How to Write the Background of the Study: A Guide for Your Research Paper and Dissertation

What is the Background of the Study?

The background of the study serves as an essential part of any research paper. It provides the reader with the necessary context to understand the research problem, the significance of the research, and the reasons why the study is important. In this section, the researcher explains the study background in detail and sets the stage for the research by summarising relevant information.

The background of the study helps to establish the framework of the research by presenting key details, such as the research question, previous studies, and gaps in the existing literature. This explanation provides a clear and concise introduction to the study and how it contributes to the academic field.

Understanding the Background Information

The background of the study offers vital context to the research. It includes:

• Study Background: This outlines the context of the research, such as the problem or issue being explored. It is important to explain the background of your study to ensure the reader understands the problem before delving into the research.
• Research Question: The background provides a foundation for understanding the research question, helping to define what the research aims to answer. By framing the research question within the background of the study, the researcher can highlight its relevance and importance.
• Previous Studies: The section often includes references to previous studies, summarising existing literature to provide evidence of the research problem’s significance. Mentioning past studies helps demonstrate an understanding of the research problem and its evolution.
• Providing Background Information: This is essential for showing how the research fits into the broader academic conversation. It helps link the study to previous research and sets up a rationale for the study’s aims.

Why is Writing the Background of the Study Section Important?

Writing the background of the study is crucial for several reasons:

• Sets the Stage: It provides the initial information needed for understanding the research, such as the significance of the research and the research question.
• Clarifies the Research Problem: The background offers an in-depth understanding of the research problem, highlighting its importance and the need for further exploration. This helps readers understand the significance of the research.
• Contextualises the Study: It positions the research within the existing body of academic research. By offering insights into existing literature, it helps define the research scope and significance.
• Aids in Research Guides: It guides the reader through the rationale of the research study, offering clarity on how the study fits into the current academic landscape.

Key Differences Between the Background and Literature Review

Though the background of the study and the literature review are often confused, they serve distinct purposes:

• Background of a Research Paper: This section provides the broad context of the study, offering background information on the research topic and the research question. It establishes the foundation for the study’s significance and the research problem.
• Literature Review: This focuses on summarising and evaluating previous studies, detailing the existing literature that informs the research. Unlike the background of the study, which sets the context, the literature review critically examines the research that has already been conducted on the topic.
• Study Aims and Research Question: The background typically addresses the study’s aims and the research question, while the literature review focuses on answering the research question based on the analysis of previous studies.

The background of the study is essential for any research as it establishes the groundwork for the study, informs the reader about the research problem, and helps define the research’s significance within the field.

What Are the Key Sections of a Background of the Study?

The background of the study is one of the most crucial sections in any research paper. It provides context, explains the research problem, and sets the stage for the study. It offers a detailed overview of the research journey, summarising existing evidence, identifying gaps, and establishing the need for the research. Understanding the key sections that make up the background of the study is essential for creating a strong foundation for your research. Below are the primary components to include in the background of your study.

Defining the Research Background/Introduction to the Topic

• Introduction to Your Research: The background of the study begins with an introduction to the research topic, offering a comprehensive overview of the subject area. This is where the researcher places the research problem within the broader context of the field.
• Purpose of Defining the Background: It is vital to define the research background clearly. This helps the reader gain a basic understanding of the research problem being investigated. A well-defined research background will clarify the nature of the study and ensure that the reader understands the key issues from the outset.
• Identification and Description: The background information identifies and describes the specific research area. It might also include a brief historical overview if relevant, particularly in the social sciences research, to give more context to the current study.
• Scope of the Research: The background of the study should indicate the scope of the research, outlining the boundaries and focus of the study. This helps to set the expectations for the reader in terms of what the research will cover and what it will not.

Literature Review of Existing Evidence

• Summarising Existing Literature: In this part of the background of the study, you will summarise the relevant studies and findings from existing research. This review helps place your research in the context of what is already known and provides insight into how your research builds upon or diverges from existing work.
• Synthesis of Relevant Research Literature: The background information in a research paper synthesizes the key findings from relevant research articles, giving a broad understanding of the current state of knowledge. This section should include both key studies and relevant research methodologies that are critical to understanding the study’s aims.
• Contextualisation of Your Study: Through the synthesis of relevant research, the researcher can highlight how the current study fits into the broader academic conversation. This synthesis of relevant research provides clarity about how your study will address the research problem or question.
• Current Study vs. Previous Studies: By including existing research and providing background information, this section makes it clear how your current study differs from, complements, or builds upon previous studies. This comparison can help demonstrate the importance and relevance of your study in the field.

Identification/Recognition of Gaps in Literature

• Identifying Gaps: One of the primary functions of the background of the study is to identify gaps in the existing research. The researcher must examine the current research landscape and demonstrate areas where more investigation is needed or where no research has been conducted. Identifying these gaps is crucial to justifying the need for the research.
• Expanding Upon Gaps: Background information expands upon these gaps by providing an explanation of why they exist, whether due to outdated research methods, insufficient data, or emerging areas of study that have yet to be explored thoroughly.
• Framing the Research Problem: The gaps in the literature directly lead to the research problem, highlighting what is unfamiliar to the reader or what is yet to be explored. Recognising these gaps is essential for framing a well-defined research problem, which will be the focus of the study.

Rationale of the Study

• Justifying the Research: The rationale section of the background of the study explains why the research is necessary. This can include discussing the significance of the research problem, how it contributes to existing literature, or why the research methodology chosen is appropriate.
• The Need for the Research: A strong rationale identifies why the study is needed and what it aims to achieve. This section addresses the importance of the research question, both within the academic field and in practical terms. The rationale helps justify why addressing the research problem is significant.
• Linking to Study Aims: The rationale is often closely linked to the study aims, as it outlines the importance of addressing the specific research problem and how the research findings can contribute to the field.

Research Problem or Statement

• Clear Research Problem: The research problem or statement is a crucial part of the background of the study. It should be clearly defined and provide insight into the central issue the research aims to address. This section elaborates on the nature of a well-defined research problem with reference to relevant studies.
• Understanding the Research Problem: A clear research problem helps frame the background information and gives readers an understanding of the specific research question the study will answer. In some cases, the research problem may emerge from gaps in the literature, which were identified earlier in the background.
• Scope and Specificity: The research problem should be framed in a way that it is specific, focusing on the key elements that the research will explore. The problem needs to be narrow enough for a focused investigation but broad enough to contribute to the field of study.

Research Objectives or Questions

• Study Objectives: The objectives of the study should be clearly outlined in the background of the study. These objectives serve as the specific goals that the research aims to achieve. They will guide the study’s methodology and determine the direction of the research.
• Framing Research Questions: Research questions are derived from the research problem and objectives. In this section of the background, the researcher introduces the key questions that will guide the research. These questions can be general or specific, depending on the scope of the study.
• Impact of Research Questions: The research questions should address the gaps in the literature, exploring aspects of the research problem that have not been fully explored. A strong research question often leads to valuable insights and findings, contributing significantly to the academic field.

Background of the study is a critical component of any research paper. By clearly defining the research background, providing a synthesis of relevant studies, identifying gaps, and establishing the rationale for the research, the background information helps to provide a solid foundation for the research. A well-written background of the study places the research problem within the appropriate academic context, clarifies the research question, and justifies the need for the research. Whether you are learning how to write a research paper or looking to enhance your current study, understanding the key sections of the background of the study will help you create a comprehensive and effective research introduction.

How to Write the Background of a Study?

Writing the background of the study is a crucial step in crafting a well-rounded research paper. It provides the context for your research and helps the reader understand the significance of the study. Below are the steps to effectively write the background of the study and common mistakes to avoid.

