How to Write the Introduction Chapter of a Dissertation or Thesis
The introduction chapter of your dissertation or thesis is the one in which you provide all of the basic information that the reader will need to understand the report which is to follow. Such things as the background of your research, how you came to research your topic, what your topic is and how it relates to the world around it, and what kind of general principles and methodology you will be using to research your topic and evaluate your hypothesis, are all aspects of what you will cover in the introduction chapter.
To start writing your introduction chapter, come up with a simple one sentence summary of the goal of your research. The reader will come to the first chapter of your thesis expecting a statement of purpose. This statement should tell the reader what the topic of the project is and what you hope to achieve.
Next, you can talk about the background of the project. How did you choose the project? What kind of greater historical context does the research that you are engaged in exist within? You may want to talk about any related experiments or research that specific people have done in the past, including landmark research cases which are related to the topic at hand. This gives the reader a sense of how your research fits into the greater scheme of things, and lets the reader compare what you are about to present to the research which they may or may not already be familiar with from leading figures in the historical record of the field.
Now tell the reader what your hypothesis is, as well as your basic reasons for believing in the hypothesis. How does your knowledge of the reality of the field make you lean towards one hypothesis or another? Explain to the reader how you will be able to prove or disprove the hypothesis that you set out with through the course of your research. Talk about any particular relevant issues that could affect the course of the research, or any basic questions or problems that people might have regarding the topic and how you will go about your research process. Try to anticipate how people will react to your hypothesis and make sure that you are able to start your project on a strong heading. It may be best to have the opening paragraph of your thesis reviewed before you embark on the research process, to make sure that you are on the right track (or at least that the track makes sense to others) before you set off and put a lot of effort into collecting data.
Finally, give the reader a sense of how the report will be organized. Provide some kind of chapter by chapter breakdown to tell the reader what can be expected so that the reader will be able to scan the report at first and have a good sense of what ended up happening. Use solid principles of organization throughout your paper, in addition to hitting all the above topics in your introductory paragraph, to make your dissertation as readable as possible.
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