How To Write A Research Paper: Introduction (Complete Tutorial)

Summary

This video script by Iakovos Theodorakopoulos, founder of Academic English, offers a step-by-step guide to writing compelling research paper introductions. It emphasizes the importance of the introduction, highlighting the research gap and the paper's novelty. The script outlines a structured approach: start with the topic's importance and key concept definition, provide a brief literature review, identify the research gap, state the study's aim, and optionally summarize the main contributions and paper structure. Examples from different fields illustrate the consistent pattern across disciplines.

Takeaways

• 📝 The introduction of a research paper is crucial as it's often the first part that reviewers and readers engage with, significantly influencing their initial impression and the paper's acceptance.
• 🔍 A well-crafted introduction should clearly highlight the research gap, the paper's contribution, and its novelty to avoid potential rejection.
• 👨‍🏫 The speaker, Mykovic, specializes in assisting PhD students and researchers in writing research papers, particularly for Scopus-indexed journals.
• 🧩 Despite differences in disciplines, the structure of an introduction is largely uniform across fields, with about 80-90% similarity.
• 📈 The introduction typically starts by presenting the importance of the research topic, which could be relevant to the academic field or society at large.
• 🔑 It's common to define key concepts early in the introduction to provide a clear understanding of the paper's focus.
• 📚 A brief literature review is essential, organized from general to specific topics, to set the stage for identifying the research gap.
• 🕳️ The research gap is the most critical element of the introduction; it articulates the need for the study and what the paper aims to contribute.
• 🎯 After establishing the gap, the paper's aim should be stated concisely, often in one or two sentences, to convey the study's purpose.
• 📑 Optional elements like summarizing the main contributions and outlining the paper's structure can be included in some disciplines or journals.
• 🔗 The script provides examples from different fields to illustrate how a structured introduction can be adapted to various research papers.

Q & A

Why is the introduction of a research paper considered so important?

The introduction is crucial because it is one of the first things that reviewers and readers will read. If it is not well-written, does not highlight the research gap, or clearly state the contribution and novelty of the paper, it is likely that the paper will be rejected.

What are the two common ways to start a research paper?

The two common ways to start a research paper are by presenting the importance of the topic and by defining the key concept.

What is the significance of stating the importance of the topic in the introduction?

Stating the importance of the topic is significant because it tells the reader why they should care about the study. It establishes the relevance of the research to the field or society.

How should the literature review be presented in the introduction?

The literature review in the introduction should be brief, identifying key topics that need to be introduced before identifying the research gap. It should be organized from general to specific topics, often referred to as an inverted pyramid approach.

Why is the research gap the most important element in the introduction?

The research gap is the most important element because it highlights the need for the study. It points out the lack of research, limitations of previous studies, or a specific problem that needs solving, which justifies the novelty and contribution of the paper.

What should be included after identifying the research gap?

After identifying the research gap, the aim of the study should be stated, which includes the research questions, objectives, or hypotheses, in a simple and concise manner.

Are there any optional elements that can be included in the introduction of a research paper?

Yes, there are two optional elements that can be included: a quick recap or summary of the results, and a presentation of the structure of the paper.

How does the introduction of a research paper in social sciences differ from that in exact sciences?

The introduction in social sciences might be shorter and more concise, while in exact sciences, it might be longer and more detailed, but both follow a similar pattern of importance of the topic, literature review, research gap, and aim of the study.

What is the purpose of defining key concepts in the introduction?

Defining key concepts in the introduction helps to establish a common understanding of the terms and concepts that are central to the research, which is essential for the reader to comprehend the study's focus and context.

How can the structure of the paper be presented in the introduction?

The structure of the paper can be presented by stating how the paper is organized, such as into sections, and briefly describing what each section is about.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Introduction to Research Paper Writing

The paragraph emphasizes the importance of the introduction in a research paper, as it's often the first section that reviewers and readers encounter. A poorly written introduction that fails to highlight the research gap, contribution, and novelty can lead to paper rejection. The speaker, Kovic, introduces the video's purpose: to guide viewers step by step on writing an effective introduction. Kovic, who assists PhD students and researchers in writing for Scopus-indexed journals, dispels the myth that every introduction is entirely unique. Instead, he points out that while there are superficial differences between disciplines, the core structure of an introduction is largely uniform, with about 80-90% similarity across fields. The paragraph sets the stage for the video's content, which will delve into the common elements of a research paper introduction and how they are applied across different disciplines.

