Writing the Introduction of a Journal Article 
Menulis Pendahuluan Artikel Jurnal 
Collated and edited by Ross Woods, 2026
The first chapter (Introduction) is written last, even though appears first in the final thesis. Use the final version of your proposal as the basis, and update it:
- Some items might be simply "copy and paste".
- Some items need updating; for example, you might have had to make practical adjustments during implementation.
- Some things might have to be added, for example, assumptions you made during research, or terms that needed definition.
The introduction explains what the study is about, why the study was needed, and what the study aimed to find out. It should lead the reader logically from the general research problem to the specific research question. A useful principle is “The introduction moves from the problem to what is already known to what is not yet known to why the study is needed to the research question.”
The introduction's central role is quite simple: “Show the reader that there is a worthwhile question that existing knowledge does not adequately answer, and then show that your study was designed to address that question.”
An introduction to a journal article is fairly brief and concise. In a short article (5,000 to 7,000) words it might be 500-750 words long. In a much longer article, it might exceed 1,000 words. It is normally much more selective than the introduction to a thesis or dissertation.
Remove background material that does not contribute to this purpose of the introduction. Do not try to tell the reader everything you know about the subject, and in particular, avoid giving information that belongs in other parts of the article. Do not turn the introduction into a long history of the subject or a catalogue of previous studies. Leave these for the literature review. Avoid presenting your detailed methodology or discussing your findings before the study has been introduced.
You should be able to simply "copy and paste" these sections from your plan:
1. The research problem
2. Explain what is already known
3. Identify what is not yet known
4. Explain why the gap matters
5. Research question
6. Purpose of the Study
You can also "copy and paste" 7. Assumptions and 8. Definitions, but you should add any additional assumptions and definitions that arose during research.
Bab pertama (Pendahuluan) ditulis terakhir, meskipun ditempatkan pertama dalam tesis akhir. Gunakan versi akhir proposal Anda sebagai dasar, lalu perbarui isinya:
- Beberapa bagian mungkin dapat langsung di-"copy and paste".
- Beberapa bagian perlu diperbarui; misalnya, Anda mungkin harus melakukan penyesuaian praktis selama pelaksanaan penelitian.
- Beberapa hal mungkin perlu ditambahkan, misalnya asumsi yang Anda buat selama penelitian atau istilah yang ternyata perlu didefinisikan.
Pendahuluan menjelaskan tentang apa penelitian tersebut, mengapa penelitian itu diperlukan, dan apa yang ingin diketahui melalui penelitian tersebut. Pendahuluan harus membawa pembaca secara logis dari masalah penelitian yang umum menuju pertanyaan penelitian yang spesifik. Prinsip yang berguna adalah: “Pendahuluan bergerak dari masalah, ke apa yang sudah diketahui, ke apa yang belum diketahui, ke alasan mengapa penelitian diperlukan, dan akhirnya ke pertanyaan penelitian.”
Peran utama pendahuluan sebenarnya cukup sederhana: “Tunjukkan kepada pembaca bahwa ada pertanyaan penting yang belum dijawab secara memadai oleh pengetahuan yang ada, kemudian tunjukkan bahwa penelitian Anda dirancang untuk menjawab pertanyaan tersebut.”
Pendahuluan artikel jurnal biasanya cukup singkat dan padat. Dalam artikel pendek (5.000–7.000 kata), panjang pendahuluan mungkin sekitar 500–750 kata. Dalam artikel yang jauh lebih panjang, pendahuluan mungkin lebih dari 1.000 kata. Pendahuluan artikel jurnal biasanya jauh lebih selektif daripada pendahuluan tesis atau disertasi.
Hapus materi latar belakang yang tidak mendukung tujuan pendahuluan ini. Jangan mencoba menjelaskan kepada pembaca semua yang Anda ketahui tentang topik tersebut. Secara khusus, hindari memasukkan informasi yang seharusnya ditempatkan di bagian lain artikel. Jangan mengubah pendahuluan menjadi sejarah panjang tentang topik tersebut atau daftar penelitian terdahulu. Simpan hal-hal tersebut untuk tinjauan pustaka. Hindari menjelaskan metodologi secara rinci atau membahas temuan sebelum penelitian diperkenalkan.
Anda seharusnya dapat langsung melakukan "copy and paste" untuk bagian-bagian berikut dari rencana penelitian Anda:
1. Masalah penelitian
2. Jelaskan apa yang sudah diketahui
3. Identifikasi apa yang belum diketahui
4. Jelaskan mengapa kesenjangan tersebut penting
5. Pertanyaan penelitian
6. Tujuan penelitian
Anda juga dapat melakukan "copy and paste" untuk bagian 7. Asumsi dan 8. Definisi, tetapi Anda perlu menambahkan asumsi dan definisi tambahan yang muncul selama penelitian.
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