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International Journal of Medical Education. 2023;14:84-87
ISSN: 2042-6372
DOI: 10.5116/ijme.6499.82af
84
© 2023 Tavakol & O'Brien. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use of work
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The importance of crafting a good introduction
to scholarly research
: strategies for creating an
effective and impactful opening statement
Mohsen Tavakol
, David O'Brien
Medical Education Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham, UK
Correspondence:
Mohsen Tavakol, Medical Education Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham, UK
Email: mohsen.tavakol@nottingham.ac.uk
Accepted: June 26, 2023
Introduction
The introduction section is arguably one of the most critical
elements of a written piece of research work, often setting the
tone for the remainder of any dissertation or research article.
The primary purpose of an introduction is to provide the
reader with a clear understanding of the research question,
in addition to the scope, rationale, aims and objectives of the
study. This ensures the reader can more easily comprehend
the context of the research, which will consequently help
them better interpret and evaluate the study results. One
could liken an introduction to a trailer for a movie, where the
plot of the film (the research topic) is introduced by setting
the scene (outlining the significance of the topic) and entic-
ing you to watch the full movie (understanding the research
and its importance).
Despite this, our experience suggests that students fre-
quently pay insufficient attention to the introduction section
of their dissertation or omit elements which we consider es-
sential to address. This editorial aims to help researchers ap-
preciate the importance of a comprehensive dissertation in-
troduction in medical education research and learn how to
effectively manage this key section of their work. Although
it focuses purely on the introduction section of a written re-
search submission, readers interested in learning more about
the other primary steps of the research process are encour-
aged to read AMEE Guide No. 901,2 textbooks on research
methods and both consult and seek constructive feedback
from colleagues with expertise in research methods and writ-
ing for publication.
Here we aim to provide the reader with a simple structure
of how best to construct the introduction for a dissertation
and recommend that this should typically include the follow-
ing essential components and principles.
Background to the research topic
The purpose of providing background information in an in-
troduction is to supply the context and other essential infor-
mation concerning the research topic, and thus allow the
reader to understand the significance of the specific research
question and where it sits within the broader field of study.
This aids the reader to better understand how the research
question contributes to the existing body of knowledge and
why it is, necessary to investigate this specific aspect further.
For example, suppose the study concerns the effectiveness of
simulation-based training in medical education. In this case,
the broader field of the study may include relevant areas such
as medical simulation, medical education research, health
care education, standardised patients, simulation-based
training, and curriculum development based on simulation
training. After providing the reader with an understanding
of the context and relevance of the topic of interest, the re-
searcher must then establish a theoretical or conceptual
framework. This underpins the study topic in order that the
reader can understand how any research questions and ob-
jectives are formulated. It is important to distinguish be-
tween these two frameworks. A theoretical framework de-
scribes the rationale for applying a particular theory to
provide support and structure for the topic being studied. In
the absence of an applicable theory, a conceptual framework
substantiates the significance of a particular problem, context
or phenomenon within a specific area of the study by illus-
trating its relevance and connection to research topic.3 A
conceptual framework highlights the importance of a re-
search topic by showing how it relates to the larger body of
knowledge in a particular field. Here is an example to
demonstrate the use of a theoretical framework in a research
context.
When considering Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), one of
the key constructs is self-efficacy, as described by Albert
Int J Med Educ. 2023; 14:84-87 85
Bandura,4 and refers to the belief that a person has it within
their own ability to accomplish a specific task successfully.
This is not related to what a person does, but more how they
perceive their ability to use these skills. So, based on this con-
struct of self-efficacy, a researcher may formulate a research
hypothesis; that examiners with higher self-efficacy in OS-
CEs will demonstrate improved performance in subsequent
exams compared to those with lower self-efficacy. Now the
researcher is in a position to identify the fundamental con-
cepts of the research, i.e., self-efficacy (personal factors), ex-
aminer performance (behavioural factors) and examination
conditions and examiner scaffolding support (environmen-
tal factors). Identifying key concepts helps the researcher find
the relationship between these, and develop appropriate re-
search questions, e.g., 1) How does an examiner's self-effi-
cacy in OSCEs affect their ability to assess students in subse-
quent exams? 2) How does the support provided to
examiners and exam conditions influence the link between
self-efficacy and examiner performance in OSCEs? 3) Do ex-
aminers with high self-efficacy provide fairer scores than
those with low self-efficacy in OSCEs? By having a theoretical
framework, researchers can establish a foundation for their
research and provide a clear picture of the relationship be-
tween the key concepts involved in the study. Researchers
must also provide any conceptual and operational definitions
for key concepts or variables that will be used in the study.
