how long should a thesis introduction be

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How to write a good thesis introduction

how long should a thesis introduction be

1. Identify your readership

2. hook the reader and grab their attention, 3. provide relevant background, 4. give the reader a sense of what the paper is about, 5. preview key points and lead into your thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a good thesis introduction, related articles.

Many people struggle to write a thesis introduction. Much of your research prep should be done and you should be ready to start your introduction. But often, it’s not clear what needs to be included in a thesis introduction. If you feel stuck at this point not knowing how to start, this guide can help.

Tip: If you’re really struggling to write your thesis intro, consider putting in a placeholder until you write more of the body of your thesis. Then, come back to your intro once you have a stronger sense of the overall content of your thesis.

A good introduction draws readers in while providing the setup for the entire project. There is no single way to write an introduction that will always work for every topic , but the points below can act as a guide. These points can help you write a good thesis introduction.

Before even starting with your first sentence, consider who your readers are. Most likely, your readers will be the professors who are advising you on your thesis.

You should also consider readers of your thesis who are not specialists in your field. Writing with them in your mind will help you to be as clear as possible; this will make your thesis more understandable and enjoyable overall.

Tip: Always strive to be clear, correct, concrete, and concise in your writing.

The first sentence of the thesis is crucial. Looking back at your own research, think about how other writers may have hooked you.

It is common to start with a question or quotation, but these types of hooks are often overused. The best way to start your introduction is with a sentence that is broad and interesting and that seamlessly transitions into your argument.

Once again, consider your audience and how much background information they need to understand your approach. You can start by making a list of what is interesting about your topic:

Are there any current events or controversies associated with your topic that might be interesting for your introduction?
What kinds of background information might be useful for a reader to understand right away?
Are there historical anecdotes or other situations that uniquely illustrate an important aspect of your argument?

A good introduction also needs to contain enough background information to allow the reader to understand the thesis statement and arguments. The amount of background information required will depend on the topic .

There should be enough background information so you don't have to spend too much time with it in the body of the thesis, but not so much that it becomes uninteresting.

Tip: Strike a balance between background information that is too broad or too specific.

Let the reader know what the purpose of the study is. Make sure to include the following points:

Briefly describe the motivation behind your research.
Describe the topic and scope of your research.
Explain the practical relevance of your research.
Explain the scholarly consensus related to your topic: briefly explain the most important articles and how they are related to your research.

At the end of your introduction, you should lead into your thesis statement by briefly bringing up a few of your main supporting details and by previewing what will be covered in the main part of the thesis. You’ll want to highlight the overall structure of your thesis so that readers will have a sense of what they will encounter as they read.

A good introduction draws readers in while providing the setup for the entire project. There is no single way to write an introduction that will always work for every topic, but these tips will help you write a great introduction:

Identify your readership.
Grab the reader's attention.
Provide relevant background.
Preview key points and lead into the thesis statement.

A good introduction needs to contain enough background information, and let the reader know what the purpose of the study is. Make sure to include the following points:

Briefly describe the motivation for your research.

The length of the introduction will depend on the length of the whole thesis. Usually, an introduction makes up roughly 10 per cent of the total word count.

The best way to start your introduction is with a sentence that is broad and interesting and that seamlessly transitions into your argument. Consider the audience, then think of something that would grab their attention.

In Open Access: Theses and Dissertations you can find thousands of recent works. Take a look at any of the theses or dissertations for real-life examples of introductions that were already approved.

How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

The thesis introduction, usually chapter 1, is one of the most important chapters of a thesis. It sets the scene. It previews key arguments and findings. And it helps the reader to understand the structure of the thesis. In short, a lot is riding on this first chapter. With the following tips, you can write a powerful thesis introduction.

Elements of a fantastic thesis introduction

An introductory chapter plays an integral part in every thesis. The first chapter has to include quite a lot of information to contextualise the research. At the same time, a good thesis introduction is not too long, but clear and to the point.

This list can feel quite overwhelming. However, with some easy tips and tricks, you can accomplish all these goals in your thesis introduction. (And if you struggle with finding the right wording, have a look at academic key phrases for introductions .)

Ways to capture the reader’s attention

Open with a (personal) story.

An established way to capture the reader’s attention in a thesis introduction is by starting with a story. Regardless of how abstract and ‘scientific’ the actual thesis content is, it can be useful to ease the reader into the topic with a short story.

Start by providing data or statistics

So if your thesis topic lends itself to being kick-started with data or statistics, you are in for a quick and easy way to write a memorable thesis introduction.

, 2022)! While awareness of marine pollution is increasing, there is a lack of concrete actions to tackle this environmental problem. In this thesis, I provide a comparative analysis of interventions to reduce marine pollution in five European countries.

Begin with a problem

Emphasising the thesis’ relevance

A good thesis is a relevant thesis. No one wants to read about a concept that has already been explored hundreds of times, or that no one cares about.

Define a clear research gap

Every thesis needs a crystal-clear research gap. Spell it out instead of letting your reader figure out why your thesis is relevant.

“ ” (Liu and Agur, 2022: 2)*.

Describe the scientific relevance of the thesis

Scientific relevance comes in different forms. For instance, you can critically assess a prominent theory explaining a specific phenomenon. Maybe something is missing? Or you can develop a novel framework that combines different frameworks used by other scholars. Or you can draw attention to the context-specific nature of a phenomenon that is discussed in the international literature.

Describe the societal relevance of the thesis

Formulating a compelling argument.

Arguments are sets of reasons supporting an idea, which – in academia – often integrate theoretical and empirical insights. Think of an argument as an umbrella statement, or core claim. It should be no longer than one or two sentences.

Write down the thesis’ core claim in 1-2 sentences

Support your argument with sufficient evidence.

The core claim of your thesis should be accompanied by sufficient evidence. This does not mean that you have to write 10 pages about your results at this point.

Consider possible objections

Think about reasons or opposing positions that people can come up with to disagree with your claim. Then, try to address them head-on.

Providing a captivating preview of findings

Address the empirical research context.

If you did all your research in a lab, this section is obviously irrelevant. However, in that case you should explain the setup of your experiment, etcetera.

. As a consequence, the marine and terrestrial ecosystems of the Islands are increasingly disrupted.

Give a taste of the thesis’ empirical analysis

Hint at the practical implications of the research.

You already highlighted the practical relevance of your thesis in the introductory chapter. However, you should also provide a preview of some of the practical implications that you will develop in your thesis based on your findings.

. . .

Presenting a crystal clear thesis structure

Provide a reading guide.

The reading guide basically tells the reader what to expect in the chapters to come.

Briefly summarise all chapters to come

Design a figure illustrating the thesis structure.

Especially for longer theses, it tends to be a good idea to design a simple figure that illustrates the structure of your thesis. It helps the reader to better grasp the logic of your thesis.

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How to Write the Thesis Or Dissertation Introduction – Guide

Published by Carmen Troy at August 31st, 2021 , Revised On June 7, 2024

What would you tell someone if they asked you to introduce yourself? You’d probably start with your name, what you do for a living…etc., etc., etc. Think of your dissertation as the same. How would you go about it if you had to introduce it to the world for the first time?

Keep this forefront in your mind for the remainder of this guide: you are introducing your research to the world that doesn’t even know it exists. Every word, phrase and line you write in your introduction will stand for the strength of your dissertation’s character.

This is not very different from how, in real life, if someone fails to introduce themselves properly (such as leaving out what they do for a living, where they live, etc.) to a stranger, it leaves a lasting impression on the stranger.

Don’t leave your dissertation a stranger among other strangers. Let’s review the little, basic concepts we already have at the back of our minds, perhaps, to piece them together in one body: an introduction.

What Goes Inside an Introduction

The exact ingredients of a dissertation or thesis introduction chapter vary depending on your chosen research topic, your university’s guidelines, and your academic subject – but they are generally mixed in one sequence or another to introduce an academic argument.

The critical elements of an excellent dissertation introduction include a definition of the selected research topic , a reference to previous studies on the subject, a statement of the value of the subject for academic and scientific communities, a clear aim/purpose of the study, a list of your objectives, a reference to viewpoints of other researchers and a justification for the research.

Steps of Writing a Dissertation Introduction

Research background
Significance of the research
Research problem
Research questions
The research aims and objectives
Limitations of the research
Outline of dissertation

1. Research Background – Writing a Dissertation Introduction

This is the very first section of your introduction. Building a background of your chosen topic will help you understand more about the topic and help readers know why the general research area is problematic, interesting, central, important, etc.

Your research background should include significant concepts related to your dissertation topic. This will give your supervisor and markers an idea that you’ve investigated the research problem thoroughly and know the various aspects of your topic.

The introduction to a dissertation shouldn’t talk only about other research work in the same area, as this will be discussed in the literature review section. Moreover, this section should not include the research design and data collection method(s) .

All about research strategy should be covered in the methodology chapter . Research background only helps to build up your research in general.

For instance, if your research is based on job satisfaction measures of a specific country, the content of the introduction chapter will generally be about job satisfaction and its impact.

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2. Significance of the Research

As a researcher, you must demonstrate how your research will provide value to the scientific and academic communities. If your dissertation is based on a specific company or industry, you need to explain why that industry and company were chosen.

If you’re comparing, explain why you’re doing so and what this research will yield. Regardless of your chosen research topic, explain thoroughly in this section why this research is being conducted and what benefits it will serve.

The idea here is to convince your supervisor and readers that the concept should be researched to find a solution to a problem.

3. Research Problem

Once you’ve described the main research problem and the importance of your research, the next step would be to present your problem statement , i.e., why this research is being conducted and its purpose.

This is one of the essential aspects of writing a dissertation’s introduction. Doing so will help your readers understand what you intend to do in this research and what they should expect from this study.

Presenting the research problem competently is crucial in persuading your readers to read other parts of the dissertation paper . This research problem is the crux of your dissertation, i.e., it gives a direction as to why this research is being carried out, and what issues the study will consider. The research problem should be a clear and concise statement that identifies the gap in the existing knowledge that your research aims to fill. It should be specific enough to guide your research, but broad enough to allow for a comprehensive investigation.

For example, if your dissertation is based on measuring the job satisfaction of a specific organisation, your research problem should talk about the problem the company is facing and how your research will help the company to solve that.

If your dissertation is not based on any specific organisation, you can explain the common issues that companies face when they do not consider job satisfaction as a pillar of business growth and elaborate on how your research will help them realise its importance.

Citing too many references in the introduction chapter isn’t recommended because here, you must explain why you chose to study a specific area and what your research will accomplish. Any citations only set the context, and you should leave the bulk of the literature for a later section.

4. Research Question(s)

The central part of your introduction is the research question , which should be based on your research problem and the dissertation title. Combining these two aspects will help you formulate an exciting yet manageable research question. Your research question is what your research aims to answer and around which your dissertation will revolve. The research question should be specific and concise.

Your research question is what your research aims to answer and around which your dissertation will revolve. The research question should be specific and concise.

It should be a one- or two-line question you’ve set out to answer through your dissertation. For the job satisfaction example, a sample research question could be, how does job satisfaction positively impact employee performance?

Look up dissertation introduction examples online or ask your friends to get an idea of how an ideal research question is formed. Or you can review our dissertation introduction example here and research question examples here .

Once you’ve formed your research question, pick out vital elements from it, based on which you will then prepare your theoretical framework and literature review. You will come back to your research question again when concluding your dissertation .

Sometimes, you might have to formulate a hypothesis in place of a research question. The hypothesis is a simple statement you prove with your results , discussion and analysis .

A sample hypothesis could be job satisfaction is positively linked to employee job performance . The results of your dissertation could be in favour of this dissertation or against it.

Tip: Read up about what alternative, null, one-tailed and two-tailed hypotheses are so you can better formulate the hypothesis for your dissertation. Following are the definitions for each term, as retrieved from Trochim et al.’s Research Methods: The Essential Knowledge Base (2016):

Alternative hypothesis (H 1 ): “A specific statement of prediction that usually states what you expect will happen in your study.”
Null hypothesis (H 0 ): “The hypothesis that describes the possible outcomes other than the alternative hypothesis. Usually, the null hypothesis predicts there will be no effect of a program or treatment you are studying.”
One-tailed hypothesis: “A hypothesis that specifies a direction; for example, when your hypothesis predicts that your program will increase the outcome.”
Two-tailed hypothesis: “A hypothesis that does not specify a direction. For example, if you hypothesise that your program or intervention will affect an outcome, but you are unwilling to specify whether that effect will be positive or negative, you are using a two-tailed hypothesis.”

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Interesting read: 10 ways to write a practical introduction fast .

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Uk’s best academic support services. how would you know until you try, 5. research aims and objectives.

Next, the research aims and objectives. Aims and objectives are broad statements of desired results of your dissertation . They reflect the expectations of the topic and research and address the long-term project outcomes.

These statements should use the concepts accurately, must be focused, should be able to convey your research intentions and serve as steps that communicate how your research question will be answered.

You should formulate your aims and objectives based on your topic, research question, or hypothesis. These are simple statements and are an extension of your research question.

Through the aims and objectives, you communicate to your readers what aspects of research you’ve considered and how you intend to answer your research question.

Usually, these statements initiate with words like ‘to explore’, ‘to study’, ‘to assess’, ‘to critically assess’, ‘to understand’, ‘to evaluate’ etc.

You could ask your supervisor to provide some thesis introduction examples to help you understand better how aims and objectives are formulated. More examples are here .

Your aims and objectives should be interrelated and connect to your research question and problem. If they do not, they’ll be considered vague and too broad in scope.

Always ensure your research aims and objectives are concise, brief, and relevant.

Once you conclude your dissertation , you will have to revert back to address whether your research aims and objectives have been met.

You will have to reflect on how your dissertation’s findings , analysis, and discussion related to your aims and objectives and how your research has helped in achieving them.

6. Research Limitations

This section is sometimes a part of the dissertation methodology section ; however, it is usually included in the introduction of a dissertation.

Every research has some limitations. Thus, it is normal for you to experience certain limitations when conducting your study.

You could experience research design limitations, data limitations or even financial limitations. Regardless of which type of limitation you may experience, your dissertation would be impacted. Thus, it would be best if you mentioned them without any hesitation.

When including this section in the introduction, make sure that you clearly state the type of constraint you experienced. This will help your supervisor understand what problems you went through while working on your dissertation.

However, one aspect that you should take care of is that your results, in no way, should be influenced by these restrictions. The results should not be compromised, or your dissertation will not be deemed authentic and reliable.

After you’ve mentioned your research limitations, discuss how you overcame them to produce a perfect dissertation .

Also, mention that your limitations do not adversely impact your results and that you’ve produced research with accurate results the academic community can rely on.

Also read: How to Write Dissertation Methodology .

7. Outline of the Dissertation

Even though this isn’t a mandatory sub-section of the introduction chapter, good introductory chapters in dissertations outline what’s to follow in the preceding chapters.

It is also usual to set out an outline of the rest of the dissertation . Depending on your university and academic subject, you might also be asked to include it in your research proposal .

Because your tutor might want to glance over it to see how you plan your dissertation and what sections you’d include; based on what sections you include and how you intend to research and cover them, they’d provide feedback for you to improve.

Usually, this section discusses what sections you plan to include and what concepts and aspects each section entails. A standard dissertation consists of five sections : chapters, introduction, literature review , methodology , results and discussion , and conclusion .

Some dissertation assignments do not use the same chapter for results and discussion. Instead, they split it into two different chapters, making six chapters. Check with your supervisor regarding which format you should follow.

When discussing the outline of your dissertation , remember that you’d have to mention what each section involves. Discuss all the significant aspects of each section to give a brief overview of what your dissertation contains. This is precisely what our dissertation outline service provides.

Writing a dissertation introduction might seem complicated, but it is not if you understand what is expected of you. To understand the required elements and make sure that you focus on all of them.

Include all the aspects to ensure your supervisor and other readers can easily understand how you intend to undertake your research.

“If you find yourself stuck at any stage of your dissertation introduction, get introduction writing help from our writers! At ResearchProspect, we offer a dissertation writing service , and our qualified team of writers will also assist you in conducting in-depth research for your dissertation.

Topic Discussion versus Topic Introduction

Discussing and introducing a topic are two highly different aspects of dissertation introduction writing. You might find it easy to discuss a topic, but introducing it is much trickier.

The introduction is the first thing a reader reads; thus, it must be to the point, informative, engaging, and enjoyable. Even if one of these elements is missing, the reader will not be motivated to continue reading the paper and will move on to something different.

So, it’s critical to fully understand how to write the introduction of a dissertation before starting the actual write-up.

When writing a dissertation introduction, one has to explain the title, discuss the topic and present a background so that readers understand what your research is about and what results you expect to achieve at the end of the research work.

As a standard practice, you might work on your dissertation introduction chapter several times. Once when you’re working on your proposal and the second time when writing your actual dissertation.

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Many academics argue that the Introduction chapter should be the last section of the dissertation paper you should complete, but by no means is it the last part you would think of because this is where your research starts from.

Write the draft introduction as early as possible. You should write it at the same time as the proposal submission, although you must revise and edit it many times before it takes the final shape.

Considering its importance, many students remain unsure of how to write the introduction of a dissertation. Here are some of the essential elements of how to write the introduction of a dissertation that’ll provide much-needed dissertation introduction writing help.

Here are some guidelines for you to learn to write a flawless first-class dissertation paper.

Dissertation Introduction Samples & Examples

Check out some basic samples of dissertation introduction chapters to get started.

FAQs about Dissertation Introduction

How to write a dissertation introduction.

Capture the attention of your reader
Add the following sections:
Learn from others

What is the purpose of an introduction chapter?

It’s used to introduce key constructs, ideas, models and/or theories etc. relating to the topic; things that you will be basing the remainder of your dissertation on.

How do you start an introduction in a dissertation?

There is more than one way of starting a dissertation’s introductory chapter. You can begin by stating a problem in your area of interest, review relevant literature, identify the gap, and introduce your topic. Or, you can go the opposite way, too. It’s all entirely up to your discretion. However, be consistent in the format you choose to write in.

How long should a dissertation introduction be?

It can range from 1000 to 2000 words for a master’s dissertation , but for a higher-level dissertation, it mostly ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 words ’ introduction chapter. In the end, though, it depends on the guidelines provided to you by your department.

Dissertation Introduction Checklist

How to Write a Thesis Introduction (with Examples)

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis.” While it’s ironically the case for many, writing a thesis is basically the culmination of your hard work.

There’s a certain pride in accomplishing such a task, and many people hold it close to their hearts throughout their lifetimes.

This showcases a student’s ability to contribute original insights to their field and opens many more doors to broaden their academic and professional opportunities. Finishing a thesis certainly has weight.

The great thing about education today is that technology can help make things easier. AI tools, for instance, can assist with writing research papers and doing thesis work.

Even teachers can utilize the power of AI to improve their ways of teaching – but more on the exciting AI stuff later.

What you need to start with for your thesis is to create a strong introduction. Your thesis intro sets the tone for your entire work, so getting it right is important.

Here’s everything you need to know on how to write a thesis introduction that instantly catches the eye and informs effectively at a glance.

What Types of Information Should Be Included in Your Thesis Introduction?

After days and nights of researching, typing, and editing, the general average thesis length ends up at around 20-50 pages.

How to Write a Thesis Introduction (with Examples) Thesis Introduction

A PhD dissertation, usually tougher, can go up to 90-500 pages long. That’s a lot of work.

With so much information to showcase, your thesis intro should be able to make a big impression. A weak introduction can mislead your readers and even diminish the value of your entire thesis.

As the first impression of your work, the intro sets the stage by providing some context, highlighting the research problem, and laying out your objectives clearly.

It can be intimidating just thinking about it, so we’re here to make sure your thesis intro delivers the punch it needs. Here are some things that you should include.

Have an attention-grabbing opening

In the marketing world, you’ve only got eight seconds to grab a customer’s attention; that’s the average attention span.

While your teacher won’t drop your thesis if your introduction doesn’t grab them within seconds, having a great opening can still make a strong impact.

The main goal here is to present a compelling hook that sparks curiosity.

Include a surprising statistic, engage with a thought-provoking question, share a short but relatable anecdote, or try to be daring and make a bold statement that shocks but relates to your research topic.

There are many ways to do it, but ultimately, you want to engage your reader right from the start.

Provide context and the importance of the topic

“In this thesis, we will be exploring the effects of social media on communication.” Why, though? And what part of social media are we talking about here?

This is a bad example of a thesis intro because it lacks context.

Instead of simply choosing a controversial or topical subject to make an impact, you need to go deeper straight away.

The goal of providing context is to guide your reader in understanding why your topic is worth discussing in the first place.

You can offer a brief overview of already existing research and how you can add to it, and also show the gaps and unresolved issues that your study aims to fix.

Highlighting your topic goes to show that it’s an important matter to discuss in your field.

Engage through specific questions that your research addresses

One of the best ways to make your thesis intro stand out is by asking specific questions.

For example, if your research is about the effects of social media on traditional media, rather than just stating it outright, you can start off with an engaging question like “Is social media ending the age of the newspaper?”

In this way, you instantly grab the attention of your reader with a compelling question while still providing a sense of what your research will be about.

It’s a two-punch combo of showing immediate purpose and relevance while making your thesis intro easy to follow.

Frame your research in the form of specific and engaging questions so you can lay the groundwork for a more focused thesis.

Thesis Introduction Tips

So far, a good thesis introduction should be able to outline the main topic clearly, present some compelling questions, and provide context and significance for the study.

It’s definitely not easy, but there are ways to make it more doable. Here are some handy thesis introduction tips to help you out.

Know your audience

Knowing your audience means that you understand who will be reading your thesis. By doing this, you can create an introduction that meets their expectations and interests.

When writing a thesis intro, you should be able to consider the background, knowledge level, and interests of the thesis readers – your advisor, committee members, and other related academics.

Knowing this, you can set the right tone, which is usually formal, and engage in a way that interests them.

Refer to your thesis proposal or notes

If you want to make a seamless thesis paper, you will constantly need to refer to your proposal and notes.

You should refer to all the preliminary work that you’ve done to direct the writing of your introduction.

This can include your research questions, objectives, literature review, and methodology that you’ve outlined for your proposal.

It’s always important to go back and review your thesis notes regularly because these help you:

Ensure that your thesis introduction is consistent with your original proposal.
Present the main elements of your research.
Organize your thoughts and create a well-structured introduction, contributing to your overall thesis flow.

Keep your thesis proposal and notes by your side. They will help you create a strong introduction that provides clear context for your research.

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Especially when it comes to writing, AI tools have become quite useful.

You might already be familiar with ChatGPT, which uses advanced algorithms to generate the needed content; it can even proofread text .

AI tools can be useful to writers and researchers by offering suggestions and writing parts of the work that they can improve later.

This makes the writing process a whole lot more efficient and much less time-consuming. With AI, you can essentially produce high-quality work under tight deadlines.

However, while AI tools are clearly helpful, it’s necessary that you still use them responsibly.

AI plagiarism is a growing concern that happens when any AI-generated content is presented as original work without giving the right acknowledgment.

This can severely damage the credibility of your research and even get you in trouble.

Treat AI as what it’s intended to be – a tool – rather than the main writer of your work. You should still be the writer of your own work.

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Make sure you clearly state your topic, aims, and objectives

This one is essential. Your thesis introduction should be able to clearly define what your research is about (topic), what you plan to accomplish (aims), and the steps you’re taking to get there (objectives).

It’s pretty straightforward and is a no-brainer, but you must do this for several reasons:

Helps your readers understand the focus of your research right from the get-go.
Sets clear expectations for your thesis.
Establishes relevance, making your work highly credible.
Easier assessment (whether you’ve achieved your goals) by your advisor and evaluators.

Remember, a well-defined introduction is your first step toward a successful thesis. Make it matter.

Explain why your research matters

If your thesis doesn’t make an impact in your field, then it might not be seen as valuable. So, from the start, be sure to explain why your research matters.

This provides a basis for why you’re choosing a specific topic in the first place and explaining why it deserves their attention.

To help, you can also link your research to real-world applications or social issues to enhance its appeal to the research community and beyond.

3 Thesis Introduction Examples to Inspire You

Writing a thesis introduction can be quite a challenge, but looking at examples can help you understand how to start your research on the right foot.

Communications Example

“Is social media ending the age of the newspaper?” This question frequently arises in discussions as the communication landscape continuously evolves.

Platforms like Facebook, X (previously called Twitter), and Instagram continue to grow, and their impact on traditional media – newspapers, television, and radio – becomes more significant and complex.

Social media has drastically changed how people access information. Unlike traditional media, which professional journalists and editors usually produce, social media allows anyone to create and share content.

This shift has huge implications for both media producers and consumers. Understanding these changes is important for professionals in the field and the general population.

This thesis aims to answer several questions: How has social media affected the credibility of traditional news sources?

What strategies are traditional media adopting to compete in a digital world? And how do today’s audiences perceive news found on social media vs traditional platforms?

By addressing these questions, this research seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current media landscape and provide some discourse on the future of communication and modern-day responsible journalism.

Environmental Science Example

Food production is one of the largest contributors to environmental damage.

The methods that we traditionally use to grow and raise our food have serious implications for resource use, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use.

So, we ask the question, “Can our food choices save the planet?”

As global populations rise and climate change accelerates, understanding the environmental impact of different food production systems has never been more important.

Plant-based agriculture and animal-based agriculture differ considerably, so studying these differences can help identify sustainable practices that minimize and ultimately prevent environmental damage.

This thesis aims to address how plant-based and animal-based food production systems compare in terms of resource use and environmental impact and what practices within these systems can reduce their impact on the environment.

Education Example

The global pandemic has made a dent in how we live, and that includes the state of education.

During this difficult time, schools and universities worldwide were essentially forced to shift to online learning almost overnight.

This sudden and widespread adoption of online learning presents a unique opportunity to assess its effectiveness and impact on education – past the pandemic.

If online learning is actually shown to be effective, it could lead to more flexible, accessible, and inclusive educational practices.

Conversely, if notable shortcomings are identified, this can highlight areas that need improvement to support students and educators better.

This thesis aims to identify the effectiveness of online learning in achieving educational outcomes compared to traditional classroom settings, the major challenges faced by students and educators during this transition, and how factors such as socioeconomic status and access to technology influence the effectiveness of online learning.

With this study, we can provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of online education, contributing to the broader discussion of post-pandemic learning.

How do you start an introduction for a thesis?

To start a thesis introduction, start with a hook that draws the reader in and sets the stage for your research topic. Provide context by discussing the significance of the topic. Then transition into your thesis statement, which outlines the main argument or purpose of your research.

What is an example of a thesis statement in an introduction?

An example of a thesis statement in an introduction could be: “This thesis examines how social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) have reshaped how individuals interact and form relationships in the digital age, with an emphasis on interpersonal communication.” Clearly state the main focus and purpose of your research and provide a roadmap for the reader to understand what will be discussed in your thesis.

What is a good way to start a thesis statement?

You could start a thesis statement by introducing your topic and talking about the specific angle you plan to explore in your research. Grab the reader’s attention and establish why it’s worth investigating further.

How do you start writing a thesis?

Writing a thesis starts with choosing a topic that interests you – and then aligns with your field. Be sure that the main goal of your thesis stays relevant to gain some credibility. With this, you can create a clear thesis statement that outlines the main objective of your study. This is where you can start drafting a compelling thesis introduction and then filling your content with strong arguments that are supported by evidence and analysis. Firmly conclude with a summary of your findings and their implications. Always cite your sources accurately and follow the academic guidelines.

Maximizing the potential of your thesis always starts with an introduction, and with the help of AI tools, you can be confident to write a strong one.

When using these tools, just be sure to have Undetectable AI by your side so that any content you need assistance with stays authentic.

The humanizer feature matches real human writing styles as closely as possible so that your content speaks to your readers.

Remember to tailor your thesis introduction to your specific research topic and audience, and use examples and evidence to back up your claims.

