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Background information identifies and describes the history and nature of a well-defined research problem with reference to contextualizing existing literature. The background information should indicate the root of the problem being studied, appropriate context of the problem in relation to theory, research, and/or practice , its scope, and the extent to which previous studies have successfully investigated the problem, noting, in particular, where gaps exist that your study attempts to address. Background information does not replace the literature review section of a research paper; it is intended to place the research problem within a specific context and an established plan for its solution.

Fitterling, Lori. Researching and Writing an Effective Background Section of a Research Paper. Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences; Creating a Research Paper: How to Write the Background to a Study. DurousseauElectricalInstitute.com; Background Information: Definition of Background Information. Literary Devices Definition and Examples of Literary Terms.

Importance of Having Enough Background Information

Background information expands upon the key points stated in the beginning of your introduction but is not intended to be the main focus of the paper. It generally supports the question, what is the most important information the reader needs to understand before continuing to read the paper? Sufficient background information helps the reader determine if you have a basic understanding of the research problem being investigated and promotes confidence in the overall quality of your analysis and findings. This information provides the reader with the essential context needed to conceptualize the research problem and its significance before moving on to a more thorough analysis of prior research.

Forms of contextualization included in background information can include describing one or more of the following:

• Cultural -- placed within the learned behavior of a specific group or groups of people.
• Economic -- of or relating to systems of production and management of material wealth and/or business activities.
• Gender -- located within the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with being self-identified as male, female, or other form of  gender expression.
• Historical -- the time in which something takes place or was created and how the condition of time influences how you interpret it.
• Interdisciplinary -- explanation of theories, concepts, ideas, or methodologies borrowed from other disciplines applied to the research problem rooted in a discipline other than the discipline where your paper resides.
• Philosophical -- clarification of the essential nature of being or of phenomena as it relates to the research problem.
• Physical/Spatial -- reflects the meaning of space around something and how that influences how it is understood.
• Political -- concerns the environment in which something is produced indicating it's public purpose or agenda.
• Social -- the environment of people that surrounds something's creation or intended audience, reflecting how the people associated with something use and interpret it.
• Temporal -- reflects issues or events of, relating to, or limited by time. Concerns past, present, or future contextualization and not just a historical past.

Background information can also include summaries of important research studies . This can be a particularly important element of providing background information if an innovative or groundbreaking study about the research problem laid a foundation for further research or there was a key study that is essential to understanding your arguments. The priority is to summarize for the reader what is known about the research problem before you conduct the analysis of prior research. This is accomplished with a general summary of the foundational research literature [with citations] that document findings that inform your study's overall aims and objectives.

NOTE : Research studies cited as part of the background information of your introduction should not include very specific, lengthy explanations. This should be discussed in greater detail in your literature review section. If you find a study requiring lengthy explanation, consider moving it to the literature review section.

ANOTHER NOTE : In some cases, your paper's introduction only needs to introduce the research problem, explain its significance, and then describe a road map for how you are going to address the problem; the background information basically forms the introduction part of your literature review. That said, while providing background information is not required, including it in the introduction is a way to highlight important contextual information that could otherwise be hidden or overlooked by the reader if placed in the literature review section.

Background of the Problem Section: What do you Need to Consider? Anonymous. Harvard University; Hopkins, Will G. How to Write a Research Paper. SPORTSCIENCE, Perspectives/Research Resources. Department of Physiology and School of Physical Education, University of Otago, 1999; Green, L. H. How to Write the Background/Introduction Section. Physics 499 Powerpoint slides. University of Illinois; Pyrczak, Fred. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . 8th edition. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2014; Stevens, Kathleen C. “Can We Improve Reading by Teaching Background Information?.” Journal of Reading 25 (January 1982): 326-329; Woodall, W. Gill. Writing the Background and Significance Section. Senior Research Scientist and Professor of Communication. Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions. University of New Mexico.

Structure and Writing Style

Providing background information in the introduction of a research paper serves as a bridge that links the reader to the research problem . Precisely how long and in-depth this bridge should be is largely dependent upon how much information you think the reader will need to know in order to fully understand the problem being discussed and to appreciate why the issues you are investigating are important.

From another perspective, the length and detail of background information also depends on the degree to which you need to demonstrate to your professor how much you understand the research problem. Keep this in mind because providing pertinent background information can be an effective way to demonstrate that you have a clear grasp of key issues, debates, and concepts related to your overall study.

The structure and writing style of your background information can vary depending upon the complexity of your research and/or the nature of the assignment. However, in most cases it should be limited to only one to two paragraphs in your introduction.

Given this, here are some questions to consider while writing this part of your introduction :

• Are there concepts, terms, theories, or ideas that may be unfamiliar to the reader and, thus, require additional explanation?
• Are there historical elements that need to be explored in order to provide needed context, to highlight specific people, issues, or events, or to lay a foundation for understanding the emergence of a current issue or event?
• Are there theories, concepts, or ideas borrowed from other disciplines or academic traditions that may be unfamiliar to the reader and therefore require further explanation?
• Is there a key study or small set of studies that set the stage for understanding the topic and frames why it is important to conduct further research on the topic?
• Y our study uses a method of analysis never applied before;
• Your study investigates a very esoteric or complex research problem;
• Your study introduces new or unique variables that need to be taken into account ; or,
• Your study relies upon analyzing unique texts or documents, such as, archival materials or primary documents like diaries or personal letters that do not represent the established body of source literature on the topic?

Almost all introductions to a research problem require some contextualizing, but the scope and breadth of background information varies depending on your assumption about the reader's level of prior knowledge . However, despite this assessment, background information should be brief and succinct and sets the stage for the elaboration of critical points or in-depth discussion of key issues in the literature review section of your paper.

Writing Tip

Background Information vs. the Literature Review

Incorporating background information into the introduction is intended to provide the reader with critical information about the topic being studied, such as, highlighting and expanding upon foundational studies conducted in the past, describing important historical events that inform why and in what ways the research problem exists, defining key components of your study [concepts, people, places, phenomena] and/or placing the research problem within a particular context. Although introductory background information can often blend into the literature review portion of the paper, essential background information should not be considered a substitute for a comprehensive review and synthesis of relevant research literature.

Hart, Cris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998; Pyrczak, Fred. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . 8th edition. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2014.

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Home » Background of The Study – Examples and Writing Guide

Background of The Study – Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Background of The Study

Definition:

Background of the study refers to the context, circumstances, and history that led to the research problem or topic being studied. It provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and the significance of the study.

The background of the study usually includes a discussion of the relevant literature, the gap in knowledge or understanding, and the research questions or hypotheses to be addressed. It also highlights the importance of the research topic and its potential contributions to the field. A well-written background of the study sets the stage for the research and helps the reader to appreciate the need for the study and its potential significance.

How to Write Background of The Study

Here are some steps to help you write the background of the study:

Identify the Research Problem

Start by identifying the research problem you are trying to address. This problem should be significant and relevant to your field of study.

Provide Context

Once you have identified the research problem, provide some context. This could include the historical, social, or political context of the problem.

Review Literature

Conduct a thorough review of the existing literature on the topic. This will help you understand what has been studied and what gaps exist in the current research.

Identify Research Gap

Based on your literature review, identify the gap in knowledge or understanding that your research aims to address. This gap will be the focus of your research question or hypothesis.

State Objectives

Clearly state the objectives of your research . These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Discuss Significance

Explain the significance of your research. This could include its potential impact on theory , practice, policy, or society.

Finally, summarize the key points of the background of the study. This will help the reader understand the research problem, its context, and its significance.

How to Write Background of The Study in Proposal

The background of the study is an essential part of any proposal as it sets the stage for the research project and provides the context and justification for why the research is needed. Here are the steps to write a compelling background of the study in your proposal:

• Identify the problem: Clearly state the research problem or gap in the current knowledge that you intend to address through your research.
• Provide context: Provide a brief overview of the research area and highlight its significance in the field.
• Review literature: Summarize the relevant literature related to the research problem and provide a critical evaluation of the current state of knowledge.
• Identify gaps : Identify the gaps or limitations in the existing literature and explain how your research will contribute to filling these gaps.
• Justify the study : Explain why your research is important and what practical or theoretical contributions it can make to the field.
• Highlight objectives: Clearly state the objectives of the study and how they relate to the research problem.
• Discuss methodology: Provide an overview of the methodology you will use to collect and analyze data, and explain why it is appropriate for the research problem.
• Conclude : Summarize the key points of the background of the study and explain how they support your research proposal.

How to Write Background of The Study In Thesis

The background of the study is a critical component of a thesis as it provides context for the research problem, rationale for conducting the study, and the significance of the research. Here are some steps to help you write a strong background of the study:

• Identify the research problem : Start by identifying the research problem that your thesis is addressing. What is the issue that you are trying to solve or explore? Be specific and concise in your problem statement.
• Review the literature: Conduct a thorough review of the relevant literature on the topic. This should include scholarly articles, books, and other sources that are directly related to your research question.
• I dentify gaps in the literature: After reviewing the literature, identify any gaps in the existing research. What questions remain unanswered? What areas have not been explored? This will help you to establish the need for your research.
• Establish the significance of the research: Clearly state the significance of your research. Why is it important to address this research problem? What are the potential implications of your research? How will it contribute to the field?
• Provide an overview of the research design: Provide an overview of the research design and methodology that you will be using in your study. This should include a brief explanation of the research approach, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
• State the research objectives and research questions: Clearly state the research objectives and research questions that your study aims to answer. These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Summarize the chapter: Summarize the chapter by highlighting the key points and linking them back to the research problem, significance of the study, and research questions.

How to Write Background of The Study in Research Paper

Here are the steps to write the background of the study in a research paper:

• Identify the research problem: Start by identifying the research problem that your study aims to address. This can be a particular issue, a gap in the literature, or a need for further investigation.
• Conduct a literature review: Conduct a thorough literature review to gather information on the topic, identify existing studies, and understand the current state of research. This will help you identify the gap in the literature that your study aims to fill.
• Explain the significance of the study: Explain why your study is important and why it is necessary. This can include the potential impact on the field, the importance to society, or the need to address a particular issue.
• Provide context: Provide context for the research problem by discussing the broader social, economic, or political context that the study is situated in. This can help the reader understand the relevance of the study and its potential implications.
• State the research questions and objectives: State the research questions and objectives that your study aims to address. This will help the reader understand the scope of the study and its purpose.
• Summarize the methodology : Briefly summarize the methodology you used to conduct the study, including the data collection and analysis methods. This can help the reader understand how the study was conducted and its reliability.

Examples of Background of The Study

Here are some examples of the background of the study:

Problem : The prevalence of obesity among children in the United States has reached alarming levels, with nearly one in five children classified as obese.

Significance : Obesity in childhood is associated with numerous negative health outcomes, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

Gap in knowledge : Despite efforts to address the obesity epidemic, rates continue to rise. There is a need for effective interventions that target the unique needs of children and their families.

Problem : The use of antibiotics in agriculture has contributed to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which poses a significant threat to human health.

Significance : Antibiotic-resistant infections are responsible for thousands of deaths each year and are a major public health concern.

Gap in knowledge: While there is a growing body of research on the use of antibiotics in agriculture, there is still much to be learned about the mechanisms of resistance and the most effective strategies for reducing antibiotic use.

