How to Write a Good Term Paper

How to Write a Good Term Paper – Your Exclusive Guide

As a rule, students face a double workload at the end of the course or semester. They need to perform some routine tasks in the process of studying and at the same time face the challenge of composing lengthier, more advanced assignments proving their comprehension of the course material.

These assignments are term papers or research papers. They are typically lengthier than regular essays or reports required in the process of studies. Thus, you need to schedule several days to complete such a project and hone your research, structuring, and writing skills to write such an advanced-level paper successfully.

Interested in how to write a college term paper? Here is our detailed, handy guide on the quick, hassle-free process of this assignment’s completion. You can use it to excel in studies and nail that home task within hours instead of pulling all-nighters and stressing out because of the lack of time and inspiration.

What Is a Term Paper

So, what does getting this type of assignment mean? And what specific skills does it require from you as a student? Here are the essential details about a term paper:

• As their name suggests, term papers are meant to track and evaluate the student’s progress in knowledge and academic competency within a specific period (a term).
• These tasks typically require writing a scientific report or an in-depth research-based discussion of a course topic.
• The majority of term papers demand time, effort, advanced technical writing competency, and good research skills.

As you might already understand, the assignment of term paper writing is much more demanding and responsible than other routine home tasks are. Even if you have been studying well and have completed all small tasks on time during the course, you might fail the final grade if you don’t submit a well-written and adequately organized term paper project. Here’s the introduction to the writing process to help you jumpstart the process and enjoy better productivity.

How to Start a Term Paper

Before you start writing the project, it’s vital to take some preparatory steps. They will help you narrow down the scope of work and evaluate the amount of effort needed to create that text. The things to take into account include:

• The length of your project. Needless to say, writing a 10-page paper typically takes less time than composing a 20-page one. Besides, shorter papers tend to be simpler in structure and need fewer academic sources to substantiate your claims.
• The number and type of resources. Every term paper should use reliable academic evidence for every claim you make. Thus, it’s vital to do much preparatory work on collecting and sorting out the necessary amount of evidence.
• The paper’s complexity. You need to clarify the topic with your professor if you can’t figure out what to write about. Another option is to contact our experts and get the needed academic help. In any way, you need to be 100% sure what the professor wants and what the assignment should talk about.

Once these points are clear, you may proceed to thesis statement formulation and structuring your project. The thesis will be your roadmap for argumentation, so don’t start any writing until you’re sure what your central premise is.

How to Structure a Term Paper

The content of your research paper will be guided by the subject and topic you have to write on. However, it’s a rule of thumb to include an abstract at the beginning of the project, summarizing your key findings and clarifying what the paper is generally about. It would be best to write it at the end, once the project is ready.

It’s also necessary to differentiate the term paper’s introduction, body, and conclusion. The introductory part focuses on the broader background and condenses the topic to a narrow, practical problem statement. The body of the paper contains all the needed structural components; it’s either presented as one section (if a term paper is small) or contains subsections, such as a literature review, a methodology, and a results section.

The final part, which is a conclusion, serves as a short summary of the significant points and revisits the initial academic purpose of the paper, showing how the researcher achieved that aim.

How to End a Term Paper

Like all other academic works, a term paper would be incomplete without a conclusion. This part is the final section of this project, so it recaps the thesis statement and goal of the assignment to show whether the author achieved it or not.

Term Paper Outline

Now let’s cover the basics of term paper structuring in a clear and universal outline that every student may apply in their term paper writing.

COVER PAGE

Your term paper will have a specific title page depending on your educational institution’s requirements and the format/referencing style you need to use. Please indicate your personal details, the title of your project, your course details, and the instructor’s name.

ABSTRACT

This small annotation to your work should reflect the critical content thereof. You need to lay out the general problem you’ve researched, your findings, and the study’s significance. Some colleges also require students to use keywords in this part.

INTRODUCTION

Explain your topic’s background and formulate the problem statement. Clarify how you plan to approach the problem.

BODY OF THE PAPER

This is the largest part of your term paper containing all your research findings and a review of literature on your topic of interest. When composing the body of your paper, don’t forget about keeping to the proper format. As a rule, it includes the following conventions:

• The margins of at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides of the paper to allow simple grading of your text and marking of the issues that the supervisor comes across.
• Double spacing of the entire text (which is also helpful for readability and commenting).
• Use of readable fonts, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
• Numbering of the pages.
• Inclusion of all in-text citations for the information you’ve borrowed somewhere, formatted in line with the assigned referencing style.
• Single spacing of direct quotations (the ones that exceed 40 words).