With these strategies in mind, you’ll be well-equipped to write an impactful thesis introduction – paving the way for a great thesis.

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Easily understand how to write a PhD thesis introduction

Feb 26, 2019

Have you checked out the rest of The PhD Knowledge Base ? It’s home to hundreds more free resources and guides, written especially for PhD students.

Get the introduction right and the rest of your dissertation will follow.

Image of a introduction chapter cheat sheet with the text 'click here to download'

What is the purpose of a PhD thesis introduction?

1. establish your research territory (by situating your research in a broader context), 2. establish and justify your niche (by describing why your research is needed) , 3. explain the significance of your research (by describing how you conducted the research).

What your thesis is about
Why it is important
How it was conducted
How it is laid out

The introduction as a whole should outline the significance and relevance of the thesis. The main criteria for a PhD is its role as an original contribution to knowledge, so the introduction is the space in which you very clearly outline that contribution.

How to structure an PhD thesis introduction

A typical PhD thesis introduction follows the following format:

Introduction to the introduction: a short version (of only a few paragraphs) of the thesis’ aims, research questions, contribution, objectives and findings.
State the overarching topic and aims of the thesis in more detail Provide a brief review of the literature related to the topic (this will be very brief if you have a separate literature review chapter)
Define the terms and scope of the topic
Critically evaluate the current state of the literature on that topic and identify your gap
Outline why the research is important and the contribution that it makes
Outline your epistemological and ontological position
Clearly outline the research questions and problem(s) you seek to address
State the hypotheses (if you are using any)
Detail the most important concepts and variables
Briefly describe your methodology
Discuss the main findings
Discuss the layout of the thesis

Much like the abstract, the reader shouldn’t have to wait long before they understand the contribution, what you are doing and how you are doing it. So, you’ll start by presenting your research in a clear, concise way in the opening few paragraphs. These opening paragraphs should briefly summarise the aims, objectives, research questions, main argument and contribution.

The reader shouldn’t have to wait long before they understand the contribution, what you are doing and how you are doing it.

A useful exercise here is to try and write the core elements of an introduction on a Post-it note. Keep trying until they fit. When they do, use that as the basis for these first few paragraphs. This is the same technique you use when filling out the PhD Writing Template .

As you go through the chapter, you will dial down into more and more detail. That means that the next stage, after the first few paragraphs, is to provide some context (steps 2-10 above).

Here you provide all the detail necessary to situate the study and make sense of the opening few paragraphs.

But, there are two things to bear in mind.

You will need to ease into the detail gently. Don’t launch straight from your opening paragraphs into huge amounts of detail. Follow the order of the 13 steps above and you will gradually ease into your discussion.

The danger of presenting too much information too soon is that you will confuse the reader. They will struggle to understand how the information you present is relevant and will struggle to understand how it relates to your thesis aims and objectives.

Simply follow the steps above.

You need to bear in mind that the level of detail you will go into (and therefore the length of the introduction) depends on the structure of your thesis.

If you have a standalone literature review, you will go into less detail about the current state of the literature and the gaps within it.

Similarly, if you have a dedicated theory chapter, you will not need to spend too much time on developing your theory framework.

The same is true for your methods.

The goal in any case is to present enough context to situate and make sense of your research questions but not overburden the reader with information that is superfluous to the goal of situating the research and which you will repeat at a later juncture anyhow.

Your PhD thesis. All on one page.

Use our free PhD structure template to quickly visualise every element of your thesis.

Common problems when writing your introduction

When we proofread PhDs , we see the same mistakes again and again.

Providing too much detail

There is a tendency to provide too much background information in the introduction. As we saw above, quite how much information you present in your thesis will depend on whether you have a standalone literature review or methods chapter. What you want to avoid is any unnecessary repetition.

Sometimes there is necessary repetition though. You need to present just enough information to contextualise your study and to be able to situate your aims, research questions an argument, but not too much that you end up confusing and bombarding the reader. Keep things simple here; it’s fine to overlook some of the more technical detail at this stage. Think of a newspaper article: the first couple of paragraphs provide a brief overview of the story. The detail comes later.

Not providing enough detail

On the flip side, some students don’t provide enough detail. The danger here is that the reader is left asking questions at the end of the introduction. Remember: they should be able to understand what your thesis is about, how it was conducted and why it is important just from reading the introduction. If you present too little detail then they won’t be able to. Read through your own introduction; is it clear what your contribution is and why it is important? If not, you haven’t got enough detail.

Launching into too much detail

Make sure you introduce gently. Don’t suddenly rush into lots of detail. Instead, you should make the aims, questions and contribution clear in the opening lines and then gradually layer on more detail. That way, the reader can keep up. Present too much detail too soon and the reader will become confused. The last place you want confusion is in the introduction; if the reader can’t follow your introduction, they won’t understand the thesis.

Not following a coherent structure so that the reader is left confused

Some students don’t follow a coherent logic when they write their introductions, which means that the reader is left confused.

For example, if you present too much background information and literature review before you outline the aim and purpose of the research, the reader will struggle to follow, because they won’t know why the background information is important.

The same is true if you discuss the methods before your research questions.

What we see often is important information being spread throughout the introduction in such a way that the reader has to hunt for it. Follow our layout guide above so that each piece of vital information is contained in its own mini section. Make your reader’s job as easy as possible.

Using too much technical language not properly defined

It’s more than likely that your research relies upon lots of technical terms, concepts and techniques. If you must talk about any of these in the introduction, be sure to offer clear and concise definitions. A failure to do so means that the reader is left confused.

Conducting a literature review

Unless you are explicitly avoiding a standalone literature review chapter, the introduction is not the place to review the literature. Sure, you will need to situate your study in a body of literature, but the introduction isn’t the place to critically discuss it or justify its inclusion in that literature. It’s enough to say that you will contribute to X body of literature and briefly discuss its core features and shortcomings. The literature review is the place to justify that decision and elaborate upon its features. Read our guide to writing literature reviews and our guide to being critical when you do so.

Finalising your thesis introduction

Once you have finished your thesis, ask yourself the following questions:

Does the first line of the introduction discuss the problem that your thesis is addressing and the contribution that it is making?
Does the introduction provide an overview of the thesis and end with a brief discussion on the content of each chapter?
Does the introduction make a case for the research?
Have the research questions/problems/hypotheses been clearly outlined (preferably early on)?

Now you know how to present your research as clearly and concisely as possible. Your reader (and examiner) will thank you, because they’ll be able to understand exactly what your study is about just from reading the introductory pages. Keep this guide to hand, whatever stage of the writing process you are at.

Have you downloaded our free one page PhD Writing Template ? It’s a really effective way to visualise your entire thesis on one page.

If you’re still struggling to structure your introduction, or you need any other support as you write your thesis, check out our one-on-one PhD coaching . It’s like having a personal trainer, but for your PhD.

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How To Write A Dissertation Introduction

A Simple Explainer With Examples + Free Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By Dr Eunice Rautenbach (D. Tech) | March 2020

If you’re reading this, you’re probably at the daunting early phases of writing up the introduction chapter of your dissertation or thesis. It can be intimidating, I know.

In this post, we’ll look at the 7 essential ingredients of a strong dissertation or thesis introduction chapter, as well as the essential things you need to keep in mind as you craft each section. We’ll also share some useful tips to help you optimize your approach.

Overview: Writing An Introduction Chapter

The purpose and function of the intro chapter
Craft an enticing and engaging opening section
Provide a background and context to the study
Clearly define the research problem
State your research aims, objectives and questions
Explain the significance of your study
Identify the limitations of your research
Outline the structure of your dissertation or thesis

A quick sidenote:

You’ll notice that I’ve used the words dissertation and thesis interchangeably. While these terms reflect different levels of research – for example, Masters vs PhD-level research – the introduction chapter generally contains the same 7 essential ingredients regardless of level. So, in this post, dissertation introduction equals thesis introduction.

Free template for a dissertation or thesis introduction

Start with why.

To craft a high-quality dissertation or thesis introduction chapter, you need to understand exactly what this chapter needs to achieve. In other words, what’s its purpose ? As the name suggests, the introduction chapter needs to introduce the reader to your research so that they understand what you’re trying to figure out, or what problem you’re trying to solve. More specifically, you need to answer four important questions in your introduction chapter.

These questions are:

What will you be researching? (in other words, your research topic)
Why is that worthwhile? (in other words, your justification)
What will the scope of your research be? (in other words, what will you cover and what won’t you cover)
What will the limitations of your research be? (in other words, what will the potential shortcomings of your research be?)

Simply put, your dissertation’s introduction chapter needs to provide an overview of your planned research , as well as a clear rationale for it. In other words, this chapter has to explain the “what” and the “why” of your research – what’s it all about and why’s that important.

Simple enough, right?

Well, the trick is finding the appropriate depth of information. As the researcher, you’ll be extremely close to your topic and this makes it easy to get caught up in the minor details. While these intricate details might be interesting, you need to write your introduction chapter on more of a “need-to-know” type basis, or it will end up way too lengthy and dense. You need to balance painting a clear picture with keeping things concise. Don’t worry though – you’ll be able to explore all the intricate details in later chapters.

The core ingredients of a dissertation introduction chapter

Now that you understand what you need to achieve from your introduction chapter, we can get into the details. While the exact requirements for this chapter can vary from university to university, there are seven core components that most universities will require. We call these the seven essential ingredients .

The 7 Essential Ingredients

The opening section – where you’ll introduce the reader to your research in high-level terms
The background to the study – where you’ll explain the context of your project
The research problem – where you’ll explain the “gap” that exists in the current research
The research aims , objectives and questions – where you’ll clearly state what your research will aim to achieve
The significance (or justification) – where you’ll explain why your research is worth doing and the value it will provide to the world
The limitations – where you’ll acknowledge the potential limitations of your project and approach
The structure – where you’ll briefly outline the structure of your dissertation or thesis to help orient the reader

By incorporating these seven essential ingredients into your introduction chapter, you’ll comprehensively cover both the “ what ” and the “ why ” I mentioned earlier – in other words, you’ll achieve the purpose of the chapter.

Side note – you can also use these 7 ingredients in this order as the structure for your chapter to ensure a smooth, logical flow. This isn’t essential, but, generally speaking, it helps create an engaging narrative that’s easy for your reader to understand. If you’d like, you can also download our free introduction chapter template here.

Alright – let’s look at each of the ingredients now.

#1 – The Opening Section

The very first essential ingredient for your dissertation introduction is, well, an introduction or opening section. Just like every other chapter, your introduction chapter needs to start by providing a brief overview of what you’ll be covering in the chapter.

This section needs to engage the reader with clear, concise language that can be easily understood and digested. If the reader (your marker!) has to struggle through it, they’ll lose interest, which will make it harder for you to earn marks. Just because you’re writing an academic paper doesn’t mean you can ignore the basic principles of engaging writing used by marketers, bloggers, and journalists. At the end of the day, you’re all trying to sell an idea – yours is just a research idea.

So, what goes into this opening section?

Well, while there’s no set formula, it’s a good idea to include the following four foundational sentences in your opening section:

1 – A sentence or two introducing the overall field of your research.

For example:

“Organisational skills development involves identifying current or potential skills gaps within a business and developing programs to resolve these gaps. Management research, including X, Y and Z, has clearly established that organisational skills development is an essential contributor to business growth.”

2 – A sentence introducing your specific research problem.

“However, there are conflicting views and an overall lack of research regarding how best to manage skills development initiatives in highly dynamic environments where subject knowledge is rapidly and continuously evolving – for example, in the website development industry.”

3 – A sentence stating your research aims and objectives.

“This research aims to identify and evaluate skills development approaches and strategies for highly dynamic industries in which subject knowledge is continuously evolving.”.

4 – A sentence outlining the layout of the chapter.

“This chapter will provide an introduction to the study by first discussing the background and context, followed by the research problem, the research aims, objectives and questions, the significance and finally, the limitations.”

As I mentioned, this opening section of your introduction chapter shouldn’t be lengthy . Typically, these four sentences should fit neatly into one or two paragraphs, max. What you’re aiming for here is a clear, concise introduction to your research – not a detailed account.

PS – If some of this terminology sounds unfamiliar, don’t stress – I’ll explain each of the concepts later in this post.

#2 – Background to the study

Now that you’ve provided a high-level overview of your dissertation or thesis, it’s time to go a little deeper and lay a foundation for your research topic. This foundation is what the second ingredient is all about – the background to your study.

So, what is the background section all about?

Well, this section of your introduction chapter should provide a broad overview of the topic area that you’ll be researching, as well as the current contextual factors . This could include, for example, a brief history of the topic, recent developments in the area, key pieces of research in the area and so on. In other words, in this section, you need to provide the relevant background information to give the reader a decent foundational understanding of your research area.

Let’s look at an example to make this a little more concrete.

If we stick with the skills development topic I mentioned earlier, the background to the study section would start by providing an overview of the skills development area and outline the key existing research. Then, it would go on to discuss how the modern-day context has created a new challenge for traditional skills development strategies and approaches. Specifically, that in many industries, technical knowledge is constantly and rapidly evolving, and traditional education providers struggle to keep up with the pace of new technologies.

Importantly, you need to write this section with the assumption that the reader is not an expert in your topic area. So, if there are industry-specific jargon and complex terminology, you should briefly explain that here , so that the reader can understand the rest of your document.

Don’t make assumptions about the reader’s knowledge – in most cases, your markers will not be able to ask you questions if they don’t understand something. So, always err on the safe side and explain anything that’s not common knowledge.

#3 – The research problem

Now that you’ve given your reader an overview of your research area, it’s time to get specific about the research problem that you’ll address in your dissertation or thesis. While the background section would have alluded to a potential research problem (or even multiple research problems), the purpose of this section is to narrow the focus and highlight the specific research problem you’ll focus on.

But, what exactly is a research problem, you ask?

Well, a research problem can be any issue or question for which there isn’t already a well-established and agreed-upon answer in the existing research. In other words, a research problem exists when there’s a need to answer a question (or set of questions), but there’s a gap in the existing literature , or the existing research is conflicting and/or inconsistent.

