Academic Writer
academic writer: organization: introductions: examples
Examples
You can start by citing a specific example in the opening
paragraph. You can then go on to describe how this particular example illustrates a wider
problem or subject in the main body of your paper. This technique is closely related to providing context for your research topic. It is in a
sense the opposite technique of moving from
the general to the specific.
EXAMPLE In
the following example the specific subject is the mishap to the
telescope’s primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope. The wider subject,
however, is the importance of systems engineering.
| The importance of systems engineering As technological systems grow more complex, systems engineers are in ever greater demand. In April 1990, NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope at a cost of $1.6 billion. The telescope promised to achieve ultrahigh resolution images. NASA officials soon discovered, however, that the Hubble was a huge disappointment, capable of projecting only one-third of its anticipated resolution. NASA traced the problem to the telescope’s primary mirror, which had by mistake been ground into the wrong shape. Before launching the Hubble, to save money, NASA had decided not to conduct a total system test, and thus never detected the fault. As a consequence, NASA had to spend millions of dollars to fix the mirror while the Hubble was in orbit. The Hubble example demonstrates the importance of systems engineering, the process of ensuring that a total system - such as a space telescope - operates effectively throughout its lifecycle. In this paper I would like to investigate the role of systems engineering in a number of contexts: |
Find out about other types of Introductions
Academic Writer 2000