Every academic paper has a clear and defined structure with the appropriate format students must follow. In most instances, academic papers usually have the topic, the introduction part, the main body, and the conclusion. A dissertation paper, too, requires students to present information in a clear manner in every section. That is why this article elaborates on the details of the dissertation introduction chapter and how to go about it.
Did you know that when writing a dissertation paper, the introduction part is the last section to write? However, this doesn’t imply that you ignore the section when writing the main body section. Before you even start the research, you should already have a rough dissertation introduction when submitting the proposal. This will help you to determine why you want to research a particular topic or area.
This means you will be updating the intro part more often, and that is why you need to consider polishing it as the final part of writing your dissertation.
Why writing a dissertation introduction is essential
Writing the dissertation introduction is crucial o the entire research project because it gives the reader a full overview of the whole paper and explains why the research on the specific topic is important to you and your course. Again, the introduction part of the dissertation explains how your research will enhance the understanding of the topic. So, how do you ensure you write the best dissertation introduction? Read below.
Tips to help you write a dissertation introduction
Before we explore a step-by-step guide to writing an introduction for a dissertation, some of the tips that will help you include:
- Creating a dissertation introduction outline
This is a simplified guide that will guide you on the elements to put in your introduction part of the dissertation. This tip is significant to ensuring you don’t miss out on something.
- Check other dissertation introduction samples
Reading other written samples is a great way to have an idea of what you should include in your dissertation introduction chapter. You can get such samples from the library or from online platforms.
- Discuss how to write a dissertation introduction with other students
Of course, you will have other people also undertaking the dissertation paper. Discuss various ways to craft a perfect dissertation introduction that will hook the reader.
Note: there are many other tips to help you craft an incredible dissertation introduction, but you can start with the above tips as you improve bit by bit.
Writing the introduction of a dissertation: a step-by-step guide
The following steps will help you understand how to start your dissertation introduction to bring out the best of the whole paper:
- Topic and context introduction
Here, you give the reader the relevant background information to your topic. You can mention a problem, a debate, or any news related to your topic. This will show the reader how relevant the topic is.
- Explain the focus
Now, let the reader know your area of interest. Include ideas like your geographical area of interest and the period your research has to cover. Don’t forget to address the theme of your dissertation here.
- Show the relevance of the research
Here, you want to let the reader know how your research relates to the topic and if the research will shed some light on the topic. Also, explain how the dissertation relates to your academic field.
- Highlight your objectives and aims
Of course, when writing a dissertation, you have the aim, i.e., what do you want to find out? And the objectives, i.e., how did you find out?
Also, explain whether your concerns are associated either with social class, gender, or age.
- Create a dissertation structure overview
This helps the reader understand the summary of each chapter and how it relates to the main topic.
When describing each chapter, keep the overview simple and concise.
Conclusion
Writing a dissertation introduction chapter requires you to pay attention to even the finer details. This is a section that guides the reader through the entire paper, and it must be done right.
