Problem Statement
This section of the Prospectus should begin with a one-sentence Problem Statement in the format appropriate for the design. It should clearly state the problem or research focus. This problem or research focus should evolve from the Background to the Problem section discussed above. The problem statement should begin with a clear declarative statement. This section describes the significance, magnitude, and importance of the problem that makes the study worthwhile. This section should be supported with citations from the literature.
Criteria (Required Components): score 0-3 Learner Self-Evaluation Score
(0-3) Chair or Reviewer Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Problem Statement
This section includes the problem statement, the population affected, and how the study will contribute to solving the problem.
The recommended length for this section is one paragraph.
1. Presents a clear declarative statement that begins with either:
“It is not known how or why…” (qualitative),
or
“It is not known if or to what degree/extent…” (quantitative).
2. Clearly describes the magnitude and importance of the problem, supporting it with citations from the literature.
3. ALIGNMENT: The problem statement is developed from and justified by the “need” or “defined gap” defined by the Literature that is discussed in the Background to the Problem section above.
NOTE: This section elaborates on Points #3 (Problem Statement) from the 10 Strategic Points. This section becomes the foundation for the Problem Statement section in Chapter 1(and other Chapters where appropriate) in the Proposal.
NOTE: When writing this section ensure it has a logical flow, as well as uses correct paragraph structure, sentence structure, tense, punctuation, and APA format
