How to Write a Thesis Introduction?
You can write a thesis introduction by including a background section, problem statement, objectives, research questions, and few other vital elements. The thesis introduction begins vital parts of your research and forms the basis of future sections.
The introduction shows readers how your thesis will progress from defining problems to solve and how to answer questions about your chosen topic.
Let’s see the eight (8) easy steps you can follow to write an engaging, complete introduction for your thesis.
How to Write a Thesis Introduction
Step 1: Put a study background together
In this section, you should identify the general concept behind your topic. It should contain a brief but clear explanation of existing information about your topic and identify any challenge that requires a solution.
Every thesis is formed to solve a problem or provide answers to important questions. The background serves as a basis to form the bulk of your research.
Step 2: Write the statement of problem in relation to the study background
The statement of problem usually expands on problems your thesis aims to solve and comes immediately after a brief background. In this section, you need to outline problems researchers could not find lasting solutions to or challenges without a current answer.
Information in this section helps form the basis of other parts of your thesis. It is one of the most vital elements in an introduction and requires research before you write them down. You must have your research results before writing this section to avoid making spurious claims later on in your thesis.
Step 3: Write the objective(s) of your thesis
The objectives of your thesis follows problem statements and outlines what your thesis aims to achieve. Objectives in this section should relate directly to all identified problems in order of importance.
Your thesis objectives also needs to align with any analysis you might have conducted. Findings from your research must also be in line with any thesis objectives you write down in this section. You might have an equal number of problems stated and research questions based on your topic.
Step 4: Draft research questions for your thesis
You need to form research questions based on your thesis objectives, and it is essential for both elements in your introduction to align. The element in your introduction seeks to ask questions related to your research objectives.
You need to structure your research questions to represent all stated objectives properly in your thesis. The section is vital to form hypotheses (if any) for your study or help in the concluding part of your thesis. You can relate your research questions to results and findings made at the end of your thesis.
Step 5: Form hypotheses for your thesis
Hypotheses are tentative statements that seek to prove or disprove the validity of certain arguments. Theses that seek to analyze data and make inference from results must have at least one hypothesis.
The number of hypothesis in your thesis should not necessarily be equal to your research questions. You can consult your supervisor for guidance when you’re setting up your hypothesis section.
Step 6: Write on the significance of your thesis
Next, you need to outline the importance of your thesis to existing literature and further research. You will have to explain how previous studies failed to solve problems related to your topic in this section.
Also, this section can further outline other benefits it brings to your field of study. The section provides a basis to make recommendations and suggest further studies at the concluding part of your thesis.
Step 7: Define the scope of your thesis
The scope of your thesis refers to its potential area of coverage, especially when your research aims to study parts of a population. In this section, you can mention the name of an area where you plan to draw your sample from to collect data for your research.
The section also provides vital information about elements in your sample and timeframes you used to collect data for your thesis.
Step 8: Define some terms used in the thesis
Your thesis should have some important terms that appear throughout its sections. The definition of terms section gives you an opportunity to outline these terms and what they mean.
Definition of terms in this section should be in context of your research if the words have multiple meanings. You don’t have to mention and define hundreds of words in this section.
How to Arrange the Introduction of a Thesis
Colleges usually have different guidelines on how to arrange sections in a thesis or dissertation. However, the arrangement above will not see many changes regardless of your school’s guidelines.
You can check old theses in your school library to see the introduction structure approved by your institution. Follow your school’s approved guidelines when putting your introduction together to avoid mistakes.
FAQs
1. Why should I write an introduction in a thesis?
The introduction in a thesis ushers readers into every essential detail about your topic. It provides an overview of vital information from the background of your research to its overall contribution to existing knowledge.
2. Where should the introduction go in a thesis or dissertation?
The introduction section of a thesis comes immediately after the title page. It is the first chapter in any academic essay, thesis, or dissertation. All elements in the section must also follow a standard template to make it easy to understand and assess.
3. How many questions should an introduction have in a thesis?
There is no limit to how many research questions you can include in a thesis. However, you should have an equal number of research questions and objectives in your thesis.
Final Word
Writing a correct introduction section in your thesis is the first step to building a valid research in your field. The introductory chapter should possess all vital elements required to attract readers’ interest. This section might determine your grade level after assessment.
Guarantee academic success through your thesis and maximize the potential of your thesis through tips in this guideline.