How to write a term paper and get an A+

A term paper is a task that you must approach responsibly. After all, if you write a term paper incorrectly, then the teacher will definitely return it and force you to redo it. Do you want to spend free time redoing your paper? Probably not. That’s why, if you don’t want to get into such an unpleasant situation, it is better to order a term paper than to rewrite it on your own. 

A term paper is a lengthy research paper, and you should go through several steps in order to end up with a decent assignment: 

1. Choose a topic that relates to your subject. 
2. Find relevant sources.
3. Write an outline. 
4. Make a first draft. 
5. Revise your term paper.
6. Proofread and edit the final draft.

In this way, you will write a term paper quickly so that your professor accepts it and evaluates it highly. Stick to our further guidance to end up with a good assignment.

What’s a term paper?

A term paper is an assignment of a scientific research nature that you should create under the guidance of an experienced mentor (academic supervisor). One BMC Medical Education study showed that 94% of supervisors said their guidance improved the quality of their students’ research papers. That’s why you should not neglect your professor’s help.

On the one hand, a term paper is a student’s opportunity to prove themselves, to show what they have learned, what skills they have acquired, and how well they have understood the main idea of the topic. On the other hand, it is an assignment that highlights a particular problem, analyzes the situation, and proposes measures to solve it. In general, a term paper is a small study that a student carries out independently. As you can see from its name, you need to complete a term paper once a term.

A mandatory condition for a term paper is the selection and approval of a scientific supervisor. This person will provide you with the required support. They will share some valuable ideas on how you should write your paper. 

Term paper format

Although the content of a research paper is the most important thing, the requirements for its formatting style play an equally important role.

• Title page

Add the topic, your name, the course name, and other necessary data. 

• Abstract

The abstract for a term paper is a concise summary of the main points of the work.

• Table of contents

The table of contents is the navigator for the paper. 

• Introduction

The introduction is the first stage of acquaintance with the topic of the work.

• Literature review

A literature review shows the depth of your knowledge and ability to work with sources. 

• Methodology

The methodology shows the research methods and techniques you used to solve the problems of scientific work.

• Results/Unexpected Findings

In this section, you need to explain what you discovered.

• Discussion

Here, you need to discuss your results. 

• Conclusion

The concluding paragraph should be short, concise, and clear.

• References/Bibliography

You must properly cite a term paper in accordance with the established standards.

• Appendices (optional)

Appendices include tables, charts, graphs, and other documents.

We think we need not explain that all these sections are important (except the last one) when you write a term paper.

How to choose a term paper topic

• Topic availability. It is true that some real-world topics can make you, as they say, fall flat on your face. Such ideas often have overly complex formulations and are very specific. It can be quite difficult to find detailed information on them. Take such topics only if you like to explore uncharted territory. 
• Professional interest. Focus on your main subject in order to turn it into a thesis later. Keep in mind that when you find a job, the topic of your thesis work can play a certain role in your career. For example, if you need to write an economics term paper but want to explore the history of artistic culture, think about the correctness of the chosen profession.
• Demand for the topic. You can write a term paper on climate change or about a significant historical event like the Civil War. However, these ideas are not new; focus on a truly fresh and interesting topic for society. Also, you will need to find enough evidence for your arguments. 

Term paper topics for different disciplines

1. The psychology of procrastination in college students
2. Childhood trauma and adult relationship patterns
3. Artificial intelligence in education: Risks and benefits
4. Cybersecurity threats in modern society
5. How algorithms shape our online experiences
6. The ethics of facial recognition technology
7. The effectiveness of global climate agreements
8. Urbanization and its impact on local ecosystems
9. Gender roles in 19th-century literature
10. The influence of dystopian fiction on modern youth
11. Folklore and identity: Cultural preservation through storytelling
12. The evolution of the anti-hero in popular culture
13. Freedom of speech vs. hate speech: Where’s the line?
14. Data privacy laws: Are they keeping up with technology?
15. Political polarization and its effect on democratic institutions
16. Should voting be mandatory?
17. The rise of mental health awareness in youth
18. Nutrition misinformation on social media
19. Universal healthcare: A global comparison
20. Ethical dilemmas in genetic engineering

How to write a term paper outline

A term paper outline is one of the key stages of writing a research paper. A proper plan helps you to structure your thoughts, determine the main idea of work, and avoid many mistakes.

• Analyze literature and online sources

You should collect and evaluate background information and describe it in your own words. You need to have sufficient information for your paper, no matter whether you need to write about the Civil War, climate change, or any other topic.

• Formulate hypotheses and questions

You need to formulate hypotheses and research questions to write a solid paper. Hypotheses are assumptions that you want to test in your project. Questions help you focus on key aspects of your topic and determine the direction of your own research. If your paper has a thought-provoking question, it will have a higher chance of getting a high grade.

• Organize your work

Divide your work into stages and set a time frame. This will help you effectively organize your writing process and complete your tasks on time.

• Seek assistance from a supervisor

Regular consultations with your supervisor will help you adjust your plan and receive valuable advice. Discuss all stages of the work with them and take their recommendations into account.

How to write term paper: 5 steps

A term paper or project often doesn’t move forward because the student doesn’t have a clear plan of action. They have a poor idea of where to start or what to do at the next stage, so they don’t move an inch toward the desired result. If you really want to write your research paper on time and successfully defend it, we recommend that you study the stages of its implementation and be sure to act according to the plan.

Here are 5 steps that you should follow:

Start with a draft

Term paper drafts help organize ideas into a good flow. Typically, you should use your outline to write the first draft of your term paper. 

• Put it all together

A student must put all their ideas together into the first draft of their term paper. You must ensure that the first draft contains a logical flow of thoughts. In this case, the strategy allows you to identify some research gaps in the concepts that you explain in the term paper.

• Find new sources or delete old ones

A term paper should contain compelling ideas and arguments. You need to review your first draft to determine whether all the sources provide relevant and credible evidence. You should change any sources that provide weak arguments in your research paper. 

• Modifying the paper outline

You should modify the paper plan to make it more meaningful and persuasive. Use the first draft and new research sources to make appropriate changes to the paper outline. In addition, the main goal of this strategy is to strengthen the research’s arguments and improve their clarity.

Write a clear introduction

The introduction of the term paper informs readers by including the following:

• Justification of the relevance of the topic
• A focus on the main points that you will talk about
• Goals and objectives of the term paper
• Subject and object of the study
• Description of the term paper’s structure
• Characteristics of the literature used
• Description of the research methods used

You can substantiate the relevance of the research topic from two sides — theoretical and practical. Theoretical relevance arises when other researchers have not fully studied the problem, when there are disputes in the scientific community, or when the problem is so new that there is simply no good research base for it yet.

Practical relevance arises when the topic you are studying has some practical significance — for the needs of society, for production, for the state. For example, when you need to write a term paper on biology and the topic is something like: “Problems of using genetically modified organisms.”

This topic is relevant because:

• Other researchers have not yet fully studied the impact of genetically modified organisms, since people started to use them relatively recently.
• The use of GMOs in food production concerns every person, so it has more practical significance.

Write the body of the term paper

The body is the central part of the term paper in which you should reveal the topic, discuss your evidence, and solve the research problem. As a rule, the main part of the paper consists of theoretical, practical (analytical) parts, and a chapter of a recommendatory nature. 

• The first chapter of the paper examines the theoretical foundations of the problem under study. Here, you should analyze regulatory legal acts, textbooks, and scientific articles. To write a theoretical chapter of a research paper, you need to carefully study the information available on the given topic. 
• The practical part depends on the discipline. For example, if you write a political science term paper, it is enough to conduct research and present results. In contrast, students in technical specialties often work on course projects that involve a graphic element. They need to present drawings, diagrams, tables, program algorithms, or other materials that provide sufficient clarity for the research paper. Also, they usually use different technical terms in this part.
• The third chapter of the term paper is the most difficult because it is necessary to develop recommendations for further actions and directions. 

Write a strong conclusion

The third part is one of the important stages of the research paper. In it, you must briefly outline the main points of the analysis:

• Present the theoretical material in the form of thesis statements
• List the activities carried out
• Give the results of your work
• Assess whether you achieved the goal and solved the project tasks
• Briefly formulate the conclusions.

For most professors, it is the substantive final part of a term paper that is a clear confirmation of the student’s high-quality and effective work.

You can use three types of conclusions in a term paper:

1. For each paragraph
2. For each chapter
3. For the entire work

According to the requirements, sometimes you need to summarize the main points at the end of each paragraph, and sometimes it is enough to write a conclusion for the whole chapter. Many professors like the latter approach, as it helps them to quickly analyze the content of the paper’s individual parts and evaluate the quality of the work. The final conclusion makes up about 10% of the entire paper. Avoid introducing new arguments in the last section of your term paper.

Proofread and edit your term paper

When you edit your paper, you need to look at it from another person’s perspective to improve the text and correct any remaining errors. You need an action plan to make this stage successful.

For example, you may take the following steps:

1. Read the paper aloud to identify obvious errors
2. Check the structure of the work and the sequence of presentation
3. Check the sources and in-text citations in your paper to avoid plagiarizing
4. Check whether your evidence is strong enough
5. Proofread and edit your term paper for grammar and spelling errors

Separately, check the compliance of the research paper’s content with the stated topic. This is the main critical criterion for evaluating a term paper. The research must fully correspond to the chosen topic and objectives. Otherwise, there is a risk that you will not even be allowed to defend it. Also, don’t forget to check the paper for uniqueness to avoid plagiarism. 

If you follow these principles, you can write a term paper that will impress.

Term paper examples

If you face any problems during the research and writing process, samples from our writers can help you out. 

Here is an excerpt from one example that will help you start:

Example: Inflation in a market economy

“Inflation is inherent to any market economy. Inflation permeates all spheres of economic life. It affects the state, production, the financial market, and the market economy. Inflation has existed as an economic phenomenon for a long time. It is believed that it appeared with the emergence of money, with their functioning inextricably linked. Interest in inflation and inflationary processes arose in ancient times when many rulers tried to find a solution to the eternal problem of balancing budget revenues with constantly increasing expenses. But whereas earlier inflation mostly arose in emergency situations, in the last two or three decades, in many countries, it has become chronic. Today, there is almost no country in the world where there is not, or has not been, inflation.

At present, inflation is one of the most painful and dangerous processes that negatively impacts finance, as well as the monetary and economic system as a whole.”

Key elements to remember

Of course, there are some key points that you should always keep in mind. You need to write a term paper in the right order. You should write the theoretical section first, and then the practical one. At the very end, you need to pay attention to the introduction with a thesis statement and conclusion.

Of course, you should not forget about using the correct formatting when you write a term paper. Even if you write a quality academic paper, if you do not format it correctly, the teacher will simply send your project back for revision. 

Key takeaways

• Start early to allow enough time to research, write, and revise a paper.
• Choose a clear topic that aligns with your course objectives.
• Create an outline to structure your paper properly.
• Stick to the term paper format: introduction, body, conclusion.

Support the main argument with credible sources and adhere to the required citation style.