Meaning of Statement of the Problem in Research
The statement of the problem in research can be defined as the inevitable consequence arising from the lack of a phenomenon under study, and its effect on the study under review.
In layman’s terms, it is what prompted the researcher to carry out the research work. It also describes what the researcher envisages as a problem that is worth studying. The statement of the problem also refers to a concise and precise form of describing the problem under study.
The research problem statement in a project gives the researcher and the readers the correct direction and description of the research work. To arrive at a logical conclusion, the researcher should be able to design and execute an investigation very clearly, and specifically state the problem of the study, and the nature of the study.
The statement of the problem in a research project must therefore consist of the description of specific or more limited aspects of the problem.
Guide in Writing a Statement of the Problem in a Research Project.
Some of the guiding principles of writing a Statement of the Problem in a Research Project noted by Emaikwu, S.O; Aloysius E.U and Bernard, L.B are:
- The statement of the problem is the researcher’s view of the problem under study.
- It forms part of the introduction, but it is different from the introduction because it is what prompted the researcher to go into the study.
- The problem statement should not contain references except if it is used to back up an important point.
Example
let’s consider writing the statement of the problem on this topic ”Utilization of Community-Based Resources for Funding Agricultural Education Programme in Higher Institutions in North Central, Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
It is no longer news that the federal government cannot fund Agricultural Education in Nigeria due to huge financial debt servicing, the amount of money spent on insecurity, petroleum subsidy, crude oil theft, and sundry problems that have reduced the economic viability of Nigeria as a country.
University administrators need to resort to another source of revenue to fund agricultural education. Similarly, Yusuf (2023) opined the government alone cannot fund tertiary education and that Nigeria needs to look at other funding parameters to be used to generate funds for effective teaching and learning.
The teaching and learning of Agricultural Education in higher institutions require a lot of financial obligation for effective implementation. Agricultural Education is a Vocational Subject that will enable students to acquire skills, values, and competencies for gainful employment or to become self-reliant.
Such a subject that is needed to equip students with employability skills requires a lot of practical experience from the classroom to the laboratory and the farm, Vise vasa. Unfortunately, poor funding has become one of the bane of education development which has contributed to the low standard of education in the country due to this problem, Universities are producing graduates who lack skills for employment and creative ability (Shehu, cited in punch 2023).
Over the years, the researcher has observed that the instruments and facilities required for the teaching and learning of Agricultural Education as stipulated by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and National University Commission (NUC) have never been met, which implies that Agricultural Education students are been taught with low instruments and facilities.
The resultant effect is the production of students without knowledge, Skills, and competencies of the subject. In another country, Agricultural Education is well funded, students offering Agricultural Education are paid during their studies, and staff are well paid.
A verbal interaction between the researcher and some of the heads of Departments in Agricultural Education across the Universities offering Agricultural Education in the North-central zone expressed worry about the inadequate apparatus, Chemical and farming implements for conducting practical experiments in their institutions.
More worrisome is even the papers for printing Agricultural Education materials that are not available as one will have to wait for months before the University will have one or two cartons of paper.
In another related vein, a verbal interaction between the researcher and five undergraduate students of Agricultural Education in Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue state, who were able to source for scholarships from community foundations and financial institutions like local thrift, were able to complete their study with easy.
In a Pilot study conducted by the researcher in 2018, using the department practical farm in Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue state, the researcher was able to raise a reasonable amount of money from the sales of farm products which was used in repairing and maintenance of some laboratory equipment and department machines.
From the foregoing, the researcher thinks that if University administrators and the Head of Department make use of the available resources in the school communities like the rearing of livestock and cultivation of crops in large quantities they will able to raise funds for the purchase of Agricultural Education material for the effective teaching and learning in higher institution in North Central Zone.
Therefore the researcher thinks that the use of Community-Based Resources as an alternative source of funding for the Agricultural Education Programme in Higher Institutions in North Central, Nigeria will enable University administrators and Heads of Department to run Agricultural Education programmes effectively in higher institutions.
In conclusion
A good statement of the problem in a project or thesis will enable the reader and supervisor to have a better view of the work.
The examples illustrated in this article will equip project students and researchers with relevant knowledge and skills on how to write an award-winning statement of the problem in a research work.