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HOW TO WRITE A THESIS INTRODUCTION

The introduction/ general introduction/introductory chapter is the first chapter of your thesis and appears
right after the table of contents. Before going any further, we need to acknowledge that this first chapter is
the most important part of the thesis. It decides the fate of your thesis and whether it will be a success or
not.

For many students, the introduction is the most frightening part to start with. It is true that writing
introduction can be a challenging task because it is often not clear what needs to be included and how to
make a good first impression to the reader. Writing a good thesis introduction, in fact, requires a strategic
plan, but before discussing the content and stages of writing a thesis introduction, let’s define first its
main purposes.
Main Purposes
To introduce the topic: answer the hypothetical question of what the main reason is, what the
topic is and why it is relevant today?
To capture the reader’s interest: initially you need to capture the reader’s attention with a
discussion of a broader theme relating to your research. To add impact draw on research, data
and quotations from international or national professional bodies, governmental organisations or
key authors on the topic of study.
To demonstrate awareness of your topic as well as the relevance of the research question . The
author should persuade the reader of professionalism. Your main goal is to show the entire
research is relevant, and it contains significant academic and practical components.

Which Parts Should Your Introduction Contain?

The organizational structure of the Introduction can be said to move from a fairly general overview of the
research terrain to the particular issues under investigation, through containing the following components:
1 Background of the Study
Your initial task when writing your introduction is to situate your study so that readers can
understand your specific points of concern. Before you begin talking about the problem, you must
first provide some context to it. If you ignore this initial section, your readers may feel as if they have
entered a conversation that has already started without them.
The background of your study must present ‘the big picture’; it discusses the historical development
of events regarding the specific topic you are interested to study. furthermore, it emphasizes why
your study should be done (the reason or justification for the study = the rationale of the study).
While writing the background of your study, you need to show your readers your deep and broad
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understanding of the topic; you have to cite recognized authors to let them be aware that you are
not just expressing your own ideas and also to support and strengthen your statements.
2 Problem Statement / Statement of the Problem
Now that you have situated your work, your next task is to motivate further interest in the area
typically by ‘stating the problem’, because your research is nearly always an attempt to find a solution
to a problem that you have identified. However; some references suggest that the research problem
should be presented immediately; the reader must know right away what the research problem is
going to be resolved.
What is it? What should be in it?
Statement of the problem is defined as an area of concerns, or a gap in the existing knowledge that
needs to be filled. There’s no standard way to write a statement of the problem, but try to make it
relevant, definitive, and free of ambiguities.
In many disciplines, especially those based in quantitative approaches to research, there is an
expectation that the problem statement expresses the relationship between two or more
measurable properties and thus can be empirically tested. The problem can then be written in the
form of a hypothesis, or be stated as a single question such as ‘to what extent is language learning
affected by dyslexia?’
Over the course of your research/ thesis, return to your problem statement on a regular basis and
continue to refine it. With an eye on what you are discovering and the current research, ask yourself
if your problem is still relevant, sufficiently narrow, and focused more on its underlying reasons than
on approaches and techniques.
The language of problem statement/ gap statements, according to Atkinson and Curtis (1998, p. 63),
is typically evaluative in a negative way. In the four examples listed below, problem statements from
the Introductions of master’s theses have the gap words and phrases in bolds:
 One class of quality improvement which has not received much attention is enhancement
by broadening the bandwidth of coded speech without an increase in the bit rate. This is
surprising since the notion of quality as a function of speech bandwidth is anticipated to
become more pervasive (Epps, 2000, p. 4).
 Due to the complexity of the flow problems there are few analytic models of fluid flows, but
the advent of digital computers has stimulated the development of numerical method for
the modeling of flow (Norris, 2000, p. 1).
 Indeed, there appeared to be a story of female agitation for Aboriginal rights in twentieth
century Australia that had largely gone unnoticed up to that point, and in the context of
contemporary feminist politics was positively denied (Holland, 1998, p. 1).
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 Although it became accepted that episodic recharge might be a factor in the agricultural
areas of Western Australia (e.g. Nulsen 1993), no systematic analyses of where and when it
occurred, and how important it was in the overall picture of groundwater recharge and
salinity were carried out (Lewis, 2000, p.6).

