Statement of the Problem

Statement of the Problem is the section of Chapter 1 that articulates the general and specific research problems/questions that will be addressed/answered by the study. You must present the statement of the general problem, and the specific research questions.

Guidelines in presenting the statement of the general research problem are as follows:

1.     Be succinct and straight-to-the-point. There is no need to create an introduction.

2.     For proposal manuscripts, begin with the phrase, “This study aims to…” and for final manuscripts, begin with “this study sought (or attempted) to and then proceed with the aim of the study.

a.     For quantitative research, use the action verbs determine or test, followed by the specific relationship you are testing and then enumerating the variables.

b.     For qualitative research, the verbs to be used is based on the type of inquiry or design:

                                                    i.     Use “describe” if the study is purely descriptive;

                                                  ii.     Use “explore” if the analysis done considers factors and contexts, or considers multiple perspectives;

                                                 iii.     Use “understand” if the final goal of the study is to create knowledge models, frameworks or theories.

c.     For mixed methods, the verbs to be used is based on the design:

                                                    i.     Use “describe” if the study uses a convergent design;

                                                  ii.     Use “explain” if the study uses an explanatory design;

                                                 iii.     Use “explore” if the study uses an exploratory design.

3.     For studies that will create/formulate an output, you should include a final clause that begins with “…as input (or basis) for…” and then indicate the proposed output.

a.     If an actual output is going to be created and presented in the study’s results section, then use “…as input for…”

b.     If the study will not create a detailed, concrete output and will merely offer an outline of key findings that can serve as a guideline for application by future professionals, developers and knowledge translators, then use “…as basis for…”

Specific research problems are articulated as interrogative sentences. Research questions are specific steps or components that need to be addressed in order to completely address the general research problem. Guidelines in presenting the statement of the specific research problems:

1.     Begin with the clause, “more specifically this study aims to answer the following questions:”. For proposal manuscripts, use “aim” and for final manuscripts use “sought/attempted.”

2.     For quantitative research, target each variable and then ask the inferential questions after.  The way you ask the questions have an implication in the statistical tool that you will use to answer the study. Be careful when you use terms like, “level,” “extent,” “rate,” “score.”

3.     For qualitative research, research questions should be open ended. The research questions must be adherent to the design, the context/perspective of the theory, or philosophical underpinning. Some designs do not require research questions.

4.     For convergent mixed methods designs, a research question must be stated in such a way that it can be answered both quantitatively and qualitatively. While for sequential mixed methods design, the quantitative and qualitative strand questions must be different.

5.     Hindu-Arabic outline numbering is used for statement of the problem. Main research questions are 1, 2, 3… and sub-research question under SOP 1 is 1.1., 1.2., 1.3… (not a, b c). As much as possible limit the research questions to two levels only (avoid getting deeper to 1.1.1., 1.1.2…).

6.     Remember that the statement of the problem asks the questions that the study aims to answer, NOT the questions you will ask the respondents during interview or survey.

7.     The output of the study is also asked as a research question. It follows the format, “Based from the findings, what (indicate the output intended) can be proposed?” Make sure that the output that you are proposing is a conceptual fit with the nature and scope of the concepts you examined and the methods that you are using.

Research objectives. Some research studies are heavily pragmatic and are procedural in nature. For the manuscripts of these studies, research objectives that are declarative in nature can be used instead of research questions.