The introduction serves to familiarize your readers with your topic, your thesis statement and the theoretical justification of your research. Your introduction must reflect the argumentation you use in the body of your paper. Therefore, some authors write their introduction only after they have finished the body. In practice, many writers start out by writing an introduction that they adjust as the rest of their paper progresses. This, too, illustrates the interaction between research and writing about research.

An introduction usually includes the following elements:

1. Introduction of the Topic

A few sentences is enough to familiarize lay readers with the context of the paper’s thesis statement. There is no need to go into great detail. Write enough to introduce your topic and to ‘hook’ non-expert readers.

2. Research Question / Thesis Statement

After sketching the context, clearly phrase your thesis statement. In draft versions this statement can be phrased as a question with subquestions. Your final version should only contain declarative sentences. It is good practice to put your thesis statement at the end of the introduction so you can use it to lead into the body of your paper.

In A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 6th edition, Mary Lynn Rampolla defines what a thesis statement is. She lists four things it is not: it is not a description of the topic, a statement of fact, a statement of opinion or a question:

A thesis is not a question. Although historians always ask questions as they read . . . and a thesis statement arises from the historian’s attempt to answer a question, a question is not, in itself, a thesis. “Why were Mohandas Gandhi’s methods successful in the movement to achieve Indian independence from Great Britain?” is a valid historical question, but it is not a thesis statement.

In short, . . . a thesis is a statement that reflects what you have concluded about the topic of your paper, based on a critical analysis and interpretation of the source materials you have examined.

. . . [T]he following is a an acceptable thesis: “From the moment that Mohandas Gandhi decided to respond to force with acts of civil disobedience, British rule of India was doomed: his indictment of British colonial policy in the court of public opinion did far more damage to the British military than any weapon could.” – Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 6th edition, 44

Hence, the research question used earlier as an example will also need rephrasing:

• ‘To what extent was the high percentage of Dutch Jews deported during the Second World War due to the professionalism of the Dutch civil registration system?’

This preliminary question needs to be turned into a thesis statement:

• ‘Contrary to the assertions of several contemporary Dutch historians, the professionalism of the Dutch civil registration system had little impact on the number of Jews deported from the Netherlands during the Second World War.’

This rephrasing is essential. Your research paper will not be complete unless you have taken this step.

3. Theoretical Justification

Explain to your readers why your topic warrants research by briefly explaining its academic significance in relation to existing research. Your justification explains:

• the relevance of your research (why is it worthwhile?); and
• the fact that your topic, or your research question and method have not yet been (sufficiently) researched.

Provide a brief historiographical and/or theoretical framework that broadly outlines existing research into your topic and summarizes existing interpretations. A gap or ‘blind spot’ in the historiography can be a convincing justification for your research if you can provide arguments why it is important to do so.

4. Methodological Framework

Apart from introducing your topic and giving the reasons why you conducted your research, you also need to present a methodological framework: your reasons for using a particular research method, your selection of sources and the ways in which you used those sources.

Sometimes your methodology does not need much explanation, for example when your paper is structured chronologically.

Do not be too quick to assume that the methodology you have used is self-evident or that you have not applied any specific method. Any explanation of how you carried out your research, any accounting for your method will almost certainly benefit the transparency of your research.

If necessary, you can include technical information at the end of your methodological framework. Tell your audience if you have used certain calendars or why you included maps, tables and graphs, and how to read these.

A good introduction contains all four of these elements. Moreover, a good introduction is closely linked to a good conclusion. You do not need to specify the structure of your paper or thesis (‘Chapter 1 will discuss…., Chapter 2 will deal with …., etc.).