Introduction

The introduction to the paper serves to orient the reader to the topic at hand and provide an very brief overview of the study at hand. If you’ve written a research paper or 5-paragraph essay for a class before, the introduction is much the same. You can think of it as a 5-paragraph essay that makes up the first section of your paper (but don’t necessarily limit yourself to the 5-paragraph format). Of course, this means you will have to do research to write the intro! It should convey what questions the study is asking, why those questions matter, and what led the author(s) to ask those questions. It should also discuss any similar work that’s been done previously and describe how the authors’ work relates to the previous studies. Provide context by citing relevant scholarly sources. There is no specific formula for what to include – the intro is your chance to decide what you think is important for the reader to know!

The Introduction section should answer two questions: “What?” and “So what?” What is the paper about, and why should the reader care? [1]

Read How to Write a Scientific Paper by Chris Mack, section 2.2 for guidance. [1]

Style tips:

Write in present tense.
Use active voice (first-person is OK, too).

Introduction

Further Reading