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How to Write the Introduction Chapter of Your Dissertation
  • Jan 2025
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How to Write the Introduction Chapter of Your Dissertation

7th January 2025

Starting the introduction chapter of your dissertation or thesis can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry, you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll break down the 7 key elements of a strong introduction, offering clear advice on how to make each part of it shine.

Plus, we’ll share practical tips to help you improve your writing and get your introduction just right.

A quick sidenote

You may see me using "dissertation" and "thesis" in the same way. While these terms refer to different types of research—like Masters-level versus PhD-level, the introduction chapter includes the same 7 key elements, no matter which one you're working on.

So, for this article, when we talk about the dissertation introduction, we’re also referring to the thesis introduction.

Begin with why

Start by understanding why your introduction matters. To write a strong dissertation or thesis introduction, you need to know its purpose. This chapter’s job is to introduce your research to the reader, making sure they understand what you’re studying and why it’s important. More specifically, your introduction needs to answer four key questions.

These questions are:

  1. What’s your research about? (Your research topic)

  2. Why is it important? (Your justification)

  3. What’s the scope of your research? (What you’ll cover, and what you won’t)

  4. What are the limitations of your research? (What might be missing or not fully addressed)

In short, your introduction chapter should offer an overview of your research, along with a clear explanation of why it matters. You need to explain both the "what" and the "why" of your research—what it’s all about and why it’s worth studying.

It sounds simple, right? But here's the challenge: finding the right balance in the details. Since you’re close to your topic, it’s easy to get caught up in every little detail. However, your introduction shouldn’t be filled with minor information. Stick to the "need-to-know" facts, so your introduction stays focused and clear.

The 7 Essential Ingredients

Your introduction chapter should include these seven key sections to cover both the "what" and the "why" of your research:

  1. The opening section – Introduce your research in broad terms.

  2. Background to the study – Provide context for your research project.

  3. The research problem – Explain the gap in current research that your work will address.

  4. Research aims, objectives, and questions – Clearly state what your research will aim to achieve.

  5. The significance (or justification) – Explain why your research is important and what value it will bring.

  6. The limitations – Acknowledge any potential limitations in your research approach.

  7. The structure – Outline the overall structure of your dissertation or thesis to guide the reader.

By including these sections, you’ll ensure your introduction chapter clearly explains both what your research is about and why it’s important.

A quick tip: You can follow this order for a logical and smooth flow in your writing. While not required, using this structure typically helps create a more organized and easy-to-understand introduction for your reader.

#1 – The Opening Section

The first part of your dissertation introduction is the opening section. This is where you give your reader a quick overview of what to expect in your introduction chapter.

Your goal here is to engage the reader with clear and simple language. If the reader struggles to understand your writing, they’ll lose interest, making it harder for you to get good marks. Even in academic writing, it’s important to make your ideas easy to follow, just like marketers, bloggers, and journalists do. After all, you’re trying to share your research idea in the best way possible.

So, what should you include in this opening section?

Although there isn’t a set formula, here are four key sentences to consider for a strong start:

  1. Introduce the general field of your research.
    Example:
    "Organizational skills development is about finding skills gaps within businesses and creating programs to address them. Research has shown that improving skills in the workplace is essential for business success."

  2. Introduce the specific research problem.
    Example:
    "However, there is limited research on how to manage skills development in fast-paced industries where knowledge changes quickly, such as the website development sector."

  3. State your research aims and objectives.
    Example:
    "This research will explore effective strategies for skills development in industries where knowledge is constantly evolving."

  4. Outline the structure of your chapter.
    Example:
    "This chapter will introduce the study by covering the background, the research problem, the aims and objectives, the significance of the study, and the limitations."

Keep in mind, this opening section should not be long. Usually, these four points should fit into one or two short paragraphs.

P.S. Don’t worry if some of these terms sound new. I’ll break them down for you later in this article.

#2 – Background to the study

#2 – The Background to Your Study

After giving your reader a brief overview of your dissertation or thesis, it’s time to dig deeper into your research topic. This is where the "background to your study" comes in.

So, what does the background section cover?

