content of an introduction in a research paper

• Privacy Policy

Home » Research Paper Introduction – Writing Guide and Examples

Research Paper Introduction – Writing Guide and Examples

Table of Contents

Research Paper Introduction

Research paper introduction is the first section of a research paper that provides an overview of the study, its purpose, and the research question (s) or hypothesis (es) being investigated. It typically includes background information about the topic, a review of previous research in the field, and a statement of the research objectives. The introduction is intended to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the research problem, why it is important, and how the study will contribute to existing knowledge in the field. It also sets the tone for the rest of the paper and helps to establish the author’s credibility and expertise on the subject.

How to Write Research Paper Introduction

Writing an introduction for a research paper can be challenging because it sets the tone for the entire paper. Here are some steps to follow to help you write an effective research paper introduction:

• Start with a hook : Begin your introduction with an attention-grabbing statement, a question, or a surprising fact that will make the reader interested in reading further.
• Provide background information: After the hook, provide background information on the topic. This information should give the reader a general idea of what the topic is about and why it is important.
• State the research problem: Clearly state the research problem or question that the paper addresses. This should be done in a concise and straightforward manner.
• State the research objectives: After stating the research problem, clearly state the research objectives. This will give the reader an idea of what the paper aims to achieve.
• Provide a brief overview of the paper: At the end of the introduction, provide a brief overview of the paper. This should include a summary of the main points that will be discussed in the paper.
• Revise and refine: Finally, revise and refine your introduction to ensure that it is clear, concise, and engaging.

Structure of Research Paper Introduction

The following is a typical structure for a research paper introduction:

• Background Information: This section provides an overview of the topic of the research paper, including relevant background information and any previous research that has been done on the topic. It helps to give the reader a sense of the context for the study.
• Problem Statement: This section identifies the specific problem or issue that the research paper is addressing. It should be clear and concise, and it should articulate the gap in knowledge that the study aims to fill.
• Research Question/Hypothesis : This section states the research question or hypothesis that the study aims to answer. It should be specific and focused, and it should clearly connect to the problem statement.
• Significance of the Study: This section explains why the research is important and what the potential implications of the study are. It should highlight the contribution that the research makes to the field.
• Methodology: This section describes the research methods that were used to conduct the study. It should be detailed enough to allow the reader to understand how the study was conducted and to evaluate the validity of the results.
• Organization of the Paper : This section provides a brief overview of the structure of the research paper. It should give the reader a sense of what to expect in each section of the paper.

Research Paper Introduction Examples

Research Paper Introduction Examples could be:

Example 1: In recent years, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly prevalent in various industries, including healthcare. AI algorithms are being developed to assist with medical diagnoses, treatment recommendations, and patient monitoring. However, as the use of AI in healthcare grows, ethical concerns regarding privacy, bias, and accountability have emerged. This paper aims to explore the ethical implications of AI in healthcare and propose recommendations for addressing these concerns.

Example 2: Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing our planet today. The increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has resulted in rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and other environmental impacts. In this paper, we will review the scientific evidence on climate change, discuss the potential consequences of inaction, and propose solutions for mitigating its effects.

Example 3: The rise of social media has transformed the way we communicate and interact with each other. While social media platforms offer many benefits, including increased connectivity and access to information, they also present numerous challenges. In this paper, we will examine the impact of social media on mental health, privacy, and democracy, and propose solutions for addressing these issues.

Example 4: The use of renewable energy sources has become increasingly important in the face of climate change and environmental degradation. While renewable energy technologies offer many benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions and energy independence, they also present numerous challenges. In this paper, we will assess the current state of renewable energy technology, discuss the economic and political barriers to its adoption, and propose solutions for promoting the widespread use of renewable energy.

Purpose of Research Paper Introduction

The introduction section of a research paper serves several important purposes, including:

• Providing context: The introduction should give readers a general understanding of the topic, including its background, significance, and relevance to the field.
• Presenting the research question or problem: The introduction should clearly state the research question or problem that the paper aims to address. This helps readers understand the purpose of the study and what the author hopes to accomplish.
• Reviewing the literature: The introduction should summarize the current state of knowledge on the topic, highlighting the gaps and limitations in existing research. This shows readers why the study is important and necessary.
• Outlining the scope and objectives of the study: The introduction should describe the scope and objectives of the study, including what aspects of the topic will be covered, what data will be collected, and what methods will be used.
• Previewing the main findings and conclusions : The introduction should provide a brief overview of the main findings and conclusions that the study will present. This helps readers anticipate what they can expect to learn from the paper.

When to Write Research Paper Introduction

The introduction of a research paper is typically written after the research has been conducted and the data has been analyzed. This is because the introduction should provide an overview of the research problem, the purpose of the study, and the research questions or hypotheses that will be investigated.

Once you have a clear understanding of the research problem and the questions that you want to explore, you can begin to write the introduction. It’s important to keep in mind that the introduction should be written in a way that engages the reader and provides a clear rationale for the study. It should also provide context for the research by reviewing relevant literature and explaining how the study fits into the larger field of research.

Advantages of Research Paper Introduction

The introduction of a research paper has several advantages, including:

• Establishing the purpose of the research: The introduction provides an overview of the research problem, question, or hypothesis, and the objectives of the study. This helps to clarify the purpose of the research and provide a roadmap for the reader to follow.
• Providing background information: The introduction also provides background information on the topic, including a review of relevant literature and research. This helps the reader understand the context of the study and how it fits into the broader field of research.
• Demonstrating the significance of the research: The introduction also explains why the research is important and relevant. This helps the reader understand the value of the study and why it is worth reading.
• Setting expectations: The introduction sets the tone for the rest of the paper and prepares the reader for what is to come. This helps the reader understand what to expect and how to approach the paper.
• Grabbing the reader’s attention: A well-written introduction can grab the reader’s attention and make them interested in reading further. This is important because it can help to keep the reader engaged and motivated to read the rest of the paper.
• Creating a strong first impression: The introduction is the first part of the research paper that the reader will see, and it can create a strong first impression. A well-written introduction can make the reader more likely to take the research seriously and view it as credible.
• Establishing the author’s credibility: The introduction can also establish the author’s credibility as a researcher. By providing a clear and thorough overview of the research problem and relevant literature, the author can demonstrate their expertise and knowledge in the field.
• Providing a structure for the paper: The introduction can also provide a structure for the rest of the paper. By outlining the main sections and sub-sections of the paper, the introduction can help the reader navigate the paper and find the information they are looking for.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

You may also like

Research Paper Title – Writing Guide and Example

Appendices – Writing Guide, Types and Examples

Research Paper Title Page – Example and Making...

APA Table of Contents – Format and Example

Chapter Summary & Overview – Writing Guide...

How to Cite Research Paper – All Formats and...

Writing a Research Paper Introduction (with 3 Examples)

Nail your research paper's introduction! Learn to captivate and inform readers from the start—our guide shows how!

Ertugrul Portakal

Apr 12, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A catchy and informative introduction is essential in academic writing, especially if you want your readers to have background information about your paper. However, writing an interesting and informative introduction can sometimes be a time-consuming and tiring process. If you don't know where to start when crafting an introduction, no need to worry - we've got you covered!

In this article, we will explain step by step what an introduction is in academic writing and how to write it!

Ready? Let's start!

• An introduction is a paragraph that provides information about your entire paper and aims to attract and inform the reader.
• Before writing an introduction or even starting your paper, you need to research academic sources.
• The first one or two sentences of an introduction paragraph should be a hook to attract the reader's attention.
• Afterwards, you need to prepare the reader for your argument by giving background information about your topic.
• Finally, you should state your argument about your topic with a thesis statement.
• If you are writing a longer paper, you can inform your readers about the map of your paper.
• If you are looking for an AI assistant to support you throughout your writing process, TextCortex is designed for you with its advanced features.

What is an Introduction in a research paper?

In any academic writing, including essays and research papers, an introduction is the first paragraph that the reader will encounter. This paragraph should both attract the reader's attention and give them the necessary information about the paper. In any academic paper, the introduction paragraph constitutes 10% of the paper's total word count. For example, if you are preparing a 3,000-word paper, your introduction paragraph should consist of approximately 300 words. You should also write sentences within these 300 words that will attract the reader's attention and provide them with information about the paper.

Importance of an Introduction Paragraph

The biggest function of an introduction paragraph is to prepare the reader for the author's thesis statement. A traditional introduction paragraph begins with a few sentences or questions that will catch the reader's attention. After attracting the reader's attention, necessary background information on the subject is given. Finally, the author explains to the readers what the whole paper is about by stating the thesis. A thesis statement is the final sentence that summarizes the main points of your paper and conveys your claim.

First Things First: Preliminary Research

When working on any academic writing type, it is essential to start by researching your topic thoroughly before beginning to type. What sets academic writing apart from other writing types is the requirement for it to be written using accurate information from reliable sources.

Researching academic sources can be a time-consuming and unnecessary process. One has to read through hundreds of pages, review dozens of articles and verify the accuracy of each source. However, if you're looking to reduce your workload and maximize efficiency by automating repetitive tasks such as literature review, ZenoChat is the perfect solution for you. With its web search feature, ZenoChat can use the entire internet as a data source. Additionally, by activating the "scholar" option of the ZenoChat web search feature, you can ensure that it only uses academic sources when generating output.

How to Create an Introduction for Academic Writing?

Creating an introduction paragraph that is interesting, informative, and conveys your thesis is an easier process than it seems. As long as you have sufficient information about your topic and an outline , you can write engaging introductions by following a few simple steps. Let's take a closer look at how to write an introduction for academic writing.

1-) Start with a Catchy Hook

Your first sentence is one of the factors that most influence a reader's decision to read your paper. This sentence determines the tone of your paper and attracts the reader's attention. For this reason, we recommend that you start your introduction paragraph with a strong and catchy hook sentence.

• Avoid long and complex sentences
• Use clear and concise sentences
• Write a sentence that will spark the reader's curiosity
• You can ask questions that will encourage the reader to read the remaining paragraph
• Avoid fact or overly broad sentences
• Avoid using dictionary definitions as your hook

2-) Give Background Information

After writing a strong hook sentence, you need to provide basic information about your topic so that the reader can understand what they will learn about when they read your paper. In this section, you can benefit from opinions that support or oppose your argument. Additionally, this section should refer to the body paragraphs of your writing.

• You can write a background information sentence for each body paragraph.
• The information here should be concise and compact
• Avoid talking about your evidence and results unless necessary.

3-) State Your Thesis 

After attracting the reader's attention and providing background information, it is time to present your approach and argument towards the topic with a thesis statement. A thesis statement usually comprises one or two sentences and communicates the paper's argument to the reader. A well-written thesis statement should express your stance on the topic.

• Avoid merely stating a fact
• Claim your argument

4-) Tell Reader About Your Paper

Although you need to move on to body paragraphs after the thesis statement in short papers, it will be useful to add a few sentences that will guide the reader in your longer papers. This way, your readers can better understand which arguments they will encounter on which pages and the course of your paper. That leads the reader to clearly understand and follow your content.

Let’s Wrap it Up

Writing an interesting and informative introduction is usually a long process that requires a lot of rewriting. You may need to rewrite a sentence dozens of times so that your words and sentences clearly describe your paper and argument. Fortunately, you can generate state-of-the-art introductions using AI tools and use them with a little editing.

When it comes to text generation, paraphrasing, and grammar & spelling checking, TextCortex is the way to go with its advanced LLMs and customization options. With TextCortex, you can generate all writing types, including introduction, from scratch, rewrite your existing texts, change their tone of voice, or fix their grammar. TextCortex is available as a web application and browser extension. The TextCortex browser extension is integrated with 30,000+ websites and apps. So, you can complete your AI-driven writing tasks anywhere and anytime.

Let's examine a few sample introductions generated by TextCortex.

Example Introduction #1

“Should social media platforms be banned from collecting their users' data?”

Example Introduction #2

“Do electric vehicles decrease overall emissions?”

Example Introduction #3

“Is graffiti an act of vandalism or the creation of art?”

One AI copilot that truly gets you.

Connect multiple data sources, define the voice for your AI and taste what it feels like to have a fully-personalized AI copilot on 50,000+ platforms.

Did you like this article? Explore a few more related posts.

How to Create a Strong Thesis?

Top 3 AI Tools That Write Essays (Free & Paid)

5 Main Essay Types & Guide with Examples

Questions  answers..

TextCortex is a powerful AI-powered writing tool that can help you reduce your writing time, handle big tasks, and create high-quality content without errors. With its customizable platform, personalized intelligence experience, advanced writing and research capabilities, and error-free content, TextCortex is the perfect tool for creative professionals who want to be a creative force in their industry.

Our AI copilot learned how to write from more than 3 billion sentences and has the ability to create unique content. However, fact-checking is something which still requires a human approval.

TextCortex supports more than 25 languages including English, Dutch, German, Ukranian, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian.

Yes, TextCortex is completely free to use with all of its features. When you sign up, you receive 100 free creations. Then you will receive 20 recurring creations every day on the free plan.

Yes, we have a Text Generation API, please talk to us directly to implement it. You can reach out to us at [email protected]

Account sharing is not allowed. If you have a need for more than 5 seats for an account, you can directly contact us at [email protected]

Yes, TextCortex offers 14-day free trial for users to try out all features extensively with higher number of generations. But keep in mind that you can already try everything with the free plan. There is no feature that is locked behind a premium plan.

Overall, TextCortex AI has over 1000 five-star reviews on reputable review sites such as G2, Trustpilot and Capterra.

TextCortex learns and adapts to your unique writing style and knowledge, making it easier for you to write high-quality & personalized content.

Your premium features will be available until the end of your subscription date, then your account plan will be set to Free plan.

General Questions

Your ai copilot is ready to collaborate with you..

Connect your knowledge, customize the style and start collaborating with your AI copilot.

• USC Libraries
• Research Guides

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

• 4. The Introduction
• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Reading Research Effectively
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Applying Critical Thinking
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Research Process Video Series
• Executive Summary
• The C.A.R.S. Model
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tiertiary Sources
• Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Insiderness
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Writing Concisely
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Generative AI and Writing
• USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
• Bibliography

The introduction leads the reader from a general subject area to a particular topic of inquiry. It establishes the scope, context, and significance of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of the research problem supported by a hypothesis or a set of questions, explaining briefly the methodological approach used to examine the research problem, highlighting the potential outcomes your study can reveal, and outlining the remaining structure and organization of the paper.

Key Elements of the Research Proposal. Prepared under the direction of the Superintendent and by the 2010 Curriculum Design and Writing Team. Baltimore County Public Schools.

Importance of a Good Introduction

Think of the introduction as a mental road map that must answer for the reader these four questions:

• What was I studying?
• Why was this topic important to investigate?
• What did we know about this topic before I did this study?
• How will this study advance new knowledge or new ways of understanding?

According to Reyes, there are three overarching goals of a good introduction: 1) ensure that you summarize prior studies about the topic in a manner that lays a foundation for understanding the research problem; 2) explain how your study specifically addresses gaps in the literature, insufficient consideration of the topic, or other deficiency in the literature; and, 3) note the broader theoretical, empirical, and/or policy contributions and implications of your research.

A well-written introduction is important because, quite simply, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. The opening paragraphs of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions about the logic of your argument, your writing style, the overall quality of your research, and, ultimately, the validity of your findings and conclusions. A vague, disorganized, or error-filled introduction will create a negative impression, whereas, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will lead your readers to think highly of your analytical skills, your writing style, and your research approach. All introductions should conclude with a brief paragraph that describes the organization of the rest of the paper.

Hirano, Eliana. “Research Article Introductions in English for Specific Purposes: A Comparison between Brazilian, Portuguese, and English.” English for Specific Purposes 28 (October 2009): 240-250; Samraj, B. “Introductions in Research Articles: Variations Across Disciplines.” English for Specific Purposes 21 (2002): 1–17; Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; “Writing Introductions.” In Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide. Peter Redman. 4th edition. (London: Sage, 2011), pp. 63-70; Reyes, Victoria. Demystifying the Journal Article. Inside Higher Education.

Structure and Writing Style

I.  Structure and Approach

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions for the reader:

• What is this?
• Why should I read it?
• What do you want me to think about / consider doing / react to?

Think of the structure of the introduction as an inverted triangle of information that lays a foundation for understanding the research problem. Organize the information so as to present the more general aspects of the topic early in the introduction, then narrow your analysis to more specific topical information that provides context, finally arriving at your research problem and the rationale for studying it [often written as a series of key questions to be addressed or framed as a hypothesis or set of assumptions to be tested] and, whenever possible, a description of the potential outcomes your study can reveal.

These are general phases associated with writing an introduction: 1.  Establish an area to research by:

• Highlighting the importance of the topic, and/or
• Making general statements about the topic, and/or
• Presenting an overview on current research on the subject.

2.  Identify a research niche by:

• Opposing an existing assumption, and/or
• Revealing a gap in existing research, and/or
• Formulating a research question or problem, and/or
• Continuing a disciplinary tradition.

3.  Place your research within the research niche by:

• Stating the intent of your study,
• Outlining the key characteristics of your study,
• Describing important results, and
• Giving a brief overview of the structure of the paper.

NOTE:   It is often useful to review the introduction late in the writing process. This is appropriate because outcomes are unknown until you've completed the study. After you complete writing the body of the paper, go back and review introductory descriptions of the structure of the paper, the method of data gathering, the reporting and analysis of results, and the conclusion. Reviewing and, if necessary, rewriting the introduction ensures that it correctly matches the overall structure of your final paper.

II.  Delimitations of the Study

Delimitations refer to those characteristics that limit the scope and define the conceptual boundaries of your research . This is determined by the conscious exclusionary and inclusionary decisions you make about how to investigate the research problem. In other words, not only should you tell the reader what it is you are studying and why, but you must also acknowledge why you rejected alternative approaches that could have been used to examine the topic.

Obviously, the first limiting step was the choice of research problem itself. However, implicit are other, related problems that could have been chosen but were rejected. These should be noted in the conclusion of your introduction. For example, a delimitating statement could read, "Although many factors can be understood to impact the likelihood young people will vote, this study will focus on socioeconomic factors related to the need to work full-time while in school." The point is not to document every possible delimiting factor, but to highlight why previously researched issues related to the topic were not addressed.

Examples of delimitating choices would be:

• The key aims and objectives of your study,
• The research questions that you address,
• The variables of interest [i.e., the various factors and features of the phenomenon being studied],
• The method(s) of investigation,
• The time period your study covers, and
• Any relevant alternative theoretical frameworks that could have been adopted.

Review each of these decisions. Not only do you clearly establish what you intend to accomplish in your research, but you should also include a declaration of what the study does not intend to cover. In the latter case, your exclusionary decisions should be based upon criteria understood as, "not interesting"; "not directly relevant"; “too problematic because..."; "not feasible," and the like. Make this reasoning explicit!

NOTE:   Delimitations refer to the initial choices made about the broader, overall design of your study and should not be confused with documenting the limitations of your study discovered after the research has been completed.

ANOTHER NOTE: Do not view delimitating statements as admitting to an inherent failing or shortcoming in your research. They are an accepted element of academic writing intended to keep the reader focused on the research problem by explicitly defining the conceptual boundaries and scope of your study. It addresses any critical questions in the reader's mind of, "Why the hell didn't the author examine this?"

III.  The Narrative Flow

Issues to keep in mind that will help the narrative flow in your introduction :

• Your introduction should clearly identify the subject area of interest . A simple strategy to follow is to use key words from your title in the first few sentences of the introduction. This will help focus the introduction on the topic at the appropriate level and ensures that you get to the subject matter quickly without losing focus, or discussing information that is too general.
• Establish context by providing a brief and balanced review of the pertinent published literature that is available on the subject. The key is to summarize for the reader what is known about the specific research problem before you did your analysis. This part of your introduction should not represent a comprehensive literature review--that comes next. It consists of a general review of the important, foundational research literature [with citations] that establishes a foundation for understanding key elements of the research problem. See the drop-down menu under this tab for " Background Information " regarding types of contexts.
• Clearly state the hypothesis that you investigated . When you are first learning to write in this format it is okay, and actually preferable, to use a past statement like, "The purpose of this study was to...." or "We investigated three possible mechanisms to explain the...."
• Why did you choose this kind of research study or design? Provide a clear statement of the rationale for your approach to the problem studied. This will usually follow your statement of purpose in the last paragraph of the introduction.

IV.  Engaging the Reader

A research problem in the social sciences can come across as dry and uninteresting to anyone unfamiliar with the topic . Therefore, one of the goals of your introduction is to make readers want to read your paper. Here are several strategies you can use to grab the reader's attention:

• Open with a compelling story . Almost all research problems in the social sciences, no matter how obscure or esoteric , are really about the lives of people. Telling a story that humanizes an issue can help illuminate the significance of the problem and help the reader empathize with those affected by the condition being studied.
• Include a strong quotation or a vivid, perhaps unexpected, anecdote . During your review of the literature, make note of any quotes or anecdotes that grab your attention because they can used in your introduction to highlight the research problem in a captivating way.
• Pose a provocative or thought-provoking question . Your research problem should be framed by a set of questions to be addressed or hypotheses to be tested. However, a provocative question can be presented in the beginning of your introduction that challenges an existing assumption or compels the reader to consider an alternative viewpoint that helps establish the significance of your study. 
• Describe a puzzling scenario or incongruity . This involves highlighting an interesting quandary concerning the research problem or describing contradictory findings from prior studies about a topic. Posing what is essentially an unresolved intellectual riddle about the problem can engage the reader's interest in the study.
• Cite a stirring example or case study that illustrates why the research problem is important . Draw upon the findings of others to demonstrate the significance of the problem and to describe how your study builds upon or offers alternatives ways of investigating this prior research.

NOTE:   It is important that you choose only one of the suggested strategies for engaging your readers. This avoids giving an impression that your paper is more flash than substance and does not distract from the substance of your study.

Freedman, Leora  and Jerry Plotnick. Introductions and Conclusions. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Introduction. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Introductions. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; “Writing Introductions.” In Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide . Peter Redman. 4th edition. (London: Sage, 2011), pp. 63-70; Resources for Writers: Introduction Strategies. Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Sharpling, Gerald. Writing an Introduction. Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick; Samraj, B. “Introductions in Research Articles: Variations Across Disciplines.” English for Specific Purposes 21 (2002): 1–17; Swales, John and Christine B. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Skills and Tasks . 2nd edition. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2004 ; Writing Your Introduction. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University.

Writing Tip

Avoid the "Dictionary" Introduction

Giving the dictionary definition of words related to the research problem may appear appropriate because it is important to define specific terminology that readers may be unfamiliar with. However, anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and a general dictionary is not a particularly authoritative source because it doesn't take into account the context of your topic and doesn't offer particularly detailed information. Also, placed in the context of a particular discipline, a term or concept may have a different meaning than what is found in a general dictionary. If you feel that you must seek out an authoritative definition, use a subject specific dictionary or encyclopedia [e.g., if you are a sociology student, search for dictionaries of sociology]. A good database for obtaining definitive definitions of concepts or terms is Credo Reference .

Saba, Robert. The College Research Paper. Florida International University; Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina.

Another Writing Tip

When Do I Begin?

A common question asked at the start of any paper is, "Where should I begin?" An equally important question to ask yourself is, "When do I begin?" Research problems in the social sciences rarely rest in isolation from history. Therefore, it is important to lay a foundation for understanding the historical context underpinning the research problem. However, this information should be brief and succinct and begin at a point in time that illustrates the study's overall importance. For example, a study that investigates coffee cultivation and export in West Africa as a key stimulus for local economic growth needs to describe the beginning of exporting coffee in the region and establishing why economic growth is important. You do not need to give a long historical explanation about coffee exports in Africa. If a research problem requires a substantial exploration of the historical context, do this in the literature review section. In your introduction, make note of this as part of the "roadmap" [see below] that you use to describe the organization of your paper.

Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; “Writing Introductions.” In Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide . Peter Redman. 4th edition. (London: Sage, 2011), pp. 63-70.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Always End with a Roadmap

The final paragraph or sentences of your introduction should forecast your main arguments and conclusions and provide a brief description of the rest of the paper [the "roadmap"] that let's the reader know where you are going and what to expect. A roadmap is important because it helps the reader place the research problem within the context of their own perspectives about the topic. In addition, concluding your introduction with an explicit roadmap tells the reader that you have a clear understanding of the structural purpose of your paper. In this way, the roadmap acts as a type of promise to yourself and to your readers that you will follow a consistent and coherent approach to addressing the topic of inquiry. Refer to it often to help keep your writing focused and organized.

Cassuto, Leonard. “On the Dissertation: How to Write the Introduction.” The Chronicle of Higher Education , May 28, 2018; Radich, Michael. A Student's Guide to Writing in East Asian Studies . (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Writing n. d.), pp. 35-37.

• << Previous: Executive Summary
• Next: The C.A.R.S. Model >>
• Last Updated: Jul 3, 2024 10:07 AM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide

How to write an effective introduction for your research paper

Last updated

20 January 2024

Reviewed by

However, the introduction is a vital element of your research paper . It helps the reader decide whether your paper is worth their time. As such, it's worth taking your time to get it right.

In this article, we'll tell you everything you need to know about writing an effective introduction for your research paper.

• The importance of an introduction in research papers

The primary purpose of an introduction is to provide an overview of your paper. This lets readers gauge whether they want to continue reading or not. The introduction should provide a meaningful roadmap of your research to help them make this decision. It should let readers know whether the information they're interested in is likely to be found in the pages that follow.

Aside from providing readers with information about the content of your paper, the introduction also sets the tone. It shows readers the style of language they can expect, which can further help them to decide how far to read.

When you take into account both of these roles that an introduction plays, it becomes clear that crafting an engaging introduction is the best way to get your paper read more widely. First impressions count, and the introduction provides that impression to readers.

• The optimum length for a research paper introduction

While there's no magic formula to determine exactly how long a research paper introduction should be, there are a few guidelines. Some variables that impact the ideal introduction length include:

Field of study

Complexity of the topic

Specific requirements of the course or publication

A commonly recommended length of a research paper introduction is around 10% of the total paper’s length. So, a ten-page paper has a one-page introduction. If the topic is complex, it may require more background to craft a compelling intro. Humanities papers tend to have longer introductions than those of the hard sciences.

The best way to craft an introduction of the right length is to focus on clarity and conciseness. Tell the reader only what is necessary to set up your research. An introduction edited down with this goal in mind should end up at an acceptable length.

• Evaluating successful research paper introductions

A good way to gauge how to create a great introduction is by looking at examples from across your field. The most influential and well-regarded papers should provide some insights into what makes a good introduction.

Dissecting examples: what works and why

We can make some general assumptions by looking at common elements of a good introduction, regardless of the field of research.

A common structure is to start with a broad context, and then narrow that down to specific research questions or hypotheses. This creates a funnel that establishes the scope and relevance.

The most effective introductions are careful about the assumptions they make regarding reader knowledge. By clearly defining key terms and concepts instead of assuming the reader is familiar with them, these introductions set a more solid foundation for understanding.

To pull in the reader and make that all-important good first impression, excellent research paper introductions will often incorporate a compelling narrative or some striking fact that grabs the reader's attention.

Finally, good introductions provide clear citations from past research to back up the claims they're making. In the case of argumentative papers or essays (those that take a stance on a topic or issue), a strong thesis statement compels the reader to continue reading.

Common pitfalls to avoid in research paper introductions

You can also learn what not to do by looking at other research papers. Many authors have made mistakes you can learn from.

We've talked about the need to be clear and concise. Many introductions fail at this; they're verbose, vague, or otherwise fail to convey the research problem or hypothesis efficiently. This often comes in the form of an overemphasis on background information, which obscures the main research focus.

Ensure your introduction provides the proper emphasis and excitement around your research and its significance. Otherwise, fewer people will want to read more about it.

• Crafting a compelling introduction for a research paper

Let’s take a look at the steps required to craft an introduction that pulls readers in and compels them to learn more about your research.

Step 1: Capturing interest and setting the scene

To capture the reader's interest immediately, begin your introduction with a compelling question, a surprising fact, a provocative quote, or some other mechanism that will hook readers and pull them further into the paper.

As they continue reading, the introduction should contextualize your research within the current field, showing readers its relevance and importance. Clarify any essential terms that will help them better understand what you're saying. This keeps the fundamentals of your research accessible to all readers from all backgrounds.

Step 2: Building a solid foundation with background information

Including background information in your introduction serves two major purposes:

It helps to clarify the topic for the reader

It establishes the depth of your research

The approach you take when conveying this information depends on the type of paper.

For argumentative papers, you'll want to develop engaging background narratives. These should provide context for the argument you'll be presenting.

For empirical papers, highlighting past research is the key. Often, there will be some questions that weren't answered in those past papers. If your paper is focused on those areas, those papers make ideal candidates for you to discuss and critique in your introduction.

Step 3: Pinpointing the research challenge

To capture the attention of the reader, you need to explain what research challenges you'll be discussing.

For argumentative papers, this involves articulating why the argument you'll be making is important. What is its relevance to current discussions or problems? What is the potential impact of people accepting or rejecting your argument?

For empirical papers, explain how your research is addressing a gap in existing knowledge. What new insights or contributions will your research bring to your field?

Step 4: Clarifying your research aims and objectives

We mentioned earlier that the introduction to a research paper can serve as a roadmap for what's within. We've also frequently discussed the need for clarity. This step addresses both of these.

When writing an argumentative paper, craft a thesis statement with impact. Clearly articulate what your position is and the main points you intend to present. This will map out for the reader exactly what they'll get from reading the rest.

For empirical papers, focus on formulating precise research questions and hypotheses. Directly link them to the gaps or issues you've identified in existing research to show the reader the precise direction your research paper will take.

Step 5: Sketching the blueprint of your study

Continue building a roadmap for your readers by designing a structured outline for the paper. Guide the reader through your research journey, explaining what the different sections will contain and their relationship to one another.

This outline should flow seamlessly as you move from section to section. Creating this outline early can also help guide the creation of the paper itself, resulting in a final product that's better organized. In doing so, you'll craft a paper where each section flows intuitively from the next.

Step 6: Integrating your research question

To avoid letting your research question get lost in background information or clarifications, craft your introduction in such a way that the research question resonates throughout. The research question should clearly address a gap in existing knowledge or offer a new perspective on an existing problem.

Tell users your research question explicitly but also remember to frequently come back to it. When providing context or clarification, point out how it relates to the research question. This keeps your focus where it needs to be and prevents the topic of the paper from becoming under-emphasized.

Step 7: Establishing the scope and limitations

So far, we've talked mostly about what's in the paper and how to convey that information to readers. The opposite is also important. Information that's outside the scope of your paper should be made clear to the reader in the introduction so their expectations for what is to follow are set appropriately.

Similarly, be honest and upfront about the limitations of the study. Any constraints in methodology, data, or how far your findings can be generalized should be fully communicated in the introduction.

Step 8: Concluding the introduction with a promise

The final few lines of the introduction are your last chance to convince people to continue reading the rest of the paper. Here is where you should make it very clear what benefit they'll get from doing so. What topics will be covered? What questions will be answered? Make it clear what they will get for continuing.

By providing a quick recap of the key points contained in the introduction in its final lines and properly setting the stage for what follows in the rest of the paper, you refocus the reader's attention on the topic of your research and guide them to read more.

• Research paper introduction best practices

Following the steps above will give you a compelling introduction that hits on all the key points an introduction should have. Some more tips and tricks can make an introduction even more polished.

As you follow the steps above, keep the following tips in mind.

Set the right tone and style

Like every piece of writing, a research paper should be written for the audience. That is to say, it should match the tone and style that your academic discipline and target audience expect. This is typically a formal and academic tone, though the degree of formality varies by field.

Kno w the audience

The perfect introduction balances clarity with conciseness. The amount of clarification required for a given topic depends greatly on the target audience. Knowing who will be reading your paper will guide you in determining how much background information is required.

Adopt the CARS (create a research space) model

The CARS model is a helpful tool for structuring introductions. This structure has three parts. The beginning of the introduction establishes the general research area. Next, relevant literature is reviewed and critiqued. The final section outlines the purpose of your study as it relates to the previous parts.

Master the art of funneling

The CARS method is one example of a well-funneled introduction. These start broadly and then slowly narrow down to your specific research problem. It provides a nice narrative flow that provides the right information at the right time. If you stray from the CARS model, try to retain this same type of funneling.

Incorporate narrative element

People read research papers largely to be informed. But to inform the reader, you have to hold their attention. A narrative style, particularly in the introduction, is a great way to do that. This can be a compelling story, an intriguing question, or a description of a real-world problem.

Write the introduction last

By writing the introduction after the rest of the paper, you'll have a better idea of what your research entails and how the paper is structured. This prevents the common problem of writing something in the introduction and then forgetting to include it in the paper. It also means anything particularly exciting in the paper isn’t neglected in the intro.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

Do you share your research findings with others?

Do you analyze research data?

Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

Editor’s picks

Last updated: 18 April 2023

Last updated: 27 February 2023

Last updated: 6 February 2023

Last updated: 6 October 2023

Last updated: 5 February 2023

Last updated: 16 April 2023

Last updated: 9 March 2023

Last updated: 12 December 2023

Last updated: 11 March 2024

Last updated: 4 July 2024

Last updated: 6 March 2024

Last updated: 5 March 2024

Last updated: 13 May 2024

Latest articles

Related topics, .css-je19u9{-webkit-align-items:flex-end;-webkit-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-items:flex-end;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;row-gap:0;text-align:center;max-width:671px;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}}@media (max-width: 799px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}} decide what to .css-1kiodld{max-height:56px;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-1kiodld{display:none;}} build next, decide what to build next.

Users report unexpectedly high data usage, especially during streaming sessions.

Users find it hard to navigate from the home page to relevant playlists in the app.

It would be great to have a sleep timer feature, especially for bedtime listening.

I need better filters to find the songs or artists I’m looking for.

Log in or sign up

Get started for free

How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper

How to write an introduction for a research paper? Eventually (and with practice) all writers will develop their own strategy for writing the perfect introduction for a research paper. Once you are comfortable with writing, you will probably find your own, but coming up with a good strategy can be tough for beginning writers.

The Purpose of an Introduction

Your opening paragraphs, phrases for introducing thesis statements, research paper introduction examples, using the introduction to map out your research paper.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code.

• First write your thesis.Your thesis should state the main idea in specific terms.
• After you have a working thesis, tackle the body of your paper before you write the rest of the introduction. Each paragraph in the body should explore one specific topic that proves, or summarizes your thesis. Writing is a thinking process. Once you have worked your way through that process by writing the body of the paper, you will have an intimate understanding of how you are supporting your thesis. After you have written the body paragraphs, go back and rewrite your thesis to make it more specific and to connect it to the topics you addressed in the body paragraph.
• Revise your introduction several times, saving each revision. Be sure your introduction previews the topics you are presenting in your paper. One way of doing this is to use keywords from the topic sentences in each paragraph to introduce, or preview, the topics in your introduction.This “preview” will give your reader a context for understanding how you will make your case.
• Experiment by taking different approaches to your thesis with every revision you make. Play with the language in the introduction. Strike a new tone. Go back and compare versions. Then pick the one that works most effectively with the body of your research paper.
• Do not try to pack everything you want to say into your introduction. Just as your introduction should not be too short, it should also not be too long. Your introduction should be about the same length as any other paragraph in your research paper. Let the content—what you have to say—dictate the length.

The first page of your research paper should draw the reader into the text. It is the paper’s most important page and, alas, often the worst written. There are two culprits here and effective ways to cope with both of them.

First, the writer is usually straining too hard to say something terribly BIG and IMPORTANT about the thesis topic. The goal is worthy, but the aim is unrealistically high. The result is often a muddle of vague platitudes rather than a crisp, compelling introduction to the thesis. Want a familiar example? Listen to most graduation speakers. Their goal couldn’t be loftier: to say what education means and to tell an entire football stadium how to live the rest of their lives. The results are usually an avalanche of clichés and sodden prose.

The second culprit is bad timing. The opening and concluding paragraphs are usually written late in the game, after the rest of the thesis is finished and polished. There’s nothing wrong with writing these sections last. It’s usually the right approach since you need to know exactly what you are saying in the substantive middle sections of the thesis before you can introduce them effectively or draw together your findings. But having waited to write the opening and closing sections, you need to review and edit them several times to catch up. Otherwise, you’ll putting the most jagged prose in the most tender spots. Edit and polish your opening paragraphs with extra care. They should draw readers into the paper.

After you’ve done some extra polishing, I suggest a simple test for the introductory section. As an experiment, chop off the first few paragraphs. Let the paper begin on, say, paragraph 2 or even page 2. If you don’t lose much, or actually gain in clarity and pace, then you’ve got a problem.

There are two solutions. One is to start at this new spot, further into the text. After all, that’s where you finally gain traction on your subject. That works best in some cases, and we occasionally suggest it. The alternative, of course, is to write a new opening that doesn’t flop around, saying nothing.

What makes a good opening? Actually, they come in several flavors. One is an intriguing story about your topic. Another is a brief, compelling quote. When you run across them during your reading, set them aside for later use. Don’t be deterred from using them because they “don’t seem academic enough.” They’re fine as long as the rest of the paper doesn’t sound like you did your research in People magazine. The third, and most common, way to begin is by stating your main questions, followed by a brief comment about why they matter.

Whichever opening you choose, it should engage your readers and coax them to continue. Having done that, you should give them a general overview of the project—the main issues you will cover, the material you will use, and your thesis statement (that is, your basic approach to the topic). Finally, at the end of the introductory section, give your readers a brief road map, showing how the paper will unfold. How you do that depends on your topic but here are some general suggestions for phrase choice that may help:

• This analysis will provide …
• This paper analyzes the relationship between …
• This paper presents an analysis of …
• This paper will argue that …
• This topic supports the argument that…
• Research supports the opinion that …
• This paper supports the opinion that …
• An interpretation of the facts indicates …
• The results of this experiment show …
• The results of this research show …

Comparisons/Contrasts

• A comparison will show that …
• By contrasting the results,we see that …
• This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of …

Definitions/Classifications

• This paper will provide a guide for categorizing the following:…
• This paper provides a definition of …
• This paper explores the meaning of …
• This paper will discuss the implications of …
• A discussion of this topic reveals …
• The following discussion will focus on …

Description

• This report describes…
• This report will illustrate…
• This paper provides an illustration of …

Process/Experimentation

• This paper will identify the reasons behind…
• The results of the experiment show …
• The process revealed that …
• This paper theorizes…
• This paper presents the theory that …
• In theory, this indicates that …

Quotes, anecdotes, questions, examples, and broad statements—all of them can used successfully to write an introduction for a research paper. It’s instructive to see them in action, in the hands of skilled academic writers.

Let’s begin with David M. Kennedy’s superb history, Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945 . Kennedy begins each chapter with a quote, followed by his text. The quote above chapter 1 shows President Hoover speaking in 1928 about America’s golden future. The text below it begins with the stock market collapse of 1929. It is a riveting account of just how wrong Hoover was. The text about the Depression is stronger because it contrasts so starkly with the optimistic quotation.

“We in America today are nearer the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land.”—Herbert Hoover, August 11, 1928 Like an earthquake, the stock market crash of October 1929 cracked startlingly across the United States, the herald of a crisis that was to shake the American way of life to its foundations. The events of the ensuing decade opened a fissure across the landscape of American history no less gaping than that opened by the volley on Lexington Common in April 1775 or by the bombardment of Sumter on another April four score and six years later. The ratcheting ticker machines in the autumn of 1929 did not merely record avalanching stock prices. In time they came also to symbolize the end of an era. (David M. Kennedy, Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945 . New York: Oxford University Press, 1999, p. 10)

Kennedy has exciting, wrenching material to work with. John Mueller faces the exact opposite problem. In Retreat from Doomsday: The Obsolescence of Major War , he is trying to explain why Great Powers have suddenly stopped fighting each other. For centuries they made war on each other with devastating regularity, killing millions in the process. But now, Mueller thinks, they have not just paused; they have stopped permanently. He is literally trying to explain why “nothing is happening now.” That may be an exciting topic intellectually, it may have great practical significance, but “nothing happened” is not a very promising subject for an exciting opening paragraph. Mueller manages to make it exciting and, at the same time, shows why it matters so much. Here’s his opening, aptly entitled “History’s Greatest Nonevent”:

On May 15, 1984, the major countries of the developed world had managed to remain at peace with each other for the longest continuous stretch of time since the days of the Roman Empire. If a significant battle in a war had been fought on that day, the press would have bristled with it. As usual, however, a landmark crossing in the history of peace caused no stir: the most prominent story in the New York Times that day concerned the saga of a manicurist, a machinist, and a cleaning woman who had just won a big Lotto contest. This book seeks to develop an explanation for what is probably the greatest nonevent in human history. (John Mueller, Retreat from Doomsday: The Obsolescence of Major War . New York: Basic Books, 1989, p. 3)

In the space of a few sentences, Mueller sets up his puzzle and reveals its profound human significance. At the same time, he shows just how easy it is to miss this milestone in the buzz of daily events. Notice how concretely he does that. He doesn’t just say that the New York Times ignored this record setting peace. He offers telling details about what they covered instead: “a manicurist, a machinist, and a cleaning woman who had just won a big Lotto contest.” Likewise, David Kennedy immediately entangles us in concrete events: the stunning stock market crash of 1929. These are powerful openings that capture readers’ interests, establish puzzles, and launch narratives.

Sociologist James Coleman begins in a completely different way, by posing the basic questions he will study. His ambitious book, Foundations of Social Theory , develops a comprehensive theory of social life, so it is entirely appropriate for him to begin with some major questions. But he could just as easily have begun with a compelling story or anecdote. He includes many of them elsewhere in his book. His choice for the opening, though, is to state his major themes plainly and frame them as a paradox. Sociologists, he says, are interested in aggregate behavior—how people act in groups, organizations, or large numbers—yet they mostly examine individuals:

A central problem in social science is that of accounting for the function of some kind of social system. Yet in most social research, observations are not made on the system as a whole, but on some part of it. In fact, the natural unit of observation is the individual person…  This has led to a widening gap between theory and research… (James S. Coleman, Foundations of Social Theory . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1990, pp. 1–2)

After expanding on this point, Coleman explains that he will not try to remedy the problem by looking solely at groups or aggregate-level data. That’s a false solution, he says, because aggregates don’t act; individuals do. So the real problem is to show the links between individual actions and aggregate outcomes, between the micro and the macro.

The major problem for explanations of system behavior based on actions and orientations at a level below that of the system [in this case, on individual-level actions] is that of moving from the lower level to the system level. This has been called the micro-to-macro problem, and it is pervasive throughout the social sciences. (Coleman, Foundations of Social Theory , p. 6)

Explaining how to deal with this “micro-to-macro problem” is the central issue of Coleman’s book, and he announces it at the beginning.

Coleman’s theory-driven opening stands at the opposite end of the spectrum from engaging stories or anecdotes, which are designed to lure the reader into the narrative and ease the path to a more analytic treatment later in the text. Take, for example, the opening sentences of Robert L. Herbert’s sweeping study Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society : “When Henry Tuckerman came to Paris in 1867, one of the thousands of Americans attracted there by the huge international exposition, he was bowled over by the extraordinary changes since his previous visit twenty years before.” (Robert L. Herbert, Impressionism: Art, Leisure, and Parisian Society . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1988, p. 1.) Herbert fills in the evocative details to set the stage for his analysis of the emerging Impressionist art movement and its connection to Parisian society and leisure in this period.

David Bromwich writes about Wordsworth, a poet so familiar to students of English literature that it is hard to see him afresh, before his great achievements, when he was just a young outsider starting to write. To draw us into Wordsworth’s early work, Bromwich wants us to set aside our entrenched images of the famous mature poet and see him as he was in the 1790s, as a beginning writer on the margins of society. He accomplishes this ambitious task in the opening sentences of Disowned by Memory: Wordsworth’s Poetry of the 1790s :

Wordsworth turned to poetry after the revolution to remind himself that he was still a human being. It was a curious solution, to a difficulty many would not have felt. The whole interest of his predicament is that he did feel it. Yet Wordsworth is now so established an eminence—his name so firmly fixed with readers as a moralist of self-trust emanating from complete self-security—that it may seem perverse to imagine him as a criminal seeking expiation. Still, that is a picture we get from The Borderers and, at a longer distance, from “Tintern Abbey.” (David Bromwich, Disowned by Memory: Wordsworth’s Poetry of the 1790s . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998, p. 1)

That’s a wonderful opening! Look at how much Bromwich accomplishes in just a few words. He not only prepares the way for analyzing Wordsworth’s early poetry; he juxtaposes the anguished young man who wrote it to the self-confident, distinguished figure he became—the eminent man we can’t help remembering as we read his early poetry.

Let us highlight a couple of other points in this passage because they illustrate some intelligent writing choices. First, look at the odd comma in this sentence: “It was a curious solution, to a difficulty many would not have felt.” Any standard grammar book would say that comma is wrong and should be omitted. Why did Bromwich insert it? Because he’s a fine writer, thinking of his sentence rhythm and the point he wants to make. The comma does exactly what it should. It makes us pause, breaking the sentence into two parts, each with an interesting point. One is that Wordsworth felt a difficulty others would not have; the other is that he solved it in a distinctive way. It would be easy for readers to glide over this double message, so Bromwich has inserted a speed bump to slow us down. Most of the time, you should follow grammatical rules, like those about commas, but you should bend them when it serves a good purpose. That’s what the writer does here.

The second small point is the phrase “after the revolution” in the first sentence: “Wordsworth turned to poetry after the revolution to remind himself that he was still a human being.” Why doesn’t Bromwich say “after the French Revolution”? Because he has judged his book’s audience. He is writing for specialists who already know which revolution is reverberating through English life in the 1790s. It is the French Revolution, not the earlier loss of the American colonies. If Bromwich were writing for a much broader audience—say, the New York Times Book Review—he would probably insert the extra word to avoid confusion.

The message “Know your audience” applies to all writers. Don’t talk down to them by assuming they can’t get dressed in the morning. Don’t strut around showing off your book learnin’ by tossing in arcane facts and esoteric language for its own sake. Neither will win over readers.

Bromwich, Herbert, and Coleman open their works in different ways, but their choices work well for their different texts. Your task is to decide what kind of opening will work best for yours. Don’t let that happen by default, by grabbing the first idea you happen upon. Consider a couple of different ways of opening your thesis and then choose the one you prefer. Give yourself some options, think them over, then make an informed choice.

Whether you begin with a story, puzzle, or broad statement, the next part of the introduction should pose your main questions and establish your argument. This is your thesis statement—your viewpoint along with the supporting reasons and evidence. It should be articulated plainly so readers understand full well what your paper is about and what it will argue.

After that, give your readers a road map of what’s to come. That’s normally done at the end of the introductory section (or, in a book, at the end of the introductory chapter). Here’s John J. Mearsheimer presenting such a road map in The Tragedy of Great Power Politics . He not only tells us the order of upcoming chapters, he explains why he’s chosen that order and which chapters are most important:

The Plan of the Book The rest of the chapters in this book are concerned mainly with answering the six big questions about power which I identified earlier. Chapter 2, which is probably the most important chapter in the book, lays out my theory of why states compete for power and why they pursue hegemony. In Chapters 3 and 4, I define power and explain how to measure it. I do this in order to lay the groundwork for testing my theory… (John J. Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics . New York: W. W. Norton, 2001, p. 27)

As this excerpt makes clear, Mearsheimer has already laid out his “six big questions” in the introduction. Now he’s showing us the path ahead, the path to answering those questions.

At the end of the introduction, give your readers a road map of what’s to come. Tell them what the upcoming sections will be and why they are arranged in this particular order.

After having written your introduction it’s time to move to the biggest part: body of a research paper.

Back to How To Write A Research Paper .

ORDER HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PAPER

• If you are writing in a new discipline, you should always make sure to ask about conventions and expectations for introductions, just as you would for any other aspect of the essay. For example, while it may be acceptable to write a two-paragraph (or longer) introduction for your papers in some courses, instructors in other disciplines, such as those in some Government courses, may expect a shorter introduction that includes a preview of the argument that will follow.  
• In some disciplines (Government, Economics, and others), it’s common to offer an overview in the introduction of what points you will make in your essay. In other disciplines, you will not be expected to provide this overview in your introduction.  
• Avoid writing a very general opening sentence. While it may be true that “Since the dawn of time, people have been telling love stories,” it won’t help you explain what’s interesting about your topic.  
• Avoid writing a “funnel” introduction in which you begin with a very broad statement about a topic and move to a narrow statement about that topic. Broad generalizations about a topic will not add to your readers’ understanding of your specific essay topic.  
• Avoid beginning with a dictionary definition of a term or concept you will be writing about. If the concept is complicated or unfamiliar to your readers, you will need to define it in detail later in your essay. If it’s not complicated, you can assume your readers already know the definition.  
• Avoid offering too much detail in your introduction that a reader could better understand later in the paper.
• picture_as_pdf Introductions

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing
• Research Papers

How to Write a Research Introduction

Last Updated: December 6, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,655,044 times.

The introduction to a research paper can be the most challenging part of the paper to write. The length of the introduction will vary depending on the type of research paper you are writing. An introduction should announce your topic, provide context and a rationale for your work, before stating your research questions and hypothesis. Well-written introductions set the tone for the paper, catch the reader's interest, and communicate the hypothesis or thesis statement.

Introducing the Topic of the Paper

• In scientific papers this is sometimes known as an "inverted triangle", where you start with the broadest material at the start, before zooming in on the specifics. [2] X Research source
• The sentence "Throughout the 20th century, our views of life on other planets have drastically changed" introduces a topic, but does so in broad terms.
• It provides the reader with an indication of the content of the essay and encourages them to read on.

• For example, if you were writing a paper about the behaviour of mice when exposed to a particular substance, you would include the word "mice", and the scientific name of the relevant compound in the first sentences.
• If you were writing a history paper about the impact of the First World War on gender relations in Britain, you should mention those key words in your first few lines.

• This is especially important if you are attempting to develop a new conceptualization that uses language and terminology your readers may be unfamiliar with.

• If you use an anecdote ensure that is short and highly relevant for your research. It has to function in the same way as an alternative opening, namely to announce the topic of your research paper to your reader.
• For example, if you were writing a sociology paper about re-offending rates among young offenders, you could include a brief story of one person whose story reflects and introduces your topic.
• This kind of approach is generally not appropriate for the introduction to a natural or physical sciences research paper where the writing conventions are different.

Establishing the Context for Your Paper

• It is important to be concise in the introduction, so provide an overview on recent developments in the primary research rather than a lengthy discussion.
• You can follow the "inverted triangle" principle to focus in from the broader themes to those to which you are making a direct contribution with your paper.
• A strong literature review presents important background information to your own research and indicates the importance of the field.

• By making clear reference to existing work you can demonstrate explicitly the specific contribution you are making to move the field forward.
• You can identify a gap in the existing scholarship and explain how you are addressing it and moving understanding forward.

• For example, if you are writing a scientific paper you could stress the merits of the experimental approach or models you have used.
• Stress what is novel in your research and the significance of your new approach, but don't give too much detail in the introduction.
• A stated rationale could be something like: "the study evaluates the previously unknown anti-inflammatory effects of a topical compound in order to evaluate its potential clinical uses".

Specifying Your Research Questions and Hypothesis

• The research question or questions generally come towards the end of the introduction, and should be concise and closely focused.
• The research question might recall some of the key words established in the first few sentences and the title of your paper.
• An example of a research question could be "what were the consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the Mexican export economy?"
• This could be honed further to be specific by referring to a particular element of the Free Trade Agreement and the impact on a particular industry in Mexico, such as clothing manufacture.
• A good research question should shape a problem into a testable hypothesis.

• If possible try to avoid using the word "hypothesis" and rather make this implicit in your writing. This can make your writing appear less formulaic.
• In a scientific paper, giving a clear one-sentence overview of your results and their relation to your hypothesis makes the information clear and accessible. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
• An example of a hypothesis could be "mice deprived of food for the duration of the study were expected to become more lethargic than those fed normally".

• This is not always necessary and you should pay attention to the writing conventions in your discipline.
• In a natural sciences paper, for example, there is a fairly rigid structure which you will be following.
• A humanities or social science paper will most likely present more opportunities to deviate in how you structure your paper.

Research Introduction Help

Community Q&A

• Use your research papers' outline to help you decide what information to include when writing an introduction. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
• Consider drafting your introduction after you have already completed the rest of your research paper. Writing introductions last can help ensure that you don't leave out any major points. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Avoid emotional or sensational introductions; these can create distrust in the reader. Thanks Helpful 50 Not Helpful 12
• Generally avoid using personal pronouns in your introduction, such as "I," "me," "we," "us," "my," "mine," or "our." Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 7
• Don't overwhelm the reader with an over-abundance of information. Keep the introduction as concise as possible by saving specific details for the body of your paper. Thanks Helpful 24 Not Helpful 14

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185916
• ↑ https://www.aresearchguide.com/inverted-pyramid-structure-in-writing.html
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/introduction
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/PlanResearchPaper.html
• ↑ https://dept.writing.wisc.edu/wac/writing-an-introduction-for-a-scientific-paper/
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/planresearchpaper/
• ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178846/

About This Article

To introduce your research paper, use the first 1-2 sentences to describe your general topic, such as “women in World War I.” Include and define keywords, such as “gender relations,” to show your reader where you’re going. Mention previous research into the topic with a phrase like, “Others have studied…”, then transition into what your contribution will be and why it’s necessary. Finally, state the questions that your paper will address and propose your “answer” to them as your thesis statement. For more information from our English Ph.D. co-author about how to craft a strong hypothesis and thesis, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Abdulrahman Omar

Oct 5, 2018

Did this article help you?

May 9, 2021

Lavanya Gopakumar

Oct 1, 2016

Dengkai Zhang

May 14, 2018

Leslie Mae Cansana

Sep 22, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

How to Write an Introduction For a Research Paper

Learn how to write a strong and efficient research paper introduction by following the suitable structure and avoiding typical errors.

An introduction to any type of paper is sometimes misunderstood as the beginning; yet, an introduction is actually intended to present your chosen subject to the audience in a way that makes it more appealing and leaves your readers thirsty for more information. After the title and abstract, your audience will read the introduction, thus it’s critical to get off to a solid start.  

This article includes instructions on how to write an introduction for a research paper that engages the reader in your research. You can produce a strong opening for your research paper if you stick to the format and a few basic principles.

What is An Introduction To a Research Paper?

An introduction is the opening section of a research paper and the section that a reader is likely to read first, in which the objective and goals of the subsequent writing are stated. 

The introduction serves numerous purposes. It provides context for your research, explains your topic and objectives, and provides an outline of the work. A solid introduction will establish the tone for the remainder of your paper, enticing readers to continue reading through the methodology, findings, and discussion. 

Even though introductions are generally presented at the beginning of a document, we must distinguish an introduction from the beginning of your research. An introduction, as the name implies, is supposed to introduce your subject without extending it. All relevant information and facts should be placed in the body and conclusion, not the introduction.

Structure Of An Introduction

Before explaining how to write an introduction for a research paper , it’s necessary to comprehend a structure that will make your introduction stronger and more straightforward.

A Good Hook

A hook is one of the most effective research introduction openers. A hook’s objective is to stimulate the reader’s interest to read the research paper.  There are various approaches you may take to generate a strong hook:  startling facts, a question, a brief overview, or even a quotation. 

Broad Overview

Following an excellent hook, you should present a wide overview of your major issue and some background information on your research. If you’re unsure about how to begin an essay introduction, the best approach is to offer a basic explanation of your topic before delving into specific issues. Simply said, you should begin with general information and then narrow it down to your relevant topics.

After offering some background information regarding your research’s main topic, go on to give readers a better understanding of what you’ll be covering throughout your research. In this section of your introduction, you should swiftly clarify your important topics in the sequence in which they will be addressed later, gradually introducing your thesis statement. You can use some  The following are some critical questions to address in this section of your introduction: Who? What? Where? When? How? And why is that?

Thesis Statement

The thesis statement, which must be stated in the beginning clause of your research since your entire research revolves around it, is the most important component of your research.

A thesis statement presents your audience with a quick overview of the research’s main assertion. In the body section of your work, your key argument is what you will expose or debate about it. An excellent thesis statement is usually very succinct, accurate, explicit, clear, and focused. Typically, your thesis should be at the conclusion of your introductory paragraph/section.

Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction

Aside from the good structure, here are a few tips to make your introduction strong and accurate:

• Keep in mind the aim of your research and make sure your introduction supports it.
• Use an appealing and relevant hook that catches the reader’s attention right away.
• Make it obvious to your readers what your stance is.
• Demonstrate your knowledge of your subject.
• Provide your readers with a road map to help them understand what you will address throughout the research.
• Be succinct – it is advised that your opening introduction consists of around 8-9 percent of the overall amount of words in your article (for example, 160 words for a 2000 words essay). 
• Make a strong and unambiguous thesis statement.
• Explain why the article is significant in 1-2 sentences.
• Remember to keep it interesting.

Mistakes to Avoid in Your Introduction

Check out what not to do and what to avoid now that you know the structure and how to write an introduction for a research paper .

• Lacking a feeling of direction or purpose.
• Giving out too much.
• Creating lengthy paragraphs.
• Excessive or insufficient background, literature, and theory.
• Including material that should be placed in the body and conclusion.
• Not writing enough or writing excessively.
• Using too many quotes.

Unleash the Power of Infographics with Mind the Graph

Do you believe your research is not efficient in communicating precisely or is not aesthetically appealing? Use the Mind The Graph tool to create great infographics and add more value to your research.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Exclusive high quality content about effective visual communication in science.

About Jessica Abbadia

Jessica Abbadia is a lawyer that has been working in Digital Marketing since 2020, improving organic performance for apps and websites in various regions through ASO and SEO. Currently developing scientific and intellectual knowledge for the community's benefit. Jessica is an animal rights activist who enjoys reading and drinking strong coffee.

Content tags

BibGuru Blog

Be more productive in school

• Citation Styles

How to write an introduction for a research paper

Writing an introduction for a research paper can be one of the hardest parts of the writing process. How do you get started? In this post, we discuss the components of an introduction and explore strategies for writing one successfully.

What is an introduction?

The introduction to a research paper provides background information or context on the topic. It also includes the thesis statement and signposts that let the reader know what you will cover in the rest of the paper.

Depending on the type of research paper that you’re writing, you may also include a brief state of the field in your introduction. You might also put that in a separate section, called a literature review. Before you tackle writing your introduction, be sure to consult the assignment guidelines for your paper.

How to write an introduction

An introduction provides an overview of your topic and any background information that your readers need to know in order to understand the context. It generally concludes with an explicit statement of your position on the topic, which is known as your thesis statement.

The opening section

Many papers begin with a hook: a short anecdote or scenario that draws the reader in and gives a hint of what the paper will cover. A hook allows you to capture your reader’s attention and provides an anchor for the context that you will provide in the bulk of the introduction.

Most of your introduction should be taken up with background information, but this doesn’t mean that you should fill your opening section with overly general statements. Instead, provide key pieces of information (like statistics) that a reader would need to know in order to understand your main argument.

The thesis statement

Towards the end of the introduction, you should state your thesis, preferably in the form of "I argue that..." or "This paper argues that..." or a similar phrase. Although it’s called a “thesis statement,” your thesis can be more than one sentence.

Finally, an introduction contains a brief outline or "signposts" of what the rest of the article will cover (also known as forecasting statements). You can use language like, “in what follows,” or “in the rest of the paper,” to signal that you are describing what you’ll do in the remainder of the paper.

Tips for writing an introduction

1. don’t rely on generalizations.

An introduction is not simply filler. It has a very specific function in a research paper: to provide context that leads up to a thesis statement.

You may be tempted to start your paper with generalizations like, “many people believe that...” or, “in our society...,” or a general dictionary definition, because you’re not sure what kind of context to provide. Instead, use specific facts like statistics or historical anecdotes to open your paper.

2. State your thesis directly

Once you’ve provided the appropriate, and specific, background information on your topic, you can move on to stating your thesis. As a rule of thumb, state your thesis as directly as possible. Use phrases like “I argue that..” to indicate that you are laying out your main argument.

3. Include signposts

A strong introduction includes clear signposts that outline what you will cover in the rest of the paper. You can signal this by using words like, “in what follows,” and by describing the steps that you will take to build your argument.

4. Situate your argument within the scholarly conversation

Some types of research papers require a separate literature review in which you explore what others have written about your topic.

Even if you’re not required to have a formal literature review, you should still include at least a paragraph in which you engage with the scholarly debate on your chosen subject. Be sure to include direct quotes from your sources . You can use BibGuru’s citation generator to create accurate in-text citations for your quotes.

This section can come directly before your thesis statement or directly after it. In the former case, your state of the field will function as additional context for your thesis.

Frequently Asked Questions about how to write an introduction for a research paper

A good introduction provides specific background information on your topic, sets up your thesis statement, and includes signposts for what you’ll cover in the rest of the paper.

An introduction should include context, a thesis statement, and signposts.

Do not include generalizations, apologies for not being an expert, or dictionary definitions in your introduction.

The length of your introduction depends on the overall length of your paper. For instance, an introduction for an 8-10 page paper will likely be anywhere from 1-3 pages.

You can choose to start an introduction with a hook, an important statistic, an historical anecdote, or another specific piece of background information.

Make your life easier with our productivity and writing resources.

For students and teachers.

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > How to write an introduction for a research paper

How to write an introduction for a research paper

Beginnings are hard. Beginning a research paper is no exception. Many students—and pros—struggle with how to write an introduction for a research paper.

This short guide will describe the purpose of a research paper introduction and how to create a good one.

What is an introduction for a research paper?

Introductions to research papers do a lot of work.

It may seem obvious, but introductions are always placed at the beginning of a paper. They guide your reader from a general subject area to the narrow topic that your paper covers. They also explain your paper’s:

• Scope: The topic you’ll be covering
• Context: The background of your topic
• Importance: Why your research matters in the context of an industry or the world

Your introduction will cover a lot of ground. However, it will only be half of a page to a few pages long. The length depends on the size of your paper as a whole. In many cases, the introduction will be shorter than all of the other sections of your paper.

Write with Confidence using Editor

Elevate your writing with real-time, intelligent assistance

Why is an introduction vital to a research paper?

The introduction to your research paper isn’t just important. It’s critical.

Your readers don’t know what your research paper is about from the title. That’s where your introduction comes in. A good introduction will:

• Help your reader understand your topic’s background
• Explain why your research paper is worth reading
• Offer a guide for navigating the rest of the piece
• Pique your reader’s interest

Without a clear introduction, your readers will struggle. They may feel confused when they start reading your paper. They might even give up entirely. Your introduction will ground them and prepare them for the in-depth research to come.

What should you include in an introduction for a research paper?

Research paper introductions are always unique. After all, research is original by definition. However, they often contain six essential items. These are:

• An overview of the topic. Start with a general overview of your topic. Narrow the overview until you address your paper’s specific subject. Then, mention questions or concerns you had about the case. Note that you will address them in the publication.
• Prior research. Your introduction is the place to review other conclusions on your topic. Include both older scholars and modern scholars. This background information shows that you are aware of prior research. It also introduces past findings to those who might not have that expertise.
• A rationale for your paper. Explain why your topic needs to be addressed right now. If applicable, connect it to current issues. Additionally, you can show a problem with former theories or reveal a gap in current research. No matter how you do it, a good rationale will interest your readers and demonstrate why they must read the rest of your paper.
• Describe the methodology you used. Recount your processes to make your paper more credible. Lay out your goal and the questions you will address. Reveal how you conducted research and describe how you measured results. Moreover, explain why you made key choices.
• A thesis statement. Your main introduction should end with a thesis statement. This statement summarizes the ideas that will run through your entire research article. It should be straightforward and clear.
• An outline. Introductions often conclude with an outline. Your layout should quickly review what you intend to cover in the following sections. Think of it as a roadmap, guiding your reader to the end of your paper.

These six items are emphasized more or less, depending on your field. For example, a physics research paper might emphasize methodology. An English journal article might highlight the overview.

Three tips for writing your introduction

We don’t just want you to learn how to write an introduction for a research paper. We want you to learn how to make it shine.

There are three things you can do that will make it easier to write a great introduction. You can:

• Write your introduction last. An introduction summarizes all of the things you’ve learned from your research. While it can feel good to get your preface done quickly, you should write the rest of your paper first. Then, you’ll find it easy to create a clear overview.
• Include a strong quotation or story upfront. You want your paper to be full of substance. But that doesn’t mean it should feel boring or flat. Add a relevant quotation or surprising anecdote to the beginning of your introduction. This technique will pique the interest of your reader and leave them wanting more.
• Be concise. Research papers cover complex topics. To help your readers, try to write as clearly as possible. Use concise sentences. Check for confusing grammar or syntax . Read your introduction out loud to catch awkward phrases. Before you finish your paper, be sure to proofread, too. Mistakes can seem unprofessional.

Get started with Microsoft 365

It’s the Office you know, plus the tools to help you work better together, so you can get more done—anytime, anywhere.

Topics in this article

More articles like this one.

When to use 'while' vs. 'whilst'

“While” and “whilst” are usually interchangeable, but not always. See how they differ and learn how to use them effectively.

What is touch typing (and why is it important)?

Learn about the benefits of touch typing and how it can help you type faster and more accurately.

Is it “per say” or ‘per se’?

Address the misspelling of ‘per se’ to effectively communicate the intrinsic quality of something. Learn why it is commonly misspelled and how to use it correctly in your writing.

Elicit vs. illicit: What’s the difference?

Learn the difference between illicit vs. elicit, two homophones that sound alike but mean different things, and write without confusion.

Everything you need to achieve more in less time

Get powerful productivity and security apps with Microsoft 365

Explore Other Categories

• Translators
• Graphic Designers

Please enter the email address you used for your account. Your sign in information will be sent to your email address after it has been verified.

How to Write an Effective Research Paper Introduction

The introduction of a research paper has several purposes. It presents your topic, describes the problem your research seeks to solve, and outlines the structure of your paper. It can also inform your audience about how your study differs from the research that has already been done. Generally, the introduction helps you to show your audience why your research topic is worth exploring. It gives you the chance to convince your reader why they should stick around and see what you have to say.

The first 1-2 sentences of your introduction should give an elevator pitch of your work. Be clear, relevant, and to the point. Don't sweat the engagement of your first sentences. You might have heard the advice that, when writing, you should use the first few sentences to wow your readers, transporting them into a lyrical world of imagination. While this is certainly good counsel in creative writing or consumer literature to hook your reader, research papers are another story; you won't need quotes from wise heroes of the past to grab your readers' attention. In most cases, your audience comprises people already interested in the field who are intrigued by your title and want to delve into what you have found through your study, and you don't want to include trite snippets right at the outset. Of course, you don't want to bore your readers either, so strive for clarity and direct information about your study so the readers who navigate to your paper know what they can expect.

To introduce your research paper effectively, include the following elements in your introduction. You will expand on these topics in greater detail in the paper, but in the introduction to your paper, you'll provide a summary of each one.

• Overview: Provide a focused statement on the subject matter of your research. What questions are you seeking to answer? How will your study make the world a better place? Here you can also briefly describe any problems you encountered while conducting your study (and be sure to state that you will address these problems within the paper!).
• Prior research: It's important that your audience knows you've already explored the field and looked around at what has already been written. Briefly discuss what past studies have concluded on the subject and what that means for your current study. Maybe in your search, you found that your research is the first to address your specific topic, which is why your study is so valuable. Let your readers know that you've done your homework.
• Rationale: Make your case regarding why your study is important today. What will your findings bring to the field? Your research could address current issues and events, or it might illuminate gaps in previous research that need to be filled in order to move ahead in the academic field and strengthen future studies.
• Methodology: In your methodology paragraph, briefly name the processes you applied during your study. Why are these tools the best ones for your specific research? What answers do you get from using these methods? Details on your methodology can bring credibility to your study and help with future application of your findings to similar fields.

• Outline of the paper: At the conclusion on your introduction, offer a review of what your study will discuss specifically in the sections that follow.

Once you've gathered all of the necessary elements for your introduction, try these tips to make your introduction pop:

• Try finalizing your introduction after you've finished writing the body of the paper. While it's beneficial to map out what you want your introduction to say before you begin your paper, wait until you've elaborated on your research in detail, and then create your introduction. With the entire work fresh in your mind, you have a clear grasp on what it's about, your purpose in writing it, and what the study results mean for the world.
• Show, don't tell. When giving a brief summary of your work, give compelling details about why this study is a good one to conduct. Remember, you still want to be brief, but you can accomplish clarity and brevity while also enticing your readers to share your vision. For example, instead of stating, "Dual language educational programs are important for children," consider saying, "Dual language programs help students develop increased cognitive function, future linguistic advantages, and a broadened worldview."
• Keep it simple. Don't bury the good points of your work in excessive detail within the introduction. Your entire paper is where you will delve into the finer points of the research, so take stock of which ideas are the most important and stick to those nuggets to motivate your audience to read on.
• Speak to a broader audience. Your research will certainly attract specialists in the field who know every term you could possibly throw at them, but your audience also includes laymen and people who haven't spent as much time in the field as you have, knee-deep in your study. Remember to make your introduction accessible to those who aren't familiar with the industry jargon. The body of the paper is a great place to flex your muscles and the nitty-gritty details of your research results, but the introduction should be consumable by a much more general group. If you have to use specialized language, make sure to define those obscure terms that only a select few people would know.

Your introduction gives your readers greater access to your work. You are the expert, of course, but your goal is to display your findings to a broader audience, and your introduction is the key to accomplishing that objective. Follow these tips and examples to help you create a strong introductory section for your research paper.

• Academic Writing Advice
• All Blog Posts
• Writing Advice
• Admissions Writing Advice
• Book Writing Advice
• Short Story Advice
• Employment Writing Advice
• Business Writing Advice
• Web Content Advice
• Article Writing Advice
• Magazine Writing Advice
• Grammar Advice
• Dialect Advice
• Editing Advice
• Freelance Advice
• Legal Writing Advice
• Poetry Advice
• Graphic Design Advice
• Logo Design Advice
• Translation Advice
• Blog Reviews
• Short Story Award Winners
• Scholarship Winners

Elevate your research paper with expert editing services

• Langson Library
• Science Library
• Grunigen Medical Library
• Law Library
• Connect From Off-Campus
• Accessibility
• Gateway Study Center

Email this link

Writing a scientific paper.

• Writing a lab report

What is a "good" introduction?

Citing sources in the introduction, "introduction checklist" from: how to write a good scientific paper. chris a. mack. spie. 2018..

• LITERATURE CITED
• Bibliography of guides to scientific writing and presenting
• Peer Review
• Presentations
• Lab Report Writing Guides on the Web

This is where you describe briefly and clearly why you are writing the paper. The introduction supplies sufficient background information for the reader to understand and evaluate the experiment you did. It also supplies a rationale for the study.

• Present the problem and the proposed solution
• Presents nature and scope of the problem investigated
• Reviews the pertinent literature to orient the reader
• States the method of the experiment
• State the principle results of the experiment

It is important to cite sources in the introduction section of your paper as evidence of the claims you are making. There are ways of citing sources in the text so that the reader can find the full reference in the literature cited section at the end of the paper, yet the flow of the reading is not badly interrupted. Below are some example of how this can be done:     "Smith (1983) found that N-fixing plants could be infected by several different species of Rhizobium."     "Walnut trees are known to be allelopathic (Smith 1949,  Bond et al. 1955, Jones and Green 1963)."     "Although the presence of Rhizobium normally increases the growth of legumes (Nguyen 1987), the opposite effect has been observed (Washington 1999)." Note that articles by one or two authors are always cited in the text using their last names. However, if there are more than two authors, the last name of the 1st author is given followed by the abbreviation et al. which is Latin for "and others". 

From:  https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/imrad-reports-introductions

• Indicate the field of the work, why this field is important, and what has already been done (with proper citations).
• Indicate a gap, raise a research question, or challenge prior work in this territory.
• Outline the purpose and announce the present research, clearly indicating what is novel and why it is significant.
• Avoid: repeating the abstract; providing unnecessary background information; exaggerating the importance of the work; claiming novelty without a proper literature search. 
• << Previous: ABSTRACT
• Next: METHODS >>
• Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023 9:33 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/scientificwriting

Off-campus? Please use the Software VPN and choose the group UCIFull to access licensed content. For more information, please Click here

Software VPN is not available for guests, so they may not have access to some content when connecting from off-campus.

Verify originality of an essay

Get ideas for your paper

Find top study documents

Learn How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper

Updated 12 Jun 2024

Though introduction to any writing is frequently associated with beginning, it's not that simple for an introduction to a research paper. Here you can find a guide on how to write an introduction for a research paper, which presents a topic to the reader. While creating an introduction students frequently get lost in the consistency of their thoughts. But following the structure and simple rules, you will succeed with your writing and get the desired mark.

What is a Research Paper Introduction?

An introduction is the initial part of a research paper and the part that a reader is likely to read first (at least when focusing deeply and reading it in detail). Hence, definitions, notions, and other information required for understanding the paper are presented/listed here.

Every research paper needs context so that readers can understand why you have created it. This is exactly what you can do in your research paper introduction. Of course, this can mean that your introduction is the hardest part of an essay to write first. So, it is essential that you take your time and make sure you get it right.

The introduction of writing is going to set out your rationale, which is what research will be based around. Your readers should be able to tell what they are reading right from the beginning and whether it interests them.

It is essential that you make the beginning of your research paper interesting and engage with your readers from the first line. This will make sure that people continue to read and learn about what you have found out. You should also state a hypothesis and the way you think your work will turn out in conclusion. You must always include an introduction to your paper.

Sana Shaikh

"Introductions need to be organized, succinct, and clear. Clear writing is essential when writing a research paper. Often, students work so hard in crafting an interesting hook that the rest of the introduction devolves into another direction. For students, I always recommend clearly identifying what your thesis is - what are you planning on focusing on for your paper? As a reader, do I know what the premise of the paper is before I continue reading? For research papers, engagement is in the pithiness of writing and the organizational structure. In introductions particularly, the statement of organization is vital. The statement of organization dictates how the rest of the paper will be structured and what the reader should look to when they are reading. For research papers, follow your passions. What interests you? What is a topic that keeps you up at night? What are you passionate about? Finding a topic that resonates with you is key when aiming to write ideas clearly." Sana Shaikh, PhD, Director of School Operations in Springfield Public Schools

Need more writing assistance?

Connect with our top writers and receive a research paper sample crafted to your needs.

Writing an Introduction to a Research Paper – What to Include

So, what should you include in your introduction? We will give you a list below so that you can prepare a research paper introduction outline and follow it when you are writing.

What are the parts of the introduction in research?

The introduction of a research paper may contain a few other parts/elements such as the chief goal(s) and objectives of the research, a brief but informative outline of the following content, explained, concept definitions, a brief history of the research into the topic, recent related discoveries, etc.

Start with Announcing Your Topic

There are many research topics . The topic is the fundament of any writing you prepare. Regarding, the angle you look at your topic, it will reflect different aspects. It’s better to begin with outlining your topic. There is no secret on how to start a research paper intro: you should just state your topic and add some connected with topic issues that bothers you a lot. This is a perfect strategy to intrigue the reader.

It is recommended to start with general info and then narrowing down to specific aspects. Try not to deepen into a state of things in the beginning, but explain your view on the topic. If you are going to use some difficult expressions in the central part of an essay, make them clear to any reader and point out their connection with your topic.

Review the Literature

Developing a statement in the main body, you will need some literature sources to refer to. While your idea can sound a bit subjectively, if you maintain it with citations extracted from works of famous scientists, authors, or philosophers, you will prove your point. Don’t neglect modern time scholars that are being deeply concerned about the issue or opinion you stated. The introduction should briefly state what the literature will be about.

Stress on Rationale

The rationale is the key element of your beginning. Once you stated the topic, it’s time to prove it’s relevant and gives readers food for thought. The rationale serves as an indicator of both the importance of your essay and your attitude to the issue. The rationale should be laconic and precise to show the reader the significance of your research.

State Your Thesis

The thesis statement marks the conclusive part of the introduction for the research paper or research summary and transition to the actual research. This sentence supports all the things you have written before and collects all your ideas in a logical and concise saying. If your subject is too complicated, you should make the thesis statement comprehensible with it. The thesis is what runs through your paper. That’s why the intro where a thesis is stated sets the tone for the entire work.

Your thesis should:

• Give general info on topic
• Be engaging and precise
• Reflect the significance of raised issue

If all these are ready, the only thing left is to make the outline for research paper  structure.

ORDER RESEARCH PAPER

Conclude With the Outline

When all the important work is done, it’s time for the outline of the research paper’s structure. Not every mentor requires the structure overview in the introduction, but sometimes students are asked to stress on few aspects of their future research. This is not about the detailed depiction of every part of your work. The outline is a short paragraph, which consists of 3 or 4 sentences and represents your plan for the entire paper. You can also look for some essay introduction examples to grab some ideas.

View an Example of an Introduction in Research Paper

Sometimes, it is best to explore an example of an introduction in a research paper in order to understand it better. Check out the example that we have created:

Did you know that there are currently over 2.3 million Americans incarcerated for their crimes? While it is widely believed that prison should be the punishment for crime, statistics find that 77 percent of prisoners will re-offend once they are released. This suggests that prison is not working to reduce recidivism. My research paper aims to demonstrate that prison does not work as a way to prevent crime and that alternatives should be considered, such as restorative justice and other community sentencing.

Writing Tips for Students Who Want to Know all About Introduction

Dr. Elizabeth M. Minei

"A strong introduction to a research paper should probably be written last. The introduction needs to include: 1) what the topic is focused on, 2) how the research was conducted(method), 3) what the findings are (generally), 4) and how the paper contributes to the overall field. These items are often unanswerable until the paper is complete. An introduction should also absolutely have a few sentences that specifically detail what they will read in the upcoming pages. Research Papers are NOT like fiction writing where you might want to sustain the mystery—instead,you want to show them the payoff up front. If the reader gets to the end of the introduction and does not know what to expect in the rest of the paper, you may have missed the mark." Dr. Elizabeth M. Minei, PhD, Associate Professor at Baruch College, Founder and C.E.O. of EMinei Consulting

So, how to write an intro for a research paper?

• Define and Explain Concepts

Is writing including concepts that are going to be complicated for the average reader to understand? If the answer is yes, this means that you should take your time to explain them as best as you can in your introduction. This includes any jargon or terms that you think will be important to know before reading your findings and analysis.

• Start with a Quotation

You want to capture your reader’s attention right from the beginning. If you are not sure how to do that effectively, think about including a quotation that captures the heart of the topic. This will be particularly true if your essay is for social subjects, such as English, History, and humanities. It is going to help create a picture in the reader’s head, and they will remember this when they are reading your work. Depending on the subject of your paper, it could also include a striking statistic.

• Communicate your Structure

Readers need to know not only why you are conducting a particular research topic, but also how you intend to do it. It means that your introduction should set out the structure that will be followed in your article. It will allow a reader to easily navigate between different parts and make sure that it all makes sense.

Need Additional Help?

As you see, writing research papers introduction is not that challenging if you follow the guide. But sometimes even the smartest students fail in choosing a competitive topic and building a solid thesis. Even if you consider your topic important, it can seem questionable for your professor. How to write an introduction for a research paper and make it flawless?

We present you with professional help from writers who are full of new ideas to reflect them in your assignment! Browsing “how to write a research paper introduction” and trying to write a paper on your own you may lose those precious hours of your time. Asking us for help, you will get rid of your constant worries. Can you write my research papers ? Yes, we can! Presenting only top-notch content, we help many students achieve the desired outcome and improve their academic performance. Our writers don’t tolerate plagiarism - real professionals create their writings from scratch. We believe that even the most complicated task has the simplest solution and our paper writers can always find it. If you doubt, place your order and get assured we don’t mouth empty words!

Get your paper professionally fact-checked!

Ensure your papers' accuracy and quality with expert editing and fact-checking for just $7/page.

How do you write a good intro?

Writing a good intro requires matching well the information in it with the rest of the paper – it must “serve” the needs of the rest of the paper. It should introduce the reader smoothly into the topic and facilitate an easy read (without requiring the excessive aid of external sources).

How do you write an introduction for a research paper?

In case you have difficulties starting with the introduction first, a fairly universal advice is to write it last (apart from the thesis, goals, and objectives). Thus, after writing other sections (that have a clearer/ more rigid structure) you’ll be able to decide both on the type of content that would match better the rest of your paper but also on the word count you can dedicate to this section.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback, related blog posts, top 300+ ideas for research paper topics in 2024.

Table of contents College Research Paper Topics Health Research Paper Topics Education Research Paper Topics Environmental Research...

Research Paper Format Guidelines: Let Formatting Trouble You No More

Writing a research paper is not that difficult providing you know what to start from and what pitfalls you can face. We’ve prepared a short guide t...

150 Fascinating Astronomy Research Topics: Explore the Wonders of the Universe

The Significance of Astronomy Research Topics Astronomy research topics hold a significant place in the academic curriculum due to their profoun...

