
What contribution to knowledge does it make?.What limitations in previous work does it address?.What research gap is your work intended to fill?.In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature. Empirical paper: Relate to the literature The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the problem.
HOW TO INTRODUCE A QUOTE IN A RESEARCH PAPER FULL
Your search can be less extensive than in a full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.īegin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research that you intend to respond to. This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. This is a sort of miniature literature review-a sketch of the current state of research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences. Empirical paper: Describing previous researchįor a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that has already been conducted. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth if more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body. Provide only the most relevant background information. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. Argumentative paper backgroundĪ recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. Argumentative paper: Background informationĪfter you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your topic. In a more empirical paper, this is the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in. In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas. Clarity and relevance are still more important than catchiness. Think of an interesting fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your topic.įor example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental impact of cattle farming: Argumentative paper hookAre cows responsible for climate change?Ī more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent girls might use the following hook: Empirical paper hookThe rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of body image issues among women and girls.ĭon’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. This is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook. The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
