Developing problem statements:
As highlighted in the previous sections, problem structuring is a helpful process for addressing iAs highlighted in the previous sections, problem structuring is a helpful process for addressing ill-structured problems by isolating the factors contributing to the problem situation. The purpose of problem structuring is to identify a particular factor, or combination of factors, contributing to a problem situation that can be addressed through an effective intervention agreed upon by a wide range of affected stakeholders (Mingers and Rosenhead 2004, 531). In other words, you are identifying the parts of a problem situation that offer the potential for a solution. The factor or factors that you identify are, essentially, the “problem” that you want to communicate.
So, after structuring (identifying) a problem within a problem situation, the next step is to communicate what you have identified. To do this, you will need to construct a problem statement. You may have heard this term before, but for the sake of specificity, a problem statement is a concise summary of the problem that you hope to address through intervention. It should:
- Contextualize the problem. What do we already know?
- Describe the exact issue your intervention will address. What do we still need to know?
- Show the relevance of the problem. Why do we need to know more about this?
- Set the objectives of your intervention. What will you do to find out more? (Naturale, n.d.)
Because each situation is unique, a problem statement will likely develop in different ways depending on the situational context (Sybing, n.d.). Is the situation a practical problem? Or a theoretical one? (Please see What is a Problem? to review the difference between the two.) A good problem statement addresses:
- identification of the problem itself–what is “going wrong” (Ellis & Levy, 2008)
- who is affected by the problem
- the consequences that could result from a continuation of the problem
- a brief discussion of 1) existing research related to the problem; and 2) the authors’ stated suggestion/recommendation for further research related to the problem (Naturale, n.d.)
Defining your problem statement sets the tone for the rest of the project by identifying the gaps in knowledge or preparation that need to be addressed to produce results. Similar to research questions, problem statements should be Specific, Empirical, and Testable (McCombes, 2022).Defining your problem statement sets the tone for the rest of the project by identifying the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed to produce results. Similar to research questions, problem statements should be Specific, Empirical, and Testable (McCombes, 2022).
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A specific problem should be manageable in scope and addressable. Saying that the problem “food insecurity negatively affects thousands of people each year” is not specific enough to understand who is harmed or affected by food insecurity. “Food insecurity poses a serious threat to the education of grade school students in Monterey County,” however, contains speculations about the magnitude of the problem and possible negative effects. |
| Empirical | In this case, empirical means that the problem is well-documented by recent research findings and/or statistics from credible sources. It should be a knowable problem. Saying that “Food insecurity is a serious threat to children in Monterey County, with the St. Louis Federal Reserve having reported a childhood poverty rate of 16.4%,” provides evidence for the problem through a recent finding from a credible source (Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis, 2024). |
| Testable | This means that a problem is one that can be tested and addressed with the data that a researcher can reasonably collect. Saying that “Food insecurity in Monterey County in the 21st century lowers the life expectancy for affected children,” is not a statement of a problem that can be answered utilizing collectable data. |
Now it’s your turn!
How to Write a Problem Statement in Four Easy Steps (Taylor, 2022)
Note: If you are still learning about problem structuring, or have not yet applied the tools in the next section of this module to a problem situation that interests you, feel free to use one of the case studies that we provide on the next page.
To draft a problem statement, it is helpful to include four main components:
- OBJECTIVE: State the problem, supported by contextual data.
- ISSUE: Who is being affected by this problem? Why is that important?
- RELEVANCE: Explain the negative consequences of the problem to stakeholders, supported by recent research.
- CONTEXT: What is currently known about the problem, and what gap in knowledge are you hoping to fill?
A useful problem statement should also focus on justifying the research that is to be presented. Locating a gap in literature is not sufficient. It is important to also explain the theoretical or practical implications of addressing that knowledge gap (Naturale, 2024).
Research Question Development vs Problem Structuring Inquiry
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Research Question Development
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Problem Structuring
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The process through which researchers identify a topic of interest and formulate a question that can be investigated through the collection of data. The research question is designed as an effort to generate new understanding and contribute new information to a field of study. If you’ve taken our other modules or done any sort of research in the past, you’ve likely encountered this process before. It differs from a problem statement in that a problem statement identifies specific factors contributing to a problem situation that can be addressed through intervention, whereas research question development just deals with investigating a situation without considering how to address the pertinent factors.
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A practice that pulls knowledge from several fields of study and applies it to a particular problem situation with the goal of designing an effective intervention. Oftentimes, a research question might even involve problem structuring to narrow down exactly what the researcher might want to study!
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“What is the relationship between average monthly temperatures in a region and the population of those that have Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL)?” is a Research Question.
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“How might we understand the various social, economic, and political factors that are contributing to VL in India?” is a Problem Structuring Inquiry.
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| Personal Project Application 1.4
Use the following outline to draft your own Problem Statement: Objective – Write a clear, concise statement telling readers the problem. What’s going wrong and why are things not working? Be specific and support your statement with current, accurate studies. Issue – Tell the audience who is being affected by the problem. Are they being affected directly or indirectly? Is this a practical or theoretical problem? Relevance – Briefly highlight what the consequences will be if your problem isn’t addressed. Context— Find at least 3 current studies and write a sentence or two for each study that discusses the authors’ work and their recommendations for further research. Once you have a drafted Problem Statement, you can move along to the next section for a dive deep into the problem structuring process and address the problem you’ve discovered! |
