HOW TO PREPARE A GOOD TERM PAPER FOR SCHOOL
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First, find a topic which genuinely interests YOU. If your teacher did not assign a topic to you, here are some good Topics for Term Papers to consider. Take some time to think about what kinds of topics interest you in the area assigned by your teacher. History, for example. Go to Google; search for information and books on your chosen topic and read all you can about the topic. Keep notes which tell you exactly where you found the materials. You can "bookmark" websites which are useful. If you see information you might later use in your term paper, be sure to make a note so you can find it again if you need it. Let the information begin to "gel" in your mind. This means you will most likely not be able to do this at the "last minute", but rather you will need to begin your research at least several days (hopefully a couple of weeks) prior to the due date of your research project. Try to begin your project early so you have plenty of time and are not rushed at the deadline.
When you have a grasp of the essentials of your topic, then DIVIDE it into THREE MAIN SECTIONS. In your report, each section will be approximately the same length. How long does your teacher want your report to be? Five pages? For a 5 page research report, you need 1/2 page for the introduction paragraph (which will introduce the 3 aspects of the topic which you have chosen to present) and 1/2 page for the concluding paragraph (which will sum up the research you have presented).
What goes in between? The three main sections of your topic. Be sure to divide the sections as equally as possible. Do not write 20 paragraphs about one section and only 5 about another section of the topic. You do not have to have EXACTLY the same number of paragraphs for each of the 3 sections, but try to stick as close as you can to equalizing the numbers of paragraphs in your 3 sections. Remember also to keep your paragraphs APPROXIMATELY the same length. If one paragraph seems too large, break it down into two paragraphs.
WHY THREE SECTIONS? Because this is the classic approach to writing research papers. LONGER PAPER REQUIRED? Stick to the THREE SECTION outline. Just write more paragraphs in each section. Do NOT create more than three main sections.
If you are going to quote from a book, you must give credit to the author. You cannot pretend that you wrote material you found in a published book or online website. Simply put quotation marks (") at the beginning of the quoted material and at the end of the quote. Then you just give the author's name and the title of the book (underlined), publisher name and year published, and the page where the quote is located in the book. This should make your teacher very happy. DO NOT use too many quotes. Your teacher wants to know YOU have digested and understood your topic and that you have ORGANIZED it well. (This means the THREE SECTION DIVISION explained above).
Now, as you begin to write your paragraphs, the FIRST SENTENCE in each paragraph should tell what that paragraph covers. The LAST SENTENCE of each paragraph should summarize the information given in THAT paragraph. Remember: NO RUN ON sentences! If your sentence seems long, perhaps you could break it with a semicolon or make two sentences.
This is ORGANIZATION. Follow this method and your grades will improve.
Don't forget to run a SPELL CHECK on your entire term paper before running the final copy to present in class to your teacher.
Print your report in STANDARD font, Times New Roman is the best. Set the font size for 14. This will be easy on your teacher's eyes.
I am a retired certified high school teacher. Ha, you already could tell, couldn't you?
HERE ARE SOME BOOKS TO HELP YOU WRITE A GOOD TERM PAPER:
Real Ways to Get Rich on the Internet!
Post nasal drip, lose weight, diabetes, Alzheimer's, more
How to Cope with Life's Problems
how to clean athletic shoes, get rid of roaches