What’s the most popular drink in the world that is not alcohol?

Answer: Coffee

Trivia Question: Which bone are babies born without?

Answer: Knee cap

Trivia Question: What planets literally rain diamonds?

Answer: Saturn and Jupiter

Trivia Question: Which fruit floats

Answer: Apple because 25% of its volume is air?

Introduction vs Background -Differences between Research

Introduction and Background to the study
The main difference between the Introduction and the background of the study is the
amount of information each gives to readers. The introduction provides just an
overview of the research topic, while the background of the study discusses more
broadly about the topic.

The introduction and background of the study are the first parts of a research project,
they are an integral part of a document and they often comprise an overview,
information containing prior research of the topic, the rationale behind the work, the
methodology used in verifying the hypothesis, the outlines, and other details.

While a lot of people use the introduction and background of the study
interchangeably, they are distinct.

The introduction is where you introduce the reader to your topic and strategy. It has
several primary objectives, Introduce your topic and pique the reader’s curiosity, give
background information or summarize existing studies, introduce guidings and
positioning for your strategy, describe your specific research issue, and give an
overview of the structure of the paper.
Depending on whether your work offers the results of unique empirical research or
makes an argument by engaging with several sources, the introduction will appear
slightly different. Introductions to research work perform a significant amount of
work.

Although it may appear simple, introductions are usually included at the start of work.
They lead your reader from a broad subject area to the specific topic of your paper.
Your opening remarks will cover a lot of ground. It will, however, be only half a page
to a few pages long. The length is determined by the overall size of your work.

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In many circumstances, the introduction will be shorter than the rest of the
article. Research paper introductions aren’t simply significant; they’re critical. It’s
vital.

The title of your paper does not tell your readers anything about the content of your
paper. Introducing your content is where it all begins! A decent introduction will
include the following benefit;

Your reader should be able to get a sense of the context of your subject.

It makes the case for why your work is worth reading.

The introduction begins by providing a roadmap for the rest of the article.

Arouse the interest of your reader.

Your readers will struggle if you don’t provide them with a clear introduction. The
introduction, therefore, provides the clarity and overview that they need.

The background of the study on the other hand establishes the significance of the data
you describe in your work. Your research question is piqued by the study’s
background, which explains why it’s significant to the reader.

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Paper Introduction

As a general rule, the background of a study begins with a review of the relevant
literature that informs the investigation’s overall direction. It is possible to detect gaps
in understanding, or areas that have not been studied, once you’ve discussed the
contributions made by other researchers.

You can then explain how your study will address these gaps and how it will
contribute to the existing knowledge of the subject. Defining a topic and audience is
the first step in establishing your background. You must establish the topic you need
to review and what your audience already understands about the topic.

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It shouldn’t be that difficult to write your study’s background as several guidelines

can assist you in organizing your thoughts as you write the background. The
background of the study is essential for introducing your research topic to your
audience, so keep in mind enough knowledge about your topic and write about it
thoughtfully.

There are many things that distinguish an introduction from a background of the
study, reading through their definitions, their purpose, and benefits you could already
begin to pick out and understand their differences. The introduction offers preliminary
details about your issue that the reader will most likely read, whereas the background
underlines the importance of the work.

The background of the study explains in-depth the issue, whereas the introduction
merely gives an overview. The introduction provides a broad overview of the report’s
objectives. The introduction gives the reader a clear understanding of the purpose of
the paper and what they can expect from each section.

The Background takes a detour into uncharted waters. In the Background section, you
will go over previous work that’s been done along these lines.

The Background may include the paper’s aims, as well as a discussion of why this
report is significant or vital.

Just by reading the Introduction, a person can have a clear notion of what the report is
about and what each of its sections is supposed to accomplish.

The Background section is also summarized in the Introduction section.

The Introduction section serves as an overview of the research’s principal points. The
report’s Introduction will go over each of the report’s sections and provide a brief
explanation for each one. The Background, on the other hand, discusses the
importance of the study and the research that precedes it.

The introduction should end with your research questions, aims, and objectives,
although your background should not (unless in some circumstances where your
background is interwoven into your introduction)

Both the introduction and the study’s background are important in every research or
report, each performs a significant role in guiding readers. The Background is a vital
section of any report, paper, or thesis since it explains why this report is needed in the
first place and how the research was carried out.

The Background section contains lengthy and extensive descriptions of prior decades’
research that enabled the research to be created, while the Introduction is the section
that, as the name suggests, introduces the reader to the paper’s concepts. It gives the
reader a general picture of what the report will do and introduces each component.

