Concept Paper: Problem Statement Assignment Instructions 

Overview 

You will write a one- or two-paragraph problem statement in current APA format that introduces the general topic of your research, defines the problem to be addressed, summarizes existing research, explains shortcomings of existing research, and concludes with a focused statement about the contribution your research will make to this problem. 

Instructions 

• The Problem Statement should be one to two paragraphs in length. It should be concise, around one page, and no more than two pages. Length does not necessarily equate to quality.  
• The abstract should be in current APA format. 
• You are asked to highlight relevant shortcomings of existing research, but please do not treat this as a literature review. Instead, identify the handful of sources most critical to your research. 
• A well-crafted Problem Statement makes the case that there is a concrete problem in public policy or administration, and that the proposed study makes a legitimate academic contribution to solving that problem.  

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.