The lists below, from Swales and Feak (1994, pp. 187–189), contain examples of typical ‘gap statement’
words and phrases which may be useful for the nonnative English speaker.
Verbs Noun phrase
 disregard neglect to consider Little information/attention/work/data/research
 fail to consider overestimate Few studies/investigations/researchers/attempts
 ignore overlook No studies/data/calculations

 is limited to suffer from None of these studies/findings/calculations

 misinterpret underestimate Other forms

Adjectives  However

 controversial questionable  It remains unclear

 incomplete unconvincing  It would be of interest to

 inconclusive unsatisfactory misguided

(https://cstw.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2020-07/typical_moves_and_language_chunks.pdf)

language which identifies weaknesses in the writing of others needs to be used with care. This is particularly
the case for thesis writers, who are students seeking to be accepted into a community of scholars.

3 Objectives of the Study

Often the students are confused with the terms aims and objectives and use them interchangeably.
The aim is regarded as a general statement of what a researcher hopes to achieve at the end of the
study and is usually written using an infinite verb.
Objectives, usually more than one, are often expressed through an active sentence to state the
specific steps taken to achieve the aim (actions you will take to achieve the aim).
Your objectives should be SMART, i.e., Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.
Specific: Well defined, clear, and unambiguous;
Measurable: With specific criteria that measure your progress toward the accomplishment
of the goal;
Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve;
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Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your purpose; and
Timely: With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date and a target date. The
purpose is to create urgency.

Example:
Aim: to assess the level of students’ motivation….
Objectives: - to evaluate the level of motivation……
- to identify factors that affect motivation….
- to formulate recommendations to the department in terms of increasing students’
motivation

REMEMBER
Each objective should be:
Appropriate: clearly related to what you want to do,
Distinct: focused and assists in achieving the overall aim clear,
Realistic and can be completed within a reasonable timescale,
Start each objective with a key word, such as; identify, assess, evaluate, examine, explore...,
Find a good numerical balance: 3-5 objectives,
your objectives statement will appear in all the other remaining chapters.
You must address your research objectives in your research. You cannot simply mention
them in your thesis introduction and then forget about them. Just like any other part of the
thesis, this section must be referenced in the findings and discussion, as well as in the
conclusion.

4 Research Question(s)
Is /are the question (s) around which you center your research. The research question(s) is/ are
more specific than your research objectives and specify the various insights/information that need
to be collected in order to achieve the objectives. Keep in mind that the research question often
starts with a Why, How, or What.
Typically research questions are formed from the objectives statements. A simple way to create a
research question that parallels the objectives statement is to turn these latters into questions, for
example:
Aim: assess the level of students’ motivation to learn English.
Research question: what is the level of students’ motivation to learn English?
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A good research question is essential to guide your thesis. It pinpoints exactly what you want to find
out and gives your work a clear focus and purpose. All research questions should be:
Focused on a single problem or issue (in case you have multiple research questions, they
should all be clearly connected and focused around a central research problem);
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources;
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints;
Specific enough to answer thoroughly ;
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a thesis;
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly.
When writing your research questions, be sure to provide an introduction first. Here are some possible
introductions to research questions:
Based on the purpose of this study, the two research questions are . . .
The following research questions will guide the literature review and methodology of this
research study: . . .
The following research questions will guide data collection: . . .
This quantitative study will focus on answering the following questions . . .