Edxample 3:

Problem : Many low-income communities lack access to healthy food options, leading to high rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases.

Significance : Poor nutrition is a major contributor to chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Gap in knowledge : While there have been efforts to address food insecurity, there is a need for more research on the barriers to accessing healthy food in low-income communities and effective strategies for increasing access.

Examples of Background of The Study In Research

Here are some real-life examples of how the background of the study can be written in different fields of study:

Example 1 : “There has been a significant increase in the incidence of diabetes in recent years. This has led to an increased demand for effective diabetes management strategies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new diabetes management program in improving patient outcomes.”

Example 2 : “The use of social media has become increasingly prevalent in modern society. Despite its popularity, little is known about the effects of social media use on mental health. This study aims to investigate the relationship between social media use and mental health in young adults.”

Example 3: “Despite significant advancements in cancer treatment, the survival rate for patients with pancreatic cancer remains low. The purpose of this study is to identify potential biomarkers that can be used to improve early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.”

Examples of Background of The Study in Proposal

Here are some real-time examples of the background of the study in a proposal:

Example 1 : The prevalence of mental health issues among university students has been increasing over the past decade. This study aims to investigate the causes and impacts of mental health issues on academic performance and wellbeing.

Example 2 : Climate change is a global issue that has significant implications for agriculture in developing countries. This study aims to examine the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to climate change and identify effective strategies to enhance their resilience.

Example 3 : The use of social media in political campaigns has become increasingly common in recent years. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of social media campaigns in mobilizing young voters and influencing their voting behavior.

Example 4 : Employee turnover is a major challenge for organizations, especially in the service sector. This study aims to identify the key factors that influence employee turnover in the hospitality industry and explore effective strategies for reducing turnover rates.

Examples of Background of The Study in Thesis

Here are some real-time examples of the background of the study in the thesis:

Example 1 : “Women’s participation in the workforce has increased significantly over the past few decades. However, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions, particularly in male-dominated industries such as technology. This study aims to examine the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in the technology industry, with a focus on organizational culture and gender bias.”

Example 2 : “Mental health is a critical component of overall health and well-being. Despite increased awareness of the importance of mental health, there are still significant gaps in access to mental health services, particularly in low-income and rural communities. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based mental health intervention in improving mental health outcomes in underserved populations.”

Example 3: “The use of technology in education has become increasingly widespread, with many schools adopting online learning platforms and digital resources. However, there is limited research on the impact of technology on student learning outcomes and engagement. This study aims to explore the relationship between technology use and academic achievement among middle school students, as well as the factors that mediate this relationship.”

Examples of Background of The Study in Research Paper

Here are some examples of how the background of the study can be written in various fields:

Example 1: The prevalence of obesity has been on the rise globally, with the World Health Organization reporting that approximately 650 million adults were obese in 2016. Obesity is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In recent years, several interventions have been proposed to address this issue, including lifestyle changes, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. However, there is a lack of consensus on the most effective intervention for obesity management. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of different interventions for obesity management and identify the most effective one.

Example 2: Antibiotic resistance has become a major public health threat worldwide. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are associated with longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and increased mortality. The inappropriate use of antibiotics is one of the main factors contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance. Despite numerous efforts to promote the rational use of antibiotics, studies have shown that many healthcare providers continue to prescribe antibiotics inappropriately. This study aims to explore the factors influencing healthcare providers’ prescribing behavior and identify strategies to improve antibiotic prescribing practices.

Example 3: Social media has become an integral part of modern communication, with millions of people worldwide using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media has several advantages, including facilitating communication, connecting people, and disseminating information. However, social media use has also been associated with several negative outcomes, including cyberbullying, addiction, and mental health problems. This study aims to investigate the impact of social media use on mental health and identify the factors that mediate this relationship.

Purpose of Background of The Study

The primary purpose of the background of the study is to help the reader understand the rationale for the research by presenting the historical, theoretical, and empirical background of the problem.

More specifically, the background of the study aims to:

• Provide a clear understanding of the research problem and its context.
• Identify the gap in knowledge that the study intends to fill.
• Establish the significance of the research problem and its potential contribution to the field.
• Highlight the key concepts, theories, and research findings related to the problem.
• Provide a rationale for the research questions or hypotheses and the research design.
• Identify the limitations and scope of the study.

When to Write Background of The Study

The background of the study should be written early on in the research process, ideally before the research design is finalized and data collection begins. This allows the researcher to clearly articulate the rationale for the study and establish a strong foundation for the research.

The background of the study typically comes after the introduction but before the literature review section. It should provide an overview of the research problem and its context, and also introduce the key concepts, theories, and research findings related to the problem.

Writing the background of the study early on in the research process also helps to identify potential gaps in knowledge and areas for further investigation, which can guide the development of the research questions or hypotheses and the research design. By establishing the significance of the research problem and its potential contribution to the field, the background of the study can also help to justify the research and secure funding or support from stakeholders.

Advantage of Background of The Study

The background of the study has several advantages, including:

• Provides context: The background of the study provides context for the research problem by highlighting the historical, theoretical, and empirical background of the problem. This allows the reader to understand the research problem in its broader context and appreciate its significance.
• Identifies gaps in knowledge: By reviewing the existing literature related to the research problem, the background of the study can identify gaps in knowledge that the study intends to fill. This helps to establish the novelty and originality of the research and its potential contribution to the field.
• Justifies the research : The background of the study helps to justify the research by demonstrating its significance and potential impact. This can be useful in securing funding or support for the research.
• Guides the research design: The background of the study can guide the development of the research questions or hypotheses and the research design by identifying key concepts, theories, and research findings related to the problem. This ensures that the research is grounded in existing knowledge and is designed to address the research problem effectively.
• Establishes credibility: By demonstrating the researcher’s knowledge of the field and the research problem, the background of the study can establish the researcher’s credibility and expertise, which can enhance the trustworthiness and validity of the research.

Disadvantages of Background of The Study

Some Disadvantages of Background of The Study are as follows:

• Time-consuming : Writing a comprehensive background of the study can be time-consuming, especially if the research problem is complex and multifaceted. This can delay the research process and impact the timeline for completing the study.
• Repetitive: The background of the study can sometimes be repetitive, as it often involves summarizing existing research and theories related to the research problem. This can be tedious for the reader and may make the section less engaging.
• Limitations of existing research: The background of the study can reveal the limitations of existing research related to the problem. This can create challenges for the researcher in developing research questions or hypotheses that address the gaps in knowledge identified in the background of the study.
• Bias : The researcher’s biases and perspectives can influence the content and tone of the background of the study. This can impact the reader’s perception of the research problem and may influence the validity of the research.
• Accessibility: Accessing and reviewing the literature related to the research problem can be challenging, especially if the researcher does not have access to a comprehensive database or if the literature is not available in the researcher’s language. This can limit the depth and scope of the background of the study.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Research Process :: Step by Step

• Introduction
• Select Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Background Information
• Develop Research Questions
• Refine Topic
• Search Strategy
• Popular Databases
• Evaluate Sources
• Types of Periodicals
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Organize / Take Notes
• Writing & Grammar Resources
• Annotated Bibliography
• Literature Review
• Citation Styles
• Paraphrasing
• Privacy / Confidentiality
• Research Process
• Selecting Your Topic
• Identifying Keywords
• Gathering Background Info
• Evaluating Sources
• Gale Ebooks This link opens in a new window Gale Ebooks (formerly named Gale Virtual Library or GVRL) provides a wealth of full-text reference and general subject books in a wide variety of subjects. more... less... Sources offered in the GVRL include multi-volume encyclopedias, biographical collections, business plan handbooks, company histories, consumer health references and history compilations. A wide variety of subjects are covered including arts, biography, business, education, environment, history, law, medicine, multicultural, religion and science.
• Oxford Bibliographies This link opens in a new window Developed cooperatively with scholars and librarians worldwide, Oxford Bibliographies offers exclusive, authoritative research guides across a variety of subject areas. Combining the best features of an annotated bibliography and a high-level encyclopedia, this cutting-edge resource directs researchers to the best available scholarship across a wide variety of subjects.

If you can't find an encyclopedia, dictionary or textbook article on your topic, try using broader  keywords  or ask a librarian  for help. For example, if your topic is "global warming," con sider searching for an encyclopedia on the environment.

Finding background information

Once you have identified keywords, the next step is to find background information on your topic.

Background information serves many purposes:

• If you are unfamiliar with the topic, it provides a good overview of the subject matter.
• It helps you to identify important facts related to your topic such as terminology, dates, events, history, and relevant names or organizations.
• It can help you refine your topic.
• Background research might lead you to bibliographies that you can use to find additional sources of information.

Background information can be found in:

• dictionaries
• general encyclopedias
• subject-specific encyclopedias  
• article databases

These sources are often listed on the "Find Resources" tab of our research by subject guides. You can browse a complete list of the Library's guides by visiting the "Research by Subject" homepage.

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How to Write an Effective Background of the Study: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

The background of the study in a research paper offers a clear context, highlighting why the research is essential and the problem it aims to address.

As a researcher, this foundational section is essential for you to chart the course of your study, Moreover, it allows readers to understand the importance and path of your research.

Whether in academic communities or to the general public, a well-articulated background aids in communicating the essence of the research effectively.

While it may seem straightforward, crafting an effective background requires a blend of clarity, precision, and relevance. Therefore, this article aims to be your guide, offering insights into:

• Understanding the concept of the background of the study.
• Learning how to craft a compelling background effectively.
• Identifying and sidestepping common pitfalls in writing the background.
• Exploring practical examples that bring the theory to life.
• Enhancing both your writing and reading of academic papers.

Keeping these compelling insights in mind, let's delve deeper into the details of the empirical background of the study, exploring its definition, distinctions, and the art of writing it effectively.

What is the background of the study?

The background of the study is placed at the beginning of a research paper. It provides the context, circumstances, and history that led to the research problem or topic being explored.

It offers readers a snapshot of the existing knowledge on the topic and the reasons that spurred your current research.

When crafting the background of your study, consider the following questions.

• What's the context of your research?
• Which previous research will you refer to?
• Are there any knowledge gaps in the existing relevant literature?
• How will you justify the need for your current research?
• Have you concisely presented the research question or problem?

In a typical research paper structure, after presenting the background, the introduction section follows. The introduction delves deeper into the specific objectives of the research and often outlines the structure or main points that the paper will cover.

Together, they create a cohesive starting point, ensuring readers are well-equipped to understand the subsequent sections of the research paper.

While the background of the study and the introduction section of the research manuscript may seem similar and sometimes even overlap, each serves a unique purpose in the research narrative.

Difference between background and introduction

A well-written background of the study and introduction are preliminary sections of a research paper and serve distinct purposes.

Here’s a detailed tabular comparison between the two of them.

What is the relevance of the background of the study?

It is necessary for you to provide your readers with the background of your research. Without this, readers may grapple with questions such as: Why was this specific research topic chosen? What led to this decision? Why is this study relevant? Is it worth their time?

Such uncertainties can deter them from fully engaging with your study, leading to the rejection of your research paper. Additionally, this can diminish its impact in the academic community, and reduce its potential for real-world application or policy influence .

To address these concerns and offer clarity, the background section plays a pivotal role in research papers.

