How to Write a Research Introduction (Research) (1)

7/24/2019 How to Write a Research Introduction (Research) (1)

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How to write the Introduction

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

This is the part that is supposed to give the reader a clear idea of what your research is all about. Remembeclear idea. So you cannot just go discussing anything you come across without understanding how it relates to wh

you want to achieve in the end.

Here are some of the points you have to cover to make sure that you are writing your Introduction properl

A proper Introduction will give the reader a strong vision of the direction you want your project to take.

1. Present the problems and concerns which brought you to choose to work on your proposal. You should do thi

without using the word I and without presenting your proposal just yet.

2. Inform your reader of the present scenario -- the present conditions and the problems that you feel need to b

solved . These would include such aspects such as technical problems; absence/incompatibility of present sit

need for proper planning; need for recognition of potentials; etc. Make sure, though, that you stick only to threlevant factors. Try not to lose focus so early, okay?

3. State the reason/s why it is necessary to conduct the study which will lead to your solution. This is sometime

called the RATIONALE (which is also a tip: this is where you rationalize what you are doing. Why in the wor

must you do this!? Will it make the world a better place?)

4. Does your problem have a historical background? Most problems do. Trace it. Then present it clearly an

coherently. But be careful about delving too much on the historical context. Once you've connected the historic

events with present developments and the problem at hand, move on.

5. Ask yourself these questions: Do you have a clearer and deeper understanding of the conditions pertinent to yo

problem? Do you want to find a way to solve it? If there are already existing ways of solving it, are you intereste

in going the extra mile to come up with a better solution? If your answer to these questions is a resounding YES!

then tell your reader so (again: do not use I and do not actually address your reader). All you have to do here

convince your reader that your project is worth your effort and the readers attention.

6. Describe the conditions of your study locale. You should do this in an informative manner which is not to

technical for readers with no background in architecture. And you should do this whether the locality is being use

as a source of basic data or a targeted site for application.

7. Wrap up. Before you start with the next part, make sure that you have linked all the things youve discussed. D

not leave the reader wondering where on earth you got the idea of conducting this study. If you can come up wi

a clever parting statement here, then by all means, DO!

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This is composed of a GENERAL STATEMENT of a MAJOR PROBLEM and SPECIFIC QUESTION

or SUB PROBLEMS pertaining to your research topic. If you have formulated them in the Introduction, you onl

need to repeat them in this section.


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Since you will be focusing on several RESEARCH TOPICS, you may be able to come up with differe

specific needs that may be addressed by your thesis. The specific needs that you have identified are supposed

make your project unique from other studies. Let your reader know this by stating your problem in a SIMPLE

CLEAR and DIRECT manner.

ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH GOAL/OBJECTIVES/STRATEGIES

ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH GOAL. There is one very important word here and that

ARCHITECTURAL. You can begin selling your project here by defining what kind of STRUCTURE yo

want to see in the translation of your study. A brief description of the outcome could also help so that a conceivab

image may be formed. Keep in mind that you are doing an architectural thesis. Refrain from devisin

PROGRAMS for the operations of your project.

OBJECTIVES Objectives are more SPECIFIC targets which eventually leads to the attainment of yo

architectural goal. You may want to group them by certain categories as determined by your goal, or arrange them

according to importance. For time-specific objectives, a chronological arrangement may be more advisable.

Though you havent defined your conceptual and theoretical frameworks at this point, you must have clear idea of what their basis would be (clue: RESEARCH TOPICS?). Therefore, make sure that your objective

are consistent with the topics that you want to work on. Again remember the keyword: architectural!

Strategies are simply particular actions you have to do to achieve each specific objective. Forget abou

architectural for a while and focus on RESEARCH WORK. What do you need to know, study, research on, surve

observe, estimate or program in order to create a body of knowledge that will lead to meeting your objectives.

It would, therefore, be more comprehensible if you follow the succeeding outline in stating your thes

goals, objectives and strategies.

As you enumerate the objectives and strategies, keep checking their relevance to your goal. If you do n

see a direct relationship, scrap the objective before you get carried away identifying the strategies. And please b

consistent with your sentence structure. If you begin the GOAL and the first OBJECTIVE with To + verb...., u

the format until you ran out of objectives to state. Strategies are a totally different thing. They are structured

the imperative form (the better to scare you into doing them, perhaps?).

