WK/D1 Response
Review your classmates’ posts and respond to at least 1 in a minimum of 150 words. Explain why you agree or disagree. Then, share an example from your professional experience to support your assertions. Please have a minimum of 2 peer reviewed sources (APA format) to support your response.
THIS IS THE POST YOU WILL RESPOND TO
Lindsey and class,
I know that writing a dissertation is a work in progress. I find that most students have the hardest time getting the problem nailed down.
HOW TO WRITE THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
The dissertation problem needs to be very focused because everything else from the dissertation research logically flows from the problem. Your research aims to obtain information that (in part) solves a problem. The problem statement should do three things:
Specify and describe the problem (with appropriate citations within 5 years)
Explain the consequences of NOT solving the problem
Provide evidence regarding the knowledge needed to solve the problem. (i.e., what is unknown)
Here is one way to construct a problem section.
It is helpful to begin the problem statement with a sentence: “The problem this study will address is…” Then fill out the rest of the paragraph with an elaboration of that specific problem, making sure to “document” it, as reviewers will look for research-based evidence that it is indeed a problem.
Next, write a paragraph explaining the consequences of NOT solving the problem. Who will be affected? How will they be affected? How important is it to fix the problem? Again, reviewers will want to see research-based citations.
In the final paragraph, you will explain what information (research) is needed in order to fix the problem. This paragraph shows that the problem is worthy of doctoral-level research.
What isn’t known about the problem? Presumably, if your problem and purpose are aligned, your research will investigate exactly this issue. Have other researchers investigated the issue? What has their research left unanswered? (Ellis & Levy, 2008)
Ellis, T. & Levy, Y. (2008) Framework of problem-based research: A guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. Informing Science 11, 17-33.
