Writing a strong introduction for a research paper written in APA style is very important. The introduction serves to introduce your topic, provide context and a brief overview of your paper, draw the reader in, and establish your thesis statement. Let’s look at the key components of a well-written introduction and discuss an APA style research paper introduction example.
The introduction of a research paper is one of the most important sections of the paper. Since this is the opening section of your work, it needs to draw the reader in immediately and establish the focus and direction of your paper. Some key things to include in your introduction are:
Background information and context for your topic. Provide a brief overview of the issue or research area that is being examined to help orient the reader. You can discuss any necessary context or foundational knowledge they need to fully understand the problem or question being addressed.
Statement of the problem or research question being examined. Explicitly state the main issue or question you are exploring in just a sentence or two. This helps set the stage for your discussion.
Justification for the importance of the topic. You’ll want to explain why this topic is significant or worth examining. How will exploring this issue, question, or phenomenon be useful, insightful, helpful? Why does it matter? This helps establish that your research has merit.
Literature review. Provide a brief, high-level summary of some of the major published works, perspectives, and/or theories that are pertinent to your research. Discussing relevant literature demonstrates that you are well-versed in what is already known about the topic and shows how your study fits into and potentially extends our understanding.
Thesis statement. A clear, focused thesis statement that directly addresses your research question or hypothesis and previews the key conclusions or main takeaways of your paper. This final component of your introduction helps establish the direction and outcomes of your research.
Here is a sample APA introduction for a research paper on how advertising affects childhood obesity rates:
Childhood obesity has become a serious health epidemic, with rates tripling over the past few decades. Currently, over 25% of all children in the United States are considered obese or overweight according to data from the Centers for Disease Control (2019). While many factors contribute to childhood obesity including lifestyle, environment, and genetics, researchers have begun exploring the potential role of advertising on consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and subsequent weight gain. This issue is important to examine given that childhood obesity often persists into adulthood and can lead to lifelong health complications like heart disease and diabetes.
Previous studies have found correlations between TV exposure to food ads and higher caloric intake in children (Story & French, 2004). Some researchers hypothesize that these ads directly influence brand and product preferences, which then impact dietary choices and calorie consumption (Weber et al., 2014). Others argue the link is more complex as other household and socioeconomic variables must also be considered (Niemeier et al., 2006). The existing literature indicates broad agreement that media exposure plays some role but leaves unanswered questions about the specific mechanisms and moderating factors.
The purpose of this research study is to explore how food advertising specifically targeting children ages 8-12 shapes short and long-term dietary behaviors. Data will be analyzed from the Nielsen Homescan Panel, a large dataset tracking household grocery purchases and media consumption over time. Linear regression modeling and mediation analyses will test whether food advertising leads directly to increased purchases and consumption of those products and whether BMI measures correlate over 2-5 years. It is hypothesized that targeting food ads to young children will significantly predict purchases and BMI, even when accounting for socioeconomic status. Clarifying this relationship could help inform potential policies regulating child-directed food marketing.
This sample introduction establishes the context of the issue being studied by briefly discussing childhood obesity statistics, touches on previous research and perspectives, explicitly states the research question, discusses why this topic is important to examine, and provides a clear thesis statement. The key components of the APA introduction example are used effectively to orient the reader and set up the direction of the paper.
A strong introduction in APA style research papers serves several critical purposes. It provides background, previews content and outcomes, establishes context and significance, reviews relevant literature, and directly states a focused research question or hypothesis. By incorporating each important element into a cohesive paragraph or two, writers can effectively draw readers in and frame their research from the very beginning. Crafting an introduction with a clear focus and direction is vital for setting the stage for the remainder of the paper.