PROBLEM STATEMENT

Chapter 1 of your Dissertation Proposal introduces your research topic. You will spend a considerable amount of time developing and refining your statement of the problem in this course because this is the heart of your study. You will need to identify tangible evidence that illustrates that the problem exists and then identify why this problem must be studied. For an applied degree, the problem should be based in practice, and for a PhD the investigation of the problem needs to add to the body of knowledge.

You might wonder why what seems to be the straightforward concept of a problem statement requires so much refinement. You need to ensure that what you have identified as a problem with justifiable evidence is research worthy. It must be one that is important to you, your intended audience, and the academy of scholars in your discipline, not to mention others who might be influenced by the results of your study. Often students come in with a very broad topic idea that must be whittled down into a manageable and narrower topic. Eventually, the problem statement builds into the purpose and provides context for the need of the study. The research questions will be written to address the problem and purpose within the context of the study.