Writing the Problem-Solution essay
The Introduction
In your introduction you should write the following information:
1. Start your essay by using a hook. Remember that the hook attempts to grab the reader’s
attention so that they want to read on.
There are several options of hooks that you can use:
a. Use a rhetorical question: This is when you ask the reader something that they can
visualize and try to think of in their own minds. Then, you have to answer that question.
Example
Have you ever watched the high-flying, jump shooting, slam dunking, ankle breaking
players that play in the NBA? Every time I catch a game on television and I witness the
thrill of the game, I can’t help but watch another one.
b. Use a quotation: This is when a quote is used and explained that has relevance to the topic
at hand. Make sure this quote comes from a credible source. Also, talk about the quote’s
meaning afterwards to ensure that the reader isn’t confused.
Example
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen” said
Michael Jordan, arguably the best player to ever play in the NBA. Here, Jordan talks about
how people want, dream, wish, and pray that they will one day make it to the big stage.
c. You can also us statistics: The writer uses a quote from a source that relates to the main idea
of the paper, but the quote must have some type of statistics, such as numbers, decimals, or
and/or percentages. The meaning and relationship of the quote to the paper needs to be
explained afterwards just in case the reader does not quite understand
Example
“Just 0.00545 percent of the 550,000 boys playing high school basketball each year in the
United States become a first-round draft pick — 1 in 18,333” stated Jeff Rabjohns, a writer
for The Indianapolis Star, in an article titled “Prep players face long odds of making it to
NBA.” Basically, only a few high school players will make it to the NBA. Even though there
are many that strive, play, train, practice, and fight to be great, a huge majority of them do
not make it.
d. The last type of hook is an anecdote: This is a short story to relate to the topic and gain the
reader’s attention. This story can be a short, personal story or one that is a figment of your
imagination. Make sure that it relates to the main idea of the paper. Show the relevance that
it has to the topic of the paper.
Example
When I was in high school, I remember playing in an AAU basketball league. We had to
travel to downtown Philadelphia on the weekends for basketball practice. Each and every
time we had basketball practice (which was at 8 a.m.), there was a boy around my age in
the gym by the time we arrived. He was always covered in sweat, throwing up shots,
practicing his layups, practicing his dribbling, and running laps around the gym. He was in
such great shape. One day, I mustered up the courage to ask his about his ambitions, and
he told me that he gets up at 5:30 a.m. to go to the gym and practice hard until my team
comes in for practice. A few years later, this guy was entering the NBA draft from high
school. When I saw him get drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, I knew exactly why. All that
hard work had paid off for him. This is the hard work ethics and mindset that everyone that
wants to make it to the NBA should have.
2. Next you should do a quick analysis of the problem that has been given to you by your teacher.
Two or three sentences should suffice for you to describe the problem at hand. Remember that
you need to give enough context of the problem for the reader to understand it easily.
3. Finally introduce your thesis statement. A thesis statement for problem-solution essays consists
of 2 parts: topic and then the proposed solutions. It includes a mention of the problem that was
analyzed in the previous sentences. It should appear at the end of 1st paragraph. Ideally, it
should be one sentence. This can be a long sentence, such as a compound-complex one; it
should not be a run on.
Example:
Many children suffer long-term consequences of bullying; the problem can be remedied
through a three-pronged approach: educating the parents, encouraging a community
atmosphere, and implementing a peer mediation program.
Here’s a model of how to write the thesis statement for the problem-solution essay:
The problem of ____________ can be solved by _______, _________, _________ (mention
each of the three possible solutions).
Example:
“The problem of garbage in Riverside can be solved by educating people, recycling, and
enforcing regulations.”
Body paragraphs
In the body paragraphs, you will give full detail of the solutions you defined in the thesis statement.
Yu have to focus on one solution for each paragraph, and each paragraph will discuss only on of
your solutions.
You need to write a minimum of three body paragraphs for your problem-solution essay. Each
paragraph will start with a topic sentence. After you have drafted your topic sentence, everything
you write in the paragraph has to answer to that topic sentence and nothing else. Do not deviate
from the topic sentence.