Steps to Write a Background Section

• Identify the Research Problem: The first task in writing the background of the study is to clearly define the research problem. This is the focus of your study and must be articulated at the beginning of the background section.
• Provide Relevant Background Information: The background of the study should include relevant background information about the topic. This can involve summarising existing research, identifying gaps in the literature, and providing context about the issue at hand.
• Establish the Context: Use the background to explain the context in which your research exists. Include key studies and findings that inform your research question and frame the research problem. This step is essential for demonstrating the relevance of your research.
• Define the Aims and Objectives: Clearly state the aims and objectives of the study within the background of the study. This helps orient the reader and explains what your research seeks to achieve.
• Determine the Length and Detail: The length and detail of the background of the study depend on the complexity of the research topic. Ensure that the background is neither too brief nor overly detailed but provides enough information to give the reader an understanding of the research problem.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing

• Being Too Vague: One of the common mistakes when writing the background of the study is being too vague. Avoid generalised statements and ensure the information is specific and relevant to your research.
• Overloading with Information: While it’s important to provide enough information about the topic, including excessive or irrelevant details can confuse the reader. Stick to the key points that directly support the research problem.
• Ignoring the Writing Style: The writing style of your background should be clear, concise, and formal. Ensure that your writing style is appropriate for an academic research paper.
• Lack of Structure: A well-structured background of the study is essential. Break down the section into clear subsections that help expand upon the key points and direct the reader through your study in research.

The background of the study provides the reader with the necessary information to understand the research problem, context, and objectives. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create a compelling and informative background section that sets the stage for your research.

Background of the Study Example

This example of the background of the study demonstrates how to effectively structure and present key information when writing a research paper. It outlines the essential components, such as defining the research background, reviewing existing literature, identifying gaps, justifying the study, and framing research questions. By providing a comprehensive and clear overview of the research problem, this example serves as a useful guide for researchers looking to craft a well-structured and informative background section. It highlights how to integrate relevant information, frame the study’s significance, and set the stage for further exploration of the research topic.

How to Relate the Background to Your Research Topic?

The background of the study plays a vital role in helping the reader understand the context of the research. It sets the foundation for your study, frames your research problem, and outlines the rationale behind the research topic. Here’s how you can effectively relate the background of the study to your research topic:

Understanding the Research Problem

• Clarifying the Research Problem: The background of the study should begin by clearly identifying the research problem. This is the first step in framing your background information. By addressing the research problem, you give the reader insight into what the study aims to investigate.
• Explaining the Nature of the Problem: The background should explain how the research problem exists and its significance within the broader context of the subject area. This helps the reader understand the relevance of your study and how it fits into the existing body of knowledge.
• Defining the Scope: Providing sufficient background information helps to define the boundaries of the research. It is important to include details about the scope of the research and specify what aspects of the research topic will be covered, ensuring that your study remains focused and clear.
• Establishing Context: The background of the study also serves to place the research problem within the context of general research. It provides the reader with a clear understanding of why this research is important and why it needs to be conducted.

Significance of the Study in Context

• Setting the Context for Your Study: The background of the study should include information that explains why the research topic is significant. This includes summarising relevant research, explaining how the findings of your study could contribute to the field, and why it is important to investigate this specific research topic.
• Connection to Existing Research: The background provides the necessary foundation by referencing foundational research literature. By including this information, you show how your study builds upon or addresses gaps in existing research, making your study relevant to current academic discussions.
• Demonstrating the Importance: An effective background also demonstrates the importance of your research question in relation to the current state of knowledge. It explains how the study’s findings could advance the field, fill gaps, or introduce new perspectives on the topic.

Defining Your Research Aims and Objectives

• Framing Your Background Around Aims: The background of the study should be framed around the research aims and objectives. It is important to define these clearly, as they guide the overall study and help the reader understand what the research will address.
• Connecting the Aims to the Background: The background information should detail how the research will address the identified problem and contribute to solving it. By relating the background of the study to your aims, you create a clear connection between the existing knowledge and what your research intends to uncover.
• Outlining Study Components: Including key components of your study, such as the methodology and the expected outcomes, is essential in relating the background to the research topic. These components ensure that your background information remains relevant to the specific research topic.
• Ensuring Sufficient Detail: The detail of background information also depends on the complexity of the research topic. Providing enough background information helps the reader to understand the context and sets the stage for the findings of your study.

Relating the background of the study to your research topic involves clearly defining the research problem, establishing the significance of the study in context, and defining your research aims and objectives. Each of these steps ensures that your study is grounded in relevant research and provides the reader with the necessary background information for understanding the research topic.