Writing A Problem Statement Specific Information for the Human Rights Abuse Project

The Purpose of the Problem Statement The Problem Statement provides a brief description of the problem The Problem Statement provides a brief history of the problem The Problem Statement defines the research to be conducted.

Looking at Your Handout… PROBLEM STATEMENT Paragraph 1 states a brief background or foundational information regarding the problem as follows: Psychologists do not always agree on the cause or motivation for individual behaviors. Sigmund Freud theorized that we are motivated by pleasure. Gordon Allport, in his Trait theory, suggested our behavior can be viewed through the consistency of certain traits, and still another psychologist, Abraham Maslow, contended we are motivated by a hierarchy of needs. In addition to motivation and trait theorists, there are cognitive theorists who suggest our thoughts motivate and determine our behavior and choices. In the end, one thing is clear, behavior and choices are motivated and determined by some emotion, thought, trait, want, or need. One potential motivator that is often overlooked is death, specifically, our own mortality…. our eventual, inevitable, unstoppable demise.

Looking at Your Handout, Paragraph 2 The second paragraph in the Problem Statement defines the problem to be researched. Located somewhere deep within each of us is the knowledge that we are going to die one day. For many, if not all, mortality salience is devastating and may have the potential to affect our choices and behavior because of the fear and anxiety it creates. The goal of psychology is to understand the self – to unravel the knots or fit together the puzzle pieces of the individual. If we ignore, deny, omit, avoid, minimize, or overlook the role our death can play in motivating our thoughts, feeling, and actions, then we eliminate the possibility of true understanding and resolution. In other words, without naming the ultimate cause of a problem or dysfunction we continue being affected and exhibiting those effects in our choices and behavior. If we do not address our death and the anxiety and fear it creates, we may be overlooking a cause that actually needs further investigation. On the other hand, if we acknowledge our death and fear of that death as a cause of behavior, we increase our opportunity for real change and ultimately real peace.

Looking at Your Handout, Paragraph 3 The final paragraph defines the purpose of your research. In this paper, we will seek to identify the psychological causes of anxiety, fear, as well as provide relevant strategies to cope with these factors in order to increase the pleasure and productivity in our lives.

Choosing Your Grade Range… The Rubric There are many levels from which to choose. Highest Possible Grade: 69% (D) One paragraph defining the purpose of the research paper No grammatical/convention errors (2pt deduction for each error) No spelling errors (2pt deduction for each error) Highest Possible Grade: 79% (C) One paragraph describing the problem to be researched One paragraph defining the purpose of the research paper No grammatical/convention errors (2pt deduction for each error) No spelling errors (2pt deduction for each error)

Grading Rubric Continued… Highest Possible Grade: 89% (B) One paragraph providing the historical background surrounding the problem One paragraph describing the problem to be researched One paragraph defining the purpose of the research paper No grammatical/convention errors (2pt deduction for each error) No spelling errors (2pt deduction for each error) Highest Possible Grade: 100% (A) Quotations and/or paraphrased information to support the historical background OR the problem description Appropriate MLA citation/reference information for all quotes and paraphrased information One paragraph providing the historical background surrounding the problem One paragraph describing the problem to be researched One paragraph defining the purpose of the research paper No grammatical/convention errors (2pt deduction for each error) No spelling errors (2pt deduction for each error)

Grading Rubric Continued… Scholarly Bonus Work/Highest Possible Grade: 125% (A++) Quotations and/or paraphrased information to support the historical background AND the problem description Appropriate MLA citation/reference information for all quotes and paraphrased information One paragraph providing the historical background surrounding the problem One paragraph describing the problem to be researched One paragraph defining the purpose of the research paper No grammatical/convention errors (2pt deduction for each error) No spelling errors (2pt deduction for each error)

A Side Note:

Additional Resources Need Help with the MLA style and reference citation? Check out: Looking for more information about the Problem Statement? Problem Statements PowerPoint Presentation - Purdue Online...