This part of your introduction chapter should give the reader a clear understanding of the broader topic you’re studying and the context around it. It could include a short history of the topic, recent trends or changes, and important research that has already been done. Essentially, you need to provide enough background information so the reader knows what your research area is all about.

Let’s make this clearer with an example.

If your research is about skills development, like the one we talked about earlier, the background section would start with an overview of skills development and the main research in the field. Then, it would explain how today’s fast-changing industries, where technology evolves quickly, are challenging the traditional ways of teaching and learning skills. For instance, many industries face the problem of keeping up with new tech, while traditional schools and programs struggle to stay current.

It’s important to remember that you should write this section assuming the reader isn’t an expert in your field. If there’s any technical language or specific terms that might be unfamiliar, take a moment to explain them. Your reader needs to understand your research, and your markers won’t be able to ask questions to clarify things if they don’t get it.

#3 – The research problem

Now that your reader has a solid understanding of your research area, it’s time to dive into the specific research problem you will tackle in your dissertation or thesis. The background section may have hinted at a research problem, but this section is where you focus on one clear issue.

So, what exactly is a research problem?

A research problem is a question or issue that doesn’t have a clear or widely accepted answer in the existing research. In other words, a research problem occurs when there’s a need to answer a question, but the current studies either don’t address it, or there are conflicting answers.

To present your research problem, you need to explain what’s missing in the existing literature and why it’s a problem. It’s helpful to break this down into three parts:

  1. What’s already known in the literature (current research)

  2. What’s missing (the gap in research)

  3. Why it’s a problem (the importance of addressing this gap)

Let’s go back to the skills development topic for an example.

Many studies have shown that organizational skills development is essential for both employee satisfaction and company performance (reference). A lot of research has focused on how businesses can manage skills development programs effectively (reference).

(This section explains what's well-known in the literature.)

However, much of this research focuses on industries with slower changes in skills and knowledge. For example, traditional industries where skills don’t change quickly. This becomes a problem when looking at fast-moving industries, like website development, where new technologies, platforms, and best practices emerge frequently.

(This section explains what’s missing from the research.)

As a result, the existing research doesn’t address the needs of industries with rapidly evolving knowledge. These industries struggle because traditional skills development strategies are based on the assumption that knowledge evolves slowly.

(This section explains why the research gap is an issue.)

By explaining what’s already known, what’s missing, and why it’s a problem, you’ll clearly define your research problem. This sets the stage for the next section of your dissertation or thesis.

#4 – The research aims, objectives and questions

#4 – Research Aims, Objectives, and Questions

Now that you’ve identified your research problem, it’s time to explain your research aims, objectives, and questions. In simple terms, this section tells the reader what you plan to do to solve the research problem.

What’s the first step?
Start by clearly stating your research aim. The research aim is your overall goal or the main purpose of your dissertation or thesis. It’s a broad statement about what you hope to achieve with your research.

For example, using the skills development topic:
"Given the lack of research on skills development in fast-moving industries, this study aims to identify and assess the skills development strategies used by web development companies in the UK."

This example clearly states the research aim and the specific context for the research (web development companies in the UK).

Next, define your research objectives (ROs).
While your research aim is the big-picture goal, the research objectives are the specific actions you’ll take to reach that goal. They break the research aim down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Here are some examples based on the research aim above:

  • RO1: Identify common skills development strategies used by UK web development companies.

  • RO2: Evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies.

  • RO3: Compare the strengths and weaknesses of these strategies.

These objectives describe the specific tasks you’ll focus on to achieve your research aim.

Finally, define your research questions (RQs).
Research questions help you focus even more by turning your objectives into clear, actionable questions. These questions are what you’ll answer in your dissertation or thesis, and they guide your research process.

For example, using the research objectives above:

  • RQ1: What skills development strategies are used by web development companies in the UK?

  • RQ2: How effective are these strategies?

  • RQ3: What are the strengths and weaknesses of these strategies?

These research questions are the driving force of your dissertation. They will guide your work from the literature review to the methodology, and finally to your conclusions.

