TERM PAPER TIPS

Some of you have already provided term paper proposals or have seen me after class or in my office. I have rejected no proposal, but usually have made suggestions along these lines:

• slight variations in theme, usually to redefine the scope of the paper
• how best to implement: focus carefully on a case study

Here are some important considerations which you should keep in mind:

• I asked you to do a policy brief, a short report: 12 pages double spaced
• Your policy brief gets right to the point and should depart from a breezy or personalized style of a composition essay. Your policy report should be crisp, factually based, and tightly structured
• The report normally reads as if it were by a professional staff analyst providing a background report, often with recommendations to the elected official, say a United States Senator sitting on the appropriate Senate Committee for your topic

How your grade is determined...

and what you should do...

to improve your grade

Keep in mind how your report will be graded, as I indicated in the memo which I provided. I will expand below, spelling out some implications:

• Depth: Your report digs beneath the surface (say the level of a page 17 newspaper article on the subject) probing beyond the obvious and indicating a serious intellectual grasp of the topic. You know this material!
• Content: Your research has not only been substantial, but is woven into the fabric of your report. You are careful not to make assertions not supported by your facts but your research has supported your conclusions. You use this material!
• Style: Effective writing style begins with correct usage of vocabulary and grammar, but goes beyond the basics to include
  • Paragraphs which do not merge a series of loosely connected sentences, but convey a single assertion
  • Sentences which balance complexity with clarity
  • Careful choice of precise words, giving you complete control over meaning
• Integration: An overall coherence in the development of your report:
  • An introduction which clearly indicates to the reader the intent and scope of the report. Regard the first paragraph as the mission statement of the. Do not extend your introduction unduly, but rely on a clear and careful introductory paragraph. Frankly, a flat or rambling first paragraph more often than not tips me off that the paper will not hold together well.
  • A conclusion which logically flows from the main argument of the paper. The ending is not simply tagged on as mere opinion but has been carefully drawn from the logic and evidence of the report.
  • The main argument, which has been indicated by the case developed in the report. Go back and read the theme sentences of each paragraph to determine if they connect and, taken together, support the conclusion. Indeed, ask yourself if your argument has connected the introduction to the conclusion.
  • Use headings and subheadings to highlight to the reader what is going on within each block of the report. In this assignment, there might be perhaps 3 or 4 major headings. These devices help orient the reader --- and keep the writer focused on the job at hand.

Keep these criteria in mind. I do when I grade your work! Frequently, I wonder whether a particular student ever considers these criteria, which I specify well in advance. Please do so: it works for you and for me.

Revise Frequently

Research indicates that the real value of word-processing comes from frequent revision, not simply the ease of producing the term paper. Too often, students submit work which plainly indicates that they have not proofread the paper before handing it to me. This is simply lazy and sloppy. Don't do it! Revise!

Better still, have a friend read it for you. Swap papers. Find out if others can find glaring problems and make helpful suggestions. This "peer review" can go a long way toward a higher quality report. Do it!

Keep it simple and straightforward

Clarity and simplicity carries elegance to this task. An elaborate, complicated paper is not asked of you.

Good luck. Watch for more tips as I get the time to get more material onto the World Wide Web. I really do enjoy reading good stuff and feel dejected when I get sloppy reports from students.

Also, do not forget to look at the term project proposal page.

Return to my GeoCities home page.

©Wayne Hayes, Ph.D.:ProfWork®
for Public Policy, Fall, 1998
whayes@orion.ramapo.edu
September 22, 1999 | updated September 24, 2006