problem statement

Examples of problem statement in the following topics:

• Turning Your Topic Into a Question

  • A problem statement needs a question to solve, so part of narrowing your topic is transforming it from a statement into a specific question.
  • To develop a problem statement, you must rephrase your topic into a question.
  • Your question is also not a fully articulated problem statement.
  • However, it should work towards figuring out how to meet the criteria of a successful problem statement.
  • " is far from a developed argument, but it is something from which a problem statement can be built.

• "So What?"

  • This statement successfully answers the "so what?
  • Problem statements should always give readers a clear answer to the question, "So what?
  • " Without an explicit statement of why we should care, we cannot get down to the issue of what we should do about the problem.
  • A problem statement introduces and gives an approach to a given problem.
  • Employ problem statements to establish the value of your argument, so that your reader knows why your argument is important

• Turning Your Question Into a Claim

  • A "working hypothesis" is a statement of what you think the answer to your question is.
  • When your paper is done and your hypothesis finalized, it will be an integral part of your problem statement.
  • A complete problem statement contains the following steps: a status quo, a moment when you point out a problem in the status quo, and the solution you have to that problem.
  • Since it is going to become part of your problem statement, this is the time to start paying close attention to your language.
  • If you are changing your hypothesis because you discovered that your earlier one was not working, you will need to reformulate your problem statement and restructure your argument.

• Destabilizing the Status Quo

  • You could explain how a new way of thinking would be more productive, or how it would solve a problem that the status quo leaves unresolved.
  • If you achieve both those things, your destabilization should convince the reader that they have a problem even if they did not think they had one before.
  • By convincing your audience that a problem exists, you prime them to want a solution.
  • Status Quo --> Destabilizing Moment --> Consequences of Problem --> Proposed Solution
  • You do not always need to follow the structure of this formula, but you should include all four components in your problem statement.

• Turning Your Claim Into a Thesis Statement

  • These four elements go into making a strong thesis statement.
  • The thesis statement, or problem statement, is central to your argument.
  • Obviously, not all thesis statements read exactly like the formula above.
  • The sample statement is just a suggested starting point.
  • Thesis statements do not need impressive rhetoric or copious detail.

• Approaches to Your Body Paragraphs

  • Like your thesis, each topic sentence is an arguable statement, not a fact.
  • Check to see whether the statement sums up one of your claims.
  • The evidence can both prove the problem statement and begin to reveal the thesis-related solution.
  • Example: One problem with the increasing emphasis on college sports programs is the inevitable decrease in academic focus.
  • It can be used to explain to a reader how events led to what the thesis proposes or the problem it seeks to rectify.

• Introduction and Thesis

  • In academic writing, the introduction and thesis statement form the foundation of your paper.
  • A thesis statement is a brief summary of your paper's purpose and central claim.
  • A thesis statement in the social sciences should include your principal findings and conclusions.
  • The statement without a thesis: A statement of a fact, opinion, or topic is not a thesis.
  • Push the thesis statement beyond the level of a topic statement, and make an argument.

• Introducing Objections Informally

  • Argument is appropriate when we seek understanding or agreement, when we want to solve a problem or answer a question, and when we want others to act or think in ways we deem beneficial, suitable, or necessary.
  • A writer can introduce these viewpoints with informal devices such as rhetorical questions and conditional statements.
  • The writer could also use a conditional statement: "If we raise our sales tax, consumers might respond by shopping in neighboring states with lower taxes."
  • The writer should think about where readers are most likely to object or feel unsettled, and how can the writers concede potential problems while still advancing the authority of his or her claim.
  • Use rhetorical questions or conditional statements to informally introduce an objection

• Turning Your Working Hypothesis into a Claim

  • Your working hypothesis should not be a statement of fact, but a claim you work to prove in your writing.
  • Examples of hypotheses that don't include reasonable claims (because their either self-evident or lacking sufficient information) might be statements like: Humbert Humbert's unreliable narration makes him a complicated character who is both good and bad.
  • If your claim is unclear even if someone can present reasonable objections to your hypothesis, then your problem is the way you have stated your hypothesis.

• Approaches to Your Introductory Paragraph

  • ."), with a provocative statement ("The U.S. government is no longer 'of' or 'by the people' but is controlled by billionaires"), with context ("On any given evening on 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam in the city that never sleeps, there are crowds gathering in front of Lincoln Center"), or even with a concession to an opposing argument ("Amanda Wilcox's 19-year-old daughter was murdered while home on winter break.
  • What you want to do here is simply draw a line from your opening to your thesis statement, using your claims.