When we discuss the structure of the Background of the Study, most scholars will refer to the written structure proposed by Swales and Feak (1994) and Bunton (2002). The structure is basically moving from general to specific, and its main purpose is to create a research space. Table 4.1 shows the typical moves or structure in the Introduction part of a thesis or the Background of the Study
In Move 1, we usually begin to carve out our own research space by indicating that the general area is in some way significant. Often, this is done through reviewing previous research in the field, providing background information on the particular topic being studied, and defining essential key terms in the study. Keep in mind that different tenses might be used in different moves. For instance, if we want to use move 1a about the importance of the general area of research, we are advised to use present tense or present perfect tense to create centrality to the claim. Besides, adjectives which emphasize the importance or interest of the topic are often used as well. Here are some examples of how to create centrality of the research area:
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“Speech has arguably been the most important form of human communication since languages were first conceived” (Epps 2000: 1).
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“In the area of second language acquisition, motivation has been considered a variable affecting success in second language learning” (Cahyono & Rahayu, 2020:163).
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“One widely deployed application of the appraisal framework has been in the exploration of how persona and identity are enacted linguistically” (White, 2021:2).
Some research often starts with some mind-blowing facts to trigger readers‘ curiosity. The facts do not have to be bombastic or exaggerated, just enough to get the readers‘ attention. Make sure that the facts used are not too broad, and try to avoid the obvious information which most people have already known. Focus only on the field to be discussed and do not forget to cite the source, as shown in the following example.
“Plastic debris causes the deaths of more than a million seabirds every year, as well as more than 100,000 marine mammals” (UNESCO, 2017).
Then, we can continue by providing a brief review of the previous studies in the area, as presented in the following example:
BP’s response to the Gulf spill became a widespread source of debate as events unfolded between April and September 2010. Since then, it has also become an ongoing source of research and deliberation for communication scholars, public relations experts, and professionals interested in crisis management. Harlow, Brantley, & Harlow (2011), for instance, examine ‘‘image restoration strategies’’ hat BP deployed in the weeks immediately following the sinking of Deepwater Horizon (see Benoit, 1995; Benoit & Drew, 1997; Burns & Bruner, 2000; Coombs & Schmidt, 2000; Haigh & Brubaker, 2010). The authors suggest that press releases in particular are an ‘‘important means of creating and repairing or restoring corporate image, since they are the documents most explicitly associated with issue framing and agenda setting’’ (p. 81). Schultz, Kleinnijenhuis, Oegema, Utz, and van Atteveldt (2012) extend the scope of Harlow et al.’s investigation and identify ‘‘associative frames’’ (p. 99) that appear across BP press releases and news articles published in the USA and UK. Through content and semantic network analysis, they found that BP deployed a ‘‘decoupling strategy’’ (p. 104) both to highlight its response efforts in the Gulf and to avoid being implicated as a responsible party. (Wickman, 2014: 4)
In Move 2, we need to point to a gap or niche in the previous research which the research will ‘fill’. In thesis, the gap is sometimes presented as a problem or need that has been identified as requiring further research. We do it by either indicating a gap in the previous research or possibly extending a current approach into a new area. Commonly, when we indicate the gap, we use negative evaluative language, such as in the following examples:
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Indeed, there appeared to be a story of female agitation for Aboriginal rights in twentieth-century Australia that had largely gone unnoticed up to that point, and in the context of contemporary feminist politics was positively denied (Holland 1998: 1).
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These studies demonstrate the potential for press releases to shape public understanding in times of environmental crisis; yet they do not explicitly examine or account for the ways in which conventional features of the press release genre factor into the practice of image restoration or corporate agenda setting (Wickman, 2014: 4).
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Studies examining the relationship between motivation and writing proficiency across gender were rarely conducted, especially in Indonesia (Cahyono & Rahayu, 2020:164).
Another example of highlighting the gap, and thus explaining the necessity of conducting the proposed study is shown in the following example:
Studies show, that with the current rate of disposable plastic use, the extinction of aquatic life in the Indian Ocean is imminent (Guern, 2018). In only fifteen years, not only will we lose numerous species, but thousands of fishermen on the southern coast of Java will also lose their jobs. This condition will affect the global economy and ecology, leading to an unstable society and inhabitable planet. Hence, intensive studies on plastic hazards and their alternatives cannot be postponed.
In Move 3, we need to occupy the niche by outlining the purpose of our own research and how the proposed research will fill the previously explained gaps. Besides, we can also give a clear hypothesis if any. Sometimes, the purpose is also referred to as a thesis statement in the Background of the Study, and it is commonly placed in the last paragraph of the Background. See the example below:
This research will compare several alternatives of plastic bags; such as paper bags, reusable plastic containers, banana leaves, bamboo wares, and disposable biodegradable skewers to be used by „gorengan‟ vendors in the Bulaksumur area. Five factors will be studied in this research, namely: price, efficiency, popularity, eco- friendliness, and sustainability.