- PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
- EDIT Edit this Article
- EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Forums Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
- Browse Articles
- Learn Something New
- Quizzes Hot
- Happiness Hub
- This Or That Game
- Train Your Brain
- Explore More
- Support wikiHow
- About wikiHow
- Log in / Sign up
- Education and Communications
- College University and Postgraduate
- Academic Writing
- Research Papers
Everything You Need to Know to Write an A+ Term Paper
Last Updated: March 4, 2024 Fact Checked
Researching & Outlining
- Drafting Your Paper
- Revising Your Paper
Sample Term Papers
Expert q&a.
This article was co-authored by Matthew Snipp, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA . C. Matthew Snipp is the Burnet C. and Mildred Finley Wohlford Professor of Humanities and Sciences in the Department of Sociology at Stanford University. He is also the Director for the Institute for Research in the Social Science’s Secure Data Center. He has been a Research Fellow at the U.S. Bureau of the Census and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. He has published 3 books and over 70 articles and book chapters on demography, economic development, poverty and unemployment. He is also currently serving on the National Institute of Child Health and Development’s Population Science Subcommittee. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,253,925 times.
A term paper is a written assignment given to students at the end of a course to gauge their understanding of the material. Term papers typically count for a good percentage of your overall grade, so of course, you’ll want to write the best paper possible. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to write an A+ term paper, from researching and outlining to drafting and revising.
Quick Steps to Write a Term Paper
- Hook your readers with an interesting and informative intro paragraph. State your thesis and your main points.
- Support your thesis by providing quotes and evidence that back your claim in your body paragraphs.
- Summarize your main points and leave your readers with a thought-provoking question in your conclusion.
- Think of your term paper as the bridge between what you’ve learned in class and how you apply that knowledge to real-world topics.
- For example, a history term paper may require you to explore the consequences of a significant historical event, like the Civil War. An environmental science class, on the other hand, may have you examine the effects of climate change on a certain region.
- Your guidelines should tell you the paper’s word count and formatting style, like whether to use in-text citations or footnotes and whether to use single- or double-spacing. If these things aren’t specified, be sure to reach out to your instructor.
- Make sure your topic isn’t too broad. For example, if you want to write about Shakespeare’s work, first narrow it down to a specific play, like Macbeth , then choose something even more specific like Lady Macbeth’s role in the plot.
- If the topic is already chosen for you, explore unique angles that can set your content and information apart from the more obvious approaches many others will probably take. [3] X Research source
- Try not to have a specific outcome in mind, as this will close you off to new ideas and avenues of thinking. Rather than trying to mold your research to fit your desired outcome, allow the outcome to reflect a genuine analysis of the discoveries you made. Ask yourself questions throughout the process and be open to having your beliefs challenged.
- Reading other people's comments, opinions, and entries on a topic can often help you to refine your own, especially where they comment that "further research" is required or where they posit challenging questions but leave them unanswered.
- For example, if you’re writing a term paper about Macbeth , your primary source would be the play itself. Then, look for other research papers and analyses written by academics and scholars to understand how they interpret the text.
- For example, if you’re writing a paper about Lady Macbeth, your thesis could be something like “Shakespeare’s characterization of Lady Macbeth reveals how desire for power can control someone’s life.”
- Remember, your research and thesis development doesn’t stop here. As you continue working through both the research and writing, you may want to make changes that align with the ideas forming in your mind and the discoveries you continue to unearth.
- On the other hand, don’t keep looking for new ideas and angles for fear of feeling confined. At some point, you’re going to have to say enough is enough and make your point. You may have other opportunities to explore these questions in future studies, but for now, remember your term paper has a finite word length and an approaching due date!
- Abstract: An abstract is a concise summary of your paper that informs readers of your topic, its significance, and the key points you’ll explore. It must stand on its own and make sense without referencing outside sources or your actual paper.
- Introduction: The introduction establishes the main idea of your paper and directly states the thesis. Begin your introduction with an attention-grabbing sentence to intrigue your readers, and provide any necessary background information to establish your paper’s purpose and direction.
- Body paragraphs: Each body paragraph focuses on a different argument supporting your thesis. List specific evidence from your sources to back up your arguments. Provide detailed information about your topic to enhance your readers’ understanding. In your outline, write down the main ideas for each body paragraph and any outstanding questions or points you’re not yet sure about.
- Results: Depending on the type of term paper you’re writing, your results may be incorporated into your body paragraphs or conclusion. These are the insights that your research led you to. Here you can discuss how your perspective and understanding of your topic shifted throughout your writing process.
- Conclusion: Your conclusion summarizes your argument and findings. You may restate your thesis and major points as you wrap up your paper.
Drafting Your Term Paper
- Writing an introduction can be challenging, but don’t get too caught up on it. As you write the rest of your paper, your arguments might change and develop, so you’ll likely need to rewrite your intro at the end, anyway. Writing your intro is simply a means of getting started and you can always revise it later. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
- Be sure to define any words your readers might not understand. For example, words like “globalization” have many different meanings depending on context, and it’s important to state which ones you’ll be using as part of your introductory paragraph.
- Try to relate the subject of the essay (say, Plato’s Symposium ) to a tangentially related issue you happen to know something about (say, the growing trend of free-wheeling hookups in frat parties). Slowly bring the paragraph around to your actual subject and make a few generalizations about why this aspect of the book/subject is so fascinating and worthy of study (such as how different the expectations for physical intimacy were then compared to now).
- You can also reflect on your own experience of researching and writing your term paper. Discuss how your understanding of your topic evolved and any unexpected findings you came across.
- While peppering quotes throughout your text is a good way to help make your point, don’t overdo it. If you use too many quotes, you’re basically allowing other authors to make the point and write the paper for you. When you do use a quote, be sure to explain why it is relevant in your own words.
- Try to sort out your bibliography at the beginning of your writing process to avoid having a last-minute scramble. When you have all the information beforehand (like the source’s title, author, publication date, etc.), it’s easier to plug them into the correct format.
Revising & Finalizing Your Term Paper
- Trade in weak “to-be” verbs for stronger “action” verbs. For example: “I was writing my term paper” becomes “I wrote my term paper.”
- It’s extremely important to proofread your term paper. If your writing is full of mistakes, your instructor will assume you didn’t put much effort into your paper. If you have too many errors, your message will be lost in the confusion of trying to understand what you’ve written.
- If you add or change information to make things clearer for your readers, it’s a good idea to look over your paper one more time to catch any new typos that may have come up in the process.
- The best essays are like grass court tennis—the argument should flow in a "rally" style, building persuasively to the conclusion. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
- If you get stuck, consider giving your professor a visit. Whether you're still struggling for a thesis or you want to go over your conclusion, most instructors are delighted to help and they'll remember your initiative when grading time rolls around. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
- At least 2 hours for 3-5 pages.
- At least 4 hours for 8-10 pages.
- At least 6 hours for 12-15 pages.
- Double those hours if you haven't done any homework and you haven't attended class.
- For papers that are primarily research-based, add about two hours to those times (although you'll need to know how to research quickly and effectively, beyond the purview of this brief guide).
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://www.binghamton.edu/counseling/self-help/term-paper.html
- ↑ Matthew Snipp, PhD. Research Fellow, U.S. Bureau of the Census. Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.
- ↑ https://emory.libanswers.com/faq/44525
- ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/planresearchpaper/
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html
- ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/outline
- ↑ https://gallaudet.edu/student-success/tutorial-center/english-center/writing/guide-to-writing-introductions-and-conclusions/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26731827
- ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/writing-an-abstract-for-your-research-paper/
- ↑ https://www.ivcc.edu/stylesite/Essay_Title.pdf
- ↑ https://www.uni-flensburg.de/fileadmin/content/institute/anglistik/dokumente/downloads/how-to-write-a-term-paper-daewes.pdf
- ↑ https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185937
- ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/six-steps-to-really-edit-your-paper/
About This Article
If you need to write a term paper, choose your topic, then start researching that topic. Use your research to craft a thesis statement which states the main idea of your paper, then organize all of your facts into an outline that supports your thesis. Once you start writing, state your thesis in the first paragraph, then use the body of the paper to present the points that support your argument. End the paper with a strong conclusion that restates your thesis. For tips on improving your term paper through active voice, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
Bill McReynolds
Apr 7, 2017
Did this article help you?
Gerard Mortera
Mar 30, 2016
Ayuba Muhammad Bello
Dec 28, 2016
Mar 24, 2016
Jera Andarino
May 11, 2016
Featured Articles
Trending Articles
Watch Articles
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
Don’t miss out! Sign up for
wikiHow’s newsletter
AI Generator
A term paper is an extensive research paper typically assigned at the end of a semester or academic term, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding and in-depth knowledge of a particular subject. It involves thorough research, analysis, and synthesis of information from various sources to address a specific topic or question, culminating in a comprehensive written report. Term papers are designed to assess students’ critical thinking, research skills, and ability to communicate their findings effectively, often accounting for a significant portion of their final grade. Essential components include a Thesis Statement for Research Paper , a Research Paper Cover Letter , and adherence to the Research Paper Format .
What is Term Paper?
A term paper is a detailed research paper written by students over an academic term, contributing significantly to their final grade. It demonstrates their understanding and analysis of a specific topic, includes a thesis, supporting arguments, and evidence, and requires citations from academic sources.
Term Paper Format
Title of the Paper Student’s Name Course Name and Number Instructor’s Name Date of Submission
A brief summary of the paper (150-250 words) Key points, objectives, methods, results, and conclusions
Introduction
Introduction to the topic Thesis statement Purpose and objectives Paper overview
Literature Review
Overview of Existing Research Key Theories and Studies Gaps in the Literature Relevance to the Current Study
Methodology
Research design Data collection methods Sample selection Analysis techniques
Presentation of findings Use of tables and figures (if applicable)
Interpretation of results Comparison with existing literature Implications and limitations
Summary of key findings Restatement of thesis Future research implications
List of All Sources Cited Formatted According to a Specific Citation Style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
Appendices (if applicable)
Additional Material Raw Data Questionnaires Detailed Calculations
Formatting Guidelines
Font: Times New Roman, 12-point Spacing: Double-spaced Margins: 1 inch Page numbers: Top right corner Consistent headings and subheadings
Term Paper Examples for Students
- The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems
- The Role of Social Media in Modern Marketing Strategies
- The Influence of Ancient Greek Philosophy on Western Thought
- Cybersecurity Threats and Solutions in the 21st Century
- The Effectiveness of Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- The Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health
- An Analysis of Shakespeare’s Use of Tragic Heroes
- The Evolution of Women’s Rights in the United States
- The Economic Impact of Immigration Policies
- The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
- The History and Future of Space Exploration
- The Psychological Effects of Video Games on Children
- The Ethics of Genetic Engineering
- The Cultural Significance of Traditional Festivals in Japan
- The Impact of Globalization on Local Economies
- The Role of Renewable Energy in Combating Climate Change
- The Effects of Substance Abuse on Family Dynamics
- An Examination of Modernist Architecture
- The Influence of the Harlem Renaissance on American Literature
- The Legal and Social Implications of Data Privacy Laws
- The Role of Sports in Promoting Social Integration
- An Analysis of Economic Inequality in Developing Countries
- The Impact of Music Therapy on Mental Health Recovery
- The Development and Impact of the Internet of Things (IoT)
- The Relationship Between Sleep Patterns and Academic Performance
Simple Term Paper Examples
- The Effects of Video Games on Child Development
- The History and Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Benefits and Risks
- The Influence of Greek Philosophy on Western Thought
- The Impact of Immigration on the U.S. Economy
- The Role of Education in Reducing Poverty
- The Ethics of Animal Testing in Medical Research
- Mental Health Stigma and Its Social Implications
- The Evolution of E-commerce and Online Shopping
- The Importance of Early Childhood Education
Types of Term Papers
1. analytical term papers.
- Definition: Analyzes a specific issue or topic, breaking it down into its components and examining them in detail.
- Purpose: To provide a deep understanding of the subject through detailed analysis.
- Example: “The Economic Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture”
2. Argumentative Term Papers
- Definition: Presents an argument on a particular topic, supporting it with evidence and reasoning.
- Purpose: To persuade the reader of a specific viewpoint or stance.
- Example: “The Case for Renewable Energy Sources over Fossil Fuels”
3. Definition Term Papers
- Definition: Explores the meaning and implications of a specific concept or term.
- Purpose: To clarify and define a concept in depth.
- Example: “Defining Social Justice in Modern Society”
4. Compare and Contrast Term Papers
- Definition: Examines the similarities and differences between two or more subjects.
- Purpose: To highlight comparative aspects and provide insights into the subjects.
- Example: “Comparing Online Education with Traditional Classroom Learning”
5. Cause and Effect Term Papers
- Definition: Investigates the causes of a particular event or phenomenon and its effects.
- Purpose: To understand the relationships between events and outcomes.
- Example: “The Causes and Effects of the 2008 Financial Crisis”
6. Interpretive Term Papers
- Definition: Provides an interpretation of a specific piece of literature, artwork, or historical event.
- Purpose: To offer insights and perspectives on the subject.
- Example: “Interpreting Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby'”
7. Research-Based Term Papers
- Definition: Relies heavily on existing research and data to discuss a particular topic.
- Purpose: To present an in-depth analysis based on extensive research.
- Example: “The Role of Vaccinations in Public Health”
8. Reflective Term Papers
- Definition: Reflects on a personal experience or event and its significance.
- Purpose: To provide a personal perspective and insights.
- Example: “Reflections on My Internship Experience in a Non-Profit Organization”
9. Case Study Term Papers
- Definition: Focuses on a detailed examination of a particular case within a real-world context.
- Purpose: To analyze specific instances and draw broader conclusions.
- Example: “A Case Study of the Flint Water Crisis”
10. Expository Term Papers
- Definition: Explains or describes a topic in a straightforward and factual manner.
- Purpose: To inform and educate the reader about the subject.
- Example: “An Overview of the U.S. Healthcare System”
Importance of Term Papers
1. development of research skills.
- Encourages thorough exploration of various information sources
- Enhances data gathering, analysis, and interpretation abilities
2. Enhancement of Writing Skills
- Improves clarity, precision, and organization in writing
- Refines grammar and syntax
3. Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills
- Fosters logical reasoning and problem-solving
- Promotes evaluation and synthesis of information
4. Time Management and Discipline
- Teaches effective planning and adherence to deadlines
- Develops a disciplined work ethic and organizational skills
5. In-Depth Understanding of Subject Matter
- Facilitates comprehensive knowledge of the topic
- Enhances retention and application of theoretical concepts
How to Write a Term Paper
1. choose a topic.
- Select a topic: Ensure it’s relevant to your course and interests you.
- Narrow the focus: Make sure the topic is specific enough to be manageable.
2. Conduct Research
- Gather sources: Use books, academic journals, and credible websites.
- Take notes: Organize your notes and highlight key points.
- Create a bibliography: Keep track of all sources for your references.
3. Develop a Thesis Statement
- Clear and concise: Summarize the main point or argument of your paper.
- Position: Clearly state your position or perspective on the topic.
4. Create an Outline
- Introduction: Introduce the topic and state your thesis.
- Body paragraphs: Organize the main points and supporting evidence.
- Conclusion: Summarize your findings and restate your thesis.
5. Write the First Draft
- Hook: Grab the reader’s attention.
- Background information: Provide context.
- Thesis statement: Present your main argument.
- Topic sentence: State the main idea of the paragraph.
- Evidence: Present data, quotes, and research findings.
- Analysis: Explain how the evidence supports your thesis.
- Transition: Link to the next paragraph.
- Restate the thesis: Summarize your main argument.
- Summarize main points: Recap the key points.
- Closing statement: Provide a final thought or call to action.
6. Revise and Edit
- Review content: Ensure your arguments are clear and supported by evidence.
- Check organization: Ensure your paper flows logically.
- Edit for grammar and style: Correct any grammatical errors and improve readability.
7. Format the Paper
- Follow guidelines: Use the required formatting style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
- Title page: Include the title, your name, course, instructor, and date.
- Page numbers: Ensure all pages are numbered.
- Citations: Properly cite all sources in-text and in the bibliography.
8. Proofread
- Final check: Look for any remaining errors or typos.
- Read aloud: Helps catch mistakes you might overlook.
- Peer review: Have someone else review your paper for feedback.
9. Submit the Paper
- Meet the deadline: Ensure you submit your paper on time.
- Follow submission guidelines: Submit according to your instructor’s requirements (e.g., online or printed copy).
FAQ’s
How do i choose a topic for my term paper.
Choose a topic that interests you, is relevant to your course, and has enough research material available.
What is the structure of a term paper?
A term paper typically includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references.
How long should a term paper be?
The length varies, but a standard term paper is usually between 8-15 pages, depending on the subject and requirements.
How do I start writing a term paper?
Begin with thorough research, create an outline, and then draft your introduction to set the context for your paper.
What is a thesis statement in a term paper?
A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of your paper, usually placed at the end of the introduction.
How important is the introduction in a term paper?
The introduction is crucial as it sets the tone, provides background information, and presents your thesis statement.
What should be included in the literature review?
The literature review should summarize, analyze, and compare existing research relevant to your topic.
How do I cite sources in my term paper?
Use a citation style recommended by your instructor (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) to credit the original sources of your information.
How do I present my findings in a term paper?
Present your findings clearly and logically, using tables, charts, or graphs if necessary, in the results section.
How do I write a conclusion for a term paper?
Summarize your main points, restate the significance of your findings, and suggest areas for future research.
