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How to Write a Problem and Solution Essay: A Quick Guide

Problem solution essay
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A problem-solution essay is a type of academic essay that explores a particular issue or challenge, and presents a potential course of action to address it. The purpose of a problem-and-solution essay is to identify a problem or issue, and to provide a practical solution or strategy for resolving it.

With so many unsolved issues, it’s easy to find some good questions for consideration. All you need is to look around or read the news. 

Writing a problem and solution essay won’t take much time and effort if you know what details to cover and what order you should follow. By using our ultimate guide, you will be able to compose an excellent and convincing essay with minimal effort. Close social networks and YouTube, spend 5 minutes reading our article to take to any problem solution essay topics like a duck to water.

Have a tough deadline? Consider paying someone to write your essay. StudyCrumb experts will deliver a perfect problem and solution essay tailored to your requirements.

What Is a Problem Solution Essay: Definition

A problem and solution essay is a type of academic writing that defines some specific issue and provides steps to solve it. This kind of essay is aimed at assessing a student's ability to find some controversial problem and offer a clear problem-solving strategy. 

Your topic should be relatively simple to write about. It’s good if it meets the general public's interests. Some popular topics for this essay include such issues:

  • Environmental pollution
  • Bad habits
  • Internet addiction
  • Racism
  • Infrastructure
  • Religious issues
  • Bullying
  • Social movements.

No matter what topic you choose, it should motivate you to think and look for ways of solving the problem. You should analyze it, study various strategies, and choose which one fits best. 

In a problem and solution essay, you can write about more than one problem. However, your solution is only efficient when several subjects in question fall into the same field. Otherwise, it will be difficult to focus on the right solution.

Problem Solution Essay Outline

One of the most important steps of your writing process is creating a problem solution essay outline. Without it, your paper will be unstructured and poorly organized. This is not the case when there is an efficient well-thought-out plan. Writing an outline is crucial on the way to composing a brilliant essay. It will help you stay on point without deviating from the issue. This way, you can save time and effort. 

Unlike any other type of writing, a problem and solution essay provides some room for flexibility. You can create an outline using two different methods:

  • Block method
  • Chain method.

Each of these methods have their advantages and can be applied depending on the situation that will be covered. Let’s look at each of these approaches more in detail. 

The block outline has the following structure:

Introduction – presents the topic and contains 4-5 short sentences. 

Main body – contains 2-3 paragraphs, each of them beginning with a topic sentence.

Body paragraph 

  • Problem 1
  • Problem 2

Body paragraph 

  • Solution 1
  • Solution 2

Conclusion – sums up all main points. 

Block method allows you to look at multiple problems or solutions using separate paragraphs. However, mastering this approach at first may be somewhat difficult.   

The chain method is more appropriate if you want to focus on some unified idea within one body paragraph. Here’s an example of chain outline:

Introduction

Main body

Body paragraph 1

  • Problem
  • Solution

Body paragraph 2

  • Problem
  • Solution

Conclusion

This approach helps you explore an issue step-by-step. For this reason, it may be easier for beginners. 

How to Write a Problem Solution Essay

Now, it’s time that we learn how to write a problem and solution essay. Further, we will tell you about the best way of doing it. Below, you will find detailed information on perfecting each section of your essay. We will specifically shed more light on:

  • Acquaintance with the problem’s background
  • Description of the issue’s specifics
  • Explanation why it should be solved
  • Suggested solution and assessment
  • Call to action.

Let’s learn the secrets of writing a successful essay firsthand! 

How to Start a Problem Solution Essay: Introduction

The first section is a problem solution essay introduction. It should include such components:

  • Hook
  • Context
  • Thesis statement.

Your opening paragraph should specify an issue, as well as provide some background information. Think over the first sentence that will captivate your readers. Everything must be clear from the very first lines. If one gets your idea at once, it’s almost in the bag. It may take some time to come up with a catchy hook, but you will be rewarded with an A+. Consider rare statistics, any little-known fact, or some hype information. 

Remember that your second and third sentences should naturally flow into further discussion. Develop your idea by introducing some context. By the way, you can write an introduction after the rest of your essay is complete. Just make sure you have a thesis statement. After all, it’s the ground of your essay. All main points should be related to your thesis.