SCOPE and LIMITATIONS

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

It is very important that you state in the clearest manner possible the coverage of your study and projec

To do this, you must first ask yourself what you need to do and why you need to do them. Once youve identifiethese you can again categorize or group them to gauge the task better.

Lets say you will be covering a lot of investigation with respect to the site. Identify what you need to kno

as required by your project. Then lets say again that you also have to conduct deeper research about yourthes

topic/s. Do you know why? Of course, you do. Write your purposes. Elaborate if possible. Then lets say furth

that youll be conducting case studies. What will be your subjects? What will you be looking into? Will it be th


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locale, the users, the activities, what? Then (as you may have already guessed) you have to explain why. Then let

say you stop. Good.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Most researchers make the mistake of using this part of the paper to state simply what their project wi

NOT be about. But then again, who said that you are like most researchers? Youre not, right? Right. So make th

a statement of the constraints or limiting factors that might affect your research, and therefore, the final outpu

Some examples would be budgetary limits (dont we all have this??), unavailability or inaccessibility of data, an

of course our favorite excuse: time constraints

However, these limitations are determined only to keep your study at a realistic level and in no way shou

be used as an excuse for personal shortcomings or blocks in the outcome of the project.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Who will benefit from your studies? How can this study be of any help in fostering a better architecture

These are few of the questions you have to take into consideration in writing the significance of your thesis. Th

may deal with the social, economic or cultural aspects of the project. You can even combine or address all of th

aspects if you like. But HOLD IT! Do not think of yourself as some kind of a God who can actually SOLVE th

problems with your research in blink of an eye. You can not alleviate poverty nor improve the whole bureaucrat

system through your study. But it can be a TOOL. ( and it MUST be a tool if that is what you aim). Always kee

in mind that you are an architect, not a psychologist, sociologist, physician nor a politician. And so you must alway

direct your discussions on the ARCHITECTURAL aspect of your work. Oftentimes, you are carried away by th

description drawn from the clients project proposals and thereby forgetting the architectural contributions yo

want your project to have. Example, if you are working on a Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents, you wi

not say that your thesis can actually heal these addicts. Instead, you can state your possible contributions, as a

architect, to meet this concern.

ASSUMPTIONS

The research, though a theoretical exercise which need no immediate application, should however be a

REALISTIC and ACHIEVABLE as possible. It would only mean that you will be dealing with assumptions whic

will support your study and give substance to your work. These may be conditions where you base your study th

need some validation through key informants you have interviewed. Your clients name, the possible fundin

source, the organization who will run the proposal and the likes are examples of these. Your assumptions can be

great help when dealing with programming and cost analysis. Further, it can bring your project into a more realistsense and create a more formidable framework for the design.


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DEFINITION OF TERMS and CONCEPTS

One caution in doing this: This is NOT a mini-dictionary. And so you are reminded that you will just wri

words that you believe are TOO TECHNICAL for your readers. Do not include terms which are only unfamili

to you. You might end up doing a list of terms for you and not your readers.

The following are some guidelines in writing an effective definition of terms:

1. Only terms, words or phrases which have special or unique meanings in the study are defined. Exampl

Learning areas may be defined as a classroom, but may take another meaning as to what your study is all abou

say a laboratory or a drafting room.

2. Terms should be defined operationally, that is, how they are used in your study. For instance the study is abo

accessibility. What do you mean by accessibility? To make the meaning clear you have to define what covers th

term, essential for a clearer understanding of your study.

3. You may develop your own definition from the characteristics of the term defined. Thus, a house made of ligh

materials may be defined as one made of bamboo, nipa, buri, etc. This is also an operational definition.

4. Definitions may be taken from valid sources. Encyclopedias, reference books, magazines and newspapers a

samples of these. And hey, because these are printed and published materials, you need to acknowledge them

any form possible. Definitions taken from these kinds of materials are called conceptual or theoretical definition

5. Acronyms should always be spelled out especially they are not commonly known or if they were used for th

first time. You may be using and typing the same long meaning of Department of Environment and Natur

Resources for a hundred times or even more along your work. So dont you think DENR would be a bette

alternative?

6. Use simple words in defining your terms. It would be more complicated if you will not, and therefore buildin

another bulk of things to be defined.

7. Definitions should be as brief, clear and direct as possible.

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How to Write a Research Introduction (Research) (1)