The background of the study in research is important as it:

• Provides context: It offers readers a clear picture of the existing knowledge, helping them understand where the current research fits in.
• Highlights relevance: By detailing the reasons for the research, it underscores the study's significance and its potential impact.
• Guides the narrative: The background shapes the narrative flow of the paper, ensuring a logical progression from what's known to what the research aims to uncover.
• Enhances engagement: A well-crafted background piques the reader's interest, encouraging them to delve deeper into the research paper.
• Aids in comprehension: By setting the scenario, it aids readers in better grasping the research objectives, methodologies, and findings.

How to write the background of the study in a research paper?

The journey of presenting a compelling argument begins with the background study. This section holds the power to either captivate or lose the reader's interest.

An effectively written background not only provides context but also sets the tone for the entire research paper. It's the bridge that connects a broad topic to a specific research question, guiding readers through the logic behind the study.

But how does one craft a background of the study that resonates, informs, and engages?

Here, we’ll discuss how to write an impactful background study, ensuring your research stands out and captures the attention it deserves.

Identify the research problem

The first step is to start pinpointing the specific issue or gap you're addressing. This should be a significant and relevant problem in your field.

A well-defined problem is specific, relevant, and significant to your field. It should resonate with both experts and readers.

Here’s more on how to write an effective research problem .

Provide context

Here, you need to provide a broader perspective, illustrating how your research aligns with or contributes to the overarching context or the wider field of study. A comprehensive context is grounded in facts, offers multiple perspectives, and is relatable.

In addition to stating facts, you should weave a story that connects key concepts from the past, present, and potential future research. For instance, consider the following approach.

• Offer a brief history of the topic, highlighting major milestones or turning points that have shaped the current landscape.
• Discuss contemporary developments or current trends that provide relevant information to your research problem. This could include technological advancements, policy changes, or shifts in societal attitudes.
• Highlight the views of different stakeholders. For a topic like sustainable agriculture, this could mean discussing the perspectives of farmers, environmentalists, policymakers, and consumers.
• If relevant, compare and contrast global trends with local conditions and circumstances. This can offer readers a more holistic understanding of the topic.

Literature review

For this step, you’ll deep dive into the existing literature on the same topic. It's where you explore what scholars, researchers, and experts have already discovered or discussed about your topic.

Conducting a thorough literature review isn't just a recap of past works. To elevate its efficacy, it's essential to analyze the methods, outcomes, and intricacies of prior research work, demonstrating a thorough engagement with the existing body of knowledge.

• Instead of merely listing past research study, delve into their methodologies, findings, and limitations. Highlight groundbreaking studies and those that had contrasting results.
• Try to identify patterns. Look for recurring themes or trends in the literature. Are there common conclusions or contentious points?
• The next step would be to connect the dots. Show how different pieces of research relate to each other. This can help in understanding the evolution of thought on the topic.

By showcasing what's already known, you can better highlight the background of the study in research.

Highlight the research gap

This step involves identifying the unexplored areas or unanswered questions in the existing literature. Your research seeks to address these gaps, providing new insights or answers.

A clear research gap shows you've thoroughly engaged with existing literature and found an area that needs further exploration.

How can you efficiently highlight the research gap?

• Find the overlooked areas. Point out topics or angles that haven't been adequately addressed.
• Highlight questions that have emerged due to recent developments or changing circumstances.
• Identify areas where insights from other fields might be beneficial but haven't been explored yet.

State your objectives

Here, it’s all about laying out your game plan — What do you hope to achieve with your research? You need to mention a clear objective that’s specific, actionable, and directly tied to the research gap.

How to state your objectives?

• List the primary questions guiding your research.
• If applicable, state any hypotheses or predictions you aim to test.
• Specify what you hope to achieve, whether it's new insights, solutions, or methodologies.

Discuss the significance

This step describes your 'why'. Why is your research important? What broader implications does it have?

The significance of “why” should be both theoretical (adding to the existing literature) and practical (having real-world implications).

How do we effectively discuss the significance?

• Discuss how your research adds to the existing body of knowledge.
• Highlight how your findings could be applied in real-world scenarios, from policy changes to on-ground practices.
• Point out how your research could pave the way for further studies or open up new areas of exploration.

Summarize your points

A concise summary acts as a bridge, smoothly transitioning readers from the background to the main body of the paper. This step is a brief recap, ensuring that readers have grasped the foundational concepts.

How to summarize your study?

• Revisit the key points discussed, from the research problem to its significance.
• Prepare the reader for the subsequent sections, ensuring they understand the research's direction.

Include examples for better understanding

Research and come up with real-world or hypothetical examples to clarify complex concepts or to illustrate the practical applications of your research. Relevant examples make abstract ideas tangible, aiding comprehension.

How to include an effective example of the background of the study?

• Use past events or scenarios to explain concepts.
• Craft potential scenarios to demonstrate the implications of your findings.
• Use comparisons to simplify complex ideas, making them more relatable.

Crafting a compelling background of the study in research is about striking the right balance between providing essential context, showcasing your comprehensive understanding of the existing literature, and highlighting the unique value of your research .

While writing the background of the study, keep your readers at the forefront of your mind. Every piece of information, every example, and every objective should be geared toward helping them understand and appreciate your research.

How to avoid mistakes in the background of the study in research?

To write a well-crafted background of the study, you should be aware of the following potential research pitfalls .

• Stay away from ambiguity. Always assume that your reader might not be familiar with intricate details about your topic.
• Avoid discussing unrelated themes. Stick to what's directly relevant to your research problem.
• Ensure your background is well-organized. Information should flow logically, making it easy for readers to follow.
• While it's vital to provide context, avoid overwhelming the reader with excessive details that might not be directly relevant to your research problem.
• Ensure you've covered the most significant and relevant studies i` n your field. Overlooking key pieces of literature can make your background seem incomplete.
• Aim for a balanced presentation of facts, and avoid showing overt bias or presenting only one side of an argument.
• While academic paper often involves specialized terms, ensure they're adequately explained or use simpler alternatives when possible.
• Every claim or piece of information taken from existing literature should be appropriately cited. Failing to do so can lead to issues of plagiarism.
• Avoid making the background too lengthy. While thoroughness is appreciated, it should not come at the expense of losing the reader's interest. Maybe prefer to keep it to one-two paragraphs long.
• Especially in rapidly evolving fields, it's crucial to ensure that your literature review section is up-to-date and includes the latest research.

Example of an effective background of the study

Let's consider a topic: "The Impact of Online Learning on Student Performance." The ideal background of the study section for this topic would be as follows.

In the last decade, the rise of the internet has revolutionized many sectors, including education. Online learning platforms, once a supplementary educational tool, have now become a primary mode of instruction for many institutions worldwide. With the recent global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid shift from traditional classroom learning to online modes, making it imperative to understand its effects on student performance.

Previous studies have explored various facets of online learning, from its accessibility to its flexibility. However, there is a growing need to assess its direct impact on student outcomes. While some educators advocate for its benefits, citing the convenience and vast resources available, others express concerns about potential drawbacks, such as reduced student engagement and the challenges of self-discipline.

This research aims to delve deeper into this debate, evaluating the true impact of online learning on student performance.

Why is this example considered as an effective background section of a research paper?

This background section example effectively sets the context by highlighting the rise of online learning and its increased relevance due to recent global events. It references prior research on the topic, indicating a foundation built on existing knowledge.

By presenting both the potential advantages and concerns of online learning, it establishes a balanced view, leading to the clear purpose of the study: to evaluate the true impact of online learning on student performance.

As we've explored, writing an effective background of the study in research requires clarity, precision, and a keen understanding of both the broader landscape and the specific details of your topic.

From identifying the research problem, providing context, reviewing existing literature to highlighting research gaps and stating objectives, each step is pivotal in shaping the narrative of your research. And while there are best practices to follow, it's equally crucial to be aware of the pitfalls to avoid.

Remember, writing or refining the background of your study is essential to engage your readers, familiarize them with the research context, and set the ground for the insights your research project will unveil.

Drawing from all the important details, insights and guidance shared, you're now in a strong position to craft a background of the study that not only informs but also engages and resonates with your readers.

Now that you've a clear understanding of what the background of the study aims to achieve, the natural progression is to delve into the next crucial component — write an effective introduction section of a research paper. Read here .

Frequently Asked Questions

The background of the study should include a clear context for the research, references to relevant previous studies, identification of knowledge gaps, justification for the current research, a concise overview of the research problem or question, and an indication of the study's significance or potential impact.

The background of the study is written to provide readers with a clear understanding of the context, significance, and rationale behind the research. It offers a snapshot of existing knowledge on the topic, highlights the relevance of the study, and sets the stage for the research questions and objectives. It ensures that readers can grasp the importance of the research and its place within the broader field of study.

The background of the study is a section in a research paper that provides context, circumstances, and history leading to the research problem or topic being explored. It presents existing knowledge on the topic and outlines the reasons that spurred the current research, helping readers understand the research's foundation and its significance in the broader academic landscape.

The number of paragraphs in the background of the study can vary based on the complexity of the topic and the depth of the context required. Typically, it might range from 3 to 5 paragraphs, but in more detailed or complex research papers, it could be longer. The key is to ensure that all relevant information is presented clearly and concisely, without unnecessary repetition.

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Table of Contents

The background of a study is one of the most important components of a research paper. The quality of the background determines whether the reader will be interested in the rest of the study. Thus, to ensure that the audience is invested in reading the entire research paper, it is important to write an appealing and effective background. So, what constitutes the background of a study, and how must it be written?

What is the background of a study?

The background of a study is the first section of the paper and establishes the context underlying the research. It contains the rationale, the key problem statement, and a brief overview of research questions that are addressed in the rest of the paper. The background forms the crux of the study because it introduces an unaware audience to the research and its importance in a clear and logical manner. At times, the background may even explore whether the study builds on or refutes findings from previous studies. Any relevant information that the readers need to know before delving into the paper should be made available to them in the background.

How is a background different from the introduction?

The introduction of your research paper is presented before the background. Let’s find out what factors differentiate the background from the introduction.

• The introduction only contains preliminary data about the research topic and does not state the purpose of the study. On the contrary, the background clarifies the importance of the study in detail.
• The introduction provides an overview of the research topic from a broader perspective, while the background provides a detailed understanding of the topic.
• The introduction should end with the mention of the research questions, aims, and objectives of the study. In contrast, the background follows no such format and only provides essential context to the study.

How should one write the background of a research paper?

The length and detail presented in the background varies for different research papers, depending on the complexity and novelty of the research topic. At times, a simple background suffices, even if the study is complex. Before writing and adding details in the background, take a note of these additional points:

• Start with a strong beginning: Begin the background by defining the research topic and then identify the target audience.
• Cover key components: Explain all theories, concepts, terms, and ideas that may feel unfamiliar to the target audience thoroughly.
• Take note of important prerequisites: Go through the relevant literature in detail. Take notes while reading and cite the sources.
• Maintain a balance: Make sure that the background is focused on important details, but also appeals to a broader audience.
• Include historical data: Current issues largely originate from historical events or findings. If the research borrows information from a historical context, add relevant data in the background.
• Explain novelty: If the research study or methodology is unique or novel, provide an explanation that helps to understand the research better.
• Increase engagement: To make the background engaging, build a story around the central theme of the research

Avoid these mistakes while writing the background:

• Ambiguity: Don’t be ambiguous. While writing, assume that the reader does not understand any intricate detail about your research.
• Unrelated themes: Steer clear from topics that are not related to the key aspects of your research topic.
• Poor organization: Do not place information without a structure. Make sure that the background reads in a chronological manner and organize the sub-sections so that it flows well.

