
• Yields an answer that is unexpected and not
obvious rather than inevitable and self-evident;
• Provokes meaningful thought or discussion;
• Raises the visibility of the key ideas or concepts
that may be understudied or hidden;
• Suggests 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 problem.
NOTE: Questions of how and why
about a research problem often
require more analysis than questions
about who, what, where, and when.
You should still ask yourself these
latter questions, however. 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.
V. Mistakes to Avoid
Beware of circular reasoning! 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 hospital
• The objective is to create a hospital
• The method is to plan for building a
hospital, and
• The evaluation is to measure if there is a
hospital or not.
This is an example of a research problem that fails the
"So What?" test. 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.g., there's a
hospital in the community ten miles away]; it does not
elucidate the significance of why one should study the
fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., 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.g., 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.g., the challenges of
building a new hospital serves as a case study for other
communities].