Take great care not to choose a topic and be so set on how you see the outcome of your paper that you’re closed to new ideas and avenues of thinking as you work through the paper. This is known in academia as “premature cognitive commitment”. It can mar an otherwise good paper because an outcome that is pre-determined in your head, regardless of the research findings along the way, will be molded to fit the outcome, rather than the outcome reflecting a genuine analysis of the discoveries made. Instead, ask continuous questions about the topic at each stage of your research and writing and see the topic in terms of a “hypothesis” rather than as a conclusion. In this way, you’ll be prepared to be challenged and to even have your opinion changed as you work through the paper. 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 some more help, see How to establish a research topic.
How to research a paper. How to take notes, How to take better notes, How to take notes from a textbook, How to take notes on a book and How to take Cornell notes.
Remember that the research doesn’t stop here. And nor does the thesis statement, necessarily. Allow room for flexibility as you continue working through both the research and the writing, as you may wish to make changes that align with the ideas forming in your mind and the discoveries you continue to unearth. On the other hand, do be careful not to be a continuous seeker who never alights upon a single idea for fear of confinement. At some point you are going to have to say: “Enough is enough to make my point here!” If you’re so taken with a topic, there is always the possibility of postgraduate study some day but remember that the term paper has a finite word length and due date!
Introduction, discussion paragraphs/sections and conclusion or summary. Descriptive or explanatory paragraphs following the introduction, setting the background or theme. Analysis and argument paragraphs/sections. Using your research, write out the main idea for each body paragraph. Any outstanding questions or points you’re not yet sure about. See How to write an outline for more details.
Hook the reader using a question or a quote. Or perhaps relate a curious anecdote that will eventually make absolute sense to the reader in the context of the thesis. Introduce your topic. Be succinct, clear and straightforward. Thesis statement. This should have been clarified already in the previous step. Don’t forget to define the words contained in the question! Words like “globalization” have many differing meanings and it’s important to state which ones you’ll be using as part of your introductory section.
Don’t forget to define the words contained in the question! Words like “globalization” have many differing meanings and it’s important to state which ones you’ll be using as part of your introductory section.
Try to relate the actual 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 with now).
Restate your thesis statement. One important detail which is usually found in your last paragraph. Conclude – wrap it up. Clincher – where you give the reader something left to think about.
Restate your thesis statement. One important detail which is usually found in your last paragraph. Conclude – wrap it up. Clincher – where you give the reader something left to think about.
Avoid cutting and pasting from other people’s arguments. By all means use eminent thinkers in the field’s thoughts to back up your own thinking but avoid saying nothing other than “A says. . . B says. . . “. The reader wants to know what you say ultimately. [11] X Expert Source Matthew Snipp, PhDResearch Fellow, U. S. Bureau of the Census Expert Interview. 26 March 2020. It’s helpful to sort out your bibliography from the beginning, to avoid having a last minute scramble: How to write a bibliography, How to write an APA style bibliography and How to write a bibliography in MLA format.
Trade in weak “to-be” verbs for stronger “action” verbs. For example: “I was writing my term paper” becomes “I wrote my term paper. "
Decent grammar should be a given. You need a teacher to give you the benefit of the doubt, not correct your apostrophe use. A few too many errors and the message is soon lost beneath the irritation of the errors involved.
