How to Write a Term Paper: An Easy Tutorial with Examples

The assignment to write their first term paper often catches most students by surprise. The best advice in this situation is to avoid panicking and jumping into writing unprepared. Instead, gather yourself and, within the available timeframe, learn everything you can about how to properly write a term paper. This tutorial will serve as your best source of knowledge, examples, and tips.

The basics of term paper writing

Before delving into the practical aspect, it’s useful to review a few basic concepts about term papers. 

What is a term paper? Simple term paper definition

In simple words, a term paper is a major research paper written by students of high schools and colleges at the end of a study term or semester. It accounts for a significant portion of their term’s grade and is meant to demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of the studied material.

Think of a term paper as a buffed essay. A traditional term paper format requires strict adherence to academic writing standards (such as citation and referencing) and conducting in-depth research aimed at uncovering new knowledge. 

What is the purpose of writing a term paper?

A term paper lies between an essay and a thesis. Rather, it is something in between, a stepping stone for your undergraduate and then graduate degree papers. 

Its short-term purpose is to demonstrate how well you’ve learned the required material in a given semester or term. Whereas its far-going, strategic purpose is to prepare you for your next main research work – the Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis. 

A step-by-step tutorial with examples & tips

By following this tutorial, you’ll optimize your use of available resources, wasting no time and getting the desired outcome well before the deadline. 

• Select a topic

Select the topic that truly inspires you. Ideally, you should also have some initial understanding and knowledge of the topic of your future paper, as this will save you loads of time in doing research. For that token, consider the availability of resources and materials. Also, narrow the chosen topic down to make it concrete enough and manageable for you.

Example: The Impact of Robotics and Automation on the Future of Work

💡 Tip: the topic of your term paper should be resourceful enough to be further explored in your degree thesis, which, if you choose so, will add credibility to your graduate work.

• Come up with a term paper outline

An outline in a work like a term paper is a must. It will help you to structure and think your paper through, streamlining your writing and simplifying your task on how to start a term paper.

For the above topic of robotics and automation, your outline may look as follows:

• Prepare and write a literature review

You need to review the available studies on the topic of robotics and automation and analyze their impact on the future of work. This review doesn’t have to be too long, 1-2 pages will suffice. This should be a summary of the available literature, the same as you can find in any decent term paper example.

💡 Tip: to get an A+ in your term paper, aim to identify knowledge gaps in the literature you overview.

Ideally, the outcome of your review should state a lack of predictions and implications about the impact of automation on the future of work. 

• Describe the methodology

In this section, you need to describe how you’ve collected your data and conducted your research. This part should be concise, a maximum of one page in length.

Example: Two interviews were conducted with the faculty members of the educational institution (indicate the names and positions of the interviewees). The data collected was further analyzed using qualitative methods. 

• Write down the main part

Adhere to your outline and write down the main part. In some schools and colleges, the main part of a term paper assignment is called Results and Discussion. Students’ task is to present their research findings (results) and discuss their implications.

💡 Tip: in the discussion section, focus on providing solutions and insights, rather than restating the identified problems and challenges.

Example: To avoid their jobs being taken by smart robots and applications, today’s workers should seek to enroll in corporate upskilling and reskilling opportunities. 

• Add a conclusion

The conclusion to your term paper should consist of two distinct parts: 

• a summary of the key findings and solutions;
• a reflection on the broader implications and suggestions for future research.

At this stage, it’s crucial to review the entire paper to ensure consistency, readability, and absence of errors, including accidental plagiarism.    

Summary

Writing a perfect term paper requires thorough planning and organization. Get ready to put together a detailed outline that will serve as a roadmap for your research. The key elements requiring ample time and dedication are the topic selection and literature review.  

By following all the steps in this tutorial, along with the relevant term paper writing tips, you’ll confidently produce an exemplary paper worthy of an A+ grade in your academic semester.