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Experts Guide on Writing a Strong Research Paper Introduction

research paper introduction

We often get stuck with ‘how to begin’ when it comes to writing any paper, and if it is a research paper, then the task becomes more daunting. Although, we understand the significance of writing a strong introduction for a research paper, have you ever asked my paper writer how to begin and what to write in the introduction paragraph? This article will help you understand how to write a strong and effective research paper introduction by discussing what are the objectives of the introduction and what to include in the introduction paragraph. Let us first understand what a research paper introduction means.

What does Research Paper Introduction Mean?

An introduction is the very first paragraph of your research paper. The introduction gives the overview of the topic or issues you are assessing along with including a brief context so that the readers get a grasp of the scenario- present and past, the significance of your research, the scope and limitations of your research and the objective of your study. It is the introduction that creates the first impression on the readers.

Constructing a strong introduction for your research paper is significant not because it allows the readers to know what your paper is about but more of why your research is necessary and why it needs to be studied and understood. The key to writing a strong and compelling introduction is to clearly introduce your topic, give a background, present an objective, state the reason for studying particular research paper topics, and pique the readers’ interest.

When you have understood what you should include in the introduction paragraph, you have to focus on how you are going to include them as that will decide whether your introduction attracts and engages the readers to go through the whole paper or not. You can seek assistance from the experts of PenMyPaper if you want help with your research paper assignments.

Purpose of Research Paper Introduction

The research paper introduction is an important part of the whole research paper as it contains the important aspects of your research. Students rack their brains to come up with a great compelling research paper title, but the title itself is not enough to let the readers understand clearly what your research paper is about. It is the introduction that contains important information of what your paper is about. The purposes that the research paper introduction paragraph serve is that it:

  • Gives an overview of the issue you are assessing
  • States the significance of your study
  • Explains why readers should read your paper
  • Engages your readers

To achieve success in your research paper assignments, you must first learn how to write a research paper effectively, and PenMyPaper can help you with that easily.

Components of a Good Research Paper Introduction

Students often fail to engage the readers in reading their research paper because they don’t know what they should include in their research paper introduction. Irrelevant information and the absence of some vital information in the introduction make it difficult for the readers to follow the paper and they don’t continue reading it further. The introduction being the first paragraph the readers begin to read must include the following components:

  • Topic Overview: To introduce the topic, you can plot an interesting or intriguing hook that could be a quotation, fact, question etc. The hook must be relevant to your topic and should be short yet strong, relevant and captivating.
  • Background context: Refer to a background context to help the readers get a grasp on the subject and show that you have gone through past studies and executed well on how to write a literature review on the topic.
  • Rationale: Provide justification for why your research is important and why the issue is to be addressed now. You can connect the issue with the present scenario or discuss an issue that has been studied before that had a gap and show how your research will help fill that gap.
  • Thesis statement: A thesis statement demonstrates the objective and position of your paper. For instance, if you introduce a research question, then your thesis should provide an answer to that question backed up with facts and evidence. The thesis statement is a statement that gives a succinct of your research topic and is contentious and rational. It should be unique and authentic and should be relevant and appropriate for your topic.

PenMyPaper recommends preparing a research paper outline before you start writing your research paper as it will guide you in structuring and arranging your ideas and the information you have gathered in your final paper.

How to Construct a Research Paper Introduction Paragraph

By far you must have grasped what you should include in your research paper introduction, now it’s time to learn how you should compose a captivating and effective introduction for your research paper so that it grabs the readers’ attention and compels them to go through your paper.

As per PenMyPaper, you must first have a thorough understanding of your assignment and the subject you choose to study. Understanding and researching the topic in-depth is very important as this will help you compose your paper efficiently, whether you are beginning to write the research introduction or research paper conclusion.

Listed below are some suggestions that will help you develop an effective introduction for your research paper:

Start with an Intriguing Hook: A hook is a statement that is used at the beginning of the introduction that aims to grab the readers’ attention and get them hooked into reading the whole paper. You can look into online academic help on how to write a hook. The key here is to craft an interesting, intriguing, involving and provocative plot that will excite the readers to continue reading the whole part. You are to also keep in mind that the hook sentence must relate to your topic. A hook can be a quotation, an interesting fact, an intriguing question, a statistical fact, or a solid assertion.

Introduce the topic: Going with the natural flow, introduce the topic as you are inserting the hook sentence. The hook statement doesn’t necessarily introduce the topic instead it acts as an attention-grabbing sentence that attracts the attention of the readers and develops a curiosity that urges them to read further. You have to naturally introduce your theme or topic as you are inserting the hook statement.