So, to present your research problem, you need to make it clear what exactly is missing in the current literature and why this is a problem . It’s usually a good idea to structure this discussion into three sections – specifically:

What’s already well-established in the literature (in other words, the current state of research)
What’s missing in the literature (in other words, the literature gap)
Why this is a problem (in other words, why it’s important to fill this gap)

Let’s look at an example of this structure using the skills development topic.

Organisational skills development is critically important for employee satisfaction and company performance (reference). Numerous studies have investigated strategies and approaches to manage skills development programs within organisations (reference).

(this paragraph explains what’s already well-established in the literature)

However, these studies have traditionally focused on relatively slow-paced industries where key skills and knowledge do not change particularly often. This body of theory presents a problem for industries that face a rapidly changing skills landscape – for example, the website development industry – where new platforms, languages and best practices emerge on an extremely frequent basis.

(this paragraph explains what’s missing from the literature)

As a result, the existing research is inadequate for industries in which essential knowledge and skills are constantly and rapidly evolving, as it assumes a slow pace of knowledge development. Industries in such environments, therefore, find themselves ill-equipped in terms of skills development strategies and approaches.

(this paragraph explains why the research gap is problematic)

As you can see in this example, in a few lines, we’ve explained (1) the current state of research, (2) the literature gap and (3) why that gap is problematic. By doing this, the research problem is made crystal clear, which lays the foundation for the next ingredient.

#4 – The research aims, objectives and questions

Now that you’ve clearly identified your research problem, it’s time to identify your research aims and objectives , as well as your research questions . In other words, it’s time to explain what you’re going to do about the research problem.

So, what do you need to do here?

Well, the starting point is to clearly state your research aim (or aims) . The research aim is the main goal or the overarching purpose of your dissertation or thesis. In other words, it’s a high-level statement of what you’re aiming to achieve.

Let’s look at an example, sticking with the skills development topic:

“Given the lack of research regarding organisational skills development in fast-moving industries, this study will aim to identify and evaluate the skills development approaches utilised by web development companies in the UK”.

As you can see in this example, the research aim is clearly outlined, as well as the specific context in which the research will be undertaken (in other words, web development companies in the UK).

Next up is the research objective (or objectives) . While the research aims cover the high-level “what”, the research objectives are a bit more practically oriented, looking at specific things you’ll be doing to achieve those research aims.

Let’s take a look at an example of some research objectives (ROs) to fit the research aim.

RO1 – To identify common skills development strategies and approaches utilised by web development companies in the UK.
RO2 – To evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies and approaches.
RO3 – To compare and contrast these strategies and approaches in terms of their strengths and weaknesses.

As you can see from this example, these objectives describe the actions you’ll take and the specific things you’ll investigate in order to achieve your research aims. They break down the research aims into more specific, actionable objectives.

The final step is to state your research questions . Your research questions bring the aims and objectives another level “down to earth”. These are the specific questions that your dissertation or theses will seek to answer. They’re not fluffy, ambiguous or conceptual – they’re very specific and you’ll need to directly answer them in your conclusions chapter .

The research questions typically relate directly to the research objectives and sometimes can look a bit obvious, but they are still extremely important. Let’s take a look at an example of the research questions (RQs) that would flow from the research objectives I mentioned earlier.

RQ1 – What skills development strategies and approaches are currently being used by web development companies in the UK?
RQ2 – How effective are each of these strategies and approaches?
RQ3 – What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of these strategies and approaches?

As you can see, the research questions mimic the research objectives , but they are presented in question format. These questions will act as the driving force throughout your dissertation or thesis – from the literature review to the methodology and onward – so they’re really important.

A final note about this section – it’s really important to be clear about the scope of your study (more technically, the delimitations ). In other words, what you WILL cover and what you WON’T cover. If your research aims, objectives and questions are too broad, you’ll risk losing focus or investigating a problem that is too big to solve within a single dissertation.

Simply put, you need to establish clear boundaries in your research. You can do this, for example, by limiting it to a specific industry, country or time period. That way, you’ll ringfence your research, which will allow you to investigate your topic deeply and thoroughly – which is what earns marks!

Need a helping hand?

#5 – Significance

Now that you’ve made it clear what you’ll be researching, it’s time to make a strong argument regarding your study’s importance and significance . In other words, now that you’ve covered the what, it’s time to cover the why – enter essential ingredient number 5 – significance.

Of course, by this stage, you’ve already briefly alluded to the importance of your study in your background and research problem sections, but you haven’t explicitly stated how your research findings will benefit the world . So, now’s your chance to clearly state how your study will benefit either industry , academia , or – ideally – both . In other words, you need to explain how your research will make a difference and what implications it will have .

Let’s take a look at an example.

“This study will contribute to the body of knowledge on skills development by incorporating skills development strategies and approaches for industries in which knowledge and skills are rapidly and constantly changing. This will help address the current shortage of research in this area and provide real-world value to organisations operating in such dynamic environments.”

As you can see in this example, the paragraph clearly explains how the research will help fill a gap in the literature and also provide practical real-world value to organisations.

This section doesn’t need to be particularly lengthy, but it does need to be convincing . You need to “sell” the value of your research here so that the reader understands why it’s worth committing an entire dissertation or thesis to it. This section needs to be the salesman of your research. So, spend some time thinking about the ways in which your research will make a unique contribution to the world and how the knowledge you create could benefit both academia and industry – and then “sell it” in this section.

#6 – The limitations

Now that you’ve “sold” your research to the reader and hopefully got them excited about what’s coming up in the rest of your dissertation, it’s time to briefly discuss the potential limitations of your research.

But you’re probably thinking, hold up – what limitations? My research is well thought out and carefully designed – why would there be limitations?

Well, no piece of research is perfect . This is especially true for a dissertation or thesis – which typically has a very low or zero budget, tight time constraints and limited researcher experience. Generally, your dissertation will be the first or second formal research project you’ve ever undertaken, so it’s unlikely to win any research awards…

Simply put, your research will invariably have limitations. Don’t stress yourself out though – this is completely acceptable (and expected). Even “professional” research has limitations – as I said, no piece of research is perfect. The key is to recognise the limitations upfront and be completely transparent about them, so that future researchers are aware of them and can improve the study’s design to minimise the limitations and strengthen the findings.

Generally, you’ll want to consider at least the following four common limitations. These are:

Your scope – for example, perhaps your focus is very narrow and doesn’t consider how certain variables interact with each other.
Your research methodology – for example, a qualitative methodology could be criticised for being overly subjective, or a quantitative methodology could be criticised for oversimplifying the situation (learn more about methodologies here ).
Your resources – for example, a lack of time, money, equipment and your own research experience.
The generalisability of your findings – for example, the findings from the study of a specific industry or country can’t necessarily be generalised to other industries or countries.

Don’t be shy here. There’s no use trying to hide the limitations or weaknesses of your research. In fact, the more critical you can be of your study, the better. The markers want to see that you are aware of the limitations as this demonstrates your understanding of research design – so be brutal.

#7 – The structural outline

Now that you’ve clearly communicated what your research is going to be about, why it’s important and what the limitations of your research will be, the final ingredient is the structural outline.The purpose of this section is simply to provide your reader with a roadmap of what to expect in terms of the structure of your dissertation or thesis.

In this section, you’ll need to provide a brief summary of each chapter’s purpose and contents (including the introduction chapter). A sentence or two explaining what you’ll do in each chapter is generally enough to orient the reader. You don’t want to get too detailed here – it’s purely an outline, not a summary of your research.

Let’s look at an example:

In Chapter One, the context of the study has been introduced. The research objectives and questions have been identified, and the value of such research argued. The limitations of the study have also been discussed.

In Chapter Two, the existing literature will be reviewed and a foundation of theory will be laid out to identify key skills development approaches and strategies within the context of fast-moving industries, especially technology-intensive industries.

In Chapter Three, the methodological choices will be explored. Specifically, the adoption of a qualitative, inductive research approach will be justified, and the broader research design will be discussed, including the limitations thereof.

So, as you can see from the example, this section is simply an outline of the chapter structure, allocating a short paragraph to each chapter. Done correctly, the outline will help your reader understand what to expect and reassure them that you’ll address the multiple facets of the study.

By the way – if you’re unsure of how to structure your dissertation or thesis, be sure to check out our video post which explains dissertation structure .

Keep calm and carry on.

Hopefully you feel a bit more prepared for this challenge of crafting your dissertation or thesis introduction chapter now. Take a deep breath and remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day – conquer one ingredient at a time and you’ll be firmly on the path to success.

Let’s quickly recap – the 7 ingredients are:

The opening section – where you give a brief, high-level overview of what your research will be about.
The study background – where you introduce the reader to key theory, concepts and terminology, as well as the context of your study.
The research problem – where you explain what the problem with the current research is. In other words, the research gap.
The research aims , objectives and questions – where you clearly state what your dissertation will investigate.
The significance – where you explain what value your research will provide to the world.
The limitations – where you explain what the potential shortcomings and limitations of your research may be.
The structural outline – where you provide a high-level overview of the structure of your document

If you bake these ingredients into your dissertation introduction chapter, you’ll be well on your way to building an engaging introduction chapter that lays a rock-solid foundation for the rest of your document.

Remember, while we’ve covered the essential ingredients here, there may be some additional components that your university requires, so be sure to double-check your project brief!

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

45 Comments

Thanks very much for such an insight. I feel confident enough in undertaking my thesis on the survey;The future of facial recognition and learning non verbal interaction

Glad to hear that. Good luck with your thesis!

Thanks very much for such an insight. I feel confident now undertaking my thesis; The future of facial recognition and learning non verbal interaction.

Thanks so much for this article. I found myself struggling and wasting a lot of time in my thesis writing but after reading this article and watching some of your youtube videos, I now have a clear understanding of what is required for a thesis.

Thank you Derek, i find your each post so useful. Keep it up.

Thank you so much Derek ,for shedding the light and making it easier for me to handle the daunting task of academic writing .

Thanks do much Dereck for the comprehensive guide. It will assist me queit a lot in my thesis.

thanks a lot for helping

i LOVE the gifs, such a fun way to engage readers. thanks for the advice, much appreciated

Thanks a lot Derek! It will be really useful to the beginner in research!

You’re welcome

This is a well written, easily comprehensible, simple introduction to the basics of a Research Dissertation../the need to keep the reader in mind while writing the dissertation is an important point that is covered../ I appreciate the efforts of the author../

The instruction given are perfect and clear. I was supposed to take the course , unfortunately in Nepal the service is not avaialble.However, I am much more hopeful that you will provide require documents whatever you have produced so far.

Thank you very much

Thanks so much ❤️😘 I feel am ready to start writing my research methodology

This is genuinely the most effective advice I have ever been given regarding academia. Thank you so much!

This is one of the best write up I have seen in my road to PhD thesis. regards, this write up update my knowledge of research

I was looking for some good blogs related to Education hopefully your article will help. Thanks for sharing.

This is an awesome masterpiece. It is one of the most comprehensive guides to writing a Dissertation/Thesis I have seen and read.

You just saved me from going astray in writing a Dissertation for my undergraduate studies. I could not be more grateful for such a relevant guide like this. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much Derek, this has been extremely helpful!!

I do have one question though, in the limitations part do you refer to the scope as the focus of the research on a specific industry/country/chronological period? I assume that in order to talk about whether or not the research could be generalized, the above would need to be already presented and described in the introduction.

Thank you again!

Phew! You have genuinely rescued me. I was stuck how to go about my thesis. Now l have started. Thank you.

This is the very best guide in anything that has to do with thesis or dissertation writing. The numerous blends of examples and detailed insights make it worth a read and in fact, a treasure that is worthy to be bookmarked.

Thanks a lot for this masterpiece!

Powerful insight. I can now take a step

Thank you very much for these valuable introductions to thesis chapters. I saw all your videos about writing the introduction, discussion, and conclusion chapter. Then, I am wondering if we need to explain our research limitations in all three chapters, introduction, discussion, and conclusion? Isn’t it a bit redundant? If not, could you please explain how can we write in different ways? Thank you.

Excellent!!! Thank you…

Thanks for this informative content. I have a question. The research gap is mentioned in both the introduction and literature section. I would like to know how can I demonstrate the research gap in both sections without repeating the contents?

I’m incredibly grateful for this invaluable content. I’ve been dreading compiling my postgrad thesis but breaking each chapter down into sections has made it so much easier for me to engage with the material without feeling overwhelmed. After relying on your guidance, I’m really happy with how I’ve laid out my introduction.

Thank you for the informative content you provided

Hi Derrick and Team, thank you so much for the comprehensive guide on how to write a dissertation or a thesis introduction section. For some of us first-timers, it is a daunting task. However, the instruction with relevant examples makes it clear and easy to follow through. Much appreciated.

It was so helpful. God Bless you. Thanks very much

I thank you Grad coach for your priceless help. I have two questions I have learned from your video the limitations of the research presented in chapter one. but in another video also presented in chapter five. which chapter limitation should be included? If possible, I need your answer since I am doing my thesis. how can I explain If I am asked what is my motivation for this research?

You explain what moment in life caused you to have a peaked interest in the thesis topic. Personal experiences? Or something that had an impact on your life, or others. Something would have caused your drive of topic. Dig deep inside, the answer is within you!

Thank you guys for the great work you are doing. Honestly, you have made the research to be interesting and simplified. Even a novice will easily grasp the ideas you put forward, Thank you once again.

Excellent piece!

I feel like just settling for a good topic is usually the hardest part.

Thank you so much. My confidence has been completely destroyed during my first year of PhD and you have helped me pull myself together again

Happy to help 🙂

I am so glad I ran into your resources and did not waste time doing the wrong this. Research is now making so much sense now.

Gratitude to Derrick and the team I was looking for a solid article that would aid me in drafting the thesis’ introduction. I felt quite happy when I came across the piece you wrote because it was so well-written and insightful. I wish you success in the future.

thank you so much. God Bless you

Thank you so much Grad Coach for these helpful insights. Now I can get started, with a great deal of confidence.

