Thesis Proposal
Problem Statement and Research Questions
1
Identifying the Problem
What do you like?
What do you like about it?
What else do you want to know about it?
Can you discover or answer it with the evidence?
If not, this may be A Researchable Problem.
What (researchable) questions can you ask that, if answered, will make the problem go away?
2
Questions > Problem
TOPIC: I am studying __________
QUESTION: because I want to find out ________
SIGNIFICANCE: in order to help my reader understand __________
PRACTICAL APPLICATION: so readers may ___________
(Booth, Colomb, & Williams, 2008)
A (Researchable) Problem will be the Central Focus of Your Research Study
4
The Research Problem
Begin the introduction with a narrative hook to engage the reader
Easily understood by many readers
Builds readers’ interest through reference to study participants or posing questions
Clearly identify the issue(s) or problem(s) that lead to a need for the study
Indicate why the problem is important by citing numerous references
Opening sentence should stimulate interest while presenting the issue
5
5
The Research Problem
Do not use quotations to avoid confusion
Avoid idiomatic expressions
Consider numeric information for impact
Clearly identify the research problem
Indicate why the problem is important using the existing literature
Frames the problem in a manner consistent with the research approach in the study
Indicate if there is a single problem or multiple problems involved in the proposed study
6
6
Problem—Question—Purpose
7
Problem—Question—Purpose