Chapter 1: Intro

I have been spending a lot of time with students recently working on Chapter 1, so I thought it might be worth discussing it some. I think it helps to think of this first chapter of your proposal as an introduction to your study. It is not a continuation of your abstract- so you need to repeat info given in the abstract.

The introduction to chapter 1 is one of the most important parts of your entire paper. This is where you grab your reader's attention and provide a map of where you are going. You need to explain very concisely the need for your study (the gap you are addressing). This is where you might want to include a few statistics showing the size and concern of the problem. Give enough background literature to put the study into context, and explain briefly what method you will use. By the end of the introduction, your reader should understand  what the gap is, how you will do it, and why your study is needed to fill the gap that you have mentioned.

It is a difficult section to write, because it all needs to be around two pages. The language needs to be clear, without jargon, and to the point. Don't write in "academic" language; at least initially, write to your grandmother, explaining it in normal language. If you must use any terms that might not be known to your grandmother, define them. Avoid using acronyms if you can, I hate having to have a cheat sheet to translate a lot of abbreviations.

Have some friends or family members read the section and ask them questions about it. Why am I doing the study? How am I doing it? Do you get the feeling that my study is needed?

Next time we will look at theoretical foundation vs. conceptual framework in your paper. 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! Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu