The Problem Statement. In its simplest terms, a problem statement for your paper or thesis presents the issue that you will research.
A problem statement answers the following question: What issue or problem needs to be addressed (gap) and why.
So the problem statement that answers that question can be either: formal or informal. But in either case, your problem statement
should contain at least these four parts: 1—Context. Here you provide background or what is currently known about the problem.
2—The Issue. In this next part, you provide a clear statement of what the issue or problem is and what we need to know about it.
3—Relevance. This important section provides the justification for your research. You tell why the issue is important and what value there is
in knowing about it. And lastly, 4—Objectives. The aims or objectives of the research are what you hope to discover, clarify, or confirm about the topic.
So, let’s consider an example. Using these four parts, an adequate problem statement might look something like this:
First, we will establish the context or background: "The difference between white and nonwhite voter turnout has
remained steady over the past six presidential elections. With the exception of when Barack Obama was on the ballot, a 12-point gap
has been consistently found between white and nonwhite turnout." So, in other words, the context for our research is the
historical difference between white and nonwhite voter turnout. Next comes the issue: "Following the 2020 elections,
Georgia was one of 14 states that instituted new voter ID and registration requirements." So, now the issue has been narrowed to the
new voter laws passed by the state of Georgia following the 2020 election. That’s narrow. Next comes relevance: Or Why we should
know about this? "Assessing the effect of these laws on voter turnout will provide insights to determine if Georgia’s new laws
are depressing nonwhite participation in elections. In other words, this section provides the justification for doing
the entire research project. Finally, are the objectives: "This project aims to understand the impact of Georgia’s 2020 voter laws
on nonwhite voter turnout. Using statistical analysis, the research will measure differences in voter turnout during pre-2020 elections
compared to elections held after passage of the Georgia voter laws. So, in other words, what has been the impact of these new laws?
That’s what you hope to find out. To sum up: For your problem statement, be sure to write a minimum of four sentences for the
context, issue, relevance, and objectives. Naturally, you can add more sentences if you need to. But those are four the essential elements
elements of any problem statement. Good luck with your problem statement!