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Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION




1.9. Introduction Section


Introductory chapters should fulfill two basic functions. These are to provide the necessary preliminary information to the audiences and to grab the reader's attention to the text. In order to provide the necessary preliminary information, authors can write their introductions with background information, conceptual frameworks or historical backgrounds. The type of introduction to be written here depends on the author's preference and the requirements of the text structure. According to Murray (2013) although “being interesting” is one of the last things you want to say about your academic paper, in order to grab your audiences’ attention, you need to wary about the topic you worked on branded as “important” in your subject area.  Also, that theories that are interesting deny certain assumptions of their audiences. Thus, introduction section should emphasize the importance and study’s originality that change the perspective. In this point, Belcher (2019) suggests starting to academic writing with gripping first sentence such as a telling anecdote, a striking depiction of your subject, an aggressive summary of the literature, a dire social problem, an intriguing thought puzzle, or a solid claim about the significance of your topic.     

Subject opening:

Since the identification of the Zika virus in Brazil in early 2015, the virus has spread rapidly throughout the Americas. (Rasmussen et al. 2016)

(For an article about the relationship between the virus and birth defects)

Anecdotal opening:

When I was growing up in New York City, my parents used to take me to an event in Inwood Park at which Indians—real American Indians dressed in feathers and blankets—could be seen and touched by children like me. This event was always a disappointment. (Tompkins, 1986)

(For an article analyzing US textbooks’ presentation of indigenous peoples’ role in US history)

Critical opening:

“Historians have been much more concerned with explaining questions surrounding how Africans produced, transported, and sold captives than with exploring African strategies against the slave trade.” (Diouf 2003)

(For an article about Guinea Bissauans’ strategies for resisting the slave trade)

Significance opening:

Few children’s movies can rival the success of The Lion King or the controversy that has surrounded it since it was first shown commercially in 1994. (Martin-Rodriguez, 2000).

(For an article about Latina/o immigration to the United States as the anxious subtext of a Disney film)

Historical opening:

In the 1970s and 1980s, amid concerns over the negative effects of concentrated urban poverty and suburban resistance to the encroachment of public housing, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) slowed the construction of new large-scale public housing projects and increased the use of Section 8 certificates and vouchers to subsidize low-income households in the private rental market (Marr, 2005). 

(For an article about tactics that community workers used to help low-income families gain housing when landlords were suspicious of Section 8 vouchers)

Argumentative opening:

Civic education is important. (Blair 2003)

(For an article arguing that civic education is essential to a functioning democracy)

Introductions play a dual role: these provide readers with basic background information and aim to capture their attention. Authors achieve the former by including background details, conceptual frameworks, or historical contexts. The choice of introduction style depends on the author's preference and the structural requirements of the text. To effectively attract the attention of readers, the importance and originality of the topic is emphasized. For example, one might start with an engaging opening sentence such as an anecdote, literature summary, a thought-provoking question, or a statement that emphasizes the importance of the topic.


» 1.9.1. Statement of the Problem

The "Statement of the Problem" is a critical introduction component. It briefly describes the research gap or problem your study aims to address. A well-articulated problem statement offers the reader a clear understanding of what the study seeks to resolve and provides a framework for setting your research objectives and questions (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). It is essential to ensure that the problem is neither too broad nor too narrow; both extremes can make the study less impactful (Ellis & Levy, 2008).

Here is an example of problem statement from “Driscoll, D. L. (2011). Connected, disconnected, or uncertain: student attitudes about future writing contexts and perceptions of transfer from first year writing to the disciplines. Across the Disciplines, 8(2).”:

This article begins by providing a review of relevant research concerning transfer of writing knowledge, theories of transfer, and issues related to motivation and perceived course value. Next, the article discusses the method of inquiry and context for the study. Results from the study are followed by a discussion of findings. The article closes by presenting teaching strategies and techniques to facilitate the transfer of writing knowledge both in FYC and in disciplinary writing contexts. As this study will demonstrate, the attitudes that students bring with them about writing impact their perceptions of the transferability of writing knowledge; because we know transfer of learning is an "active" process, these attitudes may be detrimental to their ability to learn and effectively use prior writing knowledge in disciplinary courses (Driscoll, 2011, p. 2).

