Describing Background of the Study

Introduction

The background of the study is basically an overview of the research study and explains why you, as researcher, are doing the study. It provides
information that is important or essential to understand the main body of the research investigation, which could be an offshoot of any one of the
following:

1. Historical developments
2. Cultural developments
3. Academic developments
4. Scientific findings
5. Debates or arguments and a host of others

These developments could give rise to your research questions. The background of the study locates or situates your study in the context of your
specific field (Accounting, Business, Management, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Sports, Arts and Designs, Technical Vocational)
and other related fields.

Your linking up of your research study to recent developments, as well as your mentioning whether certain issues relevant to your field of
investigation had been addressed in any form, followed by the research questions you intend to seek answers for, can make your reader deduce the
originality of your study (www.editage.com).

Example

Cockroaches are common pests in the tropics. They have been known to cause allergic reactions to most people and chew holes on clothes.
According to Bato Balani for Science and Technology, vol. 14, no.2, the real danger of cockroach lies in their ability to transmit sometimes lethal
diseases and organisms such as staphylococcus spp, streptococcus spp, Hepititis viruses and coliform bacteria.

They have been known to contaminate food, at the same time infect it with bacteria they carry. The bacteria they spread in food can cause severe
chest pains and coughs when inhaled.

The second is the cockroach coil which can kill roaches but the active ingredients like allethri… can cause harm to humans when inhaled. It also has
an ozone depleting ingredient.

The third most popular is the flypaper; when roaches are stuck into it, they die and carcass can spread more bacteria.

The question on everyone’s mind is: “What can be an effective and natural insecticide?”

Tubing Bakod (Jatropha carcass) is a common plant in the Philippines. According to the website www.davesgarden.com, its seeds contain a certain
toxic substance known as toxalbumin carcen. Along with other ingredients like sap, onions and weeping willow leaves, are Tubang Bakod seeds
feasible to be used as cockroach killer? (https://www.scrib.com/doc/60715657/Background-of-the-Study-Sample)

Q: How to write the background to the study in a research paper?

Can you please help me by explaining what is the background to the study when writing a research paper? I'm writing a research paper on "The
effects of socio-economic factors on the academic performance of grade12 learners. Asked by Sulwana Khayalethu on 12 May, 2018

Answer:

The background of the study provides context to the information that you are discussing in your paper. Thus, the background of the study generates
the reader's interest in your research question and helps them understand why your study is important. For instance, in case of your study, the
background can include a discussion on how socio economic factors influence learning patterns or the disparity in academic performance among
learners of grade 12. However, this is just an example, and you will be the best person to judge what information you would like to include in the
background of your study.

Typically, the background of a study includes a review of the existing literature on the area of your research, leading up to your topic. Once you have
discussed the contribution of other researchers in the field, you can identify gaps in understanding, that is, areas that have not been addressed in these
studies. You can then explain how your study will address these gaps and how it will contribute to the existing knowledge in the field.

Useful tips on writing background of study in a research paper

The background of the study is one of the key aspects you need to get right when you are writing a research paper. It is the key to introducing your
readers to the topic of your research, and it is different from the introduction. Here is how to write background of the study in research studies.

What is background of study?

The background of the study is a part of a research provided in the introduction section of the paper. The background of the study is a compilation of
adequate information that is based on the analysis of the problem or proposed argument, the steps and methods needed to arrive at the design and the
implementation of the results achieved and feasible solutions.

It is different from the introduction. The introduction only contains the preliminary information about your research question, or thesis topic and
readers will be learning in your paper. It is simply and overviews the research question or thesis topic. But the background of your study is more in-
depth and explains why your research topic or thesis is worth the time of your readers. Your paper background of study will provide your readers
with context to the information talked about throughout your research paper. It can include both relevant and essential studies.
Background of the study is used to prove that a thesis question is relevant and also to develop the thesis. In summary, a good background of the study
is the work done to determine that your research question or thesis topic is a problem and that the method used is the one required to solve the issue
or answer the question.

How to write background of the study in a research paper?

Stage 1. At the beginning stages of formulating your thesis, many of the issues are still very unclear, and you need to solidify your thoughts, you
should conduct preliminary research. You conduct this preliminary research on the specific topic, and the area of study will help you to put forward a
research question or thesis statement that will finally lead to more relevant and specific research. You can visit a library, check the Internet and other
electronic databases to find preliminary sources such as scholarly journals and books about your background of the study.

