Docs
Notes
Thesis
Write Papers
Introduction

Introduction

Function

  • Establish the context of the work being reported
    • Discuss the relevant primary research literature (with citations) and
    • Summarizing our current understanding of the problem you are investigating
  • State the purpose of the work in the form of the hypothesis, question, or problem you investigated
  • Briefly explain your rationale and approach and, whenever possible, the possible outcomes your study can reveal.

The Introduction must answer the questions

  • “What was I studying?”
  • “Why was it an important question?”
  • “What did we know about it before I did this study?”
  • “How will this study advance our knowledge?”

Style

  • Use the active voice as much as possible.
  • Some use of first person is okay, but do not overdo it.

Structure

The structure of the Introduction can be thought of as an inverted triangle

  • The broadest part at the top representing the most general information
  • Focusing down to the specific problem you studied.

Organize the information to present the more general aspects of the topic early in the Introduction, then narrow toward the more specific topical information that provides context, finally arriving at your statement of purpose and rationale.

Information flow:

  1. Begin your Introduction by clearly identifying the subject area of interest.

    • Use keywords from your title in the first few sentences of the Introduction to get it focused directly on topic at the appropriate level.

  2. Establish the context by providing a brief and balanced review of the pertinent published literature that is available on the subject.

    • Summarize (for the reader) what we knew about the specific problem before you did your experiments or studies.
    • A general review of the primary research literature (with citations) but should not include very specific, lengthy explanations that you will probably discuss in greater detail later in the Discussion.

  3. Be sure to clearly state the purpose and /or hypothesis that you investigated.

    • Use a pat statement, e.g
      • “The purpose of this study was to….”
      • “We investigated three possible mechanisms to explain the…”
    • It is most usual to place the statement of purpose near the end of the Introduction, often as the topic sentence of the final paragraph.

  4. Provide a clear statement of the rationale for your approach to the problem studied.

    • State briefly how you approached the problem. This will usually follow your statement of purpose in the last paragraph of the Introduction.
    • Do NOT discuss here the actual techniques or protocols used in your study (this will be done in the Materials and Methods)
    • If you are using a novel (new, revolutionary, never used before) technique or methodology, the merits of the new technique/method versus the previously used methods should be presented in the Introduction.