Students' Difficulty with Transfer Across the Disciplines Evidence for the complexity of writing transfer in FYC and across the disciplines is evident in the work done by Herrington (1984), McCarthy (1987), Walvoord and McCarthy (1990), Beaufort (2007), Bergmann and Zepernick (2007), and Wardle (2007). Nearly all of the research on writing transfer indicates that if students fail to recognize similar features in diverse writing contexts and tasks, then the transfer of writing skills will most likely be unsuccessful. Although students often have been taught writing processes and skills that would assist them throughout their educational careers, these studies show that they are often unable to draw upon that knowledge and instead perceive each situation as entirely new and foreign. In her qualitative examination of the writing in two college chemistry courses, Herrington (1984) found that students believed that the writing tasks and required skills in each course were very different despite the many similarities Herrington found between the tasks (p. 331). Herrington also discovered that each course represented a unique learning situation where students needed to learn how to adapt their prior knowledge in order to be successful (Driscoll, 2011, p. 2).

As you can see from the example above, after drawing the main framework and explaining main concepts Driscoll (2011) created separate sub-heading as “Students’ Difficulty with Transfer Across the disciplines” in her introduction section. In this article she tried to explore connections between theories of student attitudes and motivation with theories of transfer to investigate their relationship. Thus, she tried to clarify what she has done and to addressing the gap the study’s filled by explaining students’ current writing transfer problems according to main studies in literature.

The below table shows how to organize the structure of an opening paragraph according to the themes of the “general topic”, “what the literature has found”, “missing aspects or unanswered questions”, “the aim of the study”, and “the study approach”. By structuring the information in this way, it clarifies the purpose, findings, gaps, and aims of the study within the broader context of the research on bullying, parenting, and cultural influences.

In summary, when stating the problem, it is important to pay attention to how wide or narrow the impact area of the study is. For example, information and theories synthesized from existing literature can form the framework of the research. Research can reveal the complexity of the problem, and this claim can be based on data compiled from other studies. The study contributes to this gap in the literature by aiming to investigate the relationship between the variables subject to research.

 


» 1.9.2. Significance of the Study

Highlighting the significance of the study allows you to make a compelling case for why your research matters. It explains how the research contributes to existing literature, fills a research gap, or solves a practical problem. This stage gives the reader why he/she should read the work and the aspects in which the work stands out from others. The significance of the study should be discussed both at a theoretical level, contributing to academic discourse, and a practical level, impacting policy or real-world applications (Rossig & Prätsch, 2005; Creswell & Creswell, 2017). Asking the right questions is the key to obtaining scientific and consistent answers. It's crucial to back your claims with existing literature to build credibility and position your work within the larger scientific dialogue (Hart, 1998).

A well-crafted introduction sets the stage for a compelling and academically rigorous paper. By clearly stating the problem and outlining the significance of your study, you can attract a wider audience, generate more impactful discussions, and contribute effectively to your field of research. Here is an example of Significance of the Study paragraph from “Driscoll, D. L. (2011). Connected, Disconnected, or Uncertain: Student Attitudes about Future Writing Contexts and Perceptions of Transfer from First Year Writing to the Disciplines. Across the Disciplines, 8(2).”:

Transfer is not just an issue for first-year composition (FYC) faculty; disciplinary faculty depend on writing knowledge to transfer. In fact, universities hold an institutional assumption that knowledge, skills, and techniques gained in FYC are able to transfer to other contexts—disciplinary, civic, personal, and professional. FYC is understood to provide students with functional literacy in academic prose; without successful transfer, disciplinary faculty may be forced to spend time teaching basic writing strategies rather than advanced disciplinary writing skills or other course content (Driscoll, 2011).

As it can be seen from this example, Driscoll (2011) explained transferring skills’ importance by

  • its effects on learning,
  • importance in FYC,
  • different aspects and contexts of transferring,
  • and what would it be without successful transfer.

The significance of the research is crucial in justifying the importance of your research effort. It describes how your work contributes to existing science, addresses a gap in research, or solves a practical problem. By contextualizing your work within broader academic discourse and real-world applications, you give readers compelling reasons to engage with your work. Driscoll (2011) exemplifies this by emphasizing the centrality of writing transfer skills across disciplines, highlighting its important role in academic literacy and the potential consequences of ineffective transfer on educational outcomes.


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