Text prompt
- Instructive
- Professional
10 Examples of Public speaking
20 Examples of Gas lighting
How to Write a Term Paper From Start to Finish
The term paper, often regarded as the culmination of a semester's hard work, is a rite of passage for students in pursuit of higher education. Here's an interesting fact to kick things off: Did you know that the term paper's origins can be traced back to ancient Greece, where scholars like Plato and Aristotle utilized written works to explore and document their philosophical musings? Just as these great minds once wrote their thoughts on parchment, you, too, can embark on this intellectual voyage with confidence and skill.
How to Write a Term Paper: Short Description
In this article, we'll delve into the core purpose of this kind of assignment – to showcase your understanding of a subject, your research abilities, and your capacity to communicate complex ideas effectively. But it doesn't stop there. We'll also guide you in the art of creating a well-structured term paper format, a roadmap that will not only keep you on track but also ensure your ideas flow seamlessly and logically. Packed with valuable tips on writing, organization, and time management, this resource promises to equip you with the tools needed to excel in your academic writing.
Understanding What Is a Term Paper
A term paper, a crucial component of your college education, is often assigned towards the conclusion of a semester. It's a vehicle through which educators gauge your comprehension of the course content. Imagine it as a bridge between what you've learned in class and your ability to apply that knowledge to real-world topics.
For instance, in a history course, you might be asked to delve into the causes and consequences of a significant historical event, such as World War II. In a psychology class, your term paper might explore the effects of stress on mental health, or in an environmental science course, you could analyze the impact of climate change on a specific region.
Writing a term paper isn't just about summarizing facts. It requires a blend of organization, deep research, and the art of presenting your findings in a way that's both clear and analytical. This means structuring your arguments logically, citing relevant sources, and critically evaluating the information you've gathered.
For further guidance, we've prepared an insightful guide for you authored by our expert essay writer . It's brimming with practical tips and valuable insights to help you stand out in this academic endeavor and earn the recognition you deserve.
How to Start a Term Paper
Before you start, keep the guidelines for the term paper format firmly in mind. If you have any doubts, don't hesitate to reach out to your instructor for clarification before you begin your research and writing process. And remember, procrastination is your worst enemy in this endeavor. If you're aiming to produce an exceptional piece and secure a top grade, it's essential to plan ahead and allocate dedicated time each day to work on it. Now, let our term paper writing services provide you with some valuable tips to help you on your journey:
- Hone Your Topic : Start by cultivating a learning mindset that empowers you to effectively organize your thoughts. Discover how to research a topic in the section below.
- Hook Your Readers: Initiate a brainstorming session and unleash a barrage of creative ideas to captivate your audience right from the outset. Pose intriguing questions, share compelling anecdotes, offer persuasive statistics, and more.
- Craft a Concise Thesis Statement Example : If you find yourself struggling to encapsulate the main idea of your paper in just a sentence or two, it's time to revisit your initial topic and consider narrowing it down.
- Understand Style Requirements: Your work must adhere to specific formatting guidelines. Delve into details about the APA format and other pertinent regulations in the section provided.
- Delve Deeper with Research : Equipped with a clearer understanding of your objectives, dive into your subject matter with a discerning eye. Ensure that you draw from reputable and reliable sources.
- Begin Writing: Don't obsess over perfection from the get-go. Just start writing, and don't worry about initial imperfections. You can always revise or remove those early sentences later. The key is to initiate the term papers as soon as you've amassed sufficient information.
Ace your term paper with EssayPro 's expert help. Our academic professionals are here to guide you through every step, ensuring your term paper is well-researched, structured, and written to the highest standards.
Term Paper Topics
Selecting the right topic for your term paper is a critical step, one that can significantly impact your overall experience and the quality of your work. While instructors sometimes provide specific topics, there are instances when you have the freedom to choose your own. To guide you on how to write a term paper, consider the following factors when deciding on your dissertation topics :
- Relevance to Assignment Length: Begin by considering the required length of your paper. Whether it's a substantial 10-page paper or a more concise 5-page one, understanding the word count will help you determine the appropriate scope for your subject. This will inform whether your topic should be broad or more narrowly focused.
- Availability of Resources : Investigate the resources at your disposal. Check your school or community library for books and materials that can support your research. Additionally, explore online sources to ensure you have access to a variety of reference materials.
- Complexity and Clarity : Ensure you can effectively explain your chosen topic, regardless of how complex it may seem. If you encounter areas that are challenging to grasp fully, don't hesitate to seek guidance from experts or your professor. Clarity and understanding are key to producing a well-structured term paper.
- Avoiding Overused Concepts : Refrain from choosing overly trendy or overused topics. Mainstream subjects often fail to captivate the interest of your readers or instructors, as they can lead to repetitive content. Instead, opt for a unique angle or approach that adds depth to your paper.
- Manageability and Passion : While passion can drive your choice of topic, it's important to ensure that it is manageable within the given time frame and with the available resources. If necessary, consider scaling down a topic that remains intriguing and motivating to you, ensuring it aligns with your course objectives and personal interests.
Wednesday Addams
Mysterious, dark, and sarcastic
You’re the master of dark humor and love standing out with your unconventional style. Your perfect costume? A modern twist on Wednesday Addams’ gothic look. You’ll own Halloween with your unapologetically eerie vibe. 🖤🕸️
Worrying About the Quality of Your Upcoming Essay?
"Being highly trained professionals, our writers can provide term paper help by creating a paper specifically tailored to your needs.
Term Paper Outline
Before embarking on the journey of writing a term paper, it's crucial to establish a well-structured outline. Be mindful of any specific formatting requirements your teacher may have in mind, as these will guide your outline's structure. Here's a basic format to help you get started:
- Cover Page: Begin with a cover page featuring your name, course number, teacher's name, and the deadline date, centered at the top.
- Abstract: Craft a concise summary of your work that informs readers about your paper's topic, its significance, and the key points you'll explore.
- Introduction: Commence your term paper introduction with a clear and compelling statement of your chosen topic. Explain why it's relevant and outline your approach to addressing it.
- Body: This section serves as the meat of academic papers, where you present the primary findings from your research. Provide detailed information about the topic to enhance the reader's understanding. Ensure you incorporate various viewpoints on the issue and conduct a thorough analysis of your research.
- Results: Share the insights and conclusions that your research has led you to. Discuss any shifts in your perspective or understanding that have occurred during the course of your project.
- Discussion: Conclude your term paper with a comprehensive summary of the topic and your findings. You can wrap up with a thought-provoking question or encourage readers to explore the subject further through their own research.
How to Write a Term Paper with 5 Steps
Before you begin your term paper, it's crucial to understand what a term paper proposal entails. This proposal serves as your way to introduce and justify your chosen topic to your instructor, and it must gain approval before you start writing the actual paper.
In your proposal, include recent studies or research related to your topic, along with proper references. Clearly explain the topic's relevance to your course, outline your objectives, and organize your ideas effectively. This helps your instructor grasp your term paper's direction. If needed, you can also seek assistance from our expert writers and buy term paper .
Draft the Abstract
The abstract is a critical element while writing a term paper, and it plays a crucial role in piquing the reader's interest. To create a captivating abstract, consider these key points from our dissertation writing service :
- Conciseness: Keep it short and to the point, around 150-250 words. No need for lengthy explanations.
- Highlight Key Elements: Summarize the problem you're addressing, your research methods, and primary findings or conclusions. For instance, if your paper discusses the impact of social media on mental health, mention your research methods and significant findings.
- Engagement: Make your abstract engaging. Use language that draws readers in. For example, if your paper explores the effects of artificial intelligence on the job market, you might begin with a question like, 'Is AI revolutionizing our work landscape, or should we prepare for the robots to take over?'
- Clarity: Avoid excessive jargon or technical terms to ensure accessibility to a wider audience.
Craft the Introduction
The introduction sets the stage for your entire term paper and should engage readers from the outset. To craft an intriguing introduction, consider these tips:
- Hook Your Audience: Start with a captivating hook, such as a thought-provoking question or a compelling statistic. For example, if your paper explores the impact of smartphone addiction, you could begin with, 'Can you remember the last time you went a whole day without checking your phone?'
- State Your Purpose: Clearly state the purpose of your paper and its relevance. If your term paper is about renewable energy's role in combating climate change, explain why this topic is essential in today's world.
- Provide a Roadmap: Briefly outline how your paper is structured. For instance, if your paper discusses the benefits of mindfulness meditation, mention that you will explore its effects on stress reduction, emotional well-being, and cognitive performance.
- Thesis Statement: Conclude your introduction with a concise thesis statement that encapsulates the central argument or message of your paper. In the case of a term paper on the impact of online education, your thesis might be: 'Online education is revolutionizing learning by providing accessibility, flexibility, and innovative teaching methods.'
Develop the Body Sections: Brainstorming Concepts and Content
Generate ideas and compose text: body sections.
The body of your term paper is where you present your research, arguments, and analysis. To generate ideas and write engaging text in the body sections, consider these strategies from our research paper writer :
- Structure Your Ideas: Organize your paper into sections or paragraphs, each addressing a specific aspect of your topic. For example, if your term paper explores the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships, you might have sections on communication patterns, privacy concerns, and emotional well-being.
- Support with Evidence: Back up your arguments with credible evidence, such as data, research findings, or expert opinions. For instance, when discussing the effects of social media on mental health, you can include statistics on social media usage and its correlation with anxiety or depression.
- Offer Diverse Perspectives: Acknowledge and explore various viewpoints on the topic. When writing about the pros and cons of genetic engineering, present both the potential benefits, like disease prevention, and the ethical concerns associated with altering human genetics.
- Use Engaging Examples: Incorporate real-life examples to illustrate your points. If your paper discusses the consequences of climate change, share specific instances of extreme weather events or environmental degradation to make the topic relatable.
- Ask Thought-Provoking Questions: Integrate questions throughout your text to engage readers and stimulate critical thinking. In a term paper on the future of artificial intelligence, you might ask, 'How will AI impact job markets and the concept of work in the coming years?'
Formulate the Conclusion
The conclusion section should provide a satisfying wrap-up of your arguments and insights. To craft a compelling term paper example conclusion, follow these steps:
- Revisit Your Thesis: Begin by restating your thesis statement. This reinforces the central message of your paper. For example, if your thesis is about the importance of biodiversity conservation, reiterate that biodiversity is crucial for ecological balance and human well-being.
- Summarize Key Points: Briefly recap the main points you've discussed in the body of your paper. For instance, if you've been exploring the impact of globalization on local economies, summarize the effects on industries, job markets, and cultural diversity.
- Emphasize Your Main Argument: Reaffirm the significance of your thesis and the overall message of your paper. Discuss why your findings are important or relevant in a broader context. If your term paper discusses the advantages of renewable energy, underscore its potential to combat climate change and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
- Offer a Thoughtful Reflection: Share your own reflections or insights about the topic. How has your understanding evolved during your research? Have you uncovered any unexpected findings or implications? If your paper discusses the future of space exploration, consider what it means for humanity's quest to explore the cosmos.
- End with Impact: Conclude your term paper with a powerful closing statement. You can leave the reader with a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a reflection on the broader implications of your topic. For instance, if your paper is about the ethics of artificial intelligence, you could finish by asking, 'As AI continues to advance, what ethical considerations will guide our choices and decisions?'
Edit and Enhance the Initial Draft
After completing your initial draft, the revision and polishing phase is essential for improving your paper. Here's how to refine your work efficiently:
- Take a Break: Step back and return to your paper with a fresh perspective.
- Structure Check: Ensure your paper flows logically and transitions smoothly from the introduction to the conclusion.
- Clarity and Conciseness: Trim excess words for clarity and precision.
- Grammar and Style: Proofread for errors and ensure consistent style.
- Citations and References: Double-check your citations and reference list.
- Peer Review: Seek feedback from peers or professors for valuable insights.
- Enhance Intro and Conclusion: Make your introduction and conclusion engaging and impactful.
- Coherence Check: Ensure your arguments support your thesis consistently.
- Read Aloud: Reading your paper aloud helps identify issues.
- Final Proofread: Perform a thorough proofread to catch any remaining errors.
Term Paper Format
When formatting your term paper, consider its length and the required citation style, which depends on your research topic. Proper referencing is crucial to avoid plagiarism in academic writing. Common citation styles include APA and MLA.
If unsure how to cite term paper for social sciences, use the APA format, including the author's name, book title, publication year, publisher, and location when citing a book.
For liberal arts and humanities, MLA is common, requiring the publication name, date, and location for referencing.
Adhering to the appropriate term paper format and citation style ensures an organized and academically sound paper. Follow your instructor's guidelines for a polished and successful paper.
Term Paper Example
To access our term paper example, simply click the button below.
The timeline of events from 1776 to 1861, that, in the end, prompted the American Civil War, describes and relates to a number of subjects modern historians acknowledge as the origins and causes of the Civil War. In fact, pre-Civil War events had both long-term and short-term influences on the War—such as the election of Abraham Lincoln as the American president in 1860 that led to the Fall of Fort Sumter in April of the same year. In that period, contentions that surrounded states’ rights progressively exploded in Congress—since they were the initial events that formed after independence. Congress focused on resolving significant issues that affected the states, which led to further issues. In that order, the US’s history from 1776 to 1861 provides a rich history, as politicians brought forth dissimilarities, dissections, and tensions between the Southern US & the people of slave states, and the Northern states that were loyal to the Union. The events that unfolded from the period of 1776 to 1861 involved a series of issues because they promoted the great sectional crisis that led to political divisions and the build-up to the Civil War that made the North and the South seem like distinctive and timeless regions that predated the crisis itself.
Final Thoughts
In closing, approach the task of writing term papers with determination and a positive outlook. Begin well in advance, maintain organization, and have faith in your capabilities. Don't hesitate to seek assistance if required, and express your individual perspective with confidence. You're more than capable of succeeding in this endeavor!
Need a Winning Hand in Academia?
Arm yourself with our custom-crafted academic papers that are sharper than a well-honed pencil! Order now and conquer your academic challenges with style!
What is the Difference between a Term Paper and a Research Paper?
What is the fastest way to write a term paper.
Daniel Parker
is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.
is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.
How To Write a Term Paper: A Guide That Works
30 June, 2020
16 minutes read
Author: Mathieu Johnson
Once you’ve started your university career, you are going to be asked to present a term paper. What’s the difference between a term paper and a research paper? How can you write a good term? What’s the best way to structure it? Where can you find some tips to make the writing process faster? In this article, we’ll discuss a few tips to help you prepare a term paper quickly and professionally.
What Is a Term Paper… And What Is The First Step?
A term paper is a critical and analytical report on the topic or subject that you covered within the course of studies. It usually consists of two separate but equally important aspects: your own thoughts about the topic and a demonstration of your understanding of the existing literature. The main goal of this assignment is to summarize the material you learned and showcase your understanding of the topic. This aspect makes the term paper a universal instrument for assessing a student’s proficiency. It also explains why term papers cost so many points of your course grade.
We usually associate a term paper with a research paper , but although the concepts are quite similar, a research paper requires a more academic approach and a deeper investigation into the literature of your field of study.
To write an outstanding college term paper, you must understand that your professor has requested it in order to test your analytical thinking skills. You must collect relevant data, analyze it, and then make a summary or solve a particular problem. Such skills are highly relevant to the business world, so this type of the task is as practical as it is educational.
So, let’s start the preparation!
Before you begin writing
Unfortunately, there is no magical recipe that allows you to get everything done fast. You will need to choose the best way forward in whatever situation you find yourself, but here are some tips to help you prepare for the assignment.
To begin with, take the research stage seriously . Sometimes, when students are really interested in a topic, they only want to present their personal ideas about the problem. Unfortunately, if you’re not completely familiar with all the data from the various sources, you will need to reinvent the bicycle.
Term paper writing was never an easy ride. Well, not for our expert writers. Place an order with our term paper writing service and secure yourself an “A!”
In the initial stages of your research, investigate everything you can find on the topic . This may sound like a tall order, but you’ll find that it doesn’t actually entail that much reading. At this point you are only compiling the research, so you will be skimming through numerous prospects rather than reading them completely. Bear in mind that your aim is to get acquainted with the various aspects of your problem. The term paper summarizes the knowledge you gained within a course and requires to familiarize yourself with the research that other people have already made on your topic.
Thinking that your opinions are completely original and unique is quite egocentric, and it can get you into trouble. So, “your” thoughts about the problem are usually just somebody else’s statements that you have rephrased (or even a well-established academic concept!). Remember that your professor will be familiar with all the literature surrounding the issue: if you merely rewrite someone else’s thoughts and present them as your own (even if you don’t realize doing it), be prepared for criticism!
Applying a Structure To Your Term Paper
Once you have read all the leading authors and their approaches to your problem, it’s time to create a structure for your work. This is not yet an outline; you just need to decide what to write about. Sketch out the topic for the theoretical portion of your work and think about practical aspects and how you can approach the research in the best possible way.
At this point, you really need to call or email your supervisor . Your professor will have seen hundreds of term papers like yours (i.e., they have not yet been written, but a definite idea exists!) and will be prepared to give you feedback and advice. He or she will tell you what literature you have omitted, offer suggestions about what you should read, and give you feedback about your paper. It may well be that your approach has already occurred to somebody else, in which case there is no need to repeat it.
Choosing a Topic: Easy as Riding a Bike?
When you choose your topic, make sure you choose something that you are interested in . That’s our advice if you want a painless term paper. If you prefer to investigate a field that you’ve never really explored before, you can challenge yourself to do that, too. That might be sophisticated, but why not?
If you decide to investigate a topic or a problem that you are pretty familiar with, your writing will be more fluid. You will focus your attention on a specific aspect of the chosen field and expand your knowledge within that scope. On the contrary, choosing an unfamiliar subject matter can wash out your expertise.
