How to write a dissertation introduction
What a dissertation introduction needs to do, in what order, so a reader understands your project in the first two pages.
8 min read · Reviewed 2026 · Written and reviewed by Chris McGarrigle
A dissertation introduction exists to answer one question for the reader: why does this study matter and what will it do? It should establish the problem, state your research question and aims, and preview your structure — usually in three to five pages, written last.
Students often write the introduction first and never return to it, so it describes the dissertation they planned rather than the one they wrote. Treat it as a summary you draft after the rest of the work is done, then polish until it reads with confidence.
Examiners use the introduction to calibrate their expectations for everything that follows, so vague or over-promising openings cost you marks before your methodology is even read.
What the introduction has to achieve
Every dissertation introduction, regardless of discipline, needs to do the same handful of jobs: establish the context and problem, state the research question and aims, briefly justify why the topic is worth studying, and map the chapters ahead.
Do these in that order. Readers cannot judge whether your question is interesting until they understand the problem it addresses, and they cannot judge your aims until they know the question.
- Context: what field, debate or practical issue does this sit within?
- Problem: what specifically is unresolved, contested or under-researched?
- Question and aims: what will this dissertation actually do about it?
- Justification: why does answering this matter, academically or practically?
- Structure: a short paragraph mapping the chapters.
Write the hook without overclaiming
Open with the real-world or academic problem, not a dictionary definition or a sweeping historical claim. 'Since the dawn of time, communication has mattered to humans' wastes your opening sentence and signals a lack of confidence.
A stronger opening states a concrete tension: two studies disagree, a policy has an unintended effect, a practice is widespread but untested. This immediately shows the reader you know the literature well enough to spot a genuine gap.
State your research question and aims precisely
After the context, state your research question verbatim, followed by two to four objectives that operationalise it. Do not bury the question in a paragraph — give it its own line or clearly signposted sentence so an examiner can find it in seconds.
Keep the aims consistent with the wording you use later in your methodology and conclusion. Inconsistent phrasing across chapters is one of the fastest ways to suggest the dissertation was not planned as a whole.
Justify the study without exaggerating its importance
A short paragraph on significance is expected, but keep the claims proportionate to an undergraduate or master's project. Claiming your dissertation will 'transform practice in the sector' invites scepticism; claiming it will 'add evidence from an under-studied context' is credible and still worth stating.
Map the chapters briefly
Close with a short paragraph — often just four or five sentences — outlining what each subsequent chapter does. This is not a summary of findings; it is a roadmap so the reader knows what to expect next.
Common mistakes
- Writing the introduction first and never updating it once the project changed direction.
- Opening with a sweeping generalisation instead of a specific, evidenced problem.
- Burying the research question inside a long paragraph instead of stating it clearly.
- Overclaiming the significance or originality of an undergraduate or master's project.
- Forgetting the chapter roadmap, leaving the reader to guess at the structure.
Try this: The five-paragraph draft
- Draft one paragraph each for: context, problem, question and aims, justification, and structure.
- Read only the second sentence of each paragraph — does it clearly state its job?
- Cut any sentence that describes findings rather than setting up the study.
- Ask someone outside your field to summarise your project back to you from this draft alone.
Do it in SuperDiss
Structure your introduction against the five jobs it needs to do, with prompts for each paragraph.
Draft your introduction with the Writing toolStudents also ask
- How long should a dissertation introduction be?
- For most undergraduate and master's dissertations, three to five pages, or roughly 5–10% of the total word count. It should be long enough to establish context, question and structure, but short enough to move quickly into the literature review.
- Should I write the introduction first or last?
- Draft a rough version first to organise your thinking, but rewrite it properly after the rest of the dissertation is finished. Only then does it accurately describe the study you actually completed rather than the one you originally planned.
- Does the introduction need citations?
- A small number, yes — enough to evidence the problem or debate you are introducing. A full literature discussion, however, belongs in the next chapter, not the introduction.
Related research: write it up
Draft, tighten and reference each chapter so the golden thread holds together.
Dissertation structure: chapter by chapter
The standard dissertation structure explained chapter by chapter, with indicative word counts, what each chapter must prove, and how the chapters connect.
How to write an abstract
A six-move formula for a dissertation abstract, with word budgets and the mistakes that make abstracts unusable.
How to write a limitations section
How to write an honest, well-judged limitations section that strengthens your dissertation rather than undermining it.
Continue your dissertation journey
- How to write a research question
- Dissertation structure: chapter by chapter
- How to write an abstract
- How to write a literature review
- How to write a methodology chapter
Browse every guide in dissertation writing.
Read next
How to write a research question
What separates a strong dissertation research question from a weak one, with tests you can run on your own question before you commit to it.
Dissertation structure: chapter by chapter
The standard dissertation structure explained chapter by chapter, with indicative word counts, what each chapter must prove, and how the chapters connect.
How to write an abstract
A six-move formula for a dissertation abstract, with word budgets and the mistakes that make abstracts unusable.
This guide is general educational content. Your institution's regulations, handbook and supervisor's instructions always take precedence. Where a named framework is mentioned, consult the original source text rather than relying on this summary.