Stage 2. Read and gather the information you need to develop a thesis statement or research question that will guide your thesis. You should take
notes and also keep an accurate track of the sources of information you have used up to this point. A lot of people use note cards, but it’s easier and
better to use electronic note-taking programs in this electronic age. Just make sure to use a form or recording that is comfortable and easier for you.
Also, make sure you cite the source of every information you are using on each note so that you won’t forget where you got the information from,
just in case you want to use it in your thesis

Stage 3. Develop and pen down research question or thesis statement. Think about the things you’ve read and searched for issues or solutions that
have been found by other people and then formulate your stance or opinion on the issue. Write out your position or opinion as an authoritative
statement. You can decide to do more detailed research at this point and look for more sources that are more relevant to your research question or
thesis.

Stage 4. Complete your research using question and thesis statement as your guide. You should be able to find sources that are relevant to your
specific thesis and provide more insight into your research question. It is critical that your sources provide information on the history and past
researches related to your thesis or research question.

Stage 5. As you create your background study, create relevant sections. When you start writing, create five different sections that have the key issues,
major findings, and the controversies that are surrounding your research question or thesis and also a section that provides evaluation and a
conclusion.

Stage 6. Identify the further studies that need to be done in the in the conclusion section. And also mention possible solutions to the issue that have
not been put into consideration in the past.

Stage 7. Do a revision and editing of your background of the study. You can write out several drafts of your work, revising, editing, and adding more
information as you do so before coming up with the final one. Make sure each draft is better than the previous. You can also ask someone else to help
you go through it.

A writing format

You can follow this format when you are writing your background of the study:

Begin by giving a general overview of your thesis topic and introduce the main ideas you will be making use of throughout your thesis.

Then, give the detailed and precise information about all the methodologies used in the research. This can take up to several paragraphs depending on
the individual and research question or thesis topic.

Cite your sources where necessary to avoid plagiarism.

Then you can introduce the experiment by describing your choice of methodology briefly, why you have decided to use this methodology instead of
others and the objective of the methodology.

Writing the Background of the Study

Expectations (Background of the Study)

Overview of your topic (i.e. What do you want readers to know about concerning your topic?)

1. General information about your topic

2. Context of your topic
3. Rationale/ Justification of your topic

General information about your topic What is happening now about your issue you want to study?

Context of your topic What are the conditions, settings, and situations with respect to your topic?; Who are directly or indirectly involved?

Rationale/ Justification of your topic Why should we pay attention to your topic or the issue you want to study/ address?; Why should
we care about your topic?; Why is there a need to focus on the topic?
1.1 Background of the study

With diminishing finances, it is rarely possible for a library or information center to have enough resources to fulfill the needs of its clients.
What is being delivered is only a portion of what their clients actually need (Ramos & Mohd Ali, 2005). Collaboration is widely recognized as the
best way for libraries to cope with the ever increasing challenges: volume of information resources; nature and quality of information; user needs and
expectations; information and communication technology competencies and infrastructure; inflated cost of information resources; and staffing needs.
However, although these challenges have continued to prevail, libraries working under collaborative initiatives like the Consortium of Academic and
Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) have registered tremendous success.

This thesis reports the findings of a thorough study to establish the factors that have led to the success of CARLI and how such success
factors can be applied in libraries of developing countries like Uganda. Emphasis is placed on the establishment of CARLI leadership, the sharing of
responsibility and decision making processes as well as sources of funding for the consortium. Also central to the research study is exploration of the
role and responsibility of participating member libraries and their contributions to and expectations from the consortium.

I contend that lack of funding to facilitate consortium activities is not the central factor in the failed progress of the planned consortium
activities in Uganda, rather it is the lack of committed leadership and cooperation among participating libraries that is responsible for the lack of
progress. In any kind of organization or cooperation like a library consortium, funding has never been enough due to ever changing technologies and
continuous demands from library patrons. However, good leadership and cooperation among membership plays a bigger role in achieving a common
goal. Having and working towards a common goal, under dedicated, dynamic and faithful leadership with an active and energetic membership plays
a great role in the success ofa consortium.

To assist in the possible improvement of consortium operations in Uganda, I need to understand the leadership, responsibility, staffing,
collection, policies and procedures, funding and structure of academic libraries in the participating membership of CARLI in comparison with those
of Uganda. My research has incorporated interviews with CARLI staff and a questionnaire survey to all the participating CARLI membership.