Writing the Problem Statement: The Key to Your Dissertation

“The precise statement of any problem is the most important step in its solution.”

Ever wondered which section would the dissertation committee read in order to assess its quality? This is nothing but the problem statement. A problem statement talks about the problem at hand that should be solved. Before you create the problem statement, you should always define the issue that you will talk about in your dissertation.

Why You Need The Problem Statement in Your Dissertation?

• The problem statement leads the way to your main research question. The identification of the problem helps you in coming up with the question.
• The problem statement doesn’t let you deviate from what you are going to do in your research and it streamlines your process.
• The problem statement also helps to enhance something very specific.
• If you care profoundly for your research problem it will be convenient to deal with the challenges in your dissertation.
• Once the reader goes through the problem statement, he/she will understand why you are undertaking this study and gain the confidence of its significance.

Choose a Real Problem:

When you realize that nothing like your problem has been done earlier then it might lead you to some insight. It is a wise thing if you select a problem that hasn’t got a solution yet, and one that is still in prevalence.

Don’t be Vague in Your Writing:

The main focus of your problem statement is to assist readers to understand the purpose of your dissertation. Therefore, you should be very clear in your writing. Moreover, this statement is very brief and hence you should not beat around the bush. Avoid ambiguity and apply a formal style. Besides, use a proper tone.

Give Context to Your Problem Statement:

You can do the same by being as crisp as possible. However, ensure that you drive the point in your problem statement. You can give a picture of the current situation so that the reader better understands the purpose of the problem.

Give Adequate Justification to Your Reader Regarding The Problem:

Ensure that you provide sufficient evidence so that the reader is aware that you are not taking a trivial issue. Moreover, you have chosen an appropriate methodology; you have to tell the reader that the problem identified can be solved only with this specific methodology.

The Word Count of Your Dissertation Problem Statement:

The problem statement is the core of your dissertation. You should remember that this should be lengthy and make the point clear to the reader in a brief manner. For this, ensure that it is between 150-200 words.

Delving More Into The Problem Statement:

• After addressing the problem, you are expected to eventually substantiate and prove that the problem is available from other studies.
• The problem statement briefly explains the problem you are going to address in your dissertation. It also makes the essence of your dissertation clear to your readers.
• The problem statement will summarize the negative points of the present situation and highlight its importance.
• For an effective problem statement, you must comprehend fully the body of research and the strategies pertaining to the research methodology.
• Steps for writing a problem statement
  First, write down what you regard as an issue.
• Justify your claim with at least three significant pieces of literature that demonstrates that the scenario is really a problem.
• Write down your answer to the question regarding your understanding of the problem.

Overall, ensure that the problem statement is not vague or unrealistic.

Tutors India is a reputed academic guidance provider and has guided more than 4,500 Ph.D. scholars and 10,500 Masters students all over the world. We provide Masters and Ph.D. dissertation writing services.