ThezisHow to write a thesis introduction: an annotated example
The introduction is a contract with the reader. It tells them what problem matters, what your thesis investigates, and how the rest of the document will earn its answer.
Use four moves, not a history of everything
| Move | What it does | Common failure |
|---|---|---|
| Set the problem | Establishes the situation and stakes | Starting so broadly that the reader cannot see the topic. |
| Locate the gap | Shows what current work leaves unresolved | Calling a topic unpopular instead of identifying a knowledge gap. |
| State the aim | Names the question or purpose | Hiding the question until several pages later. |
| Map the thesis | Previews the document’s reasoning | Listing chapters without explaining their role. |
The exact order changes by field. Some introductions begin with a finding, a case, or a methodological problem. What should remain visible is the connection from context to question. University of Toronto Academic Success
Annotate one opening paragraph
[Problem] Universities invest in study spaces, yet availability can be hard for commuter students to predict. [Gap] Existing campus-utilization studies often count seats but rarely examine how uncertainty shapes a student’s decision to travel to campus. [Aim] This thesis investigates how commuter undergraduates describe that uncertainty and the routines they build around it. [Map] It first reviews research on study environments, then explains the interview design, presents the findings, and discusses implications for future measurement.
Labels are for learning only; remove them from your draft. Every factual claim in a real introduction needs an appropriate source.
Do not promise a result your method cannot deliver. If your study is exploratory, say so. Precision in the opening prevents inflated conclusions later. UNC Writing Center