Unlike the introduction found in an academic paper, the introduction of an empirical study is not merely a fundamental roadmap of the study, though that outline may be included in the opening paragraph of the study. In an empirical study, the introduction goes much deeper and includes a statement of the study's purpose, a discussion of the scope of the study, a rationale for conducting the study, the hypotheses or research questions to be addressed, key concepts and terms, and a review of the literature surround ding the study topic.

The purpose, score, and rationale of the study are related though unique components of an empirical study. The purpose of the study should be summarized in a single concise statement that clearly identifies the study topic for the reader. It should be presented early in the introduction section. The purpose statement included in the abstract to the study should be identical here. The rationale statement is not the same as the purpose statement. While the purpose statement explains the what, the rationale statement explains the why; it tells the reader why the study is significant enough to conduct. After all, conducting a research study requires a commitment of time and resources. The scope of the study explains to the reader how much. A well-stated scope of the study will prepare the reader with adequate and measurable boundaries so that reasonable expectations of the study ate established at the outset for the reader.

The hypotheses and research questions should be clearly stated for the reader. Research questions establish for the reader what the researcher was hoping to learn by doing the study while hypotheses inform the reader of the expected outcomes of the study and/or the conjectures the researcher is hoping to prove or disprove. This information guides the reader into a deeper connection with the study by overtly providing questions for the reader to consider while reading the study.

It is important for key terms and concepts to be noted and operationalized. This allows the reader to understand the information presented and helps prevent the reader from making false assumptions or interpretations. When in doubt, the researcher should err on the side of providing too many operational definitions and clarifications. If the terms and concepts expressed in the study are not understood by the reader, the study has no value to the reader.

Finally, the introduction to the study should provide a thorough yet concise review of the literature surrounding the topic. This information should be synthesized into a manageable volume for the reader, and it should clearly identify the gap or tension in the literature that the study is designed to address. If the study is duplicating a prior study or is a meta-analysis of an existing study, that information should be clearly stated as well.

A well-crafted introduction to an empirical study can provide the reader with a good understanding of the intentions of the study, some questions to consider while reading, a thorough understanding of the terms and concepts used in the study, and an understanding of the gap or tension in the existing literature that the study is intending to address.