How to write an introduction to a research paper

Admin Published On Sep 3, 2021 | Updated on Aug 10, 2023 Research Paper

When it is about writing research papers, crafting a good introduction is crucial. An excellent introduction engages readers to your topic. Also, it gives a general overview of the subject matter to the audience. In other words, it serves multiple purposes within few lines. An introduction is the perfect opportunity to highlight to reviewers and readers why your research topic is worth investigating, and more importantly, why the paper needs attention from the common educated mass.

Tips you should follow for crafting a research paper introduction

Weaving an engaging introduction for a research paper won’t be a difficult task for you if you are acquainted with the dos and don’ts. There are certain tips you need to follow to spice up your introduction in the best possible manner. Some of these proven approaches are stated below:

Start broadly and narrow down gradually: Most students are nervous while crafting an introduction to a research paper, as it’s the first section on which your professor will have a look. Also, it sets the tone of your assignment besides creating an impression in the teacher’s mind. According to assignment experts, it is advisable to describe the broad research area in the introduction and thereby narrow it down to your specific subject of focus. Not only this approach helps in positioning your research topic, but it also makes the work accessible to a wider audience.
Mention the aims and importance: There are several papers rejected for “lacking clear motivation” or “not showing the importance of the topic.” Those who wrote these papers neglected this aspect. Don’t make that happen in your case. Say what you want to achieve and the reasons for which the readers will be interested in finding out whether you succeed in your research aims or not. Frame the basic structure as simple as possible. For example: “We are conducting research on X, which is necessary because it will lead to Y.”
Cite thoroughly: After narrowing down your focus on a topic, you should rigorously cover the most relevant literature relating to your study. Try to keep your literature review short but complete, as you are not crafting a review article. Instances are there when students flood the introduction with unnecessary information overflowing with citations. Yes, you should cite but not excessively. The best solution in this regard is to cite review articles rather than the complete list of individual articles.
Don’t gather too many citations at a point: Consider the following example: “Many research studies have found a close association between Y and Z [8-17].” Here, the issue is that the sentence cites too many studies at once. You will give references to provide a good overview of the subject, but don’t include too many citations at a point, as it creates problems for the readers while going through the content. Cite only those references that are worth citing and are aligned to the topic. If multiple references are worth citing, you can frame the statement as: “A close association has been found between Y and Z in men [5-8], women [9-11], and children [12-14].
State either your hypothesis or research question: Most students commit the mistake of stating both hypothesis and research question in the research paper introduction. When it comes to research in empirical sciences, stating a hypothesis is a productive way of framing the research. While conducting research in exploratory topics or formal science, the ideal approach is to state a research question instead of a hypothesis. Hypothesis and research questions have a paramount significance as they help in shaping the academic paper while guiding the audience to go through your paper smoothly. You should know how many types of research papers.
Give an overview of the paper: When you are doing research relating to an organization, the organization’s overview needs to be placed in the introduction. It is common in IT and less common in medicine. The final paragraph of your introduction should give an overview of your paper section-wise. You should also consider whether this pattern is apt for your academic discipline.
Don’t make a lengthy introduction: Some students are eager to make a lengthy introduction, as they think that doing so will make their professors understand how well they have grasped the subject. But, it’s not the case. Don’t make an overly long introduction. Try to keep it within 800 words. If you check the journal’s guidelines, you can point out the aspects to include and what not.
Show, don’t tell: The main objective of the introduction is to explain why your research topic is worth investigating. Instead of saying that ‘X’ is important, you have to show why the topic ‘X’ is important and why this subject requires further study?
Don’t include excessive details: You should avoid stating too many details in the introduction. If your academic paper summarizes the main aspects of the study before starting the methods, you should avoid giving too many specifications in the initial section. It is because the results need development in the further sections so that the readers can easily understand your point.

Struggling to write a research paper introduction

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