The Main Parts of the Term Paper

In many educational institutions, students are assigned a term paper as one of their major projects. Though it is not as difficult as a research paper, the term paper is still a very challenging assignment as it still requires much reading and lots of writing and is often a very big part of the semester’s grade.

Although you might not like it, there is much to learn from the term paper. It will give you a chance to learn more about your subject, and you will get to practice your research and writing skills. So if you have been assigned a term paper this semester, read on to discover the main parts that you will need to write.

1. Title page- Most teachers require this as a formal way of submitting your paper. It includes your paper’s title, some details about yourself, your professor’s name, and the date finished.
2. Abstract- This section serves as a quick synopsis of your paper. Thus, the main parts of your term paper are summarized so that anyone possibly interested in what you have written can understand at a glance the contents of your paper.
3. Table of Contents - This presents the location of the main sections of your paper so that the reader can quickly find what they are looking for.
4. Review of Literature (if required by your teacher) - This contains the relevant researches and theories you found that both support and go against your position.
5. Introduction - As the beginning of the main portion of the term paper, the Intro gives the background of the topic you will discuss and mentions your paper’s purpose. This section should include interesting data so that the reader will be excited to learn more.
6. Body / Discussion - Here, the different arguments are discussed. It is important to present both sides for the reader to understand all angles. In writing this, it is good to cite references to show that not everything is your opinion. But there is also going to be a portion where you will give your thoughts, usually towards the end.
   To keep things organized, some students have subheaders throughout the body for clarity and so that the subsections can be identified in the Table of Contents.
7. Conclusion - In this final part, the main points are summarized, and then conclusive statements are given. To strengthen your paper in the mind of the reader, it is good to place a special quote or a call to action at the end.
8. Bibliography - This is where all your references are cited. Take note of the style-guide your teacher requires as this is what you’ll need to follow here.

Summary

As an integral part of most high schools and colleges, the term paper is something students will expect from at least one of their teachers. So keep in mind the parts of the term paper above so that you will have everything you need for a good grade.