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How to write
an
Introduction
?
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Objectives of the session
-To know the basic structure for writing an
introduction and the importance of each item
-To understand the importance of attracting
the attention of readers/ audience/journal
editors
-What to do and what not to do ?
Why bother writing a good
introduction?
The
opening paragraph of your paper will
provide your readers with their initial
impressions of your argument, your
writing style, and the overall quality of
your work
Your introduction is an important road
map for the rest of your paper
Ideally, your introduction should make
your readers want to read your paper
What should an
introduction do?
3
main things:
Get your readers attention and interest
Identify the specific topic of the report/
manuscript
Conceptualize your argument or
discussion
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Introduction
Before
beginning, consider:
What do I have to say?
Why is it worth saying ?
What is the right format for the message?
What is the audience for the message ?
Which journal are you aiming for?
Skeleton of an
introduction
Background
Importance of the topic
Global, regional and local data
(magnitude)
Build up a convincing argument
Objectives
Hypothesis
Rational
Strategies for writing an
effective introduction
Start
by thinking about the question
(or questions) you are trying to answer
start off with a big picture sentence or two about the
power of education as a force for change as a way of
getting your reader interested and then focus in on
the details of your argument
Dont
be afraid to write a tentative
introduction first and then change it
later
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Introduction
Why you have undertaken the study ?
Main job of the introduction
Set out to answer a question that really interests you
The best question may arise directly from clinical practice
Need for enhancing preventive aspect
To build upon the current knowledge beliefs and practices
To improve quality of life with rehabilitative concern
Build on scientific work already published
Make clear how your work adds importantly to what has
gone before
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Introduction
Keep it short
Do not try to impress readers by summarizing
every-thing that has gone before
Choose references, which are relevant, recent
(preferably last 5 8 yrs)
Convince readers and editors that your study
is better than previous studies
A more detailed critique of the other studies
can be left for the discussion
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Introduction
Make
sure that you are aware of earlier
studies :
Published
Unpublished
Currently underway (thesis, synopsis)
Help from librarians
Personal contacts with people who are experts
in the subject
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Introduction
Convince your readers of the importance of the
question you are answering
Do not repeat material, which is in all the
textbooks
Giving prevalence figures, data on hospital
admissions and the cost to the nation related to
the problem may be appropriate
State the gaps in the literature on the topic you
are covering and how you have tried to fill this gap
by performing the present study?
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Introduction
Dont
baffle your audience
Avoid introducing, without explanation,
material that is completely unfamiliar to
the reader or audience
Avoid abbreviations as far as possible
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Introduction
Give
the studys design but not the
conclusion
A one sentence description of the study at the
end of the introduction is appropriate. e.g
We therefore conducted a double blind
randomized study with 5- year follow up
to determine whether--------
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Introduction
Get
the structure right:
- General nature of the problem
- Background and work to-date
- The research question related to the
objective (at the end)
Stay
away from opinionated statements
and quotations in scientific paper
How to evaluate your
introduction draft
Ask
a friend to read it and then tell you
what he or she expects the paper will
discuss
If your friend is able to predict the rest
of your paper accurately, you probably
have a good introduction
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Conclusion
While writing introduction
Keep in mind your readers/audience
Keep it short
Tell readers why you have done the study
Explain why it is important
Convince them, using data from previous
studies; the advantage or an upper edge of
your study to what has been done before
In the last paragraph of introduction
provide the objectives of the research
References
The
writing center. University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/introd
uctions/
Visit York Centre for Academic Writing online
resources at:
http://www.arts.yorku.ca/caw/resources.html
Acknowledgements;
Dr
Riaz Qureshi, Proff of Family medicine, KSU
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THANK YOU
QUESTIONS???
11/16/16
