Background Section
UW–Madison scientific-writing guidance describes relevant background as the concepts, terminology, definitions, and prior findings readers need in order to understand the rationale and knowledge gap behind a study. Some genres integrate background into the Introduction or Literature Review instead of using a separate heading; follow the target discipline, journal, or institutional template.
A Background section gives readers the relevant context they need to understand the problem, rationale, or research gap; include only background that serves the study’s purpose.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
Some genres integrate background into the Introduction or Literature Review instead of using a separate heading; follow the target discipline, journal, or institutional template.
Further guidance
Content
Select only background material that helps readers understand the study rather than turning the section into an unfocused history of the topic.
Practical Application
Give readers only the concepts, definitions, prior findings, and context needed to understand the problem, rationale, or knowledge gap. Organize the material so it narrows toward the specific question instead of becoming a general history of the topic. If the target genre folds background into the Introduction or Literature Review, follow that structure rather than forcing a separate heading.
Purpose
Establish the necessary context, prior work, concepts, and knowledge gap before the paper moves into its specific question or argument.
Reader Check
Can a reader explain why the present question matters after this section, and can every paragraph be tied to the study’s rationale or gap?
Worked Example
Instead of summarizing every prior study chronologically, select the few findings and definitions that establish the unresolved issue and end by connecting that gap to the present research question.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Writing an Introduction for a Scientific Paper (opens in a new tab)University of Wisconsin–Madison Writing Across the Curriculum · University science-writing guidance on focused research questions and hypotheses in research introductions