statement Clear and specific: Define the problem in a focused and detailed manner. Comprehensive and convincing: Ensure the problem is well articulated and is researchable. Evidence-based: Depending on the research design, use either qualitative or quantitative evidence or both to substantiate the problem. Quantitative evidence: E.g., declining statistics or trends over time. Qualitative evidence: E.g., insights from annual reports or stakeholder feedback. Relevance and topicality: The problem should be current and worth addressing. Identification of sub-goals: Clearly define sub-Background to the Problem Researchable: The problem must lend itself to investigation through the proposed methods. Key variables: All major variables have been identified and included in the problem statement