This document provides guidance on writing an effective introduction section for an academic paper. It outlines three common introduction moves: 1) claiming centrality of the research topic, 2) making topic generalizations or indicating gaps in previous research, and 3) outlining the purpose and structure of the present study. The document also discusses linking paragraphs together, using topic sentences, and benchmark word counts and structure for an introduction. Overall, the document aims to help students understand how to establish the importance and context of their research topic in the introduction.

1. Introduction Moves
Adopted form the blog of Imam Fitri Rahmadi, who in turn adopted from Swales
(2014)

2. Before that, some pointers from last week’s
class
 Search your articles in Google Scholar, not in Google (only)
 Don’t have too many websites and blogs as your sources.
 Some of you haven’t downloaded the articles ( you only wrote the links)
 If you can’t find articles that relate to all of your constructs, then find them separately.
Example: The Impact of Online Learning During the Covid-19 on Students' Well-Being
and Study Quality.
 Say, you can’t find articles that contain “online learning” and “well being” and “study quality”
all at once. In a sense, this is good, because it means your research topic is very novel (new)
 Then, try to find articles which have “online learning”, then articles related to “student well
being” and other articles related to “study quality”
 Just a suggestion: save your article using this format (Authors, year) Title. Example:
(Asriyani et al 2019) Using Roleplay Technique …

5. Move 1
 Step 1: Claiming centrality
Action: Describing the research problem and providing evidence to support why the
topic is important to study.
Example: “Knowledge of X has great importance for . . .”
 Step 2: Making topic generalisation(s)
Action: Providing statements about the current state of knowledge, consensus, practice
or description of phenomena.
Example: “The properties of X are still not completely understood.”
 Step 3: Reviewing items of previous research
Action: Synthesising prior research that further supports the need to study the research
problem; this is not a literature review but more a reflection of key studies that have
touched upon but perhaps not fully addressed the topic.
Example: “Several studies have suggested that . . . (Gordon, 2003; Ratzinger, 2009).”

7. Move 2
Step 1A: Counter-claiming
Action: Introducing an opposing viewpoint or perspective or identify
a gap in prior research that you believe has weakened or
undermined the prevailing argument.
Example: “While Jones and Riley believe X method to be accurate,
a close examination demonstrates their method to be flawed.”
Step 1B: Indicating a gap
Action: Developing the research problem around a gap or
understudied area of the literature.
Example: “While existing studies have clearly established X, they
have not addressed Y.”

8. Move 2 (cont’d)
Step 1C: Question-raising
Action: Similar to gap identification, this involves presenting key
questions about the consequences of gaps in prior research that will
be addressed by your study.
Example: “While Jones and Morgan have established X, these
findings raise a number of questions, including . . .”
Step 1D: Continuing a tradition
Action: Extending prior research to expand upon or clarify a
research problem.
Example: “Earlier studies seemed to suggest X. To verify this
finding, more work is urgently needed.

10. Move 3
 Step 1A: Outlining purposes
Action: Explaining in clear language the objectives of your study.
Example: “The present research tries to clarify . . .”
 Step 1B: Announcing present research
Action: Describing the purpose of your study in terms of what the research is going
to do or accomplish.
Example: “This paper describes three separate studies conducted between March
2008 and January 2009.”
 Step 2: Announcing principal findings
Action: Presenting a brief, general summary of key findings written.
Example: “The results of the study suggest . . .”
 Step 3: Indicating structure
Action: Stating how the remainder of your paper is organised.
Example: “This paper is structured as follows . . .”

11. Some review about paragraphing

12. The paragraphs (Bailey, chapter 10)
 A paragraph is a group of sentences that
deal with a single topic.
 The length of paragraphs varies
significantly according to text type, but
should be no less than four or five
sentences.
 Normally (but not always) the first
sentence introduces the topic (the topic
sentence). Other sentences may give
definitions, examples, information, reasons,
restatements and summaries.
 The parts of the paragraph are linked
together by the phrases and conjunctions
shown in bold in the table. They guide the
reader through the arguments presented.

13. Linking paragraphs together
 In the examples above, each new paragraph begins with a phrase that links it to the
previous paragraph, in order to maintain continuity of argument:
 Despite this (i.e. the lack of a conclusive link)
 All these claims (i.e. arguments in favour of home ownership)
 In order to begin a new topic you may use:
 Turning to the issue of . . .
 Rates of infection must also be examined . . .
 . . . is another area for consideration
 Paragraphs can also be introduced with adverbs:
 Traditionally, few examples were . . .
 Finally, the performance of . . .

14. To conclude, some benchmark for your
Introduction
 Each move can be written in 1-2 paragraphs
 Number of words in the Introduction: 500-700 words, although it’s alright to go up
to 1000 words
 Number of paragraphs: between 3-5, with more or less 5-6 sentences per
paragraph
 Try to have some citations especially for claims and key theories
 Try not to start with: English is an international language… or Learning English is
very important nowadays…
 Immediately start with the context of your research, for example, “In the current Society
5.0 era, technology can help people to do many things, including learning a language.”

15. Let’s now examine an exemplar
Find the exemplar in Bella

16. Work in pairs and answer the following
questions:
 For Move 1, which was used by the author?
A. Claiming centrality: describe the research problem and why it is important
B. Making topic generalization: providing the current knowledge/description/practice of a
phenomenon
C. Reviewing items of previous research
 For Move 2 (if there is any), which was used by the author?
A. Counter-claiming
B. Indicating a gap
C. Question-raising
D. Continuing a tradition

17. Work in pairs and answer the following
questions:
 For Move 3 (if there is any), which was used by the author?
A. Outlining purposes or announcing the research
B. Announcing principal findings
C. Indicating structure
 Now, let’s examine the first paragraph
A. Does it only contain 1 topic sentence?
B. Is the paragraph too long or too short? If too long, how can it be broken up?
C. Is the topic sentence found on the first sentence? What is the topic sentence of this
paragraph?
D. Within the paragraph, can you find the typical structure (topic sentence, example 1, example 2,
example 3, conclusion/summary)?
 Is the first paragraph smoothly linked to the next one?

18. You can now start to write the outline
of your Intro
Write your outline on the paper I am giving you. When you’re done, exchange it
with your partner for corrections and/or more ideas. Then, give it to me for a
quick check.