The introduction to a thesis presents the topic, explains why it matters, and states the aim of the work clearly, together with the research questions or hypotheses. Its job is to orient the reader: where the thesis is headed, what it sets out to discover, and how the text is organised. A good introduction is usually 1 to 3 pages long, stays to the point, and is written (or rewritten) once the rest of the thesis is finished. The introduction is not numbered as a chapter.
What the introduction is for and when to write it
The introduction is the first connected account of your work. Both the examination committee and your supervisor form an early judgement from it about whether you know what you are doing. It is not the place to recount the history of the topic or describe your own student journey. It exists so that, after reading it, the reader knows what the thesis is about, why it was written, and what they can expect from it.
The most practical approach is to draft a working version of the introduction at the start, so you fix your direction, and then refine the final version once the whole text is complete. Only then do you know precisely which aim you actually met, which questions you answered, and what the final chapter structure looks like. The introduction and the conclusion then read as two sides of the same coin: the introduction promises, the conclusion confirms.
What the introduction must contain
The introduction is not a free essay; it has fixed building blocks. They need not appear as separate headings, and often they flow as continuous paragraphs, but all of them should be present and in a logical order.
Setting the topic
The first few sentences place the topic in context. Explain what the thesis is about and what problem it addresses, in language a reader outside your narrow field can follow. Definitions and citations do not belong here; save those for the literature review.
Justification and relevance of the topic
Answer the question "why this, and why now". It might be a gap in current knowledge, a practical problem from the field, new legislation, or a topic that is genuinely active in your discipline. You do not need to prop up relevance with invented figures; it is enough to state concretely and honestly why the topic is worth studying.
Aim of the thesis
The aim is the heart of the introduction. Formulate it in concrete, verifiable terms, using a verb that can actually be fulfilled: to determine, to analyse, to compare, to design, to verify. Avoid vague phrases such as "I will look at" or "I will try to outline". The aim should be such that, by the end of the thesis, it is unambiguous whether it was achieved.
State secondary or partial objectives only when they genuinely break the main aim into manageable steps, not to make the introduction look richer.
Research questions or hypotheses
The aim gives rise to research questions (what you want to find out) or hypotheses (what you assume and intend to test). Which you choose depends on your research design. Hypotheses belong primarily to quantitative research, where they can be tested statistically. Research questions are more natural in qualitative research. Some studies combine both; what matters is that you genuinely answer them in the conclusion.
Methods in brief
The introduction hints at how you will reach your results: whether through a survey, interviews, document analysis, an experiment, or a combination. This is just a brief mention of one or two sentences. The detailed account belongs in the methodology chapter, not here.
Structure of the thesis
The end of the introduction briefly walks the reader through the chapters: what they will find in the literature review, what in the methodology, and what in the empirical section. A few sentences that show the logic of the whole are enough; do not transcribe the table of contents.
In what order to arrange the elements
A reliable sequence moves from the broader to the narrower, and from the question to the plan:
- Setting the topic and context
- Justification and relevance
- Aim of the thesis
- Research questions or hypotheses
- A brief mention of methods
- An overview of the thesis structure
This order works because it mirrors how a reader thinks. First they want to know what the subject is, then why it should interest them, and only at the end what exactly the author will do about it. If you state the aim before you have set the topic, the reader has nowhere to place it.
How long the introduction should be
The introduction is usually 1 to 3 pages, depending on the type and length of the thesis. A bachelor's thesis needs a shorter introduction; a master's dissertation tends to run a little longer, because the aim and the research design are typically more demanding. You will find precise recommendations in your faculty's guidelines, which always take precedence over general advice from the internet.
A good rule of thumb is balance: the introduction and conclusion should be similar in size. If the introduction runs to three pages, the conclusion should be neither fifteen pages nor half a page. Length is counted in standard pages of text (a standardised page is commonly around 1,800 characters including spaces), not in the physical pages of the document.
| Aspect of the introduction | Bachelor's thesis | Master's dissertation |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | roughly 1 to 2 pages | roughly 2 to 3 pages |
| Aim of the thesis | clear, usually one main aim | a main aim plus partial objectives |
| Research design | questions, simpler design | questions or hypotheses, more developed design |
| Original contribution | application of existing knowledge | a more original contribution is expected |
Length and requirements vary by institution and discipline, so treat the table as a guide rather than a binding standard.
Common mistakes in the introduction
A missing or blurred aim. The most frequent problem. The introduction describes the topic, but nowhere does it state clearly what the thesis is meant to achieve. The reader then has no yardstick by which to judge the work.
An aim that is not met in the conclusion. The aim is ambitious in the introduction, but the thesis does not actually deliver on it. Before submitting, read the introduction and conclusion side by side and check that they meet.