Writing the background for a research paper should not be a daunting task. But directions to go about it can always help. At Elsevier Author Services we provide essential insights on how to write a high quality, appealing, and logically structured paper for publication, beginning with a robust background. For further queries, contact our experts now!

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What Is Background in a Research Paper?

So you have carefully written your research paper  and probably ran it through your colleagues ten to fifteen times. While there are many elements to a good research article, one of the most important elements for your readers is the background of your study.

What is Background of the Study in Research

The background of your study will provide context to the information discussed throughout the research paper . Background information may include both important and relevant studies. This is particularly important if a study either supports or refutes your thesis.

Why is Background of the Study Necessary in Research?

The background of the study discusses your problem statement, rationale, and research questions. It links  introduction to your research topic  and ensures a logical flow of ideas.  Thus, it helps readers understand your reasons for conducting the study.

Providing Background Information

The reader should be able to understand your topic and its importance. The length and detail of your background also depend on the degree to which you need to demonstrate your understanding of the topic. Paying close attention to the following questions will help you in writing background information:

• Are there any theories, concepts, terms, and ideas that may be unfamiliar to the target audience and will require you to provide any additional explanation?
• Any historical data that need to be shared in order to provide context on why the current issue emerged?
• Are there any concepts that may have been borrowed from other disciplines that may be unfamiliar to the reader and need an explanation?

Related: Ready with the background and searching for more information on journal ranking? Check this infographic on the SCImago Journal Rank today!

Is the research study unique for which additional explanation is needed? For instance, you may have used a completely new method

How to Write a Background of the Study

The structure of a background study in a research paper generally follows a logical sequence to provide context, justification, and an understanding of the research problem. It includes an introduction, general background, literature review , rationale , objectives, scope and limitations , significance of the study and the research hypothesis . Following the structure can provide a comprehensive and well-organized background for your research.

Here are the steps to effectively write a background of the study.

1. Identify Your Audience:

Determine the level of expertise of your target audience. Tailor the depth and complexity of your background information accordingly.

2. Understand the Research Problem:

Define the research problem or question your study aims to address. Identify the significance of the problem within the broader context of the field.

3. Review Existing Literature:

Conduct a thorough literature review to understand what is already known in the area. Summarize key findings, theories, and concepts relevant to your research.

4. Include Historical Data:

Integrate historical data if relevant to the research, as current issues often trace back to historical events.

5. Identify Controversies and Gaps:

Note any controversies or debates within the existing literature. Identify gaps , limitations, or unanswered questions that your research can address.

6. Select Key Components:

Choose the most critical elements to include in the background based on their relevance to your research problem. Prioritize information that helps build a strong foundation for your study.

7. Craft a Logical Flow:

Organize the background information in a logical sequence. Start with general context, move to specific theories and concepts, and then focus on the specific problem.

8. Highlight the Novelty of Your Research:

Clearly explain the unique aspects or contributions of your study. Emphasize why your research is different from or builds upon existing work.

Here are some extra tips to increase the quality of your research background:

Example of a Research Background

Here is an example of a research background to help you understand better.

The above hypothetical example provides a research background, addresses the gap and highlights the potential outcome of the study; thereby aiding a better understanding of the proposed research.

What Makes the Introduction Different from the Background?

Your introduction is different from your background in a number of ways.

• The introduction contains preliminary data about your topic that  the reader will most likely read , whereas the background clarifies the importance of the paper.
• The background of your study discusses in depth about the topic, whereas the introduction only gives an overview.
• The introduction should end with your research questions, aims, and objectives, whereas your background should not (except in some cases where your background is integrated into your introduction). For instance, the C.A.R.S. ( Creating a Research Space ) model, created by John Swales is based on his analysis of journal articles. This model attempts to explain and describe the organizational pattern of writing the introduction in social sciences.

Points to Note

Your background should begin with defining a topic and audience. It is important that you identify which topic you need to review and what your audience already knows about the topic. You should proceed by searching and researching the relevant literature. In this case, it is advisable to keep track of the search terms you used and the articles that you downloaded. It is helpful to use one of the research paper management systems such as Papers, Mendeley, Evernote, or Sente. Next, it is helpful to take notes while reading. Be careful when copying quotes verbatim and make sure to put them in quotation marks and cite the sources. In addition, you should keep your background focused but balanced enough so that it is relevant to a broader audience. Aside from these, your background should be critical, consistent, and logically structured.

Writing the background of your study should not be an overly daunting task. Many guides that can help you organize your thoughts as you write the background. The background of the study is the key to introduce your audience to your research topic and should be done with strong knowledge and thoughtful writing.

The background of a research paper typically ranges from one to two paragraphs, summarizing the relevant literature and context of the study. It should be concise, providing enough information to contextualize the research problem and justify the need for the study. Journal instructions about any word count limits should be kept in mind while deciding on the length of the final content.

The background of a research paper provides the context and relevant literature to understand the research problem, while the introduction also introduces the specific research topic, states the research objectives, and outlines the scope of the study. The background focuses on the broader context, whereas the introduction focuses on the specific research project and its objectives.

When writing the background for a study, start by providing a brief overview of the research topic and its significance in the field. Then, highlight the gaps in existing knowledge or unresolved issues that the study aims to address. Finally, summarize the key findings from relevant literature to establish the context and rationale for conducting the research, emphasizing the need and importance of the study within the broader academic landscape.

The background in a research paper is crucial as it sets the stage for the study by providing essential context and rationale. It helps readers understand the significance of the research problem and its relevance in the broader field. By presenting relevant literature and highlighting gaps, the background justifies the need for the study, building a strong foundation for the research and enhancing its credibility.

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The Research Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

• Introduction
• Select Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Background Information
• Develop Research Questions
• Refine Topic
• Search Strategy
• Evaluate Sources
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Types of Periodicals
• Organize / Take Notes
• Writing & Grammar Resources
• Annotated Bibliography
• Literature Review
• Citation Styles
• Paraphrasing
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If you can't find an encyclopedia, dictionary or textbook article on your topic, try using broader   keywords   or ask a reference librarian   for help. For example, if your topic is "global warming," consider searching for an encyclopedia on the environment.

Using Wikipedia for Research

Finding Background Information

Once you have identified keywords, the next step is to find background information on your topic.

Background information serves many purposes:

• If you are unfamiliar with the topic, it provides a good overview of the subject matter.
• It helps you to identify important facts related to your topic such as terminology, dates, events, history, and relevant names or organizations.
• It can help you refine your topic.
• Background research might lead you to bibliographies that you can use to find additional sources of information.

Sources of Background Information

Background information can be found in:

• dictionaries
• general encyclopedias
• subject-specific encyclopedias  
• article databases
• << Previous: Identify Keywords
• Next: Develop Research Questions >>
• Last Updated: May 1, 2024 6:06 PM
• URL: https://westlibrary.txwes.edu/research/process

The Research Process

• Select Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Background Information
• Develop Research Questions
• Refine Topic
• Search Strategy
• Evaluate Sources
• Identify Scholarly Resources
• Cite Sources

If you can't find an encyclopedia, dictionary or textbook article on your topic, try using broader  keywords  or ask a librarian  for help. For example, if your topic is "global warming," con sider searching for an encyclopedia on the environment.

Finding background information

Once you have identified keywords, the next step is to find background information on your topic.

Background information serves many purposes:

• If you are unfamiliar with the topic, it provides a good overview of the subject matter.
• It helps you to identify important facts related to your topic such as terminology, dates, events, history, and relevant names or organizations.
• It can help you refine your topic.
• Background research might lead you to bibliographies that you can use to find additional sources of information.

Sources of Background Information

Background information can be found in:

• dictionaries
• general encyclopedias
• subject-specific encyclopedias  
• article databases

These sources are often listed on the "Find Resources" tab of our research by subject guides. You can browse a complete list of the Library's guides by visiting the "Research by Subject" h omepage.

• << Previous: Identify Keywords
• Next: Develop Research Questions >>
• Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 12:25 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wofford.edu/research

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Research Process

• Brainstorming
• Explore Google This link opens in a new window
• Explore Web Resources

Explore Background Information

• Explore Books
• Explore Scholarly Articles
• Narrowing a Topic
• Primary and Secondary Resources
• Academic, Popular & Trade Publications
• Scholarly and Peer-Reviewed Journals
• Grey Literature
• Clinical Trials
• Evidence Based Treatment
• Scholarly Research
• Database Research Log
• Search Limits
• Keyword Searching
• Boolean Operators
• Phrase Searching
• Truncation & Wildcard Symbols
• Proximity Searching
• Field Codes
• Subject Terms and Database Thesauri
• Reading a Scientific Article
• Website Evaluation
• Article Keywords and Subject Terms
• Cited References
• Citing Articles
• Related Results
• Search Within Publication
• Database Alerts & RSS Feeds
• Personal Database Accounts
• Persistent URLs
• Literature Gap and Future Research
• Web of Knowledge
• Annual Reviews
• Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
• Finding Seminal Works
• Exhausting the Literature
• Finding Dissertations
• Researching Theoretical Frameworks
• Research Methodology & Design
• Tests and Measurements
• Organizing Research & Citations This link opens in a new window
• Scholarly Publication
• Learn the Library This link opens in a new window

General Encyclopedias

• Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
• The Columbia Encyclopedia
• Hutchinson Encyclopedia
• The Macmillan Encyclopedia

General Dictionaries

• The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
• The American Heritage Student Science Dictionary
• The Chambers Dictionary
• Dictionary.com
• The Free Dictionary
• Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
• Merriam-Webster Online
• The Penguin English Dictionary
• The Science Dictionary

When getting started with your research, it is a good idea to get a general overview of a topic or gather background information. This information can help you decide if the topic really is in line with your thinking, and whether you want to continue researching in that subject area. Background information may include facts, historical figures, timelines, definitions, origins, theories, events, and more.

Reference resources are the most authoritative sources for locating general or background information. Reference resources are generally considered to be encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and thesauri. You may visit the Find an E-Book page to locate reference resources in the Library. Recommended databases include the following:

Content: Ebook database from the American Psychological Association that includes the most current scholarly and professional titles published by APA, as well as historical and classic works from the behavioral and social sciences.

Purpose: A fundamental resource for any psychology student.

Help using this database.

Content: A reference database useful for accessing scholarly definitions, background and contextual information. Subjects covered include art, biography, business, economics, education, history, literature, music, psychology, religion, and science and technology.

Purpose: An excellent starting point for brainstorming a research topic and building out your initial search terms list.

Special Features: Mindmap; related articles; image search

Content: Ebooks with coverage across all academic disciplines. The collection offers a critical mass of more than 150,000 foundational scholarly ebooks with balanced quantity and quality to improve teaching, learning and research workflow and outcomes.

Purpose: Provides access to multidisciplinary ebooks for download or to be read online.