It’s ‘alluded to’ not ‘eluded to’.

This is great!

Thank you for all this information. I feel very confident to complete my dissertation with all the help given. This is awesome and very helpful; I was studying alone with very little supervision and feedback of my thoughts. feelings. aspirations and experiences, with my topic or Kaupapa. It is a topic that very little or few researchers have written a thesis about (from personal experiences). As John Burke said ” unless you are sitting in the front seat and row, up close and personal, you will not understand the difficulties of growing up and living with hearing loss (caused by swimmer’s ears infection, resulting in burst eardrums, unless one denies having a hearing loss. This is from a Māori woman’s cultural perspective. Nga mihi nui kia koutou.

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How to Write a Thesis Introduction

What types of information should you include in your introduction .

In the introduction of your thesis, you’ll be trying to do three main things, which are called Moves :

Move 1 establish your territory (say what the topic is about)
Move 2 establish a niche (show why there needs to be further research on your topic)
Move 3 introduce the current research (make hypotheses; state the research questions)

Each Move has a number of stages. Depending on what you need to say in your introduction, you might use one or more stages. Table 1 provides you with a list of the most commonly occurring stages of introductions in Honours theses (colour-coded to show the Moves ). You will also find examples of Introductions, divided into stages with sample sentence extracts. Once you’ve looked at Examples 1 and 2, try the exercise that follows.

Most thesis introductions include SOME (but not all) of the stages listed below. There are variations between different Schools and between different theses, depending on the purpose of the thesis.

Stages in a thesis introduction

state the general topic and give some background
provide a review of the literature related to the topic
define the terms and scope of the topic
outline the current situation
evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify the gap
identify the importance of the proposed research
state the research problem/ questions
state the research aims and/or research objectives
state the hypotheses
outline the order of information in the thesis
outline the methodology

Example 1: Evaluation of Boron Solid Source Diffusion for High-Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells (School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering)


1. Give background about the topic	P-type layers are commonly used in solar cells as they offer a wide range of applications such as a back surface field…
4. Outline current methods	...Currently in the PV industry aluminium-silicon alloying using screen-printed aluminium and belt furnace firing is the prevalent method of forming p-type layers because it is relatively easy and also forms the rear electrical contact…
5. Evaluate current methods	...The use of aluminium as p-type dopant has two major disadvantages, however…
6. Identify importance of proposed research	…Given the limitations associated with using Al to form p-type diffusion, boron as a dopant for diffused layers is therefore more suitable for high-efficiency silicon solar cells…
8. State research aims	...The goal of this thesis is to evaluate boron nitride (BN) as a potential replacement for liquid-source diffusion presently being used for p-type diffusions in the high-efficiency buried contact solar cells under development at UNSW…
10. Outline order of information in the thesis	…This thesis is divided into five chapters: Chapter 2 discusses in more detail about diffusions in general and the case of boron diffusion…Chapter 3 outlines the experimental work carried out in the project…

Example 2: Methods for Measuring Hepatitis C Viral Complexity (School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences)

Note: this introduction includes the literature review.


1. State the general topic	...The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant human pathogen given that 3% of the world’s population are infected with the virus…
1. (2) Give some background about the topic	…The HCV genome is a positive sense, single stranded RNA molecule with an approximate length of 9.5kb…
3. (2) Define the terms and scope of the topic	…Quasispecies are defined as a population of closely related minor genetic variants and are a noted phenomenon of plant and RNA viruses…It has been widely recognised that treatment outcome is highly dependent on the complexity…
5. (2) Evaluate current situation	…Cloning and sequencing is considered a time-consuming and laborious method and as such there exists a need for the development of simple alternative methods…
5. (2) Identify the gap in current research	…At present there is no suitable method that has produced results comparable to that of cloning and sequencing which also has the additional properties of simplicity and rapidity…
6. Identify importance of proposed research	…There is mounting evidence, however, that immediate treatment will result in successful eradication of HCV. Therefore studies of acute phase quasispecies will enhance the understanding of the early virological events of newly acquired HCV infection and ultimately the disease process itself.
9. State the hypothesis	The hypotheses for this study are that there exist suitable parameters to assess quasispecies complexity. Furthermore, a rapid and simpler alternative method to cloning and sequencing can be developed to accurately describe the complexity of a given quasispecies population…
8. State research aims	1.Define a set of parameters to analyse quasispecies complexity. 2.Develop a simpler and rapid alternative to cloning and sequencing that would accurately assess complexity of quasispecies populations….

Now that you have read example 1 and 2, what are the differences?

Example 3: The IMO Severe-Weather Criterion Applied to High-Speed Monohulls (School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering)


…The IMO Severe Wind and Rolling (Severe-Weather) Criterion is a stability criterion that has been developed to assess the dynamic stability of a vessel…		???
The theory behind the Severe-Weather Criterion is sound, and has a lot of merit. However, many of the new generation of high-speed monohulls are having trouble passing the criterion…		???
…As a result, it is believed that the formula used to predict the windward roll angle θ1 is flawed and over-predicts the rolling amplitude for high-speed monohulls…		???
…Thus it is desired to evaluate the actual rolling amplitude that these vessels will experience…		???
In order to evaluate how the Severe-Weather Criterion is applied to high-speed monohulls, two vessels have been used as a case study…		???

Example 4: The Steiner Tree Problem (School of Computer Science and Engineering)


The Steiner Minimal Tree (SMT) problem is about finding the minimum connecting network for a set of points. Its minimal property implies that the network must be a tree…		???
Formally, the problem can be stated as follows: given N points in the Euclidean plane, find the minimum spanning tree that covers these N points. Additional points besides these N points can be added to the tree as extra vertices…		???
The SMT is a very interesting problem both in theoretical computer science and many practical applications. Like other graph problems, it is fundamental to solving many common problems, such as communication network planning and VLSI circuit design. The following are some examples…		???
This section describes the contents of the rest of the thesis…Section 2 provides a literature survey on Steiner trees, including a number of exact and heuristic algorithms developed…		???

Introduction exercise

Example 5.1 (extract 1): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)

Give some background (p.1 of 17)

1.1 Fluoride in the environment

Molecular fluorine (F2) is the most electronegative of the elements and therefore is highly reactive. Due to its high reactivity it is never found in its elemental form in nature. It combines directly at both ordinary or elevated temperatures with all other elements except oxygen, nitrogen, and the lighter noble gases (Cotton & Wilkinson, 1980).

Example 5.2 (extract 2): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)

Provide a review of the literature related to the topic (p.2 of 17)

The main source of elevated fluoride in plants comes from atmospheric industrial pollution. Because of its extensive industrial use, hydrogen fluoride is probably the greatest single atmospheric fluoride contaminant and is generally considered to be the most important plant pathogenic fluoride (WHO, 1984; Treshow, 1965)… However, fluorides can cause damage to sensitive plant species even at extremely low fluoride concentrations(Hill,1969), accumulate in large amounts within the plant and cause disease if ingested by herbivores(Weinstein, 1977).

Example 5.3

Outline the current situation; Evaluate the current situation and indicate a gap (p.12 of 17)

Doley (1981) summarized several unpublished studies that compared the sensitivity rankings of 24 species according to the responses of photosynthesis and the development of visible injury symptoms. This analysis showed that for nine species, photosynthesis measurements indicated greater sensitivity than was obvious from visible assessment, and for seven species the converse applied. This indicated that, while it may generally be true that physiological responses occur at lower doses than visible injury, this does not always appear to be the case.


…This is consistent with the findings of Weinstein (1977) that the extent of foliar damage is not always correlated with the level of accumulated fluoride. Studies in Western Australia (Horne et al., 1981) have reported field injury to vines situated near to brickworks in the Swan Valley and concluded that fluoride pollution can seriously affect grapevines.		???
Thus classification of cultivars according to levels of sensitivity to airborne fluorides is considered necessary for two reasons- a)knowledge of a resistant cultivar would be of important commercial interest to the vigneron, and b) the possibility of discovering a highly sensitive cultivar to provide an indicator plant to be used to warn growers when ambient conditions were approaching threshold levels(Greenhalge & Brown, 1984).		???

Example 5.4 (extract 4): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)

State the research problem(p.4 of 17)

In many Australian plant species, young expanding leaves appear much more severely injured by gaseous fluorides than are old leaves. This suggests, either that the young leaf tissues are more sensitive to fluoride than mature tissues, or that sufficient fluoride enters the tissues directly through the cuticle to disrupt normal leaf development before the stomata have fully developed and opened(Doley, 1986a). This question has not been resolved due to the inability to accurately localize low concentrations of fluoride(Doley, 1986a)

Example 5.5 (extract 5): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)

State the research aims and /or research objectives (extract p.16 of 17)

Knowledge of the effects of fluoride on the reproductive processes of species within a forest community will help predict potential changes within the community following an increase in atmospheric fluoride due to additional industrial sources, such as aluminium smelters. For these reasons, this project was designed to investigate the reproductive processes of selected species in a woodland near the aluminium smelter at Tomago.


This study investigates the effects of ten years of increased atmospheric fluoride from Tomago Aluminium Smelter, New South Wales on the reproductive processes of three selected native species, Banksia aemula, Bossiaea heterophylla and Actinotus helianthi… The study aims to determine the effects of the fluoride emissions on the reproductive processes of the selected species by analyzing the differences between several of their reproductive and associated characteristics found along a fluoride gradient.		???

Example 5.6 (extract 6): The effects of Fluoride on the reproduction of three native Australian plant Species (School of Geography)

State the outline of the Methodology (extract p.17 of 17).

Germination trials were performed on seeds collected from each species along the fluoride gradient to determine if fluoride has an effect on their viability and hence the regeneration fitness of each species. A density study was used to determine if there were any differences between numbers of mature and immature trees, number of trees producing seed follicles and the number of trees flowering in this season along a fluoride gradient. By using soils collected at various distances away from the smelter the study also investigated differences in germination from the natural soil seed reserve along a fluoride gradient.

Well, firstly, there are many choices that you can make. You will notice that there are variations not only between the different Schools in your faculty, but also between individual theses, depending on the type of information that is being communicated. However, there are a few elements that a good Introduction should include, at the very minimum:

Either Statement of general topic Or Background information about the topic;
Either Identification of disadvantages of current situation Or Identification of the gap in current research;
Identification of importance of proposed research
Either Statement of aims Or Statement of objectives
An Outline of the order of information in the thesis

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The length of introductions vary depending on your disciplinary area and the nature of your project so before writing one, it may be wise to discuss length and expectations of content with your supervisor. It is also worth taking a look at a range of past theses in your area to see what is expected in your field.

The introduction to the whole thesis can make up roughly 10 per cent of the total word count. So if you are doing a PhD of 80,000 - 100,000 words, you may have a 8,000 - 10,000 word introduction. And if you are writing a Masters thesis of 15,000 - 20,000 words, your introduction could be 1,500 - 2,000 words long. Exegeses tend to be anywhere between seven to 12 pages in length (1.5 cm spacing) and include images and/or diagrams.

Theses that generally have longer introductions do so because they incorporate more substantial background information and/or an extended literature review section.

Theses that have shorter introductions, say eight to ten pages (1.5 spacing) or about 4000 words for a PhD, do so in order to give a broad overview of the research project which is typically followed by a longer background or literature review chapter.

Regardless of the type of project you are doing or thesis you are writing, the introduction to the thesis or exegesis should give a broad overview of the project, as discussed in the page on introductions.

Individual chapters should also have introductions. An introduction to a chapter that is 10,000 words long could be about two to three pages long, whereas in shorter theses the chapter introductions may only be a page or two, or even just a paragraph or two. The length varies depending on how much you need to establish for your reader to understand how the chapter contributes to your research and argument.

Case study
One supervisor rejected his PhD student's introduction of 30 plus pages, saying an introduction should be about 'eight pages and should cover context, issues and method in that order.' So the student re-wrote to those instructions. He initially established the context of his research by providing dense background information; he then identified the key issues in the process of defining his research objectives; finally he provided a conventional chapter-by-chapter description of the thesis procedure.

Timing>>

Introductions

Chapter introductions

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How To Write A Thesis Introduction Without Effort

The first thing you will probably want to do when you start your thesis is write the introduction. Indeed, the thesis introduction is extremely important. It introduces the thesis statement, provides a bit of background information about the topic, explains a bit about your methods and results, and then makes a seamless transition to the first chapter. How long should a master’s thesis introduction be? Where is the thesis statement? Where can I get samples? Let’s talk about how you can write the best thesis introduction in the shortest time possible. Read on!

The Importance of the Thesis Introduction

So, what is a thesis introduction? Why is it so important? Should I write a thesis abstract ? To learn how to write a dissertation introduction correctly, you need to first understand its role and its importance. Here is why you need to make sure the introduction is written as best as possible:

The intro is there to provide some background information about the topic and present your thesis statement. It is also a great place to talk succinctly about other research and about the gap in knowledge that your research aims to plug. Learn how to write thesis introduction the right way if you want to get a top score on your thesis. The reality is that the evaluation committee considers the intro one of the most important parts of your academic paper. It should be perfect. The introduction is where you can hook your readers. Don’t be afraid to make a joke, share an anecdote, or be blunt about something. You want to make an impression on your readers and keep them reading.

So, Where Is the Thesis Statement Located in the Introduction?

Earlier, we mentioned the fact that you should include the thesis statement in the introduction. You probably know what a thesis statement is. If you don’t, we almost certainly have an article on our website that discusses it. To learn how to write a thesis introduction the right way, you need to know where to place the statement.

According to our seasoned academic writers, the best place to insert the statement is the end of the introductory paragraph.

The sentences that precede the thesis statement are there to introduce it. The reader needs to understand the problem before you can present your solution. Even though you may be tempted to start the introduction with a well-crafted, punchy statement, you should refrain from doing so. Place it at the end of the paragraph instead to make a transition to the Literature Review paragraph.

How Do You Write an Introduction for a Chapter in a Thesis?

