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English: 76-108 - Writing about Public Problems: Defining the Problem

This guide is designed for Carnegie Mellon University's Writing in Academic Context courses, specifically Writing about Public Problems. It introduces steps to completing your class assignment.
How do I define the problem?

The first step is to define the problem. From a resource perspective that means the following:

Define the problem: 

  • What is the definition of the term or the problem you are trying to address? 
  • What makes it unique?  A problem can mean different things in different contexts, are there specific conditions that need to be met for the problem to occur.

The definition can be " textbook," a scholarly term, can come from a reading of local or government documents, or constructed based on multiple sources.

To identify core references such as encyclopedias, handbooks, or thesauri, use the Advance Search feature in the library catalog and follow these sample searches:

  • [in Subject, contains, public policy] AND [in Title, contains, encyclopedia]
  • [in Subject, contains, environment] AND [in Title contains, encyclopedia]
  • [in Subject, contains, economic policy] AND [in Title, contains, handbook]
  • [in Subject, contains, gender] AND [in Title, contains, encyclopedia]

Below are some basic sources that should help you get you started with defining a public problem.

General Reference

Core Reference

Research Sources

Generalized sources:

Public & Policy Sources