What Is Writing to Solve Problems?

The word problem is slippery. When a problem affects us directly, it might take on the dimensions of a crisis: we want to know how to solve it — and the sooner the better. When a problem affects someone else, it might seem, to us, more like an interesting challenge than an imminent disaster. And sometimes a problem is nothing of the sort. It’s simply a label for lack of knowledge. For example, when a research scientist says that she’s working on an interesting problem, she usually means that she’s investigating an intriguing puzzle, which, when solved, will advance our knowledge in a specific area.

Writers who adopt the role of problem solver carry out activities such as calling readers’ attention to problems, discussing the nature and extent of those problems, or proposing solutions. Whether a writer focuses on defining, discussing, or proposing a solution to a problem depends on how much is known about it. Consider, for example, the evolution of our understanding of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In the early 1980s, when little was known about HIV — the virus that causes AIDS — it wasn’t clear that the growing number of illnesses caused by HIV were related to one another. As a result, the first writers who addressed the problem focused largely on defining the symptoms and arguing that a problem existed. Later, as more information became available about the origin and effects of the disease, medical researchers began writing reports and scholarly articles that discussed its potential impact on people who carried the virus and on society. As researchers began to understand how the disease was spread and what might be done to prevent infection, writers proposed solutions to reduce the spread of HIV. Eventually, as the nature of HIV became better understood, writers began proposing programs of medical research that might be carried out to develop a way of preventing, and perhaps even eradicating, the spread of the virus.

A writer’s decisions about how to address a problem depend largely on context. Until the nature and significance of a problem are understood, it does little good to propose a solution. Because of the critical role played by writers who help define and understand problems, they are actively involved in solving these problems — even when they don’t propose a fully developed solution.

No matter how aware readers are of a problem, however, more often than not they are seeking a solution. Readers expect a clear definition of the problem and a thorough discussion of options for addressing it. And although readers might not be surprised when a writer uses emotionally charged language, they usually prefer that problem-solving documents discuss the problem in a straightforward, balanced manner.

Most readers also expect writers not only to explain and discuss the benefits of their proposed solution but also to address its advantages over other solutions. They expect a fair and reasonable presentation of a subject, clear explanations of important ideas and concepts, and thorough documentation of sources. Readers usually react favorably to the use of visual elements — such as photos, images, charts, graphs, and tables — that help them understand the problem and its solution.

Writers of problem-solving documents are concerned primarily with helping readers understand the nature of and potential solutions to a problem. Sometimes they define and discuss the origins or impact of a problem. Sometimes they reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of potential solutions to a problem. In most cases, however, they analyze a problem and offer readers a thoroughly considered, well-supported solution. In doing so, they play a critical role in advancing our understanding of and response to problems.