A Guide to Writing a Research Problem for a PhD Thesis in the Humanities.

A clearly defined research problem is the intellectual foundation of a successful PhD proposal. This comprehensive downloadable guide by Dr I. S. Gusha explains how prospective doctoral candidates can transform a broad research interest into a focused, significant and academically defensible research problem.

Written specifically for students in the humanities, the article carefully distinguishes between a research topic, practical concern, literature gap, research problem, research question and purpose statement. It explains how to identify weaknesses, contradictions, omissions and unresolved debates within existing scholarship—and how to demonstrate why addressing them matters.

The guide includes:

Guidance from reputable research scholars

A practical framework for constructing a research problem

Different types of research problems in the humanities

Advice on originality, significance and feasibility

Connections between the problem, questions, theory and methodology

A detailed worked example

Common mistakes and how to correct them

A proposal-writing model and evaluation checklist

In-text academic citations and a complete bibliography

This resource is ideal for prospective PhD applicants, early-stage doctoral candidates, master’s students preparing for further study, lecturers, research supervisors and scholars working in theology, history, philosophy, literature, religious studies, cultural studies and related disciplines.

Purchase this downloadable article and give your doctoral proposal a clear, coherent and academically convincing foundation.

Written by Dr I. S. Gusha