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.
Purpose
Establish the necessary context, prior work, concepts, and knowledge gap before the paper moves into its specific question or argument.
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