Provide a Background: A background refers to the context of the topic you are discussing in your research paper. Providing background information or idea regarding the topic is important as it creates readers’ interest in your research argument. It also allows them to understand why your research is significant and the reason why you have chosen such a topic. It will also show that you have explored the topic in detail.

Present a Rationale: By rationale, it means the justification or reasoning you provide as to why you have chosen to research the particular topic. You emphasize why studying a particular topic is important. You have to provide logical reasons as to why you have chosen to study a particular topic and state its importance and also discuss the gaps you have noticed that your study intends to fill. In simple terms, you are to provide fundamental reasons that rationalize the necessity for your research.

Compose Research Questions: The objective of every research paper is to find answers to the research questions. So, compose the research questions before starting your work so that you don’t deviate from your goal. A research question signifies the questions your research is aimed to provide answers to. This requires you to research your topic well so that you can discover a gap or limitation in previous studies or contribute to knowledge.

State your Objectives: You have to present what you expect to achieve from your study. The research objectives are to find answers to the research questions and provide evidence to back up your claim or argument. Based on the type of your research and what questions you seek to answer, the objectives of the study will vary. You may want to test a hypothesis, find out a fact, add to the knowledge and education, examine something etc.

Draft a Thesis Statement: Typically, you end your introduction para with a thesis statement. It covers the central idea of your research topic. It includes your claim about the topic that you are intending to prove throughout your research paper. The thesis statement asserts the purpose of your study. A strong thesis allows the readers to get an idea of how you will be discussing the aspects of your research topic and what approach you have taken. The thesis statement also acts as a guide that helps you prepare every paragraph to support your theme claim or argument.

Sketch out your paper: As a final part of the introduction, this is an overview of the paper where you can add some specifics about the research methodology, scope and limitations of your paper and give an idea to the readers of how you have planned your paper and also allows them to know what to expect.

Examples of Research Paper Introduction

Here are some research paper introduction examples that you can go through to grab an idea on how you should compose one.

Example 1: Argumentative Study

Hook Statement: Are cows to blame for climate change?

Background Information on the topic: According to a latest study (RIVM, 2019), cattle breeders are responsible for two-thirds of agricultural nitrogen releases in the Netherlands. Nitrogen in manure can breakdown into ammonia and reach the surface, resulting in these emissions. Agriculture, according to the study’s estimations, is the country’s main cause of nitrogen emissions, accounting for 46 per cent of overall emissions. When compared, households and road traffic account for 6.1 per cent each, while the industrial sector accounts for 1 per cent.

Research Problem: While initiatives to reduce emissions are being taken, officials are hesitant to acknowledge the magnitude of the problem. The solution provided here is extreme, but it is appropriate for the problem.

Thesis Statement: According to this study, the Dutch government should encourage and assist farmers who practice animal husbandry, particularly cattle ranchers, to convert to a sustainable vegetable cultivation.

Overview of the Paper: This study first proves the insufficiency of present mitigation initiatives, then goes over the numerous benefits of the suggested solutions, and lastly answers any potential economic objections to the proposal.

Example 2: Empirical Study

Hook Statement: Body image concerns have become more prevalent among women and girls as a result of growth of social media.

Overview of the Previous Research: This connection has gotten a lot of scholarly attention: several exploratory studies on the use of Facebook by adolescent girls have been undertaken. The interactive and immersive features of the platforms have repeatedly been demonstrated to have significant impacts on body image concerns and self- confidence issues in these researches. Regardless, Instagram and other highly visual social media have yet to be thoroughly investigated.

Research Question that is found as a gap in the literature: This study aims to fill that research void.

Hypothesis concerning the results and answers to the research question: We explored the impact of regular Instagram usage on the incidence of body dysmorphia among adolescent girls. Regular and frequent Instagram use was hypothesized to be linked to an upsurge in body dysmorphia and anxiety and resulted in lowered self-esteem.

Some Words to Boost your Confidence

Students can easily freak out when given a research paper assignment. Research assignments are time-taking, tedious and challenging. Crafting an engaging and compelling introduction is as important as conducting your research papers. A strong and great dissertation introduction adds to the success of your paper. The key to a great introduction is to remain concise yet compelling, keep clarity in your research problems and research objectives and craft it in a well-organized manner. Hopefully, this guide will help you with your research paper introduction. But if you still have further concerns, please feel free to get in touch with PenMyPaper. You can consider paying for essays from us as we have a team of experienced and brilliant academic writers who can assist you in your academic assignments.

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