Critical section of the introduction in a research report

Another critical section of the introduction in a research report which we shall look into is the statement of the problem.

According to Professor Jomo, a research problem is a situation that needs a solution and for which there are possible solutions. If a situation has no possible solutions then it makes little or no sense expending resources researching it.

A research problem may be described as  a discrepancy between what is and what ought to be. It may be also described as the gap in knowledge that needs to be filled.

Statement of the problem is the description of an issue currently existing which needs to be addressed. It provides the context for the research study and generates the questions which the research aims to answer.

The problem provides the context for the research study and typically generates questions which the research hopes to answer. In considering whether or not to move forward with a research project, you will generally spend some time considering the problem.

The statement of the problem is the focal point of any research. A good problem statement is just one sentence (with several paragraphs of elaboration).

For example it could be:" The unacceptable trend of mass failure in the sciences(biology,physics and chemistry) is threaten the realization of the national goals and objectives" or  "The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle management workers." While this problem statement is just one sentence, it should be accompanied by a few paragraphs that elaborate on the problem.

The paragraphs could cover present persuasive arguments that make the problem important enough to study. They could include the opinions of others (politicians, futurists, other professionals);

Explanations of how the problem relates to business, social or political trends via presentation of data that demonstrates the scope and depth of the problem.

A well articulated statement of the problem establishes the foundation for everything to follow in the project/proposal and will render less problematic most of the conceptual, theoretical and methodological obstacles typically encountered during the process of proposal development.

The  key components of the statement of  problem are:

 1. The problem itself, stated clearly and with enough contextual detail to establish why it is important

2. The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working thesis

3. The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project being proposed.

These three elements should be brief so that the reader does not get lost. One page is enough for a statement problem.

 The statement of the problem should clearly indicate what is to be investigated.The actual statement may be in a declarative or in a question form.


In your proposal the statement of the problem is oftentimes the first part to be read with scrutiny.

This template  for statement of problem is describe as folows:

1. Start with a general problem identifying the need for the study. E.g. The problem of this study is ______

2. State the specific problem proposed for research. (use citation & usually a number to make it clear to the reader, e.g. 30% of the farms have been affected by the Napier grass disease

 3. Introductory words describing Methodological approach (i.e. Research Design) are given and are appropriate to the specific proposal problem, e.g. this qualitative study will explore... or this quantitative study will examine ...

4. General population group of proposed study is identified. Small scale farmers in affected locations will be surveyed to determine ...

Thanks.