Join our 150K of happy users

• Get original papers written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings
• My Bibliography
• Collections
• Citation manager

Save citation to file

Email citation, add to collections.

• Create a new collection
• Add to an existing collection

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search, create a file for external citation management software, your rss feed.

• Search in PubMed
• Search in NLM Catalog
• Add to Search

How to Write an Effective Introduction

Affiliations.

• 1 Sydney Kimmel Medical College.
• 2 Rothman Institute, Philadelphia, PA.
• PMID: 30234565
• DOI: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000000714

Ideally, the Introduction is an essential attention grabbing section of a research paper. If written correctly, the Introduction peaks the reader's interest as well as serves as a roadmap for the rest of the paper. An effective Introduction builds off related empirical research and demonstrates a gap in which the current study fills. Finally, the Introduction proposes the research question(s) which will be answered in subsequent sections of the paper. A strong Introduction also requires the use of a simple and well-organized format as well as the avoidance of common pitfalls.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

• Scientific Medical Writing in Practice: the «IMR@D®» Format. Ben Saad H. Ben Saad H. Tunis Med. 2019 Mar;97(3):407-425. Tunis Med. 2019. PMID: 31729715
• WASP (Write a Scientific Paper): Miscellaneous practical and material aspects. Grech V. Grech V. Early Hum Dev. 2019 Jan;128:105-106. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.09.008. Epub 2018 Sep 18. Early Hum Dev. 2019. PMID: 30241901
• Eight questions to ask before writing an article. Albert T. Albert T. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2017 Jun 2;78(6):341-343. doi: 10.12968/hmed.2017.78.6.341. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2017. PMID: 28614016 Review.
• Writing biomedical manuscripts part I: fundamentals and general rules. Ohwovoriole AE. Ohwovoriole AE. West Afr J Med. 2011 May-Jun;30(3):151-7. West Afr J Med. 2011. PMID: 22120477 Review.
• How to write the methods section of a research paper. Kallet RH. Kallet RH. Respir Care. 2004 Oct;49(10):1229-32. Respir Care. 2004. PMID: 15447808
• Essential Guide to Manuscript Writing for Academic Dummies: An Editor's Perspective. Aga SS, Nissar S. Aga SS, et al. Biochem Res Int. 2022 Sep 1;2022:1492058. doi: 10.1155/2022/1492058. eCollection 2022. Biochem Res Int. 2022. PMID: 36092536 Free PMC article. Review.
• Search in MeSH

LinkOut - more resources

Full text sources.

• Ovid Technologies, Inc.
• Wolters Kluwer

Other Literature Sources

• scite Smart Citations

Miscellaneous

• NCI CPTAC Assay Portal

• Citation Manager

NCBI Literature Resources

MeSH PMC Bookshelf Disclaimer

The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited.

Organizing Academic Research Papers: 4. The Introduction

• 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

The introduction serves the purpose of leading the reader from a general subject area to a particular field of research. It establishes the context of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of the hypothesis, question, or research problem, briefly explaining your rationale, methodological approach, highlighting the potential outcomes your study can reveal, and describing the remaining structure of the paper.

Key Elements of the Research Proposal. Prepared under the direction of the Superintendent and by the 2010 Curriculum Design and Writing Team. Baltimore County Public Schools.

Importance of a Good Introduction

Think of the introduction as a mental road map that must answer for the reader these four questions:

• What was I studying?
• Why was this topic important to investigate?
• What did we know about this topic before I did this study?
• How will this study advance our knowledge?

A well-written introduction is important because, quite simply, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. The opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions about the logic of your argument, your writing style, the overall quality of your research, and, ultimately, the validity of your findings and conclusions. A vague, disorganized, or error-filled introduction will create a negative impression, whereas, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of your analytical skills, your writing style, and your research approach.

Introductions . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Structure and Approach

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions for the reader:

• What is this?
• Why am I reading it?
• What do you want me to think about / consider doing / react to?

Think of the structure of the introduction as an inverted triangle of information. Organize the information so as to present the more general aspects of the topic early in the introduction, then narrow toward the more specific topical information that provides context, finally arriving at your statement of purpose and rationale and, whenever possible, the potential outcomes your study can reveal.

These are general phases associated with writing an introduction:

• Highlighting the importance of the topic, and/or
• Making general statements about the topic, and/or
• Presenting an overview on current research on the subject.
• Opposing an existing assumption, and/or
• Revealing a gap in existing research, and/or
• Formulating a research question or problem, and/or
• Continuing a disciplinary tradition.
• Stating the intent of your study,
• Outlining the key characteristics of your study,
• Describing important results, and
• Giving a brief overview of the structure of the paper.

NOTE: Even though the introduction is the first main section of a research paper, it is often useful to finish the introduction very late in the writing process because the structure of the paper, the reporting and analysis of results, and the conclusion will have been completed and it ensures that your introduction matches the overall structure of your paper.

II.  Delimitations of the Study

Delimitations refer to those characteristics that limit the scope and define the conceptual boundaries of your study . This is determined by the conscious exclusionary and inclusionary decisions you make about how to investigate the research problem. In other words, not only should you tell the reader what it is you are studying and why, but you must also acknowledge why you rejected alternative approaches that could have been used to examine the research problem.

Obviously, the first limiting step was the choice of research problem itself. However, implicit are other, related problems that could have been chosen but were rejected. These should be noted in the conclusion of your introduction.

Examples of delimitating choices would be:

• The key aims and objectives of your study,
• The research questions that you address,
• The variables of interest [i.e., the various factors and features of the phenomenon being studied],
• The method(s) of investigation, and
• Any relevant alternative theoretical frameworks that could have been adopted.

Review each of these decisions. You need to not only clearly establish what you intend to accomplish, but to also include a declaration of what the study does not intend to cover. In the latter case, your exclusionary decisions should be based upon criteria stated as, "not interesting"; "not directly relevant"; “too problematic because..."; "not feasible," and the like. Make this reasoning explicit!

NOTE: Delimitations refer to the initial choices made about the broader, overall design of your study and should not be confused with documenting the limitations of your study discovered after the research has been completed.

III. The Narrative Flow

Issues to keep in mind that will help the narrative flow in your introduction :

• Your introduction should clearly identify the subject area of interest . A simple strategy to follow is to use key words from your title in the first few sentences of the introduction. This will help focus the introduction on the topic at the appropriate level and ensures that you get to the primary subject matter quickly without losing focus, or discussing information that is too general.
• Establish context by providing a brief and balanced review of the pertinent published literature that is available on the subject. The key is to summarize for the reader what is known about the specific research problem before you did your analysis. This part of your introduction should not represent a comprehensive literature review but consists of a general review of the important, foundational research literature (with citations) that lays a foundation for understanding key elements of the research problem. See the drop-down tab for "Background Information" for types of contexts.
• Clearly state the hypothesis that you investigated . When you are first learning to write in this format it is okay, and actually preferable, to use a past statement like, "The purpose of this study was to...." or "We investigated three possible mechanisms to explain the...."
• Why did you choose this kind of research study or design? Provide a clear statement of the rationale for your approach to the problem studied. This will usually follow your statement of purpose in the last paragraph of the introduction.

IV. Engaging the Reader

The overarching goal of your introduction is to make your readers want to read your paper. The introduction should grab your reader's attention. Strategies for doing this can be to:

• Open with a compelling story,
• Include a strong quotation or a vivid, perhaps unexpected anecdote,
• Pose a provocative or thought-provoking question,
• Describe a puzzling scenario or incongruity, or
• Cite a stirring example or case study that illustrates why the research problem is important.

NOTE:   Only choose one strategy for engaging your readers; avoid giving an impression that your paper is more flash than substance.

Freedman, Leora  and Jerry Plotnick. Introductions and Conclusions . University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Introduction . The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Introductions . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Introductions . The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Resources for Writers: Introduction Strategies . Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Sharpling, Gerald. Writing an Introduction . Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick; Writing Your Introduction. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University.

Writing Tip

Avoid the "Dictionary" Introduction

Giving the dictionary definition of words related to the research problem may appear appropriate because it is important to define specific words or phrases with which readers may be unfamiliar. However, anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and a general dictionary is not a particularly authoritative source. It doesn't take into account the context of your topic and doesn't offer particularly detailed information. Also, placed in the context of a particular discipline, a term may have a different meaning than what is found in a general dictionary. If you feel that you must seek out an authoritative definition, try to find one that is from subject specific dictionaries or encyclopedias [e.g., if you are a sociology student, search for dictionaries of sociology].

Saba, Robert. The College Research Paper . Florida International University; Introductions . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina.

Another Writing Tip

When Do I Begin?

A common question asked at the start of any paper is, "where should I begin?" An equally important question to ask yourself is, "When do I begin?" Research problems in the social sciences rarely rest in isolation from the history of the issue being investigated. It is, therefore, important to lay a foundation for understanding the historical context underpinning the research problem. However, this information should be brief and succinct and begin at a point in time that best informs the reader of study's overall importance. For example, a study about coffee cultivation and export in West Africa as a key stimulus for local economic growth needs to describe the beginning of exporting coffee in the region and establishing why economic growth is important. You do not need to give a long historical explanation about coffee exportation in Africa. If a research problem demands a substantial exploration of historical context, do this in the literature review section; note in the introduction as part of your "roadmap" [see below] that you covering this in the literature review.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Always End with a Roadmap

The final paragraph or sentences of your introduction should forecast your main arguments and conclusions and provide a description of the rest of the paper [a "roadmap"] that let's the reader know where you are going and what to expect.

• << Previous: Executive Summary
• Next: Background Information >>
• Last Updated: Jul 18, 2023 11:58 AM
• URL: https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803
• QuickSearch
• Library Catalog
• Databases A-Z
• Publication Finder
• Course Reserves
• Citation Linker
• Digital Commons
• Our Website

Research Support

• Ask a Librarian
• Appointments
• Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
• Research Guides
• Databases by Subject
• Citation Help

Using the Library

• Reserve a Group Study Room
• Renew Books
• Honors Study Rooms
• Off-Campus Access
• Library Policies
• Library Technology

User Information

• Grad Students
• Online Students
• COVID-19 Updates
• Staff Directory
• News & Announcements
• Library Newsletter

My Accounts

• Interlibrary Loan
• Staff Site Login

FIND US ON  

Frequently asked questions

What should i include in a research paper introduction.

The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

• A hook to catch the reader’s interest
• Relevant background on the topic
• Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

• A thesis statement or research question
• Sometimes an overview of the paper

Frequently asked questions: Writing a research paper

A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question . Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative , descriptive , longitudinal , experimental , or correlational . What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

• Researchability
• Feasibility and specificity
• Relevance and originality

Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them.

In general, they should be:

• Focused and researchable
• Answerable using credible sources
• Complex and arguable
• Feasible and specific
• Relevant and original

All research questions should be:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

Your research objectives indicate how you’ll try to address your research problem and should be specific:

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago style are to:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Use 1 inch margins or larger
• Apply double line spacing
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch
• Include a title page
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center
• Cite your sources with author-date citations or Chicago footnotes
• Include a bibliography or reference list

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Set 1 inch page margins
• Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
• Center the paper’s title
• Use title case capitalization for headings
• Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end

To format a paper in APA Style , follow these guidelines:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial
• If submitting for publication, insert a running head on every page
• Apply APA heading styles
• Cite your sources with APA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a reference page at the end

No, it’s not appropriate to present new arguments or evidence in the conclusion . While you might be tempted to save a striking argument for last, research papers follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the results and discussion sections if you are following a scientific structure). The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

The conclusion of a research paper has several key elements you should make sure to include:

• A restatement of the research problem
• A summary of your key arguments and/or findings
• A short discussion of the implications of your research

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

Ask our team

Want to contact us directly? No problem.  We  are always here for you.

• Email [email protected]
• Start live chat
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Our team helps students graduate by offering:

• A world-class citation generator
• Plagiarism Checker software powered by Turnitin
• Innovative Citation Checker software
• Professional proofreading services
• Over 300 helpful articles about academic writing, citing sources, plagiarism, and more

Scribbr specializes in editing study-related documents . We proofread:

• PhD dissertations
• Research proposals
• Personal statements
• Admission essays
• Motivation letters
• Reflection papers
• Journal articles
• Capstone projects

Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker is powered by elements of Turnitin’s Similarity Checker , namely the plagiarism detection software and the Internet Archive and Premium Scholarly Publications content databases .

The add-on AI detector is powered by Scribbr’s proprietary software.

The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.

You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write an Abstract in Research Papers (with Examples)

An abstract in research papers is a keyword-rich summary usually not exceeding 200-350 words. It can be considered the “face” of research papers because it creates an initial impression on the readers. While searching databases (such as PubMed) for research papers, a title is usually the first selection criterion for readers. If the title matches their search criteria, then the readers read the abstract, which sets the tone of the paper. Titles and abstracts are often the only freely available parts of research papers on journal websites. The pdf versions of full articles need to be purchased. Journal reviewers are often provided with only the title and abstract before they agree to review the complete paper. [ 1]  

Abstracts in research papers provide readers with a quick insight into what the paper is about to help them decide whether they want to read it further or not. Abstracts are the main selling points of articles and therefore should be carefully drafted, accurately highlighting the important aspects. [ 2]  

This article will help you identify the important components and provide tips on how to write an abstract in research papers effectively

What is an Abstract?  

An abstract in research papers can be defined as a synopsis of the paper. It should be clear, direct, self-contained, specific, unbiased, and concise. These summaries are published along with the complete research paper and are also submitted to conferences for consideration for presentation.  

Abstracts are of four types and journals can follow any of these formats: [ 2]  

• Structured  
• Unstructured  
• Descriptive  
• Informative  

Structured abstracts are used by most journals because they are more organized and have clear sections, usually including introduction/background; objective; design, settings, and participants (or materials and methods); outcomes and measures; results; and conclusion. These headings may differ based on the journal or the type of paper. Clinical trial abstracts should include the essential items mentioned in the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials) guidelines.  

Figure 1. Structured abstract example [3] 

Unstructured abstracts are common in social science, humanities, and physical science journals. They usually have one paragraph and no specific structure or subheadings. These abstracts are commonly used for research papers that don’t report original work and therefore have a more flexible and narrative style.  

Figure 2. Unstructured abstract example [3] 

Descriptive abstracts are short (75–150 words) and provide an outline with only the most important points of research papers. They are used for shorter articles such as case reports, reviews, and opinions where space is at a premium, and rarely for original investigations. These abstracts don’t present the results but mainly list the topics covered.  

Here’s a sample abstract . [ 4]  

“Design of a Radio-Based System for Distribution Automation”  

A new survey by the Maryland Public Utilities Commission suggests that utilities have not effectively explained to consumers the benefits of smart meters. The two-year study of 86,000 consumers concludes that the long-term benefits of smart meters will not be realized until consumers understand the benefits of shifting some of their power usage to off-peak hours in response to the data they receive from their meters. The study presents recommendations for utilities and municipal governments to improve customer understanding of how to use the smart meters effectively.  

Keywords: smart meters, distribution systems, load, customer attitudes, power consumption, utilities  

Informative abstracts (structured or unstructured) give a complete detailed summary, including the main results, of the research paper and may or may not have subsections.   

Figure 3. Informative abstract example [5] 

Purpose of Abstracts in Research    

Abstracts in research have two main purposes—selection and indexing. [ 6,7]  

• Selection : Abstracts allow interested readers to quickly decide the relevance of a paper to gauge if they should read it completely.   
• Indexing : Most academic journal databases accessed through libraries enable you to search abstracts, allowing for quick retrieval of relevant articles and avoiding unnecessary search results. Therefore, abstracts must necessarily include the keywords that researchers may use to search for articles.  

Thus, a well-written, keyword-rich abstract can p ique readers’ interest and curiosity and help them decide whether they want to read the complete paper. It can also direct readers to articles of potential clinical and research interest during an online search.  

Contents of Abstracts in Research  

Abstracts in research papers summarize the main points of an article and are broadly categorized into four or five sections. Here are some details on how to write an abstract .   

Introduction/Background and/or Objectives  

This section should provide the following information:  

• What is already known about the subject?  
• What is not known about the subject or what does the study aim to investigate?  

The hypothesis or research question and objectives should be mentioned here. The Background sets the context for the rest of the paper and its length should be short so that the word count could be saved for the Results or other information directly pertaining to the study. The objective should be written in present or past simple tense.  

Examples:  

The antidepressant efficacy of desvenlafaxine (DV) has been established in 8-week, randomized controlled trials. The present study examined the continued efficacy of DV across 6 months of maintenance treatment . [ 1]  

Objective: To describe gastric and breast cancer risk estimates for individuals with CDH1 variants.  

Design, Setting, and Participants (or Materials and Methods)  

This section should provide information on the processes used and should be written in past simple tense because the process is already completed.  

A few important questions to be answered include:  

• What was the research design and setting?  
• What was the sample size and how were the participants sampled?  
• What treatments did the participants receive?  
• What were the data collection and data analysis dates?  
• What was the primary outcome measure?  

Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated for each cancer type and used to calculate cumulative risks and risks per decade of life up to age 80 years.  

This section, written in either present or past simple tense, should be the longest and should describe the main findings of the study. Here’s an example of how descriptive the sentences should be:  

Avoid: Response rates differed significantly between diabetic and nondiabetic patients.  

Better: The response rate was higher in nondiabetic than in diabetic patients (49% vs 30%, respectively; P<0.01).  

This section should include the following information:  

• Total number of patients (included, excluded [exclusion criteria])  
• Primary and secondary outcomes, expressed in words, and supported by numerical data  
• Data on adverse outcomes  

Example: [ 8]  

In total, 10.9% of students were reported to have favorable study skills. The minimum score was found for preparation for examination domain. Also, a significantly positive correlation was observed between students’ study skills and their Grade Point Average (GPA) of previous term (P=0.001, r=0.269) and satisfaction with study skills (P=0.001, r=0.493).  

Conclusions  

Here, authors should mention the importance of their findings and also the practical and theoretical implications, which would benefit readers referring to this paper for their own research. Present simple tense should be used here.  

Examples: [ 1,8]  

The 9.3% prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders in students at an arts university is substantially higher than general population estimates. These findings strengthen the oft-expressed hypothesis linking creativity with affective psychopathology.  

The findings indicated that students’ study skills need to be improved. Given the significant relationship between study skills and GPA, as an index of academic achievement, and satisfaction, it is necessary to promote the students’ study skills. These skills are suggested to be reinforced, with more emphasis on weaker domains.  

When to Write an Abstract  

In addition to knowing how to write an abstract , you should also know when to write an abstract . It’s best to write abstracts once the paper is completed because this would make it easier for authors to extract relevant parts from every section.  

Abstracts are usually required for: [ 7]    

• submitting articles to journals  
• applying for research grants   
• writing book proposals  
• completing and submitting dissertations  
• submitting proposals for conference papers  

Mostly, the author of the entire work writes the abstract (the first author, in works with multiple authors). However, there are professional abstracting services that hire writers to draft abstracts of other people’s work.   

How to Write an Abstract (Step-by-Step Process)  

Here are some key steps on how to write an abstract in research papers: [ 9]  

• Write the abstract after you’ve finished writing your paper.  
• Select the major objectives/hypotheses and conclusions from your Introduction and Conclusion sections.  
• Select key sentences from your Methods section.  
• Identify the major results from the Results section.  
• Paraphrase or re-write the sentences selected in steps 2, 3, and 4 in your own words into one or two paragraphs in the following sequence: Introduction/Objective, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. The headings may differ among journals, but the content remains the same.  
• Ensure that this draft does not contain: a.   new information that is not present in the paper b.   undefined abbreviations c.   a discussion of previous literature or reference citations d.   unnecessary details about the methods used  
• Remove all extra information and connect your sentences to ensure that the information flows well, preferably in the following order: purpose; basic study design, methodology and techniques used; major findings; summary of your interpretations, conclusions, and implications. Use section headings for structured abstracts.  
• Ensure consistency between the information presented in the abstract and the paper.  
• Check to see if the final abstract meets the guidelines of the target journal (word limit, type of abstract, recommended subheadings, etc.) and if all the required information has been included.  

Choosing Keywords for Abstracts  

Keywords [ 2] are the important and repeatedly used words and phrases in research papers and can help indexers and search engines find papers relevant to your requirements. Easy retrieval would help in reaching a wider audience and eventually gain more citations. In the fields of medicine and health, keywords should preferably be chosen from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) list of the US National Library of Medicine because they are used for indexing. These keywords need to be different from the words in the main title (automatically used for indexing) but can be variants of the terms/phrases used in the title, abstract, and the main text. Keywords should represent the content of your manuscript and be specific to your subject area.  

Basic tips for authors [ 10,11]  

• Read through your paper and highlight key terms or phrases that are most relevant and frequently used in your field, to ensure familiarity.  
• Several journals provide instructions about the length (eg, 3 words in a keyword) and maximum number of keywords allowed and other related rules. Create a list of keywords based on these instructions and include specific phrases containing 2 to 4 words. A longer string of words would yield generic results irrelevant to your field.  
• Use abbreviations, acronyms, and initializations if these would be more familiar.  
• Search with your keywords to ensure the results fit with your article and assess how helpful they would be to readers.  
• Narrow down your keywords to about five to ten, to ensure accuracy.  
• Finalize your list based on the maximum number allowed.  

  Few examples: [ 12]  

Important Tips for Writing an Abstract  

Here are a few tips on how to write an abstract to ensure that your abstract is complete, concise, and accurate. [ 1,2]  

• Write the abstract last.  
• Follow journal-specific formatting guidelines or Instructions to Authors strictly to ensure acceptance for publication.  
• Proofread the final draft meticulously to avoid grammatical or typographical errors.  
• Ensure that the terms or data mentioned in the abstract are consistent with the main text.  
• Include appropriate keywords at the end.

Do not include:  

• New information  
• Text citations to references  
• Citations to tables and figures  
• Generic statements  
• Abbreviations unless necessary, like a trial or study name  

Key Takeaways    

Here’s a quick snapshot of all the important aspects of how to write an abstract . [2]

• An abstract in research is a summary of the paper and describes only the main aspects. Typically, abstracts are about 200-350 words long.  
• Abstracts are of four types—structured, unstructured, descriptive, and informative.  
• Abstracts should be simple, clear, concise, independent, and unbiased (present both favorable and adverse outcomes).  
• They should adhere to the prescribed journal format, including word limits, section headings, number of keywords, fonts used, etc.  
• The terminology should be consistent with the main text.   
• Although the section heading names may differ for journals, every abstract should include a background and objective, analysis methods, primary results, and conclusions.  
• Nonstandard abbreviations, references, and URLs shouldn’t be included.  
• Only relevant and specific keywords should be used to ensure focused searches and higher citation frequency.  
• Abstracts should be written last after completing the main paper.  

Frequently Asked Questions   

Q1. Do all journals have different guidelines for abstracts?  

A1. Yes, all journals have their own specific guidelines for writing abstracts; a few examples are given in the following table. [ 6,13,14,15]  

Q2. What are the common mistakes to avoid when writing an abstract?  

A2. Listed below are a few mistakes that authors may make inadvertently while writing abstracts.  

• Copying sentences from the paper verbatim  

An abstract is a summary, which should be created by paraphrasing your own work or writing in your own words. Extracting sentences from every section and combining them into one paragraph cannot be considered summarizing.  

• Not adhering to the formatting guidelines  

Journals have special instructions for writing abstracts, such as word limits and section headings. These should be followed strictly to avoid rejections.  

• Not including the right amount of details in every section  

Both too little and too much information could discourage readers. For instance, if the Background has very little information, the readers may not get sufficient context to appreciate your research. Similarly, incomplete information in the Methods and a text-heavy Results section without supporting numerical data may affect the credibility of your research.  

• Including citations, standard abbreviations, and detailed measurements  

Typically, abstracts shouldn’t include these elements—citations, URLs, and abbreviations. Only nonstandard abbreviations are allowed or those that would be more familiar to readers than the expansions.  

• Including new information  

Abstracts should strictly include only the same information mentioned in the main text. Any new information should first be added to the text and then to the abstract only if necessary or if permitted by the word limit.  

• Not including keywords  

Keywords are essential for indexing and searching and should be included to increase the frequency of retrieval and citation.  

Q3. What is the difference between abstracts in research papers and conference abstracts? [16]  

A3. The table summarizes the main differences between research and conference abstracts.  

  Thus, abstracts are essential “trailers” that can market your research to a wide audience. The better and more complete the abstract the more are the chances of your paper being read and cited. By following our checklist and ensuring that all key elements are included, you can create a well-structured abstract that summarizes your paper accurately.  

References  

• Andrade C. How to write a good abstract for a scientific paper or conference presentation. Indian J Psychiatry . 2011; 53(2):172-175. Accessed June 14, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136027/  
• Tullu MS. Writing the title and abstract for a research paper: Being concise, precise, and meticulous is the key. 2019; 13(Suppl 1): S12-S17. Accessed June 14, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6398294/  
• Zawia J. Writing an Academic Paper? Get to know Abstracts vs. Structured Abstracts. Medium. Published October 16, 2023. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://medium.com/@jamala.zawia/writing-an-academic-paper-get-to-know-abstracts-vs-structured-abstracts-11ed86888367  
• Markel M and Selber S. Technical Communication, 12 th edition. 2018; pp. 482. Bedford/St Martin’s.  
• Abstracts. Arkansas State University. Accessed June 17, 2024. https://www.astate.edu/a/global-initiatives/online/a-state-online-services/online-writing-center/resources/How%20to%20Write%20an%20Abstract1.pdf  
• AMA Manual of Style. 11 th edition. Oxford University Press.  
• Writing an Abstract. The University of Melbourne. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://services.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/471274/Writing_an_Abstract_Update_051112.pdf  
• 10 Good Abstract Examples that will Kickstart Your Brain. Kibin Essay Writing Blog. Published April 5, 2017. Accessed June 17, 2024. https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/10-good-abstract-examples/  
• A 10-step guide to make your research paper abstract more effective. Editage Insights. Published October 16, 2013. Accessed June 17, 2024. https://www.editage.com/insights/a-10-step-guide-to-make-your-research-paper-abstract-more-effective  
• Using keywords to write your title and abstract. Taylor & Francis Author Services. Accessed June 15, 2024. https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/publishing-your-research/writing-your-paper/using-keywords-to-write-title-and-abstract/  
• How to choose and use keywords in research papers. Paperpal by Editage blog. Published March 10, 2023. Accessed June 17, 2024. https://paperpal.com/blog/researcher-resources/phd-pointers/how-to-choose-and-use-keywords-in-research-papers  
• Title, abstract and keywords. Springer. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.springer.com/it/authors-editors/authorandreviewertutorials/writing-a-journal-manuscript/title-abstract-and-keywords/10285522  
• Abstract and keywords guide. APA Style, 7 th edition. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/abstract-keywords-guide.pdf  
• Abstract guidelines. American Society for Microbiology. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://asm.org/events/asm-microbe/present/abstract-guidelines  
• Guidelines for conference abstracts. The Lancet. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.thelancet.com/pb/assets/raw/Lancet/pdfs/Abstract_Guidelines_2013.pdf  
• Is a conference abstract the same as a paper abstract? Global Conference Alliance, Inc. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://globalconference.ca/is-a-conference-abstract-the-same-as-a-paper-abstract/  

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• What are Journal Guidelines on Using Generative AI Tools
• How to Write a High-Quality Conference Paper

How to Write Dissertation Acknowledgements?

