BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
In writing research thesis candidates are expected to write make segmented writings in chapters. Also the chapters are further segmented to follow sequential logic. The background to the study which some institutions refers to as background of the study is a segment of the research thesis which is usually in the first chapter of the research work. Background of the study is a sequence of logical paragraphs explaining the main variables of the research topic. When writing the background of the study a candidate is expected to take note of the following points
- An average background to the study is usually between 3-6 pages
- The researcher should convince the reader what influenced him to pick the topic under review
- The researcher is expected to explain concepts, theories and models that are not familiar to the reader
- Also historical elements should be explained
- In your background of the study you are expected to build a story around your central theme
- There should be linkage between paragraphs
- Researchers should avoid once sentence paragraphs
- One page paragraphs should equally be avoided
- The researcher is expected to state other scholars’ opinions on the variables he is researching on
- The opinions of other researchers must be adequately referenced to avoid plagiarism
- The background of the study is expected to carry the definition of the dependent and independent variables.
The background of the study can be concluded with the following statements “it is in-view of the above that the research seeks to (you insert your topic or the problem you intend to solve)” or it is against this backdrop that the researcher seeks to ………………. And other related statements.
Things to do before writing the background of the study
For the researcher to write an adequate and copious background of the study, the researcher need to take note of the following steps
- Search for relevant material: Before the researcher settles to write his background to the study; he needs to have gone through adequate materials relevant to the problem he intends to interrogate. Relevant and reputable information can be obtained from the Library, internet, journals, textbooks, lecture notes and other relevant publication from authoritative sources. The literature with give him bases upon which he can build his background.
- Make notes and separate relevant Data: the researcher having gone through a lot of literature can now sort out data that is most useful for the selected problem; noting their references in a separate page in order not to lose them. This process could be done using the personal computer or using pen and paper. It is this pieces of information that would be gathered to form the building blocks for the background.
- Build the Background: Having searched through a plethora of literature relevant to the problem you wish to examine; you should start the building process of your background paragraph by paragraph, linking your ideas in a logical manner, all the stories revolving around your dependent and independent variable, giving in clear terms all what it takes for the reader to understand the problem under review.
- Revise what you penned down: this is a critical aspect of the research cycle as the writer is expected to go over what he has written down, examining critically the sequence of argument, checking for grammatical errors and construction errors. Many candidates tend to neglect this all important process; thereby leaving their work with a lot of errors. All revision and rereading must be done in hard copies and not soft copies.
It is important that before the candidate submits his background to the study to his supervisor, he gives it to his colleague or a senior friend or if possible a language expert for corrections and general input, however, corrections and inputs must be validated by the candidate who must agree with them as they represent his opinions and thoughts about the subject matter.
