Term Paper Format

A term paper is an extended essay. Therefore, a term paper follows the same structure

as any essay you write.

There are some differences between a "normal" high school essay and a term paper.

A term paper is much longer than the usual 4-5 paragraph essays that you are assigned.

An average term paper is to be 10-12 pages long. This is because research

must be done. Sources other that the text of the literature or your own opinion on

a subject must be provided to give your arguments authority.

Introduction:

opening sentence(s):

should be related to the topic you've been given or the topic chosen.

should grab the reader's interest

should lead into the thesis statement smoothly

can be a question but it must be answered, either in

another opening sentence or by the thesis statement

thesis statement:

one sentence that the entire term paper will prove

do not use I, me or "in this essay"

must be a positive statement and must take a "stand"

supporting ideas:

must have at least three supporting ideas

aspects of the topic that will be used to prove the thesis true

must be able to discuss them at length using supporting

quotations from authoritative sources

Body Paragraphs:

basic information:

first 1-5 body paragraphs

define and/or explain fully the topic, such as gothic

tradition, cancer, the death penalty, roles of women, etc.

supporting ideas:

apply basic information to the supporting ideas

each supporting idea should be discussed fully before moving to

the next

put forth your ideas clearly and in detail

quotations from literature and/or authoritative sources are

used only to support your ideas

Conclusion:

restate the thesis as prove true

restate the supporting ideas as the source of truth

closing sentence should be insightful and leave the reader with

something to think about

Where to begin when...

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