The introduction comes first because it is the shortest and describes the entire report,
including the background. The background is more developed and detailed; therefore,
it follows the introduction. Though it is understandable to mix them, given their
conceptual similarity, they refer to distinct and equally essential portions.

Background to the study – Steps to writing a good background of the

study and 5 errors to avoid

 February 21, 2019

 Posted by: IGBAJI UGABI
 Category: Thesis Dissertation Guide

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Background to the study – Steps to writing a good

background of the study and 5 errors to avoid
The background to the study is an important member of chapter one of any research
study. This is so because, the background to the study, ideally, creates a mental
picture of the research topic as well as provides insight into the various issues arising
in that chosen area of research.

Every research effort ought to start with a background to the study. Because it
provides the reader with essential background information and explains why the
research was conducted in the first place. Also, writers absolutely need to be
proficient in the skill of knowing how to properly write the background of the study.

But, first and foremost, “What is background to the study in research?” It is the
information that a reader needs in order to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. It
is the part of the paragraph that comes after the hook or the segment that grabbed
people’s attention. So, it is not surprising that it needs to be in the first chapter of the
research.

The context of the study is set by the background of the study. This section explains
why this particular research topic is important and crucial to understanding the main
parts of the study. Usually, the background is the first part of a research article or
thesis. It explains why the study needs to be done and what it hopes to achieve.

A well-written background to the study should provide the readers with information
on the past and current themes of centre discussion in the given research line, as well
as provide readers with background information on the effect of the research problem.

There may be universal rules guiding the format your background of the study should
take, however, tackling your independent variables before moving on to address your
dependent variable has proved to be very beneficial. However, you could either
choose to start your background to the study by providing a conceptual explanation to
the keywords in your research topic, or by creating an overview picture of the effect
of the research problem.

When writing your background to the study, take into cognizance the fact that a good
background to the study should provide a logical linking of concepts, ideas as well as
information as touching the past, present and forecasted future trends of the research
problems, efforts already put in place to address the issue cum the level of success
attained so far.

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When you are trying to write a background to study for your research, you might think
about what makes up “Background Information” in a Research Paper.

The background to the study of a research paper primarily explains where the research
journey began, why you were interested in the topic, and how you formulated the
research question that will be specified later.

This means that you should first establish the background of the study by providing a
broad overview of the topic or subject, followed by a discussion of the significant
issues that led to your decision to study that specific problem you identified.

Once the reader understands where you are coming from and why the research you are
going to present is needed probably because there was a gap in the current research or
because there is an obvious problem with a currently used process or technology you
can move on to forming your research question and summarizing how you are going
to answer it in the rest of your research work.

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This is important because it enables your readers to know that you have full
knowledge of the efforts already put in place towards addressing the said problems,
hence, you are capable of bringing something new to the table.

Furthermore, your background to the study should provide information touching on

the history of the research problem, take for instance, that you are writing research on
“the prevalence of poverty among widows in Abia State”.

In this case, it is expected that the background to the study, should contain
information revealing the past and present widowhood practices prevalent among the
population at issues, cum a logical analogy of the perceived place of women and how
these factors translate to poverty among widows.

A good background to the study, encourages your readers to read ahead, your
background to the study sets the framework for every other subheading in chapter one
to stand, hence its significance.

We are aware that writing a good background to the study, especially for
inexperienced and young researchers does not come easily, hence, we have taken out
time to provide you with this useful guide.
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Moreso, our team of experienced dissertation and thesis writers are readily available
to provide you with more personalized assistance.

Things to note while writing a good background of the study

Also, it is important to know what the background to the study in the research
work should Include.

You ought, to begin with, a general overview, which is as follows: When the reader
has a firm grip on the primary topic (or issues), you should then comment on
the current state of the field (in basic research) or the procedure, practice, or product
application that you explain (in practical or applied research).

Cite all relevant research that has previously reported on the topic of interest, but has
either been unable to expose specific functions of it or hinted that it may be engaged
in more processes than we presently understand it to be involved in.

Alternatively, you may make a list of the reports that were produced by the education
ministries of the country that are of interest, putting extra emphasis on the data that
illustrates the requirement for research into the effects of either teaching or learning.

Is there anything that could be considered controversial with regard to the topic that
you’re interested in, that needs to be stated or addressed? Have earlier claims or
assumptions been made about this topic by other scholars, institutions, or politicians?