05:02

🔍 The Crucial Research Gap

This paragraph delves into the critical component of a research paper's introduction: the research gap. The speaker shares anecdotes of papers being rejected or requiring major corrections due to an unclear or non-existent research gap. The research gap is the element that most significantly can lead to a paper's rejection. It is the section where the author points out the lack of research, limitations of previous studies, or a specific problem that needs solving. The paragraph explains how to articulate the research gap effectively, often starting with a statement about the extensive research that has been conducted, followed by the revelation of what remains unexplored or unresolved. The speaker also mentions that after identifying the research gap, the next step is to state the aim of the study concisely, which should be done in one or two sentences.

10:03

📚 Structuring the Introduction

The final paragraph discusses the structure of a research paper's introduction, which remains consistent across different fields and types of papers. The speaker outlines the typical structure: starting with the importance of the topic and possibly defining key concepts, followed by a brief literature review that narrows down to the research gap. The paragraph also touches on the importance of stating the aim of the study clearly. Additionally, the speaker mentions two optional elements that can be included in some introductions: a brief summary of the paper's results and main contributions, and an outline of the paper's structure. The speaker concludes by offering personal consultation for those interested in publishing in top journals, providing a link for scheduling a call.

Keywords

💡Introduction

The introduction is a key section of a research paper, as it's the first thing readers and reviewers encounter. It sets the stage for the paper by presenting the topic's importance, defining key concepts, and providing an overview of the research question or problem. The introduction is crucial because if it's not clear or engaging, the paper may be rejected, as emphasized by the speaker in the video.

💡Research Gap

The research gap refers to the missing or underexplored area in existing studies that the new research seeks to address. It's the most important part of the introduction, as identifying this gap highlights the contribution and novelty of the research. The speaker stresses that failing to clearly state the research gap is a common reason for paper rejections, demonstrating its critical role in academic writing.

💡Literature Review

A literature review is a brief summary of existing research related to the paper's topic. It helps contextualize the research by discussing what has already been done and where gaps exist. The speaker highlights that while the length of the literature review may vary by field, it should always be concise and organized from general to specific topics, preparing the reader to understand the research gap.

💡Key Concepts

Key concepts are the fundamental ideas or terms that need to be defined for the reader to understand the research. In the introduction, these concepts are often introduced alongside the importance of the topic. For example, in the context of Alzheimer's research, the disease and its impact on society might be defined early on to establish relevance. The speaker mentions this as a common strategy to make the introduction more efficient.

💡Importance of the Topic

This concept refers to why the research topic matters, either to the specific field or to society as a whole. Establishing the importance early in the introduction helps engage readers and justify the need for the research. The speaker suggests using phrases like 'a considerable amount of research' to signal the significance of the topic from the outset, ensuring the reader understands why they should care.

💡Research Contribution

Research contribution refers to the unique value or novelty that the new research brings to its field. While this can be mentioned in the introduction, it is more commonly detailed in the conclusion. However, some researchers include a summary of the contribution in the introduction to make it clear from the start what the paper offers that previous studies have not covered.

💡Brief Literature Review

The brief literature review is a condensed discussion of existing research that directly relates to the current study. It serves to guide the reader through the background needed to understand the research gap. The speaker emphasizes that this review should be brief, possibly just a few paragraphs, and arranged in a logical, narrowing sequence from general to specific topics.

💡Novelty

Novelty refers to the newness or originality of the research. It is essential to highlight this in the introduction because it shows how the paper is advancing the field. The speaker points out that many papers are rejected because they fail to clearly demonstrate their novelty, making it a vital element in any introduction.

💡Aims of the Study

The aim of the study is a concise statement of what the research seeks to achieve. In the introduction, this should be presented in no more than one or two sentences. The speaker warns against overloading this section with too many details or research questions, recommending a clear, simple aim instead.

💡Structure of the Paper

Some researchers include a brief outline of the paper’s structure at the end of the introduction. While not always necessary, this can help guide the reader through the organization of the paper. The speaker notes that this is more common in some fields than others, but it can still be useful for readers unfamiliar with the specific research format.

Highlights

The introduction is crucial as it is the first thing reviewers or readers see and it sets the stage for the research.

A well-written introduction highlights the research gap, contribution, and novelty, which can determine whether a paper is accepted or rejected.

80% of research paper introductions follow the same structure across disciplines, focusing on similarities rather than differences.

Two common ways to start an introduction: by presenting the importance of the topic and by defining key concepts related to the research.

The importance of the topic can relate to its significance in the research field or its broader societal implications.

The second important element in an introduction is a brief literature review, which identifies 2-4 key topics, structured from general to specific.