Special Features: Browse by subject option; highlight and take notes in text.

Content: A collection of reference e-books published by Oxford University Press

Purpose: A collection of reference e-books

Content: Reference sources, primarily books but also videos and business cases. 

Purpose: Use for finding reference sources like encyclopedias and handbooks that provide contextual or explanatory material. 

Special Features: Includes Sage Navigator

It is important to keep in mind that these types of resources should be thought of as preliminary or tangential, and may not always be used as cited references in your scholarly work.

For additional information on finding background information, see the following Library FAQs:

• Locate Biographies FAQ
• Locate Definitions FAQ
• Locate Encyclopedias FAQ

Subject-Specific Encyclopedias

• Health Sciences
• Marriage & Family Science
• Research Methods
• Social Work

Subject-Specific Dictionaries

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• URL: https://resources.nu.edu/researchprocess

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Background Information

• Purpose of Guide
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• The Research Problem/Question
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• The C.A.R.S. Model
• Background Information
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Evaluating Sources
• Reading Research Effectively
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Is it Peer-Reviewed?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Writing Concisely
• Avoiding Plagiarism [linked guide]
• Annotated Bibliography
• Grading Someone Else's Paper

Background information identifies and describes the history and nature of a well-defined research problem with reference to the existing literature. The background information should indicate the root of the problem being studied, appropriate context of the problem in relation to theory, research, and/or practice , its scope, and the extent to which previous studies have successfully investigated the problem, noting, in particular, where gaps exist that your study attempts to address.

Structure and Writing Style

Providing background information in the introduction of a research paper serves as a bridge that links the reader to the topic of your study . Precisely how long and in-depth this bridge should be is largely dependent upon how much information you think the reader will need to know in order to fully understand the topic being discussed and to appreciate why the issues you are investigating are important.

From another perspective, the length and detail of background information also depends on the degree to which you need to demonstrate to your professor how much you understand the research problem. Keep this in mind because providing pertinent background information can be an effective way to demonstrate that you have a clear grasp of key issues and concepts underpinning your overall study. Don't try to show off, though! And, avoid stating the obvious.

The structure and writing style of your background information can vary depending upon the complexity of your research and/or the nature of the assignment. Given this, here are some questions to consider while writing this part of your introduction :

• Are there concepts, terms, theories, or ideas that may be unfamiliar to the reader and, thus, require additional explanation?
• Are there historical elements that need to be explored in order to provide needed context, to highlight specific people, issues, or events, or to lay a foundation for understanding the emergence of a current issue or event?
• Are there theories, concepts, or ideas borrowed from other disciplines or academic traditions that may be unfamiliar to the reader and therefore require further explanation?
• Is the research study unusual in a way that requires additional explanation, such as, 1) your study uses a method of analysis never applied before; 2) your study investigates a very esoteric or complex research problem; or, 3) your study relies upon analyzing unique texts or documents, such as, archival materials or primary documents like diaries or personal letters that do not represent the established body of source literature on the topic.

Almost all introductions to a research problem require some contextualizing, but the scope and breadth of background information varies depending on your assumption about the reader's level of prior knowledge . Despite this assessment, however, background information should be brief and succinct; save any elaboration of critical points or in-depth discussion of key issues for the literature review section of your paper.

Background of the Problem Section: What do you Need to Consider? Anonymous. Harvard University; Hopkins, Will G. How to Write a Research Paper . SPORTSCIENCE, Perspectives/Research Resources. Department of Physiology and School of Physical Education, University of Otago, 1999; Green, L. H. How to Write the Background/Introduction Section . Physics 499 Powerpoint slides. University of Illinois; Woodall, W. Gill. Writing the Background and Significance Section . Senior Research Scientist and Professor of Communication. Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions. University of New Mexico.

Writing Tip

Background Information vs. the Literature Review

Incorporating background information into the introduction is intended to provide the reader with critical information about the topic being studied, such as, highlighting and expanding upon foundational studies conducted in the past, describing important historical events that inform why and in what ways the research problem exists, or defining key components of your study [concepts, people, places, things]. Although in  social sciences research introductory background information can often blend into the literature review portion of the paper, basic background information should not be considered a substitute for a comprehensive review and synthesis of relevant research literature.

Hart, Cris. Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998.

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Information Literacy

Why background information, using background information, try it out.

• Following the Conversation
• Engaging with Sources
• Starting Your Research by Elizabeth Nicholson Last Updated Aug 2, 2023 948 views this year

Recommended resources for the various stages of the research process.

Learn to use the open web to launch you into scholarly research.

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When you first get a research assignment and perhaps for a considerable time afterward, you will almost always have to learn some background information as you develop your research question and explore how to answer it. Whether they be complex or easy-to-understand sources, we recommend that you read and/or view those that advance your knowledge and understanding of a variety of perspectives.

Especially while you are getting started, tertiary sources such as guidebooks or encyclopedias can be a big help. Wikipedia, for example, can be a good tertiary source of background information, particularly when you are just starting to explore a topic. Then, you might consider moving to subject- or topic-specific encyclopedia or dictionary at the library to identify a more specific research topic within your area of interest. You can use all these sources to get an overview of your topic and to learn the language that professionals and scholars have used when writing about your research question. That language will help you later, particularly when you’re searching for sources to answer your research question.

Use the "Databases, Encyclopedias, and Reference Sources" box on the Starting Your Research guide to find sources of background information on your topic.

This content is adapted from " Sources to Meet Needs " in Choosing and Using Sources by Teaching & Learning, The Ohio State University Libraries and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License .

Let's say I'm interested in researching the cost of a college education.

Sample Search

I choose to start with Gale Virtual Reference Library and do a simple search for [cost of college]. The first result, "Trends in Postsecondary Education," looks like a chapter in a book called Social Trends and Indicators USA . It is labeled as a topic overview by the database and mentions my search terms in the brief description, so it seems like a good place for me to start.

Identify Terminology

After receiving your search results, be on the lookout for other search terms you might use to help narrow your search. For example, just by scanning some of the headings in this "Trends in Postsecondary Education" chapter, I can already identify some keywords that I hadn't thought of before:

• Postsecondary education
• Tuition and fees
• Higher education

In skimming the chapter and looking at the database's list of related subjects, I can also identify some related topics:

• Great Society initiatives (1960s)
• Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• Distance education
• Medical schools
• Wages and salaries

Identify Key Players

In addition to identifying other keywords to use in your search, you can use background information to identify who cares about your topic so that you can consider a variety of perspectives in your research. By reading this overview of my topic, I can identify some of the groups or individuals affected by or making decisions about the cost of college:

• Specialization (e.g. medical school students)
• Race/Ethnicity
• Low-income families
• Lawmakers (e.g. President Lyndon Johnson)

Find Additional Sources

I can also skim the sources used to write this overview to see if there are articles or books there that I might use in my research. The second section, "Just How Much Has Tuition Gone Up?," has a reference to an article in the New York Times that looks like it discusses recent increases in college tuition, which is a topic I care to learn more about, since I not only have a personal investment in it, but I also have a few opinions about it!

Gathering and Using Background Information

Complete this activity to learn more about your topic and identify terminology, names, and sources that may further your research.

Complete the Module

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Writing the Introduction/Background of a Research Article

Writing the introduction and background of a research article can be daunting. Where do you start? What information should you include?

A great place to start is creating an argument structure for why your research topic is relevant and important. This structure should clearly walk the reader through current, relevant literature and lead them to the gap in the literature that your topic fills. To do this I use the following 4-step argument creation structure.

• Create argument funnel questions/statements
• Harvest article quotes that explain/backup each of the argument funnel questions/statements
• Organize article quotes to best support each section of the argument funnel
• Write prose that utilizes the article quotes to progress your argument from most well known to your specific topic

1. Argument Funnel Creation

Create an argument funnel with statements that take the reader form the most well known and widely accepted knowledge connected to my topic down to your specific research topic.

Completed Argument Funnel Example

When creating your funnel statements think about what research exists related to your topic. Where are the gaps in the existing literature? How do you know those are the gaps? If you get stuck, think about the 50,000 ft view of your topic and how you would explain the necessity of your research to people not in your field.

2. Harvesting Article Quotes

Find research articles that pertain to each of your funnel statements to back them up with evidence. As you find the articles put them into a citation manager (e.g., Zotero) now to save yourself time later. While reading the articles, pull (copy and paste) article quotes/excerpts that MAY be relevant. Pull more than you think you need, especially duplicates of the same idea by different authors to strengthen your argument. Store your quotes/excerpts in a document organized by your funnel statements with in-text citations with the page number you pulled it from. The National Academy of Engineering reports can be valuable top of funnel resources.

3. Organizing Article Quotes

Once you have harvested many article quotes for each of your funnel statements, organized them in an order that walks your reader through the literature landscape in a logical way. As you do this assume the reader doesn’t know anything about your topic so start at the beginning. Chronological order is a good place to start but may not always fit your argument. Think about your quotes/excerpts as puzzle pieces, where do they logically fit together?

4. Writing Prose

Now that your article quotes are organized, summarize the quotes in your own voice with appropriate citations. This is the time to begin including transition/connecting words and phrases between summarized quotes to bring your reader through your argument. Don’t forget to include “so what?” sentences and phrases after summarized quotes. In other words don’t only report what other authors said or found, tell the reader why that is important to your argument.

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Research 101 (A How-to Guide): Step 2. Get background information

• Step 1. Choose a topic
• Step 2. Get background information
• Step 3. Create a search strategy
• Step 4. Find books and e-books
• Step 5. Find articles
• Step 6. Evaluate your sources
• Step 7. Cite your sources

Step 2: Get Background Information

Now that you've chosen a topic and developed a research question, get background information which will help you in subsequent steps.  Background sources, also known as reference sources, include dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks.  Try these collections of background sources to gather authoritative information about your topic.

• Credo Reference This link opens in a new window An online, cross-searchable collection of reference books on a variety of subjects from more than 50 publishers.
• EBooks (Gale) This link opens in a new window Cross-searchable collection of over two thousand reference titles from Gale. Previously known as Gale Virtual Reference Library. Extent: Multidisciplinary
• Sage Reference Cross-searchable collection of encyclopedias and handbooks from the publisher SAGE. Extent: Multidisciplinary

Why Use Background Sources?

Background sources will help you:    

• Learn important dates and events around your topic
• Browse a chronology or timeline for your topic
• Discover what scholars are talking about when they talk about your topic
• Find out who the experts are: who researches and writes about your topic
• Explore keywords and subject-specific vocabulary that can be used for database searches
• Find bibliographies that lead to additional resources
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• 2. Gather Background Information
• 1. Define Your Topic
• 3. Find Books & More
• 4. Find Articles & More
• 5. Find Web Sources
• 6. Evaluate Your Sources
• 7. Cite Your Sources

Be sure to give yourself adequate time to thoroughly brainstorm your topic, search for sources, evaluate the information you find, and complete your assignment.

The University of Michigan Libraries'  Assignment Calendar can help you outline the tasks you need to complete with deadlines to keep you on track.

Planning Your Search

1. What are the main concepts of your topic and what keywords might you use when searching?

• Identify the main concepts within your topic.
• Brainstorm synonyms for your search terms that might help you expand your search.

