Tips for Writing a College Term Paper

Have a Target Audience to Make it All Fall into Place

Jan 10, 2009

A college term paper can be very overwhelming. However, through the use of a good writing process, one might be surprised at how quickly it can all come together.

There are a few things one should keep in mind when writing a college term paper. It doesn't matter if it is an analytical or a critical paper, the first thing to do is to determine the target audience. Decide if the paper will speak to a certain set of people or a more generic group. This will help to set the entire mood of the term paper.

Preparing the Term Paper

In most cases a term paper topic needs to be approved by the instructor. Once this has been done, it is time to prepare for the actual writing of the paper. Make sure the term paper answers these three questions:

Keep the focus of the paper narrow. Using a topic that is too broad can leave too much room for opinions, rather than concentrating on facts. For a short paper, choose something that can be explained or argued within four or five simple steps.

While researching, be sure to take notes of important points to remember. Index cards make it quick and easy to jot and organize notes. Once you have the notes completed, organize them to create an outline so the term paper has meaning and makes sense to the reader.

Writing the Term Paper

Be sure to lay out the argument within the first paragraph. The introduction to the paper is what will grab the reader's attention and keep him reading. It also gives the reader a clear indication of what the paper is about and what is expected to be covered as he continues to read.

Heading into the body of the paper, use compelling and specific facts. Most importantly, be sure to back up the facts with reliable sources. Just keep a running list of the texts and websites used to draw facts from as you are researching.

The answers to these questions will keep the reader interested. It will drive the reader to want to see what conclusions are reached.

Build the argument. Make sure the paper flows and has a distinct transition between topics. Make sure the paper defends or at least explains the argument clearly. This is not the time to leave the reader guessing.

Use more than just one or two facts. Sprinkle them throughout the paper. This will help show the writer's understanding of the factual basis behind the paper.

Write clearly. Be sure the target audience can understand metaphors and phrasing. This is very important. It is very easy to become caught up in a mess of big words that may not really be needed in the paper. At the same time, be sure the paper is in-depth enough to properly state the argument without oversimplifying it.

After completing most of the body of the paper, reread the introductory paragraph to be sure it still applies. Sometimes a writer may realize there is a different aspect to the paper than when originally started.

Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism

Cite the sources used for the paper properly. There are several ways to do this. Sources can be:

Ask the instructor what method he prefers. If given the choice, the writer should choose the one that appeals to the paper best.

Be careful not to use anyone else's words exactly. Plagiarism can cost a lot of grief and turmoil when handed back a failing grade. It is not worth the risk. Use Copyscape to make sure the term paper is original.

Finally, have fun and be creative. This is a great way to express opinions with sound reasoning. It can be very fulfilling to hand in such a paper.

The copyright of the article Tips for Writing a College Term Paper in Campus Life is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish Tips for Writing a College Term Paper in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.