There are many ways to introduce an academic essay or short paper. Most academic writers, however, appear to do one or more of the following in their introductions:
- establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic
- indicate an issue, problem, or controversy in the field of study
- define the topic or key terms
- state the purpose of the essay/writing
- provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing
Slightly less complex introductions may simply inform the reader: what the topic is, why it is important, and how the writing is organised. In very short assignments, it is not uncommon for a writer to commence simply by stating the purpose of their writing.
Introductions to research dissertations and theses tend to be relatively short compared to the other sections of the text but quite complex in terms of their functional elements. Some of the more common elements include:
- establishing the context, background and/or importance of the topic
- giving a brief synopsis of the relevant literature
- indicating a problem, controversy or a knowledge gap in the field of study
- establishing the desirability of the research
- listing the research questions or hypotheses
- providing a synopsis of the research method(s)
- explaining the significance or value of the study
- defining certain key terms
- providing an overview of the dissertation or report structure
- explaining reasons for the writer’s personal interest in the topic
Examples of phrases which are commonly employed to realise these functions are listed on the following pages. Note that there may be a certain amount of overlap between some of the categories under which the phrases are listed. Also, the order in which the different categories of phrases are shown reflects a typical order but this is far from fixed or rigid, and not all the elements are present in all introductions.
A number of analysts have identified common patterns in the introductions of research articles. One of the best known is the CARS model (create a research space) first described by John Swales (1990). This model, which utilises an ecological metaphor, has, in its simplest form, three elements or moves:
- Establishing the territory (establishing importance of the topic, reviewing previous work)
- Identifying a niche (indicating a gap in knowledge)
- Occupying the niche (listing purpose of new research, listing questions, stating value, xxxindicating structure of writing)
Establishing the importance of the topic for the world or society
X is fundamental to …
X has a pivotal role in …
X is frequently prescribed for …
X is fast becoming a key instrument in …
X plays a vital role in the metabolism of …
X plays a critical role in the maintenance of …
Xs have emerged as powerful platforms for …
X is essential for a wide range of technologies.
X can play an important role in addressing the issue of …
Xs are the most potent anti-inflammatory agents known.
There is evidence that X plays a crucial role in regulating …
X is a common condition which has considerable impact on …
In the new global economy, X has become a central issue for …
Evidence suggests that X is among the most important factors for …
X is important for a wide range of scientific and industrial processes.
Xs are one of the most widely used groups of antibacterial agents and …
There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of …
X is an important component in the climate system, and plays a key role in Y.
In the history of development economics, X has been thought of as a key factor in …
Xs are one of the most widely used groups of Y and have been extensively used for …
Establishing the importance of the topic for the discipline
A key aspect of X is …
X is of interest because …
X is a classic problem in …
A primary concern of X is …
X is a dominant feature of …
X is an important aspect of …
X is a fundamental property of …
The concepts of X and Y are central to …
X is at the heart of our understanding of …
Investigating X is a continuing concern within …
X is a major area of interest within the field of …
X has been studied by many researchers using …
X has been an object of research since the 1960s.
X has been the subject of many classic studies in …
X has been instrumental in our understanding of …
The theory of X provides a useful account of how …
Central to the entire discipline of X is the concept of …
X is an increasingly important area in applied linguistics.
The issue of X has received considerable critical attention.
X has long been a question of great interest in a wide range of fields.
Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given)
Recently, there has been renewed interest in …
Traditionally, Xs have subscribed to the belief that …
One of the most important events of the 1970s was …
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in …
Recent developments in X have heightened the need for …
The last two decades have seen a growing trend towards …
Recently, researchers have shown an increased interest in …
Over the past century, there has been a dramatic increase in …
Recent trends in X have led to a proliferation of studies that …
X proved an important literary genre in the early Y community.
The past decade has seen the rapid development of X in many …
Since it was reported in 2005, X has been attracting a lot of interest.
Recently, a considerable literature has grown up around the theme of …
Recent developments in the field of X have led to a renewed interest in …
The past thirty years have seen increasingly rapid advances in the field of …
The changes experienced by X over the past decade remain unprecedented.
In light of recent events in X, it is becoming extremely difficult to ignore the existence of …
Synopsis of literature
Recent evidence suggests that …
Extensive research has shown that …
Studies of X show the importance of …
It has previously been observed that …
Several attempts have been made to …
Previous research has established that …
Data from several studies suggest that …
Recent work by historians has established that …
Previous research comparing X and Y has found …
The existing body of research on X suggests that …
There is a growing body of literature that recognises …
Several theories on the origin of X have been proposed.
Existing research recognises the critical role played by …
It is now well established from a variety of studies, that …
Recently investigators have examined the effects of X on Y.
Surveys such as that conducted by Smith (1988) have shown that …
Factors found to be influencing X have been explored in several studies.
A number of cross-sectional studies suggest an association between X and Y…
Studies over the past two decades have provided important information on …
A considerable amount of literature has been published on X. These studies …
Highlighting a problem
One of the main obstacles …
One of the greatest challenges …
A key issue is the safe disposal of …
The main disadvantage of X is that …
X is associated with increased risk of …
X is a common disorder characterised by …
It is now well established that X can impair …
X is a common, chronic disease of childhood.
X has led to the declines in the populations of …
X is a growing public health concern worldwide.
X is one of the most frequently stated problems with …
The main challenge faced by many experiments is the …
Lack of X has existed as a health problem for many years.
X is a major public health problem, and the main cause of …
Xs are one of the most rapidly declining groups of insects in …
X is the leading cause of death in western-industrialised countries.
Despite its long clinical success, X has a number of problems in use.
Exposure to X has been shown to be related to adverse effects in …
There is increasing concern that some Xs are being disadvantaged …
There is an urgent need to address the safety problems caused by …
