Q: Is the 'statement of problem' and 'background' of a thesis same?
Thank you for your question. Both the background and the problem statement form part of the Introduction section.
The background provides the context of a study and establishes its significance. It introduces the research topic and leads the readers to the gaps in knowledge that have remained unaddressed.
The problem statement though is a brief explanation of an issue, a condition, or a situation that is going to be studied. It helps clearly identify the purpose of a project by highlighting the gap between an ideal situation and the reality, and why it is important to bridge that gap.
We hope this helped you tell the difference. We suggest you have a look at the following resources for better understanding:
This content belongs to the Conducting Research Stage