The Problem Statement Module 1 Basics of Research

The Problem Statement Module 1: Basics of Research

Identifying a Problem Statement (one paragraph) q Hook (WOW) statement q Anchor (number) statement q General Program (a summary of the hook and anchor statement) q Specific Research program statement

Hook Statement A hook statement is… a WOW statement; a statement that will capture the attention of the reader; has a citation from a peer review source; grounds the specific problem for the study. An example of a hook statement would be… Apple farmers are experiencing worm infestation at an alarming rate and is causing a negative economic impact for sales (Dooley, 2015).

Anchor Statement An anchor statement is… a grounding statement for the hook; a statement that will have a statistic or number; has a citation from a peer review source; grounds the specific problem for the study. An example of an anchor statement would be… Apple farmers lost more than 60% of their crops and generated $2, 000 (30%) of revenue, a decrease from last year’s crops (Dooley, 2015).

General Problem Statement The general problem is broad. The general problem is formed by summarizing broadly the anchor and hook statements. A citation is not required for the general problem statement.

Specific Problem Statement The specific problem statement is very specific. The specific problem must align with the anchor and the hook statement. The specific problem ground the research question and purpose of the study. A citation is not required for the general problem statement. An example… The specific problem is that apple farmers lack strategies to reduce worm infestations to increase revenue.