Professional Development


55 - IMRAD structure: Introduction
In the Introduction section of a scientific article we must clearly define the hypothesis or the main idea that led us to conduct the research. State the specific purpose or research objective, the study or observation or the hypothesis it tests. The research objective is presented more focused when it is posed as a question. The Introduction provides a context or background for the study (the nature of the problem and its significance). The hypothesis is inserted into the context supported by a clear review of previous works related with our research. We can define the relevance of the research in this brief review (the introduction is usually one DIN A-4 page long). Clearly point out both the main and secondary objectives and describe any pre-specified subgroup analyses. Give only strictly pertinent references and do not include data or conclusions of the work you are referring to. A well-written Introduction will ensure the reader knows what led us to conduct the study.