Clearly defining key concepts and variables in the back-
ground section of a dissertation can also help establish the
significance of the research question and its relevance to the
broader field of study. As the name implies, a conceptual def-
inition refers to a variable's meaning in a conceptual, ab-
stract, or theoretical sense. Conceptual definitions are often
used to describe concepts which cannot be directly meas-
ured, such as active learning, rote learning, inter-professional
learning, inter-professional education, or constructs such as
clinical performance. Conversely, operational definitions de-
fine the steps researchers must take in order to collect data to
measure a phenomenon or concept.5 For example, clinical
performance can be considered a conceptual construct but
may also be defined operationally as the ability of students to
pass 12 out of 16 stations of an OSCE. The researcher having
already pre-specified specific the criteria for classifying
students as pass/fail in order to determine the ability of
students to perform clinically. This operational definition
provides a clear method for evaluating and measuring stu-
dent ability, which can then be used to give feedback and
guide further learning or to establish clear expectations for
students and provide a basis for evaluating and assessing
their performance. In general, it can be beneficial for medical
education programs to define aspects such as clinical perfor-
mance operationally in this way in rather than conceptually,
especially if there is a need to ensure that students meet a re-
quired standard of competence and are prepared for the de-
mands of real-world clinical practice. These definitions can
also then be used to establish the methods and criteria by
which the variables of the study will subsequently be meas-
ured or altered.
Citing the existing literature to support the research aim
A literature review is the process of critically evaluating ex-
isting research and utilising it to inform and guide the re-
search proposal under investigation. Taking this approach
enables researchers to ensure that their research is not only
grounded in, but also contributes meaningfully to, any exist-
ing knowledge as a whole. Critically reviewing the literature
provides evidence and justification for any research and is es-
sential when formulating a hypothesis, question, or study ob-
jectives. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, it helps
identify any gaps or inconsistencies in the existing
knowledge base. Determining the knowledge gap is critical in
justifying the necessity for our research and advancing
knowledge. A comprehensive literature review also helps es-
tablish the theoretical or conceptual frameworks to ground
any subsequent research, providing researchers with guid-
ance and direction on how best to conduct their future stud-
ies. Understanding from the literature what has worked pre-
viously and what may pose challenges or limitations assists
researchers when exploring the best methods and techniques
for answering new research questions. To clarify, consider a
hypothetical study in which researchers wish to examine the
effectiveness of a specific educational intervention in medical
students to improve patient safety. Based on the existing lit-
erature, let's assume that researchers learned that most stud-
ies had only focused on short-term outcomes rather than
long-term ones. The long-term effects of any intervention in
medical students on patient safety therefore remain uncer-
tain. Researchers may therefore wish to consider conducting
longitudinal studies months after interventions have been
carried out, rather than simply repeating research based on
short-term outcomes, in order to address the current
knowledge gap. A review of existing literature may highlight
hitherto previously unconsidered logistical difficulties in
conducting longitudinal studies in this area that the re-
searcher may need to be aware of.
Stating the significance of the research
More than simply reporting the existing research, one of the
key objectives in any literature review is to summarise and
synthesise existing research on the intended topic in order to
analyse the significance of the research in question. In this
process, diverse ideas can be merged to form fresh new per-
spectives. Any gaps, limitations, or controversies in medical
education can be identified, and potential future benefits and
implications of the proposed research explained to the
reader. Based on any potential impact or perceived im-
portance, the introduction provides an excellent opportunity
for the researcher to affirm the significance of the research
study and why it should be conducted.
By way of an example, the significance of a study con-
cerning feedback given to examiners for Objective Structured
Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) is used to illustrate this point
Tavakol & O'Brien Crafting a good introduction to scholarly research
86
further. The potential significance of this research lies in im-
proving the validity and reliability of OSCE scores in medical
education. As a result of reviewing different types of feedback
given to examiners, the research may assist in identifying the
most effective strategies for improving the quality of OSCEs
in medical education. By providing new insights into how
feedback can improve the reliability and validity of OSCE re-
sults, the research could also contribute to the broader
knowledge of assessment in general. This may result in the
development of more accurate and robust medical education
assessments, which in turn may potentially enhance delivery
of healthcare and improve patient outcomes and safety. It
may also address the current challenges and gaps in medical
education assessment by providing evidence-based ap-
proaches for improving OSCE quality.