2. Determine what information you need. Follow your instructor's syllabus carefully.

• Decide (or identify within the assignment) how many sources you need.
• Decide (or identify within the assignment) what types of sources you need.

3. Get background information on your topic.

• Use references sources to gather information on the broader context of your topic.
• Identify more keywords for searching.

Identifying Keywords

Library databases and search engines depend on precise search phrases to yield precise results, it helps to think of your topic in terms of the key concepts that define it. Using your research question pick out the nouns that sum up your topic:

How effective is the use of cognitive behavioral therapy to treat depression in group therapy with adults ?

After identify your key concepts, you will also want to come up with related terms in order to expand your searching. Keywords  are the terms and phrases you use during a search. Keep a list of these words because you will use them when searching for information on your topic. 

When searching, string your keywords together with “AND” rather than entering the entire research question. Mix and match terms depending on results. For example:

cognitive behavioral therapy AND depression AND group therapy AND adults

mindfulness-based therapy AND depression AND group counseling AND grown-ups

cognitive behavioral therapy AND seasonal depression AND support groups AND seniors

Understanding Sources

• The Information Cycle
• Types of Information Sources
• Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
• Current vs. Historical
• Scholarly, Popular, Trade

The Information Cycle  illustrates to the way information is processed and distributed, and how it changes over time. It describes the progression of media coverage concerning an event or topic during which information goes through various stages of reporting, research, and publication. 

Understanding the Information Cycle can help researchers decide what sources are most current and accurate, what information they may or may not include, and how facts and narrative about an event or topic can continually change.

Learn more about the Information Cycle by viewing the graphic to the right, or viewing "Understanding the Information Cycle" video created by the Undergraduate Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary

Current or Historical

Scholarly or Popular

Gather Background Information

The best type of source for gathering background information on a topic is a reference source . Encyclopedias are typically the most well-know type of reference source, but atlases, indexes, almanacs, and dictionaries also fall in the reference category.

Browsing the reference section of a library may help you find titles that include information on your topic, but don't forget to search some of the reference databases available to you for reliable background information on your topic.

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Education research : Background information

• Background information
• SAGE researchmethods SAGE Research Methods is a tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. Users can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. Since SAGE Research Methods focuses on methodology rather than disciplines, it can be used across the social sciences, health sciences, and other areas of research.

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Introduction to Research: Find Background Information

• Introduction to Research: Home
• The Research Process

Find Background Information

• Develop a Research Question
• Find Sources: How to Use the WPI Library Search
• Find Sources: How to Access Databases
• Find Sources: Books
• Find Sources: Journal Articles
• Evaluate the Sources You Find
• Cite Your Sources
• Off-Campus Access to WPI Library Resources

When starting a new research project, figuring out where to begin and how to narrow down your topic can be difficult. It is helpful to start by looking for background information on your topic. Even if your topic is still broad, try looking for background information by searching in online encyclopedias or by doing a general Google search. Use these sources to find subtopics and relevant vocabulary associated with your topic. This new vocabulary will help you with your keyword searches. 

Typically, you will not cite encyclopedias in an academic project. Encyclopedias can be helpful for sparking ideas and finding important concepts that you will then find more information on in academic sources, such as peer-reviewed journal articles and books written by scholars. 

Here are some examples of online reference sources to help you find background information on your research topic: 

Contains 100+ dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works full text and searchable.

Coverage: Varies Full Text: Yes

• Encyclopedia Britannica
• More Reference Sources
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Organizing Academic Research Papers: Background Information

• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Executive Summary
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tertiary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Annotated Bibliography
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• How to Manage Group Projects
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Essays
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Acknowledgements

Background information identifies and describes the history and nature of a well-defined research problem with reference to the existing literature. Background information in your Introduction should indicate the root of the problem being studied, its scope, and the extent to which previous studies have successfully investigated the problem, noting, in particular, where gaps exist that your study attempts to address.  Introductory background information differs from a literature review in that it places the research problem in proper context rather than thoroughly examining pertinent literature.

Importance of Having Enough Background Information

Background information expands upon the key points stated in your introduction but is not the main focus of the paper. Sufficient background information helps your reader determine if you have a basic understanding of the research problem being investigated and promotes confidence in the overall quality of your analysis and findings.

Background information provides the reader with the essential context needed to understand the research problem . Depending on the topic being studied, forms of contextualization may include:

• Cultural -- the issue placed within the learned behavior of specific groups of people.
• Economic -- of or relating to systems of production and management of material wealth and/or business activities.
• Historical -- the time in which something takes place or was created and how that influences how you interpret it.
• Philosophical -- clarification of the essential nature of being or of phenomena as it relates to the research problem.
• Physical/Spatial -- reflects the space around something and how that influences how you see it.
• Political -- concerns the environment in which something is produced indicating it's public purpose or agenda.
• Social -- the environment of people that surrounds something's creation or intended audience, reflecting how the people around something use and interpret it.
• Temporal -- reflects issues or events of, relating to, or limited by time.

Background information can also include summaries of important, relevant research studies . The key is to summarize for the reader what is known about the specific research problem before you conducted your analysis. This is accomplished with a general review of the foundational research literature (with citations) that report findings that inform your study's aims and objectives.

NOTE : Research studies cited as part of the background information of your introduction should not include very specific, lengthy explanations. This should be discussed in greater detail in your literature review section.

Background of the Problem Section: What do you Need to Consider? Anonymous. Harvard University; Hopkins, Will G. How to Write a Research Paper . SPORTSCIENCE, Perspectives/Research Resources. Department of Physiology and School of Physical Education, University of Otago, 1999; Green, L. H. How to Write the Background/Introduction Section. Physics 499 Powerpoint slides. University of Illinois; Woodall, W. Gill. Writing the Background and Significance Section. Senior Research Scientist and Professor of Communication. Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions. University of New Mexico.  

Structure and Writing Style

Providing background information in the Introduction of a research paper serves as a bridge that links the reader to the topic of your study . But precisely how long and in-depth this bridge should be is largely dependent upon how much information you think the reader will need in order to understand the research problem being discussed and to appreciate why the issues you are investigating are important.

From another perspective, the length and detail of background information also depends on the degree to which you need to demonstrate to your professor how much you understand the topic. Keep this in mind because providing succinct background information can be an effective way to show that you have a clear grasp of key issues and concepts underpinning your overall study. Don't try to show off, though!

Given that the structure and writing style of your background information can vary depending upon the complexity of your research and/or the nature of the assignment, here are some questions to consider while writing :

• Are there concepts, terms, theories, or ideas that may be unfamiliar to the reader and, thus, require additional explanation?
• Are there historical elements that need to be explored in order to add needed context, to highlight specific people, issues, or events, or to lay a foundation for understanding the emergence of a current issue or event?
• Is the research study unusual in some way that requires additional explanation, such as, a) your study uses a method never applied before to the research problem you are investigating; b) your study investigates a very esoteric or complex research problem; or, c) your study relies upon analyzing unique texts or documents, such as archival materials or primary documents like diaries or personal letters, that do not represent the established body of source literature on the topic.

Background of the Problem Section: What do you Need to Consider? Anonymous. Harvard University; Hopkins, Will G. How to Write a Research Paper . SPORTSCIENCE, Perspectives/Research Resources. Department of Physiology and School of Physical Education, University of Otago, 1999; Green, L. H. How to Write the Background/Introduction Section. Physics 499 Powerpoint slides. University of Illinois; Woodall, W. Gill. Writing the Background and Significance Section. Senior Research Scientist and Professor of Communication. Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions. University of New Mexico.

Writing Tip

Background Information vs. the Literature Review

Incorporating background information into the Introduction is intended to provide the reader with critical information about the topic being studied, such as highlighting and expanding upon foundational studies conducted in the past, important historical events that inform why and in what ways the research problem exists, or defining key components of your study [concepts, people, places, things]. Although in social sciences research introductory background information can often blend into the literature review portion of the paper, basic background information should not be considered a substitute for a comprehensive review and synthesis of relevant research literature.

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Selecting a Research Topic: Background information & facts

• Refine your topic
• Background information & facts

What to look for

Background information can help you prepare for further research by explaining all the issues related to your topic, especially when you're investigating a field that's unfamiliar to you. Tips:

• Check for background information in: dictionaries, handbooks and encyclopedias.
• Look for facts in: statistical guides, almanacs, biographical sources, or handbooks.
• Collect keywords or important terms, concepts and author names to use when searching databases.
• Start thinking in broad terms, then narrow down your topic. 
• Look at bibliographies to guide you to other sources of information (books, articles, etc.)

 See also:

• MIT Libraries Subject Experts Librarians who specialize in the field you're researching can assist you with your information search.
• MIT Libraries Research Guides Designed by MIT librarians for finding information in specific fields. Browse the subject categories to find one that matches your topic. Each guide links you to information sources in that field.
• Search Our Collections Find sources on your topic, either in print or online. Search using keywords; for example: global warming handbook

General sources

Below is a selection of online reference sources.  Find more in Search Our Collections .

• CQ Researcher Great background material for current events and controversial topics
• General Reference Research Guide Sources to help find general background information (includes dictionaries and encyclopedias).
• Oxford English Dictionary Online version of the comprehensive OED
• Virtual Reference Collection A collection of web sites, organized by category, for finding facts, data and general information. Created by MIT Libraries staff. For example, for biographical information, see 'People'.
• World Almanac Includes brief factual, statistical, chronological, and descriptive summaries from The Funk & Wagnall's New Encyclopedia and four almanacs

Subject-specific sources

• ASM Handbooks Online Complete content of twenty-one ASM Handbook volumes plus two ASM Desk Editions
• Biography Research Guide Links to many biographical sources that cover various fields, including the Arts, Science, and History
• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics Comprehensive resource of physical constants and properties
• Gale Virtual Reference Library A collection of specialized online encyclopedias
• Knovel: Engineering & Scientific Handbooks Search for scientific & engineering information via an extensive collection of engineering & scientific e-books. Includes interactive tables & graphs.
• ReferenceUSA Searchable directory of millions of public and private U.S. and international companies

About Wikipedia

You're probably already familiar with Wikipedia , a free online encyclopedia.  The reference sources listed on this page are similar to Wikipedia, with some differences that you should be aware of, including:

• Wikipedia is part of the free web, so anyone with an Internet connection can access it seamlessly.
• Reference sources are generally part of the fee-based web, which means they require a subscription to access the content, making the information in them very valuable.  The fee-based sources listed here are paid for by the MIT Libraries.
• "Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world.  Anyone with Internet access can make changes to Wikipedia articles."  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About
• Reference sources are written collectively by experts in the fields they cover - some are researchers, some are professors, but all have qualifications of a professional nature.
• Wikipedia contains encyclopedia-like articles on almost anything, making it a general or multidisciplinary source of information.
• Reference sources are sometimes general in nature, but often cover one subject area in depth, so you can choose a source that focuses on the discipline you're researching more extensively.
• Wikipedia has a set of editing policies and guidelines that authors should follow when writing or editing articles.
• Reference sources are edited and vetted for accuracy, currency, and authority by the source's editorial board (often a group of researchers in the field).  

Wikipedia can be a good source to begin with.  However, you should balance what you find there with information from other reference sources as well.  And make sure you evaluate information you find from the Wikipedia or any other source.