Writing a thesis introduction is not very difficult. In fact, you should be able to do it all by yourself once you learn the simple process behind it. If you still need some help, keep in mind that we have some of the best thesis writers on the Internet. Our degree-holding experts can help you craft an awesome introduction for your thesis in mere hours. If you want to try it yourself, here is the process of writing a great thesis intro:

Discuss the general topic and provide a bit of background information about it.
Provide a literature review on the topic.
Define the scope of the topic.
Write a summary of the current research.
Evaluate the summary and identify the gap in knowledge.
Talk about how important your research can be.
Establish the research problem.
Establish what your research aims to achieve.
Clearly state your hypotheses.
Provide a short outline of the chapters of your thesis.
Briefly discuss the methodology.

Where Can I Find an Example of Introduction in Thesis?

OK, but how do you write a good thesis introduction? It’s simple: you just follow the simple steps above. One paragraph per item should do the trick. However, we realize that some theses can be quite complicated. As such, their introductions can be somewhat difficult to write. If you are not very good at writing a dissertation introduction, you may need to get some help.

While you can find several decent examples of introductions on the Internet, we suggest you to avoid using them. You need a custom-written introduction that is 100% original. The best course of action is to get in touch with an academic writing company and get some professional help . A seasoned thesis writer will quickly help you write the best possible introduction for your paper.

Dissertation Introduction FAQ

Now that you know how to start your thesis introduction and have access to the simple steps to write an introduction thesis writers use all the time, it’s time to answer some of your questions.

How many pages should a thesis introduction be? A: An answer to this question is not easy to give. In general, the introduction should be around 10% of the word count of the thesis. If you are working on a PhD thesis, the intro will be anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 words. In the case of a Masters thesis, you are probably looking at just 1,500 to 2,000 words.

How many pages is a Masters thesis introduction in psychology? A: On average, the Masters thesis introduction will be 3 or 4 pages long (1.5 spacing).

What’s the best way to start an introduction to a dissertation? A: There are many ways to start an introduction. However, in our writers’ experience, it seems that starting the introduction with an anecdote works great. Another thing that works is starting the thesis with something that captures your reader’s attention instantly (such as a statistic or a question).

How do you write a dissertation introduction and make it longer? A: You can make the introduction longer by incorporating the literature review into it. This means that you will present the literature in extensively in the introduction and eliminate the Literature Review chapter. It is perfectly fine to write the thesis introduction this way, don’t worry.

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Dissertation

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

Published on 9 September 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes.

The introduction is the first section of your thesis or dissertation , appearing right after the table of contents . Your introduction draws your reader in, setting the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose, and direction.

Your introduction should include:

Your topic, in context: what does your reader need to know to understand your thesis dissertation?
Your focus and scope: what specific aspect of the topic will you address?
The relevance of your research: how does your work fit into existing studies on your topic?
Your questions and objectives: what does your research aim to find out, and how?
An overview of your structure: what does each section contribute to the overall aim?

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How to start your introduction, topic and context, focus and scope, relevance and importance, questions and objectives, overview of the structure, thesis introduction example, introduction checklist, frequently asked questions about introductions.

Although your introduction kicks off your dissertation, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write – in fact, it’s often one of the very last parts to be completed (just before your abstract ).

It’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your introduction as you begin your research, to help guide you. If you wrote a research proposal , consider using this as a template, as it contains many of the same elements. However, be sure to revise your introduction throughout the writing process, making sure it matches the content of your ensuing sections.

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Begin by introducing your research topic and giving any necessary background information. It’s important to contextualise your research and generate interest. Aim to show why your topic is timely or important. You may want to mention a relevant news item, academic debate, or practical problem.

After a brief introduction to your general area of interest, narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

You can narrow this down in many ways, such as by:

Geographical area
Time period
Demographics or communities
Themes or aspects of the topic

It’s essential to share your motivation for doing this research, as well as how it relates to existing work on your topic. Further, you should also mention what new insights you expect it will contribute.

Start by giving a brief overview of the current state of research. You should definitely cite the most relevant literature, but remember that you will conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the literature review section, so there’s no need to go too in-depth in the introduction.

Depending on your field, the importance of your research might focus on its practical application (e.g., in policy or management) or on advancing scholarly understanding of the topic (e.g., by developing theories or adding new empirical data). In many cases, it will do both.

Ultimately, your introduction should explain how your thesis or dissertation:

Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
Addresses a gap in the literature
Builds on existing research
Proposes a new understanding of your topic

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Perhaps the most important part of your introduction is your questions and objectives, as it sets up the expectations for the rest of your thesis or dissertation. How you formulate your research questions and research objectives will depend on your discipline, topic, and focus, but you should always clearly state the central aim of your research.

If your research aims to test hypotheses , you can formulate them here. Your introduction is also a good place for a conceptual framework that suggests relationships between variables .

Conduct surveys to collect data on students’ levels of knowledge, understanding, and positive/negative perceptions of government policy.
Determine whether attitudes to climate policy are associated with variables such as age, gender, region, and social class.
Conduct interviews to gain qualitative insights into students’ perspectives and actions in relation to climate policy.

To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.

I. Introduction

Human language consists of a set of vowels and consonants which are combined to form words. During the speech production process, thoughts are converted into spoken utterances to convey a message. The appropriate words and their meanings are selected in the mental lexicon (Dell & Burger, 1997). This pre-verbal message is then grammatically coded, during which a syntactic representation of the utterance is built.

Speech, language, and voice disorders affect the vocal cords, nerves, muscles, and brain structures, which result in a distorted language reception or speech production (Sataloff & Hawkshaw, 2014). The symptoms vary from adding superfluous words and taking pauses to hoarseness of the voice, depending on the type of disorder (Dodd, 2005). However, distortions of the speech may also occur as a result of a disease that seems unrelated to speech, such as multiple sclerosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aims to determine which acoustic parameters are suitable for the automatic detection of exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by investigating which aspects of speech differ between COPD patients and healthy speakers and which aspects differ between COPD patients in exacerbation and stable COPD patients.

Checklist: Introduction

I have introduced my research topic in an engaging way.

I have provided necessary context to help the reader understand my topic.

I have clearly specified the focus of my research.

I have shown the relevance and importance of the dissertation topic .

I have clearly stated the problem or question that my research addresses.

I have outlined the specific objectives of the research .

I have provided an overview of the dissertation’s structure .

You've written a strong introduction for your thesis or dissertation. Use the other checklists to continue improving your dissertation.

The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

A hook to catch the reader’s interest
Relevant background on the topic
Details of your research problem
A thesis statement or research question
Sometimes an outline of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarise the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

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George, T. & McCombes, S. (2022, September 09). How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction. Scribbr. Retrieved 3 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/introduction/

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How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)  

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading.

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an essay introduction paragraph with paperpal – step -by -step, how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:
Expository Essay Introduction Example

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail.

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction:

Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote.
Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic.
Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay.

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2

Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.
Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.
Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction:

Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading.
Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic.
State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay.
Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis.
Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic.
Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument.

Unsure of how to start your essay introduction? Leverage Paperpal’s Generative AI templates to provide a base for your essay introduction. Here’s an example of an essay outline generated by Paperpal.

Use the generated essay outline as your base for the introduction. If you’re stuck writing, you can use Paperpal’s Predictive AI writing features to continue writing.

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This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.

Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?”
Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher.
Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.”

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Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps:

Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.”
Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument.
Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.”
Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns.
Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.”

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement:

Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.”
State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.”
Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention.
Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.”

Examples of essay introduction

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays:

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.”

Expository Essay Introduction Example

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.”

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.”

Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic.
Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement.
Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined.
Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay.
Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay.

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Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3

Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote.
Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion.
Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific.
Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay.
Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis.
Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors.
Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further.

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how. For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.”

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness.

References

Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills .
West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617.
Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242.

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How to Write an Introduction to an Essay

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An Introduction to How to Write an Introduction

I once had a professor tell a class that he sifted through our pile of essays, glancing at the titles and introductions, looking for something that grabbed his attention. Everything else went to the bottom of the pile to be read last, when he was tired and probably grumpy from all the marking.

"Don't get put at the bottom of the pile," he said.

We don't want you, intrepid essay writer, to end up at the bottom of the pile because of poor essay writing. We want you to know how to write an introduction that grabs attention and gets noticed.

An essay introduction does exactly what its name implies: it introduces the subject of the paper to readers. Most importantly, it provides readers with a map of the overall paper. A good introduction captures readers' attention, tells them what the paper is about, and provides an outline of what is to come.

The introduction is quite possibly the most important part of an essay, but it can also be the hardest for some writers. Don't fret; we're here to provide you with some tips and guidelines for writing introductions and staying on top of the pile.

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Your essay introduction should follow a specific structure , which should be helpful in guiding your writing. When thinking about how to write an introduction, remember that it will be structured into three parts:

The background information

Your hook will be what grabs your reader (and keeps you from the bottom of that pile we mentioned earlier). The background information will give context to your topic or argument in a broad but relevant way. Finally, your thesis will summarize your overall argument in a sentence or two.

How to Write an Introduction to an Essay

Hook Your Reader

To really draw readers into the introduction to an essay , start with something attention grabbing. This can be a startling fact, an interesting anecdote, or a relevant quote from an expert.

Try not to lead with bland, factual statements or long, dry sentences when writing an introduction. The goal is to write something catchy and clear that will make the reader curious to read more.

For example, instead of saying

A gig economy is a labor market that relies heavily on temporary and part-time positions filled by independent contractors .

say something like

Most people would rather work to live than live to work, and the gig economy makes this possible .

Refer to our article about front matter for more ideas on how to write an introduction to your work. You can even present the point you are going to argue against.

Provide Background Information

In the introduction to an essay, provide readers with a little background or basic information about the topic you are covering. Start with the broader subject, and lead your readers to your specific topic. This is especially important when writing a book report. Show them how your topic relates to the bigger picture.

The background information you provide may vary, depending on the subject of your essay. If your essay is argumentative, for example, the background information in your introduction could be an outline of the argument you're positing. If your paper is more research oriented, this could mean a summary of theories that are relevant to the research you are presenting.

Overall, the background information should include broad information that provides context to help your reader understand the point you're trying to make in your essay. Effective introduction writing means always keeping the reader in mind!

Perfect Your Thesis Statement

The most important thing to include when writing an introduction is your thesis. A thesis statement is the main point of your paper; it is narrow, focused, and specific and very clearly explains your paper's topic.

Essentially, a thesis functions as a brief summary of your essay. It can be something you are arguing for or against. However, when writing your thesis, try to avoid including all of your topic's information at once. Keep it succinct: it's a claim you are making. Save the additional details to develop the rest of your essay.

In terms of positioning, the thesis should go at the very end of your essay introduction—don't forget to include it! Knowing how to write an introduction requires knowing that there's always a thesis at the end of it.

Outline Your Essay

After providing your readers with some background and a thesis in your essay introduction, an easy way to flesh out the rest of your essay is with an outline . Outlines are a useful way to organize your ideas and form connections between them. They can act as an essay blueprint to guide your writing, so you never have to wonder what to write next.

There are two types of common outlines you can use to organize your essay: an alphanumeric outline or a decimal outline. An alphanumeric outline combines letters and numbers, with each category being a single idea (I. Idea #1, A. Sub-idea #1, 1. Sub-sub-idea #1, etc.). A decimal outline is used the same way, but it uses numbers to differentiate the sections (1, 1.1, 1.1.1, etc.).

Whichever outline you choose after finishing your introduction writing, lay out your main points and arguments, preferably in the order in which you are going to discuss them. This is going to help you bring everything you outlined in your introduction together.

Essay Introduction Examples

To get a good sense of how to write an introduction, it helps to look at examples. Check out the following essay introduction example to get a sense of a good essay hook, the type of background information to include, and a good thesis statement.

Societies have long believed that if a black cat crosses one's path, one might have bad luck—but it was not until King Charles I's black cat died that the ruler's bad luck began (Pemberton, 2018). Indeed, for centuries, black cats have been seen as the familiars of witches—as demonic associates of Satan who disrespect authority (Yuko, 2021). Yet, they have also been associated with good luck, from England's rulers to long-distance sailors (Cole, 2021). This essay shows how outdated the bad luck superstition really is. It provides a comprehensive history of the belief and then provides proof that this superstition has no place in today's modern society. It argues that despite the prevailing belief that animals cause bad luck, black cats often bring what seems to be "good luck" and deserve a new reputation.

Use the structure above to help with writing an introduction, and check out more essay introduction examples here .

While introduction writing can seem tough at the outset, a good structure, like the one we've mentioned in this post, will guide your thinking as you write your essay.

Don't feel the need to write your introduction first if you're drawing a blank. Often, writers find it helpful to start with the body of their essay first so they know how to clearly convey their argument or topic in the introduction. For others, writing the introduction to an essay first helps guide the rest of their paper.

Regardless of how you write your introduction, as long as you remember the key elements (hook, background information, and thesis), you're sure to keep your paper from the bottom of your professor's pile!

Should I Write My Essay Introduction First?

Since some writers find introductions extremely hard to write, the simple answer to knowing when to start your introduction writing is to write it when it's easiest for you.

As we mentioned earlier, it may be easier to write the introduction last (and maybe even write the conclusion and back matter first). On the other hand, other writers find that writing introductions first helps them set the direction of their paper.

If you are struggling with how to write an introduction to your essay, put it aside for a while and continue with the body or conclusion of the paper. If you've written a good outline, you'll already know what topics you need to discuss, and your introduction will become clearer as you write.

What Is the Purpose of a Thesis Statement?

The purpose of a thesis statement in your essay introduction is to share your interpretation of the subject you're discussing. It's a one-sentence statement that acts as a road map, signaling to the reader what you're going to argue or explain in your essay. A thesis statement also offers a way for your reader to understand your subject, whether it be smoking, social media, or the Civil War.

Thesis statements are important given that the majority of writing in college involves some form of persuasion. Your goal is to convince readers that your point is logical and interesting enough to warrant attention. The good news is that once you've come up with your thesis statement, you can use it to settle on the evidence you'll need to develop and explain your argument throughout the rest of your essay. You won't be able to escape writing an introduction without it!

