Writing a Strong Statement of the Problem (2025–26 Guide)
A good PhD Problem Statement(SOP) is super important for any PhD proposal or thesis. It tells people what the problem is, why it’s a big deal, who it hurts, and what your research will do about it.But get this: 70% of PhD proposals get turned down because their problem statement isn’t strong enough, is too unclear, or doesn’t have enough academic backup.This PhDWise Masterclass gives you the easiest, smartest, and most up-to-date (2025–26) way to write a killer problem statement the same trick used by top researchers and the folks at PhDWise.
What You Will Learn in This Guide
This masterclass covers:
What a PhD Problem Statement is (2025–26 updated definition)
The PhDWise 5-Step Problem Statement Formula
The difference between Issue vs Gap vs Problem
Mistakes PhD students must avoid
5 real PhDWise examples (all fields)
A ready-made downloadable template
What Is a Problem Statement? (2025–26 Definition)
1. What’s Wrong or Not Known (Core Issue or Unknown Area)
This is the starting point of your problem statement. You must clearly show what is missing, unclear, poorly understood, or not functioning as expected in the real world or in academic literature.
What to include:
A brief description of the current situation
The specific issue, inconsistency, or unknown variable
A clear link to your discipline (management, education, health, etc.)
Examples:
“Despite the availability of AI-driven learning tools, many universities still report low student engagement.”
“Even though digital payments are growing, long-term trust remains unclear.”
“Organizations invest heavily in cybersecurity, yet human-related breaches continue to rise.”
Why this matters:
It sets the foundation for the reader to understand what exactly is not working or not known. Without a clear statement of the “wrong” or “unknown,” supervisors cannot understand the purpose of your research.
2. Why It’s a Problem (Impact and Consequences)
After identifying what is wrong or unknown, the next step is to explain why this issue matters. This section proves the real-world or academic importance of the problem.
What to include:
Negative effects of the issue
Stakeholders who are affected
Potential long-term risks
Economic, social, or academic implications
Examples of consequences:
Poor student engagement → lower academic performance
Low trust in digital payments → reduced digital adoption, financial exclusion
Weak cybersecurity culture → data breaches, financial loss, legal risks
Why this matters:
Supervisors approve topics only when the problem shows clear seriousness. If the problem has no consequences, it is not worth researching.
3. Who It Hurts (Target Population Affected)
A strong problem statement must specify who experiences the problem. This helps limit the scope and shows that the research is practical and focused.
What to include:
People, groups, institutions, or communities affected
Geographic location (country, city, type of institution)
Type of demographic or industry
Specific stakeholders (students, employees, managers, doctors, farmers, SMEs, etc.)
Examples:
“Rural patients face difficulty accessing telemedicine services.”
“Small businesses lack cybersecurity readiness.”
“University students in India show lower engagement with AI-based learning tools.”
Why this matters:
Clearly defining who suffers from the problem ensures the study has clear boundaries—something supervisors look for when approving PhD topics.
4. What Proof There Is (Evidence and Citations)
A problem is not real unless you prove it. Evidence is the backbone of a strong problem statement.
What to include:
Recent academic studies (2020–2025)
Reports or surveys (World Bank, WHO, McKinsey, NITI Aayog)
Contradictions in existing findings
Statistics showing the severity of the issue
Example ways to show proof:
“Studies from 2021–2024 consistently show declining user trust despite high digital payment adoption.”
“A 2023 survey revealed that 42% of employees experience digital fatigue in remote work settings.”
“Most studies focus on Western contexts, leaving a gap in understanding the Indian environment.”
Why this matters:
Universities reject 70% of proposals because they do not provide evidence. Proof shows the problem is real, recent, and worthy of doctoral research.
5. What Your Research Will Add (Contribution and Need for Study)
This section explains what your study will do that others have not done. It must directly address the gap you highlighted.
What to include:
How your research fills a specific gap
New insights, models, or understanding you will provide
What outcomes or frameworks will be contributed
How stakeholders benefit from your findings
Examples:
“This research will provide new empirical evidence on how AI tools influence student engagement in Indian universities.”