If so, do you think these statements need to be clarified? When producing this list of
details, you are also required to include methodologies that are what strategies or
approaches have been employed in the course of your previous research, and can you
explain why you plan to employ the same or a different strategy this time around?

The reader should have had no trouble following you from the general information
that you presented first to the specific details that you presented later in your research
paper because you arranged the background of your study in such a way that it is
logically consistent with the rest of the paper.
You are now able to describe why your research is essential, how it fits into the wider
picture, as well as what its goals and objectives are in a simple and straightforward
manner. You are able to accomplish all of this through your research work.

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This final section is typically referred to as the “statement of the problem” for your
study. This statement will appear to come out of nowhere if you do not provide the
reader with a good background to the study for your research paper, and it will most
likely cause them to ask more questions or get confused.

In writing the background to study in a research work, you need to avoid making the following
errors:

 When you’re composing the background, try to avoid making it either too long
or too short. Include all of the relevant facts while keeping your writing brief.
 Avoid being disorganized. If you do not cover the topics in chronological order,
the reader may become confused about the development of the field,
therefore plan your writing carefully.
 Don’t be unclear. Avoid writing in a manner that undermines the objective of
the context, and bear in mind that the reader is unfamiliar with your study.
 Avoid discussing unrelated topics. Try to focus your discussion on the most
important parts of your research issue, such as the literature gaps, the novelty
of the study, and the need to undertake the research.
 Avoid being disorganized. If you do not cover the topics in chronological order,
the reader may become confused about the development of the field,
therefore plan your writing carefully.

Steps to writing a good background of the study in a research work

A solid study of the research background should include the following:

The background section should include broad information on the subject of your
research and highlight its primary objectives. It should provide reviews of the study
field. Please ensure to highlight only the most important components of the study that
lead to your objectives. They should be elaborated upon in the section on the literature
review.
The background section should present your findings in chronological order to
emphasize the field’s advancements and the gaps that need to be addressed. It should
contain current information regarding the problem of the study as well as past
research on the subject. It must provide a history of the issue of the study based on
past research on the topic.

The background should be composed as a summary of your interpretation of prior

research and the objectives of your investigation.

So you have carefully written your research paper and probably ran it
through your colleagues ten to fifteen times. While there are many
elements to a good research article, one of the most important elements
for your readers is the background of your study. The background of your
study will provide context to the information discussed throughout the
research paper. Background information may include both important and
relevant studies. This is particularly important if a study either supports or
refutes your thesis.

In addition, the background of the study will discuss your problem

statement, rationale, and research questions. It links introduction to your
research topic and ensures a logical flow of ideas. Thus, it helps readers
understand your reasons for conducting the study.

Providing Background Information

The reader should be able to understand your topic and its importance.
The length and detail of your background also depend on the degree to
which you need to demonstrate your understanding of the topic. Paying
close attention to the following questions will help you in writing the
background information in your research paper:
  Are there any theories, concepts, terms, and ideas that may be
unfamiliar to the target audience and will require you to provide
any additional explanation?
 Any historical data that need to be shared in order to provide
context on why the current issue emerged?
 Are there any concepts that may have been borrowed from other
disciplines that may be unfamiliar to the reader and need
an explanation?

Is the research study unique for which additional explanation is needed?

For instance, you may have used a completely new method

What Makes the Introduction Different from

the Background?
Your introduction is different from your background in a number of ways.

1. The introduction contains preliminary data about your topic that the
reader will most likely read, whereas the background clarifies the
importance of the paper.
2. The background of your study discusses in depth about the topic,
whereas the introduction only gives an overview.
3. The introduction should end with your research questions, aims,
and objectives, whereas your background should not (except in
some cases where your background is integrated into your
introduction). For instance, the C.A.R.S. (Creating a Research Space)
model, created by John Swales is based on his analysis of journal
articles. This model attempts to explain and describe the
organizational pattern of writing the introduction in social sciences.

Related: Ready with the background and searching for more

information on journal ranking? Check this infographic on the
SCImago Journal Rank today!
Points to Note
Your background should begin with defining a topic and audience. It is
important that you identify which topic you need to review and what your
audience already knows about the topic. You should proceed by searching
and researching the relevant literature. In this case, it is advisable to keep
track of the search terms you used and the articles that you downloaded.
It is helpful to use one of the research paper management systems such
as Papers, Mendeley, Evernote, or Sente. Next, it is helpful to take notes
while reading. Be careful when copying quotes verbatim and make sure to
put them in quotation marks and cite the sources. In addition, you should
keep your background focused but balanced enough so that it is relevant
to a broader audience. Aside from these, your background should be
critical, consistent, and logically structured.

