Once you have identified a general topic for your research, you can begin to zero in on the specific problem you wish to solve. We use this word “problem” in the scholarly sense of it, as a puzzle or analytical space in which inquiry may take place. Sometimes this will be a problem in the common sense; something flawed or inadequate, to which there is at least one solution. In other cases, it will mean a smart practice that merits closer scrutiny or replication, a new idea to be modeled or explored, or a predictive or experimental inquiry. In this module, four examples of problem statements are presented and evaluated in an effort to aid you in the development of your project.