How Long Should My Essay Introduction Be?

When it comes to introduction writing, there is no rule for exactly how long an introduction should be. When writing your essay introduction, you have to consider the length of your overall paper, per your professor.

An appropriate length for your introduction in a five-page essay is about half a page, but if you are writing a 40-page paper, your introduction will span several pages and multiple paragraphs. It comes down to what's expected of you, and not every essay introduction will be the same length.

If you're still not sure how to write an introduction or determine its length, stick to the structure we've mentioned in this post: hook, background information, and thesis. It's a sure way to get your introduction finished and set your entire essay in motion.

Polish Your Conclusion to Leave an Impact on Your Reader

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Thesis Writing

Thesis Introduction

Writing a Thesis Introduction Like a Pro - Steps & Examples

10 min read

Published on: Oct 22, 2021

Last updated on: Feb 6, 2024

What is a Thesis Introduction?

Writing an introduction for a thesis is one of the most important parts of writing. It sets the stage and direction for your work, and helps you stay focused on whatâs at hand. In addition, it can be used as reference points throughout your research process.

The first chapter in any thesis document starts with an introductory paragraph that narrows down broad subject matter into more specific.

Thesis introductions are usually found after the table of contents page and give a broader research context. Remember that a good opening is essential for capturing the reader's interest.

Components of a Good Thesis Introduction

The following are the important thesis introduction parts that must be covered.

Topic and Context - What information should a reader have to grasp the thesis?
Scope and Focus - Which elements of the topic will be covered? It might be research gaps, queries, or issues.
Importance and Relevance - How your research work will contribute to the existing work on the same topic?
Objectives and Questions - What are the major research aims and objectives the and how they will be achieved?
Structure Overview - How will each chapter of the thesis contribute to the overarching goals?

How Long Should a Thesis Introduction be?

Your introduction is 10% of your paper which makes it the most important part. The PhD. thesis introduction should be between 8000 to 10000 words long. On the other hand, a Masters thesis introduction word count should be between 1500 to 2000.

However, the thesis introduction length might be extended if the writer incorporates photos, diagrams, and explanations.

Thesis Introduction Outline

The format of a thesis introduction chapter outline is as follows.

Take a look at the template below to get a sense of how the thesis introduction structure should be.

Thesis Introduction Outline Sample

How to Start a Thesis Introduction?

To begin a thesis introduction appropriately, follow the given steps

To write a successful paper, you must first identify an interesting topic that will keep readers engaged. Second, your introduction should be clear so they can understand what's going on between the text lines.

Brainstorm various thoughts and facts relating to your topic. Then, go through prior literature on the subject to thoroughly research it to grasp that concept or idea.

Choose the type of paper you are most comfortable using in your writing process. Keep in mind that the content should never be written in the first person.

Also, avoid including unnecessary details and be exact by utilizing correct language and grammar. When writing a thesis, using powerful phrases can assist you in defining the study objectives.

It is preferable to be aware of the audience to whom you are speaking. Similarly, work approaches, procedures, and literature should be introduced in accordance with your target audience.

In the following stage, organize and assemble the major arguments, concepts, and claims. A good idea will be useful in describing and presenting the thesis statement in the introduction.

Before beginning your thesis introduction, define the subject and the relevant themes. Going through it would make it easy for the reader to understand and get a decent idea of your topic.

How to Write a Thesis Introduction?

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you write a thesis introduction.

These steps of writing an introduction are discussed below in detail.

1. Capture the Readerâs Attention

A writer should begin the introduction with a hook sentence to draw the reader's attention. It can start with a quote, question, or an interesting transition into your argument.

Make a list of intriguing, present issues or events that are connected to your theme as well. It will assist in the development of a good opening and thesis statement .

2. Determine the Research Gap

Examine and evaluate the available literature. It will assist you in identifying and filling the research gaps.

3. Provide Background Information

An excellent thesis beginning always provides the historical context of the selected topic. It is generally referenced in the opening paragraph and illustrates the subject's present status.

4. Use Relevant Literature to Back Up Your Topic

The introduction combines previous research and the literature review. As a result, the topic should be backed up by relevant resources.

It's also used to explain the context and significance of previous research. It also acknowledges credible sources of information to back up your argument.

You can also check out this video for a better understanding:

5. Specify the Hypothesis

Create a hypothesis for your research paper . It will go through your goals as well as the options available to you.

6. Explain the Importance of Your Research

The gap will assist in assessing the situation and explaining the relevance of the current research.

Thus, provide your paper's goal, which explains why the study was conducted. It will also show the potential future contributions of the study work.

7. Outline the Research Questions

The next step is to compose an outline of your research questions. These should be relevant to the goal of your research. It will also aid you in discussing the issues you wish to address.

8. State Your Research Goals

To identify the fundamental purpose of the work, state the research goals and objectives. It should provide direction for the research by offering an outline of what it hopes to achieve.

9. Make an Outline

Make a well-structured outline to organize and assemble your ideas. Include a table of contents at the start of your dissertation as well. It could be used as a mind map to talk about the structure of your thesis proposal.

10. Examine the Research Methodology

In this stage, you have to identify and define the terms and methods you will use in your study. It is an effective method for making your research authentic, trustworthy, and valuable.

11. Complete Your Introduction

After you've finished writing the introduction, ask yourself the following questions.

Is your introduction concerned with the issue that your thesis seeks to address?
Does it make a case for the study?
Is this part concerned with the research's contribution?
Is it a thorough review of your thesis?
Is it precise in defining research topics, issues, and hypotheses?
Does it end by briefly addressing the topic of each chapter?

Take a look at this example and get a better understanding of writing the thesis introduction.

How to Write a Good Thesis Introduction

Thesis Introduction Examples

The following are examples of an introductory thesis paragraph to assist you in writing effective introductions.

Thesis Introduction Sample

School Canteen Thesis Introduction

Study Habits Thesis Introduction

PhD Thesis Introduction

Master Thesis Introduction Example

Bachelor Thesis Introduction Example

Thesis Defense Introduction Speech Sample

Thesis Chapter 1 Introduction Example

Thesis Introduction About Working Students Example

Useful Tips for Writing a Thesis Introduction

Here are some useful writing tips for writing a great thesis introduction.

Identify and Specify Research Parameters:

Define the Research Scope and Boundaries
Set Research Parameters in the Introduction

Provide Adequate Information to Back Up Claims:

Support Claims with Relevant Information
Present Evidence in the Introduction

Compose a Strong Introduction to Establish Scope and Goal:

Establish the Scope and Goal of the Work in the Introduction
Craft a Compelling Opening to Set the Tone and Direction

Solid Opening to Establish Scope and Aim:

Establish the Scope and Aim of the Work in the Opening
Create a Strong Opening Statement for the Introduction

Establishing Topic, Terms, and Scope:

Establish the Context and Parameters of the Research
Define the Topic, Terms, and Scope in the Introduction

Background Information for a Strong Foundation:

Provide Background Information
Establish a Solid Foundation with Background Details

Creating a Niche and Restricting Assertions:

Establish a Niche and Limiting Assertions in the Introduction
Create a Focused Framework for the Thesis in the Introduction

Guiding Future Research with Methodology:

Indicate the Methodology for Future Research in the Introduction
Guide Future Research with the Introduction's Methodological Overview

Overview of Present Research: Hypothesis, Questions, Aims:

Present the Research Overview in the Introduction
Introduce Hypotheses , Research Questions, and Aims in the Introduction

Unique and Plagiarism-Free Content:

Ensure Unique and Original Content
Maintain Academic Integrity with Plagiarism-Free Introduction

Consistent Thesis Format with Clear Facts:

Adhere to a Consistent Thesis Format
Present Clear Facts with a Consistent Format in the Introduction

Avoiding Technical Terms and Confusing Language:

Write in Clear Language, Avoiding Technical Terms
Maintain Clarity by Avoiding Confusing Language in the Introduction

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How to write an introduction chapter for a thesis

Louisa Hill is a Senior Teaching Fellow and delivers workshops for Postgraduate Researchers who want to teach.

When writing a thesis, you will need to write an introductory chapter. This chapter is critical as it is the first thing that the examiner will read and it is therefore important to make a good first impression.

A good introduction chapter should incite the reader to read the rest of the thesis by establishing the context of your topic, the motivation for undertaking your work and the importance of your research.

As a lecturer and supervisor, I have read many introductory chapters for research projects such as theses. Here is my advice to those undertaking a research project and writing a thesis.

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.

Give an overview of your research topic

Your discussion should then begin by detailing the broader aspects of the topic more, before focussing on the specific topic of your research. It is a good idea when you do this to assume that the reader knows nothing about your topic. Therefore definitions, drawing on key research, need to be clarified and explained. Alternatively, if having read key literature for the literature review chapter, you are not satisfied with existing definitions, then draw on these, to devise your own (but make it clear you have done this).

Detail how your research is going to make a contribution

You must then sell your idea for undertaking the research topic, demonstrating the main reasons why the research will make a significant contribution to the current body of research. This can be achieved by demonstrating a gap or limitation with existing research, then showing how your research will resolve this. There are different types of contribution (see Constructing Research Questions: Doing Interesting Research ).

Explain what your interest is in the topic

Next you need to demonstrate your personal reasons for choosing the topic. These could relate to your previous research, work or experiences.

List your research objectives

You need to include your three or four overarching research objectives. Also include corresponding research questions if it is a qualitative piece of research or hypotheses if it is quantitative-based. The former are usually derivatives of the research objectives. Note though that these objectives and questions or hypotheses are fluid in nature and can be tweaked as you undertake the research.

Give a forthcoming chapter overview

The final part of the introduction is an overview of the rest of the chapters in the thesis. The other sections can go in any order, providing it is a logical sequence.

Learn from others

Look at other theses for example from White Rose etheses or your university library’s website. The majority of journal articles that you will read in the content of your topic will also provide useful insights.

Speak with your supervisor

Remember to always speak with your supervisor and have regular catch-ups. They will be able to offer guidance and encouragement, and steer you in the right direction.

How To Write A Thesis Introduction: Secrets, Tips, Advice

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When you write a thesis, you should pay exceptional attention to the introduction. The reader will start your thesis from the introduction, and he will make up his view and understanding of the problem, your ideas, professionalism and writing skills based on the introduction. Your introduction is an important section that must be perfect. Good news that you can read our guide on how to write a thesis introduction of high quality or find thesis writer on our website. Keep reading and find out useful information, tips, and advice to create a successful project.

Thesis Introduction: How to Start?

A thesis introduction is the first special chapter of your work and the starting point of your paper. If to say shortly, you should describe the topic of your thesis, talk about problem statements and write persuasive points based on an overview of your work. Let's define the main purposes of your introduction?

Main Purposes

To introduce the topic: answer the hypothetical question of what the main reason is, what a thesis idea is and why it is relevant today?
To win the reader’s interest. Use persuasive but clear words and facts to make your introduction interesting for the reader. People should be interested in keeping reading your dissertation.
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 introduction should be placed in your thesis just after the table of contents. In this part, you have to provide readers with a good beginning to explain to them shortly what they will read in the document. You need to describe your research with its main purpose and direction. Below, you can find the main parts your introduction should contain:

Context and topic. Write about what your readers need to know to understand your thesis.
Scope and focus. Think about the certain aspect of the topic you want to address to your readers.
Importance and relevance. Your current research must fit into work that already was done on the chosen topic.
Objectives and questions. Define research problem, explain what's the main goal of your research and how good it gives all the needed information to readers.
Structure overview. Each chapter of your thesis must contain something useful to explain the main goal of the writing.

What Information Should You Give in the Thesis Introduction?

Give only meaningful, important and accurate information in your thesis and the introduction. Thanks to the details you give here, your reader should understand:

What is the topic of your paper;
What part of the general topic needs further investigations, research and why;
Your thesis statement.

Each paragraph has the number of steps you should follow, and the introduction is not an exception to this rule. Read the steps you should make when you write your introduction piece.

Writing a Thesis Introduction: Steps

These 12 steps that can be common despite the topic. However, some specific fields require more stages.

Introduce the topic of your research problem;
Give some general background information;
Make a short overview of related literature you have studied (the detailed view should be written in a literature review section);
Give the general idea of the scope of the topic you have chosen;
Describe in details the current situation concerning the problem;
Find the area or piece of the topic which is not researched yet or researched not enough;
Explain the relevance, importance of the research you are going to do;
State the main aims and objectives of your thesis;
Name the research question (questions) or problem (problems);
Give your hypotheses;
Show the structure;
Outline the methodology you used.

Your introduction is the only chance to catch the interest of your reader and to make the first impression. Remember the introductory part has the same importance as all other chapters of your dissertation you have to complete.

How to Make a Well-Structured Thesis Introduction?

Above, we have mentioned the main parts that must be included in the thesis or dissertation introduction. Let's see what information you need to write in each of those parts. Make sure you read all the points thoroughly to include all the needed elements to your writing.

Context and Topic

Start with the topic introduction and provide readers with a short background. Show why the chosen subject is important to make the audience interested. It means you should select a relevant topic for discussion.

Scope and Focus

Here you have to define the scope of your dissertation and focus of your research. For example, you can mention the area of your investigation, the time period of your research, the communities you're researching, or any other specific aspects of your dissertation.

Importance and Relevance

Try to explain your motivation for this research. Provide an overview of the current state of your study and don't forget to cite sources. You will make a more detailed view of all used sources in the literature review section of your manuscript. Show the importance of your research and how it helps to solve a particular problem.

Objectives and Questions

Pay a lot of attention to this part because here you set up the expectations of the rest of your work. Please focus on the main goal of your research to formulate your objectives and questions. Here you can provide the methods you used in your paper to answer these questions. You can write about it in detail in the methodology part. You can also include your hypotheses here. It's possible to include the hypotheses after the literature review.

Structure Overview

Your document must have a good structure to guide the reader through. Make an overview of the structure: write just 1-2 sentences to describe the content of each part of your thesis. But if the research is complicated, you can write a paragraph for each part to explain the document's structure.

How to Organize Your Work?