“This study will develop a model explaining how security and service quality affect long-term trust in digital payments.”
“This research will analyze human behavior factors affecting cybersecurity readiness in Indian SMEs.”
Why this matters:
This part reassures supervisors that:
The study is original
The study has academic value
The research adds something meaningful to the field
Without this final component, the problem statement is considered incomplete.
Why a Strong Problem Statement Matters (PhDWise Perspective)
- Get your PhD topic approved fast
- Show that your research is new and different
- Clearly prove where the gap is in the research
- Make your advisors think your study is doable
- Set up a solid base for what you want to do and how you’ll do it
PhDWise 5-Step Formula for Writing a Powerful Problem Statement
STEP 1 — Identify the Broad Problem Area
Start with the general theme:
Examples:
Employee performance
Digital learning
AI adoption
Consumer behavior
Public health
STEP 2 — Show the Specific Issue With Evidence
Use recent studies (2020–2025) to show what is wrong.
Example:
“Despite the rise of digital learning platforms, student engagement remains low.”
STEP 3 — Highlight the Gap in Existing Research
This is the heart of your problem statement.
Lack of studies in India
Very few empirical studies
Conflicting results in prior studies
Studies not updated for 2020–2024 context
STEP 4 — Explain Why the Problem Matters (Impact)
Show real consequences.
Example:
“This gap affects academic outcomes, teaching quality, and student motivation.”
STEP 5 — Conclude With What Needs to Be Researched
Clearly state what your study will explore.
Example:
“This study examines how AI-based tools influence student engagement in higher education.”
PhDWise Problem Statement Template
“Despite [current situation], recent research shows that [specific issue] persists in the context of [target population/area]. Existing studies from 2020–2025 highlight [gap], but there is limited evidence on [missing link]. This lack of clarity affects [consequences]. Therefore, this study aims to investigate [core focus], addressing the identified gap in the field of [your discipline].”
5 Ready-Made PhDWise Problem Statement Examples
- Management (How Well Employees Do & Remote Work)
“Now that remote work is normal after 2020, how well employees are doing is different from place to place. Studies from 2021–2024 give different results about how remote work tools affect how people perform. But, there isn’t much research on poorer countries and how being tired of digital tools plays a role. This lack of research affects how companies plan and how well their employees work. So, this study will check how remote work tech and digital fatigue change how employees do in India.”
- Education (AI Tools for Getting Students Involved)
“Even though more AI learning tools are being used in higher education, recent proof says that students aren’t any more engaged. Past studies mostly look at Western places, leaving a hole in understanding how AI tools change how involved Indian university students are. This hole stops digital tools from being used well in Indian schools. So, this study will check how AI learning changes how engaged students are in Indian higher education places.”
- Computer Science (How Ready for Cybersecurity)
“With more cyber threats after COVID, companies still aren’t ready for cybersecurity. Research says that cyber policies are good, but people don’t follow them. But, very few studies look at the people side of cybersecurity in Indian small businesses. This hole causes big security risks. So, this research will look at what people do that changes how ready for cybersecurity Indian small businesses are.”
- Commerce (Problems Trusting Digital Payments)
“Even though digital payments are getting big in India, people still don’t trust them. Studies from 2020–2025 say that many people are using them, but they aren’t happy with them for long. Research doesn’t say how security and service quality change how long people use them. This hole stops financial inclusion. So, this study will check what makes Indian users trust digital payments.”
- Healthcare (Using Telemedicine)
“Telemedicine use went up after COVID-19, but not all patients are using it. Research mostly looks at cities, ignoring the countryside. This hole stops healthcare policy planning. So, this study will check what changes whether people in rural India accept telemedicine.”
Common Mistakes PhD Students Make (Avoid These!)
Writing too broadly
No citation or evidence
No research gap
Too many issues mixed together
Copying problem statements from online samples
Focusing on solutions instead of the core problem