How to Write a Term Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

What Is a Term Paper

The term paper is a type of a research paper that's assigned for a specific term. By the end of the term, it is your job to create an excellent term paper. This starts with scouring term paper topics related to the things taught during that term, and brainstorming your ideas for the upcoming research.

If we were to give you a term paper definition, it would go something like this:

The term paper is the big research project assigned to be finished by the end of the term.

When the time comes to write the actual assignment, the student is expected to perform thorough research of the topic and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the subject. This, on its own, can be really time-consuming, not to mention that the term paper structure is more complicated than your regular essays and projects.

While a student is tasked with writing a term paper, they also have to juggle a variety of different assignments, attend classes, and study for exams. It so often happens that they finally get around doing this task before the term has ended. Then, in a very short timeframe, you need to pick your topic, create a good term paper outline, and write this complicated paper to deliver it before the deadline.

Term Paper Structure

This assignment is not a simple one. Term paper writing includes following a very specific structure. If you haven't written one before, it can be challenging to fit the right information into each part of the term paper format. Thankfully, our writers know exactly what a custom term paper should look like, and we even offer to write yours from scratch.

For those who have decided to do their term paper writing without help, we've created a short list that describes the format of this assignment. The details, order of the paragraphs, as well as their names can vary from task to task. But, in most cases, the structure of term paper looks something like this:

Title Page

As the name tells you, this part of the structure of a term paper is the page where you put your title and other relevant information. The term paper title page is where you also include your name i.e. that of the writer, the name of the instructor or professor, the course you have this paper for, and the date.

Abstract

This might or might not be part of the structure of a term paper. The abstract is a summary of the main ideas and findings in the paper in just a few sentences. It's usually written last.

Table of Contents

In this section, the headings and main information about them, including the page number, is included, offering better and faster navigation.

Introduction

This is the opening part where the writer introduces the topic and provides some background info.

Main paragraphs or sections.

This is where the writer will provide all of his hypothesis, findings, make arguments and offer information to the reader.

Conclusion

This part summarizes it all, indicates the paper's importance, and provides instructions for future research.

References

When writing a term paper, you'll be expected to cite all your sources accurately. This is where they belong.

How long should a term paper be?

This is a difficult question since the term paper length can vary based on different things such as your academic level, the subject, the professor's preference, and the topic. In our work, we discovered that most of the term papers are between five and ten pages, and every page includes a minimum of two paragraphs.

How to write a term paper outline

Whenever you are tasked with writing a term paper, the best thing you can do is create an outline first. This will help you navigate through its structure, show you which information belongs where, and help you finish it faster.

Once you have brainstormed the topics for term paper and picked the best one, it's time to do the research. All the data you collect belongs in the outline or the plan. In it, you'll decide what data belongs in which section.

How to start a term paper

There's no written rule as to where you should start writing your paper. You can start at any part from the term paper heading to the middle of the assignment. As a matter of fact, some of our writers prefer to skip the introduction and leave it for last when writing a term paper.

But, just to keep it simple and help you master this faster, we'll give you tips starting from the beginning – the introduction.

How to write an introduction for a term paper

Your introduction has to be fierce. Check out any term paper example on this site and you'll see that this part is the most engaging part of the assignment. This is where you reel the readers in, grab their attention, and provide them with the key to reading the rest of the paper.

Here are some examples for term paper writing of the introduction:

Step 1: Grab the reader's attention

You can do this by introducing some interesting facts, asking a question that intrigues, giving a surprising statement or an interesting contradiction.

Step 2: Provide an overview of the assignment

At this point, you already have an idea about what your paper will talk about. This is the place to introduce it. Don't share details, but definitely tell the readers what the paper is about.

Step 3: Include the thesis statement

This statement usually belongs in the introduction. It tells the reader, in one sentence, what you are addressing in your term paper.

Keep in mind that, even if you don't have an idea of how to write these parts, you can leave the introduction for last and skip to this next part of the process.

How to write a body of the term paper

That outline that we mentioned will help a lot in this process. Here are some tips for the body part of the paper:

Step 1: Use the outline to organize your notes and data

Based on your outline, you can enter information in different paragraphs. If you cannot find the flow right away, simply add the information and connect the dots later.

Step 2: Link the different paragraphs to achieve a flow

Your paragraphs and information should flow and be connected.

Step 3: Use the requested format to write this part

The paragraphs here can differ greatly. If there aren't any specific requirements about which paragraph names to use, you can always use a term paper template and simply fill out the information. In most cases, this will include a literature review, findings, discussions, etc.

How to write a conclusion for a term paper

When you finish with the main parts of the paper, it's time to conclude it. Here are some tips:

Step 1: Stray from presenting new information

Never, even provide new information in this part.

Step 2: Refresh the points you made

Summarize the main points and findings from your paper in a few sentences.

Step 3: Share the final result

Did you come up with some findings or arguments? Share them here.

Step 4: Share the implication for future studies

If possible, tell the readers how they can further your research.

How to format a term paper

Your paper's format includes everything from the order of the paragraphs, their names, the numbers of pages, as well as organization of visuals you've used in the assignment. This will usually be requested in your professor's instructions, so when you're done writing, dedicate some time to polishing your work.

Conclusion

Term papers are not easy tasks to write. They are long, demand a lot of your time, and are different from simpler research papers and projects. These assignments are usually pages long, include a variety of chapters, and demand a lot of background information and arguments.

It can be hard to write your first paper, but it's not impossible. Follow this guide to get you started and if you get stuck or don't have the time, don't forget that we can always take over and do it for you!