You don’t write your thesis in the same order as all the chapters appear in the outline. So how to organize your work effectively to complete your Ph.D. dissertation successfully?

You should organize your whole paper in a logical consequence and write your work using the informative language;
Find facts, figures, create infographics to illustrate your argument in details;
Define the main parts of the thesis: Background information; Facts you will use in the argument; Observations; Ways of connecting review, analysis, and conclusions; The main elements of the thesis.
Now you can start writing.

Length of Introduction

The length is an important issue. It shouldn’t take a lot of time to read it, but it should contain all the important points (please check them above). There are no special length requirements for thesis introduction, just be clear and don’t provide unnecessary information here. At the same time, there is no need to squeeze all your points in one page. Two or three pages will be quite enough. Read our guide to find out how long is a thesis paper or its separate chapter.

Rule ‘General - Specific – General’

It is a good rule you can follow not only in thesis introductions but many other writing papers. You should start your paper with a broad position - explain why the field for your research matters and why it is relevant.

After that, you can go to narrower things. Find points which lie in your niche, share and describe details, explain why they matter to your topic.

In the end, you should think wider again. Make connections between narrow and general things to show the effects and results of your research.

How to Write an Engaging Thesis Introduction: Tips

Read the next tips if you want to know how to write a thesis introduction in a good way.

Give the proper acknowledgment of previous research on which you are writing.
In the beginning, give your readers an understanding of how you are going to structure your thesis. What will they find in chapters?
Surprise the reader a little. Give something unexpected details: unique research or point of view, some facts or perspectives. Make your reader feel excited about reading.
Always talk about the best experience in the field: check and present the best examples that you have, the best literature review, and the best experience of other researchers.
Don’t use specific vocabulary in the beginning. It is like a door to your thesis for people to make it clear for understanding.
Don’t neglect to draft. This will help you to improve your work as in the case of any other chapter.
Use the simple present tense to state the topic/subject. Use simple past tense/present perfect tense for describing background information.
Don’t include a lot of citations. You can provide readers with all the used sources in the literature review chapter.

It’s not easy to write a good thesis introduction. We tried to give you all the necessary information because we knew that you might have difficulties with that. But if you feel unconfident, it’s a good idea to order your thesis from professionals. If you still have any questions, you can address them to our professional writers, they will answer you with pleasure. Contact experts to finish your project easily! Our English professionals can create a perfect Ph.D. thesis to shift your expectations!

How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be?

Crafting a perfect thesis requires a blend of creativity and precision. This sentence is the core message of your prep and outlines the trajectory for the ideas. It’s not merely a summary, but a focused assertion that leads your composition. ‘How long should a thesis statement be?’ is a regular query among students and scholars. Recognizing the optimal thesis length is critical when crafting a brief composition or an extended investigation.

Perfect Thesis Statement Length

When deciding how long a thesis statement should be, a simple word count is usually influenced by the extent of your project. Consider these guidelines:

Short Essays: For 5-8 page papers, usually a single, effectively constructed proposition is often sufficient.
Longer Papers: For more extensive essays, a two-sentence claim might be enough to fully express your key argument.
Word Count: Write a solid sentence between 20 and 50 words, based on your subject's complexity.

You should confirm that your central idea is direct, succinct, and focused, irrespective of how long is a thesis. The perfect argument’s length can vary, so identifying the right balance between conciseness and details is vital to maintaining its precision and interest.

The Role of the Thesis Statement

Identifying how many sentences is a thesis statement helps students create a more precise and effective argument. Before exploring examples, it's important to grasp the length of the statement and why it matters. A well-defined thesis not only addresses the central issue but also guides the audience on what to expect from your prep.

The response to ‘How long is a thesis paper?’ can be influenced by the thesis depth. A succinct and appropriately detailed core idea impacts your message’s effectiveness. An overly extended sentence may confuse readers, while a very brief one might omit essential details. Achieving the true balance is key to maintaining reader engagement.

Thesis Statement Examples

When thinking about how long should a thesis be in an essay, tailor it to fit the depth of your prep. For brief tasks (5-8 pages), a single, succinct key point often suffices. For longer essays, a two-sentence claim may be more appropriate. View some examples illustrating both approaches:

Short Essay Example: “In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the pursuit of knowledge leads characters to dangerous extremes, resulting in their downfall.”
Long Essay Example: “While Frankenstein explores the dangers of unchecked ambition, it also offers a nuanced view of scientific discovery, suggesting that the true peril lies not in knowledge itself but in its pursuit.”

These examples reflect how the claim’s length should stick to the paper’s scope and maintain conciseness and concentration.

See some well-crafted examples for a brief opinion essay:

While online instruction offers flexibility and accessibility, educational institutions must ensure rigorous standards and provide adequate support to prevent inequities in student learning outcomes.
Stricter gun control laws are important for reducing gun violence and guaranteeing public safety, as they help prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands and reduce the frequency of mass shootings.
Legalizing marijuana would not only generate significant tax revenue and reduce the burden on the criminal justice system but also augment public health by providing safer, regulated access to cannabis.

These sentences demonstrate ‘How long does a thesis statement have to be’, impacted by the discourse’s complexity and scope. Tailor your central claim to your prep’s demands, ensuring it is neither too brief nor excessively elaborate.

Revising Your Thesis Statement

Revising your main idea is just as essential as crafting it initially. How long is a thesis statement supposed to be? What should its tone be? As you advance in the investigation, your understanding of the matter may evolve, leading to changes in key arguments. Revisiting and refining your central idea is critical.

‘How long are thesis statements’ can vary significantly based on your prep’s specific needs. Regular revision helps keep your central argument consistent with your assignment’s content and objectives.

Final Thoughts

To wrap up, the central claim’s length is crucial for shaping your paper’s structure and clarity. For a short or extended piece, aim for a concise comprehensive thesis, typically between 20-50 words. By carefully considering how many sentences should a thesis statement be, you can build a captivating main proposition that effectively leads your audience. Also, think of how long are thesis statements to strengthen your key proposition. If you require any assistance perfecting your central claim, discover our tools such as the precise AI Essay Detector and the swift College Essay Generator to develop your writing.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

Start with a question
Write your initial answer
Develop your answer
Refine your thesis statement

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What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

Why you hold this position
What they’ll learn from your essay
The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

Ask a question about your topic .
Write your initial answer.
Develop your answer by including reasons.
Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction
Overview of the structure. To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.
How to write a good thesis introduction
Learn how to identify your readership, hook the reader, provide relevant background, and preview key points in your thesis introduction. Find tips, examples, and FAQs to help you write a clear and concise introduction.
How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)
The thesis introduction, usually chapter 1, is one of the most important chapters of a thesis. It sets the scene. It previews key arguments and findings. And it helps the reader to understand the structure of the thesis. In short, a lot is riding on this first chapter. With the following tips, you can write
How to Write the Thesis Or Dissertation Introduction
1. Research Background - Writing a Dissertation Introduction. This is the very first section of your introduction. Building a background of your chosen topic will help you understand more about the topic and help readers know why the general research area is problematic, interesting, central, important, etc.
How to Write a Thesis Introduction (with Examples)
What Types of Information Should Be Included in Your Thesis Introduction? After days and nights of researching, typing, and editing, the general average thesis length ends up at around 20-50 pages. A PhD dissertation, usually tougher, can go up to 90-500 pages long.
Easily understand how to write a PhD thesis introduction
An effective PhD thesis introduction does three things: 1. Establish your research territory (by situating your research in a broader context) One of the first things the introduction should do is to provide general statements that outline the importance of the topic and provide enough background information so that the reader can understand ...
How to Write an Essay Introduction
Table of contents. Step 1: Hook your reader. Step 2: Give background information. Step 3: Present your thesis statement. Step 4: Map your essay's structure. Step 5: Check and revise. More examples of essay introductions. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.
How To Write A Dissertation Introduction Chapter
Craft an enticing and engaging opening section. Provide a background and context to the study. Clearly define the research problem. State your research aims, objectives and questions. Explain the significance of your study. Identify the limitations of your research. Outline the structure of your dissertation or thesis.
Writing a Research Paper Introduction
Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
How to Write a Thesis Introduction
Stages in a thesis introduction. state the general topic and give some background. provide a review of the literature related to the topic. define the terms and scope of the topic. outline the current situation. evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify the gap. identify the importance of the proposed research.
Writing a Dissertation: A Complete Guide
How long should a dissertation introduction be? The unofficial rule is 10 percent of the entire paper , so if your dissertation is 20,000 words, your introduction should be about 2,000 words. Keep in mind this is a rough estimate, as your introduction could vary.
Length
And if you are writing a Masters thesis of 15,000 - 20,000 words, your introduction could be 1,500 - 2,000 words long. Exegeses tend to be anywhere between seven to 12 pages in length (1.5 cm spacing) and include images and/or diagrams. Theses that generally have longer introductions do so because they incorporate more substantial background ...
How to Write a Research Paper Introduction
Generally speaking, a good research paper introduction includes these parts: 1 Thesis statement. 2 Background context. 3 Niche (research gap) 4 Relevance (how the paper fills that gap) 5 Rationale and motivation. First, a thesis statement is a single sentence that summarizes the main topic of your paper.
Thesis Introduction
A: An answer to this question is not easy to give. In general, the introduction should be around 10% of the word count of the thesis. If you are working on a PhD thesis, the intro will be anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 words. In the case of a Masters thesis, you are probably looking at just 1,500 to 2,000 words.
How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction
Overview of the structure. To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.
How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)
Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3. Hook the Reader: Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader's attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. Provide Background: Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion.
How to Write an Introduction to an Essay
Hook Your Reader. To really draw readers into the introduction to an essay, start with something attention grabbing. This can be a startling fact, an interesting anecdote, or a relevant quote from an expert. Try not to lead with bland, factual statements or long, dry sentences when writing an introduction.
How to Write an Introduction, With Examples
In general, introductions should be short. If your topic requires extensive background to understand, it's best to dedicate a few paragraphs to this after the introduction. How to write a thesis statement. Every good introduction needs a thesis statement, a sentence that plainly and concisely explains the main topic. Thesis statements are ...
Beginner's Guide to Write a Great Thesis Introduction
The PhD. thesis introduction should be between 8000 to 10000 words long. On the other hand, a Masters thesis introduction word count should be between 1500 to 2000. However, the thesis introduction length might be extended if the writer incorporates photos, diagrams, and explanations.
What Is a Thesis?
A thesis statement is a very common component of an essay, particularly in the humanities. It usually comprises 1 or 2 sentences in the introduction of your essay, and should clearly and concisely summarize the central points of your academic essay. A thesis is a long-form piece of academic writing, often taking more than a full semester to ...
How to write an introduction chapter for a thesis
When writing a thesis, you will need to write an introductory chapter. This chapter is critical as it is the first thing that the examiner will read and it is therefore important to make a good first impression. A good introduction chapter should incite the reader to read the rest of the thesis by establishing the context of your topic, the ...
How To Write A Thesis Introduction Like a Pro
Each paragraph has the number of steps you should follow, and the introduction is not an exception to this rule. Read the steps you should make when you write your introduction piece. Writing a Thesis Introduction: Steps. These 12 steps that can be common despite the topic. However, some specific fields require more stages.
How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be?
When thinking about how long should a thesis be in an essay, tailor it to fit the depth of your prep. For brief tasks (5-8 pages), a single, succinct key point often suffices. For longer essays, a two-sentence claim may be more appropriate. View some examples illustrating both approaches: Short Essay Example: "In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ...
How to Write a Thesis Statement
Step 2: Write your initial answer. After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process. The internet has had more of a positive than a negative effect on education.

How to write a good thesis introduction

1. Identify your readership

How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

Elements of a fantastic thesis introduction

Ways to capture the reader’s attention

Start by providing data or statistics

Begin with a problem

Emphasising the thesis’ relevance

Define a clear research gap

Describe the scientific relevance of the thesis

Describe the societal relevance of the thesis

Write down the thesis’ core claim in 1-2 sentences

Consider possible objections

Providing a captivating preview of findings

Give a taste of the thesis’ empirical analysis

Presenting a crystal clear thesis structure

Briefly summarise all chapters to come

Master Academia

How to Write the Thesis Or Dissertation Introduction – Guide

What Goes Inside an Introduction

Steps of Writing a Dissertation Introduction

1. Research Background – Writing a Dissertation Introduction

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2. Significance of the Research

3. Research Problem

4. Research Question(s)

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6. Research Limitations

7. Outline of the Dissertation

Topic Discussion versus Topic Introduction

Dissertation Introduction Samples & Examples

FAQs about Dissertation Introduction

What is the purpose of an introduction chapter?

How do you start an introduction in a dissertation?

How long should a dissertation introduction be?

Dissertation Introduction Checklist

How to Write a Thesis Introduction (with Examples)

What Types of Information Should Be Included in Your Thesis Introduction?

Have an attention-grabbing opening

Provide context and the importance of the topic

Engage through specific questions that your research addresses

Thesis Introduction Tips

Know your audience

Refer to your thesis proposal or notes

Use Assistant AI tools to help with writing and proofreading

Make sure you clearly state your topic, aims, and objectives

Explain why your research matters

3 Thesis Introduction Examples to Inspire You

Communications Example

Environmental Science Example

Education Example

How do you start an introduction for a thesis?

What is an example of a thesis statement in an introduction?

What is a good way to start a thesis statement?

How do you start writing a thesis?

Easily understand how to write a PhD thesis introduction

What is the purpose of a PhD thesis introduction?

How to structure an PhD thesis introduction

Your PhD thesis. All on one page.

Common problems when writing your introduction

Providing too much detail

Not providing enough detail

Launching into too much detail

Not following a coherent structure so that the reader is left confused

Using too much technical language not properly defined

Conducting a literature review

Finalising your thesis introduction

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How To Write A Dissertation Introduction

Overview: Writing An Introduction Chapter

A quick sidenote:

Start with why.

The 7 Essential Ingredients

#1 – The Opening Section

#2 – Background to the study

#3 – The research problem

#4 – The research aims, objectives and questions

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)  