When conducting psychological research, it is critical to indicate the problem statement in the beginning. This statement is the foundation for the entire study and clearly explains what the research aims to accomplish. Without a well-defined problem statement, you may struggle to focus your efforts and may not achieve the desired outcomes.
We designed a free online Statement of the Problem in the Research Maker. This unique tool can help you make an excellent problem statement in a few clicks, saving you time for other tasks. Continue reading to learn more about effective problem statements and the tool.
โ๏ธ How to Make a Statement of the Problem in Research
Our statement of the problem in research maker has a user-friendly interface, so there shouldn’t be any challenges while using it. Here’s a small guide on how to write your perfect problem statement:
- Select the research problem you want to investigate (casuist, descriptive, relational, or comparative).
- Write down the topic of your paper or area of your interest.
- Fill in the necessary details on your study.
- Click the “Generate” button.
- If you aren’t happy with the results, try again.
A problem in Research Maker: Use Efficiently
If you want to get the best result possible when using the statement of the problem in research maker, consider these helpful tips:
- Be clear and concise in your wording when formulating a research topic.
- Choose the research problem type that will best match your research goal.
- Answer all the questions concerning your research to ensure you get the problem statement that fits best.
- Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs when providing additional information on your research.
- Edit the generated problem statement before you put it into your work.
- Get feedback from your professor or classmates once you have created your statement of the problem.
๐ค When Do You Need a Statement of the Problem?
A problem statement concisely describes the issue a researcher addresses through their research or project. It outlines the problem, its significance, and the study’s specific objectives.
Overall, two types of problems can be addressed in research:
- Practical (applied) research problems focus on addressing real-world issues and finding practical solutions. These problems often relate to specific situations or contexts and require empirical evidence to support their findings. Examples of practical research problems can be the effectiveness of a particular therapy, the relationship between stress and academic performance, or the factors contributing to substance abuse.
- Theoretical research problems, on the other hand, are focused on developing or refining theories and concepts in a particular field of study. These problems are often broader in scope and seek to investigate the fundamental principles that govern a specific phenomenon. Examples of theoretical research problems include exploring the impact of social media on adolescent mental health or investigating the effects of childhood trauma on adult mental health and well-being.
4 Types of Research Problems in Our Tool
Our statement of the problem in research maker follows a broader classification of research problems and helps users choose from these four types:
๐ 6 Steps for Writing a Perfect Statement of the Problem
You can always use our statement of the problem in research maker to make an excellent problem statement for your paper. However, you should know how to develop a problem statement manually when you don’t have access to the tool.
Check out our small guide on how to write a problem statement.
Step #1 Identify your research topic. Start by identifying the area of research that you are interested in. This could be a particular phenomenon, behavior, or situation you want to explore.
Step #2 Narrow down your focus. Once you have identified your research topic, narrow your focus to a smaller aspect that you want to investigate.
Step #3 Provide context. Conduct a thorough literature review to identify what has already been researched and published on your topic.
Step #4 Establish relevance. Think about why your chosen topic matters and how you can reflect it in your problem statement.
Step #5 Brainstorm the possible research problem statements. Use clear and concise language when formulating your problem statements.
Step #6 Revise and refine. Once you have formulated your problem statement, revise it until it is clear, concise, and accurately reflects the focus of your research.
๐ Example of a Problem Statement
Let’s consider a specific example and see how you can write a perfect problem statement. Our topic will be social media impact.
- Choosing a topic. Imagine you want to learn more about social media and how it influences people. This is a burning topic for discussion, but it is too general, leading us to the next step.
- Narrowing the topic down. Having identified your area of interest, you should choose a specific aspect to focus on. For example, an excellent research topic in our case will be “The impact of social media use on body image dissatisfaction in adolescent girls.”
- Providing context. Adolescent girls are increasingly exposed to unrealistic beauty standards on social media, which can lead to negative body image and dissatisfaction with their physical appearance. This can harm their mental health and well-being, including increased risk of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
- Establishing relevance. Body dissatisfaction is a common issue among adolescent girls, and social media use has been identified as a potential contributing factor. Given this population’s widespread use of social media, it is essential to understand how social media use affects body image and how it relates to mental health outcomes.
- Making a problem statement. Considering the topic’s context and relevance, you’re now ready to make a problem statement. Here’s a problem statement we’ve come up with, which is an example of a relational problem statement type:
This study aims to investigate the correlation between social media consumption and body image dissatisfaction in adolescent girls. The focus will be on identifying the types of social media content that contribute to negative body image and exploring the potential mediators and moderators of this relationship.
๐ฃ Statement of the Problem in Research Maker: Benefits
Many benefits make our statement of the problem in research maker stand out among similar tools. Here’re the main advantages:
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๐ References
- How to Write a Research Problem Statement | Guide & Featuresโ
- The Research Problem/Question – Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper – Research Guides at University of Southern California
- How to Write a Problem Statement for Your Research
- Choosing a Topic – Purdue OWLยฎ – Purdue University