• How to Write the First Draft of a Research Paper with Paperpal? 

Top 7 AI Tools for Research 2024

You may also like, maintaining academic integrity with paperpal’s generative ai writing..., research funding basics: what should a grant proposal..., how to structure an essay, leveraging generative ai to enhance student understanding of..., how to write a good hook for essays,..., addressing peer review feedback and mastering manuscript revisions..., how paperpal can boost comprehension and foster interdisciplinary..., what is the importance of a concept paper..., how to write the first draft of a....

ENGL 1101 Benning Summer 2024: Assignment

• Library Catalog
• MLA Citation Help
• Tutoring at Decatur

Research Paper

<< Previous: Welcome! Next: Library Catalog >> Last Updated: Jul 8, 2024 12:40 PM URL: https://research.library.gsu.edu/ENGL1101BenningSummer2024 Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. View all journals Explore content About the journal Publish with us Sign up for alerts Open access Published: 05 July 2024 Exploring the ecological security evaluation of water resources in the Yangtze River Basin under the background of ecological sustainable development Jie-Rong Zhou 1   na1 , Xiao-Qing Li 1   na1 , Xin Yu 1 , 2 , Tian-Cheng Zhao 1 & Wen-Xi Ruan 3   Scientific Reports volume  14 , Article number:  15475 ( 2024 ) Cite this article 165 Accesses 1 Altmetric Metrics details Environmental social sciences The Yangtze River (hereafter referred to as the YZR), the largest river in China, is of paramount importance for ensuring water resource security. The Yangtze River Basin (hereafter referred to as the YRB) is one of the most densely populated areas in China, and complex human activities have a significant impact on the ecological security of water resources. Therefore, this paper employs theories related to ecological population evolution and the Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model to construct an indicator system for the ecological security of water resources in the YRB. The report evaluates the ecological security status of water resources in each province of the YRB from 2010 to 2019, clarifies the development trend of its water resource ecological security, and proposes corresponding strategies for regional ecological security and coordinated economic development. According to the results of the ecological population evolution competition model, the overall indicator of the ecological security of water resources in the YRB continues to improve, with the safety level increasing annually. Maintaining sound management of water resources in the YRB is crucial for sustainable socioeconomic development. To further promote the ecological security of water resources in the YRB and the coordinated development of the regional economy, this paper proposes policy suggestions such as promoting the continuous advancement of sustainable development projects, actively adjusting industrial structure, continuously enhancing public environmental awareness, and actively participating in international ecological construction and seeking cooperation among multiple departments. Similar content being viewed by others Global impacts of heat and water stress on food production and severe food insecurity Threat of low-frequency high-intensity floods to global cropland and crop yields Projected loss of brown macroalgae and seagrasses with global environmental change Introduction. Water is the primary resource for sustaining living organisms and also an important contributor to the ecological environment and the global economy. However, the current status of water resources is facing formidable challenges owing to rapid global population growth, sustained economic development, and extreme climatic conditions triggered by climate change. According to reports from the World Economic Forum and the United Nations, currently, over 2 billion people worldwide inhabit water-scarce regions, a figure projected to increase to as much as 3.5 billion by the year 2025. Approximately a quarter of the global population is confronting a “water stress” crisis, with water scarcity issues gradually becoming commonplace, defying prior expectations 1 . The report assessed the water risks in almost 200 countries and regions. Seventeen regions and countries around the world consume more than 80% of the available water supply, putting them at risk of experiencing severe water scarcity. The scarcity, uneven distribution, and deteriorating environmental quality of water resources have emerged as significant impediments to human sustainable development and societal progress, posing severe threats to water resource security across various regions. Consequently, there is an urgent imperative to engage in interdisciplinary research and foster collaborative innovation to devise scientifically sound water resource management strategies, thereby advancing the societal attainment of sustainable development goals. Water resources are a strategic asset for ensuring economic and social development. Water is not only a fundamental element for human survival but also a crucial guarantee for economic and social development. If industry is the foundation of the national economy, then water is its “lifeblood”, essential for the development of all industries. As the largest river in China, the YZR originates from the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau, traverses three major economic zones, and finally flows into the East China Sea. The YZR the world’s third-longest river and also has the widest basin area in China, accounting for approximately 36% of the country's total water resources. Thus, it is one of China’s most critical rivers. The YZR runs through eleven regions, including an autonomous region, eight provinces, and two municipalities directly under the central government, namely, Qinghai Province, the Tibet Autonomous Region, Yunnan Province, Sichuan Province, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, Jiangxi Province, Anhui Province, Jiangsu Province, Chongqing Municipality, and Shanghai Municipality. Due to the complex terrain and low population density in the Tibet Autonomous Region, human activities in the area have a relatively minor impact on water resource ecological security. Considering the integrity of administrative divisions, this paper selects ten provinces (municipalities), namely, Qinghai, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Chongqing, and Shanghai, as the research area, representing the YRB as the research object. The YRB currently has hundreds of millions of residents, meaning that the supply and demand of water resources in the basin are crucial for people’s livelihoods and industrial and agricultural production. As one of the most economically developed regions in China, the YRB has important economic centres and industrial bases. The rational utilization and management of water resources are crucial for the economic development of this region. Assessing the security of water resources in the YRB is the foundation for ensuring high-quality development in this area. To actively address the challenges posed by water security issues and achieve sustainable development, it is essential to prioritize and resolve water security challenges 2 . By investigating research progress on water resource security both domestically and internationally, it has been found that the majority of studies primarily focus on the ecological system aspect, while a minority are based on the social attributes of water resources. Particularly within the realm of human–water relationships 3 , research examining the impact of socioeconomic factors on water resource ecological security from temporal and spatial perspectives is relatively limited. This study introduces the Lotka–Volterra biological concept to explore the competitive or symbiotic relationships between two populations concerning ecological resources within the same temporal and spatial context. Here, we assume that the changes in socioeconomic factors have an impact on the ecological security of water resources, and at the same time, the continuous improvement of water resource ecological security is also a sign of the advancement of socioeconomic development. The two mutually influence each other. Meanwhile, the water resource ecosystem possesses a certain degree of resilience, meaning that it can recover to a certain level through natural restoration or human intervention after being damaged to a certain extent. Building upon this foundation, the DPSIR model is employed to establish a symbiotic assessment index system for socioeconomic factors and water resources. The entropy weight method was utilized to calculate the weights of the indicators. Furthermore, the Lotka–Volterra coexistence model was employed to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the ecological security of water resources in the YRB from 2010 to 2019. The results indicate that during the period of 2010–2015, the ecological security status of water resources in the YRB was highly sensitive and even approached a dangerous state. However, with national governance and policy adjustments, the ecological security of water resources in the YRB has shown a trend of orderly recovery, currently stabilizing at a state of security or near-security. Nevertheless, challenges still exist in the management of water resource ecological security. It is vital not only to maintain and protect the YRB but also to further research and safeguard other water source areas. In summary, future efforts to govern and maintain the ecological security of water resources will be arduous, requiring the collaborative participation and governance of multiple stakeholders. Establishing a sound management system and calling for concerted efforts from the entire society to protect the YZR are crucial. Active participation in comprehensive ecological security protection projects in the YRB is essential. This lays the groundwork for constructing a healthier and more sustainable water resource ecological security management system. Research progress at domestic and abroad Interspecific competition model foundation—logistic model. The logistic curve, also known as the “S-shaped curve, ” is a graphical representation of the growth pattern of a population 4 . This logistic growth model was constructed by Verhulst 5 . The logistic model describes the development of many phenomena in nature, showing continuous growth within a certain period 6 . Generally, in the initial stages of species development, the population grows rapidly. After a certain period, the growth rate reaches its peak. Due to internal factors, the rate gradually slows until it no longer increases, reaching a stable state at the limit. This process of changing population size is referred to as a finite growth process, namely, the logistic growth process. According to the research results of scholars such as Haibo et al. 7 , Lingyun and Jun 8 , and Tao 9 , the basic interspecies competition model, the logistic model, is represented by the following equation: The constant \({\upgamma } > 0\) in the equation represents the self-intrinsic growth rate of the population, indicating the maximum growth rate of a single population without external environmental limitations. This variable reflects the difference between the average birth rate and the average death rate of individuals in a population who are not subjected to external inhibitory effects. This constant reveals the intrinsic growth characteristics of a species population. The parameter K reflects the abundance of available resources within an ecosystem. When the population size K of a species equals K, the population will no longer grow. Therefore, the K value represents the maximum number of individuals of a species that the ecosystem environment can accommodate, also known as the carrying capacity. According to the logistic equation, we can observe that the relative growth rate of a population is proportional to the remaining resource capacity in the ecological system environment. When the remaining resources are abundant, the relative growth rate of the species population is high. This phenomenon, where the rate of population growth slows as population density gradually increases, is known as density-dependent regulation. As the ecological system capacity K approaches infinity, the growth rate of the population approaches exponential growth, and this change in the population growth curve is known as the logistic curve. Lotka–Volterra ecological model In 1925, Lotka introduced a significant model in his research titled “Elements of Physical Biology”, the predator‒prey interaction model. This model quantitatively elucidates the interactions between organisms 10 . In 1926, Volterra, in his study “Variazionie fluttuazioni del numero d’individui in specie animali conviventi,” described the population dynamics of two interacting species in the biological realm 11 . These contributions laid the theoretical foundation for interspecific competition models and significantly influenced the development of modern ecological competition theories. The interactions between species can be classified into three main types: competitive relationships, predator–prey relationships, and mutualistic cooperation relationships 12 . The Lotka–Volterra model was initially developed to describe predator‒prey relationships. However, with the increasingly widespread application of differential equation theory, this ecological model has evolved to encompass a broader range of applicability. DPSIR model In 1993, the research group OECD innovatively proposed the DPSIR model, which is the “driving force-pressure-state-influence-response” model based on previous research models and has since been widely promoted in policy-making and research. Combining the characteristics of both the DSR (Driving Force-State-Response) and PSR frameworks, the DPSIR model effectively reflects causal relationships within systems, integrating elements such as resources, development, environment, and human health. As a result, it is considered a suitable method for evaluating watershed ecological security. Consistent with the PSR framework, the DPSIR model organizes information and relevant indicators based on causal relationships with the aim of establishing a chain of causality: driving force (D)-pressure (P)-state (S)-impact (I)-response (R). In this context, “Driving Force (D)” primarily refers to potential factors reflecting changes in the health of the water cycle system, such as socioeconomic and population growth. “Pressure (P)” mainly refers to the impacts on the structure and functioning of the water cycle system, such as the utilization of water resources. “State (S)” represents changes in the water cycle system resulting from the combined effects of driving forces and pressures, serving as the starting point for impact and response analysis. “Impact (I)” reflects the effects of the hydrological cycle system on human health and social development. “Response (R)” refers to the feedback provided by the water cycle system to driving forces and pressures. This model describes the causal chain between activities conducted by humans and the water environment, illustrating the mutually constraining and influencing processes between the two. It can encompass elements such as society, economy, and environment to indicate the threats posed by social, economic, and human activities to watershed ecological security. It can also utilize response indicators to demonstrate the feedback of the environment to society resulting from human activities and their impacts, as shown in Fig.  1 13 . DPSIR model framework. Overview of water resource ecological security Water resources are a vital strategic asset for sustainable development and a key factor influencing human survival and socioeconomic development. The security of water resources is intricately linked to national economies and social stability 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 . As the population and economy grow rapidly, as well as due to the influence of climate change, water scarcity and deterioration of the water environment have become increasingly prevalent, posing a critical constraint to human survival and development 19 . Currently, research on water resource ecological security issues primarily revolves around the following three aspects. The first aspect involves the evaluation of the water resources carrying capacity (hereafter referred to as the WRCC) and vulnerability. Regarding the WRCC, some studies consider that the WRCC implies the need for water resources to sustain a healthy societal system 20 . Other researchers argue that the WRCC is the maximum threshold for sustaining human activities 21 . In terms of calculation methods, various quantification methods for the WRCC have gradually emerged. For example, Qu and Fan 22 considered the available water volume in water demand, national economic sectors and the ecological environment. They employed the traditional trend approach to obtain the population and development scales of industry and agriculture. Zhou Fulei adopted the entropy weight method, an objective weight determination method, to determine the weights of each evaluation indicator, utilized the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to adjust the weights, constructed composite weights, and then used the TOPSIS model to evaluate the water resources carrying capacity of Qingdao city from 2015 to 2021 23 . Ma et al. 24 and Xiong et al. 25 analysed and evaluated the WRCC using the entropy weight method and provided suggestions for regional sustainable development. Wang et al. 26 , under the traditional TOPSIS model, used an improved structural entropy weighting method to determine the weights of evaluation indicators. They then constructed a grey-weighted TOPSIS model using a grey correlation matrix to specifically evaluate the current state of the agricultural WRCC in Anhui Province. Zhang X and Duan X combined the weights obtained from the entropy and CRITIC methods using the geometric mean method. They applied these combined weights to a model integrating grey relational analysis (GRA), the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS), and the coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) to calculate the evaluation value of the water resource carrying capacity 27 . Zhang and Tan 28 and Fu et al. 29 separately used optimization models and projection tracking models to evaluate the WRCC in their study areas and conducted comprehensive assessments of the regional WRCC. Gong and Jin 30 , Meng et al. 31 , Wang et al. 32 , and Gao et al. 33 applied fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods to assess the influencing factors of the WRCC by establishing a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation matrix. On this basis, they analysed the factors affecting the WRCC and evaluated and predicted the future carrying capacity of water resources in the study area. Additionally, other methods have been employed, such as multidimensional regulation 34 , neural network genetic algorithms 35 , 36 , multi-index evaluation models 37 , and nonparametric analysis models 38 . Ait-Aoudia and Berezowska-Azzag 39 conducted an assessment of the WRCC to analyse the balance between domestic demand and water supply. To assess the WRCC of specific regions, the assessment factors were determined by evaluating the relevant factors of water usage and availability. The conceptual framework for assessing the capacity of water resources was developed based on the supply–demand relationship. Yan et al. 40 focused on the previous decade’s regional water resource data of Anhui Province in China. They constructed a framework for the Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response Management (DPSIRM) model and conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the WRCC using the entropy weight method and variable weight theory. Based on the derived comprehensive evaluation values and incorporating the modified Gray–Markov combined forecasting, they made predictions about the local WRCC for the coming years. In 2020, Zhengqian 41 discussed the concept and research methods of regional WRCC. The research methodology has evolved from a singular and static approach to a dynamic, multilevel, and comprehensive study with various indicators. Jiajun et al. 42 , starting from a systemic perspective, studied the coordinated development relationships among China’s economy, social development, ecological environment, and water resources. They applied the WRCC Comprehensive Evaluation Model, calculating the comprehensive evaluation index for specific years based on relevant data. This allowed them to describe the WRCC status of provinces and regions in China, providing a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of China’s WRCC. Ren et al. 43 introduced the concept of biological metabolism to the regional WRCC and proposed the theory of regional water resource metabolism. Additionally, they established an evaluation indicator system for the WRCC considering regional water resource characteristics, socioeconomic systems, and sustainable development principles. Raskin et al. 44 assessed the extent of water resource security by using the proportion of water extraction relative to the total water resources, defined as the water resource vulnerability index. Rui 45 constructed a water resource vulnerability model based on the theory of mutation series. They utilized the principles of mutation series to redefine grading standards and assessed the vulnerability status of water resources in Shanxi Province from 2004 to 2016. The aim was to offer technical assistance for the scientific management of water resources. The second aspect involves the measurement of the sustainable utilization and efficiency of regional water resources. Over the last few years, numerous domestic researchers have actively conducted research on the sustainable utilization of water resources, focusing primarily on two aspects: First, research on evaluation indicator systems for the sustainable utilization of water resources should be conducted. Li Zhijun, Xiang Yang, and others addressed the lack of connection between water resource ecology and socioeconomic development in traditional water resource ecological footprint methods. They introduced the water resource ecological benefit ratio and analysed the water resource security and sustainable development status through an improved water resource energy value ecological footprint method 46 . Zhang et al. 47 established a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model based on entropy weight, providing recommendations for the sustainable utilization of water resources in Guangxi Province. Liu Miliang, aiming for sustainable development, quantitatively analysed the current situation and influencing factors. Based on the DPSIR model, they established an evaluation system for the sustainable utilization of water resources 48 . Second, in terms of evaluation methods and research on the sustainable utilization of water resources, Yunling et al. 49 constructed an evaluation indicator system for the WRCC to assess the comprehensive water resource carrying status in Hebei Province. Xuexiu et al. 50 , based on both domestic and international research on water resource pressure theory, analysed the connotation of water resource pressure, introduced commonly used methods for water resource pressure evaluation, and provided a comprehensive overview and comparative analysis of water resource pressure evaluation methods from aspects such as calculation principles, processes, and applications. Guohua et al. 51 established an entropy-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model of water resource allocation harmony and evaluated the water resource allocation status of various districts and counties in Xi’an city. Shiklomanov 52 used indicators such as available water resources, industrial and agricultural water usage, and household water consumption to assess water resource security. The SBM-DEA model was used by Deng et al. 53 to appraise the efficiency of water resource utilization across nearly all provinces in China. They proposed factors influencing water resource utilization efficiency, including the added value of the agricultural sector, per capita water usage, the output-to-pollution ratio of polluting units, and import–export dependency. Yaguai and Lingyan 54 employed a two-stage model combining superefficiency DEA and Tobit to assess water resource efficiency in China from 2004 to 2014. They analysed regional differences and influencing factors. Mei et al. 55 separately used stochastic frontier analysis and data envelopment analysis to measure the absolute and relative efficiencies of water resource utilization in 14 cities in Liaoning Province. They employed a kernel density estimation model to analyse the dynamic evolution patterns of water resource utilization efficiency. Xiong et al. 56 adopted an iterative correction approach to modify and apply water resource utilization efficiency evaluation models based on single assessment methods such as entropy, mean square deviation, and deviation methods. The third aspect involves investigating the relationship between water resource security and other societal systems. Shanshan et al. 57 laid the foundation for the rational construction of an urbanization and water resource indicator system. Through the establishment of a dynamic coupled model, they conducted an analytical study on the harmonized development trends between the urbanization system and the water resource system in Beijing. Wei 58 utilized a coordination degree model to explore the coupling relationship between the quality of new urbanization and water resource security in Guangdong Province. Caizhi and Xiaodong 59 combining coupled scheduling models with exploratory spatial data analysis and conducted an analysis of the security conditions and spatial correlations among water resources, energy, and food in China. Additionally, Xia et al. 60 employed the Mann–Kendal test method to study the degrees of matching between water resources and socioeconomic development in six major geographical regions of China. A review of the relevant literature reveals that scholars have explored the issues of water resource ecological security and regional socioeconomic development from various perspectives and fields, which is one of the urgent problems to be addressed in the current process of social development. These research findings not only have learning and reference significance but also provide insights for the writing of this paper. Summarizing the achievements of previous research, the essence of water resource security evaluation mainly includes three aspects: ensuring water quantity, sustainability, and water quality. Evaluation methods include principal component analysis, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods, analytic hierarchy processes, and system dynamics modelling methods, among others, among which the analytic hierarchy process has certain advantages in addressing multilevel problems and is widely used in constructing multilevel analysis models. Therefore, this paper introduces the Lotka–Volterra biological concept and continues to explore this topic further. It can effectively combine the relationships between indicators and weights and study the competition or symbiotic relationship between two populations competing for ecological resources in the same time and space context 61 . Drawing from the DPSIR model, this study devises a comprehensive evaluation framework to assess the interdependence of socioeconomic factors and water resources. Through the application of the entropy weight method, this study determines the relative importance of various indices within this framework. Employing the Lotka–Volterra symbiotic model, this research scrutinizes and quantifies the ecological security status of water resources in the YRB from 2010 to 2019. The overarching objective is to furnish technical insights that can catalyse efforts to enhance the ecological security of regional water resources. Methodology Lotka–Volterra symbiosis model In the 1940s, A. J. Lotka and V. Volterra jointly introduced the Lotka–Volterra model 62 , which serves as a method for studying the relationships between biological populations. Its basic form is as follows: In the given equation, \({\text{N}}_{1} \left( {\text{t}} \right), {\text{N}}_{2} \left( {\text{t}} \right)\) denote the populations of species \({\text{S}}_{1}\) and \({\text{S}}_{2}\) , respectively. \({\text{K}}_{1}\) and \({\text{K}}_{2}\) represent the carrying capacities of populations \({\text{S}}_{1}\) and \({\text{S}}_{2}\) in their respective environments. \({\text{r}}_{1}\) and \({\text{r}}_{2}\) represent the growth rates of populations \({\text{S}}_{1}\) and \({\text{S}}_{2}\) , respectively. \(\alpha\) denotes the competitive intensity coefficient of species \({\text{S}}_{2}\) on species \({\text{S}}_{1}\) , while \(\beta\) represents the competitive intensity coefficient of species \({\text{S}}_{1}\) on species \({\text{S}}_{2}\) . By replacing the socioeconomic relationships within the entire YRB with the provinces within the basin, the Lotka–Volterra model is introduced into the regional water resource ecological security assessment. This allows for the construction of a symbiotic model between socioeconomic factors and water resources within the YRB. The specific formula is as follows: In the equation, \({\text{F}}\left( {\text{k}} \right)\) denotes the comprehensive socioeconomic development status, \({\text{E}}\left( {\text{k}} \right)\) signifies the comprehensive development status of water resources, \({\text{C}}\) represents the ecological environment, \({\text{r}}_{{\text{F}}}\) signifies the socioeconomic growth rate, \({\text{r}}_{{\text{E}}}\) represents the growth rate of water resources, \(\alpha\) denotes the coefficient of water resources’ impact on the socioeconomy, and \(\beta\) denotes the coefficient of the impact of the socioeconomy on water resources. Therefore, solving for the coefficients \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) in the model is essential for examining the interaction between the socioeconomy and water resources. The specific steps for solving the equation are as follows. Discretizing Eqs. ( 4 ), ( 5 ) yields: The solution is: Different values of \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) correspond to different symbiotic relationships between the socioeconomy and water resources, as illustrated in Fig.  2 . Symbiotic model between the socioeconomic and water resources in the YRB. Construction of the DPSIR model and indicator system To construct a water resource ecological security index system for the 10 provinces in the YRB, this paper is based on the research of relevant scholars and introduces the DPSIR model to evaluate water resource ecological security. This model was proposed to describe the concept of environmental systems and the structure of complex cause-and-effect relationships by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in 1999. It is mainly applied in assessments of ecological security, regional sustainable development, and water resource ecological security. The establishment of the DPSIR model in this paper is illustrated in Fig.  3 . DPSIR model. Generally, the driver (D) in the socioeconomic system tends to improve the environmental and resource states (S), while the economic pressure (P) tends to disrupt the resource and environmental states (S). The states of resources and the environment contribute essential production materials to the socioeconomic system. Simultaneously, drivers (D) and pressures (P) reflect two different aspects of socioeconomic development. Therefore, these factors can indicate the level of socioeconomic development. Based on these definitions, the following indicators are selected to assess the DPSIR model for water resource ecological security. The weights of various indicators calculated through the entropy weight method are presented in Table 1 . A more significant role played by the corresponding indicator in the comprehensive assessment of regional ecological security will have a greater weight. On this basis, the socioeconomic stress index \({\text{S}}_{{\text{F}}} \left( {\text{k}} \right)\) and water resource stress index \({\text{S}}_{{\text{E}}} \left( {\text{k}} \right)\) are defined as follows: The comprehensive index between socioeconomic and water resources, also called the symbiosis index \({\text{S}}\left( {\text{k}} \right)\) , is calculated as follows: According to Eq. ( 14 ), \({\text{S}}\left( {\text{k}} \right) \in \left[ { - \sqrt 2 ,\sqrt 2 } \right]\) , a larger value of A indicates that the symbiotic state between the socioeconomy and water resources is better; conversely, a smaller value of A indicates that the symbiotic state between the two is worse. The water resources force index can illustrate the direction of the socioeconomic impact on water resources, and the symbiotic index can illustrate the magnitude of the socioeconomic impact on water resources. Therefore, these two indices serve as the basis for evaluating the water resource security status. Formula ( 14 ) implies that the symbiotic index \({\text{S}}\left( {\text{k}} \right)\) falls within the range of \(\left[ { - \sqrt 2 ,\sqrt 2 } \right]\) . A larger numerical value indicates a better symbiotic relationship between the two subsystems, while a smaller value suggests a poorer symbiotic relationship. However, the relationship between the symbiotic index and regional ecological security is not straightforward. Regional ecological security must be judged according to specific criteria grounded in both the measure of symbiosis \({\text{S}}\left( {\text{k}} \right)\) and the ecological force index \({\text{S}}_{{\text{E}}} \left( {\text{k}} \right)\) . This approach comprehensively characterizes the ecological security of the YRB urban agglomeration. In our study, a two-dimensional symbiotic model of socioeconomic–natural ecology is employed to depict the evolution of ecological security under dual-characteristic indices. Within this model, ecological security is divided into six regions that progress in a sequential manner, conforming to the progressive law of ecological security evolution. In the safe zone, the socioeconomic and natural ecological systems mutually benefit, and both experience robust development. In the subsafe zone, although the natural ecological system is still in a growing state, this occurs at the expense of socioeconomic development, leading to an unstable ecological security status. If the socioeconomic system continues to suffer damage, it falls into the sensitive zone, where the harm to the socioeconomic system outweighs the benefits to the natural ecological system. If this condition persists, both systems enter a state of competition, resulting in harm to both, and they are situated in the danger zone. In unfavourable zones, the socioeconomic system gains weak benefits, while the natural economy suffers damage. If humanity recognizes this situation and takes measures to improve the environment, it may transition from the unfavourable zone to the cautious zone, leading to an improvement in ecological security and potential entry into the safe zone. For ease of analysis and