The format for your body paragraphs is as follows: Topic sentence. Supporting sentence # 1. Detail
# 1. Supporting sentence # 2. Detail # 2. Supporting sentence # 3. Detail # 3. Concluding sentence.
The topic sentence
This is the first sentence in the paragraph. It is the most important sentence in the paragraph because
it will guide everything that you write about in your paragraph. For your topic sentence to be correct
you need to include two things; always mention the problem (the topic of the essay) and include the
solution you will discuss in the paragraph.
Example:
One of the things that can be done to reduce the divorce rates is to change the laws to make it more
difficult for couples to divorce.
Problem
Solution
The supporting sentences
The supporting sentences are sentences that will give more information about the solution you have
mentioned in the topic sentence. The supporting sentences need to answer the question how.
Example:
One of the main solutions to the garbage problem is to pick it up more often. (topic sentence)
How can the garbage be picked up more often?
a) There could be more garbage trucks.
b) Garbage men with their carts could also pick up garbage and take it to truck pick up places.
c) The garbage company can establish more picking up schedules.
The answers to the question how, become your supporting sentences. Of course once you put these
sentences in the paragraph, you have to edit for better quality.
Details
These are sentences that will follow (you have to write them after) each supporting sentence.
Details will exemplify what you have said in the supporting sentences. There are several ways to
offer details, you can write:
Examples
Personal experiences
Facts or statistics
Quotes from experts.
The concluding sentence
If you have done a good job of arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the
next, the concluding sentence of each paragraph will highlight a relationship that already exists by
summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that
follows.
Example:
No transition: In some cultures sympathy plays a role in moral decision-making.
With transition: While conflict between morality and sympathy can occur in the context of a single
cultural code, it more often arises in cross-cultural conflicts.
Summary of the paragraph
Suggestion of the content of the next paragraph
Conclusion
Your conclusion should follow the next steps:
a) Begin with a restated thesis. The easiest thing to remember about the conclusion is that it is
basically the introduction in reverse. The first sentence should resemble the thesis statement, so
your reader is reminded of what you were trying to solve. Therefore, your first sentence should
go over the problem.
b) Next you should include sentences that restate the main points of your body paragraphs. There
should be at least one sentence for each body paragraph. Think of those sentences as mini
summaries for the body paragraphs. The sentences should not just be restated topic sentences.
c) Also you should go over again the solution and tell the audience which, in your opinion, is the
best solution to the problem
d) And finally, write a call for action. This is a sentence that tells the reader what to do to solve the
problem.
Structure of your essay
So, in the end, after you have finished writing your essay, it would look something like this:
Introduction
Hook. Analysis of the problem. Thesis stamen (possible solution # 1, possible solution # 2, and
possible solution # 3)
Body
Solution # 1
Topic sentence (possible solution # 1). Supporting sentence # 1. Detail # 1. Supporting sentence # 2.
Detail # 2. Supporting sentence # 3. Detail # 3. Concluding sentence.
Solution # 2
Topic sentence (possible solution # 2). Supporting sentence # 1. Detail # 1. Supporting sentence # 2.
Detail # 2. Supporting sentence # 3. Detail # 3. Concluding sentence.
Solution # 3
Topic sentence (possible solution # 3). Supporting sentence # 1. Detail # 1. Supporting sentence # 2.
Detail # 2. Supporting sentence # 3. Detail # 3. Concluding sentence.
Conclusion
Mention the problem. Summarize solution # 1. Summarize solution # 2. Summarize solution # 3.
Call to action.
References
Kearney, V. (2017, August 16). How to Write a Problem Solution Essay: Step-by-Step
Instructions. Retrieved from [Link]
Solution-Essay
Smith, S. (2018, November 17). Problem-solution essays. Retrieved from
[Link]
Zemach, D. (2014). Writers at Work: The Essay. (1). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
How to Write a Hook. (n.d.). Retrieved from
[Link]
Transition sentences. (n.d.). Retrieved from
[Link]
