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The first step while working on a term paper is to decide an area which depends on your interest and its
relevance. Scope, recency, issues in the field, are some points that help to decide the relevance of the
topic chosen for the term paper. You may read recent articles in well known journals to decide the topic
of the term paper. Once the topic is chosen, the title needs to be formulated depending on the resources
available in terms of level of work, and its appropriateness. You may think of a draft title to be finalised
later after due deliberations.
The next step is to prepare a draft synopsis of the paper. The first step while working on the synopsis is
to have a conceptual clarity of the topic. Please refer to classic text books, encyclopaedia and other
relevant sources of literature for background information about the topic. After reading the sources you
may have clarity of the themes and sub themes and also be able to map them. Later you may think of the
problem on which you intend to work and write the statement of the problem. Then a decision on the
objectives, scope, methodology and analysis has to be taken. You may undertake a study where you
need to do a field/library survey or a literature survey. It depends on your interest, competence and
resources to decide which one to undertake. All these steps and decisions will help you to prepare a
synopsis. The synopsis is like a guide to your work. It will help you to undertake and progress in your
work to write the term paper. Once the work is done as per the synopsis, it has to be reported as a paper.
The format of structure of the paper should tentatively be on the following lines:
1. Abstract- Please give an abstract of your term paper in about 200 words
2. Introduction- This should provide a background to the work and the topic undertaken by you.
Hence, you need to introduce the concept of ‘term paper’ as well as the topic of the term
paper.
3. Statement of the Problem- In continuation to the introduction, statement of the problem
should zero down and focus on the need to study the present problem/area of the study. This
should justify the reason for taking up the topic for study and present a term paper on it.
4. Research Questions- While undertaking a study you wish to find answers of some
questions/problems that you have in mind. Such statements should be stated as questions
here.
5. Objectives- Every work is undertaken with some aims and objectives, so is the term paper.
They should be clearly mentioned in small steps moving from general to particular. State the
objectives as clear and crisp steps that are achievable.
6. Methodology- In case of a literature based study indicate the method of literature collection.
In the case of a field study indicate the data collection in terms of population, sample and
sampling, data analysis.
7. Presentation/Results- This would include the presentation of data analysis/literature analysis
and findings. It would include diagrams, graphs, images and tables.
8. Conclusion and Suggestions- The paper should follow with a conclusion that should highlight
the areas that have been covered and those that have not been studied and need more
research.
9. References and Bibliography- References need to be provided in-text as citations. Follow
APA standard