If you want to understand the theoretical reasons that led researchers to…
2024
If you want to understand the theoretical reasons that led researchers to conduct a study published as a research article in a journal, which section of the article should you read?
Answer: C. introduction — ConceptA research article is organized so that each section answers a different question. The introduction establishes the background, theoretical framework,…
- A.
discussion
- B.
abstract
- C.
introduction
- D.
results
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
A research article is organized so that each section answers a different question.
The introduction establishes the background, theoretical framework, research gap, rationale, and objectives before the study method is described.
Application
The reader here wants the theoretical reasons that motivated the study. Those reasons form the study background and rationale, so they are developed in the introduction.
Contrast
The discussion interprets the findings and explains their implications after the results have been presented.
The abstract gives a compact overview of the article rather than the full theoretical reasoning.
The results section reports the analysed findings, commonly through text, tables, or figures.
Cross-check
Match the reader’s purpose to the section’s function: theoretical background and study rationale belong before methods and findings, which confirms the introduction.
Therefore, the section to read is the introduction.