CONCLUSION

In this part of the paper, you need to summarize the findings and explain how your knowledge has advanced after thorough research for this term paper’s purpose.

Term Paper Introduction

The introductory part of your project should contain the following components:

• Relevance of your chosen topic and its overall description.
• The research question you plan to answer.
• The research goals and objectives.
• Methods you will use.
• What material you have analyzed to answer the research question.
• The approach you have taken to research the chosen topic.

Make sure you structure the content of your introduction coherently and logically. All these points can be included in one cohesive paragraph.

Example:

Inmates coming from a poor socioeconomic background typically have little to no education. Thus, their chances for reincarceration due to recidivism rise manifold. They simply have no other way to earn money and provide for a living than commit crimes or join gangs. However, the introduction of general and specialized education in prisons is assumed to make a difference. Research suggests that inmates receiving a comprehensive education in prisons have lower incarceration rates than those who don’t get an education. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the GED initiative’s introduction in California prisons in 2000-2020 to see whether the reduction of reincarceration correlates with GED attainment.  

Term Paper Body

The main part of your project should contain all sections you want to include in research and analysis. Thus, it can take any form, from a single section titled “Analysis” to a set of sections, such as Literature Review, Methods, Data Analysis, and Results. No matter the approach, you need to give credit to all external ideas you use and keep the structure in mind, avoiding readers’ confusion.

Example:

Literature review:

– association of education and crime rates

– the impact of low socioeconomic status on criminality

– U.S. statistics on recidivism and reincarceration compared to inmate education programs

Methods: a retrospective study comparing the recidivism rates before and after the GED initiative in California prisons.

Results: Analysis of data on recidivism shows that non-educated inmates have higher chances for reincarceration than inmates receiving GED diplomas in the prison settings.

Term Paper Conclusion

The final stage of any research is revisiting its beginning and looking at what you have found out, progressing through a specific academic subject. Thus, your conclusion should include:

• A wrap-up of the produced argument
• Interpretation of your findings and their significance
• A concluding summary
• A set of theoretical and practical recommendations

Example:

As the provided evidence suggests, the impact of inmate education on recidivism rates has proven to be positive and consistent. Inmates who received applied education and GED diplomas in their prison settings have become better equipped for life after release from prison. Those who refused a GED initiative and did not improve their educational level during incarceration were at a higher risk of recidivism and incarceration. These findings prove that people mostly resort to crime when they have no other ways to provide for a living. Thus, the GED initiative in prisons effectively reduces the prison load and gives people more chances for law-abiding lives after their incarceration.

Can’t Write a Good Term Paper without Assistance?

As you can see, working on a term paper may become an overwhelming challenge for a student with plenty of other routine tasks and responsibilities. Unfortunately, no professor will free you from the need to complete other tasks or attend lectures in the process of writing this project. Thus, you can quickly find yourself in a time crunch and complete absence of physical and mental energy to compose this project on your own.

Do you have trouble with term paper composition? Maybe you’re unsure about how to write a term paper in APA format? It’s all manageable once you start working with us and use our convenient, prompt assistance with all kinds of academic writing.

As soon as you partner with one of our proficient experts, you will no longer need to spend all night working on your academic homework. You can also achieve a proper balance between study hours and high-quality rest, thus focusing on what matters the most for you. Don’t postpone your fun and exciting life; give yourself a break while our paper writers prepare a dream assignment for you.

Inesse Goulding

About post author

As a former student myself, I appreciate the opportunity to help and guide young learners. I am your fearless partner in any academic emergency. My major is journalism, but I am always willing to help you with other pressing matters. Likes traveling, books, self-education, blogging, and academic writing. A diligent and hard-working writer, Inesse Goulding is an ever-positive personal who is always pleasant to talk to. Inesse is a profound editor and proofreader with a keen eye for impeccable grammar and engaging style. Also, Mrs. Goulding boasts a perfect English language, which makes her one of our most prolific and well-demanded writers. Let’s create something great together!