based on the relevant literature 63 , following expert discussions, this study classifies ecological security into six categories corresponding to six ecological security early warning levels, as shown in Table 2 . Discrimination of water resource ecological security levels The YZR originates from the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau, considered the “Roof of the World,” traversing three major economic regions before ultimately flowing into the East China Sea. For our study area, we selected the eight provinces and two municipalities through which the YZR flows. These regions are Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Qinghai. In the subsequent text, they will be referred to collectively as the YRB. The data for this study primarily originate from statistical yearbooks, water resource bulletins, and development reports spanning the years 2010 to 2019. According to the criteria for water resource security status presented in Table 2 , the corresponding information is summarized in Table 3 for the years 2011 to 2018, indicating the water resource security status in the YRB during this period. It is observed that from 2011 to 2018, the water resources security status in the YRB initially experienced a decline but later recovered to a secure level. In recent years, the country has not only emphasized economic development but also placed significant importance on environmental protection. Rapid industrial development in earlier years led to an exacerbation of water pollution issues. However, the government promptly recognized this problem and implemented a series of measures to address water pollution. Stringent controls were also imposed on industrial water usage. Consequently, the water resource status quickly returned to a level considered safe. The water resource security evaluation values obtained using the entropy method range from 0 to 1. Ideally, a value closer to 1 indicates a better water resource security situation, while a value closer to 0 suggests a poorer water resource security situation. After standardizing the processed data, we can plug them into Eq. ( 15 ) to sequentially obtain the basic indices for socioeconomic, ecological environment, and water resource security in the YRB. The specific process involves substituting the basic indices for socioeconomic, ecological environment, and water resource ecological security into Eqs. ( 12 )–( 14 ). This approach yields comprehensive indices, including the socioeconomic stress index, water resource stress index, and symbiotic degree index. These indices serve as the basis for evaluating the water resource security status in the assessment region, with the water resource stress index and symbiotic degree index being the key indicators. In the equation, f i represents the comprehensive level of water resource ecological security, \({\text{x}}_{{\text{i}}}^{\prime }\) signifies the standardized values obtained from the original data, and \({\text{w}}_{{\text{i}}}\) denotes the weights assigned to each indicator. When the value of f i falls between 0 and 1, the closer the value is to 1, the better the ecological security of water resources. In contrast, it shows a poorer ecological security status. Similarly, according to this equation, the classification of water resource ecological security can be divided into six categories: 0–0.16 denotes a dangerous state, 0.16–0.32 indicates a deteriorating state, 0.32–0.48 signifies a sensitive state, 0.48–0.64 represents a vigilant state, 0.64–0.8 implies a subsecure state, and 0.8–1.0 corresponds to a safe state. Different levels of water resource ecological security entail varying relationships with the national economy and society. For specific characteristics corresponding to each security level, please refer to Table 4 . Informed consent statement Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Evaluation of water resource ecological security levels in the Yangtze River Basin Overall, the evaluation values of water resource security in the YRB from 2010 to 2019 showed a fluctuating upwards trend (refer to Table 5 ). From 2010 to 2013, the evaluation values fluctuated between 0.2 and 0.4, reaching the lowest level at Grade V. In 2011, the evaluation value was only 0.2201, indicating that during this period, the water resources in the YRB were in an unsafe state, resulting in water scarcity. These results indicate that economic and social development are not being met on a sustainable basis at the watershed scale. In 2014, the water resource security evaluation value for the YRB reached 0.4243, classified as Grade III. Subsequently, there was a significant upwards trend, with the evaluation value reaching 0.6746 in 2017, which was classified as Grade II, indicating a relatively secure state. These results suggest that the water resources of the YRB appeared to be more secure than they were before, and the YRB could essentially fulfil the requirements for sustainable economic and social development at the national level. This upwards trend continued, reaching 0.7215 in 2019. From 2010 to 2019, the water resource security status in the YRB improved from Grade V to Grade II, demonstrating significant improvement. However, it has not yet reached Grade I, indicating that there is still room for improvement in the future. The DPSIR model was used to analyse the reasons for the improvement in the ecological security of water resources in the YRB based on five criteria. Table 5 shows that the evaluation values for driving forces significantly increased from 2010 to 2019, while the values for pressure and response slightly increased, and those for state and impact fluctuated, resulting in a slight overall improvement. Specifically, the evaluation values for driving forces fluctuated from 0.0543 to 0.2370, indicating the significant contributions of indicators such as per capita GDP, the proportion of primary industry, population density, and the urbanization rate to the enhancement of water resource security. The assurance provided by economic and social development for water resource security is evident. The evaluation value for pressure fluctuated from 0.0403 to 0.1149, suggesting a reduction in pressure on water resources from economic development, agricultural and industrial production, and residents' lifestyles, leading to a decrease in basin water pollution and an alleviation of water quality deterioration. The response increased from 0.0527 to 0.1665, indicating relatively significant growth. These results suggest that measures taken by the government and society to address water resource issues have been effective, resulting in improvements in both the quantity and quality of water resources and an enhancement of water resource security levels. The evaluation value for impact fluctuated from 0.0261 to 0.0349, indicating a standardized industrial wastewater discharge volume and an improvement in water resource security conditions. The evaluation value for state initially decreased from 0.1633 to a minimum of 0.0656 before increasing to approximately 0.17. These results suggest that, considering indicators such as per capita sewage discharge and per capita water consumption, the status of water resources initially declined but gradually improved after governance measures were implemented. In summary, from 2010 to 2019, the improvement in water resource security in the YRB can be attributed mainly to the enhancement of driving forces and response indicators. Economic and social development has provided ample assurance for water resource security, while water resources have imposed constraints on economic and social development to a certain extent. In the YRB, the current governance of water resources has reached a relatively high level, making it challenging to achieve significant breakthroughs in the future. The efficiency of water use in the existing industrial structure is difficult to substantially improve. Therefore, adjusting the industrial structure to enhance water resource security is a future research focus. These findings align with the conclusions of other domestic scholars. For instance, a study by Xiaotao and Fa-wen 64 revealed that water consumption per unit of production energy and agricultural production in the YRB contributed the same proportion of GDP. They argued that future water conservation efforts should focus on adjusting industrial structures and developing water-saving technologies. Another study by Wang Hao revealed that the water resource utilization efficiency in the YRB was second only to that in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region 65 . These authors suggested that the potential for mitigating the contradiction between water supply and demand through deep water conservation is limited. According to the above methods and steps, further calculations were conducted to determine the water resource ecological security status of each province in the YRB from 2010 to 2019, as shown in Tables 6 and 7 . Information gleaned from Tables 6 and 7 suggests that the overall improvement in the water resource ecological security status of each province in the YRB from 2010 to 2019 was significant. There was a discernible improvement from 2014 to 2015, with a clear boundary line. Before 2015, the water resources in most areas were relatively sensitive, and some regions even experienced deterioration. However, after 2015, almost all areas reached subsafe or safe states. Calculation results of the water resource security status of each province in the YRB from 2010 to 2019. Trends in water resource ecological security in the Yangtze River Basin According to Eq. ( 15 ), and by empirically examining the ecological status of water resources in the YRB from 2010 to 2019, the comprehensive levels of the ecological environment, socioeconomic development, and water resources in ten provinces of the YRB were obtained, as shown in Fig.  4 . Development of the basic indices in the YRB. The information gleaned from Table 4 suggests that the economic development in the YRB from 2010 to 2019 showed a positive trend, increasing from 0.09 to 0.35. This increase is attributed to the favourable current economic development environment and robust support from national directives. Policies such as the 2013 “Guiding Opinions on Building China’s New Economic Support Belt Based on the Yangtze River”, the 2018 speech at the Symposium on Deepening the Development of the YZR Economic Belt, the “Development Plan for the Huaihe River Ecological Economic Belt”, and the 2019 “Outline of the Development Plan for the Regional Integration of the Yangtze River Delta” have played crucial roles in driving industrial restructuring and achieving quality economic development in the YRB. The ecological environment comprehensive level in the YRB exhibited a fluctuating development trend from 2010 to 2019, resembling an “M” shape, increasing from 0.24 to 0.37 with a relatively small amplitude. Ecological civilization construction, as a fundamental national policy, has provided important guidance for the economic development of the YRB. This development includes intensified efforts in the treatment of industrial pollutants and urban wastewater, along with increased levels of regional afforestation and greenery. Notably, significant improvements were observed in indicators such as per capita park green space, the urban green space ratio, and the harmless disposal of waste in the YRB in 2015. The comprehensive level of water resources in the YRB increased slightly from 0.19 to 0.20 from 2010 to 2019. Although there was an upwards trend, the magnitude of the increase was minimal, indicating an unfavourable water resource status in the YRB. The primary factor in this slight increase is the accelerated consumption of water resources. As a part of the ecological environment, a decrease in the comprehensive level of water resources is also an important factor restricting the overall improvement of the ecological environment. In future development, the YRB should leverage favourable national policies to promote breakthrough development in the regional economy. Simultaneously, efforts should be intensified towards the protection and management of regional water resources and the ecological environment, striving to enhance the comprehensive level of water resources and the ecological environment. Based on the previously calculated comprehensive socioeconomic, ecological environment, and water resource levels, the stress indices for socioeconomic and water resources, as well as the symbiotic index for the YRB during the years 2010–2019, were computed, and the results are presented in Fig.  5 . Development status of comprehensive indices in the YRB. Figure  5 clearly shows that, except for the years 2012, 2014, and 2016, the impact of water resources on the socioeconomy remained consistently positive, indicating that during this period, water resources positively contributed to economic growth. The water resources force index has been consistently positive in recent years, signifying the promotion by socioeconomic development, with a relatively minor hindrance from socioeconomic development during this period. The symbiotic index values between the two factors were 1.05, 1.24, 1.40, 1.26, and 1.07 in the years 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2018, respectively, reaching an optimal state of mutual benefit and symbiosis. However, a slight decline was observed in subsequent years, suggesting the need for further improvement. Spatial pattern analysis of water resource ecological security in the Yangtze River Basin Using the ArcGIS10.4 tool, which is provided by the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (commonly known as ESRI), several representative years were selected to visualize the ecological security status of water resources in the YRB. The computational results are visualized in Figs.  6 , 7 and 8 . Ecological security status of water resources in the YRB in 2011(map were generated with software ArcMap10.4 http://www.esri.com/ ). According to the division standards for administrative regions along the YZR in 2014, the YRB studied in this paper can be categorized into three main regions: the upper, middle, and lower reaches. The upper reach includes three provinces: Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan. The middle reach comprises four provinces and municipalities: Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi. The lower reach consists of three provinces and municipalities: Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai. Figures  6 , 7 and 8 show that from 2011 to 2019, the overall ecological security status of water resources in the YRB transitioned from “deteriorating,” “sensitive,” and “vigilant” states to “subsecure” and “safe” states. The range of comprehensive evaluation values for water resource ecological security (hereafter referred to as evaluation values) increased from 0.16–0.64 to 0.64–1. As illustrated in Fig.  6 , notable disparities were present in the distribution of the ecological security status of water resources among provinces and municipalities in the YRB, with the ecological security status of water resources in the upper and lower reaches of the YZR notably superior to that in the middle reaches. The data indicate that the water resource utilization efficiency levels in the upper and lower reaches of the YZR were greater than that in the middle reaches in 2011, exhibiting a pattern of high efficiency at both ends and lower efficiency in the middle. Regions with high comprehensive water resource utilization efficiency are mainly concentrated in the upper and lower reaches of the YZR. Although the upstream regions have limited economic strength, they also have relatively fewer water-intensive industries. Meanwhile, these regions actively respond to green development policies and prioritize energy conservation and environmental protection industries. Underdeveloped regions can also achieve higher water resource efficiency by controlling total water consumption and improving the output of water per unit used. The areas with low comprehensive utilization efficiency of water resources are primarily concentrated in the middle reaches of the YZR, where the proportions of traditional industries such as steel, chemicals, and nonferrous metals are relatively large, leading to high industrial water consumption and consequently the lowest efficiency in water resource utilization. Provinces such as Hunan and Hubei, with large populations and rapid economic development, exhibit high demands for water resources, resulting in increased regional water resource consumption and persistently high per capita sewage discharge indicators. The downstream regions of the YZR boast strong economic progress, with high levels of industrial technological innovation and governance capabilities. This region exhibits the highest level of economic development, which can drive improvements in the utilization efficiency of water resources. Consequently, Shanghai and Jiangsu provinces have the highest water resource utilization efficiency. As a result, the ecological security status of water resources in Shanghai has improved rapidly. As shown in Fig.  7 , in 2015, the overall ecological security status of water resources notably improved in the YRB. The fundamental reason for this improvement is that in recent years, regions across the basin have recognized the importance of the ecological environment for overall development. They have gradually undertaken regional industrial restructuring and upgrading and accelerated urbanization and simultaneously emphasized the preservation of water resources and the environment. The three major regions exhibit regional disparities in water resource utilization efficiency due to differences in geographical environment, economic foundation, and industrial structure. In terms of the total water consumption of each province and municipality, agricultural water usage accounts for more than half of the total water consumption, which is significantly greater than the water usage in the industrial, domestic, and ecological sectors. However, compared to other industries' output values, the overall water resource utilization efficiency in agriculture is lower. Therefore, regions with greater proportions of primary industry output tend to have lower water resource utilization efficiency. Ecological security status of water resources in the YRB in 2015(map were generated with software ArcMap10.4 http://www.esri.com/ ). The industrialization level in the upstream regions is relatively low, with relatively outdated production technologies. As industrialization progresses, the negative impact on water resources' ecological security is gradually increasing. The industrialization in the middle and lower reaches of the YZR has reached relatively high levels. Control measures have been gradually implemented to manage the resource consumption and environmental pollution generated during the industrial development process. With advancements in technology, the negative impact on water resource ecological security is gradually diminishing. Among these provinces, Hunan Province and Hubei Province in the middle reaches of the YZR experienced the greatest increases in water resource ecological security status, transitioning from “deteriorating” to “subsecure.” The regions in the middle reaches emphasize considering the resource and environmental carrying capacity to ensure the coordination between water resource allocation and regional sustainable development, achieving rational distribution and efficient utilization of water resources within the region. The lower reaches of the YZR are characterized by developed economies, advanced technologies, and high levels of both urbanization efficiency and water resource efficiency, maintaining harmonious development. This region exhibits the strongest economic development and hosts the highly integrated YZR Delta urban agglomeration. With a solid foundation in secondary and tertiary industries, high levels of technological innovation, and openness, the overall ecological security status of water resources in this region is at a relatively high level. Across the provinces and municipalities in the YRB, efforts have been intensified to control the discharge of pollutants such as phosphorus, leading to reduced pollutant emissions and improved water quality. Moreover, improvements in water resource allocation have been made, reducing the risks associated with pollution factors through increased water volume and dilution effects, thereby ensuring the supply and safety of drinking water downstream of Shanghai. The stable proportion of GDP in the YZR Economic Belt indicates a balanced relationship between economic development and the ecological protection of water resources. While maintaining economic growth, downstream cities also prioritize environmental protection and water resource management. Figure  8 clearly shows that the overall ecological security status of water resources in the YRB has been developing at an accelerated pace, trending towards overall coordinated development by 2019, with mutual promotion between socioeconomic and water resources. This trend can be attributed to various factors. This positive influence is exemplified in agricultural water use efficiency, which has improved in recent years due to various factors, such as changes in agricultural production methods, organizational structures, cropping patterns, and water-saving practices. As a result, the negative impact of the proportion of the output value of the primary industry on water resource efficiency has been mitigated. Ecological security status of water resources in the YRB in 2019(map were generated with software ArcMap10.4 http://www.esri.com/ ). However, despite efforts, China still faces serious water pollution issues, with poor water environmental quality and significant pollution discharge loads from industrial, agricultural, and domestic sources. These factors pose severe challenges to the ecological security of water resources. To address these challenges, China has formulated a series of plans aimed at strengthening water pollution prevention and control and ensuring national water resource ecological security. These plans were officially announced and implemented after 2015. Based on the analysis results, each province and city in the YRB should embrace a people-centred approach to new urbanization and the scientific development concept of water resource protection and utilization. While focusing on promoting new urbanization construction, efforts should be intensified to enhance ecological environmental protection and explore new paths for coordinated regional economic development and resource utilization. Provinces and cities should rely on the golden waterway of the YZR to establish cross-regional and cross-provincial basin cooperation mechanisms and long-term mechanisms, actively promoting coordinated development among the three major regions of the YRB. Against the backdrop of the global environmental crisis, the Lancang-Mekong River, as Asia’s largest transboundary river, also faces certain water security issues. Specifically, the “status” of water resources is relatively low, as manifested by the polluted state of the water quality of the river. Additionally, factors such as the uneven distribution of precipitation within the year and the weakness of storage facilities such as wetlands and reservoirs contribute to seasonal water shortages and serious water disasters in the basin. Moreover, the response levels of basin countries are limited, and there is room for improvement in the level of water resource management. Countries in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin are in a stage of rapid economic and social development, and population growth, economic activities, and changes in land use (such as urbanization) will have direct or indirect impacts on water resources in the basin. The Ganges River Basin faces similar ecological and environmental problems. In recent years, India’s economic prosperity and urbanization process have had significant impacts on the Ganges River Basin. Soil erosion and insufficient drinking water under population pressure have plagued the people of the Ganges River Basin. Additionally, the serious problem of surface water pollution caused by the discharge of industrial and domestic wastewater has led to a certain degree of land salinization. Climate change, land use, human consumption of water resources, and government management of water resources are all factors that can directly or indirectly affect the water security situation in a region. Given that the Lancang-Mekong River spans China and five Southeast Asian countries, its water resource ecological security is particularly influenced by socioeconomic factors. Therefore, we believe that the methods we propose are equally applicable to the evaluation of water resource ecological security in this basin. By introducing the Lotka–Volterra symbiotic model and using the DPSIR model to construct a system of evaluation indicators for the symbiosis between socioeconomic factors and water resources in the study area, this system will help us to thoroughly assess the water resource ecological security of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin and provide a scientific basis for the implementation of region-specific water security strategies. These approaches are highly important for promoting regional sustainable development and maintaining basin ecological security. Research has revealed that over a decade ago, the water resource ecological security status in the YRB initially fell within a relatively poor range. However, with close attention from the government and the implementation of various regulations, as well as active participation from the public in protecting the YZR, the water resource ecological security status in the YRB has improved rapidly. It is now generally maintained at levels of safety or near safety, with prospects for further improvement in the future. Comprehensive analysis of data from 2010 to 2019 revealed continuous trends in improvement in water resource security. To further enhance water resource security, we propose the following recommendations: The industrial structure should be adjusted to achieve sustainable utilization of water resources. Governments should strongly support the green economy and environmental protection industries by providing tax incentives for enterprises, encouraging them to invest in water resource management and protection projects. By establishing corresponding financial funds and reward mechanisms, more social forces can be guided to participate, achieving a mutually beneficial outcome for water resource security and economic development. The Chinese government has called for all citizens to actively respond to carbon peak and carbon neutrality strategies and has formulated specific and feasible emission reduction plans. Enterprises are encouraged to adopt clean production technologies to improve resource utilization efficiency and achieve carbon emission reduction goals. There should be a focus on strengthening sewage resource utilization, integrating atypical water sources into unified water resource allocation, and encouraging locations with the necessary conditions to fully utilize unconventional water sources. Water-deficient cities should actively expand the scale and scope of recycled water utilization. The principles of demand-driven supply, water quality division, and local utilization should be followed to promote the use of recycled water in industrial production, municipal miscellaneous use, land greening, ecological replenishment, and other areas. Focusing on agricultural water use and preventing water source pollution. As one of the main rice-producing regions in China, to further enhance water resource security in the YRB, agricultural measures should be taken. With respect to water conservation, water-saving irrigation techniques combined with smart irrigation systems should be adopted to achieve precise irrigation and improve water resource utilization efficiency. Moreover, enhancing rainwater collection and utilization by establishing rainwater collection systems and storing water for agricultural irrigation can effectively utilize rainwater resources and alleviate irrigation pressure during the dry season. Agricultural pesticide use is also an issue that cannot be ignored. Excessive use and improper handling of pesticides can often lead to serious water pollution, posing a threat to the water resource security of the YRB. To address this issue, we need to strengthen pesticide use management, promote scientific pesticide application techniques, reduce excessive pesticide use, raise farmers' environmental awareness to prevent pesticide waste from being directly discharged into water bodies, and strengthen water quality monitoring and treatment to promptly detect and address pesticide pollution problems. Improve people’s education level and strengthen environmental awareness. As people's living standards and education levels improve, concerns about ecological water security have increased, and higher demands are being placed on water safety and quality. The incomplete assessment and mismanagement of water resources, coupled with wasteful practices, have led to water resources becoming uncontrollable variables. Recognizing, measuring, and expressing the value of water and incorporating it into decision-making processes are particularly important against the backdrop of increasingly scarce water resources, population growth, and the pressures of climate change. It is essential to achieve sustainable and equitable water resource management and meet the development goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. Actively participate in international ecological construction. According to Maximo Torero of the FAO, strengthening water resource protection and management requires enhanced cooperation among countries, the integration of various stakeholders' interests, multipronged approaches, and the consideration of social, economic, and environmental factors. It also involves a focus on technology, legal frameworks, and overall policy environments. We recommend that governments actively engage in international cooperation projects, sharing experiences and technologies in managing water resources in the YRB while drawing lessons from successful ecological initiatives in other countries. Such cross-border collaboration can foster global ecological sustainability, address global environmental issues collectively, share innovative technologies and research achievements, and achieve global governance of ecological environments. Data availability Our data is sourced from the provincial data in the China Statistical Yearbooks from 2011 to 2019 published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China ( https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/ndsj/ ), as well as the Water Resources Bulletins ( http://www.mwr.gov.cn/sj/tjgb/szygb/ ). Figures  6 , 7 , and 8 were created by us using ArcGIS 10.4 software, which is provided by the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (commonly known as ESRI). Our vector boundary data and the Yangtze River data are sourced from the National Catalogue Service For Geographic Information ( www.webmap.cn ), using the 1:1,000,000 public version of basic geographic information data (2021). The tiled data is processed according to GB/T 13989-2012 “National Fundamental Scale Topographic Map Tiling and Numbering”. Lun, C. The state of the world’s water resources is alarming Water challenges are exceptionally serious. Ecol. Econ. 6 , 526 (2012). Google Scholar   Zunwen, Q. & Xiaqing, N. Spatial and temporal evolution and drivers of coordinated development of urbanization efficiency and water resources efficiency in the Yangtze River economic belt. Resource. Env. Yangtze Basin 2023 , 2237–2253 (2023). Li-hong, M., Ying-fei, S. & You-cun, L. Evaluation of water resources security pattern of urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze river from the perspective of man-water relationship. Anhui Agric. Sci. 2022 , 50 (2022). Yinmeng, C. Analysis and numerical simulation ofenvironmentalpollution logisties population growth system Master thesis, Donghua University (2022). Verhulst, P. F. Notice sur la loi que la population suit dans son accroissement. Correspond. Math. Phys. 10 , 113–121 (1838). Yi, L., Yuanhua, J. & Changfeng, S. Study on selforganization evolution mechanism of regional transport structure—analysis based on Logistic Model. Tech. Econ. Manage. 4 , 856 (2011). Haibo, C., Yujing, L. & Fang, C. Law of R&D investment and strategic thinking in China based on Logistic curve model. Sci. Technol. Manage. Res. 30 , 25–27 (2010). Zhou, L. & Jun, Z. Evolution mechanism of regional logistics ecosystem based on composite Logistic development mechanism. Ecol. Econ. 30 , 142–145 (2014). Tao, Z. Study on urban spatial evolution based on Logistic model. Ecol. Econ. 31 , 155–158 (2015). Zichen, N. Research on enterprise co-opetition relationship based on multi-patent subject Lotka-Volterra model. Northeast Normal Univ. 2020 , 523 (2020). Holst, D. R. & Weiss, J. ASEAN and China: Export rivals or partners in regional growth?. World Econ. 27 , 1255–1274. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9701.2004.00649.x (2004). Article   Google Scholar   Qian, Y. The extension and application of Lotka-Volterra model. Jiangxi Univ. Financ. Econ. 2022 , 56 (2022). Jinhao, Q., Fuqiang, W., Subing, L., Heng, Z. & Honglu, Z. Prediction of water cycle health status in Zhengzhou City based on DPSIR model and entropy weight fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Water Resourc. Power 41 , 45–48. https://doi.org/10.20040/j.cnki.1000-7709.2023.20222176 (2023). Jianhua, W., Fan, H. & Guohua, H. Some understandings on water resources carrying capacity need to be clarified. China Water Resourc. 2020 , 5 (2020). Zhen, Z., Chunxia, C. & Bo, H. Research progress and trend of ’ double evaluation ’ in the context of reconstruction of territorial spatial planning system. Planner 36 , 5–9 (2020). Li, B., Wang, X., Wei, T., Zeng, Y. & Zhang, B. Analysis of sustainable utilization of water resources in karst region based on the ecological footprint model—Liupanshui city case. J. Water Supply Res. Technol. 67 , 575 (2018). Chaoyang, D., Huaping, Z. & Jingjie, Y. Research on the mechanism of sustainable water resources system. Adv. Water Sci. 24 , 8 (2013). Mei, G., Zhen-Cheng, X. U. & Xiao-Chun, P. Progress in water security. Water Resourc. Protect. 2007 , 545 (2007). Chuheng, H. et al. Evaluation and influencing factors analysis of water resources security in Guangdong Province based on entropy method and analytic hierarchy process. J. Water Resourc. Water Eng. 2019 , 128790 (2019). Ofoezie, I. E. Human health and sustainable water resources development in Nigeria: Schistosomiasis inartificial lakes. Nat. Resourc. Forum 26 , 150–160 (2010). Sun, H., Guo, H., Li, L. & Chen, B. System analysis on water resources supporting alternatives for Chaidamu Basin. Chin. J. Enviroment. 21 , 16–21 (2000). Yaoguang, Q. & Shengyue, F. Analysis, calculation and countermeasures of water resources carrying capacity in Heihe River Basin. J. Desert Res. 20 , 1–8 (2000). Fulei, Z. & Zhijun, L. Evaluation of water resources carrying capacity in Qingdao city based on AHP-TOPSlS model. Tech. Supervis. Water Resourc. 