¿Qué es el planteamiento del problema y cómo se hace? Estructura y ejemplos📝

Key Concepts

• Problem Statement: Argumentation of how the researcher arrived at the questions about the problem they are interested in dealing with.
• Observation and Description of Data and Facts: Exposing facts related to the context of the investigation, empirical and theoretical data related to the subject.
• Finding the Problem: Expressing inconsistencies about the knowledge of the subject, presenting empirical or theoretical data that contradict each other.
• Research Question: Question that arises from the problem found, essential for the investigative process.
• Context of the Investigation: Place, time, and manner in which data and facts occur.

Structure of the Problem Statement

The video outlines a simple structure for a problem statement, which includes:

1. Observation and Description of Data and Facts: This section involves presenting the context of the investigation by exposing facts, empirical data, and theoretical data related to the subject. The goal is to substantiate the absence of information regarding the topic and justify the study.
2. Finding the Problem: This section focuses on identifying inconsistencies in the existing knowledge of the subject. This is achieved by presenting contradictory empirical or theoretical data. Techniques to demonstrate these contradictions include:
   • Contrasting a current fact with a previously formulated theoretical approach.
   • Revealing a contradiction between a theoretical approach and an empirical approach.
3. Research Question: The problem statement concludes with a research question that explains what will be investigated. This question arises from the problem identified in the previous sections and serves as the basis for the general objective of the investigation.

How to Write a Problem Statement: Step-by-Step

The video provides a step-by-step guide to writing a problem statement:

1. Establish the Subject of the Investigation: Choose the topic on which the investigation will be based. The selection of the topic depends on the area of study.
2. Give the Context of the Investigation: Begin writing with the first part of the structure: observation of data and facts. Provide context by addressing the following:
   • Place: Where do the data and facts occur? (Physical or metaphorical place)
   • Time: When do the data and facts occur? (Period of time)
   • Mode: How do the data and facts occur? (Approach taken previously)
   • Explain the inconsistency of information that exists on the problem to be studied.
3. Formulate the Problem and Research Question: Set out how the research will be tackled, the characteristics of the work to be carried out, and the need to prepare it. Formulate the research question.

Examples of Problem Statements

The video provides two examples of problem statements, broken down into the structure explained:

Example 1: Environmental Pollution in Mexico City

• Observation of Data and Facts: Poor air quality in Mexico City affects the environment (flora, fauna, rivers, lakes, monuments, buildings) and human beings (respiratory and nervous system disorders, cancer). A university study reported that permitted standards were met for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and sulfur dioxide.
• Finding of the Problem: The measurements were taken in an area with lush tree vegetation, making it difficult to obtain a real measurement of the contamination in the city.
• Research Question: Where in Mexico City should the air pollution meters be located, so that their results reveal the actual air quality conditions in the city?

Example 2: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• Observation of Data and Facts: Respiratory infections are not new, but globalization has changed the way humans interact, causing their spread and increasing mortality rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) establishes prevention protocols. Coronavirus includes viruses like MERS, SARS, and COVID-19. COVID-19 symptoms include a stuffy nose, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea, fever, dry cough, and physical exhaustion. Approximately 80% of those infected recover without treatment. COVID-19 affects older people and those with heart problems, diabetes, or high blood pressure more seriously. The mortality rate is around 2% of those infected.
• Finding of the Problem: Actions to prevent its spread are similar to those for any respiratory infection. However, in the universities of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, there is no uniformity in the way these measures are taken by the academic community.
• Research Question: How to educate the academic community of the universities of the city of Buenos Aires, to generate preventive and early warning actions, which allow controlling the spread of respiratory infections and viruses?

Key Arguments and Perspectives

The video emphasizes that the problem statement is not merely a declaration of the research problem but an argumentation of how the researcher arrived at the questions about the problem. It should start from the general and move to the specific, and everything expressed must be demonstrated in the investigation. The length of the problem statement depends on the academic level. The problem statement should not assign blame or provide solutions.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The problem statement is a crucial component of research, serving as the foundation for the entire investigation. It involves a structured approach of observing and describing data, identifying inconsistencies, and formulating a research question. By following the steps and structure outlined in the video, researchers can effectively articulate the problem they intend to address and set the stage for a meaningful and impactful study.