2 Science Research Writing Th e fi rst thing you may notice about Fig. 1 is that it is symmetrical. Th is is because many of the things you need to do in the Introduction are done — in reverse order — in the Discussion/Conclusion. For example, you need to write an opening sentence which enables you and your reader to 'get in' or start your paper/thesis and you also need to 'get out' at the end of the Discussion/Conclusion by fi nding an acceptable way to end the paper/thesis. In addition, you must look for a way to interface with the central report section at the end of the Introduction, and again — in reverse — when you move out of the central section to start the Discussion/ Conclusion. Something else you should notice about the shape of the diagram is that it narrows towards the central report section, and widens aft er it. Th is represents the way information is ordered in the Introduction and the Discussion/Conclusion: in the Introduction you start out by being fairly general and gradually narrow your focus, whereas the opposite is true in the Discussion/Conclusion. RESULTS (what you found/saw) METHODOLOGY (what you did/used) ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSION central report section Fig. 1. Th e shape of a research article or thesis.
Introduction — Structure 3 Th e synthesis of fl exible polymer blends from polylactide and rubber Introduction