An introduction that is really a chunk of theory. Definitions of terms, an overview of authors, and citations do not belong in the introduction. These belong in the literature review. The introduction should be lighter and orienting.
Too general an opening. Sentences like "since time immemorial, humanity has grappled with the question of communication" say nothing. Start specifically with your own topic, not with the history of civilisation.
Research questions with no link to the aim. The questions appear, but they do not follow from the aim and never reappear in the thesis. Every question should be answered in the empirical section and summarised in the conclusion.
An introduction written only once, at the start. A finished thesis almost always looks different from the original plan. If you do not revisit the introduction after completing the thesis, it often promises something the text does not deliver.
Sample phrasings for the introduction
Treat these sentences as a template you adapt to your own topic, not as text to copy. Examiners recognise borrowed phrases, and every thesis goes through an originality check before defence. Note too that the appropriate citation style, such as ISO 690 or Harvard, should be applied consistently from the very first reference.
Aim of the thesis: "The aim of this bachelor's thesis is to analyse the effect of [factor] on [phenomenon] in a selected [sample] and, on the basis of the findings, to propose recommendations for [field]."
Justification of relevance: "The topic is particularly relevant because [a concrete reason from practice or legislation], while existing research has addressed it only in passing."
Research question: "The thesis seeks to answer the question of the extent to which [variable A] is related to [variable B] under the conditions of [context]."
Hypothesis: "We assume that [group X] achieves higher values of [indicator] than [group Y]."
Overview of the structure: "The first chapter defines the key concepts, the second describes the methodology used, and the third presents the analysis, whose results are summarised in the conclusion."
Notice that the sentences are concrete and contain slots to fill in. It is precisely this specificity that distinguishes a strong introduction from an empty one.
How to connect the introduction to the rest of the thesis
The introduction does not stand alone; it is the gateway into the whole thesis and should be in tune with it. The aim you formulate in the introduction should run through the entire text like a red thread. In the literature review you prepare the concepts the aim needs, in the methodology you describe how you will reach it, in the empirical section you fulfil it, and in the conclusion you state to what degree you succeeded.
It helps in practice to use the research questions from the introduction as the skeleton of the empirical section. Devote a subsection, or at least a clearly defined part of the analysis, to each question, then return to the questions in the conclusion and answer them briefly. This lets the reader see that the thesis holds together and that you delivered what you promised.
For both bachelor's and master's work, it is worth having the introduction and conclusion in front of you at the same time and reading them as a pair. If you find an aim or a question that has no answer in the conclusion, you still have time to fix it. We go into this in more detail for specific types of work, for example for the master's thesis.
How to check that your introduction holds up
Before submitting, run through a simple checklist:
- Does the introduction state a clear aim using a single verb that can be fulfilled?
- Do the research questions or hypotheses follow from the aim?
- After reading the introduction, does the reader know why the topic matters?
- Does the conclusion answer what the introduction promised?
- Does the introduction stay within the length recommended by the faculty and balance the conclusion in size?
- Are the introduction and the rest of the thesis formatted according to the rules in force, including the citation style your institution requires (ISO 690, Harvard, APA, or another)?
If you are unsure about any item, return to it before you hand the thesis in for defence.
If you need expert help with the introduction or the whole thesis, our authors can help you formulate the aim, the research questions, and a logical structure. You can look at our services or go straight ahead and submit a no-obligation order, and we will advise you on what exactly your thesis needs.
Frequently asked questions
Should I write the introduction at the start or at the end?
Best of all, both. Write a working version at the start so you have a clear direction, and refine the final version once the thesis is complete. Only then do you know exactly which aim you met and what the final chapter structure looks like.
How long should the introduction to a thesis be?
Usually 1 to 3 pages. A bachelor's thesis needs a shorter introduction; a master's dissertation tends to be a little longer. You will find the binding length in your faculty's guidelines, which take precedence over general recommendations.
Does the aim belong in the introduction or in the first chapter?
The aim belongs directly in the introduction and is its single most important part. Formulate it in concrete, verifiable terms so that, by the end of the thesis, it is clear whether it was achieved.
Should I use research questions or hypotheses in the introduction?
It depends on your research design. Hypotheses suit quantitative research, where they can be verified statistically. Research questions are more common in qualitative research. You can combine both; the important thing is to answer them in the conclusion.
Are the introduction and conclusion numbered?
No. The introduction and conclusion are not numbered as chapters. Chapter numbering starts with the first content chapter, usually the literature review.
Can I put definitions of terms and citations in the introduction?
It is not advisable. Definitions and the literature overview belong in the literature review. The introduction should be orienting and easy to read; its job is to present the topic and the aim, not to build the conceptual apparatus.