Background to the study – Steps to writing a good background of the study and 5 errors to avoid

Background to the study – Steps to writing a good background of the study and 5 errors to avoid

The background to the study is an important member of chapter one of any research study. This is so because, the background to the study, ideally, creates a mental picture of the research topic as well as provides insight into the various issues arising in that chosen area of research.

Every research effort ought to start with a background to the study. Because it provides the reader with essential background information and explains why the research was conducted in the first place. Also, writers absolutely need to be proficient in the skill of knowing how to properly write the background of the study.

But, first and foremost, “What is background to the study in research?” It is the information that a reader needs in order to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. It is the part of the paragraph that comes after the hook or the segment that grabbed people’s attention. So, it is not surprising that it needs to be in the first chapter of the research.

The context of the study is set by the background of the study. This section explains why this particular research topic is important and crucial to understanding the main parts of the study. Usually, the background is the first part of a research article or thesis. It explains why the study needs to be done and what it hopes to achieve.

A well-written background to the study should provide the readers with information on the past and current themes of centre discussion in the given research line, as well as provide readers with background information on the effect of the research problem.

There may be universal rules guiding the format your background of the study should take, however, tackling your independent variables before moving on to address your dependent variable has proved to be very beneficial. However, you could either choose to start your background to the study by providing a conceptual explanation to the keywords in your research topic, or by creating an overview picture of the effect of the research problem.

When writing your background to the study, take into cognizance the fact that a good background to the study should provide a logical linking of concepts, ideas as well as information as touching the past, present and forecasted future trends of the research problems, efforts already put in place to address the issue cum the level of success attained so far.

When you are trying to write a background to study for your research, you might think about what makes up “Background Information” in a Research Paper.

The background to the study of a research paper primarily explains where the research journey began, why you were interested in the topic, and how you formulated the research question that will be specified later.

This means that you should first establish the background of the study by providing a broad overview of the topic or subject, followed by a discussion of the significant issues that led to your decision to study that specific problem you identified.

Once the reader understands where you are coming from and why the research you are going to present is needed probably because there was a gap in the current research or because there is an obvious problem with a currently used process or technology you can move on to forming your research question and summarizing how you are going to answer it in the rest of your research work.

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This is important because it enables your readers to know that you have full knowledge of the efforts already put in place towards addressing the said problems, hence, you are capable of bringing something new to the table.

Furthermore, your background to the study should provide information touching on the history of the research problem, take for instance, that you are writing research on “the prevalence of poverty among widows in Abia State”.

In this case, it is expected that the background to the study, should contain information revealing the past and present widowhood practices prevalent among the population at issues, cum a logical analogy of the perceived place of women and how these factors translate to poverty among widows.

A good background to the study, encourages your readers to read ahead, your background to the study sets the framework for every other subheading in chapter one to stand, hence its significance.

We are aware that writing a good background to the study, especially for inexperienced and young researchers does not come easily, hence, we have taken out time to provide you with this useful guide.

Moreso, our team of experienced dissertation and thesis writers are readily available to provide you with more personalized assistance.

Things to note while writing a good background of the study

Also, it is important to know what the background to the study in the research work should Include.

You ought, to begin with, a general overview, which is as follows: When the reader has a firm grip on the primary topic (or issues), you should then comment on the current state of the field (in basic research) or the procedure, practice, or product application that you explain (in practical or applied research).

Cite all relevant research that has previously reported on the topic of interest, but has either been unable to expose specific functions of it or hinted that it may be engaged in more processes than we presently understand it to be involved in.

Alternatively, you may make a list of the reports that were produced by the education ministries of the country that are of interest, putting extra emphasis on the data that illustrates the requirement for research into the effects of either teaching or learning.

Is there anything that could be considered controversial with regard to the topic that you’re interested in, that needs to be stated or addressed? Have earlier claims or assumptions been made about this topic by other scholars, institutions, or politicians?

If so, do you think these statements need to be clarified? When producing this list of details, you are also required to include methodologies that are what strategies or approaches have been employed in the course of your previous research, and can you explain why you plan to employ the same or a different strategy this time around?

The reader should have had no trouble following you from the general information that you presented first to the specific details that you presented later in your research paper because you arranged the background of your study in such a way that it is logically consistent with the rest of the paper.

You are now able to describe why your research is essential, how it fits into the wider picture, as well as what its goals and objectives are in a simple and straightforward manner. You are able to accomplish all of this through your research work.

This final section is typically referred to as the “statement of the problem” for your study. This statement will appear to come out of nowhere if you do not provide the reader with a good background to the study for your research paper, and it will most likely cause them to ask more questions or get confused.

In writing the background to study in a research work, you need to avoid making the following errors:

• When you’re composing the background, try to avoid making it either too long or too short. Include all of the relevant facts while keeping your writing brief.
• Avoid being disorganized. If you do not cover the topics in chronological order, the reader may become confused about the development of the field, therefore plan your writing carefully.
• Don’t be unclear. Avoid writing in a manner that undermines the objective of the context, and bear in mind that the reader is unfamiliar with your study.
• Avoid discussing unrelated topics. Try to focus your discussion on the most important parts of your research issue, such as the literature gaps, the novelty of the study, and the need to undertake the research.
• Avoid being disorganized. If you do not cover the topics in chronological order, the reader may become confused about the development of the field, therefore plan your writing carefully.

Steps to writing a good background of the study in a research work

A solid study of the research background should include the following:

The background section should include broad information on the subject of your research and highlight its primary objectives. It should provide reviews of the study field. Please ensure to highlight only the most important components of the study that lead to your objectives. They should be elaborated upon in the section on the literature review.

The background section should present your findings in chronological order to emphasize the field’s advancements and the gaps that need to be addressed. It should contain current information regarding the problem of the study as well as past research on the subject. It must provide a history of the issue of the study based on past research on the topic.

The background should be composed as a summary of your interpretation of prior research and the objectives of your investigation.