Step 4: Make research questions............................................................................................................5

Step 1: What’s the problem?..................................................................................................................2

a) Practical research problems...........................................................................................................2

b) Theoretical research problems.......................................................................................................2

Step 2: Why is it important?...................................................................................................................3

• Practical research problems...........................................................................................................3

b) Theoretical research problems.......................................................................................................3

Step 3: What do you want to accomplish?.............................................................................................4 3.1 Aims..............................................................................................................................................4 3.2 Objectives.....................................................................................................................................4 Step 4: Make research questions............................................................................................................5 4.1 All research questions should be…...............................................................................................5 4.2 How to write a research question.................................................................................................5 4.3 What makes a excellent research question?................................................................................7 Based upon Scribbr.com’s recommendations - easy & to the point.Written March 2022 1 / 2

Problem statement + research question in 4 easy steps

A good problem statement should:

Put the problem in context (what do we already know?) Describe the precise issue that the research will address (what do we need to know?) Show the relevance of the problem (why do we need to know it?) Set the objectives of the research (what will you do to find out?)

Step 1: What’s the problem?

The problem statement should frame your research problem in its particular context and give some background on what is already known about it.

Two types:

a) Practical research problems

For practical research, focus on the concrete details of the situation:

Where and when does the problem arise?Who does the problem affect?What attempts have been made to solve the problem?

b) Theoretical research problems

For theoretical research, think about the scientific, social, geographical and/or historical

background:

What is already known about the problem?Is the problem limited to a certain time period or geographical area?How has the problem been defined and debated in the scholarly literature?

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