2024 , 218–222 (2024). Ma, L., Zhao, J. H., Hong, M. & Chen, L. L. Application of set pair analysis model based on entropy weight for comprehensive evaluation of water resources carrying capacity. Mech. Eng. Intell. Syst. 195–196 , 764–769 (2012). Xiong, H. G., Fu, J. H. & Wang, K. L. Evaluation of water resource carrying capacity of Qitai Oasis in Xinjiang by entropy method. Chin. J. Eco-Agric. 20 , 1382–1387 (2012). Wang, C., Li, Z. J., Chen, H. F. & Wang, M. B. Comprehensive evaluation of agricultural water resources’ carrying capacity in Anhui Province based on an improved TOPSIS model. Sustainability 15 , 13297. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813297 (2023). Xingwang, Z. & Xuechun, D. Evaluating water resource carrying capacity in Pearl River-West River economic Belt based on portfolio weights and GRA-TOPSIS-CCDM. Ecol. Indic. 161 , 111962 (2024). Zhang, Q. & Tan, B. In 2011 Second International Conference on Mechanic Automation and Control Engineering (2011). Fu, Q., Jiang, Q. & Wang, Z. Comprehensive Evaluation of Regional Agricultural Water and Land Resources Carrying Capacity Based on DPSIR Concept Framework and PP Model. (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2012). Gong, L. & Jin, C. L. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation for carrying capacity of regional water resources. Water Resourc. Manage. 23 , 2505–2513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-008-9393-y (2009). Meng, L. H., Chen, Y. N., Li, W. H. & Zhao, R. F. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model for water resources carrying capacity in Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang, China. Chin. Geogr. Sci. 19 , 89–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-009-0089-x (2009). Wang, Y. J., Yang, G. & Xu, H. L. In International Conference of Environment Materials and Environment Management 488 (2010). Gao, Y., Zhang, S., Xu, G. W., Su, H. M. & Zhang, Y. In 2nd International Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (EESD 2012) 2701–2704 (2013). Xiaolin, S. Research on evaluation and regulation of regional water resources carrying capacity in Taiyuan City. In Zhengzhou University (2021). Xing, C., Zihan, S., Qin, X., Ruijia, L. & Jing, C. Research and analysis on monthly water consumption prediction methods in Shaanxi Province. Adv. Sci. Technol. Water Resourc. 2020 , 1–10 (2024). Hongye, N., Cuimei, L., Hao, W., Yan, H. & Zhuo, Z. Prediction model of water demand in Yinchuan City based on ClWOA-BP and Grey confidence interval. Yellow River 46 , 75–78 (2024). Jing, H. Evaluation of Water Security in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin Master thesis. In Yunnan Normal University (2023). Yang, G. Evaluation method of groundwater resources utilization efficiency based on fuzzy probability. Water Conserv. Sci. Technol. Econ. 28 , 8–12 (2022). Ait-Aoudia, M. N. & Berezowska-Azzag, E. Water resources carrying capacity assessment: The case of Algeria’s capital city. Habitat Int. 58 , 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2016.09.006 (2016). Yan, L., Jiao, D. & Yongshi, Z. Evaluation of regional water resources carrying capacity in China based on variable weight model and grey-markov model: A case study of Anhui province. Sci. Rep. 13 , 1 (2023). Zhenggan, C. Discussion on the concept and research method of regional water resources carrying capacity. Jushe 65 , 183–200 (2020). Jiajun, L., Suocheng, D. & Zehong, L. Study on comprehensive evaluation of water resources carrying capacity in China. J. Nat. Resourc. 26 , 258–269 (2011). Ren, C., Guo, P., Li, M. & Li, R. An innovative method for water resources carrying capacity research e Metabolic theory of regional water resources. J. Environ. Manage. 167 , 139–146 (2020). Raskin, P., Gleick, P., Kirshen, P., Pontius, G. & Strzepek, K. Comprehensive assessment of the freshwater resources of the world. Water futures: Assessment of long-range patterns and problems. Stockholm Sweden Stockholm Env. Inst. 1997 , 856 (1997). Rui, Z. Vulnerability assessment of water resources in Shanxi Province based on catastrophe progression method. Water Resourc. Power 37 , 29–32 (2019). Zhijun, L. & Yang, X. Comprehensive evaluation of water resources security in Xi’an based on lmproved emergy ecological footprint. J. Yangtze River Sci. Res. Inst. 2024 , 1–8 (2024). Zhang, J., Deng, X., Zhai, L. & Hou, M. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of water resources sustainable utilization based on entropy weight in Guangxi. Res. Soil Water Conserv. 25 , 385–389 (2018). Miliang, L. Comprehensive evaluation of urban water resources carrying capacity and analysis of influencing factors. Water Conserv. Sci. Technol. Econ. 30 , 106–111 (2024). Yunling, L., Xuning, G., Dongyang, G. & Xiaohong, W. Research and application of water resources carrying capacity evaluation method. Adv. Geogr. Sci. 36 , 8 (2017). Xuexiu, J. et al. Review of regional water resources pressure analysis and evaluation methods. J. Nat. Resourc. 9 , 1783 (2016). Guohua, H., Ni, W., Warehouse, T. B. & Jiwei, Z. Establishment and application of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model of water resources allocation harmony based on entropy weight. J. Northwest A&F Univ. Nat. Sci. Ed. 44 , 7 (2016). Shiklomanov, I. A. et al. World water resources at the beginning of the 21st century. Int. Hydrol. 2003 , 13 (2003). Deng, G., Li, L. & Song, Y. Provincial water use efficiency measurement and factor analysis in China: Based on SBM-DEA model. Ecol. Indic. 69 , 12–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.03.052 (2016). Yahao, Y. & Lingyan, L. Analysis of regional differences and influencing factors of water resources efficiency in China. Econ. Geogr. 37 , 8 (2017). Mei, G., Huige, W. & Benliang, Q. Study on the utilization efficiency of water resources and its spatial correlation pattern in Liaoning Province under the background of a new round of revitalization of Northeast China. Resourc. Sci. 38 , 14 (2016). Kaohsiung, H. W., Yuanyuan, G. & Xinyi, X. Evaluation model of water resources utilization efficiency based on iterative correction and its application. J. Hydraul. Eng. 44 , 478–488. https://doi.org/10.13243/j.cnki.slxb.2013.04.003 (2013). Shanshan, L., Hailiang, M. & Yaru, H. Dynamic coupling analysis of urbanization and water resources system in Beijing. Yangtze River 49 , 60–74. https://doi.org/10.16232/j.cnki.1001-4179.2018.01.012 (2018). Wei, Z. Coupling analysis of new urbanization quality and water resources security in Guangdong Province. Yangtze River 50 , 7 (2019). Caizhi, S. & Xiaodong, Y. Safety assessment and spatial correlation analysis of water resources-energy-food coupling system in China. Water Resourc. Protect. 34 , 1–8 (2018). Xia, Z. et al. Dynamic analysis of the matching degree between water resources and economic and social development in China. Yangtze River 49 , 68–73. https://doi.org/10.16232/j.cnki.1001-4179.2018.23.012 (2018). Yanxia, W., Heng, L. & Zhikang, L. Study on ecological security measurement of Yangtze River economic belt. Acta Ecol. Sin. 40 , 15 (2020). Zhiguang, Z. The symbiotic coupling measurement model and criterion of forestry ecological security. China Popul. Resourc. Env. 24 , 10 (2014). Yuze, Z., Jianlan, R., Kai, L. & Yu, C. Ecological security early warning measurement and spatial-temporal pattern in Shandong Province. Econ. Geogr. 7 , 110233 (2015). Xiaotao, Z. & Fa-wen, Y. Analysis on the matching status of economic development and water resources in the Yellow River Basin. China Popul. Resourc. Env. 27 , 2742 (2012). Hao, W. & Yong, Z. A preliminary study on the strategy of yellow river treatment in the new period. J. Hydraul. Eng. 18 , 109856 (2018). Download references This research was supported by the Project of Social Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No. 22TQC005). Author information These authors contributed equally: Jie-Rong Zhou and Xiao-Qing Li. Authors and Affiliations Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, 211171, Jiangsu, China Jie-Rong Zhou, Xiao-Qing Li, Xin Yu & Tian-Cheng Zhao School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands Wen-Xi Ruan You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar Contributions Conceptualization, J.Z. and X.Y.; methodology, J.Z. and X.L.; software, W.R.; writing—original draft preparation, X.L. and X.Y.; writing—review and editing, X.L., X.Y. and J.Z.; visualization, T.Z.; supervision, X.Y.; project administration, X.Y.; funding acquisition, X.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Corresponding author Correspondence to Xin Yu . Ethics declarations Competing interests. The authors declare no competing interests. Additional information Publisher's note. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Rights and permissions Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Reprints and permissions About this article Cite this article. Zhou, JR., Li, XQ., Yu, X. et al. Exploring the ecological security evaluation of water resources in the Yangtze River Basin under the background of ecological sustainable development. Sci Rep 14 , 15475 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65781-z Download citation Received : 03 April 2024 Accepted : 24 June 2024 Published : 05 July 2024 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65781-z Share this article Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative Water resource ecological security Yangtze River Basin Evaluation system By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines . If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate. Quick links Explore articles by subject Guide to authors Editorial policies Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Anthropocene newsletter — what matters in anthropocene research, free to your inbox weekly. Unveiling the black box of green accounting information disclosure: an analysis of disclosure diversity and difficulties from a developing economy perspective Original Article Published: 07 July 2024 Cite this article Shaizy Khan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0775-6324 1 , Seema Gupta 1 & V. K. Gupta 2   This paper aims to analyse the quality of green accounting disclosure and provide insight into the perceptions of corporate insiders and academics about the challenges that impede green accounting information disclosures in an emerging economy, India. Content analysis was used to evaluate the degree of disclosure of green accounting data in yearly reports. Ten prominent managers and academics (subject experts) participated in partially structured interviews that aided in interpreting the difficulties associated with disclosing green accounting data. The results suggest that green accounting data disclosure is in its early stages in India. Companies focus more on disclosing environmental policies and responsibilities while ignoring environmental financial information. The significant challenges that obstruct the growth of green accounting statistics and data divulgence include the following: the absence of precise legal requirements about green accounting, inadequate green accounting and reporting theory, lack of knowledge, shortage of environmental accountants, unclear and conflicting job roles, cost concerns of the companies, deficiency of government-funded incentives and robust non-governmental organisations, and the fear of change. The research should be valuable for regulatory authorities because green accounting standards are currently developing, and it can aid company executives due to the cautious deliberation of revelations. This study employs a multidimensional index to assess the green accounting disclosure practices of top-ranking firms in the manufacturing division dealing in industrial equipment from both a quantitative and qualitative standpoint in the institutional theory framework. It documents how the challenges of green accounting disclosure may lead to explicative strategies by various actors, thereby contributing to shaping green accounting information disclosure norms. This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access. Access this article Subscribe and save. Get 10 units per month Download Article/Chapter or Ebook 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter Cancel anytime Price includes VAT (Russian Federation) Instant access to the full article PDF. Rent this article via DeepDyve Institutional subscriptions Similar content being viewed by others A framework for a green accounting system-exploratory study in a developing country context, Colombia From Sustainability to Integrated Reporting: How the IIRC Framework Affected Disclosures by a Financial Institution in Australia The Management Process Underpinning the Non-financial Reporting: A Case Study of a Listed Italian Company Abdullah, A.S. 2018. Social and environmental accounting effect on companies’ profit (An empirical study of some companies in Erbil). Account and Financial Management Journal 3 (7): 1621–1633. Article   Google Scholar   Abhishek, N., and M.S. Divyashree. 2018. Global reporting initiatives: A study of environmental accounting practices in Indian electric companies. FOCUS: Journal of International Business 5 (2): 79–92. Google Scholar   Adagye, D.I., and S.B. Abubakar. 2018. Developments in accounting education and research: The environmental accounting—an insight. African Journal of Accounting and Financial Research 1 (1): 19–32. Adams, C., and G. Frost. 2004. Stakeholder engagement strategies: Possibilities for the Internet? Agarwal, V., and L. Kalpaja. 2018. A study on the importance of green accounting. International Journal of Advance Research, Ideas and Innovations in Technology 4 (5): 206–210. Aggarwal, P., and A.K. Singh. 2019. CSR and sustainability reporting practices in India: An in-depth content analysis of top-listed companies. Social Responsibility Journal 15 (8): 1033–1053. Akhter, F., M.R. Hossain, H. Elrehail, S.U. Rehman, and B. Almansour. 2023. Environmental disclosures and corporate attributes, from the lens of legitimacy theory: A longitudinal analysis on a developing country. European Journal of Management and Business Economics 32 (3): 342–369. Al-Tuwaijri, S.A., T.E. Christensen, and K.E. Hughes Ii. 2004. The relations among environmental disclosure, environmental performance, and economic performance: A simultaneous equations approach. Accounting, Organizations and Society 29 (5–6): 447–471. Anh-Tuan, L., N.T. Huyen-Tram, N. Xuan-Hung, and N.V. Thanh-Long. 2022. Disclosure of environmental accounting information at business enterprises in the hotel sector: Case study in Vietnam. Geo Journal of Tourism and Geosites 42: 700–707. Asiaei, K., N. Bontis, R. Alizadeh, and M. Yaghoubi. 2022. Green intellectual capital and environmental management accounting: Natural resource orchestration in favor of environmental performance. Business Strategy and the Environment 31 (1): 76–93. Ayu, M., Lindrianasari, R.R. Gamayuni, and M. Urbański. 2020. The impact of environmental and social costs disclosure on financial performance mediating by earning management. Polish Journal of Management Studies 21 (2): 74–86. Badgujar, M.D., and R. Nath. 2020. An overview of green accounting in India. Studies in Indian Place Names 40 (27): 306–313. Bansal, P. 2020. Green accounting practices and reporting in India. Studies in Indian Place Names 40 (23): 515–520. Barker, C., N. Pistrang, and R. Elliott. 2015. Research methods in clinical psychology: An introduction for students and practitioners . Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Book   Google Scholar   Beddewela, E., and C. Herzig. 2013. Corporate social reporting by MNCs’ subsidiaries in Sri Lanka. Accounting Forum 37 (2): 135–149. Bengtsson, M. 2016. How to plan and perform a qualitative study using content analysis. NursingPlus Open 2: 8–14. Bessire, D., and S. Onnée. 2010. Assessing corporate social performance: Strategies of legitimation and conflicting ideologies. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 21 (6): 445–467. Bewley, K., and Y. Li. 2000. Disclosure of environmental information by Canadian manufacturing companies: A voluntary disclosure perspective. In Advances in Environmental Accounting & Management 1: 201–226. Bewley, K., and T. Schneider. 2013. Triple bottom line accounting and energy-efficiency retrofits in the social-housing sector: A case study. Accounting and the Public Interest 13 (1): 105–131. Bhat, R.B., and K.R. Jaya. 2018. A Study on environmental accounting practices adopted by select NIFTY Indian companies. Commerce Spectrum 6 (2): 35–40. Bouten, L., P. Everaert, and R.W. Roberts. 2012. How a two-step approach discloses different determinants of voluntary social and environmental reporting. Journal of Business Finance & Accounting 39 (5–6): 567–605. Braam, G., and R. Peeters. 2018. Corporate sustainability performance and assurance on sustainability reports: Diffusion of accounting practices in the realm of sustainable development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 25: 164–181. Brammer, S., G. Jackson, and D. Matten. 2012. Corporate social responsibility and institutional theory: New perspectives on private governance. Socio-Economic Review 10 (1): 3–28. Bruton, G.D., D. Ahlstrom, and H.L. Li. 2010. Institutional theory and entrepreneurship: Where are we now and where do we need to move in the future? Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 34 (3): 421–440. Campbell, J.L. 2007. Why would corporations behave in socially responsible ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review 32 (3): 946–967. Castillo-Montoya, M. 2016. Preparing for interview research: The interview protocol refinement framework. Qualitative Report . https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2016.2337 . Cavalletti, B., and M. Corsi. 2022. The system of environmental and economic accounting and the valuation problem: A review of the literature. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 65 (11): 1999–2028. Charmaz, K. 2006. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Sage. Chaudhuri, M. 2017. A study of environmental reporting practices among corporates. International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research 4 (10): 878–883. Chien-Hsing, L.E.E., and L.I.N. Chien-Ho. 2019. Green accounting: Developing versus developed economies. Journal of Economic and Social Thought 6 (3): 168–172. Chijoke-Mgbame, A.M., and C.O. Mgbame. 2018. Discretionary environmental disclosures of corporations in Nigeria. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance 15: 252–261. Ching, H.Y., and F. Gerab. 2017. Sustainability reports in Brazil through the lens of signaling, legitimacy and stakeholder theories. Social Responsibility Journal 13 (1): 95–110. Cho, C.H., Jérôme, T. and J. Maurice. 2022. Assessing the impact of environmental accounting research: evidence from citation and journal data. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal 13 (5): 989–1014. Cho, C.H., and D.M. Patten. 2008. Did the GAO get it right? Another look at corporate environmental disclosure. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal 28 (1): 21–32. Cho, C.H. 2009. Legitimation strategies used in response to environmental disaster: A French case study of Total SA’s Erika and AZF incidents. European Accounting Review 18 (1): 33–62. Christ, K.L. 2014. Water management accounting and the wine supply chain: Empirical evidence from Australia. The British Accounting Review 46 (4): 379–396. Clarkson, P.M., Y. Li, G.D. Richardson, and F.P. Vasvari. 2008. Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis. Accounting, Organizations and Society 33 (4–5): 303–327. Cocks, K., and D.J. Torgerson. 2013. Sample size calculations for pilot randomized trials: A confidence interval approach. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 66 (2): 197–201. Cooper, S., and G. Pearce. 2011. Climate change performance measurement, control and accountability in English local authority areas. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 24 (8): 1097–1118. Comyns, B., and F. Figge. 2015. Greenhouse gas reporting quality in the oil and gas industry: A longitudinal study using the typology of “search”, “experience” and “credence” information. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 28 (3): 403–433. Contrafatto, M. 2014. The institutionalization of social and environmental reporting: An Italian narrative. Accounting, Organizations and Society 39 (6): 414–432. Cowan, S., and C. Deegan. 2011. Corporate disclosure reactions to Australia’s first national emission reporting scheme. Accounting & Finance 51 (2): 409–436. Creswell, J.W., and J.D. Creswell. 2017. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches . London: Sage Publications. Das, P.K. 2017. An introduction to the concept of environmental accounting and reporting- Indian scenario. Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) 3 (4): 13–22. Das, S.K., M. Khalilur Rahman, and S. Roy. 2023. Does ownership type affect sustainability reporting disclosure? Evidence from an emerging market. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance 21 (1): 1–17. Debnath, S. 2019. Environmental accounting, sustainability and accountability . New Delhi: Sage Publications Ltd. Deegan, C. 2002. Introduction: The legitimising effect of social and environmental disclosures–a theoretical foundation. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 15 (3): 282–311. Deegan, C., and S. Soltys. 2007. Social accounting research: An Australasian perspective. Accounting Forum 31 (1): 73–89. Denzin, N.K. 1978. The Research Act: A Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods, 2nd edition, New York: McGraw Hill. Dhaliwal, D.S., O.Z. Li, A. Tsang, and Y.G. Yang. 2011. Voluntary nonfinancial disclosure and the cost of equity capital: The initiation of corporate social responsibility reporting. The Accounting Review 86 (1): 59–100. Dutta, P.P. 2020. Environmental accounting and reporting in India: A case study of Numaligarh Refinery Limited. Journal of xi’an University of Architecture & Technology 12 (4): 1680–1689. Edgley, C. 2014. A genealogy of accounting materiality. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 25 (3): 255–271. Egbunike, A.P., and G.E. Okoro. 2018. Does green accounting matter to the profitability of firms? A canonical assessment. Ekonomski Horizonti 20 (1): 17–26. Eisenhardt, K.M. 1989. Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review 14 (4): 532–550. Ezeagba, C.E., C.R. John-Akamelu, and C. Umeoduagu. 2017. Environmental accounting disclosures and financial performance: A study of selected food and beverage companies in Nigeria (2006–2015). International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences 7 (9): 162–174. Fahad, P., and P.M. Rahman. 2020. Impact of corporate governance on CSR disclosure. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance 17 (2–3): 155–167. Frost, G., S. Jones, J. Loftus, and S. Van Der Laan. 2005. A survey of sustainability reporting practices of Australian reporting entities. Australian Accounting Review 15 (35): 89–96. Fugard, A.J., and H.W. Potts. 2015. Supporting thinking on sample sizes for thematic analyses: A quantitative tool. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 18 (6): 669–684. Garcia-Torea, N., C. Larrinaga, and M. Luque-Vílchez. 2020. Academic engagement in policy-making and social and environmental reporting. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal 11 (2): 281–290. Graneheim, U.H., and B. Lundman. 2004. Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: Concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Education Today 24 (2): 105–112. Gray, R., R. Kouhy, and S. Lavers. 1995. Corporate social and environmental reporting: A review of the literature and a longitudinal study of UK disclosure. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 8 (2): 47–77. Gray, R. 2010. Is accounting for sustainability actually accounting for sustainability… and how would we know? An exploration of narratives of organisations and the planet. Accounting, Organizations and Society 35 (1): 47–62. Green, J., and N. Thorogood. 2018. Qualitative methods for health research . London: Sage. Gola, K.R., P. Mendiratta, G. Gupta, and M. Dharwal. 2022. Green accounting and its application: A study on reporting practices of environmental accounting in India. World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development 18 (1–2): 23–39. Gonzalez, C.C., and J. Peña-Vinces. 2022. A framework for a green accounting system-exploratory study in a developing country context, Colombia. Environment, Development and Sustainability 25 (9): 9517–9541. Gunarathne, A.N., K.H. Lee, and P.K. Hitigala Kaluarachchilage. 2021. Institutional pressures, environmental management strategy, and organizational performance: The role of environmental management accounting. Business Strategy and the Environment 30 (2): 825–839. Guthrie, J., R. Petty, K. Yongvanich, and F. Ricceri. 2004. Using content analysis as a research method to inquire into intellectual capital reporting. Journal of Intellectual Capital 5 (2): 282–293. Hackston, D., and M.J. Milne. 1996. Some determinants of social and environmental disclosures in New Zealand companies. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 9 (1): 77–108. Hassan, M.M., K.E. Lee, and M. Mokhtar. 2020. Mainstreaming, institutionalizing and translating sustainable development goals into non-governmental organization’s programs. In Concepts and approaches for sustainability management , 93–118. Cham: Springer. Chapter   Google Scholar   Herbohn, K. 2005. A full cost environmental accounting experiment. Accounting, Organizations and Society 30 (6): 519–536. Hossain, M.M. 2019. Environmental accounting challenges of selected manufacturing enterprises in Bangladesh. Open Journal of Business and Management 7 (2): 709–727. Huang, W.-L., and Y.-K. Fu. 2019. The study on the relationship between the environmental and financial performances of corporates which have adopting the system of environmental accounting in Taiwan. In E3S Web of Conferences , pp. 1–8. Ioannou, I., and G. Serafeim. 2017. The consequences of mandatory corporate sustainability reporting. Harvard Business School research working paper No. 11–100 . Irvine, H. 2008. The global institutionalization of financial reporting: The case of the United Arab Emirates. Accounting Forum 32 (2): 125–142. Islam, M., and S. Dellaportas. 2011. Perceptions of corporate social and environmental accounting and reporting practices from accountants in Bangladesh. Social Responsibility Journal 7 (4): 649–664. Jayasinghe, K., and D. Wickramasinghe. 2011. Power over empowerment: Encountering development accounting in a Sri Lankan fishing village. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 22 (4): 396–414. Jessop, A., N. Wilson, M. Bardecki, and C. Searcy. 2019. Corporate environmental disclosure in India: An analysis of multinational and domestic agrochemical corporations. Sustainability 11 (18): 4843. Jhamb, A., and S. Aggarwal. 2019. Green accounting in India. Management Insight 15 (2): 36–42. Jones, S., G. Frost, J. Loftus, and S. Van Der Laan. 2007. An empirical examination of the market returns and financial performance of entities engaged in sustainability reporting. Australian Accounting Review 17 (41): 78–87. Jupp, V. 2006. The Sage dictionary of social research methods , 1–352. London: Sage. Kaur, S., and N. Gupta. 2011. Environmental auditing for protecting environmental rights in India. Learning Community-an International Journal of Educational and Social Development 2 (1): 139–146. Kaur, A., and S. Lodhia. 2018. Sustainability accounting and reporting in India: A case study of green practices. Environmental Management Journal 14 (1): 67–81. Khan, S., and S. Gupta. 2023. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to Twitter content: A social network’s analysis of green accounting as a dimension of sustainability. Qualitative Research in Financial Markets 15 (4): 672–692. Khanna, P. 2019. Environmental accounting and reporting practices among Indian corporates. Research Review International Journal of Multidisciplinary 4 (3): 2077–2082. Kim, R.E., and K. Bosselmann. 2013. International environmental law in the Anthropocene: Towards a purposive system of multilateral environmental agreements. Transnational Environmental Law 2 (2): 285–309. Kishor, D., and S. Bhosale. 2018. Corporate environmental accounting: Issues and challenges in India. International Research Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 4 (2): 91–97. Kuasirikun, N. 2005. Attitudes to the development and implementation of social and environmental accounting in Thailand. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 16 (8): 1035–1057. Kumar, P., and M. Firoz. 2022. Does accounting-based financial performance value environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures? A detailed note on a corporate sustainability perspective. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal 16 (1): 1–33. Larrinaga, C. 2021. Environmental accounting and 21st-century sustainability governance. In Routledge handbook of environmental accounting , 78–91. Oxford: Taylor & Francis Group. Larrinaga-González, C., F. Carrasco-Fenech, F.J. Caro-González, C. Correa-Ruíz, and J. María Páez-Sandubete. 2001. The role of environmental accounting in organizational change-An exploration of Spanish companies. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 14 (2): 213–239. Lathish, S., D. Shirahatti, and D.S. Yadav. 2019. Green accounting and reporting adopted by large scale industries in Bangalore. Journal of Exclusive Management Science 8 (12): 1–8. Lee, K.H. 2017. Does size matter? Evaluating corporate environmental disclosure in the Australian mining and metal industry: A combined approach of quantity and quality measurement. Business Strategy and the Environment 26 (2): 209–223. Li, Y., M. Gong, X.Y. Zhang, and L. Koh. 2018. The impact of environmental, social, and governance disclosure on firm value: The role of CEO power. The British Accounting Review 50 (1): 60–75. Liu, Z., and M. Liu. 2021. Quality evaluation of enterprise environmental accounting information disclosure based on projection pursuit model. Journal of Cleaner Production 279: 123679. Maama, H., and K.O. Appiah. 2019. Green accounting practices: Lesson from an emerging economy. Qualitative Research in Financial Markets 11 (4): 456–478. Maama, H., and M. Mkhize. 2020. Integrated reporting practice in a developing country—Ghana: Legitimacy or stakeholder oriented? International Journal of Disclosure and Governance 17 (4): 230–244. Majumder, R., and A. Hussain. 2023. Legal framework for corporate sustainability reporting in India. International Journal of Engineering Technology and Management Sciences 7 (1): 28–33. Majumdar, K.K., and S. Pahuja. 2021. Corporate environmental disclosures of oil and gas companies in India: An analysis of executives’ perceptions. Current World Environment 16 (3): 861. Meng, C.Y., T.W. Nee, and S. Ismail. 2019. The impacts of the quality of green accounting on the financial performance of plantation companies listed on Bursa Malaysia. In EBIMCS , 1–5. Modell, S. 2005. Triangulation between case study and survey methods in management accounting research: An assessment of validity implications. Management Accounting Research 16 (2): 231–254. Momin, M.A. 2013. Social and environmental NGOs’ perceptions of corporate social disclosures: The case of Bangladesh. Accounting Forum 37 (2): 150–161. Moretti, F., L. van Vliet, J. Bensing, G. Deledda, M. Mazzi, M. Rimondini, C. Zimmermann, and I. Fletcher. 2011. A standardized approach to qualitative content analysis of focus group discussions from different countries. Patient Education and Counseling 82 (3): 420–428. Morse, J.M. 1995. The significance of saturation. Qualitative Health Research 5 (2): 147–149. Moser, A., and I. Korstjens. 2018. Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3: Sampling, data collection and analysis. European Journal of General Practice 24 (1): 9–18. Mukherjee, S., and D. Chakraborty. 2020. The challenges of green accounting: A study of Indian corporate disclosures. International Journal of Accounting and Finance 9 (1): 78–94. Murphy, D., and D. McGrath. 2013. ESG reporting–class actions, deterrence, and avoidance. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal 4 (2): 216–235. Muslu, V., S. Mutlu, S. Radhakrishnan, and A. Tsang. 2019. Corporate social responsibility report narratives and analyst forecast accuracy. Journal of Business Ethics 154: 1119–1142. Nazari, J.A., K. Hrazdil, and F. Mahmoudian. 2017. Assessing social and environmental performance through narrative complexity in CSR reports. Journal of Contemporary Accounting & Economics 13 (2): 166–178. Neimark, M. 1992. The hidden dimensions of annual reports: Sixty years of social conflict at General Motors . Princeton: Markus Wiener Pub. Novovic Buric, M., A. Jaksic Stojanovic, A. Lalevic Filipovic, and L. Kascelan. 2022. Research of attitudes toward implementation of green accounting in tourism industry in Montenegro-practices, and challenges. Sustainability 14 (3): 1725. Nwakaego, O.S., I.J. Uzoma, and A.J. Belonwu. 2020. Environmental costs accounting and the earnings of oil firms in Nigeria. IIARD International Journal of Economics and Business Management 6 (2): 37–51. Ofoegbu, G.N., and A. Megbuluba. 2016. Corporate environmental accounting information disclosure in the Nigeria manufacturing firms. International Journal of Management Sciences and Business Research 5 (12): 208–220. Omnamasivaya, B.A., and M.S.V. Prasad. 2016. The influence of financial performance on environmental accounting disclosure practices in India: Empirical evidence from BSE. IUP Journal of Accounting Research & Audit Practices 15 (3): 16. Othman, S., F. Darus, and R. Arshad. 2011. The influence of coercive isomorphism on corporate social responsibility reporting and reputation. Social Responsibility Journal 7 (1): 119–135. Owen, D. 2008. Chronicles of wasted time? A personal reflection on the current state of, and future prospects for, social and environmental accounting research. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 21 (2): 240–267. Owen, D., R. Gray, and J. Bebbington. 1997. Green accounting: Cosmetic irrelevance or radical agenda for change? Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting 4 (2): 175–198. Pahuja, S. 2009. Relationship between environmental disclosures and corporate characteristics: A study of large manufacturing companies in India. Social Responsibility Journal 5 (2): 227–244. Palisetti, G., B. Omnamasivaya, M.V. Suryanarayana, and Ramesh. 2020. Is quality of environmental accounting and disclosure practices adequate. International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology 11 (11): 1–8. Parker, L.D. 2011. Twenty-one years of social and environmental accountability research: A coming of age. Accounting Forum 35 (1): 1–10. Peng, M.W., and P.S. Heath. 1996. The growth of the firm in planned economies in transition: Institutions, organizations, and strategic choice. Academy of Management Review 21 (2): 492–528. Peng, M.W., D.Y. Wang, and Y. Jiang. 