Be prepared to change the topic if you find out that your research isn’t going anywhere. It might occur that you presuppose that your topic has a potential but somewhere at the stage of initial research, you find that it just won’t work. It’s always a good idea to consider two or three topics when you kick off the term paper writing – even if they are just different ways of examining the same problem. By doing this, you will be able to choose the best version, which may not be the one you started with at all!
Related Post: 100 Persuasive essay topics
Formulating a Thesis statement
Writing a proper thesis statement can also be challenging. To begin with, write down a couple of prominent ideas or concepts, then try to make rough drafts of them to see how they’ll work in the structural framework. You will probably find that one idea fits your style, interests, and knowledge base: you can choose that one as your thesis statement.
Remember that the thesis statement is the skeleton, the central concept of your paper. It is the elemental attribute of almost any academic paper – from master’s thesis to a simple five paragraph essay. If you do a thorough job on it, you will find that writing (and defending!) your argument is much easier.
Be aware that all of these stages are parts of a procedure – one leads to another. When writing a term paper, you should collect the material and wrap it up at the same time.
Planning – The Key To Success
Some people claim that they can write a term paper without any planning. In our opinion, this is impossible. If you don’t have a postgraduate degree and you aren’t a certified genius, you need to prepare an outline for your project. It may come as a surprise, but even people who claim otherwise actually prepare outlines – in their heads. But if you don’t have that much experience, use a pencil and your notebook to ensure that you don’t forget anything.
Don’t procrastinate on your College or University papers anymore. Get professional help with our essay writer !
That’s when we get to preparing your first draft . There’s only one thing to add here: do as many drafts as you need in order to achieve your goal. Understand that your aim is to create an excellent term paper and keep working at it until you are satisfied.
Term Paper Outline: Write Everything In The Proper Section!
In the Introduction , state the topic that you are going to investigate and the context of your work. This is the critical ‘selling’ moment of your work. In a nutshell, your introduction combined with a conclusion should give a sneak peek into what the whole paper is about. If your introduction is well-prepared, it will be quite complacent about the body of your project. The introduction must include an abstract that presents your thesis statement . You should explain your motivation (why should the reader be concerned about this problem?) , your methods (what scientific tools did you use?) , and the results (what you achieved) .
The Literature Review totally corresponds to its name – it is here to review the literature you compiled. Your professor will double check it to make sure that you understand the context of your argument. One more thing to add is: collect all the information you can! Ideally, you should read or at least glance through every book and author that you can find on the topic. Think of your task as a fascinating journey: if you approach it like that, reading hundreds of pages won’t seem like that much of a challenge.
In the Discussion , you must present the interpretations of the problem. Be honest, explain what you pieces of data you don’t agree with and what ideas and concepts you support. This section connects the dots between theory and practice when writing a term paper. Wherever possible, provide several interpretations of the subject matter, then choose the one(s) that are most relevant to the case you are presenting.
In the Body , focus on those arguments that prove your thesis statement. This section must be absolutely logical. If you have chosen a more complicated topic, use heading and sub-headings to improve the appearance of this section. While writing the body, keep your target audience (your professors) in mind. In other words, don’t just record the obvious causes/effects/solutions but also showcase your own findings – what you have discovered and how that proves your thesis statement. Demonstrate that you are familiar with the details and you will stun your readers with the prolific mastery of the topic.
Now, the Conclusion is her to summarize both the content and the purpose of the paper. The most challenging part is not to make it too dry. Reiterate your thesis statement and briefly show how your results justified your proposition. At the very end, you can suggest a call to action or pose a rhetorical question or statement that leaves your reader wanting more.
What to do next?
When you have finished, reread your work a couple of times. You will almost certainly find a few faults, whether they are contextual, factual, syntactical, grammatical, or even simple spelling mistakes. A very useful tip is to wait for two or three days after writing your final draft to proofread it afterward. Your brain will have time to process the information, and you’ll be able to look at it with a fresh view.
When proofreading, take care to polish the structural problems. The skeleton (the logic and the thesis statement) should make sense. If they don’t, try to approach the problem from another perspective. The changes may take some time, but bear in mind that your objective is to produce professional work. Be patient!
After that, print the term paper. The human eye processes information differently on the paper than on a computer screen; that’s why you need to print it and take one final look for any possible mistakes. Even if you don’t see any serious defects, pay attention to formatting, punctuation, and synonyms. It’s an academic text, so make it shine!
Term Paper Sample
Be sure to check the sample of a term paper, completed by our writers. Use it as an example to perfect your own writing. Link: Term Paper Sample: Consumer Buying Behavior .
The Do’s and Don’ts of Term Paper Writing
There you have the most important tips to help you succeed in writing a term paper. Now it’s up to you to stop reading and start writing!
A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death
Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]
Ethical Research Paper Topics
Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]
Art Research Paper Topics
Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]
Home » Write the Perfect Term Paper – A Step-by-Step Guide
Write the Perfect Term Paper – A Step-by-Step Guide
Writing a term paper can be a daunting task – especially if you’re a student who’s never written one before. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this blog post, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive, step-by-step guide for writing the perfect term paper. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right topic to crafting the perfect conclusion. So, let’s get started!
What is a term paper?
A term paper is an academic paper that is usually written at the end of the school year. It requires students to conduct thorough research on a given topic and compile their findings into a well-structured paper. It often requires students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
The length of a term paper can vary. However, it is typically longer than a regular essay and can take anywhere from 10 to 20 pages. It is important to note that a term paper is not the same as a research paper . While there are some similarities, a term paper is more focused on the student’s own opinion, whereas a research paper is more focused on existing research and data.
What to consider when choosing a topic
Choosing the right topic is one of the most important steps in writing a term paper. You want to make sure that you select a topic that is interesting, relevant, and has enough research material available.
When choosing a topic, make sure to consider your interests and the course material. It’s important to pick a topic that you have an understanding of and can easily research. It’s also helpful to pick a topic that is not overly broad or narrow.
If you’re having trouble deciding on a topic, it can be helpful to brainstorm ideas. You can also talk to your professor or classmates to get their input.
Preparing to write the term paper
Before you begin writing your term paper, it’s important to do some preparation. This includes gathering all of the research materials you need and organizing them in an easy-to-access way.
Make sure you have access to all of the resources you need to research your topic, such as books, journals, and websites. You should also create a bibliography of all of the sources you use so you can easily reference them in your paper.
You should also take some time to familiarize yourself with the topic. This will help you to better understand and analyze the material you’re researching.
Structuring your term paper
Once you’ve done your preparation, it’s time to start structuring your term paper. A good term paper should have a clear structure that makes it easy to follow.
The structure of a term paper typically consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide an overview of the topic and explain why it is important. The body paragraphs should provide an in-depth analysis of the topic and use evidence to support your argument. The conclusion should summarize your findings and reiterate why the topic is important.
Creating an outline for your term paper
Creating an outline for your term paper is an important step in the writing process. An outline will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that you stay on track.
Your outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You should also include a list of the sources you plan to use.
We recommend using the following format for your outline:
- Introduction
- Background information
- Thesis statement
- Paragraph 1
- Paragraph 2
- Paragraph 3
- Reiteration of the thesis
- Bibliography/Sources
Writing the introduction
Now that you have an outline, it’s time to start writing your introduction. The introduction should provide an overview of the topic and explain why it is important.
The introduction should also include a thesis statement, which is a sentence or two that summarizes the main point of the paper. This will help guide the rest of your paper and make it easier to stay focused.
It’s important to keep your introduction short and to the point. You don’t want to give too much away or get too bogged down in detail. The goal of the introduction is to provide a general overview of the topic and to draw the reader in.
Developing an argument
Once you’ve written your introduction, it’s time to start developing an argument. This is where you will use evidence to support your claims and explain why your argument is valid.
When developing your argument, make sure to use facts and evidence from reliable sources. It’s also important to include counterarguments to show that you are aware of other perspectives.
It’s also helpful to use a variety of sources, such as books, articles, and websites. This will help make your argument more convincing.
Writing the body of the paper
The body of the paper is where you will expand on your argument and provide evidence to support it. Each body paragraph should have a clearly defined topic sentence that explains the point of the paragraph.
Make sure to use evidence from reliable sources to back up your claims. You should also make sure to explain how the evidence supports your argument. This will help make your argument more convincing.
You should also use transitions between paragraphs to make the paper flow more naturally. This will help the reader follow your argument more easily.
Crafting the conclusion
The conclusion is where you will summarize your argument and explain why it is important. It should also include a call to action, which is a statement that encourages the reader to take a certain action.
Start your conclusion by summarizing the main points of your argument. You should also explain why your argument is important.
Next, you should reiterate your call to action. This can be a statement that encourages the reader to further explore the topic or take a certain action.
Finally, make sure to end your conclusion on a strong note. This can be a powerful quote or a statement that wraps up the paper.
Revising and editing your term paper
Once you’ve written your paper, it’s important to take some time to revise and edit it. This is where you will make sure that your paper is clear and concise.
First, read through your paper and make sure that it flows logically. Look for any areas where the argument could be strengthened and make sure your evidence is accurate and up-to-date.
Next, read through your paper for any grammar or spelling mistakes. It’s important to make sure that your paper is free of errors before you submit it.
Finally, have someone else read your paper to get their feedback. This can be helpful in identifying any areas that need improvement.
Final tips for writing the perfect term paper
Writing a perfect term paper requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Here are a few final tips to help make the process a bit easier:
- Start early: Don’t wait until the last minute to start writing your paper. Give yourself plenty of time to research, write, and edit your paper.
- Stick to the structure: Make sure to follow the structure of your paper. This will help ensure that your paper flows logically.
- Take breaks: Writing a term paper can be a long and tedious process. Make sure to take regular breaks to give your mind a rest.
- Get help: If you’re having trouble writing your paper, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to your professor or classmates for assistance.
- Use reliable sources: Make sure to use reliable sources when researching your topic. This will help ensure that your paper is accurate and up-to-date.
- Proofread your paper: Take the time to read through your paper for any grammar or spelling mistakes before submitting it.
Writing a term paper can be a daunting task – but it doesn’t have to be. By following our step-by-step guide, you can easily write the perfect term paper. Just remember to start early, stay organized, and use reliable sources.
If you’re having trouble writing your term paper, AcademiaWriting.com can help. Our team of experienced writers can help you get the perfect term paper written quickly and efficiently. So, what are you waiting for? Get started on your term paper today!
By Erin Cross
You might also like:.
Understanding Plagiarism: Types, Consequences, and Prevention
The Renaissance Writer: Inspiring Brilliance in Academic Prose
How to Write a Captivating Introduction for Your Academic Paper
Leave a reply cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)
- Free Samples
- Premium Essays
- Editing Services Editing Proofreading Rewriting
- Extra Tools Essay Topic Generator Thesis Generator Citation Generator GPA Calculator Study Guides Donate Paper
- Essay Writing Help
- About Us About Us Testimonials FAQ
- About Term Paper
- Samples List
Everyone goes through a term paper. Whether you are a student of Business faculty or History, it is an essential writing assignment to complete during the semester. And if you are up to something more than just finishing high school, you need to befriend this type of assignment.
Why? According to recent studies, the student should have at least three publications from their work before graduation to become a strong Ph.D. candidate and ensure their future academic career is prone to get some substantial grants. Whereas another survey suggests, students who have tamed this beast boast of having the best job offerings among peers. Like it or not, a term paper is a path to success.
Let's break it into pieces to understand what is term paper proposal, why is it important, and what term paper format should look like?
Term Paper Basics: What Is Term Paper Format?
First things first – a college term paper is a scientific report of an assigned topic that is based on an extensive research. It shows students' technical writing expertise and, most importantly, in-depth knowledge of a specific course and subject.
The Importance of Term Paper
So, why do you need to nail term paper? As we have already pointed out, according to recent surveys, students with strong term paper profiles are more often being sought out for offers of employment. Though, that's not all. It is crucial for a student's academic career for such reasons as:
- It carries enormous significance to the overall grade.
- It makes a difference between passing or failing the class.
- It compels students to sort out their thoughts on the subject, making things much more apparent.
- It pushes students to practice their writing and editing skills.
- It provides students with lots of new material and compels them to expand their knowledge and strengthen their academic background.
- It levels up research skills.
- It improves organizational skills that are crucial for communicating ideas and concepts. This quality is necessary for those who want to control their career path and get regular promotions at work.
Term Paper Format: The Definition
Term paper format is a set of writing style guidelines that students need to stick to when describing their research and results and expressing their arguments and findings during the process. There are four types: APA style (it is used in all sorts of disciplines), MLA style (it is another typical style native to various fields), Chicago Style (it is primarily used in History and occasionally in Science and Social Science), and Turabian Style (it is commonly used in Business and Fine Arts).
How to Ensure a Perfect Term Paper?
Our curated collection of samples term papers may provide everyone with some good insights on how to nail this task. Our collection is diverse, so chances are you will find the term paper example that fits your needs. However, do not get too comfortable. This is only half of the battle. To emerge victorious, it is crucial to understand the basics of this writing assignment. Let's consider it closely.
The Basics of a Term paper
Term paper consists of such vital sections:
- The term paper cover page, also known as the term paper title page, is the front face of the writing assignment. It includes the student's name, the title of the paper, the professor's name, course name, and due date. Follow the instructions provided by your teacher and guides of the chosen style to make it fit the university's standards.
- A table of contents. It lists main headings and subheadings to reveal the structure and information hierarchy of the document.
- It describes work on one page and covers the main issue, the subject, and why it is vital for a student's career.
- This section features a thesis or statement of the discussed topic or problem.
- It is the most significant part that uncovers the topic. It includes the main points of the research, information about the problem, analysis of the research, and the author's conclusion.
- This section is about the result of the research and how students' view has changed. It echoes with the introduction and conclusion.
- Every writing assignment ends with a summary; the term paper is no exception. The discussion part is like conclusion: it sums up everything about the research including student's opinion and thoughts about the subject.
Professional Term Paper Outline Template – Where to Get One?
The term paper outline template is a great starting point, especially for first-year students who have never dealt with this assignment before. However, it is also beneficial for senior students. Having a representative example of term paper for college at hand helps undergraduates to kick-start their projects right away and lay the solid foundation to share research results and findings.
So, where to find one? You can surf the web; however, the most effective way is to peek inside our collection of free educational material. Along with free sample essay papers , it has many term paper samples.
Successful Term Paper: Tips and Best Practices
As we have already pointed out, our enormous database provides students with term paper help. Here you can find the term paper template that ideally fits your purpose. However, you cannot use it as it is. It can be only the base for your project. To make it work for you, follow these tips:
- Pick a topic astutely. Choose a topic that is either difficult or unique. This allows you to find some interesting facts that may positively impact your instructor.
- If the topic is assigned, make sure to read the instructions carefully. Identify the purpose of the paper.
- Come up with a thesis statement that shows the exact idea and reflects the type of paper. Place it at the end of the introduction.
- Start with research earlier. Discover auxiliary and essential sources for your research. Gather materials before creating a term paper outline. Search through credible resources such as books, peer-reviewed journals, and official websites of government or universities. Be careful with articles in journals and magazines since they may express the author's personal opinion.
- Choose statements that are informative, directional, meaningful, and engaging.
- Start each paragraph with the statement.
- Create the first-level outline. After that, fill in subpoints and the second-level outline.
- Include arguments and counter-arguments.
- Cite your resources according to the chosen style.
- Format bibliography.
- Cover page,
- Presentation;
- Procedure area,
- Discoveries;
- Conversation;
- Double-check everything and read the paper twice.
- Studentshare
- Document Types
Examples List on Term Paper
- TERMS & CONDITIONS
- PRIVACY POLICY
- COOKIES POLICY
How to write a term paper
Published September 27, 2020. Updated June 1, 2022.
Term Paper Definition
A term paper is usually the culmination of a semester-long class and is meant to synthesize the information that you learned.
Overview of term paper
To start writing a term paper, you should first choose a topic that you are interested in that is related to the class. Then, do some pre-searching to identify preliminary sources that you could potentially use. Write a thesis statement addressing your topic that is arguable and provable. Thorough research should be conducted to identify a variety of credible sources. Recording and citing the sources as you go helps to make sure nothing is missed. An outline should be created before you write to make sure that the structure and organization of the paper are logical. After completion of the paper, make sure to read each section carefully and edit your draft. Double-check if all the required rules are followed for in-text citations and formatting. In addition to self-editing, it is also a good idea to get another person to read it and provide feedback if possible.
Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.
This page will cover the following points:
Key takeaways
Choosing a topic, writing a thesis statement, read, analyze, and take notes, organize your ideas into categories and create an outline, write the paper, edit your draft.
- Turn in your paper and relax !
- Choose a term paper topic that you are interested in and have knowledge of, and then do some pre-searching to identify preliminary sources that you could potentially use.
- Write a thesis statement that is arguable, provable, adequately addresses your topic, and is not too broad or narrow.
- Conduct thorough research to identify a variety of credible sources and begin recording and citing your sources as you go to make sure nothing is missed.
- Create an outline before you write to make sure that the structure and organization of your paper is logical.
- Be sure to edit your draft and have another person read it and provide feedback if possible.
The magic of writing lies in writing about what you know. A term paper is the culmination of a semester’s worth of learning, so you should already have a good head start if you’ve been paying attention in class. In order to choose a strong topic, the following tips will help:
- Consult your class syllabus carefully.
- Clarify what the professor is asking you to do.
- Utilize your professor’s office hours to ask questions if confused.
Finding clarity at the beginning of the project will lead to smoother sailing throughout the journey.
