Orientation

orientation: establishing necessary context

ENL 102 | Unit 2: Research Paper

Orientation

The orientation serves a similar purpose to a literature review -- it's where you'll establish key information that your reader needs to know before they get into the specifics of your research. This might be its own section or part of your introduction, but it should come early in your paper.

• Historical background
• Important terms and their definitions
• Existing scholarship
• Concepts that inform how you're approaching your question

What's in it?

Depending on your topic and question, the orientation might include:

• Research question: How effective are modern day organizing strategies in the fight for abortion access in the U.S.?
• Historical background: Organizing strategies used in the past

Historical Background

Any relevant political, social, cultural, or economic context that explains the state of your topic/question and how you approach it. EXAMPLE

• Research question: How have technological changes in the past five years impacted the mental health outcomes of reality dating show participants?
• Key term: Introduce and define "parasocial relationships"

Key Terms

Any topic-specific words that will help your reader understand your research question and process. EXAMPLE

• Research question: How do queer contemporary novelists challenge traditional representations of identity and desire in modern fiction?
• Existing scholarship: Other analysis of queer contemporary novels by literary researchers

Existing Scholarship

What others in the field have found regarding your research topic and/or question. EXAMPLE

• Research question: How have depictions of men in popular films influenced the expectations of straight women in their romantic pursuits?
• Guiding concept: Interpreting the movies using feminist film theory about the male gaze

Guiding Concepts

Lens(es) through which you are approaching the analysis of your research question. EXAMPLE

How much orientation?

You don't need to orient your reader on every piece of context related to your topic -- instead, choose your orientation materials assuming your audience in fellow scholars in your field (or adjacent) who have some base knowledge of your area of research.