please provide references in text and avoid writing in first person
Overall aims of the introduction:
1. Introduces the context of the research
2. Identifies a gap in the existing relevant literature – a question that needs answering or a problem that warrants investigation
3. Describes the importance of resolving the ‘knowledge gap’
4. Justifies the research being reported and, broadly, the methods that were used
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Typically, gaps in the literature arise as a result of :
• Disagreement between a theory and empirical findings
• Disagreement between two theories, models, schools of thoughts, or authors
Lack of empirical research on a topic
A well written introduction should allow the reader to answer the following questions:
• What is known about the research problem and on what evidence this knowledge is based
• What is not known/ has yet to be answered – The knowledge gap
• Why is this not known – i.e. overlooked, contemporary issue
• Why it’s important to examine the question – “so what” factor
• Hypothesis/predictions of the research
Other factors include:
Explanation of the key terms associated with the research subject
By addressing these questions in the introduction, the author(s) provide the rationale for the research that they are reporting and the approach that was taken. Having read an Introduction that has been written with these questions in mind, the reader should be persuaded that the research was needed and that the way it was undertaken was the appropriate one.