In the process of writing the term paper, perhaps no step is more important than PRE-searching. After carefully reading the syllabus and clarifying what is expected of you, take some time to examine your own interests and skills that align with the assignment. In other words, what do you already know about the topic that would make a good term paper? Is there anything related to this topic that you feel passionate about?
Pre-searching involves asking yourself a few pointed questions:
- Do I fully understand what is expected of me with this project?
- What skills do I already possess surrounding this topic?
- What do I already know about the topic that would make a good term paper?
- What am I passionate about?
The more you already know, and the more invested you are in the project, the easier it will be. Once you start narrowing down your topic, your pre-search should also include some quick online searching to ensure that you will be able to find valid sources on your chosen topic. Taking time at this stage to ensure a solid topic with viable sources will save you time and aggravation in the future.
A thesis statement is the road map for your paper. There are several tips for writing a good thesis statement:
- Write a provable, arguable statement. You are not stating a fact; you are stating a debatable idea. You will use the rest of your paper to prove this statement.
- Usually, it is written in the third person.
- It should address the requirements and topic of your assigned project.
- Too broad: Plastic straws are bad.
- Too narrow: Because plastic straws with stripes harm marine life and contribute to Atlantic ocean pollution, so we should consider banning them in coastal towns with populations of more than 60,000.
- Just right: Because plastic straws harm marine life and contribute to ocean pollution, we should consider banning them.
- Put your thesis statement at the end of your first paragraph.
- Understand that your thesis statement will grow and change. As you research and learn more, it’s natural to tweak your thesis statement to account for new information and conclusions.
The art of research cannot be overstated. Working smarter and not harder is the key to your success here.
- Use your college library’s databases. Most of these can be accessed in the library or online. Since these databases have been vetted by librarians, you can trust the sources you find on them.
- Evaluate any sources you find via an online search engine. Though there are some great sources online (government data, newspaper articles, etc.), you have to be careful about what you choose to use. Not every source is reputable enough to include in a term paper.
- Use a mix of sources. You don’t want to only cite one or two sources over and over again or only cite sources from the same author. The more variety you have, the stronger your argument will be. At the college level, some academic journal articles should definitely be included (these can be found in the above–mentioned databases).
- Make a bibliography of your sources as you research. It’s easier to record your sources from the start rather than forgetting a source later on and being accused of accidental plagiarism.
What makes a good source? One guide to consider following is the CRAAP method of evaluating sources:
- Currency: How recent is your source? Does it present the most up-to-date information? Does it have information from a time period you’re focusing on? Check the copyright, posting date, or publication date carefully.
- Relevance: Your source needs to contain pertinent information for the topic you have chosen. It should also be at an appropriate scholarly level for the assignment.
- Authority: The source’s author needs to be credible. Check the author’s credentials, as well as the publisher’s or website’s background. Avoid personal blogs and random sources that are not written by experts.
- Accuracy: Your information needs to give you solid evidence to write your paper. Analyze a source’s use of language and information to make sure it is accurate.
- Purpose: You need to determine why your source was written. Was it written by an objective expert, or did an author or company with a vested interest in the topic write the article? Avoid articles with heavy bias.
One final note on research: Now is a good time to note that the word “research” means just what it sounds like. The prefix “re-” means ¨to do again,¨ so research means to search and search again. Don’t become discouraged if it takes a while to find good sources. The more work you do on the front end of the project, the better off you will be.
Want to look at a sample paper first? Check out this example term paper .
Once you have your sources, the hard work begins. You will need to read and analyze your source information. Taking notes is a MUST. In order to organize your thoughts and prove what you are trying to prove, you need to take detailed, relevant notes. Here are some reading strategies that will help streamline the process:
- Read your source through once to get a general idea of what it is talking about.
- Read it a second time to take notes and focus on the points you want to include in your paper.
The kind of notes you take could range from summarizing the material to making bullet points of useful facts to jotting down direct quotes. There are also specific note-taking approaches you can follow. If you’re interested in learning more, visit this helpful site .
The next step in the process is to organize the information you have gathered in your note-taking stage. There are several tips that will help you stay on track in this stage:
- Organize your notes into categories.
- Take the information in each category and decide what order to put it in to create the strongest argument.
- Write an outline. After organizing your notes, writing a phrase or full-sentence outline will really help you organize your thinking and keep your writing focused. You can be as informal or formal as you like, but this step is a lifesaver when it comes time to compose.
Consider using this outline template:
Creative Title of Research Paper
- Opening Statement (this is the “hook” for your reader)
- Thesis Statement
- ______________________________
- Recap thesis statement
- Summarize argument
At this point, you already have all the hard work done. All you have to do now is build out the sections in your outline using the research you’ve collected and analyzed.
Here are some helpful tips to make the most of your writing time:
- Format the paper according to the professor’s guidelines. You will probably use MLA or APA style.
- Use formal writing and strong vocabulary throughout.
- Use transition words like “therefore” and “additionally” to connect ideas.
- Use transition sentences at the beginning and/or end of each paragraph to set the reader up for what comes next.
- Create in-text citations as you go along to give credit for your information.
- Double–check your work.
After all of this time and effort, do yourself a favor and edit carefully. Read each section closely and double-check that you’re following all of the proper rules for in-text citations and formatting. There are two great tricks for editing that will help you catch errors:
- Reading your paper out loud will help you catch mistakes, especially words you accidentally skipped.
- Reading each sentence backwards from the end of your paper to the beginning will also help you polish your work. Although they might sound bizarre, these two tricks will really help!
In addition to self-editing, it’s always a good idea to get an outside opinion. There are many options:
- Ask a friend or classmate to read through your paper.
- Visit your university writing center in-person or online and use their review services.
- Submit your paper to an online paper checker like Chegg Writing. This option is great when you’re in a time crunch.
Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.
Turn in your paper and relax!
After going through this process, your fear will melt away and you will have a solid paper to show for your efforts. Imagine what you can learn and produce when you put your mind to it and follow a few simple steps!
Example term paper on Geoffrey of Monmouth
By Kathryne Bradesca. Kathryne has a aster´s degree in Teaching from Kent State University and a BA in English and Communications from Gannon University. She has been a junior high and high school teacher for 24 years.
Common Writing Assignments, Apps & Tests
- Analytical Essay
- AP synthesis Essay
- Argumentative Essay
- Book Report
- Compare and Contrast Essay
- Cause and Effect Essay
- College Admissions Essay
- Critical Analysis Essay
- Definition Essay
- Descriptive Essay
- Dissertation
- Explanatory Essay
- Expository Essay
- Informative Essay
- Narrative Essay
- Opinion Essay
- Personal Essay
- Persuasive Essay
- Reflective Essay
- Research Paper
- Rhetorical Analysis
- Scholarship Essay
- Short Essay
- Thesis Paper
What’s included with a Chegg Writing subscription
- Unlimited number of paper scans
- Plagiarism detection: Check against billions of sources
- Expert proofreading for papers on any subject
- Grammar scans for 200+ types of common errors
- Automatically create & save citations in 7,000+ styles
- Cancel subscription anytime, no obligation
Term Paper Writing - A Step-by-Step Student's Guide
As the semester ends, some colleges and universities mandate that students must submit an end-of-the-year term paper to fulfill the course requirements. Writing a term paper is one of the many types of assignments students have to complete.
Like writing a research paper, a term paper assignment equips you with important writing skills, knowledge, and experience that come in handy as you advance your studies and your career. However, not every student takes the task lightly.
Most students dread writing a term paper. As a long research paper, a term paper contains organized information, analysis and synthesis, and structured paragraphs and sections.
In this comprehensive guide, our best research paper writers take you through the process of how to write a perfect term paper, what to do and what not to do, and more insights and tips to help you get the best grades.
What is a Term Paper?
A term paper is a long research paper, just like a thesis, dissertation, or capstone project, only that it is required at the end of the school semester. Term papers can be scientific reports, case studies, thesis-driven research papers, or scientific research papers based on an assigned topic, which contributes to your final grade.
Writing a term paper entails exploring a certain topic through thorough research and analysis of data that is collected throughout the course or part of the course period. Most term papers focus on a specific concept, issue, problem, or event, depending on the prompt that your academic advisor, professor, or instructor gives you.
The standard practice is for you to write the paper within the semester and submit it at the end of the college or university semester.
Professors and lecturers assign term paper assignments to evaluate the knowledge of students about the course concepts and contents. Most term papers take the structure of scientific reports.
Every course has its preferred term paper writing requirements, which your professor or teacher will share with you when you are given the assignment. Nevertheless, it is common to undertake in-depth research, analysis, synthesis, and use technical writing skills to achieve the intended goals.
As with any academic assignment, the term paper has to be organized, analytical, and polished to show that you have mastered the knowledge from the specific course.
How long is a Research Paper?
As a general rule of thumb, a term paper should be 10-double spaced pages or five single-spaced pages and above. However, for a term paper full of information, a minimum of 15 pages is fine.
A typical term paper is between 3000 and 5000 words long. It could be more or less, depending on what your professor wants, departmental/institutional requirements, and the complexity of the topic.
Regarding how many references a term paper should have, each page should have 1-3 references. If it is a ten-page term paper, it should have 10-15 references. If you have less than 10 pages, you skimped through the writing process, and your all-nighter probably did not pay.
A college term paper is between 5-7 pages. However, you can consult with your instructor or professor if you are unsure. This answers your question on how long is a term paper writing assignment, doesn't it?
Term Paper Outline or Structure
As you settle in to write a term paper, it is imperative to understand its structure so that you are prepared to handle it confidently.
A term paper outline is a roadmap of the specific components you want to achieve when writing the term paper. It gives a clear picture of every section, including the most pertinent details that you intend to include in every section of the paper.
A typical thesis-driven term paper has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You can write the paper like an essay only that it will certainly have more paragraphs compared to a typical 5-paragraph essay. If you are writing such a paper, utilize headings and subheadings for the term paper sections to make your ideas flow well and for readers to easily follow the paper.
You can also write a term paper as a scientific research paper, especially if you have collected and analyzed data to make certain conclusions, answer research questions, or test hypotheses.
- Cover or Title Page. This should feature the course name, course code, your name, date of submission, instructor's name, and the number of words. The cover page differs depending on the formatting style. MLA, APA, Harvard, and Chicago each have different cover pages. See our research paper title page guide .
- Abstract. The abstract should describe the entire paper. It is written last. This one should be 200-250 words. Your thesis must contain the background, findings, and conclusions of the paper.
- Introduction. The introduction of your term paper should begin with general knowledge to focused knowledge on the topic. It should have a thesis statement.
- Body. Each body paragraph should have an introductory sentence, and facts (well-cited through APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago in-texts). There should also be a concluding sentence. Typically, the body expounds on the paper's main agenda (thesis statement of the term paper).
- Literature Review. This section contains organized information based on critical synthesis and analysis. Here, you explore concepts, methods, frameworks, and theories related to your topic as discussed by other authors. Organize the information in chronological, methodological, or thematic format. Ensure that you only use scholarly sources that are published recently, unless you are referring to seminal studies.
- Methodology. This is the section where you provide details of the theoretical frameworks, conceptual models, and the data collection strategies you used when gathering data for the term paper.
- Results. Here, you interpret the findings. Explain what the term paper has covered and discovered.
- Discussion. Your paper should end with a summary and conclusion of the topic question. You should take note of the principles of writing a good essay.
- Conclusion. Winds up the paper by restating the thesis of the term paper and summarizing facts.
- References. This section has an alphabetical list of all the sources that you have cited in the paper.
- Appendix (optional). The appendix provides information, which though useful to the paper, would distract the readers if placed within the body of the paper. It should have images, tables, charts, figures, and other materials or documents. Any information that cannot be placed within the text is placed in the appendices.
You can add a list of figures, tables, or abbreviations to your term paper if it is a requirement.
Read more about making a perfect research paper outline to adopt an outline format that works for you for the term paper you are writing. Check out our guide on the parts of a research paper .
How to Do a Term Paper: Steps to Take
If you are writing a term paper, you are going to have a long time (entire semester), which means breaking everything down to avoid unnecessary writer's block and procrastination. Failure to plan will make you write a last-minute term paper, riddled with mistakes and omissions. To write a term paper effectively, follow these steps.
Step #1: Read the Assignment Prompt
As part of the preparation stages, begin the term paper writing process by reading the instructions. as you read, focus on:
- The requirements. Check whether you are to submit a term paper proposal with a topic. Also, check if you are required to submit a formal term paper outline or an annotated bibliography during the course of the semester.
- Ensure that you know the deadlines for each of the submission requirements, including the proposal, annotated bibliography, article reviews, literature reviews, or evidence synthesis tables.
- The number of pages. Most term papers range between 3000-5000 words. Ensure that you know the number of pages and page limits set for the paper.
- The number of sources. Some professors specify the number of academic or scholarly sources they expect you to use in your term paper.
- Some professors will give you a definite topic or a list of topics to choose from or leave you the liberty to select a suitable topic that resonates with your interests and aspirations.
- Check the questions you are expected to address in the paper.
- The prompt will have details about the formatting style to use when writing the paper. Check whether you are required to use MLA, APA, Harvard, Oxford, Chicago, or Bluebook formats.
The term paper prompt or instructions sometimes come with a rubric that breaks down what the instructor will be checking as they mark your paper. Ensure that you have everything figured out by the time you are writing and submitting the paper.
Step #2: Plan the Tern Paper Writing Process
Given the understanding, you need to plan the term paper writing process by coming up with a calendar to budget the time to achieve milestones. If there are deliverables such as research topic, proposal, annotated bibliography, outline, literature review, or anything else, ensure that you mark the dates on your calendar and plan for their delivery.
When planning the paper, brainstorm and come up with term paper topics and ideas. You should research widely by reading the course content (assigned readings). You should eliminate the topics and settle for the one that is interesting, relevant, relatable, and manageable. When selecting the topic, do your preliminary research to check if there are good scholarly sources you can use when writing the paper. You can also consult with your professor.
When you have the topic, write a term paper proposal that details the topic, rationale for choosing the topic, objectives of the term paper, research questions or hypotheses, thesis statement, purpose and problem statement, methodology, timelines, and budget.
Consult with your professor if there are any changes to be made on the topic or if you are unsure about the next step to take. If everything is approved, proceed to the research phase.
Step #3: Research, Take Notes, and Organize Sources
After getting approval for the topic, it is now time to delve deep into research. If you are doing secondary research, which mainly focuses on reading scholarly and official documents, ensure that you prepare well for it. Do systematic research to identify the sources of information to use in the research paper. As well, ensure that you execute the scientific research well so that you can prove a hypothesis or answer to a given research question. You can use qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approach, depending on the topic and the scope of research.
When you are doing a research-based term paper, consider primary and secondary sources. We recommend using University library databases such as EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Psych Net, Science Direct, PubMed, CINHAL, or Google Scholar. Google search is also a good place to begin.
DO NOT use WIKIPEDIA, YOUTUBE, Personal blogs, News websites, and other shoddy blogs you find online. Well, you can use non-scholarly sources to familiarize yourself with the topic, but not within the paper. You should strive to ensure that you have a balance for the selected sources.
Although most colleges and universities will give you access to scholarly sources, when supplementing such, choose a credible scholarly source wisely. Use specific keywords in Google Search and for academic libraries. Focus on data from science and educational resources, government records, official reports, open educational resources, journal articles, and other credible sources.
Take notes as you research, which comes in handy when preparing the outline and when writing the paper. Ensure that you indicate the source of information in your notes. You can use tables to organize similar information to make it easy to develop paragraphs.
Each time you get a befitting credible source, log it into your list of potential references. You can use online citation management tools to organize the sources you have selected in alphabetical order. If possible, download the source in pdf format and read it as you highlight major points using different color codes. You can even print them out and make physical notes in writing.
Step #4: Make a Term Paper Outline
Now that you have researched and have an idea of what your paper should look like, visualize it by creating an outline.
You can make a decimal, full-sentence, or alphanumeric outline for your term paper. The outline should contain the major points including the thesis statement, topic sentences, supporting ideas, research questions, hypotheses, and other fine details about the paper.
Format your term paper outline, as you would want the term paper itself to be when you are done writing it.
If you have any charts, images, figures, or data tables, ensure that you have an appendix section. We already covered the formal structure of a term paper, check the previous section.
Step #5: Write the First Draft
Now that you have the ideas outlined, it is time to start working on the first draft. If you had submitted a term paper proposal, it would be easier to develop everything going forward. However, you will need to change the tone, tenses, and language to match that of the term paper. The proposal is written in the future tense while a term paper in the present or past tense since it reports research that you conducted.
Begin writing your term paper from the introduction to the conclusion. After you are done with everything, write the abstract and polish your paper.
The introduction should start with an attention grabber to enthuse your readers. It can be a statement, fact, or statistic to point to the importance of the topic. You should then provide an overview of the topic, including stating the purpose of the term paper. Your introduction also entails your problem statement, including the rationale for exploring the topic. Include the research questions, hypothesis, and thesis statement of the term paper. You can use the funnel introduction approach so that your readers can appreciate your writing prowess. The introduction should also signpost (highlight) what the readers should expect in the subsequent sections.
With the results of the study or the research notes, write the body section of the paper. For the body paragraphs , write topic sentences, supporting details, explanations, links, and concluding sentences until you are done with the section. Write the literature review critically and present the facts chronologically. You should develop all the arguments gradually and use section headings and subheadings to organize information. Prioritize ideas in terms of their strengths and cite every piece of information from external sources to avoid plagiarism. Paraphrase the ideas from other sources well and avoid overusing vocabulary when developing ideas in the term paper. You should also balance the body paragraphs so that your audience/readers are not bored or confused when reading.