The research gap is the most critical part of the introduction, and failing to articulate it well often leads to rejection.

Identifying the research gap involves highlighting a lack of research, limitations of previous studies, or practical problems that need solving.

The aim of the study should be stated clearly, typically in one or two sentences, without listing research questions or objectives.

Optional elements in some introductions include a summary of results and the main contribution of the paper.

Another optional element is presenting the structure of the paper, outlining how the sections are organized.

Examples from social sciences and exact sciences show different lengths of introductions but follow the same structural pattern.

In some journals, the literature review section is separate, making the introduction more concise.

Across disciplines, research papers start by establishing the topic's importance, reviewing literature, identifying the research gap, and stating the study's aim.

Following a predictable structure for introductions increases the clarity and chances of acceptance, regardless of the research field.

Transcripts

one key element of a research paper is

the introduction why is it so important

well it's one of the first things that

the reviewers or your future readers are

going to read so if the introduction

isn't well written if you haven't

highlighted the research Gap if the

contribution and the novelty of your

paper aren't clear in the introduction

it's very likely that your paper will

get rejected so that's why in this video

I want to show you step by step how to

write the introduction for a research

paper so let's dive in and see how this

is done if you're new here my name

iskovic and I run academic English now

where I help PhD students and

researchers regularly write research

papers for scopus index journals and in

this video we're going to be

specifically focusing on the first

element of a research paper which is the

introduction and I know a lot of people

really struggle writing the

introductions we get stuck they don't

know what to right you know that there

is this idea as well that every

introduction is completely different and

it's just you know depends a lot on the

discipline and so on I mean granted you

know there are differences between

different researchers disciplines and so

on but they are really superficial it's

kind of like the iceberg so those

differences are the small that small tip

of the iceberg above the water and

everything else 80 of the introduction

is the same but because the differences

are above water this is what people

focus on but we want to be focusing on

the similarities because you know 80 90

of introductions across the fields and

really across research papers whether

this is a systematic review experimental

paper more theoretical paper is almost

exactly the same so what are these

elements of a research paper I'm gonna

explain them one by one to you and show

you as well on examples from real

research papers from different

disciplines how these elements are

applied

so what is the first one typically there

are two ways of starting a research

paper number one you present the

importance of the topic so you basically

tell the reader why on Earth should they

care about your study at all I know your

study is important to you your topic is

important to you I mean my topic is the

most important topic in the world for me

but why should other people care you

want to state that right at the very

beginning you know using phrases like a

considerable amount of research has been

devoted to so the importance can be for

your research field the importance of

the topic can be for the society in

general as well right it can be an

important problem that needs solving but

this needs to be stated right away and

the second way of starting the paper

that often goes together is the

definition of the key concept so very

often you know if the importance of the

topic is connected to the key concept

the researcher introduces the importance

and and defines the key concept so for

example if we think about medicine and a

disease like Alzheimer you know we could

State the importance of for the society

you know that you know millions of

people every day well you would have to

give a specific number are suffering

from Alzheimer's disease and this

disease is characterized by and then you

provide a definition right or you can

separate these two elements have the

importance of the topic and then a

definition right this is the usual way

of starting a paper number two the

second really important element is a

brief literature review and I stress the

word brief how brief it is can differ

from field to field in some Fields it

can be very short like one paragraph or

maybe two paragraphs in other fields it

can be slightly longer like maybe three

or five paragraphs but it's brief right

what you need to do here is identify

between two and maybe four any topics

that need to be introduced to the reader

before we can identify the research Gap

and stay at the end and you want to

organize these topics from General to

specific think about that as sort of the

inverted pyramid you know you have

General and then you go more and more

specific with these topics and basically

each paragraph in your literature review

will be devoted to one of these topics

right so you want to have between two

and maybe four paragraphs for this brief

literature review element number three

is the research Gap and if there's like

one element that is the most important

it is this one it's the research Gap I

can't tell you you know the number of

examples that I have where this was the

element that made the paper be rejected

you know even very recently on my

program when I was helping

um two different researchers from two

different disciplines both of them one

of their papers got rejected and the

other one came back with major

Corrections and you know when we read

the reviewers comments it seemed like

you know the paper was a total mess and

it they needed to start from scratch but

really the main problem was that the

contribution the novelty of the paper

just wasn't that like that the research

Gap wasn't there either so this is a

crucial element stating the research

graph this can be done in numerous

different ways right and I have another

video when I talk about the different

types of a research Camp but you know

you can point out the lack of research

limitations of previous studies you know

a specific problem that needs solving a