If you have questions about the kind of information you find, please Ask Us .  Library staff are happy to help you find quality information on any topic you're researching.

• << Previous: Refine your topic
• Last Updated: Jul 30, 2021 2:50 PM
• URL: https://libguides.mit.edu/select-topic

Writing Research Background

Research background is a brief outline of the most important studies that have been conducted so far presented in a chronological order. Research background part in introduction chapter can be also headed ‘Background of the Study.” Research background should also include a brief discussion of major theories and models related to the research problem.

Specifically, when writing research background you can discuss major theories and models related to your research problem in a chronological order to outline historical developments in the research area.  When writing research background, you also need to demonstrate how your research relates to what has been done so far in the research area.

Research background is written after the literature review. Therefore, literature review has to be the first and the longest stage in the research process, even before the formulation of research aims and objectives, right after the selection of the research area. Once the research area is selected, the literature review is commenced in order to identify gaps in the research area.

Research aims and objectives need to be closely associated with the elimination of this gap in the literature. The main difference between background of the study and literature review is that the former only provides general information about what has been done so far in the research area, whereas the latter elaborates and critically reviews previous works.

John Dudovskiy

How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 1d. Find Background Information

• Get Started
• 1a. Select a Topic
• 1b. Develop Research Questions
• 1c. Identify Keywords
• 1d. Find Background Information
• 1e. Refine a Topic
• 2a. Search Strategies
• 2d. Articles
• 2e. Videos & Images
• 2f. Databases
• 2g. Websites
• 2h. Grey Literature
• 2i. Open Access Materials
• 3a. Evaluate Sources
• 3b. Primary vs. Secondary
• 3c. Types of Periodicals
• 4a. Take Notes
• 4b. Outline the Paper
• 4c. Incorporate Source Material
• 5a. Avoid Plagiarism
• 5b. Zotero & MyBib
• 5c. MLA Formatting
• 5d. MLA Citation Examples
• 5e. APA Formatting
• 5f. APA Citation Examples
• 5g. Annotated Bibliographies

Sources of Background Information

• dictionaries
• general encyclopedias
• subject-specific encyclopedias
• article databases
• CredoReference

Purpose of Background Research

Once you have identified some keywords , the next step is to find background information on your topic. Background research:

• Provides a good overview of the topic if you are unfamiliar with it.
• Helps identify important facts -- terminology, dates, events, history, organizations, etc.
• Can help refine your topic .
• Leads to bibliographies which provide additional sources of information.

Tutorials on Background Information

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What Is Background Information: Everything You Need to Know to Do It Right

Table of Contents

Every research paper should include a section explaining why you approached this subject and what aspect of the topic you focus on. This section is the so-called background of your paper – a broader context within which you position your arguments and analysis.

Still, many inexperienced students face questions like, “What is the background information? How do I develop the background section competently and professionally?”

We’ve decided to help you out and provide guidance on all steps of the background writing process. In this article, we’ll provide you with:

• A workable background paper example.
• Explanations of how to compose a background paragraph.
• An in-depth overview of what a background for a paper is and how to develop it.
• Instructions on writing the background and significance chapter for larger academic works.

Stay tuned and read on to develop an effective research paper that will surely impress your supervisor.

How to Write Background Information

So, what is background information, and how to present it clearly and logically so that your audience grasps the subject well?

A study background is a part of your introduction in which you will explain what topic you’re examining, what place it takes within the broader area of research, what is known about it, and what is yet to be explained and researched.

To achieve the purpose of this section in a research paper, you need to discuss the historical information about your subject, mention what is known about its primary variables, processes, and relationships, and explain what scholars point out as interesting gaps today.

Let’s consider an example. Suppose you want to study how students’ exposure to child abuse affects their academic performance at school. In that case, you first need to present a socio-demographic profile of academic attainment, underline the problem of student underachievement at school, and outline the major factors contributing to under-achievement and dropouts, including child abuse.

After that, you should give relevant statistics on child abuse globally and in the country you’re researching, pointing out the adverse effects of abuse on the child’s later life. This background is enough to proceed to your topic, where you will explain that the link between abuse and underachievement is mostly under-researched and poorly explained.

Thesis Background Explained

What is background information, and where to place it in the research paper? In a nutshell, it should be the first section of your academic document preceding the formulation of your problem statement and the purpose of a research paper. Thus, when you compose the thesis of your background section, you should focus on the key subject of your inquiry. Continuing with the example we discussed above, we would suggest a thesis as follows:

“ Thousands of children are exposed to child abuse, which causes long-lasting physical and psychological effects on them, including low self-esteem and inability to study well. Because of the common neglect to the relationship between abuse and underachievement, a huge percentage of students lose essential educational opportunities and fail to build careers and stay economically independent in later lives. Thus, the present study attempts to expose the relationship between the discussed variables and develop workable recommendations to support abuse victims in their educational efforts .”

What Is a Background Section of a Research Paper

The background section is typically marked as such in longer papers. Yet, if the assignment is short, you should include the background section in the introductory paragraph. Here, you should talk about the subject of your assignment in general.

For example, you can identify some key statistics to outline the magnitude of the problem or talk about seminal research in the area to show what was and wasn’t researched. It’s also helpful to include main theories and concepts that you will explore or that explain and inform your subject. Keep in mind that this section should spark the reader’s interest and explain the basics of your topic.

Steps to Writing Background Information

To compose a viable background section, you should first answer the following questions:

• What do I know about the subject in broader terms, i.e., what academic discipline does it belong to, what are the major facts and arguments of authoritative people on it?
• What is known and not known on m topic, i.e., what are the well-known gaps that nobody has addressed yet?
• How does my research paper address those gaps, and what academic/practical value can my findings bring?
• What is my reasoning for choosing this topic (i.e., the rationale for the study), and what suggestions do I have about it?

Main Do’s & Don’ts

Now that we’re familiar with the background section’s ins and outs, it’s time to examine what common mistakes students make in the process of writing this part. Besides, we uncover the pro tips for enhancing your section and improving its impact on the audience.

• Students often state the background too briefly, in a couple of sentences, or write lengthy sections occupying a significant portion of their papers.
• The worst mistake is to be ambiguous and pose fuzzy claims in the background, thus confusing the readers about the overall subject of your inquiry.
• Never go off-topic in the background section, as your audience should understand the subject you’re exploring. No unrelated information should be used in this part (or elsewhere).
• Avoid jumping from one subject to another one. Consistency and logic in your arguments make your text readable and understandable.
• Don’t speak about the subject in a way that laypersons won’t understand. The meaning of background is precisely to inform the readers about the subject in simple words and enhance their further interpretation of information.
• Don’t present any analysis or interpretations in this section. It serves to set the context for your analysis that will follow in the body of the paper.
• Avoid a limited scope of the topic’s presentation, as the readers should embrace the subject well before proceeding to your analysis.
• Never submit the assignment to your tutor or publishing organization without checking the formatting requirements. Such guidelines usually contain information about how you should write and format the background. If you violate those instructions, the paper will be rejected.

By avoiding these mistakes, you’re sure to arrive at a much better background section with logical information. This may be achieved if you follow the pro tips from our experts outlined below.

• The core function of your background is to present your topic in context, so you should do everything possible to explain your topic’s significance and relevance in the background section.
• Mention all significant developments and findings on your subject to give credit to the achievements that have already been made. At the same time, this presentation will set an excellent basis for a transition to gaps in research.
• After you’ve presented the achievements, make a logical transition to missing data and gaps in the present-day research on your subject to build the case for your research paper.
• Present all data chronologically to show how your discipline/subject progressed in time, what was unknown, how it was examined, and what’s next for research in your area.
• Make sure you talk about your academic contribution explicitly. This section will emphasize the value of your study and will serve as a good rationale for writing it.

Research Background Example

Now, to make sure that you understand the whole task and perform it ideally for any future assignment, we’ve prepared a handy example of a background of the study in a research paper for your guidance. Take it as a loose set of provisions that you can easily apply to various topics and assignment types.

“ Diabetes is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the USA, with over 34 million having this diagnosis and over 7 million more living with an undiagnosed condition. The disease is getting younger year by year, with children becoming the worst-exposed population group in terms of new diabetes diagnoses. The primary cause of such disproportionate effect of diabetes on children has been identified in the combination of genetic and environmental factors. Thus, children whose parents are obese and who consume sugar-rich and fatty products at schools and at home on a daily basis are at a 5 times higher risk of getting a diabetes diagnosis in secondary school. The problem has been identified on a national level, but there is still little effort to curb fast-food selling practices in the U.S. schools. Thus, this paper is dedicated to the analysis of existing nutritional policies in public schools and presentation of recommendations for dietary adaptations for high-risk schoolers .”

Have More Questions?

If you’re stuck with the research paper at its very beginning and still can’t figure out what is background information and where to take it, our experts are at your service 24/7. We have a star team of competent experts who can compose any research paper for you from scratch, keeping the content in line with the top academic standards of content quality.

So, there is no more need to spend sleepless nights with books; you can study better with our competent assistance without spending extra effort on your home tasks.

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National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

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Assessment of the FY 2016 Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities to Determine Whether Data Meet Current Statistical Standards for Publication

Working papers are intended to report exploratory results of research and analysis undertaken by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this working paper do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. This working paper has been released to inform interested parties of ongoing research or activities and to encourage further discussion of the topic.

This working paper describes an assessment of the data in the FY 2016 Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities to identify estimates that would meet the NCSES quality criteria for official statistics. Please see the corresponding InfoBrief ( https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf22337 /) and data tables ( https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf22338/ ) for the estimates that meet the criteria for NCSES official statistics.

The Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities (NPRA Survey) collects information on activities related to research and development that are performed or funded by nonprofits in the United States. The NPRA Survey is part of the data collection portfolio directed by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF). The FY 2016 NPRA Survey was conducted in 2018 with a sample of nonprofit organizations in the United States. The overall response rate was 48% unweighted and 61% weighted. Due to a low response rate, particularly for certain subgroups such as hospitals (35% unweighted and 45% weighted response rate), not all of the NPRA Survey data met NCSES’ criteria for official statistics. NCSES decided to undertake additional assessment in order to determine the subset of NPRA data that would meet the current NCSES statistical standards required for official release. This working paper identifies which data from the FY 2016 NPRA Survey met NCSES’ statistical standards. This document summarizes the steps taken to conduct this additional assessment, and it also includes detailed information on the data quality comparisons.

Introduction

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) conducted the Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities (NPRA Survey) to collect information on activities related to research and development that are performed or funded by nonprofits in the United States. ​ An organization is considered a nonprofit if it is categorized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) public charity, a 501(c)(3) private foundation, or another exempt organization—e.g., a 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6). A pilot survey was conducted from September 2016 through February 2017 that collected FY 2015 data, ​ The pilot survey data were provided by the respondents for testing purposes only and were not published. and a full implementation of the survey was conducted in 2018 that collected FY 2016 data.