Finally, when writing the conclusion of the term paper, summarize the information you have discussed in the body. Restate the thesis and show how you have addressed it in the paper. Have a concluding sentence that gives your readers a good closure.
When you are done with the conclusion, write the abstract to summarize the entire term paper.
Step #6: Polish the Term Paper
You have spent the longest time writing the term paper and all you now have is a draft. It is recommended that you take a break from writing to refresh your mind. A few days off your writing schedule will not hurt the submission deadline. When on the break do anything unrelated to the term paper. Such breathers are great; you resume working on the paper with an objective mind and a keen eye.
An outstanding term paper has a good flow, contains minimal to no errors, and addresses the research topic. You must not tire to revise the paper until you are sure it meets the rubric requirements. You should focus on moving the paragraphs around, deleting unnecessary sections, replacing paragraphs, and re-writing some sections to make sense to the readers.
When polishing the paper, focus on removing all the grammatical, stylistic, and spelling errors in the paper. As well, ensure that the format of the paper is right. Check the in-text citations to ensure that they are referenced in the references list section. The goal here is to have a high-quality term paper that your professor reads and wants to keep reading or share with friends; one that they will post on the school website as a sample for a perfectly done paper.
Check the choice and use of words. You should ensure that every topic sentence makes sense. Additionally, ensure that you have used the right phrases and words within paragraphs. Your supporting sentences should have citations and explanations. The concluding sentences should use the right transition words to give your paper a good flow.
If you are sure you have edited it enough, consider having a peer review of the term paper to ascertain that you have met the requirements. You can also hire qualified scholars or editors to check your paper against the rubric and advise on areas to make changes or realign for better grades.
Incorporate the changes and turn the first draft into a final draft term paper that you can confidently submit.
Related: How to write a perfect nursing term paper .
Tips for Formatting a Term Paper
College and university papers have a preferred standard format. Students must ensure that they meet the formatting requirements for term papers as specified in the instructions.
Although considered straightforward, formatting alone carries some marks and can affect the grade you get for your term paper.
If you have written your paper but do not know how to format it, you can hire a proofreader or editor for the task.
There are several styles to format a term paper, including MLA, Chicago, APA, oxford, etc. Let us look at the most popular styles.
Formatting a Term paper in APA
Students pursuing social sciences such as psychology, anthropology, social work, sociology, education, geography, and other fields such as engineering, nursing, business, communications, and related fields mostly use APA formatting style . An APA term paper will have the following:
- Written in an A4 sheet 8.5 x 11 inches.
- Use Times New Roman font size 12 or any specific by your professor/instructor.
- Has a one-inch margin around the page.
- Double or single-spaced text (as per your instructor's guidelines).
- 0.5-inch indent for every paragraph , except for the abstract.
- Headings and subheadings are placed on different levels
- Cover page with the title, course details, student details, instructor's name, and submission date.
- The 'References' is bold.
- All entries in the reference list are alphabetical and double-spaced. Use hanging indent for the citations that require more than one line.
We have a quick formatting guide for APA papers ; check it as you polish your paper.
Formatting a Term Paper in Chicago Style
The Chicago or Turabian formatting style is used mostly for religion, theology, law, and other humanities and social sciences.
When writing in Chicago or Turabian style, ensure to format your paper as follows:
- Font: Times New Roman
- Font Size : 12 points.
- Margins: 1 inch.
- Paragraphs: All paragraphs should be indented, half an inch from the margin.
- Spacing: All of the text in the body of your paper should be double-spaced.
- The title page contains a capitalized title, course name, your full name, and the date due for the paper.
- The text is left-aligned with a ragged right edge.
- The entire paper is double-spaced.
- If you are using the CMS, ensure that you place footnotes after any punctuation. Every number must have an entry at the bottom margin of the page.
- Include a page number on the top right corner of the page.
- Start the body of your paper on the first line on a new page.
- The word 'Bibliography' is centered and not in bold.
- The citations in the bibliography section should be in alphabetic order.
- Every entry in the bibliography is single-spaced with a blank line separating each entry.
- Use hanging indent for the citations that require more than one line.
MLA Term Paper Formatting
You can format your term paper in MLA if you are pursuing humanities such as history, English and Literature, Arts, archeology, etc. some of the salient features of this style include:
- Type the paper on a standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
- Double-space the text of your paper.
- Use legible font, mostly Times New Roman, and font size 12.
- Leave a space after the period and other punctuation marks.
- You must indent the first line of every paragraph half an inch from the left margin or ONE tab space.
- Use headers and subheadings effectively.
- When quoting titles of longer works, use italics to mention the titles, only when necessary.
- If you have endnotes, include them on a separate page before the Works Cited section. The section should be titled Notes and centered and it should not be formatted.
- Use quotation marks when referring to literary works in your paper.
- The entire term paper should be left aligned.
- The references should be written in alphabetical order and use hanging indent for those that are more than a line long.
How do you end a Term Paper?
A good term paper should have a comprehensive conclusion. Refer to this source for term paper writing tips (external website). To end your term paper:
- Restate the topic in the topic sentence of your conclusion paragraph.
- Also, restate the thesis statement of your term paper.
- Briefly present a summary of the significant points in your term paper. Be clear and concise on the arguments.
- Have a call to action if there is a need to do so.
- Your conclusion should pass the "so what" test.
- Your conclusion should synthesize the primary Link from the introduction to the conclusion.
- End your term paper with logic. It will help if you have a suggestion in your conclusion.
Can I end the research paper with a question? Yes, why not? Ending a paper with a question leaves the reader thinking about the content. It entices them to read the piece yet again. A professor doing this means an excellent grade.
Typically, people use words such as sum, conclusion, closing, wind up, etc. However, these words are clichés. Be innovative at the end of your term paper.
Use words like:
- As seen in the discussion above.
- We can conclude from the research.
- It is generally agreed that
- The above discussion
- As can be proved by the findings...
- As research has demonstrated
- Reported and tested
These words are not as stiff as the common concluding transition words. Remember, a thesis should come in the introduction of your term paper. It is only restated in your conclusion.
Before you close this page...
This information on how to write a term paper can help you construct the best term papers and score the best grades. Choose the best topic and have an outline.
Related: Writing article titles in a term paper.
On your GPA hunt, though, writing a term paper can be tough. Getting time to complete college assignments is challenging due to work-life balance. Maybe you have a family to take care of, errands to run, or chores to complete; you can be literarily stuck with your paper.
Instead of worrying or stressing yourself, you can trust our online writing services. We offer discreet, reliable, and trustworthy online assignment writing help . A term paper requires the input of the best writers. We have experts in term paper writing to help. You can purchase a term paper from our website and have it written from scratch based on your instructions. We are the website that writes your term papers at an affordable fee.
Our experienced professional writers will also offer proofreading and editing services free when you order from our website. Besides, they will also come through if you are stuck with choosing a topic for your term paper.
Get a well-written paper in APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard. Any style, we have you covered! Order at GradeCrest.
If you are hoping to choose the best term paper topics, consider our posts and guides including:
- Research Paper Topics
- Nutrition research topics
- List of global and social issues to write about
- How to write a research paper
- Best Topics for international business research papers
- Criminology and criminal justice Research Topics
- Sports term paper topics
- Making a title page for a research paper
- Technology research topics for students
- Research topics on discrimination
- Education research topics
- How to make a Research paper Longer
- Political Science research topics
- How to write any paper fast when you don't have much time
- Aviation Research Papers for students
- Steps and tips for writing a term paper proposal.
- Psychology research topics for term papers.
- Essay Outlining Process
- Writing a Research Proposal
Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.
Learning Materials
- Business Studies
- Combined Science
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- English Literature
- Environmental Science
- Human Geography
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
Term Paper – Master Your Fear of Writing
Just be honest and tell me, how many words? And how much time have you got to do it? If you’re about to embark on writing a term paper, I have excellent news for you – this is a crash course! I’m about to introduce you to the fine art of writing term papers for any topic. We will look at an airtight outline example, some life hacks, and the usual formatting tips. Let’s dive right in!
What Is a Term Paper? Definition and Guidelines
If you’ve only just started university and have already been slammed by this frightful word, welcome to this new level of study! University is not only about cramming from tons of books: It should also, ideally, foster critical thinking, teach you how to argue your points effectively, and help you develop research skills. And you will need all three of these to write a stellar term paper!
But hang on a sec, what is a term paper? A term paper is a longer type of research-based homework on a particular topic. Term papers range from 15 to 25 pages because any less is considered lazy and any more is too much for any professor to read (trust me, I teach at a university).
In general, you should be free to select a topic for your term paper, but regardless of whether you’re free to do it or are assigned one, term papers mostly have the same goal. Namely, they test your ability to formulate and support your arguments and locate yourself in a particular theoretical framework. Sound scary yet? Don’t worry! I’m here to illuminate some of the vaguer aspects of term paper writing.
Join over 90% of students getting better grades!
That’s a pretty good statistic. Download our free all-in-one learning app and start your most successful learning journey yet. Let’s do it!
Structuring Your Term Paper Outline (+ Sample Term Paper Outline PDF)
Before you begin writing, it’s advisable to have an idea about where exactly your writing is going. The best way to achieve this is to write an outline, or (as we sleep-deprived academics like to call it) an abstract. An abstract is a short description of your paper/article/project that outlines your main research questions and the theoretical framework you will be working with.
I generally suggest that people start with a very simple pyramid structure when writing an abstract:
- The foundation. This is where you introduce a broad, general statement on the topic of your choice. You can clarify and specify this in a few more sentences to ease your readers into the research project.
Example: Contemporary drama boasts the power to transform the audience through careful selection and crafty delivery of impactful images. By creating faux-reality, drama sometimes appeals to the affective side of the audience in order to provide commentary on a number of social and psychological issues. Duncan Macmillan’s Every Brilliant Thing capitalises on its affect-inducing potential, tackling the issue of suicidal depression.
- The middle. In this part of the outline, you state the aims of your study. Some of my favourite phrases to signal your intentions include: this paper aims to shed light on, the goal of this research paper is, the idea behind this term paper is, etc. Feel free to add some powerful verbs of action such as examine, assess, illuminate, discern, analyse, cross-reference, etc. to emphasise your ideas.
Example: This paper aims to explore how the play creates a more realistic setting by deviating from the audience’s expectations, thus blurring the line between drama and real life. It may be argued that simulated reality, exemplified through a number of exaggerations, impacts the affective component in the audience’s attitude formation and that its neglect of the cognitive reinforces the transformative power of Every Brilliant Thing .
- The top. The final part of your outline should highlight coherent hypotheses or research questions that your study will answer. While academic papers usually dream of some originality, this should not concern you yet – you don’t need to invent hot water in your term papers, but as you gain experience, novel conclusions will become easier to form.
Example: This paper will then take a final look at how the structure of the play simulates depression in order to sensitise the audience and to which extent it attains its goal of conveying the message of the universality and repercussions of the disease.
Writing an outline is a good way to organise your thoughts, figure out what kind of books you need, and anticipate your results.
In the abovementioned examples, the books you’d need would have to do with theatre, psychological influences, and simulation of reality.
This process applies to any subject. The outline can be more detailed, but it needn’t go over 300 words. A word of advice: if you cannot summarise the key points of your topic in 300 words, you should do some more brainstorming until you reach the specific goal.
PS Check out this excellent term paper outline sample !
We offer more, for less. Way less.
Our all-in-one learning platform is completely free. Access teacher-verified explanations, flashcards with spaced repetition, and a study planner with analytics. At no cost to you.
Term Paper Format – The Safety Net
Each term paper should follow a relatively familiar structure and way of arguing your points. Let’s start with the basics:
- Cover page. This is where your title goes (centred, bolded, pt24 ideally). The cover page should also list your personal details, such as name, address, email, student ID number, phone number (maybe), and the institution and the department for which you are writing your term paper. Each university tends to have its own layout for the cover page, but the rule of thumb is that institutional information goes above the title, whereas personal information is below.
- Table of contents – your readers need to know what to expect!
- Introduction. This is a more elaborate version of your project outline. You should specify what the paper is dealing with, what theoretical framework you’re using, and what your hypothesis is. My pro tip is to write the introduction last because term papers tend to grow as you write and you may end up with vastly different results from those you had expected.
- Theoretical framing. Explain which theories or ideas you’re using.
- Methodology. This is mostly present in scientific papers where you must explain what methods will guide your study (i.e. experiments).
- Analysis. Close readings, experiments, data surveys – whatever your project is doing, it should be doing it here.
- Discussion . Feel free to start interpreting your results in this section. A great paper does not simply list data – it compares and contrasts. You must be able to draw conclusions about what your analysis has shown you. Results as expected? Hypothesis confirmed. Results not ideal? There’s something to write about. Consider why something turned out differently and what that means for future studies.
- Optional: pitfalls and future improvements. Again, this is more present in sciences than humanities, but you could address possible pitfalls or blind spots in your study and suggest how they can be improved upon in the future. You can also talk about what lines of research your project can inspire.
- Conclusion . Time to wrap it all up. Briefly summarise the key points of research and main results. If you haven’t already devoted a separate section of the paper to this, you can also write about indications for future research in your conclusion.
Term Paper Structure Example
To give you a more precise example of a structured term paper, here’s a more detailed structure of the above-described example on theatre:
Still Unsure about How to Write a Term Paper?
Excellent, I love good questions! The truth is, writing a term paper is a labour of love (it is hard labour, especially if you’re carrying all the books!), so I will give you some tips on how to make it an enjoyable experience.
- Pick a topic you’re interested in. There’s nothing you can say to convince me that your subject is so absolutely wretchedly uninteresting that you simply cannot find such a topic. You just haven’t done your work yet. Start digging and follow the internet clicking abyss until you stumble upon something that takes your fancy. My master thesis idea was based on a single line I read in a magazine about Neil Gaiman’s American Gods – I managed to turn it into 80 pages, two scientific articles, and two talks just fine, even though it may not have been researched previously. So, whatever you’re writing about, there’s got to be a fun angle to it.
- Start reading. You cannot write a term paper from nothing. Once you have a general topic and an outline, you should start collecting your materials. Check out your library and inform yourself about the inter-library loan. Get acquainted with various scientific databases like JSTOR and ResearchGate – your university probably has wide access to many knowledge repositories you can use through an official VPN or library computers. Search by keywords and titles and save everything that sounds interesting. Learn to recognise important elements and ideas in those texts and be ready to use them to support your arguments.
- Know when to stop, too. Sometimes you’ll find yourself deep in the excitement of learning something new, but there will come a point when you realise you’re ready to put what you’ve found into your own words. Set up an experiment, survey, or study and follow up on the results. In humanities, this may mean a closer analysis of selected texts. This is where you start writing – again, leave the introduction for later and jump right into the core of the work.
- Mind the style. When writing a term paper, you need to keep certain standards up. Term papers are written in the ‘academic’ style and involve lots of passive voice, verbs of enlightenment (illustrate, examine, assess), and words marking cause-effect relationships. Don’t be afraid to use transition words to make your text and conclusions flow easily.
- Cite properly! Oh, how I hated learning all the citation styles when I was just starting out, but once you do learn the ropes, it gets easier. It’s a bit of drudgery, but my advice is to write down your sources meticulously as you go along. As soon as you cite someone, make sure you add the full citation at the end of the text (I like having them in a separate document), and don’t forget in-text citations. Depending on what field you’re studying in, you will have different citation styles (like MLA, Chicago, APA) at your disposal – make sure you check the requirements for each course and consult the corresponding websites with guidelines.
Change the way you learn, starting right now!
With thousands of teacher-reviewed explanations and flashcards on all your subjects, you have everything you need to succeed!
Don’t Forget about Term Paper Editing!
And there goes the last-minute churning of text and hitting send before passing out for the next two days. Writing a term paper at university should not be left for the last minute. If you’re a chronic procrastinator, it’s time to learn to organise your time and devote enough of it to your assignments.
When you’re done with writing, you should leave your paper alone for a few days – sleep on it, as they say. You can treat this distance like any good study break – it’ll help you clear your mind, prevent resentment towards the subject, and allow you to see it through new eyes. Before submitting, re-read your text carefully and edit the writing. Weed out spelling and grammatical errors and prune unnecessary examples or repetitive statements. A good way to do this is to change the font or even font size in your writing software – this engages your perception and makes spotting mistakes easier.
Editing is also the time to consider how your arguments are holding together and whether you need to add or replace some text and/or rearrange your points. It’s an extremely important part of the writing process, but you shouldn’t overdo it either. Perfectionism can get you into the editing spiral that usually leads to messing up parts that were initially good. A few re-reads are fine, but anything more and you might as well start to rewrite the whole thing.
The last question to consider is whether you are happy with your result. Remember, this is a term paper and you’re still learning, so nobody expects it to be perfect, but you should be satisfied with what you’ve accomplished.
The Key Takeaways of Writing a Term Paper
Writing a term paper is a longer commitment than a simple essay. To ensure your success, start well ahead of time or you might find yourself rushed and stressed .
- Try to find a topic of personal interest to you.
- Scribble an outline to work out your angle or general direction of the paper.
- Read enough materials. Your library and online databases are your friends.
- Form hypotheses and set up experiments or analyses.
- Get down to business (and stop procrastinating !).
- Don’t forget to edit the paper well and format it correctly.
Source: Danica Stojanovic, ‘Theatrical (Hyper)Reality: The Effects of Breaking Formal Boundaries in Every Brilliant Thing ’, Over The Horizon, London, 2020, pp. 81‑100.
Did you know that StudySmarter was rated best study app worldwide!
What is a term paper?
How do you write a term paper, how do you write a term paper proposal, how do you write a term paper outline, how long should a term paper be, how do you prepare a term paper, how do you write a conclusion for a term paper, how do you write a term paper introduction.