Writing the background of your study should not be an overly daunting

task. Many guides that can help you organize your thoughts as you write
the background. The background of the study is the key to introduce your
audience to your research topic and should be done with strong
knowledge and thoughtful writing.

FAQs

how long should the background of a research paper be?

The background of a research paper typically ranges from one to two paragraphs,
summarizing the relevant literature and context of the study. It should be concise,
providing enough information to contextualize the research problem and justify the
need for the study. Journal instructions about any word count limits should be kept
in mind while deciding on the length of the final content.

what is the difference between background and introduction in a research paper?

The background of a research paper provides the context and relevant literature to
understand the research problem, while the introduction also introduces the
specific research topic, states the research objectives, and outlines the scope of the
study. The background focuses on the broader context, whereas the introduction
focuses on the specific research project and its objectives.

how to write background of the study?

When writing the background for a study, start by providing a brief overview of the
research topic and its significance in the field. Then, highlight the gaps in existing
knowledge or unresolved issues that the study aims to address. Finally, summarize
the key findings from relevant literature to establish the context and rationale for
conducting the research, emphasizing the need and importance of the study within
the broader academic landscape.

what is the importance of background in a research paper?

The background in a research paper is crucial as it sets the stage for the study by
providing essential context and rationale. It helps readers understand the
significance of the research problem and its relevance in the broader field. By
presenting relevant literature and highlighting gaps, the background justifies the
need for the study, building a strong foundation for the research and enhancing its
credibility.

he background of a study is one of the most important components of a research paper.

The quality of the background determines whether the reader will be interested in the
rest of the study. Thus, to ensure that the audience is invested in reading the entire
research paper, it is important to write an appealing and effective background.
So, what constitutes the background of a study, and how must it be written?

What is the background of a study?

The background of a study is the first section of the paper and establishes the context
underlying the research. It contains the rationale, the key problem statement, and a brief
overview of research questions that are addressed in the rest of the paper.
The background forms the crux of the study because it introduces an unaware audience
to the research and its importance in a clear and logical manner. At times, the
background may even explore whether the study builds on or refutes findings from
previous studies.
Any relevant information that the readers need to know before delving into the paper
should be made available to them in the background.

How is a background different from the introduction?

The introduction of your research paper is presented before the background. Let’s find
out what factors differentiate the background from the introduction.

 The introduction only contains preliminary data about the research topic and does not
state the purpose of the study. On the contrary, the background clarifies the importance
of the study in detail.
 The introduction provides an overview of the research topic from a broader
perspective, while the background provides a detailed understanding of the topic.
 The introduction should end with the mention of the research questions, aims, and
objectives of the study. In contrast, the background follows no such format and only
provides essential context to the study.

How should one write the background of a research

paper?
The length and detail presented in the background varies for different research papers,
depending on the complexity and novelty of the research topic. At times, a simple
background suffices, even if the study is complex.
Before writing and adding details in the background, take a note of these additional
points:

 Start with a strong beginning: Begin the background by defining the research topic
and then identify the target audience.
 Cover key components: Explain all theories, concepts, terms, and ideas that may feel
unfamiliar to the target audience thoroughly.
 Take note of important prerequisites: Go through the relevant literature in detail. Take
notes while reading and cite the sources.
 Maintain a balance: Make sure that the background is focused on important details, but
also appeals to a broader audience.
 Include historical data: Current issues largely originate from historical events or
findings. If the research borrows information from a historical context, add relevant data
in the background.
  Explain novelty: If the research study or methodology is unique or novel, provide an
explanation that helps to understand the research better.
 Increase engagement: To make the background engaging, build a story around the
central theme of the research

Avoid these mistakes while writing the background:

 Ambiguity: Don’t be ambiguous. While writing, assume that the reader does not
understand any intricate detail about your research.
 Unrelated themes: Steer clear from topics that are not related to the key aspects of your
research topic.
 Poor organization: Do not place information without a structure. Make sure that the
background reads in a chronological manner and organize the sub-sections so that it
flows well.

Writing the background for a research paper should not be a daunting task. But
directions to go about it can always help. At Elsevier Author Services we provide
essential insights on how to write a high quality, appealing, and logically structured
paper for publication, beginning with a robust background. For further queries, contact
our experts now!

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