Now that you have done some preliminary work, it is time to start writing your introduction. This is one of the most important parts of your paper because this is where you will spend the majority of your word count.
Your introductory paragraph should be a short, quick summary of what the article or topic is about. Make sure to include either a main idea or the first sentence which can be related to the topic and/or conclusion of the article.
It is very common for people to skip this step since they feel like the rest of the article already includes this information so there is no need to repeat it. However, if you fail to include an adequate introduction, then your reading audience may not know who you are talking about or what the article even is!
General introductions such as “A study found that doing ________ makes you happier” or “Research shows that _________________ is essential in healthy living” do not contain enough detail. If you are struggling to decide how to begin your introduction, try thinking about a topic yourself and see whether it has an intro. You could also use a template or bullet point to help.
Compile a list of topics for your research paper
Now that you have chosen your topic, it is time to start writing! While some students may feel nervous about how to begin their introduction, there are several tricks that can help you get started.
The first way to write an introductory paragraph for your scientific research paper is by starting with a topic and then developing a bullet point based on that topic.
For example, if your topic was why people should care about environmental issues, then your bullet point could be “What Is The Environment?”
Next, you would want to explain what the environment is. You could say something like “the natural world around us” or “our surroundings”.
After this, you would want to describe how important the environment is for our health and survival. This could include things such as food production, air quality, water supply, etc.
Lastly, you would want to talk about how we use the environment too much. Using resources efficiently is one of the biggest contributors to preserving the environment.
Start writing your introduction
Now that you have determined what topic you will be researching, it’s time to start writing your introductory paragraph! Your intro should make a strong statement and lead into the body of the paper.
It is very important to stay within the parameters of the question. Do not add anything unless it is directly related to the topic and bullet point.
Make sure to use appropriate vocabulary and tone. The article writer provided some links in our scientific research paper examples section.
Provide a context for your topic
A good scientific research paper is motivated by an argument or thesis that it seeks to support. This argument usually comes directly after the paper’s initial introduction, which serves as context for the rest of the article.
The introductory paragraph should use logic to prove the main claim of the article. It should also be clear and concise so that readers can easily follow what you are saying.
It is very common in academic papers to refer back to previous paragraphs or even to repeat parts of the article. Make sure to include enough supporting information suchas references and quotations.
Be careful not to overdo this, however.
Make your argument clear and concise
The second element in writing an introduction is making your argument or claim clear and concise. This can be tricky, because sometimes what seems like a strong argument does not sound very convincing when put into written form.
When arguing about health benefits of red berries, for example, it may seem obvious that they are good for you, but then you have to explain why berry foods are needed or wanted. If someone already has a diet full of them, there is a small chance they will need one more!
Likewise, when discussing how to prepare pasta dishes, some recipes include butter as a necessary ingredient. It would probably make sense to recommend limiting fat intake, so using less butter likely makes the recipe better than having too much.
Use relevant sources to support your claim
In his book, An Introduction to Literature, Professor Robert Martin suggests that writers get into a habit of incorporating references into their writing. As he puts it, such references are “practice for talking about things”.
By putting in small bits of text with supporting information, you will eventually be asked to use these texts as examples or proofs of your argument. Having this transition stage prepared can help you organize what you have to say more logically.
This is particularly helpful when trying to write an introduction to a scientific paper.
Organize your outline
Now that you have an introduction, you can begin organizing your scientific research paper! The next step is to organize your outline or topic development.
Start by making a topic and bullet point about the main idea of the article. Then, make another bullet point to discuss the important components of the body paragraph. You will want to develop these two points into a paragraph to describe the importance of the topic and the supporting details.
After this, you can move onto the conclusion. Here, you can summarize what the article discussed and emphasize anything important. This way, when students read the article they will know what part of the article talked about the major point and how to relate it to their own papers.
Review your work
After completing the introduction, you will want to take some time review your writing. Make sure that your paragraphs are connected with a topic and feature an appropriate title. Also make sure that your use of vocabulary is consistent and accurate.
After editing and proofreading your article, then it’s time to start creating your body or main paragraph. This is the part where you begin developing your argument and supporting your claims.
Start by defining the term “scientific research.” Then describe what makes something scientific. Next, talk about how to write a scientific paper. Finally, explain why this process works for science papers and how to apply these tips to yours.
Edit and revise
After you write your topic, next is to edit and revamp your introduction. This can be done in several ways!
You can take another look at your topic and try to make it sound more interesting. You may want to add or eliminate parts of the sentence to make your reader understand your topic better.
In scientific research papers, there are certain rules for introductions that must be followed. These rules include using the word “research” or even the term “study” as a prefix to create the topic and setting up an argument.
When writing an introductory paragraph, make sure to establish a natural flow and connect with the readers. Make use of transitional words and emphasize importance of these transitions.
General notes: When editing your paper, make sure to stick to the theme and what was asked in the assignment!
Your professor might have given some examples to help you develop your thesis, but do not plagiarize or use material without permission from others.
