Unit 2:

Developing a Research Problem

Lesson 3
Writing the Research
Background
What is the
importance of a
well-written
research
background?

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What makes a research background
fundamental to any research paper?

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What makes up a well-written background of
the study?

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 What is the Research Background?

The research background is a brief and

general discussion of the study based on
existing literature and should introduce its
purpose and its relevance to the field. It also
highlights the research problem.

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The research background is more
in-depth while the introduction only
provides a brief explanation about
what the readers can expect from
the study.

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 Steps in Writing a Research Background

● Conduct preliminary research.

Preliminary research helps in grounding the current
research study within the parameters of previously
conducted research.

● Identify a writing style.

Deductive approach - general to specific
Inductive approach - specific to general

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● Emphasize the field of your research topic.
It should reflect an emphasis on the nature and the
field of the current study to make readers know its
focus.

● Read and use related literature.

The research background should include historical
and theoretical contexts of the current topic by
reading different sources.

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● Focus on the relevance and contribution of
the study.
It should highlight the relevance and potential
contributions of the current study to its field.

● Summarize the research background.

There must be a balance between discussing very
little information or elaborating too many details that
might make future sections of the paper redundant.

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Outlines are helpful in writing the
research background. Initial contents
of the outline can come from
preliminary research on the topic.

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Characteristics of a Research Background

1. The research background should be written in formal

and academic language. It observes proper grammar
spelling, and it should be clear and understandable.

2. It is concise. It should be written in a brief, organized,

and coherent manner.

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3. It is evidence-based. The research background should be
based on facts and evidence gathered from existing studies,
and personal opinions of the researchers should not be
included.

4. It is focused on the research problem. A well-written

research background highlights important aspects of the
research problem, and unnecessary and unrelated
information should not be included.
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5. It explains the goals of the study. The research
background should provide justification for its possible
contributions to the field.

6. It introduces the variables of the study. For

quantitative research papers, the research background
should clearly introduce and discuss the variables of the
study.

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7. It cites related literature in the discussion. A research
background should provide context to the current study
based on existing literature.

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What do you think could be the problem in
writing a research background on a topic with
limited related literature?

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 Quick Check

Based on your own understanding, how do you

define a research background?

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 Quick Check

What differentiates a research background

from an introduction?

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 Quick Check

Lourdes collated several issues and trends

about her current research topic. These issues
have been present in the previous years and in
the current year.

Explain how this information is helpful in

writing the research background.

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The research background provides
context to the study, explains the
relationship of the study with previously
conducted research, introduces the
research problem, and highlights the
contribution of the study to the body of
knowledge.

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Preliminary research, use of related
literature, and discussion outlines are
helpful in writing a structured and
informative research background.

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The research background should be
formally written, contextual, concise, and
evidence-based.

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