Research questions anchor your whole project, so it is important to spend some time refining them. The
criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question. (https://www.scribbr.com/research-
process/research-questions/)

Focused and researchable

Criteria Explanation
Focuses on a Your central research question should follow from your research problem to keep your work focused. If you
single topic have multiple questions, they should all clearly relate to this central aim.
and problem
Answerable You must be able to find an answer by collecting quantitative and/or qualitative data, or by reading scholarly
using primary sources on the topic to develop an argument. If such data is impossible to access, you will have to rethink your
or secondary question and ask something more concrete.
data
Does not ask Avoid subjective words like good, bad, better and worse, as these do not give clear criteria for answering the
for a question. If your question is evaluating something, use terms with more measurable definitions.
subjective
value  Are smartphones good for students’ academic achievements? WEAK
judgement  How effective are smartphones at improving students’ academic achievements? STRONG
Does not Why questions are usually too open to serve as good research questions. There are often so many possible
ask why causes that a research project cannot give a thorough answer. Try asking what or how questions instead.
 Why does X occur? WEAK
 What are the main factors contributing to X? STRONG
 How is X influenced by Y? STRONG
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Feasible and specific
Criteria Explanation
Answerable within Make sure you have enough time and resources to do the research required to answer the question. If you think you
practical constraints might struggle to gain access to enough data, consider narrowing down the question to be more specific.
Uses specific, well- All the terms you use in the research question should have clear meanings. Avoid vague language and broad ideas,
defined concepts and be clear about what, who, where and when your question addresses.
 What effect does social media have on people’s minds? WEAK
 What effect does daily use of Twitter have on the attention span of under-16s? STRONG
Does not ask for a Research is about informing, not instructing. Even if your project is focused on a practical problem, it should aim to
conclusive solution, improve understanding and suggest possibilities rather than asking for a ready-made solution.
policy, or course of  What should the government do about low voter turnout? WEAK
action  What are the most effective communication strategies for increasing voter turnout among under-30s?
STRONG

Complex and arguable

Criteria Explanation
Cannot be Closed yes/no questions are too simple to work as good research questions — they don’t provide enough scope for
answered investigation and discussion.
with yes or no  Has there been an increase in homelessness in Algeria in the past ten years? WEAK
 How have economic and political factors affected patterns of homelessness in Algeria over the past ten years?
STRONG
Cannot be If you can answer the question through a Google search or by reading a single book or article, it is probably not complex
answered enough. A good research question requires original data, synthesis of multiple sources, interpretation and/or argument to
with easily provide an answer.
found facts
and figures
Provides The answer to the question should not just be a simple statement of fact: there needs to be space for you to discuss and
scope for interpret what you found. This is especially important in an essay or research paper, where the answer to your question
debate and often takes the form of an argumentative thesis statement.
deliberation

Relevant and original

Criteria Explanation

Addresses a problem The research question should be developed based on initial reading around your topic, and it should focus on
relevant to your field or addressing a problem or gap in the existing knowledge.
discipline
Contributes to a topical The question should aim to contribute to an existing debate — ideally one that is current in your field or in society
social or academic at large. It should produce knowledge that future researchers or practitioners can build on.
debate
Has not already been You do not have to ask something groundbreaking that nobody has ever thought of before, but the question should
answered have some aspect of originality (for example, by focusing on a specific location or taking a new angle on a long-
running debate).
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5 Significance of the Study
The Significance of the study describes the importance, or the ‘so what?’ of the study. It makes clear
why the research is important and to whom it is important. In this section:
Elaborate on how the research will be of importance and how it will help improve practice.
Who will it help and how? Will it provide a stepping-stone for others to go further?
What benefits would occur if definitive answers were found to the research question?
If you find a gap in the literature about the topic, describe the contribution the study will
make.
The following is an example from the significance of a study that investigated the use of communication
technologies to improve interpersonal relationships of emotionally disturbed students.