practical problem that needs solving

right and you want to do it in one nice

paragraph typically you start with

something like you know numerous studies

on XY and that have been conducted

however there is a lack of research on X

Y and Z in addition the previous studies

are limited because X Y and Z right and

then you explain what the problem is

once you've pointed out the research Gap

and it is clear why you're doing your

study well now you can tell us what your

study is about and state the aim of your

study please don't you know State the

AIM research questions objectives and

stuff like this you know just in one

maximum two sentences say what the aim

of your study is simply and and that's

it right now very often this is where

introductions end however there are two

optional elements that can sometimes be

useful and are sometimes used in

different fields and in different

journals the first one right after the

research Gap is you know kind of a quick

recap like a summary of the results in

like one or two sentences you know what

this paper shows you know and then also

connected to that what is the main

contribution of your paper most of the

time you know this is just said in the

conclusion section but in some journals

and some researchers like to say it

right in the introduction so it's clear

to the reviewers as well what novelty

your paper brings right so feel free to

do that right after the introduction in

one paragraph and say what the main

contribution is now the second optional

element which would end the introduction

is to present the structure of your

paper and this is common in some Fields

I wouldn't say it's very common across

different fields but you can do it if

you want to especially if you notice

that other people in your field are

doing it very simply you know in one

paragraph States how the paper is

organized that this paper is organized

into six sections and then in each

following sentence you can tell us what

each section is about

so now let me show you exactly how this

is actually done on an example of a

research paper and we'll look at each of

the sections that I've just mentioned to

you and we'll see how the writers

presented so let me show you two

examples in here from two different

fields so you have an idea how you know

the introduction is structured written

in slightly different fields so the

first example is actually from a paper

that I published a couple of years ago

so it's kind of social sciences teaching

English and the introduction is much

shorter the other paper is going to be

from psychology medicine that sort of

thing so much more sort of exact

sciences and the introduction is going

to be much longer so you're going to see

two very different ways of approaching

it which nevertheless follow a very

similar pattern

so this one starts with you know

establishing the importance of the topic

and defining the topic in here it's one

of and the same thing so we Define the

thing that we're going to talk about

because this thing is very important

right so you kind of kill two birds with

one stone and therefore make your

introduction shorter right so that's the

first element right importance of the

topic and defining any key Concepts and

number two we've got literature review

right and in here it's rather short it's

just one paragraph really right but it's

enough to kind of

present us what we need and the reason

why it's so short in here as well just

so you know is because in this

particular Journal they like having a

separate literature review section right

so that's why there is a um the one in

the introduction is very short

and then after that what we've got is

the research Gap basically right so

we've got nevertheless despite all this

literature we've got a lack of studies

right and we've got limitations of these

studies in terms of whether we're

conducted right and then this ends with

presenting the aim of the study right so

a very short introduction just three

paragraphs but notice that it follows

the same pattern that we've discussed

now moving to the other introduction

this one is slightly longer but well

actually much longer probably twice the

length but it still follows the same

pattern so we've got the importance of

the topic right and the definition of

the topic as well and then we continue

discussing that importance of the topic

right the growing complexity so we

basically talk about the importance of

the topic for the discipline right and

this is further explored here again why

is this topic so crucial for this

discipline right now right and then

we've got a literature review in here

you'll see that the literature review is

much longer right so we basically

reviewing and reviewing the the

literature leading to the problem and

first we've got a more practical problem

in here right despite all this progress

and all these that is there is this

problem in practice in medical education

right and then afterwards we also have

the research Gap right so we've got a

lack of understanding that there's

uncertainty about something right and

there is a lack of research so there are

different research gaps combined here

which makes it much stronger right and

then we've got the aim of the study and

specifically what was done and they also

present that hypothesis right in here

um as well notice that none of the two

papers that I showed here present the

kind of the main contributions and the

structure of the paper which as I

mentioned are optional and they're not

really that common across disciplines so

as you can see an introduction to the

research paper follows a very

predictable structure that is almost

exactly the same regardless of the field

that you're in and regardless of the

type of the paper that you're actually

writing so start with the importance of

the top topic and maybe the definition

of a key concept then briefly review the

literature present the research Gap and

this is crucial super important don't

forget to present the research Gap State

the aim and then optionally State the

main contributions of your paper and

present the organization of the paper

now if you want to work with me more

personally to help you to publish papers

in top journals in your field then

schedule a free one-to-one consultation

we're going to get on a call and help

you to identify the key challenges that

you're facing and will outline a

personalized strategy that will help you

to achieve your goals faster if this is

something that interests you then the

link to schedule that call is right

below this video