Your introduction chapter is the only chapter every committee member reads closely before deciding how to read the rest. It needs to set up your problem, questions, and significance clearly enough that someone unfamiliar with your specific topic understands exactly what you're studying and why.
| Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Background of the study | Brief context establishing why this area matters generally |
| Problem statement | The specific gap this study addresses (often a condensed version of the full statement) |
| Purpose of the study | One clear sentence stating what the study aims to do |
| Research questions | The specific questions the study will answer |
| Significance | Who benefits from this research and how |
| Definitions of terms | Key terms defined precisely as used in this study |
| Organization of the study | A brief roadmap of what each subsequent chapter covers |
By the time you write your introduction, you likely know more about your specific topic than anyone on your committee. The chapter needs to bridge that gap — explaining background and terminology a knowledgeable but non-specialist reader needs, without becoming a mini literature review (that's chapter two's job).
Write — or at least rewrite — your introduction last. Many strong introductions are written after the rest of the dissertation is drafted, because by then you know exactly what story the chapter needs to set up. Drafting it first often means revising it again later anyway.
Background, problem, purpose, and significance — written for a reader outside your specific niche.
This varies by program, but most run roughly 10–15 pages for doctoral dissertations — long enough to cover every required section thoroughly, without padding any one section unnecessarily.
Yes — this is one of our most common introduction requests. We usually find the purpose statement and research questions aren't yet tightly aligned, and tightening that alignment clarifies the rest of the chapter.
Only the terms central to your study that a reader needs to understand your research questions — a long list of loosely related definitions dilutes the chapter rather than strengthening it.