3-3
Writing the Introduction Section
In general, Introductions should be about 10% to 15% of the total length of the text of a manuscript, not counting the abstract, references, tables, and figure legends. If the Introduction is much more than 15% of the article, the Introduction may need to be shortened.
Parts of the Introduction A good Introduction includes these elements: Background information Gap in knowledge
Hypothesis or purpose statement Strategy for testing the hypothesis Conclusions (optional) Following the guidelines below will help ensure that you have included all the necessary elements. Background Information Provide background information relevant to your article at a level of detail appropriate for your reader. State what led you to your hypothesis. Give only enough background information for readers to understand why you asked the research question you asked. Avoid topics that are not directly relevant to your study. Present background information in order from the most general to the most specific (funnel structure). Be sure to make clear why you performed the study and what you expected to learn from the research. Deciding how much background information to provide in the Introduction is 1 of the most difficult issues writers face. The appropriate level of detail depends on the target audience, which in turn depends on the journal to which you plan to submit your manuscript. Provide enough information to make the reason for your study clear to readers with limited knowledge of your area of investigation, but avoid a detailed discussion of topics that more knowledgeable readers already understand. This topic is discussed in greater detail later in the chapter, in the section “Tailoring the Introduction to Your Audience.”
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