This is often written in rough and then polished up later. Most people will tell you the introduction is the last thing they actually write, but think it makes sense to draft it out early on. The introduction introduces themes, tells the reader what to expect, and locates your topic in some scholarly tradition, be it theories, a substantive field or conceptual issues This is the place to say something about where you fit theoretically, your intellectual puzzle, and how your work fits in to an overall scheme, and perhaps to discuss concepts you are going to analyse or contribute to later. continued on facing page