- Other Guides
How to Write a Term Paper: 5 Basic Components of Successful Format
- Speech Topics
- Basics of Essay Writing
- Essay Topics
- Other Essays
- Main Academic Essays
- Research Paper Topics
- Basics of Research Paper Writing
- Miscellaneous
- Chicago/ Turabian
- Data & Statistics
- Methodology
- Admission Writing Tips
- Admission Advice
- Student Life
- Studying Tips
- Understanding Plagiarism
- Academic Writing Tips
- Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing
- Essay Guides
- Research Paper Guides
- Formatting Guides
- Basics of Research Process
- Admission Guides
- Dissertation & Thesis Guides
Table of contents
Use our free Readability checker
A term paper is a research project written by students over an academic term, typically accounting for a significant part of a grade. It is intended to describe an event, a concept, or argue a point. The paper is usually original research involving a detailed study of a subject, requiring a considerable amount of preparation and effort.
The length and complexity of a term paper can vary but it's generally more comprehensive and detailed than regular academic essays. It usually includes an introduction, body, conclusion, and a bibliography citing the sources used.
Writing a term paper can be a piece of cake if you know how to properly structure it and where to begin. Browse this guide and learn how to write a term paper worth a A+.
Discover How to Write a Term Paper & What It Is
Students who earn Cs (70 per cent equivalent) do obtain degrees, but they barely get valuable, interesting job offers. Tell Granny to get ready with the magnets: we are about to start our amazing academic adventure! What is a term paper ? It is an effective method to increase the overall great point average and professional skills every student should not ignore. What is a term paper? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word this way: “A major written assignment in a school/college course representative of a student's achievement during a semester.” No matter which is your personal answer to “what is a termpaper,” it is the last chance to fix the final course grade. There will be no other chance to improve the academic performance as it is the final assignment to pop up during the semester. The need to learn how to write a term paper appears closer to of the educational year’s finish; try to be ahead of your class by reviewing the steps to writing a term paper earlier! Or you can simply get the best term paper writing service .
Accepted Essay’s Format
How to write an outline for a term paper? Do not bother – have a look at the helpful guide prepared by the talented scholars to understand what the main parts of the good final projects are! Here are five main parts of this process. Please do not be confused with five paragraph essay. Term paper help can get your assignment written in half a day, by the way.
Brief (1/3 of A4 page) description of the written work. Wonder how to write an abstract ? Write down what the topic is, reasons to discuss it (how it is related to the core college discipline/major), and your results.
Introduction
What is a termpaper without a powerful introduction? It does not make any sense; stick to the following checklist to avoid missing an important introduction element:
- Define the problem.
- Include a literature review made of recent thoughts, findings, and approaches to the solution.
- Is the chosen issue significant?
- Write about the ways you plan to handle the existing problem.
Buy term papers online if that doesn't seem interesting for you at the moment.
- Explain the methods used to research corresponding sources plus the ways you selected the relevant data.
- Describe the impression of the tool, relevance, and quality of the gathered information.
- Write down the steps required to choose/utilize the information.
In this section, list the results of the experiment (trying to solve the problem) and the obstacles faced on the way while trying to answer every related question.
In the final part, the student is willing to do whatever they think is relevant. In personal words, it is important to explain what the findings mean, make a summary of the main points, draw some conclusions, & interpret the role of the findings in the context of the studied subject. The outline will prevent the student from falling off the topic, forgetting the next item in the line to discuss. Need some help with it? Call online academic writing services to allow them explain how to write a term paper by developing the most powerful essay!
“What Is a Term Paper?” on the Essay Examples
To understand a topic better, it is critical to have great examples in front of your nose. You may know how to write a term paper, having an idea of the outline, but choosing a good topic might be a challenge. A topic reflects the title, which is the face of your writing. Do not hope that your teachers/professors will give a list of great topics every time the end of the semester is closer. Modern instructors prefer to leave freedom of choice to their students. Many ways exist to help with the choice of topic:
- Recent articles
- Current news
- Favorite literature
- Movies & documentaries
- Conferences
If you decide to pick one of the sources as your primary source of information, do not forget to cite the quotes. It is important to add a Reference list on the last page. The basic rule of choosing the appropriate topic is to have the one, which fulfills the purposes of the college course and is the subject of the student’s interest. It makes no sense to select the topic you do not know at the advanced level. It is important to understand the criteria of choosing a topic to realize how to write a term paper. In case your head goes spinning from all the new information, simply shop for custom written term papers and call it a day.
Selecting the Topic: Criteria
What length are you planning to handle? What is a termpaper regarding of volume? It is not a typical argumentative, narrative essay ; a project of this type is a lengthy document, which contains no less than 5-10 pages. If your teacher asks for the certain amount of words, leave the word count to your Microsoft Word app. If writing huge pieces does not inspire you, try to select narrower topics. Take into account the length and plan how many words you plan to include into each part. Resources: school, college, or community libraries are no longer the best places to look for the relevant information. The modern world offers high technologies! Go to the Internet, open Google, type whatever you wish to research, and you will get millions of results. Remember: every source requires a reference. These are the top resources that will help to write a great term paper:
- Class notes
- Academic journals
- Documentaries
The final page of your essay should contain a full Bibliography made of the cited sources. The last thing to think about is the complexity level. It is better to avoid topics you are not expert in; try choosing something you know from your personal experience & life examples, what can be explored in details. In case of any questions, professionals working in the field of your study may help. Teachers put extra credits to the works with interviews & surveys. Do not use primary sources only! Wish to learn how to write a history term paper, biology lab report , art movie review, capstone project , or how to write a dissertation in psychology? Buy a ready solution online!
Joe Eckel is an expert on Dissertations writing. He makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.
You may also like
Term Paper: Step-by-Step Guide for Getting an A+
- Icon Calendar 3 August 2024
- Icon Page 6562 words
- Icon Clock 30 min read
Students in higher learning institutions must submit their term papers at the end of each semester. Fundamentally, these projects play a crucial role in evaluating the learner’s knowledge of a specific subject. In this case, scholars should engage in adequate preparation before writing a complete document. Then, some of the essential steps include defining a topic, finding credible sources, creating and revising a document’s outline, and drafting a term work. Moreover, an outline of such work differs from that of other essays since it must include subsections. Further on, writers must ensure all the subtopics relate to a central thesis statement. Besides, each body paragraph must contain a topic sentence, supportive proof, appropriate descriptions, and a concluding and transitioning statement. In turn, its conclusion must include a concise summary of the main points discussed in its body. As a result, this guide is designed to help students to learn how to write a correct term paper and achieve their academic goals successfully.
What Is a Term Paper and Its Purpose
According to its definition, a term paper is a comprehensive research assignment that students typically complete at the end of an academic year to demonstrate their understanding and knowledge of a specific subject, taking a significant portion of their grade. The main purpose of writing a term paper is to assess and evaluate students’ skills to conduct independent research, analyze primary and secondary data, organize their thoughts coherently, support their arguments with evidence, and present their findings in a structured format (Phillips, 2018). To achieve this objective, learners must prepare such documents for them to succeed in their studies. Moreover, such an assignment refers to serious study work that they need to submit to their instructors at the end of a semester to pass their courses. On the other hand, professors use these types of papers to track and evaluate their students’ knowledge about their areas of expertise. Further on, the process of organizing a term paper involves comprehensive research and methodological writing skills and follows specific analytical and organized structures (Coreil, 2013). Besides, good term papers have well-researched evidence that supports significant claims. As such, learners in higher educational institutions prepare such works when reflecting on their knowledge in a specific study area. In turn, the length of a term paper can vary significantly in terms of words and pages, depending on the course, instructor, and academic level:
High School
- Words: 1,500 to 2,500 words
- Pages: 5 to 8 full pages
College (Undergraduate)
- Words: 3,000 to 5,000 words
- Pages: 10 to 15 full pages
University (Upper-Level Undergraduate)
- Words: 4,000 to 6,000 words
- Pages: 13 to 20 full pages
Master’s
- Words: 5,000 to 7,500 words
- Pages: 17 to 25 full pages
- Words: 7,500 to 10,000 words
- Pages: 25 to 35 full pages
Term Paper Format
General formatting guidelines:
- Font: Times New Roman, 12-point
- Spacing: Double-spaced
- Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides
- Page Numbers: Top right corner, starting from the title page
- Headings and Subheadings: Use consistent formatting for headings and subheadings
Possible Topics
Students in higher learning institutions may come across different topics for writing their term projects. In practice, study themes vary from one subject to another and require students to engage in detailed research (Phillips, 2018). Hence, possible topics that one may come across for writing their documents are:
- Influence of colors on mood and behavior .
- Exploring the impact of telemedicine in patient-centered care .
- Impacts of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance .
- Is there a cancer epidemic due to industrial chemicals in the environment?
- Should federal courts be bound by the “original intent” of the framers?
- Do foreign investments threaten U.S. economic independence?
- Should morality and human rights influence foreign trade policy?
- Do rich nations have a responsibility to help developing countries?
- Partnership benefits at state and federal institutions.
- Same-sex adoption and access to reproductive technologies.
- Execution of juveniles.
- The lengthy appealing process for death row inmates.
- The Constitutional question of “cruel and unusual punishment.”
Different topics have a broad scope. Basically, themes given above show that students must carry out extensive research to provide a comprehensive response. On the other hand, they can decide on the content they include in their papers and give a comprehensive analysis of their subjects.
Step-by-Step Guide for Writing a Term Paper
Any student must prepare a final project to achieve desired grades and complete a study course. In this case, a good term paper typically ranges from 1,500 to 5,000 words of writing, depending on academic levels and specific course requirements. Besides, adequate preparation allows scholars to gather relevant evidence and draft their works effectively. To start a term paper, students begin with a clear and engaging introduction that provides background information on study topics assigned by their instructors, states their research questions or thesis statements, and outlines corresponding structures (Phillips, 2018). As a result, the necessary steps in writing a high-quality report that one should take into consideration when organizing an academic piece are:
Step 1: Preparation
Defining a topic.
Defining a specific subject for a project is the first and most crucial activity that any writer must consider. Fundamentally, describing a specific issue allows students to understand their course prompts and understand key ideas required to complete final projects. For example, a term paper in English literature is a comprehensive research assignment that involves analyzing, interpreting, and discussing a specific literary work, author, or theme, allowing instructions to evaluate students’ understanding and critical evaluation of the subject at the end of a semester (Coreil, 2013). To write an English term paper, students begin by selecting a relevant literary topic, conduct thorough research and analysis, create an outline, state a clear thesis statement, develop their arguments in structured sections, provide textual evidence and citations, conclude with a summary of their findings, and ensure to proofread and adhere to the required formatting guidelines. In this case, one must understand the meaning of essential terms with their context. Moreover, students should use resources, like a dictionary and thesaurus, to obtain the necessary definitions. In turn, they may opt to seek help from peers and lecturers when defining a topic for a research assignment.
Preparing Ideas
Preparing ideas for any project leads to outstanding work. For example, students can identify all the relevant ideas and points that need to be covered before engaging in the actual writing process (Goodson, 2024). Unfortunately, many learners fail to consider preparing thoughts as an essential step when writing a term paper. As a result, they prepare low-quality essays and achieve low grades. In turn, students need to redo their projects to pass their classes. Hence, they should prepare initial ideas before organizing a term report by using acceptable methods.
Brainstorming
Scholars should consider brainstorming as an acceptable method to prepare ideas for a term paper. For example, brainstorming helps learners to come up with fresh and new facts for their writing. In this case, students think of the ideas that relate to their topics (Goodson, 2024). Moreover, the process generates unique ideas that can make one’s work to stand out. Hence, some ideas for brainstorming that one may use when preparing concepts and thoughts are:
- Come up with bad ideas first – Learners should think about research concepts related to their topics. In this case, successful students do not consider raising positive thoughts during brainstorming. Instead, they need to present both good and bad ideas concerning their subjects. On the other hand, writers should not feel ‘stupid’ for raising bad ideas since the strategy helps identify weaker and more robust ideas. Then, one should allow ideas to flow during the brainstorming strategy. Besides, scholars should focus on raising positive opinions after exhausting throwaway thoughts. Hence, authors need to increase both bad and good ideas that relate to their topics under analysis.
- Breaking and building ideas – One of the most effective strategies for turning a few ideas into many is to break them down. Principally, learners need to identify general writing themes that relate to a project and break them into smaller details. In this case, the process helps authors to see if some narrower ideas branch from their main themes. Alternatively, one may combine different ideas to create a broader subtopic for a document. Hence, writers need to break down more general concepts while combining narrow ones.
- Play word games – Outstanding term projects contain original and unique ideas. For example, word games are instrumental tools that prevent learners from producing generic and unoriginal ideas. In this case, word games motivate some out-of-box thinking. Moreover, “word storm” is an excellent method for a student to generate related ideas. In turn, this method allows authors to create thoughts naturally without overthinking.
- Creating a mood board – Learners should rely on writing methods that motivate them to generate fresh and unique ideas related to a research topic. For instance, combining imagery, color, and visual-spatial elements evokes emotions and feelings. and they spark fresh and new thoughts. In this case, students manage to recall some concepts acquired during learning by improving the overall paper’s quality.
- Doodling – Successful students spur creativity insights and increase attention when generating essential ideas for a term report. Essentially, doodling allows a learner to engage with visuals that spark new thoughts. Furthermore, practical doodling approaches help authors to break out of the traditional brainstorming approaches, and they rely on reading and talking. In this case, learners should break visual objects into small objects or combine unrelated items. Hence, these approaches motivate the brain to generate unique ideas for supporting a central theme.
- Changing a physical environment – Ordinary motivation plays a crucial role in the generation of new writing ideas. In this case, students should change their physical environment to avoid boredom. Basically, enriched and attractive environments affect how the human brain works and speed up how one generates new ideas and thoughts. Therefore, a successful learner can select the location for brainstorming effectively.
Reading is an appropriate method that students may consider when generating ideas for term papers. For instance, reading is a traditional method, and writers use it to raise arguments related to a specific topic (Goodson, 2024). In this case, scholars must identify credible sources that relate to a study topic and read them to understand an assigned subject better before writing. This strategy plays a crucial in raising viable and accurate ideas about the project’s topic. However, scholars can take the necessary precautions since extensive reading is a tedious and monotonous process.
Considering an Academic Audience
Different scholars read term papers for specific reasons. Basically, students must consider the target audience as academic readers to ensure articles meet their needs (Phillips, 2018). In most cases, scholars use the official language when writing and expressing thoughts. Moreover, formal language suits academic documents because it reveals professionalism and academic excellence.
Step 2: Setting Up the Stage
Researching for sources.
Terms papers must contain credible evidence obtained from academic sources. Essentially, scholars gather adequate evidence from different reliable sources, like books, journal articles, financial and laboratory reports, credible websites, and magazines (Hoogenboom & Manske, 2012). As a ground writing rule, all sources must provide adequate and irrefutable evidence to support the main arguments. In particular, one can find scholarly sources published in the last ten years because they contain the latest evidence and facts on issues under investigation. Hence, writers need to look for credible sources to support their main arguments.
Making Notes
Taking notes is a crucial step when writing term papers. Principally, scholars must read all the sources critically. In this case, the strategy allows one to understand the major concepts and ideas that relate to a research topic. Moreover, students should consider writing short notes to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding of the main messages made by authors of credible sources (Ecarnot et al., 2015). Then, successful scholars take notes and revise them to ensure they obtain the most substantial evidence that supports their research work. In turn, improving paper notes involves breaking broader ideas into smaller ones and combining others to make them stronger and more sensible. Therefore, students can take the necessary points to support their central ideas.
Developing a Study Outline
Organizing thoughts plays a crucial role in preparing a quality document. Essentially, one should combine research notes obtained from scholarly sources and those gathered during brainstorming and put them into developing a term paper’s outline (Phillips, 2018). In this case, a well-organized outline helps writers to connect ideas. Moreover, this outline should contain a study topic with the main thoughts and concepts needed to be covered. Further on, clear outlines have smaller ideas that relate to the main ones. In turn, the strategy allows one to see direct connections between the main ideas and leads to an organized scholarly article. As a result, students should follow the basic writing steps below to create a clear outline:
- Organize notes and relevant evidence into groups of related ideas.
- Review a thesis statement to determine if it communicates the intended message.
- Define the main points to support a working thesis statement or research hypothesis.
- Include ideas and thoughts to strengthen the main points.
- Match supportive ideas with relevant sources obtained through research.
- Organize all the ideas to achieve a unique flow of information logically.
- Identify if some of the points presented need additional research and where thoughts require more development.
- Revise points and ideas to enhance the overall quality of a paper.
Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Successful scholars prepare annotated bibliographies that contain relevant and irrefutable research. Basically, each entry in an annotated bibliography for a document must include citation information with writing a short description and analysis (Coreil, 2013). In this case, scholars need to follow accepted citation styles, depending on instructions given by professors. Besides, an annotated bibliography must focus on a central topic of a term report. Students must ensure all sources remain relevant to their study topics. However, one should remember that typical annotated bibliography requirements may vary depending on the topic and term paper’s requirements. In turn, a useful annotated bibliography should help learners to keep track of research readings and gain a sense of a literature review. Hence, one needs to prepare a written annotated bibliography for a project when conducting research.
Step 3: Starting a Term Paper
Organizing a first draft.
