Mrazek – Verlander 1 Introduction The introduction should: • Tell the

Header and page numbering start
with this section of the research paper.
Mrazek – Verlander 1
Introduction
The introduction should:
 Tell the reader what your project was about
 Why your project is important
 Provide a clear and simple explanation of the scientific concepts involved (Be an
expert, and make it clear to those who are not!!)
First impressions are very important so start with a sentence that will engage your
reader’s attention. In your background research, you may have discovered many interesting facts
and statistics about your topic. Use these points to help explain the importance and significance
of your research topic to the community. Some ideas to consider when creating a strong
introduction: little known facts, surprising statistics, a fascinating quotation, or a stirring human
experience story. For example, researchers at the Institute of Useless Facts and Statistics found
that the average life expectancy of an enemy soldier in a Chuck Norris film is four seconds.
(THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOUR PRESENTATION HOOK)
Now that you have the attention of the reader, focus the perspective on your experiment.
Clearly state the specific objective of the experiment and its intended outcome. Briefly explain
the GENERAL METHOD used to carry out your experiment in paragraph form. Explain the
SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT(S) involved in your research project and relate the concept to how
you will solve your research problem. What are the properties of the chemicals or biological
system involved and how can these properties be manipulated or used to solve your research
problem? What role or contribution will these characteristics play in the outcome of your
research? Can you use the information about the properties or characteristics of the chemical or
system to predict what will happen or to explain what did happen?
Anything you write about that is NOT general knowledge MUST be cited. You must use
a minimum of FIVE different sources – two of which must have been published or printed.
At the very least, the introduction should convince the reader that your research project
was a worthwhile endeavor.
Mrazek – Verlander 2
Introduction Rubric
_____/1 Page numbering begins
_____/5 Interesting opening paragraph (HOOK)
_____/2 Clearly stated the problem and specific objectives you intended to accomplish
_____/2 Explained why this experiment was an important endeavor (for you and the community)
_____/20  Discussed the scientific concepts specifically as they apply to your project
 Explain the first factor’s properties and what it should do to the response variable/
test subject
 Explained the second factor’s properties and what it should do to the response
variable/ test subject
 Explained the response variable
 Explained how each of the factors interact with the test subject to produce the
response variable (the specific science behind it)
 Include diagrams if they help to illustrate the scientific concept(s) or relationship
between the factor and response variable/ test subject (THIS IS LIKE YOUR
PRESENTATION ANIMATION…INCLUDE A DIAGRAM OR
ILLUSTRATION! MAKE SURE YOUR READER GETS THE SCIENCE!)
Also, remember, these are figures… Make sure figures are properly labeled. 
_____ /2 States the general method used to carry out your experiment in paragraph form
_____/10 Minimum of FIVE DIFFERENT sources (two of which MUST have been
published). Be sure to include these in the “Works Cited” section in MLA citation
format. In-text citations are perfectly formatted.
_____ /8 Correct spelling and grammar. Double-spaced. No extra spaces between paragraphs.
Third-person past tense. Perfect formatting.
_____/50 Total Points
Mrazek – Verlander 3
If no author is identified
If a source does not include an author’s name, use the title or an abbreviated title of the source in
the text or parenthetical citation. Use quotation marks if the source is an article. Example:
Companies attempt to adapt to customer needs and to improve their profitability
(“Making CRM Work”).
If the author’s name is not mentioned in the text
If the author’s name is not used in the sentence introducing the source material, then include the
author’s last name in the parenthetical citation before the page number(s). Note that no comma
appears between the author’s name and the page number(s).
The modern world requires the ability to attend to more than one thing at a time: “Ideally,
each individual would learn how to embed activities and types of attention one within another”
(Glendening 97).
If there are no page numbers, then use just the last name (Abdelkader).