Formulating Research Questions and Objectives
Researchers formulate research questions and objectives
based on the topic they are seeking to address. As noted pre-
viously, these will have already been derived as a result of a
comprehensive literature review of any existing knowledge
and based on a theoretical or conceptual framework. Fur-
thermore, in medical education, the literature review pro-
vides researchers with the opportunity to formulate new re-
search questions or research objectives to address any gaps
or limitations in the existing literature and add something
new to the current body of knowledge. Research questions
and objectives should be stated clearly, being both specific,
and measurable. These should then guide the subsequent se-
lection of appropriate research methods, data collection and
any subsequent analytical process. Clear, focused, and rigor-
ous research questions and objectives will ensure the study is
well-designed and make a valuable contribution to the exist-
ing body of knowledge.
Qualitative research questions should be open-ended and
exploratory rather than focused on a specific hypothesis or
proposition. It is common for qualitative studies to focus on
understanding how and why certain phenomena occur, ra-
ther than simply describing what has occurred. These should
be formulated to elicit rich, detailed, and context-specific
data that can provide insights into the experiences, perspec-
tives, and meanings of the participants. In contrast, quanti-
tative research questions are more specific and are designed
to test a particular hypothesis or relationship. In medical ed-
ucation, it is imperative to emphasise the importance of both
qualitative and quantitative research questions when it
comes to generating new knowledge. Combining both quan-
titative and qualitative research methods (mixed methods)
can be particularly powerful in providing a more compre-
hensive understanding of any phenomena under study. As-
sume again that we are examining the effectiveness of feed-
back on the performance of medical students and adopt a
mixed-methods approach using a combination of qualitative
and quantitative research methods. A quantitative research
question may be, what is the impact of feedback on the
performance of medical students as measured by OSCE
mark? How the experience of receiving feedback on perfor-
mance contributes to the future professional development of
medical students is a more qualitative research question. This
combination of quantitative and qualitative research ques-
tions will provide an in depth understanding of the effective-
ness of feedback on medical student performance. It is im-
portant to note that in qualitative research methods
particularly, there can be a wide variety of research question
types. For example, grounded theory researchers may ask so-
called "process questions", such as 'how do students interpret
and use the feedback they are given?' Phenomenologists, on
the other hand, are concerned with lived experience of re-
search subjects and frequently ask questions looking to un-
derstand the "meaning" of any such experience, often aiming
to attribute feelings to this experience, for example, ‘how do
students feel when they receive feedback?’ Ethnographers
look to understand how culture contributes to an experience,
and may ask more "descriptive questions"5 for example, ‘how
does the culture within a specific medical school affect stu-
dents receiving feedback on their performance?’
For ease of reference, the key points we recommended are
considered in any dissertation introduction are summarised
below:
1. Set the context for the research
2. Establish a theoretical or conceptual framework to
support your study
3. Define key variables both conceptually and
theoretically
4. Critically appraise relevant papers during the liter-
ature review
5. Review previous studies to identify and define the
knowledge gap by assessing what has already been
studied and what areas remain unexplored
6. Clearly articulate the rationale behind your study,
emphasising its importance in the intended field
7. Clearly define your research objectives, questions,
and hypotheses
Conclusions
Whilst crafting a research introduction may seem a challeng-
ing and time-consuming task, it is well worth the effort to
convey your research clearly and engage potential readers.
Providing sufficient background information on the research
topic, conducting a comprehensive review of the existing re-
search, determining the knowledge gap, understanding any
limitations or controversies in the topic of interest, before
then exploring any theoretical or conceptual frameworks to
develop the research concepts, research questions and meth-
odology are fundamental steps. Articulating any conceptual
and operational definitions of key concepts and clearly
defining any key terms, including explanations of how these
will be used in the study is also paramount to a good
Int J Med Educ. 2023; 14:84-87 87
introduction. It is essential to clearly present the rationale
behind the research and why this is significant, clarifying
what it adds to the existing body of knowledge in medical
education and exploring any potential future implications.
Lastly, it is vital to ensure that any research questions are
clearly stated and are open-ended and exploratory in the case
of qualitative studies, or specific and measurable in the case
of quantitative studies.
We feel that observing these basic principles and
adhering to these few simple steps will hopefully set the stage
for a highly successful piece of research and will certainly go
some way to achieving a favourable editorial outcome for
possible subsequent publication of the work.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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