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This article was co-written by Megan Morgan, PhD. Megan Morgan is a graduate program advisor at the School of Public & International Relations at the University of Georgia. She received her doctorate in English from the University of Georgia in 2015.
There are 7 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 34,985 times.
The introduction can be the hardest part of a research paper. The length of the introduction depends on the type of research you intend to write. Here, you will state the topic, content, and rationale before stating the research question and hypothesis. A good opening is one that establishes the writing style, sparks the reader’s interest, and presents a hypothesis or topic sentence.
Steps
Introduce the topic of the research paper
- With science, it is sometimes called the “inverted triangle” method: going from the general to the specific. [2] X Research Source
- The sentence “During the 20th century, our view of extraterrestrial life has changed a lot” introduces the topic but does not go into detail.
- It helps readers navigate the content of the article and encourages them to continue reading.
- For example, in a study of rat behavior when exposed to a substance, you might include the word “rat” and the scientific name of the compound involved in the first sentence. [4] X Research Sources
- If you’re writing a history about the impact of World War I on sex relations in Britain, you should mention these keywords in the first few lines.
- This is especially important when constructing new abstractions with unfamiliar language and terminology.
- When using a story, make sure it’s short, relevant to your research, and does what other openings do: state the research topic.
- For example, if you are writing a sociology article about recidivism rates among young prisoners, you could use a short story about someone whose story represents and introduces your topic.
- Physical science and natural science research papers have a different spelling and in general, in this type of research, the above approach is not appreciated when used for the introduction.
Research content creation
- The introduction should be concise, providing an overview of current developments in prerequisite research rather than a lengthy discussion. [6] X Research Sources
- You can apply the “inverted triangle” principle to go from the bigger picture to issues where you have a direct contribution to your research paper.
- A good theoretical background will present important background information to your research and show the importance of the field of study. [7] X Research Sources
- By explicitly referring to existing works, you can show specific contributions to the overall development of your field.
- You can identify gaps in current research and explain how you approach and promote knowledge growth. [8] X Research Sources
- For example, if you are writing scientific research, you can emphasize the value of the empirical model or method used.
- Emphasize the novelty of your research and the importance of your new approach. Don’t go into too much detail in the introduction, though. [10] X Research Source
- The reason given could be: “study evaluating the unknown anti-inflammatory factors of a compound with a local effect in order to evaluate its potential medical effects”.
Clarifying research questions and hypotheses
- Research questions are usually asked at the end of the introduction. They should be presented in a concise, focused manner. [12] X Research Source
- The research question may repeat some of the key words that have been developed in the first sentences and title of the research paper.
- The research question might be similar to this: “What is the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on Mexico’s export-oriented economy?”
- It is possible to go deeper, studying the impact of an element of the Free Trade Agreement on a specific Mexican industry, such as the apparel industry.
- A good research question should frame the problem in a testable hypothesis.
- If possible, avoid using the word “hypothesis” and still let the reader understand what you mean. [14] X Research Source This makes the article less rigid.
- With a scientific paper, clearly stating the results obtained and their relationship to hypotheses in just one sentence makes the information clear and accessible. [15] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source
- For example, it might be hypothesized that “rats that were not fed during the study period are expected to be less flexible than those fed normally”.
- This is not always necessary. You should be mindful of the practices used when writing research in your field.
- For example, with a natural science lesson, you will follow a relatively rigid structure. [17] X Research Source
- Often the humanities and social sciences courses can be more flexible in structure.
Advice
- Use an outline to determine what information to include in your introduction.
- Consider drafting your introduction after you’ve completed the rest of your research paper. As a result, no important points are left out.
Warning
- Don’t write sensational or sensational in the introduction: it can make the reader feel untrustworthy.
- In general, the use of the first person should be avoided, such as “I”, “we”, “our”, “mine”.
- Don’t overwhelm the reader with too much redundant information. Keep the introduction as concise as possible by giving specifics to the body.
This article was co-written by Megan Morgan, PhD. Megan Morgan is a graduate program advisor at the School of Public & International Relations at the University of Georgia. She received her doctorate in English from the University of Georgia in 2015.
There are 7 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 34,985 times.
The introduction can be the hardest part of a research paper. The length of the introduction depends on the type of research you intend to write. Here, you will state the topic, content, and rationale before stating the research question and hypothesis. A good opening is one that establishes the writing style, sparks the reader’s interest, and presents a hypothesis or topic sentence.
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