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Academic Phrasebank
Introducing Work
Referring to Sources
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Introducing Work
Describing Methods
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General Language Functions
Discussing Findings
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There are many ways to introduce an academic essay or short paper. Most academic writers,
however, appear to do one or more of the following in their introductions:
Slightly less complex introductions may simply inform the reader: what the topic is, why it is
important, and how the writing is organised. In very short assignments, it is not uncommon for a
writer to commence simply by stating the purpose of their writing.
Introductions to research dissertations and theses tend to be relatively short compared to the
other sections of the text but quite complex in terms of their functional elements. Some of the
more common elements include:
Examples of phrases which are commonly employed to realise these functions can be seen by
clicking on the headings listed below. Note that there may be a certain amount of overlap between
some of the categories under which the phrases are listed. Also, the order in which the different
categories of phrases are shown reflects a typical order but this is far from fixed or rigid, and not
all the elements are present in all introductions.
A number of analysts have identified common patterns in the introductions of research articles.
One of the best known patterns is the CARS model (create a research space) first described by
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John Swales (1990). This model, which utilises an ecological metaphor, has, in its simplest form,
three elements or moves:
Establishing the territory (establishing importance of the topic, reviewing previous work)
Identifying a niche (indicating a gap in knowledge)
Occupying the niche (listing purpose of new research, listing questions, stating the value the
work, indicating the structure of the writing)
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