First drafts of term papers help one to organize ideas in a good flow. Essentially, students should use their outlines and annotated bibliographies to write the first draft of a document (Coreil, 2013). In this case, scholars need to focus on presenting all the ideas in this draft. Further on, an appropriate draft enables one to test an outline and elaborate theories to support the central argument. As a result, good drafts resemble complete term reports. Finally, good drafts must contain a title page, abstract or executive summary, introduction, body, and conclusion with a reference page.
Putting Everything Together
A scholar should put all the ideas together into a complete term paper. For example, learners need to ensure a written document contains a logical flow of ideas (Goodson, 2024). In this case, the strategy enables students to identify some gaps in the presented concepts. Besides, putting everything together helps authors to identify some points that require more investigation.
Finding New Sources or Deleting Old Ones
Term papers must contain compelling ideas and arguments. For example, learners need to review their drafts to determine if all sources provide relevant and credible evidence (Hoogenboom & Manske, 2012). In practice, scholars change some sources that offer weak arguments. Besides, writers must remove previous scholarly sources with weak points of view or irrelevant information to a study since a research hypothesis may be changed during writing the first draft. Hence, one can change credible sources where necessary.
Altering an Outline
Learners should change their outlines of term papers to make such pieces more substantial and compelling. For instance, people must use their first drafts and new scholarly sources to make relevant changes in a term document’s outline (Coreil, 2013). Besides, the primary goal of this writing strategy is to strengthen study arguments and improve their clarity.
Creating a Working Thesis
Compelling term papers must contain well-organized thesis statements by considering research hypotheses and rationales. Fundamentally, scholars develop a working thesis statement, which includes the claim and significant points that scholars try to make (Gray, 2018). In this case, writers need to create a sentence that explains their positions taken on topics in question based on their hypotheses and rationales. Furthermore, lecturers evaluate all the body paragraphs and how they relate to the thesis and research question. In this case, one should use a revised outline, a written draft, and a completed annotated bibliography to create the working hypothesis and ensure it meets the necessary quality.
Step 4: Wrapping It Up
Outstanding term papers contain minimal or no flaws. Essentially, learners must revise their drafts to remove all the mistakes. For example, some factors that one must consider are spelling and grammatical errors, various writing technicalities, and idea flow (Goodson, 2024). In this case, revisions play a significant role in improving the paper’s overall quality and ensuring readers develop the motivation to evaluate all its sections. Hence, students need to revise the first term project’s draft to remove unnecessary mistakes.
Editing is an important task, and it helps authors to make term papers compelling. In particular, students focus on enhancing the readability and relevance levels of research (Coreil, 2013). Hence, when writing a term paper, one must consider:
- Scholars can change the order of words during the editing process. In this case, the primary purpose of enhancing the term report’s euphony is to improve the rhythm and other dynamics. As a result, students can replace weak expressions to remove clichés and conversational writing style.
- Effective editing helps authors to enhance the brevity of statements and claims made throughout a document. In turn, short and concise words sound better than long or wordy statements.
- An effective editing process improves the honesty of claims made and evidence presented throughout a study work. In this case, term projects must include proven facts written in each paragraph. Moreover, one can specify scholarly sources of any data used in supporting topic sentences.
- Good students edit their documents to improve the quality of their literacy levels. On the other hand, one must proofread the work to remove punctuation, spelling and syntax mistakes, and typos. Finally, this process requires reading a whole term document several times to identify all writing errors and correct them accordingly.
Topic Sentences
Every paragraph in the body of a term paper must begin with a topic sentence. For example, learners ensure each section dwells on a single point related to a central thesis statement (Goodson, 2024). Moreover, one needs to reread a written work to ensure all paragraphs have the necessary opening statements.
Concluding Sentences
Every paragraph of a term report must end with a concluding sentence. In this case, students need to summarize all ideas covered in a paper’s body section (Hoogenboom & Manske, 2012). Besides, last sentences of paragraphs should include writing a summative claim, which brings all the concepts and thoughts into a unique closure.
Transitions
All ideas presented in a term document must have a unique transitioning of ideas. For example, writers should use the necessary phrases to transition sentences and paragraphs (Goodson, 2024). In particular, the approach improves the overall readability and flow of ideas in any paper. As a rule, each paragraph’s last sentence must act as a transition to the next section. Hence, readers need to find connections between all the paragraphs in a written report.
Any learning institution requires students to follow specific formatting rules. In this case, learners must follow such guidelines when writing their term papers (Coreil, 2013). As a result, marking rubrics are useful tools that each learner needs to use to format their work.
Peer Reviewing
Peer review is an essential step in enhancing the term project’s quality. Mainly, one should identify scholars who are familiar with a study subject to read a written document. To achieve this objective, qualified scholars help students to identify some mistakes that may undermine the paper’s readability (Ecarnot et al., 2015). Besides, peers provide positive criticism, and this process allows students to make the necessary changes to their work.
Step 5: Writing a Final Draft
A term paper’s final draft must include all the changes made during revisions, editing, formatting, and peer review. In this case, scholars focus on submitting flawless documents that do not contain any forms of plagiarism (Hoogenboom & Manske, 2012). Besides, the written final draft must capture all the aspects covered during a research study with results, discussion, recommendations, limitations, and information for further analysis or investigation.
Basic Outline Template for a Term Paper
Cover Page with a Title
Abstract (150 words)
Table of Contents (if needed)
I. Introduction
A. Relevance of research
B. The purpose of a term paper or a discussed problem
C. Personal reaction to a study subject
D. Hypothesis and rationale
E. Short descriptions of methodology and key findings
F. Principal conclusions and thesis statement
A. Literature Review (if needed)
- Topic sentence
- Explanation
- Concluding sentence and transition
B. Methodology
D. Discussion
E. Recommendations and Limitations (if needed)
III. Conclusion
A. Summary of the main points
B. A strong response to a central thesis statement
C. A summative statement
Note: The presented structure for writing a term paper appears different since it contains some sections of a research paper, which are useful for any study, and includes various subheadings that relate to the main topic. Each subheading may have several body paragraphs. However, each paragraph must contain a topic sentence, a supporting example, and a relevant explanation.
Explanations for Key Aspects
Introduction.
The introduction must state the primary purpose of a term project. Mainly, scholars ensure the first part of the work acquaints readers with a problem under discussion (Gray, 2018). Besides, one must include a compelling and robust thesis statement in this section. As a rule, introduction paragraphs should not take up a large part of an entire document. Hence, the introduction section must provide an overview of the whole work in a straightforward and precise writing manner. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a term paper are:
- In recent years, the phenomenon of [topic] has gained notable attention due to its impact on [field or society].
- This project explores the critical issue of [topic], aiming to understand its implications for [specific group or area].
- The purpose of this examination is to investigate the underlying causes of [issue] and propose potential solutions, such as [solutions].
- Understanding [topic] is crucial for [field] because it directly affects [specific outcome or process].
- This research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of [topic], focusing on [specific aspect].
- This paper explores the historical context of [topic] and its relevance to modern-day issues.
- Through a comprehensive review of [literature/field], this report seeks to examine the complex relationship between [concept A] and [concept B].
- By exploring [topic], this analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of [field or discipline].
- The evolution of [topic] over the past decade highlights the need for a thorough investigation of [specific aspect].
- The purpose of this term project is to challenge the traditional understanding of [topic] by presenting new insights and perspectives, such as [points].
The term document’s body must have different headings and subheadings that connect to the topic. In this case, scholars ensure the process of dividing a document into different sections enhances the clarity of the message (Ecarnot et al., 2015). Moreover, a suitable number of citations for a term paper generally ranges from 10 to 20, depending on the length and depth of the entire work, the topic’s complexity, and the specific requirements of the course and instructor. Finally, the writing strategy should not distract readers from appreciating the intended message.
The closing paragraph must restate the thesis statement included in the introduction. Essentially, students sum up the ideas presented in all the body paragraphs (Gray, 2018). Then, the most effective writing strategy that one may use is to restate all the topic sentences. Finally, authors provide a concluding statement, and it brings an entire study paper into a unique closure.
How to Write a Proposal for a Term Paper
A term paper proposal outlines the structure of the future work that scholars must complete. Principally, practical writing recommendations provide crucial elements that support the research process included in an actual paper. In this case, term proposals aim to constrict a wide area of interest into a complicated or specific topic (Coreil, 2013). Moreover, writers define the intention to discover a study issue and base their decision on the need to make changes, improve the condition of the matter, or advance scholarly knowledge in the specific area of interest. In turn, one needs to select essential parts of writing a term project and put them together in a unified format. Besides, one should briefly describe each section and tie key details to a chosen topic. Hence, a good term paper proposal must include the following parts:
- Title – Any documentmust have a concise and brief title, and it should resemble that of an actual term paper.
- Objectives – All proposals state a key goal of a future project and include its intended purpose on what it expects to achieve.
- Research question – An outstanding proposal must state study questions, and scholars intend to answer them through adequate research.
- Thesis statement – Propositions include a clear thesis statement that responds to the research question directly. In this case, a suitable thesis should be factual, clear, and subjective. Besides, one must ensure a central claim is a verifiable statement.
- Methodology – Proposal documents state actual methods used to gather and evaluate the relevant data, including appropriate and proven methods to conduct a research study.
Possible Writing Formats
Different educational institutions require learners to use writing formats when preparing term papers. For example, the most common formatting styles that one may come across include MLA 9, APA 7, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian. In turn, each of these formats has specific guidelines, and they are.
Term papers formatted in APA 7 must contain a title page, which includes the relevant heading and identifies the student, date, and relevant institution. In this case, each page must contain a header, which consists of a shortened title of a term report and the specific page. However, the first page should have the phrase “Running Head” preceding the shortened title. In turn, in-text citations contain the author’s last name and publication date.
Projects formatted in MLA 9 do not require a cover page unless specified. In particular, writers include a header, which contains surnames and page numbers. Moreover, one must flush these writing details to the right margin of the page. In turn, all in-text citations must have the author’s last name and the exact page containing the evidence used.
Chicago/Turabian
Documents formatted in Chicago/Turabian must contain a title page, which has the title and identifies the author. Basically, one must capitalize all the letters in the heading. Moreover, page numbers begin on the second page and appear on the top right side. In turn, in-text citations appear as footnotes, which contain full bibliographic details of sources.
Reports formatted in Harvard style must contain a title page, which includes the title and other details identifying the student, professor or tutor, and the relevant institution. In particular, one must write the title in capital letters. Then, the paper’s header contains the title and page number. However, one must flush these details to the right margin. As a result, in-text citations include the author’s surname, publication date, and the page containing the relevant evidence.
Term Paper Example
Research Topic: Is the “war on terror” a global civil war?
Scholars develop different conceptions of the term “war on terror.” Basically, some scholars argue that the United States uses the war on terror to control the weaker nations. In this case, the current research examined whether the war on terror is a civil war. Then, a review of relevant literature was an effective method of gathering the necessary data. In turn, study results show that the United States uses the war on terror to protect citizens’ rights, which proves the alternative hypothesis to be a valid statement.
Keywords : War on terror, hypothesis, and review of literature
I. Introduction Sample
The term war on terror became standard after the extremist attacks of September 11, 2001. Basically, President George W. Bush’s government confirmed a global campaign that involved open and secret military actions, new security lawmaking, and determinations to block extremism’s sponsoring, among other factors. In this case, the movement rallied for support from other countries, which willingly joined in the fight against terrorism. Although most scholars argue that the war on terror is an American strategy to control other countries, civil war theories prove otherwise.
Hypotheses:
H 0 – The United States uses the war on terror to control other countries.
H 1 – The United States uses the war on terror to protect the rights of its citizens.
II. Example of Body Paragraphs
A. Literature Review
Different theories of civil wars prove that persistent rebel groups that engage in criminal activities. For example, some of the civil war philosophies include motivation and feasibility, ideas of rebellion, organization of the uprising, and evidence of the causes, among other factors (Kimbrough & Sheremeta, 2019). In turn, these theories prove that civil war results from the emergence and persistence of a rebel army. Moreover, motivation and feasibility theories argue that rebels with excessive power engage in terrorism. Hence, persistent rebel groups engage in terrorism as a way of addressing their interests.
A review of relevant literature is a suitable method for gathering the necessary data for the essay. According to Reale et al. (2017), a literature review is an effective method for gathering information for research papers in history and other social sciences. Therefore, reviewing scholarly sources related to civil war and terrorism will contribute to gathering the necessary data.
Standard game theory shows that economic grievances lead to terrorism. According to traditional game theory, economic dissimilarities in the community motivate some people to engage in crime (Kimbrough & Sheremeta, 2019). In this case, the less productive but healthy groups tend to participate in violence against industrious but weak groups. Besides, such conflict levels undermine fairness, equity, or coercion, depending on the analyst’s political standpoint. Hence, economic grievances motivate some groups to engage in terrorism.
Study findings show that the United States targets specific terror groups since their predatory behavior in a country or region leads to adverse economic and social outcomes. In this case, militant groups lead to redistribution through violence when productive and weak agents engage in defensive actions. Moreover, militant groups engage in activities that cause other people to reiterate. In turn, research results from such activities include reciprocated hatred that inflicts harm to innocent citizens. Hence, the United States participates in peacekeeping missions that can lower the negative impacts of such conflicts.
III. Conclusion Sample
Most scholars argue that the war on terror is an American strategy to control other countries. In this case, different theories on civil wars prove that terrorism results from grievances and economic interests of some specific groups. Moreover, such activities destabilize the economic and social welfare of ordinary citizens. Thus, citizens focus on such terror groups intending to protect citizens of the affected countries.
List of References
Kimbrough, E. O., & Sheremeta, R. M. (2019). Theories of conflict and war. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization , 159 , 384–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2019.02.007
Reale, E., Avramov, D., Canhial, K., Donovan, C., Flecha, R., Holm, P., Larkin, C., Lepori, B., Mosoni-Fried, J., Oliver, E., Primeri, E., Puigvert, L., Scharnhorst, A., Schubert, A., Soler, M., Soòs, S., Sordé, T., Travis, C., & Van Horik, R. (2017). A literature review on evaluating the scientific, social, and political impact of social sciences and humanities research. Research Evaluation , 27 (4), 298–308. https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvx025
Comparison Table: Term Paper vs. Research Paper vs. Essay
Key Remarks . The main differences between a term paper and an essay are that the former involves in-depth research and analysis on an assigned topic over a specific course, being longer and more detailed, while the latter presents a focused argument or viewpoint on a particular subject, resulting in a shorter and less comprehensive writing piece. Moreover, the main differences between a term paper and a research paper are that the former demonstrates a better understanding and knowledge gained after completing a course, often summarizing existing research, while the latter explores and answers a specific study question or hypothesis, usually involving original research and detailed analysis. In turn, a term paper and a thesis paper are not the same because the former is a comprehensive writing assignment completed over a course to demonstrate a deep understanding of a specific subject, while the latter is a lengthy, original research project required for a graduate degree, solving an existing knowledge gap and presenting new findings or insights through writing.
Common Mistakes
- Lack of an Accurate Thesis Statement: Failing to establish a clear, concise thesis statement shows your lack of focus and direction in your term paper.
- Poor Organization: A disorganized structure can make your arguments hard to follow because you need to ensure your document has a logical flow of ideas with clear headings and subheadings.
- Insufficient Research: Relying on too few sources or not incorporating different perspectives can weaken your writing project since comprehensive research is crucial.
- Ignoring Guidelines: Not following the assignment writing guidelines or the specified format (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, and others) can result in losing marks.
- Weak Introduction and Conclusion: An ineffective introduction may fail to engage readers, and a weak conclusion can leave your report feeling incomplete.
- Plagiarism: Failing to properly cite sources or presenting others’ works as your own can have serious academic consequences, and you must always cite your sources correctly.
- Inconsistent Argumentation: Presenting contradictory arguments or failing to support your claims with evidence can undermine your project’s credibility.
- Grammatical and Spelling Errors: Poor grammar and spelling mistakes can distract your readers and detract them from the quality of your work, suggesting you need to proofread your writing carefully.
- Overuse of Quotations: Relying too heavily on direct quotes can make your paper seem like you lack original analysis, and you need to paraphrase sentences where possible and use quotes sparingly.
- Not Revising and Editing: Submitting your first draft without revising can result in a document full of writing errors and weak arguments, and you must always take some time to revise and improve your work.
Term projects refer to research assignments completed by learners toward the end of educational semesters. The fastest way to write a term paper is to start with a clear outline, conduct focused research, develop a strong thesis statement, draft the work section by section without worrying about perfection, and then revise and proofread for clarity and accuracy. In this case, students must ensure their documents meet the necessary quality since they track and evaluate one’s knowledge. Hence, when writing a term paper, one should remember:
- Rely on comprehensive research and methodological writing skills.
- Include analytical and organized structures.
- Present well-researched evidence and support significant claims.
- Consider various paper formatting strategies as required by learning institutions.
Coreil, C. (2013). Term papers and academic writing: Setting new parameters, for undergraduates, graduate students; Self-study and use with a teacher . Infinity Publishing.
Ecarnot, F., Seronde, M.-F., Chopard, R., Schiele, F., & Meneveau, N. (2015). Writing a scientific article: A step-by-step guide for beginners. European Geriatric Medicine , 6 (6), 573–579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurger.2015.08.005
Goodson, P. (2024). Becoming an academic writer: 50 exercises for paced, productive, and powerful writing . Sage.
Gray, J. A. (2018). Introduction sections: Where are we going and why should I care? AME Medical Journal , 3 , 1–13. https://doi.org/10.21037/amj.2018.12.03
Hoogenboom, B. J., & Manske, R. C. (2012). How to write a scientific article. The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy , 7 (6), 512–517. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3474301/
Phillips, R. (2018). Term papers: An informal guide . Independently Published.
