Information
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
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.