The survey obtained a 48% unweighted response rate overall (61% weighted response rate). However, response rates varied across groups, with the lowest response rate from hospitals (35% unweighted and 45% weighted response rate). Due to high nonresponse rate, not all of the NPRA Survey data meet NCSES’s criteria for official statistics as outlined in the NCSES statistical standards for information products (released in September 2020). At the conclusion of the FY 2016 survey, NCSES decided to proceed with discussing the results via a working paper, FY 2016 Nonprofit Research Activities Survey: Summary of Methodology, Assessment of Quality, and Synopsis of Results. Working Paper NCSES 21-202. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering. Available at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2021/ncses21202/ ." data-bs-content="Britt R, Jankowski J; National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). 2021. FY 2016 Nonprofit Research Activities Survey: Summary of Methodology, Assessment of Quality, and Synopsis of Results. Working Paper NCSES 21-202. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering. Available at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2021/ncses21202/ ." data-endnote-uuid="84623eba-d8d5-47ff-b8a5-788c7185d8e3">​ Britt R, Jankowski J; National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). 2021. FY 2016 Nonprofit Research Activities Survey: Summary of Methodology, Assessment of Quality, and Synopsis of Results. Working Paper NCSES 21-202. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering. Available at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2021/ncses21202/ . which gave caveats that all data did not meet the criteria for official statistics. At the same time, NCSES decided to undertake additional assessment to determine the subset of NPRA Survey data that would meet the current NCSES statistical standards required for official release. This document reflects the results of that additional assessment.

The data quality of the NPRA Survey was assessed based on the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) Framework for Data Quality . https://nces.ed.gov/fcsm/pdf/FCSM.20.04_A_Framework_for_Data_Quality.pdf ." data-bs-content="Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology. 2020. A Framework for Data Quality. FCSM 20-04. Available at https://nces.ed.gov/fcsm/pdf/FCSM.20.04_A_Framework_for_Data_Quality.pdf ." data-endnote-uuid="e6909e1a-4979-4237-b31c-ac59869f9274">​ Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology. 2020. A Framework for Data Quality. FCSM 20-04. Available at https://nces.ed.gov/fcsm/pdf/FCSM.20.04_A_Framework_for_Data_Quality.pdf . The framework states, “Data quality is the degree to which data capture the desired information using appropriate methodology in a manner that sustains public trust.” Therefore, NCSES’s assessment of the NPRA Survey data is guided by the three FCSM data quality dimensions—utility, objectivity, and integrity.

Utility refers to the extent to which information is well-targeted to identified and anticipated needs; it reflects the usefulness of the information to the intended users. Objectivity refers to whether information is accurate, reliable, and unbiased, and is presented in an accurate, clear and interpretable, and unbiased manner. Integrity refers to the maintenance of rigorous scientific standards and the protection of information from manipulation or influence as well as unauthorized access or revision. (p. 3)

The nonprofit sector is one of four major sectors of the economy (i.e., business, government, higher education, and nonprofit organizations) that perform or fund R&D. ​ The nonprofit sector includes nonprofit organizations other than government or academia. R&D performed by nonprofits that receive federal funds is reported on in the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development. R&D performed by higher education nonprofits is reported on in the Higher Education Research and Development Survey. Historically, NCSES has combined nonprofit sector data with data from the other three sectors to estimate total national R&D expenditures, which are presented in the annual report National Patterns of R&D Resources . The other three sectors are surveyed annually; however, prior to fielding the pilot NPRA Survey, NCSES had last collected R&D data from nonprofit organizations in 1997. That mail survey was based on a sample of 1,131 nonprofit organizations that were prescreened as performing or funding R&D worth at least $250,000 in 1996. Since the 1997 survey, the National Patterns of R&D Resources has relied on statistical modeling based on the results of the 1996–97 Survey of Research and Development Funding and Performance by Nonprofit Organizations, supplemented by information from the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, to continue estimation of the nonprofit sector’s R&D expenditures.

The primary objective of the NPRA Survey is to fill in data gaps in the National Patterns of R&D Resources in such a way that the data are compatible with the data collected on other sectors of the U.S. economy and are appropriate for international comparisons. The results of the FY 2016 NPRA Survey provide the first estimates of nonprofit R&D activity in the United States since the late 1990s, as well as a better understanding of the scope and nature of R&D in the nonprofit sector.

From a Framework for Data Quality utility perspective, specifically the relevance and timeliness dimensions, the NPRA Survey will improve NCSES’s estimate of total R&D from the nonprofit sector for publication in the National Patterns of R&D Resources . Conducted in 2018, with a FY 2016 reference year, the NPRA Survey provides more current data than the existing source (1997 with annual adjustments). Moreover, the growth of the nonprofit sector highlights the relevancy of these data to accurately measure the share of R&D from the nonprofit sector.

Summary of NPRA Survey Methodology

A sample of nonprofit organizations was selected from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Exempt Organizations Business Master File Extract. Organizations filing Form 990 (public charities) and Form 990-PF (private foundations) were eligible. Organizations were stratified based on their estimated likelihood of performing or funding research. The stratification included a set of organizations “known” to perform or fund research since they were identified as performers or funders in auxiliary data sources, including past survey data from NCSES (2010–13 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, 2009 Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities, and 1996 and 1997 Survey of Research and Development Funding and Performance by Nonprofit Organizations), association and society memberships (Association of Independent Research Institutes, Consortium of Social Science Associations, Science Philanthropy Alliance, Health Research Alliance), and other sources (affiliates of the Higher Education Research and Development Survey, Grant Station Funder Database, and sources discovered through cognitive interviews). These organizations were selected with certainty.

The NPRA Survey staff attempted to contact U.S.-based nonprofit organizations using a two-phase approach to obtain information about whether the organization performed or funded research. ​ Throughout this document, the term “research” is synonymous with “research and development” or “R&D.” Some organizations’ performer and funder status were known based on auxiliary data sources (see previous paragraph). Organizations in the sample with an unknown performer or funder status were sent a screener card in phase 1, which began in February 2018.

Phase 2, which began in April 2018, included the phase 1 organizations that reported either performing or funding R&D during phase 1 (including those that did not respond) and organizations with a known performer or funder status through sources external to the survey. Performer and funder status (i.e., whether an organization performed research, funded research, or both in FY 2016) was then confirmed in phase 2, and organizations that either performed or funded research were asked to complete additional questions about their research activities. Performer or funder status could have been obtained in either data collection phase 1 or phase 2, but research activity questionnaires were only completed in phase 2.

Overall response rates were calculated by using best practices established by the American Association for Public Opinion Research ( https://www.aapor.org/Standards-Ethics/Standard-Definitions-(1).aspx ). Organizations that reported no R&D activity in phase 1 or phase 2 were considered complete surveys and were included in the numerator of response rate calculations. Organizations that reported performing or funding R&D in phase 1 or phase 2 and completed some or all of the full questionnaire, with a minimum of the total amounts answered (Q9 and Q16), were considered complete or partial surveys and were included in the numerator of response rate calculations. Organizations that reported performing or funding in phase 1 but did not complete the phase 2 questionnaire were not included in the numerator of response rate calculations.

Imputation was conducted for organizations that reported that they performed or funded research (in phase 1 or phase 2) but did not provide information on the amounts spent in the full questionnaire. These organizations were considered nonrespondents. The imputation included substituted values using auxiliary data about the amounts spent performing or funding research (including information reported in annual reports and IRS filings, as well as information from the pilot survey), information from the pilot survey, and model-based imputations. The imputed amount represented about 30% of the overall total amount performing R&D, with 20% from auxiliary data and the pilot and 10% from the imputation model. Nonresponse weights were used to account for organizations that did not respond about their performing or funding status in either phase 1 or phase 2. These organizations were considered nonrespondents. After reviewing nonresponse adjustment alternatives by using total expenses and total organizations, the nonresponse adjustment was ultimately based on a ratio estimator using total expenses considering its correlation with the survey outcomes of total R&D performance (0.49) and funding (0.27).

NPRA Survey Adherence to NCSES Statistical Standards

NCSES has a set of statistical standards for the release of “official statistics,” specifically

Standard 9.2: The statistical quality of official statistics must undergo rigorous program review and statistical review and approved by the chief statistician for releasing.

Guideline 9.2a: The reliability of official statistics must meet the following quality criteria:

• Top line estimates have a coefficient of variation (CV) < 5%.
• The estimated CV for the majority of the key estimates is ≤ 30%.

Guideline 9.2b: The indicators of accuracy of official statistics must meet the following quality criteria:

• Unit response rates >60%.
• Item response rates >70%.
• Coverage ratios for population groups associated with key estimates are >70%.
• Above thresholds may not apply if nonresponse bias analyses are at an acceptable level.

The NCSES standards focus on the aspects of accuracy, including response rates, data missingness, and frame coverage as well as precision. These elements align with the accuracy and reliability dimension of the objectivity domain. Demonstrating that the NPRA Survey produces accurate and reliable estimates of total R&D performing and funding is the primary focus of this assessment. Therefore, we summarize the metrics as compared to the standard in table 1 and follow with a more detailed description for each standard.

FY 2016 NPRA Survey adherence to standards

CV = coefficient of variation; NPRA Survey = Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities.

a Does not include imputation variance. Amount of performance and funding was imputed for organizations that confirmed that they fund or perform research but did not provide the amount. No imputation was conducted for total expenses, performance status, or funding status. b Includes imputations using substitutions based on auxiliary data.    

For the CV, the total number of responding organizations is 3,254. When evaluating total expenses, the CV is 0.5%, well below the 5% CV standard. However, the sample was designed to optimize total expenses, so other estimates are expected to have higher variability. The CV for the proportion of performing organizations and proportion of funding organizations are 12%. The high CVs are largely due to the low proportions of nonprofits that reported performing and funding R&D, 6% (+/−1.4%) and 4% (+/−1.0%) respectively. However, the confidence intervals are small for both of these estimates. The CVs for the mean performance and mean funding are both 8%. These CVs, based on a subset of organizations that indicated they perform and fund research, meet the CV standard of 30% for the majority of key estimates but not the CV standard of 5% for the top line estimates. Since imputation is a separate criterion, these CV estimates are based only on sampling variance. Table 2 includes additional CVs for total performance and funding amounts by source, R&D type, and field as well as the mean number of full-time equivalents. All but nine of the estimates meet the standard of a 30% CV for key estimates.

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities, FY 2016.

CV . The total number of responding organizations is 3,254. When evaluating total expenses, the CV is 0.5%, well below the 5% CV standard. However, the sample was designed to optimize total expenses, so other estimates are expected to have higher variability. The CVs for the proportion of performing organizations and proportion of funding organizations are 12%. The high CVs are largely due to the low proportions of nonprofits that reported performing and funding R&D, 6% (+/−1.4%) and 4% (+/−1.0%), respectively. However, the confidence intervals are small for both of these estimates. The CVs for the mean performance and mean funding are both 8%. These CVs, based on a subset of organizations that indicated they perform and fund research, meet the CV standard of 30% for the majority of key estimates but not the CV standard of 5% for the top line estimates. Since imputation is a separate criterion, these CV estimates are based only on sampling variance. Table 2 includes additional CVs for total performance and funding amounts by source, R&D type, and field as well as the mean number of full-time equivalents. All but nine of the estimates meet the standard of a 30% CV for key estimates.

Total amount spent on R&D by nonprofits that performed or funded R&D and coefficient of variation of FY 2016 NPRA Survey, by source, R&D type, and field

NPRA Survey = Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities.

a Does not include imputation variance.

Details for full-time equivalent do not add to total because of missing data.