Findings from the study will reveal insights from teachers who used technology in working with emotionally
disturbed students. Thus, the study will contribute to special educators’ knowledge about the use of
technology to promote growth in the social and emotional life of emotionally disturbed students. The findings
may have implications for the students, their parents, and the funding policy for technology within the school
district. In addition, while the focus of this study is a special day class for emotionally disturbed students at
the elementary school level, the study could be replicated for students of varying disabilities and grade levels.
The study may therefore have significance for teacher-researchers at other grade levels. (McGowan, 2003)

6 Limitations and Delimitations

A. Limitations of the study: they identify potential weaknesses of the study from sources that
are outside of the control of the researcher. Limitations are restrictions on the extent or
type of data that are available. Limitations may also restrict the generalizability of findings.
Some examples of limitations are:
The number of people who could be involved;
The number of people who could be interviewed in a finite amount of time;
The number of schools available;
The subjects who completed . . . in the last five years;
For this study, of 6000 potential subjects, 5994 threw away their records leaving
only six available to participate. The fact that only six subjects can be included is a
limitation to the study because it is something outside the control of the researcher.

Limitations are to be written in paragraph format. Being upfront with limitations and delimitations adds
credibility to a study,

B. Delimitations of the study: address how the study will be narrowed in scope by the
researcher. Delimitations form boundaries that the researcher chooses so that the study is
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more focused or manageable. Such boundaries are often needed; however, the researcher
must recognize the implications of the delimitations on the generalizability of findings of the
study. Some examples of delimitations are:
The uniqueness of the setting, for example “The study will be confined to
interviewing and observing at one school that has specific demographic
characteristics.”
The nature and size of the sample, for example “For this research, six schools will be
chosen to be part of the study.” (rather than trying to include a much larger number
of schools that might be available)
“This study describes the influence of the program through the eyes of five high
school students.” Note that in this latter example, the researcher has chosen not to
interview teachers, administrators, or a greater number of students.

7 Defining Terminology
Before launching an investigation, you must define rigorously the meaning of the terms used in the
statement problem. Define words that have special meaning for your study or words that may be
unclear. Consider the audience who may read your study, and include terminology that will assist in
their understanding. This section could be introduced with a statement such as:
“The following terms are defined to clarify their meaning and use in the study.”
Consider defining:
Key terms. For example: “Reader’s Workshop is . . .”
“Social and emotional learning (SEL) is defined in this study as . . .”
Terms specific to their use in the study. For example: “Group membership refers to whether
a student was in the treatment group or in the control group.”
Words that may be vague or open to misinterpretation, or words that may be new to the
reader. Assume the reader does not have the contextual understanding of your study. For
example: “In this study, success in school refers to a variable created by averaging two
measures: academic achievement and behavior.”

8 Structure of the Thesis

Sketch out how the thesis is structured. Do not confine yourself to a list of the chapters, but show
how they are linked and that one section logically leads to another. Check whether the reader can
see from this sketch how the aim will be achieved.
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When writing your general introduction / introductory chapter:

Use appropriate APA style for page numbers, headings, and citing authors;
Use future tense to describe what you plan to do in your study;
Use past tense when describing what others have found at a specific time in the
past, for example “Anderson (2017) reported . . .” or “Daniels (2017) stated . . .;
Avoid value statements (should, needs to, must . . .);
Use citations from the literature to support what you say;
Direct quotes should be used sparingly, and should be introduced so that they
flow smoothly into your writing;
Avoid making promises to the supervisor that you cannot keep or that you do
not later address, regularly review your introductory chapter and revise it
accordingly;
Consider starting your conclusion chapter on the same day that you begin your
introduction, and, each time you work on one, work on the other, thus keeping
them in alignment;
Keep your sentences short (it keeps the energy up);
Each sentence should follow logically from the previous one and towards the
next;
Do not make your paragraphs too long and stick to the one main idea in each
one;
Avoid wordiness, include only relevant information;
The general introduction is relatively one of the shorter parts of the entire thesis
(5 - 7% of the total is likely to be acceptable)