- Define the general problem statement that you are investigating. For example, a problem statement can be “Convicted offenders find it difficult to seek gainful employment upon release from prison.”
- Identify the key issues related to the problem, such as lack of skills among offenders, a desire to return to criminality rather than pursuing lawful employment, or reluctance on the part of employers to hire offenders.
- Specify the research question(s) you intend to answer with relation to your problem statement. For example, “Does participation in prison-based technical training programs improve an offender’s opportunities for postrelease employment?”
- Identify potential sources of data.
- Define the expected outcome of the project—what you expect to find and why.
