Simply put, the purpose of the introduction is to create interest in your study. There are many types of information that could be included. The list below includes 11 types of information. However, you should not use all of them. One way to identify which types of information should be included is to refer to graduation theses of other members of your lab. If possible, discuss the possible contents of your introduction with your graduation thesis supervisor.

1. Give background information about the topic.
2. Refer to the important findings of other researchers.
3. Identify the need for further investigation.
4. Indicate your plans for further investigation.
5. State your hypothesis/research questions.
6. State your aim/purpose.
7. State your objectives.
8. Indicate the scope of your study, i.e. the width versus the depth of your research.
9. Refer to any limitations of your study.
10. Give a definition of key terms.
11. Outline the content of each section.

Source: Final Year Project guidelines at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The most basic outline for a graduation thesis is IBC:

• introduction,
• body,
• conclusion.

The body section can be divided into three parts and so the outline can be extended to:

• introduction,
• method
• results,
• discussion,
• conclusion.

To this outline, we can add some two sections: one section at the beginning of the thesis, and add one section at the end. This gives the following outline:

• front matter,
• abstract,
• introduction,
• method,
• results,
• discussion,
• conclusion,
• references.

Now, we have a basic framework for a graduation thesis. Although in your graduation thesis, you may use different headings.

The word thesis roughly translates from the Greek word for position. The thesis statement is a refined and succinct set of arguments that define what you will demonstrate or prove in the thesis—it is your position. It is the point of your work. The statement can be very short or many pages in length. If an oral defense were a battle, this is the ground you fight to hold.

[Source: Ryerson University guide on How to Produce a Computer Science Thesis]

Your thesis statement will probably change during your research, but it is important to try to summarize the arguments that support or underlie your position.

One way to generate a thesis statement is to state the topic, your stance, the rationale for this stance and note any qualifications. Put simply, state your claim or position, the reason for deciding this. Note also any different views and any limitations. The example below shows how the answers to four questions can be combined into a one-sentence thesis statement (thesis sentence).