Research and term paper writing guidelines

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The Easiest Way to Write An Outline For Your Term Paper 

Writing an outline for your term paper provides structure and meaning to your proposed writing. The assembling of ideas can cause chaos when it comes to writing a draft so it’s well advised to be prepared.

Brainstorm To Help Narrow Your Topic

Setting aside a small amount of time to consider some ideas will not only help you in your quest, but will ensure you feel more at ease with your topic.

• Writers can list as many ideas as possible in relation to the topic they are writing about.
• They can ask themselves questions. Why am I doing this? What is it I like about it?
• Have all avenues been considered when approaching the paper, is there anything else that can be added?

Choose an End Goal

Whenever we undertake a task, there is always a goal we wish to reach; the same applies to writing a term paper.

• Writers can contrast two things, which in turn will engage critical thinking and further analysis.
• Writers should ensure that they have evidence in relation to any claims and all conclusions are backed up.
• A particular aspect or concept should be defined, for example, does the chosen topic mean different things to different groups?
 

Gather Supporting Materials

When citing material to support points made within your term paper, you need to ensure that the material supports what is being said.

• Writers should expand upon their assertions with evidence. Proof can be included within the outline.
• When information is found, a note should be made as to where it was found. For example, if it was found within a book, ensure that the page number is written down so the information can be found again easily. If found on the internet, ensure you note or favorite the URL.

Writing Your Outline

When it is time to actually write your outline, there are still some points to consider, other than ones already given, to ensure that the writing of your outline is straightforward. 

• The writer should identify the main categories, and the best way for these to be broken down.
• Two points should be listed for each category. If more is required, the paper can be expanded upon with sub-points.
• While it is advisable to have two points, there can also be too many points. If there are a number of points that are spilling over into a number of sub-points, consider if any can be combined.