Q: How do I effectively write the background of the study for my technical research?

The background of a study has to talk about the ‘why’ of the study – the reason you are doing the study, or more aptly, why the study is needed. Perhaps you have identified a gap (or several) in existing studies, perhaps you have a new insight into the problem, perhaps you have a new solution to the problem. In the background, you have to talk about how your study will work toward this objective.

The background is written as the first part of the Introduction section. It helps to write it as a story or narrative (to make it more effective or engaging), which you can build on through the paper. (However, if this doesn’t come naturally, or doesn’t work for a technically inclined paper such as yours, don’t force it.) It especially helps, or rather, is necessary to link what you are saying with what existing studies and other literature say about the problem. Thus, to write a compelling background, it helps to first do a comprehensive literature review.

For more insights and information on writing the study background, you may refer to the following resources:

• How to write the background of your study
• What is the best way of stating the background of a study?
• How to write an engaging background of the study for your research paper [Course]

All the best for the study!