I’m often asked, “When should I write my dissertation introduction?” Should you write the first chapter of a thesis first or wait until you know exactly what you are introducing and maybe even write it last?
Well, the answer is, in some ways, both!
There are certain sections in your first chapter that you will want to have down on paper at an early stage and you may even cover them in your proposal. These include:
- Statement of the research problem
- Research questions
- Proposed contributions
- Outline structure
You will probably also want to write some of the background paragraphs introducing your topic because you will want to be able to discuss this background with your supervisor in the early stages of your PhD. You’ll also want to be able to talk about your research with your peers and writing your background is a good way to prepare for this.
So, an early draft of these sections will probably be written within the first 3-6 months of your PhD/Masters. Don’t submit it for feedback as if it is a completed chapter just refer to it as an early draft.
You will then make edits to your first chapter as you proceed and then as your other chapters are completed you can return fully to your introductory to check if it reflects how the research and the written thesis actually turned out. For example, you can be more definitive about your contributions, the knowledge gaps and the significance of your study.
So to summarise, you don’t need to complete your introductory chapter first just because it’s called chapter one. Get some done early on and give a thorough review and edit at the end.
If you are asking, When should I write my dissertation introduction and want some help with it then why not get in contact today!
