A problem statement may need to be re-worked throughout the process
The academic problem that you are investigating in your assignment can either take the form of a problem statement, i.e. a question that you want to answer, or it can be a hypothesis that you wish to reject or confirm. How you formulate the problem influences the task you are embarking on. Problem statements as well as hypotheses must be relevant to your area of study, and you must be able to carry out the investigation using the resources and methods available to you.
Note that a problem statement or a hypothesis often changes during the writing process. Sometimes you have to change the focus of the problem statement/hypothesis, and sometimes you only have to change a single word. The amount of changes required depends on your study programme and the assignment at hand. Therefore, you should always ask your teacher or supervisor for advice.
Problem statement
A problem statement usually consists of one question to be addressed in your assignment and to be answered in your conclusion. It can include 2-5 sub-questions. A problem statement can take different forms, but generally:
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It uses accurate wording, for example technical terms
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It relates specifically to your project, describing what you want to study (object) and how you want to study it (theories and methods)
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It not only introduces a description of the problem (what is the problem?) but also encourages explanation, reflection and discussion of the problem (how and why does the problem exist?)
Hypotheses
A hypothesis is a theoretical, hypothetical explanation that can be tested. It usually takes the form of a causal relationship or a causal explanation. You can also consider the hypothesis as a preliminary response to a research question or a problem statement. A hypothesis can be expressed in different ways, but generally, the following applies:
