Introductions
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
1. state the general topic and give some background
2. provide a review of the literature related to the topic
3. define the terms and scope of the topic
4. outline the current situation
5. evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages) and identify the gap
6. identify the importance of the proposed research
7. state the research problem/ questions
8. state the research aims and/or research objectives
9. state the hypotheses
10. outline the order of information in the thesis
11. outline the methodology
How to write a good thesis introduction
For many people, getting started with the thesis introduction is the most scary part. Writing introductions
can be intimidating. At this point, most of your research/prep work should be done and you should be ready
to start your introduction. But often, it is not clear what needs to be included and how to make a good first
impression to your reader. If you feel stuck at this point not knowing how to start, this guide can help.
First of all, make sure to really start with the introduction. If you are having trouble putting together a good
introduction, start with a placeholder. That placeholder does not need to be as strong as you would like it to
be, but you can always come back to it and edit it. Having a brief introduction that sets the direction will
help you a lot as you write. Waiting to write the introduction until the end can le ave you with a poorly written
setup to an otherwise well-written paper.
A good introduction draws readers in while providing the setup for the entire paper. There is no single way
to write an introduction that will always work for every topic, but the poin ts below can act as a guide. These
points can help you write a good thesis introduction:
1. Identify your readership
Before even starting with your first sentence, ask yourself the question who your readers are. Your first and
most important reader is your professor grading your work and the people ultimately responsible for you
getting your diploma. 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 which will make your thesis better
understandable and more enjoyable overall.
2. Hook the reader and grab their attention
The first sentence of the paper is crucial. Looking back at your own research, how many papers have you
skipped just because reading the first few sentences they couldn't grab your attention? It is common to start
with a question or quotation, but these types of hooks have become overused. The best way to start your
introduction is with a sentence that is broad and interesting and seamle ssly transitions into your argument.
Also, starting with a broader statement will appeal to a wider audience. Consider who the paper is aimed at
informing and then think of something that would grab their attention. Make a list of what is interesting
about your topic. Are there any current events it relates to or controversies associated with it that might be
interesting for your introduction? Start out broad and then narrow down to your specific topic and thesis
statement.
3. Provide relevant background
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.
4. Give the reader a general knowledge of what the paper is about
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 (if you haven't already in the first sentence)
Describe the topic and scope of your research
Explain the practical relevance of your research
Explain the scientific situation related to your topic - you can include the most important scientific
articles and briefly explain them and how they are related to your research
5. Preview key points and lead into thesis statement
The introduction to your thesis should preview what is to come and interest the reader with enough
understanding of the key points, but still leave the best for the main part. While the body of your thesis will
explain the main argument, you might want to lead into the thesis statement by briefly bringing up a few of
your main supporting details.
