Chapter 2: Intro

The Chapter 2 introduction sets the stage for your literature review. There are 3 main topics that need to be discussed in this section. (a) Restate the problem and purpose of the study; this should be a brief summary of these areas. You are putting the chapter into the context of your study for the reader.  

(b) Provide a concise synopsis of the current literature that establishes the relevance of the problem. The keyword here is concise. You are showing why your study is needed. So discuss very briefly the gap in the literature and how your study will address the gap. Yes, this is very similar info that you are asked to provide in chapter 1, but resist the impulse to simply copy things. Restate it in your own words; be sure to include relevant citations to support your arguments. 

(c) Finally, preview the major sections of the chapter. Give your reader a picture of where you are going in the literature review. 

By the end of the introductory section, your reader should understand why you are doing your study, why your specific study is needed, and where you are going in the literature review. 

Next time we will examine literature searches. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu