SCI Writing - Introduction

1 Must answer two main questions

What is the gap in knowledge that currently exists and why does it need filling? (importance of the study)
How does this study fill that gap? (role of the study)

2 The Flow of the Introduction

2.1 Clearly identify the subject area and topic

Q: What is the focus of this paper?
A: Use keywords from the title in the first two lines of Intorduction or first paragraph.

Evolutionary Genetics Modelling software can now be applied to increasingly larger datasets (Steele et al.2014). This requires an advanced algorithm of the computation core and the user interface of EGA.

2.2 Establish the context

Q: What is known?
A: Provide a concise and accurate review of the relevant published literature available on the subject - “background information” at the beginning of the second paragraph.
(1) Summarize what researchers knew about the specific problem before this study or experiment was carried out.
(2) Move from the wider subject area to the specific topic of interest(very narrow).
(3) Define key terms used in the paper.
(4) Give a general review of the primary research literature (published articles with citations)-do not include too many details or lengthy explanations.
(5)Read a lot of articles to see which kinds of details are included in the summary of the literature.

The term “targeted therapy” includes all those approaches that aim to tailor the therapy to the patient (or cohort of patients) based on specific molecular features of the disease and/or patient [3], [7], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14].

2.3 State the purpose or hypothesis

Q: Describle exactly what your study will do.
A: Most critical information in the introduction - tip at the bottom of the “inverted triangle” and describes exactly what the study will do. (Use a clear form phrase to introduce this portion)
(1) The purpose of this study was to…; We investigated two possible mechanisms to explain the … etc.
(2)Key verbs: This paper… describes, investigates, lays out, presents, analyzes, attempts to determine, assesses, measures, etc.
(3)Do not include the terms "hypothesis"or "null hypothesis - should be obvious from explanation.
(4)The Statement of Purpose or hypothesis is usually placed near the end of the introduction, often as the topic sentence of the final paragraph.
(5)Qualitative and Quantitative Purpose Statements.

This essay describes the main features of a newly implemented MMMP database called Targeted Therapy Database (TTD).

2.4 Discuss your approach

Q: State the aim and rationale for your approach to the problem being studied.
A: Explain the rationale of approach or aims, and usually follows the purpose statement in the last paragraph of the Introduction.
(1)Why did you choose this kind of approach or experimental design? What are the merits of this particular model system? What advantages does it present in answering the particular question(s) posed?
(2)Do not discuss the specific techniques of experimentation or analysis used in you study here.
(3)Especially if you are using a novel or highly unusaual technique or methodology, the merits of this approach versus previously used methods can be presented in the Introduction.

Whereas previous studies of zygomycota fungi focused on osmosis through the cell walls, this study measured moisture absorption by other parts of the mycelia. (differentiated approach)
Since the role of nonnuclear p27 in nontumor cells was never examined in detail, we investigated whether p27 is present in the mitochondria and is indeed required to improve mitochondria-dependent functionalities and whether the protective caffeine effects are causally related to mitochondrial p27, which would present a new mode of action for caffeine, explaining its protective function in the cardiovasular system.