To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles
Visual Analysis Essay: Guidelines for Observing Artworks
- Icon Calendar 10 September 2020
- Icon Page 6986 words
743 Informative Essay Topics & Ideas
- Icon Calendar 8 September 2020
- Icon Page 7536 words
Custom Essay, Term Paper & Research paper writing services
- testimonials
Toll Free: +1 (888) 354-4744
Email: [email protected]
Writing custom essays & research papers since 2008
How to write a term paper: comprehensive guide for students.
Many students think that for any form of writing, ‘things just fall into place.’ However, to come up with a good term paper, more is happening behind the scenes.
Considering its length and relevance, you can be sure that the activities behind the scenes are rigorous. This guide will empower you to know how to write a term paper fast and painstakingly.
What is a Term Paper?
It refers to a significant assignment written in college over an academic term at the end of a school semester. Therefore, a term paper can act as a yardstick for the student’s performance during the whole period. It evaluates whether the student understood the course in its entirety or not.
A student will be required to conduct a lot of research to develop a top-grade, well-organized, and analyzed term paper. The ability to do this will show that the student has acquired knowledge in his study.
Nevertheless, most students confuse a term paper for a research paper.
Difference Between Term Paper and Research Paper
The two share similar features and can even seem related, but there are apparent differences. Whereas a term paper comes at the end of a term, you can write a research paper at any time of your semester.
You write a research paper to answer particular theoretical questions. However, the term paper offers a critical examination of current topics, and students are allowed to give their opinions. Another significant difference is that a term paper has between 3,000 to 5,000 words, while a research paper can go up to 5,000 words.
However, both of them involve a great deal of research and writing.
How To Write a Term Paper Outline
A term paper outline is necessary for your research, as well as the writing process. It forms the whole skeleton upon which to found your term paper. The internet is awash with a plethora of college term paper format examples.
However, different institutions will recommend a specific term paper format. Thus, you will have to be up to speed with your college or university’s format for a term paper. Irrespective of all these differences, a term paper will have the following parts:
- An introduction,
- And a conclusion.
A well-structured college term paper outline guarantees an excellent paper at the end. You should be in a position to harmonize all the parts of a term paper into one melody that communicates an unmistakable thought of ideas.
Term Paper Structure
The following layout should help you come up with a high-quality term paper this semester:
The Cover page consists of the student’s name, date, course number, and other details concerning the term paper. This text should be at the center. Acknowledgment: Who inspired you towards writing your term paper? You can mention any specific help accorded to you by the people you choose to say here. The Abstract: It summarizes the term paper, which is usually less than one page long. It defines what your article is all about straightforwardly and concisely. The Introduction: It brings the topic of discussion into perspective through the background info. You will also show the significance of the term paper topic and how it will help to solve a particular problem at hand. The body: You will provide an in-depth analysis of the topic citing relevant facts and sources. It should help the reader have a firm grasp of the problem and why it needs his/her attention. The body comprises of the literature review and research methodology. The results and findings: What were you able to get from your research? Are the findings in tandem with the hypothesis that you set out at the beginning? Is there something that needs urgent attention from the results you obtained? Discussion: Sum up the results and findings of the problem that you set out to research. The conclusion can be a restatement of the thesis statement or an appeal for further research on the topic.
And there you have your professional and standard term paper outline example. Ensure that you adequately provide information for every section. Do not leave any room for doubt or speculation on the part of the reader.
How to Write a Term Paper Proposal
Before you embark on the actual term paper writing, you will have to hand in a term paper proposal. Your instructor will have to give you the green light before you proceed. Therefore, it’s not a light matter.
Below are guidelines on how to do a term paper proposal:
State the significance of the term paper topic in a clear and precise manner Outline the list of objectives that you aim to achieve Show recent research made on the subject and reference them properly Have a smooth flow of ideas
You can be sure that any slight mistake in this term paper proposal can lead to its disqualification. Furthermore, you should conduct comprehensive research before writing your term paper proposal. Do not settle for a title that will not have sufficient facts as you progress on to write.
Institutions will have their in-house guidelines on how to format a term paper proposal. If you don’t have one yet, you can use the following format:
- A clear and coherent title
- Objectives you aim to achieve at the end of your research
- The relevance and importance of your topic.
Are you worried about where you will find a title for your upcoming term paper? Here are relevant sources that you can explore for a potential topic or research problem:
- Recent News,
- TV documentaries,
- Social events,
- Global conventions,
- Blog articles, and
You will be amazed at how much information you will find from these sources. Alternatively, you can use the help of expert writers for hire. There’s always a way out regardless of the complexity of the project.
Professional Term Paper Guidelines
Although there are many term paper samples available online, it is crucial to understand the standard operating procedures. This way, you will not be tossed back and forth with the numerous ‘expert’ examples that you will encounter:
- Follow the right format: The most common formats are the MLA and APA format. The use of either format depends on the type of subject. Proper citation will save you from plagiarism accusations.
- Do not be afraid of long research hours: For your term paper to stand out, you must be ready to pay the price – in-depth research. It will help you have a firm standing on your topic and all the relevant information at hand.
- Do not use fluff words: Only include constructive and relevant information. Unnecessary blubbering is an attention killer and may make your paper a top candidate for the trash bin.
- Proofread your work: Due to the long and sleepless nights spent on a term paper, most students will forego the proofreading part. However, sidelining this crucial stage may leave your document marred with many spelling and grammatical mistakes.
You can find cheap and professional writing help with a term paper today. Your top-notch paper is just a click away.
- UDSIS-Students
- UDSIS-Staff
- Find It
- UD Home
Educational Technology Programs
- Performances
- Internships
Course Frameworks
- Introduction
- Grading Scale
- Course Description
- Textbooks and Computers
- Requirements
- Presentations
- 01 Understanding
- 02 Surfing and Searching
- 03 Communicating
- 04 Designing Webs
- 05 HTML Coding
- 06 Interacting with Users
- 07 JavaScript
- 09 Publishing Webs
- 10 Web Accessibility
- 11 Networking
- 12 Internet Architecture
- 13 Cybersecurity
- End-Of-Chapter Labs
- 03 Workings
- 04 Education
- 05 Cheating
- 06 Detecting
- 10 Keeping Up
- 01. Google Email
- 02. Google Calendar
- 03. Google Drive
- 04. Google Docs
- 05. Google Sites
- 06. Google Sheets
- 07. Google Slides
- 08. Google Forms
- 09. Google Meet
- 10. Google Groups
- 01 Platforms
- 02 Writing EPUBs with Pages
- 03 Writing EPUBs with MS Word
- 04 Deconstructing an EPUB
- 05 Distribution Options
- 06 Avoiding the Aggregators
- 07 Getting an ISBN (or not)
- 08 Publishing an EPUB
- 09 Troubleshooting eBook Glitches
- 10 Marketing Your eBook
- 11 Tips and Tricks
- 12 Resources
- 02 Principles
- 03 Practices
- 05 Knowledge Base
- 01 Conceptualizing
- 02 Blogging
- 03 Tweeting
- 04 Concept Mapping
- 05 Flipping the Classroom
- 01. LMS Leaders
- 02. Effectiveness
- 05. Videoconferencing
- 06. Digital Badges
- 07. Interoperability
- 08. Trends & Issues
- 09. Keeping Up
- Discussions
- Projects Gallery
- Frameworks Gallery
- 01 Definitions
- 04 Standards
- 06 Societal Issues
- 07 Learning Theory
- 08 Internet Resources
- 09 Assessment
- 10 Planning
- 11 ePortfolio Design
- 01. What Is Multimedia?
- 02. Screen Design
- 03. Hyperlinks
- 04. Accessibility
- 05. Writing
- 06. Graphics
- 09. Teaching and Learning
- 10. Multimedia Design
- 11.Societal Issues
- 12. Multimedia Frontiers
- 13. Keeping Up
- A-Plus Project Examples
- A-Plus Term Papers
- 01 Join Apple Teacher
- 02 System Overview Badge
- 03 Pages Badge
- 04 Keynote Badge
- 05 Numbers Badge
- 06 iMovie Badge
- 07 GarageBand Badge
- 08 Get Your Certificate
- 01 Concepts
- 02 Measure App
- 03 GeoGebra 3D
- 04 Night Sky
- 05 Apollo's Moon Shot
- 06 Statue of Liberty
- 07 Berlin Wall
- 10 Reality Composer
- 01 Role of Technology
- 02 Teacher Knowledge
- 03 Personalized Learning
- 04 Equity & UDL
- 05 Collaborative Learning
- 06 Flipping or Not
- 07 Gaming & Coding
- 08 Mobile Learning
- 09 Open Learning
- 10 Sample Projects
- 01 Perspectives
- 02 Environments
- 03 Curriculum
- 04 Collaboration
- 05 Gaming and Making
- 06 List of Theories
- ePortfolio Defined
- ePortfolio Examples
- 01 Learning from iBooks
- 02 Taking Photos
- 03 Surfing with Safari
- 04 Wikipanion
- 05 Penultimate
- 06 Making Screenshots
- 07 Rotating Images
- 08 Organizing Ideas
- 09 Digital Storytelling
- 10 Dragon Dictation
- 11 Multitasking
- 12 Finding Good Apps
- 13 iTunes U
- 14 Free Books
- 15 Creating ePubs
- 16 Managing Files
- 18 GoodReader
- 19 Organizing Apps
- 20 Configuring Mail & Calendar
- 21 Securing the iPad
- 22 Searching Your iPad
- 23 Projecting the iPad
- 24 Troubleshooting
- 25 Learning More
- 01-Apple Developer
- 02-Install Xcode
- 03-Hello, World!
- 04-Sample Apps
- 05-Objective-C
- 06-Human Interface
- 07-App Design
- 08-App Store
- 02 Getting Started
- 03 Creating Channels
- 05 Embedding
- 06 Technology
- 07 Interaction
- 08 Monetization
- 09 Copyright
- 11 Censorship
- 12 References
Video Lessons
- Getting Started
- Rich Text Editing
- Pages and Subpages
- Inserting Images
- Web Page Layout
- Navigation Modes
- Making Hyperlinks
- Changing Themes
Examples of Term Papers that Got an A
Listed below are links to some term papers that got an "A" grade last year. When you compare these examples with each other, you will notice that there are three important aspects of an “A” paper. First, they are passionately written and captivating to read. Second, they have good grammar and style (following MLA, APA, or CMS style). Third, they are well documented with in-text references (in parentheses) linking their assertions to scholary articles in the list of references at the end of the paper. You will see what I mean when you follow these links to student papers that earned an “A” last year. All of these papers are copyrighted by their authors. Please respect these copyrights.
- Aisha-McCormick-Digital-Marketing
- Allie-Modica-Effectiveness
- Allison-Winters-Technology-And-Learning-Styles
- Amanda-Yanez-Social-Media-Advertising
- Amanda-Warren-Social-Media-Likes
- Austin-Abbruzzesi-Computer-Science-Classes-in-High-School-Curricula
- Ben-Rohe-MOOCs
- Brianna-Patrizio-Gender-Equality
- Collette-Small-Social-Media
- Danielle-Piha-CyberBullying
- Danielle-Ragno-LinkedIn
- David-Palgon-Facebook-and-Employers
- Donna-Muchio-Self-Esteem
- Ebenezer-Riverson-3D-Printing
- Elizabeth-Hansen-WII-Physical-Therapy
- Faith-Lumpkin-LinkedIn
- Giselle-Malenchek-Digital-Piracy
- Jessica-Morris-Healthy-Lifestyles
- Katy-Snyder-Social-Media-Advertisers
- Jillian-Loeffler-Social-Media-in-Your-Job-Search
- Lauren-Vandaniker-Technology-Impact-On-Nursing-Practice
- Lisa-Plumley-Multimedia-Young-Children
- Madison-Gamble-Technology-As-A-Means-For-Therapeutic-Modalities
- Maria-Medved-Hospitality-Industry
- Lisa-Tossey-POV-Cameras-Education
- Paul-Page-Copyright-IP-Public-Good
- Sarah-Ibarguen-Twitter
- Taylor-Soave-Social-Media-Classroom
- Tim-Ware-Social-Media-News-Outlet
- School of Education • Willard Hall Education Building • Newark, DE 19716 • USA Undergraduate phone: 302-831-8695 • Fax: 302-831-4110 Graduate phone: 302-831-1165 • Fax: 302-831-4421 Director's Office: 302-831-3178 • Fax: 302-831-6039
- Legal Notices
- | Intranet
- | Portals
- | ULB Catalogue
Term paper guidelines
The files listed below offer guidelines for academic writing and research in both English Linguistics and Literary Studies:
English Linguistics
- Term paper guidelines (English), short version (146 KB, pdf, 21.01.2016)
- Term paper guidelines (English), long version (341 KB, pdf, 21.01.2016)
- Video tutorial "How to format a termpaper" [MP4] (96 MB, mp4, 17.01.2017)
- How to do a digital presentation (55 KB, pdf, 10.12.2020)
Literary Studies
- Style Sheet Literary Studies 2021 (546 KB, pdf, 06.01.2021)
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
1 Developing ideas. The first step of writing a term paper is brainstorming to come up with potential topics and then selecting the best one. Sometimes your topics are assigned, but often you'll have to choose one yourself. In addition to picking a topic that you're personally interested in, try to settle on one that has sufficient depth.
Style. The prose style of a term paper should be formal, clear, concise, and direct. Don't try to sound "academic" or "scientific.". Just present solid research in a straightforward manner. Use the documentation style prescribed in your assignment or the one preferred by the discipline you're writing for.
4. Write your abstract. Because the abstract is a summary of your entire paper, it's usually best to write it after you complete your first draft. Typically, an abstract is only 150-250 words, so focus on highlighting the key elements of your term paper like your thesis, main supporting evidence, and findings.
Example: "The Case for Renewable Energy Sources over Fossil Fuels". 3. Definition Term Papers. Definition: Explores the meaning and implications of a specific concept or term. Purpose: To clarify and define a concept in depth. Example: "Defining Social Justice in Modern Society". 4. Compare and Contrast Term Papers.
However, a typical term paper usually consists of the following sections: Title page: This should include the title of your paper, your name, the course name and number, your instructor's name, and the date. Abstract: This is a brief summary of your paper, usually no more than 250 words. It should provide an overview of your topic, the ...
To expedite your term paper writing process, the key is to initiate early, manage your time wisely, and maintain unwavering focus. Break the task into manageable segments and craft a well-defined outline. Prioritize your research, gather pertinent information efficiently, and resist the allure of unrelated sources.
The Do's and Don'ts of Term Paper Writing. Do's: Don'ts: Write down every idea you have, even if there's no structure to them. Just record any phrases, tips, quotes or thoughts you come across. This is an outstanding way to collect a lot of material. Follow your outline, but don't be a slave to it.
2. Gather Research on Your Topics. The foundation of a good term paper is research. Before you start writing your term paper, you need to do some preliminary research. Take your topics with you to the library or the Internet, and start gathering research on all of the topics you're interested in.
Take care of 1 "padding on all sides of the sheet. Add your last name and page number to all pages in the upper right corner. Align the title of the article in the center. Don't use bold, italic, quotation marks, underlines, etc.
Creating an outline for your term paper is an important step in the writing process. An outline will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that you stay on track. Your outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You should also include a list of the sources you plan to use.
Identify the purpose of the paper. Come up with a thesis statement that shows the exact idea and reflects the type of paper. Place it at the end of the introduction. Start with research earlier. Discover auxiliary and essential sources for your research. Gather materials before creating a term paper outline.
To start writing a term paper, you should first choose a topic that you are interested in that is related to the class. Then, do some pre-searching to identify preliminary sources that you could potentially use. Write a thesis statement addressing your topic that is arguable and provable. Thorough research should be conducted to identify a ...
MLA Term Paper Formatting . You can format your term paper in MLA if you are pursuing humanities such as history, English and Literature, Arts, archeology, etc. some of the salient features of this style include: Type the paper on a standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
A term paper is a longer type of research-based homework on a particular topic. Term papers range from 15 to 25 pages because any less is considered lazy and any more is too much for any professor to read (trust me, I teach at a university). In general, you should be free to select a topic for your term paper, but regardless of whether you're ...
A term paper is a research project written by students over an academic term, typically accounting for a significant part of a grade. It is intended to describe an event, a concept, or argue a point. The paper is usually original research involving a detailed study of a subject, requiring a considerable amount of preparation and effort.
The easiest way to understand is this. If writing a paper about wind and solar, you would need at least three topic sentences - 1)Wind 2)Solar 3)Benefits of using wind and solar. Naturally, a term paper needs much more than just three, but you get the idea.
For example, a term paper in English literature is a comprehensive research assignment that involves analyzing, interpreting, and discussing a specific literary work, author, or theme, allowing instructions to evaluate students' understanding and critical evaluation of the subject at the end of a semester (Coreil, 2013). To write an English ...
Another significant difference is that a term paper has between 3,000 to 5,000 words, while a research paper can go up to 5,000 words. However, both of them involve a great deal of research and writing. How To Write a Term Paper Outline. A term paper outline is necessary for your research, as well as the writing process.
Examples of Term Papers that Got an A. Listed below are links to some term papers that got an "A" grade last year. When you compare these examples with each other, you will notice that there are three important aspects of an "A" paper. First, they are passionately written and captivating to read. Second, they have good grammar and style ...
English Linguistics. Term paper guidelines (English), short version (146 KB, pdf, 21.01.2016) Term paper guidelines (English), long version (341 KB, pdf, 21.01.2016) Video tutorial "How to format a termpaper" [MP4] (96 MB, mp4, 17.01.2017) How to do a digital presentation (55 KB, pdf, 10.12.2020)