A final tip:
Be clear about the scope of your study. This means defining what you will study and what you won’t. If your research aims, objectives, and questions are too broad, you risk losing focus or tackling a problem too big for your dissertation. Set boundaries, like focusing on a specific industry, country, or time frame. This helps keep your research on track and allows for a deep, detailed study, which is key to earning marks.

#5 – Significance

After explaining what you’ll be researching, it’s time to show why your study matters. This is where you clearly outline the significance of your research. You've already touched on why your study is important in your background and research problem sections, but now it’s time to highlight the specific impact your findings will have.

In this section, you need to directly state how your research will benefit industry, academia, or both. It’s your chance to explain how your study will make a difference and what real-world value it will bring.

Example:
"This study will add to the existing knowledge of skills development by focusing on strategies used in industries where skills and knowledge evolve quickly. It will help fill a gap in current research and provide practical insights for businesses in fast-changing sectors."

This example clearly shows that the research will both contribute to academic literature and provide value to industries facing rapid changes in knowledge and skills.

While this section doesn’t need to be too long, it should be persuasive. You want to “sell” the importance of your research and make sure the reader understands why it’s worth dedicating a dissertation or thesis to it. Think carefully about how your study will contribute something new and useful, both in terms of knowledge and practical solutions, and communicate that clearly in this section.

#6 – Limitations of Your Research

After highlighting why your research matters, it’s time to discuss the limitations. It’s natural to feel like your research is perfectly planned, but every study has its boundaries.

No research is without limitations. This is especially true for dissertations and theses, which often come with tight budgets, time constraints, and a researcher’s limited experience. Most likely, this will be one of your first major research projects, so it's okay if things aren’t perfect.

The important part is being upfront about these limitations. Acknowledging them shows that you understand the scope of your research and helps others who may want to build on your work.

Here are four common limitations to consider:

  1. Scope – Your research might be narrowly focused. For example, it could only address one specific industry or set of variables, leaving out other important factors.

  2. Methodology – The method you choose (qualitative or quantitative) could have weaknesses. A qualitative approach might seem too subjective, while a quantitative one could oversimplify complex issues.

  3. Resources – Limited time, money, or equipment can affect the depth of your research. These constraints can prevent you from gathering all the data you’d like or diving as deep as you want into the topic.

  4. Generalisability – Findings from a specific group (like a particular industry or country) might not apply to others. It’s important to acknowledge this so your audience knows the context of your conclusions.

#7 – The structural outline

Now that you’ve explained your research’s focus, significance, and limitations, the final key part of your introduction chapter is the structural outline. This section will provide a clear roadmap of your dissertation or thesis, so your reader knows exactly what to expect.

This part should be a brief summary of each chapter’s main content. You don’t need to go into great detail here; just offer a simple, concise explanation of what each chapter will cover. It’s like giving your reader a sneak peek without giving away too much.

Here’s an example:

Chapter One – This chapter introduces the context of the study, outlines the research objectives and questions, explains the significance of the research, and addresses any limitations.

Chapter Two – In this chapter, the existing literature will be reviewed. The key skills development strategies and approaches for fast-moving industries, especially in technology sectors, will be discussed.

Chapter Three – This chapter will focus on the research methodology. It will explain the choice of a qualitative, inductive approach and detail the broader research design, including its limitations.

Keep calm and carry on

Creating your dissertation or thesis introduction might seem overwhelming at first, but don’t worry. Take it one step at a time. Just like any big project, breaking it down into manageable sections will set you up for success.

Let’s do a quick recap of the 7 essential parts that make up a solid introduction:

  1. The Opening Section – This is where you provide a brief, clear overview of your research.

  2. The Background – Here, you introduce important theories, concepts, and the context for your study.

  3. The Research Problem – This section explains what’s missing in current research, also known as the research gap.

  4. The Research Aims, Objectives, and Questions – In this part, you state what your research is going to focus on.

  5. The Significance – Here, you explain why your research matters and what value it will add to the world.

  6. The Limitations – This section highlights the potential challenges or limits of your research.

  7. The Structural Outline – Lastly, you give a high-level overview of how your dissertation is organized.

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