Introductions in Academic Writing

A good introduction in academic work can make a big difference to the perceived quality of the whole article. Introductions act as bridges that transport your readers from their own lives into the world of your thoughts and analyses and the best introductions. like all writing, need crafting and refining. Luckily some rules and guidelines can help.

A good way to structure your introduction is by using a funnel technique. This means that you start broadly, trying to hook the reader in and gain the reader’s attention. Then the introduction covers a range of issues and with a bit more depth than the first sentences but still, only in passing. The final part (a sentence or two at maximum, finally narrows the focus, identifying what this piece of writing is focussing on.

Part 1: General/Broad Statements

The introduction begins with a general overview of the topic, providing context and background information. This phase aims to capture the reader's interest and establish the broader significance of the subject matter. For instance, it may include general statistics, historical background, or a brief overview of the current state of knowledge in the field.

Phase 2: Exploring/Narrowing

As the introduction progresses, it should gradually narrow down the focus to the specific area of interest. This phase involves introducing key concepts, defining terms, and highlighting the scope of the study. It serves to transition from the general context to a more specific and targeted discussion.

Phase 3: Specific

In the final phase, the introduction culminates in a clear and focused statement of the purpose, objectives, and/or research questions. This section sets the stage for the rest of the paper by clearly outlining what the reader can expect to encounter in the subsequent sections.

By adhering to this three-phase upturned triangle structure, an introduction in academic writing can effectively engage the reader while providing a comprehensive overview of the topic at hand.

Examples

Image above from: https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/introductions-conclusions

Example Introduction LYON

Examples of potential text

Sample text for Part 1 of the Introduction: Broad

It is generally agreed that …
According to ...
Recent research in this area has found …
Over the past five year, the media has increasingly reported …
Increasing numbers of people are …
There is an overall trend towards …
While many people will typically agree that …, few would deny claims that …
In order to explore these issues in more depth, this paper …
In approaching this issue, one should …
This raises the question as to whether …

Sample text for Part 2 of the Introduction: Narrowing

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 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 (2015) 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 …

However...

X may cause …
X is limited by …
X suffers from …
X is too expensive to be used for …
X has accentuated the problem of …
the performance of X is limited by …
X could be a contributing factor to …
the synthesis of X remains a major challenge.
X can be extremely harmful to human beings.
research has consistently shown that X lacks …
a major problem with this kind of application is …
the determination of X is technically challenging.
current methods of X have proven to be unreliable.
these rapid changes are having a serious effect on …
X can be adversely affected under certain conditions.
observations have indicated a serious decline in the population of …

Sample text for Part 3 of the Introduction: Outline the scope of this work

In this paper, I argue that …
This paper attempts to show that …
The central thesis of this paper is that …
In the pages that follow, it will be argued that …
In this essay, I attempt to defend the view that …
The aim of this essay is to explore the relationship between …
The purpose of this paper is to review recent research into the …
The first section of this paper will examine…
This paper begins by … It will then go on to …
My thesis is composed of four themed chapters.
The essay has been organised in the following way.
The remaining part of the paper proceeds as follows: …
The main issues addressed in this paper are: a), b) and c).
This paper first gives a brief overview of the recent history of X.
This paper has been divided into four parts. The first part deals with …
The third chapter is concerned with the methodology used for this study.
The overall structure of the study takes the form of six chapters, including …
Chapter Four analyses the results of interviews and focus group discussions undertaken during …
Chapter Two begins by laying out the theoretical dimensions of the research, and looks at how …
The fourth section presents the findings of the research, focusing on the three key themes that …

What to avoid in an Introduction

Avoid stating, "This report will..." in the first sentence.
Avoid having many sentences about what "this report will cover...then it will....and then it will.....".
Avoid bombarding the reader with data and facts. You can include one or two sentences with statistics and facts, but only to provide an overview of the essay topic. Details and analysis of the topic will come later, in the main body of the text.
Avoid referring to dictionaries or Wikipedia articles.
Avoid using quotations or hooks that have no relationship whatsoever to the topic you are discussing.
Avoid using direct quotes as a whole sentence of your paragraph(s)
Avoid words and expressions that hold no real meaning or make you sound unsure of yourself. Be precise.
Avoid the following or similar-sounding phrases:
- I am going to write about …
- I hope to establish …
- I think I will prove ...

FAQs

Should I have citations/references in the Introduction?

If you look at most scientific studies, you will find sweeping reference to established and important findings that help ground the reader in the topic of the paper. When making such statements it is widely accepted that citations are required and often you will see more than one in a set of brackets, and/or a sentence with several points being made and each one coming with a different citation.
For any questions about academic style one of the best bits of advice I have is “find 3 published papers and see how they do it”.

Further Guidance and Resources

Academic Phrasebank Section on Introducing Work - https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/introducing-work/
Introductions (A University of Hull resource): https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/essays/intros
Introduction paragraphs: self-paced tutorial - University of New England - https://aso-resources.une.edu.au/academic-writing-course/paragraphs/introduction-paragraphs/
Academic Phrases for Writing Introduction Section of a Research Paper - https://www.ref-n-write.com/blog/introduction-section-academic-phrases/

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