2008. An institution-based view of international business strategy: A focus on emerging economies. Journal of International Business Studies 39: 920–936. Prasad, M., T. Mishra, and A.D. Kalro. 2017. Environmental disclosure by Indian companies: An empirical study. Environment, Development and Sustainability 19: 1999–2022. Prakash, N. 2016. Environmental accounting in India–a survey of selected Indian industries. Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities 6 (7): 1690–1705. Qian, G., C. Duanmu, N. Ali, A. Khan, S. Malik, Y. Yang, and M. Bilal. 2021. Hazardous wastes, adverse impacts, and management strategies: A way forward to environmental sustainability. Environment, Development and Sustainability 24: 1–26. Riyadh, H.A., E.G. Sukoharsono, and S.A. Alfaiza. 2019. The impact of corporate social responsibility disclosure and board characteristics on corporate performance. Cogent Business & Management 6 (1): 1647917. Roberts, J.T., J.K. Steinberger, T. Dietz, W.F. Lamb, R. York, A.K. Jorgenson, and J.B. Schor. 2020. Four agendas for research and policy on emissions mitigation and well-being. Global Sustainability 3: e3. Rounaghi, M.M. 2019. Economic analysis of using green accounting and environmental accounting to identify environmental costs and sustainability indicators. International Journal of Ethics and Systems 35 (4): 504–512. Ryan, B. 2002. Research methods and methodology in finance and accounting . England: Cengage Learning EMEA. Sandelowski, M. 1995. Triangles and crystals: On the geometry of qualitative research. Research in Nursing & Health 18 (6): 569–574. Saravanamuthu, K., and C. Lehman. 2013. Enhancing stakeholder interaction through environmental risk accounts. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 24 (6): 410–437. Saunders, M., P. Lewis, and A. Thornhill. 2009. Research methods for business students , 4th ed. England: Pearson Education Limited. Saunders, M.N. 2012. Choosing research participants. In Qualitative organizational research: Core methods and current challenges , 35–52. New York: Sage. Scott, W.R. 2013. Institutions and organizations: Ideas, interests, and identities . New York: Sage Publications. Seele, P. 2016. Digitally unified reporting: How XBRL-based real-time transparency helps in combining integrated sustainability reporting and performance control. Journal of Cleaner Production 136: 65–77. Senn, J., and S. Giordano-Spring. 2020. The limits of environmental accounting disclosure: Enforcement of regulations, standards and interpretative strategies. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 33 (6): 1367–1393. Sen, M., K. Mukherjee, and J.K. Pattanayak. 2011. Corporate environmental disclosure practices in India. Journal of Applied Accounting Research 12 (2): 139–156. Shoeb, M., A. Aslam, and A. Aslam. 2022. Environmental accounting disclosure practices: A bibliometric and systematic review. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy 12 (4): 226–239. Setyorini, C.T., and Z. Ishak. 2012. Corporate social and environmental disclosure: A positive accounting theory view point. International Journal of Business and Social Science 3 (9): 152–164. Shan, Y.G., and D. Taylor. 2014. Theoretical perspectives on corporate social and environmental disclosure: Evidence from China. Journal of Asia-Pacific Business 15 (3): 260–281. Sharma, R. 2020. The approach of Indian corporates towards sustainable development. Sustainable Development 28 (3): 503–515. Smith, G., and R. Harris. 1972. Ideologies of need and the organization of social work departments. The British Journal of Social Work 2 (1): 27–45. Solomon, J.F., A. Solomon, N.L. Joseph, and S.D. Norton. 2013. Impression management, myth creation and fabrication in private social and environmental reporting: Insights from Erving Goffman. Accounting, Organizations and Society 38 (3): 195–213. Spence, L.J., and L. Rinaldi. 2014. Governmentality in accounting and accountability: A case study of embedding sustainability in a supply chain. Accounting, Organizations and Society 39 (6): 433–452. Suttipun, M. 2021. The influence of board composition on environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure of Thai listed companies. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance 18 (4): 391–402. Talha, M., A. Sallehhuddin, and J. Mohammad. 2006. Changing pattern of competitive disadvantage from disclosing financial information: A case study of segmental reporting practice in Malaysia. Managerial Auditing Journal 21 (3): 265–274. Tashakkori, A., and J.W. Creswell. 2007. Exploring the nature of research questions in mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research 1 (3): 207–211. Tilt, C.A. 2018. Making social and environmental accounting research relevant in developing countries: A matter of context? Social and Environmental Accountability Journal 38 (2): 145–150. Tregidga, H., and M. Laine. 2022. On crisis and emergency: Is it time to rethink long-term environmental accounting ? . Critical Perspectives on Accounting 82: 102311. Turaga, R.M.R., and A. Sugathan. 2020. Environmental regulations in India. In Oxford research encyclopedia of environmental science . Oxford: Oxford University Press. Uwuigbe, U., and J. Jimoh. 2012. Corporate environmental disclosures in the Nigerian manufacturing industry: A study of selected firms. African Research Review 6 (3): 71–83. Van Staden, C.J., and J. Hooks. 2007. A comprehensive comparison of corporate environmental reporting and responsiveness. The British Accounting Review 39 (3): 197–210. Veal, C. 2016. A choreographic notebook: Methodological developments in qualitative geographical research. Cultural Geographies 23 (2): 221–245. Vig, S. 2023. Environmental disclosures by Indian companies: Role of board characteristics and board effectiveness. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance . https://doi.org/10.1057/s41310-023-00174-8 . Wang, J., and J. Sun. 2022. The role of audit committees in social responsibility and environmental disclosures: Evidence from Chinese energy sector. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance . https://doi.org/10.1057/s41310-021-00131-3 . Wilmshurst, T.D., and G.R. Frost. 2001. The role of accounting and the accountant in the environmental management system. Business Strategy and the Environment 10 (3): 135–147. World Bank. 2018. World development report 2019: The changing nature of work . The World Bank. Zaman Mir, M., and A. Shiraz Rahaman. 2011. In pursuit of environmental excellence: A stakeholder analysis of the environmental management strategies and performance of an Australian energy company. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal 24 (7): 848–878. Download references Author information Authors and affiliations. Amity College of Commerce and Finance, Amity University, J1 Block, 2nd Floor, Amity University Campus, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201313, India Shaizy Khan & Seema Gupta Indian Institute of Management Indore, Rau-Pithampur Rd, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, 453556, India V. K. Gupta You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar Corresponding author Correspondence to Shaizy Khan . Additional information Publisher's note. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Appendix 1: Quality evaluation indicators for green accounting information disclosure Indicator Content Description Environmental policy and responsibility Independent social responsibility report – Environmental protection principles, goals and systems Standards formulated by the corporate strategic unit pertaining to environmental protection work Disclosure and implementation of environment-related regulations and laws Include corporate environmental legislation and their enforcement Environment protection plans and environmental concerns – Environmental management system certification Environmental professional certificates Environmental management structure Whether the company has an environmental protection department or a dedicated employee Resolution of environmental issues of stakeholders Creditors, borrowers, investors, and upstream and downstream firms are the primary stakeholders Production and sales activities effect on environment Include resource use and pollution Publicity and training on environmental protection conceptions Enterprise-sponsored environmental education and preservation efforts Threat from environmental policies Refers to the unfavourable effect of present or newly introduced regulations on firms’ environmental protection status Environmental performance information “Three wastes” emissions Three wastes emissions from industry (Solid, water, gas waste) “Three simultaneities” implementation Means the pollution protection facilities will be conceived, built, and used alongside the main project Energy usage and efficiency – Recycling status Recapturing and reusing manufacturing scraps, wastes, and pollutants by businesses Environmental financial information Environmental assets   Environmental liabilities   Environmental rights   Environmental costs   Environmental income   Environmental information compilation process Monitoring and supervision of internal corporate environment system Enterprises with environmental management guidelines or departments should report on the formulation and administration of relevant systems, including the execution of environmental management systems by different departments and any infractions Compliance with environmental information The organization must explain in detail the principles it uses to compile environmental accounting information, such as whether or not it follows the recognition of revenue guidelines when calculating environmental subsidies it receives or whether or not it capitalises environmental investments Methods for verifying environmental information, and other guidelines – Environmental statistics disclosure procedure Government audits – Third party audits This is a reference to the business having received an unqualified audit report from a certified public accountant Internal audits The assessment and assurance made by management on the accuracy of company environmental accounting data Environmental information disclosure veracity Key environmental mishaps Refers to an enterprise-unreported major environmental mishap Environmental lawsuit Refers to a significant environmental accident that is prosecuted Negative business media coverage – Interview guide Preliminary remark: “given the definition of green accounting information disclosure….” Definition of green accounting disclosure provided to the interviewees is as follows: “Green accounting disclosure includes reporting financial and non-financial information in yearly and communal responsibility reports (Abdullah 2018 ; Jhamb and Aggarwal 2019 ; Cho et al. 2022 ). Financial aspect of green accounting information refers to environmental expenditures devoted to the preservation of the environment, including environmental expenses and investments, environmental liabilities included in the balance sheet, income statements and notes added to financial statements or disclosed in annual reports. Non-financial green accounting information includes soft disclosure on aspects such as: environmental protection principles, goals and systems, disclosure and implementation of environmental laws and regulations, environmental protection plans and environmental issues, environmental management system certification, environmental management structure and status, evaluation and supervision of environmental issues of stakeholders, environmental impact of production and sales activities, education on environmental protection concepts (Senn and Giordano-Spring 2020 ).” How do you deal with the environmental problems in your organization? Which management tools do you use to tackle the environment related issues in the organization? Is there any different between green accounting information disclosure and environmental information disclosure? Can you provide a description of the process of disclosing information related to green accounting? Have you established dedicated information systems for comprehending and assessing such information? If yes, what are the steps and procedures that are implemented? What is the methodology used to estimate green accounting information? Do you employ the services of a specialist? When did the company begin disclosing green accounting information in its annual report, stand-alone sustainability reports, and website? How was this choice made? Which guidelines do you follow for disclosure? Have you received any training in green accounting and reporting area? If so, could you kindly elaborate? Who participate in the decision-making process regarding the information? What is your designated function or responsibility? What are the respective functions of other actors? When it comes to the annual report, whose decision is it to include this information? Are you a part of a team focusing on green accounting and reporting, or sustainable development? Which external stakeholders have a greater interest in this information? What do you believe their expectations are? What is the relationship of the organization with auditors? Are there any concerns or challenges brought up by the auditors? What is the rationale behind the company’s decision to disclose said information? Do you engage in benchmarking activities to evaluate your practises against those of other companies? Do you think it is necessary to modify the existing regulations? In what manner, precisely? Which type of green accounting information (financial/physical) do you think should be given preference and why? Do you think organizations are reluctant in disclosing monetary information related to environmental activities? If yes, what is the reason you think? Which factors are limiting the organizations in disclosing quality green accounting information? Which factors play more significant role in promoting the disclosure of green accounting information? Internal factors (within the organization) and external factors (at the country level). What do you think government can do to improve the disclosure practices of such information? Revised interview guide: Q1. What is your organization’s approach to tackling environmental issues?? Probing Questions: Which particular environmental challenges has your organisation faced? Can you provide an overview of the strategies or initiatives implemented to effectively manage and mitigate these challenges? Q2. What specific management tools does your organisation employ to address environmental concerns? Could you please provide specific examples of tools or methodologies that are used in this context? How do you incorporate these tools into your overall management practices? Q3. What distinguishes green accounting information disclosure from environmental information disclosure? How does your organisation differentiate between these two types of disclosures? Are there established criteria or standards that are adhered to for each type of disclosure? Q4. Can you describe the process of disclosing information related to green accounting? Are there specific information systems designed to understand and evaluate this information? What are the specific steps and procedures that are typically followed in the disclosure process? Q5. What methodology is used to calculate green accounting information, and do you engage specialists? Could you provide further details on the precise methodologies or models employed? How does the participation of experts enhance the precision of the estimates? Q6. When did the company decide to begin disclosing green accounting information, and what factors led to this decision? Was there a particular incident or trigger that caused disclosure to begin? How has the method of disclosure evolved over the years? Q7. What disclosure policies does your company adhere to? Are these policies derived from internal development or grounded in external standards? How do you ensure compliance with these policies? Q8. Have you had formal training in the field of green accounting and reporting? What specific sort of training was offered, and in what ways has it enhanced your performance in your current position? Are there any current training programmes in place to promote continual improvement? Q9. Who takes part in the decision-making process pertaining to green accounting information? What is your assigned role and duty in this process? What is the extent of involvement of other players in decision-making? Q10. The responsibility for include green accounting information in the annual report lies with whom? Is there a specialised staff that only focuses on green accounting and reporting? How is the decision-making process structured? Q11. Which external stakeholders exhibit a heightened interest in green accounting information, and what are their specific expectations? How do you interact with stakeholders in order to comprehend their expectations? Are there any designated ways for receiving feedback? Q12. What is the organization’s relationship with auditors, and have any concerns been raised by them? What is the role of auditors in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of disclosed information? Have auditors encountered any challenges or provided any recommendations? Q13. What is the purpose behind the company’s choice to provide green accounting information? Probing Questions How does disclosure correspond with the overarching corporate strategy? Are there explicit aims or objectives associated with disclosure? Q14. Do you partake in benchmarking endeavours to evaluate your practices in comparison to those of other companies? What specific areas or metrics are benchmarked? How does benchmarking plays a vital role in facilitating ongoing development? Q15. Do you believe it is essential to revise present regulations pertaining to the disclosure of green accounting information? How do you propose enhancing regulations? What are the potential benefits of regulatory changes on disclosure practices? Q16. What are the constraints that restrict organisations from sharing high-quality green accounting information? Q17. Which factors have a greater influence on encouraging the dissemination of green accounting information? Consider the internal factors within the organisation. Examine the external factors on a national level. Q18. What measures do you believe the government can take to enhance the transparency of green accounting information disclosure? Do you have any particular policies or initiatives in mind that you think might be successful? How might government help effectively enhance disclosure practices? Appendix 4: Green accounting information disclosure scores Criteria Indicator Firm A Firm B Firm C Firm D Firm E Firm F Firm G Firm H Firm I Firm J Average scores (percentage) Average scores rounded to nearest percentage Year   2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022     Environmental policy and responsibility Independent social responsibility report 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2     Environmental protection principles, goals and systems 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2     Disclosure and implementation of environmental laws and regulations 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1     Environmental protection plans and environmental issues 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1     Environmental management system certification 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2     Environmental management structure and status 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1     Evaluation and supervision of environmental issues of stakeholders 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0     Environmental impact of production and sales activities 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1     Propaganda and education on environmental protection concepts 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2     Environmental policy risk 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1     Total score   15 14 13 13 13 13 15 11 12 13     Maximum score   20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20     Percentage score   75 70 65 65 65 65 75 55 60 65 66 66 Environmental performance information “Three wastes” emissions 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1     “Three simultaneities” implementation 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0     Energy consumption and efficiency 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1     Recycling situation 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2     Total score   4 4 3 4 3 2 2 4 5 4     Maximum score   8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8     Percentage score   50 50 37.5 50 37.5 25 25 50 62.5 50 43.75 44 Environmental financial information Environmental assets 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1     Environmental liabilities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     Environmental rights 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1     Environmental costs 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0     Environmental income 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     Total score   1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1     Maximum score   10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10     Percentage score   10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Environmental information compilation process Internal control of environmental work 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1     Statement on environmental information compliance 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0     Other instructions to confirm the reliability of environmental information 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     Total score   0 0 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 1     Maximum score   6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6     Percentage score   0 0 33.33333 0 16.6667 16.66667 16.66667 16.666667 16.66667 16.66667 13.33333333 14 Environmental information disclosure process Government audits 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2     Third party audits 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1     Internal audits 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1     Total score   4 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4     Maximum score   6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6     Percentage score   66.66667 66.6667 66.66667 66.66667 50 50 66.66667 66.666667 66.66667 66.66667 63.33333333 64 Environmental information disclosure veracity Major environmental accidents 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     Environmental litigation 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1     Negative media reports on enterprise environment 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     Total score   2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1     Maximum score   6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6     Percentage score   33.33333 16.6667 16.66667 16.66667 33.3333 33.33333 16.66667 16.666667 16.66667 16.66667 21.66666667 22 Rights and permissions Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. Reprints and permissions About this article Khan, S., Gupta, S. & Gupta, V.K. Unveiling the black box of green accounting information disclosure: an analysis of disclosure diversity and difficulties from a developing economy perspective. Int J Discl Gov (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41310-024-00255-2 Download citation Received : 10 June 2023 Accepted : 24 June 2024 Published : 07 July 2024 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/s41310-024-00255-2 Share this article Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative Green accounting disclosure Environmental accounting Green accounting Sustainable growth Disclosure diversity Developing economies Find a journal Publish with us Track your research 165 IMAGES How to write an introduction for a research paper How to Write a Strong Introduction to a Research Paper how to write a research paper introduction in four simple steps How to structure the introduction of your scientific paper : A How to Write a Research Paper Introduction: Tips & Examples How to Write Research Paper Introduction VIDEO Online Workshop on Research Paper Writing & Publishing Day 1 Online Workshop on Research Paper Writing & Publishing Day 2 Research Article writing Workshop Part 2: Writing Introduction and Abstract LEVEL UP YOUR RESEARCH WRITING Transforming Your Thesis into a Published Research Paper How to write the Introduction section of a manuscript COMMENTS Writing a Research Paper Introduction Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction. How to Write a Research Paper Introduction (with Examples) Define your specific research problem and problem statement. Highlight the novelty and contributions of the study. Give an overview of the paper's structure. The research paper introduction can vary in size and structure depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or is a review paper. Research Paper Introduction Research paper introduction is the first section of a research paper that provides an overview of the study, its purpose, and the research question (s) or hypothesis (es) being investigated. It typically includes background information about the topic, a review of previous research in the field, and a statement of the research objectives. Writing a Research Paper Introduction (with 3 Examples) This paragraph should both attract the reader's attention and give them the necessary information about the paper. In any academic paper, the introduction paragraph constitutes 10% of the paper's total word count. For example, if you are preparing a 3,000-word paper, your introduction paragraph should consist of approximately 300 words. 4. The Introduction The introduction leads the reader from a general subject area to a particular topic of inquiry. It establishes the scope, context, and significance of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of the research problem supported by a hypothesis or a set of questions, explaining briefly ... How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper Step 2: Building a solid foundation with background information. Including background information in your introduction serves two major purposes: It helps to clarify the topic for the reader. It establishes the depth of your research. The approach you take when conveying this information depends on the type of paper. How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper After you've done some extra polishing, I suggest a simple test for the introductory section. As an experiment, chop off the first few paragraphs. Let the paper begin on, say, paragraph 2 or even page 2. If you don't lose much, or actually gain in clarity and pace, then you've got a problem. There are two solutions. Introductions In general, your introductions should contain the following elements: When you're writing an essay, it's helpful to think about what your reader needs to know in order to follow your argument. Your introduction should include enough information so that readers can understand the context for your thesis. For example, if you are analyzing ... How to Write a Research Introduction: 10 Steps (with Pictures) Download Article. 1. Announce your research topic. You can start your introduction with a few sentences which announce the topic of your paper and give an indication of the kind of research questions you will be asking. This is a good way to introduce your readers to your topic and pique their interest. How to Write an Introduction For a Research Paper Be succinct - it is advised that your opening introduction consists of around 8-9 percent of the overall amount of words in your article (for example, 160 words for a 2000 words essay). Make a strong and unambiguous thesis statement. Explain why the article is significant in 1-2 sentences. Remember to keep it interesting. How to Write a Research Paper Introduction in 4 Steps 3. Lay out your argument and plan. After showing your reader the existing knowledge on the topic, you can turn to how your paper will contribute new knowledge. Tying your research to previous research is the most important aspect of this step. Explain what knowledge is missing from the existing research and how you plan to uncover that knowledge. PDF How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper Know that for a longer report, your introduction might be more than one paragraph (see sample below). Procedure. Before you write, consider the following: 1. Choose a research topic that interests you and is relevant to your field of study. For instance, a topic could be abandoned gas wells in Adams County, Colorado. 2. How to write an introduction for a research paper 3. Include signposts. A strong introduction includes clear signposts that outline what you will cover in the rest of the paper. You can signal this by using words like, "in what follows," and by describing the steps that you will take to build your argument. 4. Situate your argument within the scholarly conversation. How to write an introduction for a research paper Narrow the overview until you address your paper's specific subject. Then, mention questions or concerns you had about the case. Note that you will address them in the publication. Prior research. Your introduction is the place to review other conclusions on your topic. Include both older scholars and modern scholars. How to Write an Effective Research Paper Introduction Generally, the introduction helps you to show your audience why your research topic is worth exploring. It gives you the chance to convince your reader why they should stick around and see what you have to say. The first 1-2 sentences of your introduction should give an elevator pitch of your work. Be clear, relevant, and to the point. PDF Wr i tte n by Carol i n e A m m on w w w. sj su . e d u /w r i t i n gc The introduction is an important and challenging part of any research paper as it establishes your writing style, the quality of your research, and your credibility as a scholar. It is your first chance to make a good impression on your reader. The introduction gives the reader background and context to convey the importance of your research. It Research Guides: Writing a Scientific Paper: INTRODUCTION Chris A. Mack. SPIE. 2018. Indicate the field of the work, why this field is important, and what has already been done (with proper citations). Indicate a gap, raise a research question, or challenge prior work in this territory. Outline the purpose and announce the present research, clearly indicating what is novel and why it is significant. Learn How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper Dr. Elizabeth M. Minei. "A strong introduction to a research paper should probably be written last. The introduction needs to include: 1) what the topic is focused on, 2) how the research was conducted (method), 3) what the findings are (generally), 4) and how the paper contributes to the overall field. How to Write an Effective Introduction An effective Introduction builds off related empirical research and demonstrates a gap in which the current study fills. Finally, the Introduction proposes the research question (s) which will be answered in subsequent sections of the paper. A strong Introduction also requires the use of a simple and well-organized format as well as the ... (PDF) How to Write an Introduction for Research Author content. Content may be subject to copyright. How to Write a Resear ch Paper Introduction. Step 1: Introduce your topic. The first job of the introdu ction is to tell the reader what your ... Organizing Academic Research Papers: 4. The Introduction The introduction serves the purpose of leading the reader from a general subject area to a particular field of research. It establishes the context of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of the hypothesis, question, or research problem, briefly explaining your rationale ... What should I include in a research paper introduction? The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements: A hook to catch the reader's interest. Relevant background on the topic. Details of your research problem. and your problem statement. A thesis statement or research question. Sometimes an overview of the paper. PDF Anatomy of a Journal Article Introduction • Provides background and context • Shows the "family tree" of knowledge about the paper topic • Poses research question • Justifies significance of study Method • Provides step-by-step directions ("map" of the study) • Describes who was in the study (participants) and what they did (materials and procedures) How to Write an Abstract in Research Papers (with Examples) An abstract in research papers is a keyword-rich summary usually not exceeding 200-350 words. It can be considered the "face" of research papers because it creates an initial impression on the readers. While searching databases (such as PubMed) for research papers, a title is usually the first selection criterion for readers. ChatGPT Has Changed The Way Scientists Write Scientific Papers ... Curiously, these are not words related to the scientific content of a paper but to writing style. Indeed, the researchers suggest that these are exactly the kind of words favored by Large Language ... ChatGPT for digital pathology research The rapid evolution of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models including OpenAI's ChatGPT signals a promising era for medical research. In this Viewpoint, we explore the integration and challenges of large language models (LLMs) in digital pathology, a rapidly evolving domain demanding intricate contextual understanding. The restricted domain-specific efficiency of LLMs necessitates the ... Buzzkill: Accusations are leveled at research on how dancing ... Buzzkill: Accusations are leveled at research on how dancing bees measure distances ... The 1996 paper studied 88 bees in an 11-centimeter-wide tunnel, whereas the 1997 study described 56 bees flying in a 7-centimeter tunnel. The same pattern of reporting identical data for different experiments with different conditions also appears within the ... Assignment As always, proper grammar and sentence structure should be present throughout. As with all of your essays, use 12 point Times New Roman font, double space, and have one inch margins. All format should adhere to MLA standards. The paper should be 3-5 pages in length. All papers must be submitted in iCollege before midnight on the due date. Exploring the ecological security evaluation of water ... To construct a water resource ecological security index system for the 10 provinces in the YRB, this paper is based on the research of relevant scholars and introduces the DPSIR model to evaluate ... Unveiling the black box of green accounting information ... This paper aims to analyse the quality of green accounting disclosure and provide insight into the perceptions of corporate insiders and academics about the challenges that impede green accounting information disclosures in an emerging economy, India. Content analysis was used to evaluate the degree of disclosure of green accounting data in yearly reports. Ten prominent managers and academics ... assignment business plan essay writing homework research paper review writing