How long should introduction be for research paper

George Mason University. Avoid the "Dictionary" Introduction. Giving the dictionary definition of words related to the research problem may appear appropriate because it is important to define specific words or phrases with which readers may be unfamiliar.

However, anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and a general dictionary is not a particularly authoritative source. It doesn't take into account the context of your topic and doesn't offer particularly detailed information.

Also, placed in the context of a particular discipline, a term may have a different meaning than what is found in a general dictionary. If you feel that you must seek out an authoritative definition, try to find one that is from subject specific dictionaries or encyclopedias [e. These can be found by searching the Credo Reference database. Saba, Robert. The College Research Paper. Florida International University; Introductions.

A common question asked at the start of any paper is, "where should I begin? It is, therefore, important to lay a foundation for understanding the historical context underpinning the research problem.

However, this information should be brief and succinct and begin at a point in time that best informs the reader of study's overall importance. For example, a study about coffee cultivation and export in West Africa as a key stimulus for local economic growth needs to describe the beginning of exporting coffee in the region and establishing why economic growth is important.

You do not need to give a long historical explanation about coffee exportation in Africa. If a research problem demands a substantial exploration of historical context, do this in the literature review section; note in the introduction as part of your "roadmap" [see below] that you covering this in the literature review.

Always End with a Roadmap. The final paragraph or sentences of your introduction should forecast your main arguments and conclusions and provide a description of the rest of the paper [a "roadmap"] that let's the reader know where you are going and what to expect.

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Organizing Academic Research Papers: 4. The Introduction. The Conclusion Toggle Dropdown Appendices Definition The introduction serves the purpose of leading the reader from a general subject area to a particular field of research. Importance of a Good Introduction Think of the introduction as a mental road map that must answer for the reader these four questions: What was I studying?

Why was this topic important to investigate? What did we know about this topic before I did this study? How will this study advance our knowledge? Structure and Writing Style I. It will take a few hours to write all these components of your paper. From this, it is evident that the conclusion is very important in your research paper. You may not include all the above, but it is important to restate the topic, the thesis and the main points in your paper.

Check our research paper writing guide to learn more how on writing these parts. The length of the reference page is completely dependent on the number of sources you have used in your paper.

Your paper may be lengthy while having a few sources, while other papers can be shorter with more sources. A good term paper should have a reference page listing all the sources of your information. Provided that you list the sources in the right referencing format like APA and MLA , the length of the reference page is not definitive. Most teachers in high schools require their students to submit 3 to 5-page research papers. Those are the normal research papers assigned within the semester.

However, final research papers like the English papers are between 5 and 7 pages. Even though the topic of the graduate paper determines its length, such papers are considerably longer. This is because they tackle complex topics that require in-depth explanations, citations, examples, and so on. They can be between 7 and 15 pages.

They can also exceed the count. The research papers written by students in middle school are considerably shorter than those given to students in college or graduate school. The normal papers written within the semester are between 1 and 2 pages, while the final papers are between 2 and 4 pages.

The length of a literature review depends on the purpose and the audience of the term paper. In most of the research papers in college, the literature review should not exceed two pages.

For longer papers of more than 10 pages, it can be between 2 and 3 pages. To write a research paper fast, begin by selecting a topic.

This is followed by conducting research on the topic and working on a thesis. Write the structure of your paper by creating an outline. Follow the outline and write the paper by beginning with an introduction and ending with a conclusion.

Finally, proofread your paper to correct errors. Read our checklist on how to revise your paper to a final copy. When formatting a research or term paper, you have to select a specific formatting style. Each format dictates the style of the paper, the spacing, in-text citation style, and reference page style.

You can get all these done for you if you get someone to write your homework and at a very reasonable cost. Most of the academic journal articles span 20 to 25 pages when they have a one-and-half line spacing.

If the academic journals are double-spaced, they can be between 25 and 30 pages. An introduction does exactly what its name implies: it introduces the subject of the paper to readers. But most importantly, it provides readers with a map to the overall paper. A good introduction captures readers' attention, tells them what the paper is about, and provides an outline of what is to come.

The introduction is quite possibly the most important part of an essay, but it can also be the hardest for some writers. Don't fret though; we're here to provide you with some tips and guidelines for writing introductions and staying on the top of the pile. If you really want to draw readers in, you have to start your introduction with something attention grabbing. This can be a startling fact, an interesting anecdote, or a relevant quote from an expert.

Refer to our article about front matter for more ideas for what to include at the beginning of your work. You can even present the point you are going to argue against. You must provide your readers with a little background or basic information about the topic you are covering. Start with the broader subject and lead your readers to your specific topic.

This is especially important when writing a book report. Show them how your topic relates to the bigger picture. After providing your readers with some background, use your essay introduction to outline what you are going to discuss.

Lay out your main points and arguments, preferably in the order in which you are going to discuss them. The most important thing to include when writing an introduction is your thesis! A thesis statement is the main point of your paper; it is narrow, focused, and specific. A thesis can be something you are arguing for or it can be something you are arguing against.

Whatever the case, be sure to include it. The thesis can come before your outline or at the very end of your essay introduction. There is no rule for exactly how long an introduction should be.