How to Write an Outstanding Problem Solution Essay Body

The next part in the problem and solution essay is the main body. Here, you should suggest ways of solving the issue. It would be great if you analyzed probable consequences of problem-solving actions. You should support why you think the specific measures are necessary and what they will result in. 

Usually, the main body of a problem and solution essay includes 3 paragraphs. Every body paragraph focuses on different aspects:

  • Discuss an issue and offer your solution
  • Explain why your strategy will work
  • Provide some counter argument and refute it.

Argumentation is essential. By using it, you can convince readers that your strategy is correct. There is a good way to make powerful arguments. You should start with a statement, followed by an explanation. Back up your point of view with supportive examples. Then comes your final judgment. You can create transitions between paragraphs to make it easier for readers to follow a train of thought.

How to Write a Conclusion for a Problem Solution Essay

Congratulations! You’ve reached the last stage – a problem and solution essay conclusion. It usually contains 4-5 sentences summarizing your reasoning. In this part, you can make a general conclusion. It should include strong statements about what has been written. 

You can rephrase your thesis statement and share your final thoughts. The goal of the last part is to draw a complete picture and make readers think. Your last paragraph shouldn’t contain any fundamentally new facts – only a general summary of points mentioned above. Try StudyCrumb’s summarizer tool if you have challenges ending your problem and solution writing.

Your writing style in conclusion must always correspond to the style of your entire essay. Don’t try to stay on the safe side by using such phrases as “in my humble opinion”, “I am not an expert, but”. Readers will see them as excuses and uncertainty, which you definitely don’t want. What they should understand is that your essay is over and there is a logical conclusion.

Problem Solution Essays Examples

It is important to study a problem solution essay example before writing your own work. This way, you will be able to assess all the aspects and see how other authors coped with a similar task. You can borrow an exact structure or method of handling the situation. 

Our examples won’t replace your essay. You shouldn’t copy or assign them to yourself. Focus on creating unique and useful content.

Solutions to Homelessness
Sociology
Pages:
7
Level:
College
Paper type:
Essay (Any Type)
Format:
MLA
4.54 MB
file-pdf

Problem and Solution Essay: Writing and Proofreading Tips

You will be able to become a master of writing a problem and solution essay by following these great tips:

  1. After finishing your work, leave your paper for a while. Later, you will be able to return to it and assess it with a fresh approach.
  2. Check whether you’ve used all the above-mentioned components.
  3. Make sure that your thesis clearly states your paper’s topic.
  4. Perform in-depth research on your issue and explore existing resolutions.
  5. Ensure that your solutions are realistic and can be implemented.
  6. Use special tools to “grade my essay” and check whether your spelling and punctuation are correct.
  7. Ask your relative, family member, or friend to proofread your work. A couple of extra eyes will ensure that there are no logical and grammatical errors.

You should also pay attention to the paper formatting style. Use the same font and text style throughout your essay.

Problem/ Solution Essay: Bottom Line

As you can see, there is nothing super hard about writing a problems and solution essay. Hopefully, our detailed guide will help you complete your assignment. Of course, you should be ready to test which approach works best for you. After all, you should strive for continuous improvement. 

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Article posted on:Aug 12, 2022
Article updated on:Mar 17, 2024

Comments

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Nick
9/30/2022 7:34 AM
Your example of a problem solution essay gave me the whole picture of what my essay should look like. Thank you!
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StudyCrumb
9/30/2022 7:48 AM
Hi Nick,

Great to hear that! If you need more information about essay writing, you can always contact us!
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Natasha
10/7/2022 9:20 AM
Hi there, I want to write a problem solution essay about obesity. Do you think it is a good topic to raise?
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StudyCrumb
10/7/2022 9:29 AM
Hi Natasha,

Why not! Social problem and solution essay topics are usually very informative and highly rated by teachers. Your topic is pretty relevant and should be discussed to raise awareness about this problem. People should know how to prevent obesity. But it may be difficult to cover all the essential points in your essay. Maybe try to narrow it down by adding some details to the topic. For example: “ The problem of childhood obesity in America”
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Natasha
10/7/2022 9:32 AM
Thanks for your advice! I didn't even think about making the topic more focused and interesting.