How to Write a Dissertation Introduction

Many doctoral students are unsure about how to write a dissertation introduction effectively. A dissertation introduction provides the reader with his or her first impression of the dissertation. The doctoral dissertation is a requirement of the Ph.D. program. As such, it is instrumental to be well-versed in how to write a dissertation introduction. The quality of doctoral dissertation writing will determine whether you will graduate and whether you will be able to place the prestigious Ph.D. prior to your name.

The Main Purpose of the Introduction

The two main role purposes of your introduction are to expand on your material summarized in your dissertation's abstract and to provide indications about the content in the later sections of the dissertation.

The Important Questions to be Answered

The organization of how to write a dissertation introduction is such that it follows a logical structure. Your dissertation introduction should include the main issues in context and in a concise way. It needs to answer questions such as why you chose the specific study, why you are doing it now and here, etc.

The Components

In dissertation writing, assuming you have a plan and have defined the study and its goals, you are ready to write the introduction. The main problem most dissertation writers face is writing the dissertation before they have thoroughly defined the study. Only once you have designed the study should you write the introduction.

Remain Focused

The biggest challenge of writing an effective dissertation introduction is to keep it concise and to remain focused. Rambling on about irrelevant concepts will result in an introduction that is unfocused. An overly lengthy introduction can get you off to a poor start, creating a bad first impression on the reader.

Leave the Introduction for Last

Although this section will come first in your final dissertation, experts recommend that it could be wise to leave it to be done towards the end of your writing. This is because you may not be absolutely certain about what you will be introducing.

Provide a Good Conclusion to the Introduction

The conclusion to the introduction must be as strong and effective as the first sentence. An effective approach is to state your dissertation's objectives towards the end. Remember that the purpose of the introduction is to do exactly that, introduce the issue and context, while the history and background will follow in later sections.

Appropriate Academic Language

Dissertation writing has specific requirements with regard to the use of language. Avoid any kind of jargon and use simpler language in the introduction. Avoid cluttering up the introduction with unnecessary citations as they can be used elsewhere. The introduction simply has to be the summary to your study.

Each of the academic writing techniques and rules discussed in this article will help you in improving your technique for how to write a dissertation introduction.