Preparing a Term Paper

 

 Stage I: Getting Started

Choosing a subject area

A subject area is a general category that contains many possible research paper ideas.

SUBJECTS: death, ice hockey, medicine, solar energy

Focusing on a topic

A topic is a single aspect of a subject.  Sometimes the topic can be found by asking, “What aspect of _________ do I want to talk about?”  If you do not know much about the subject you are writing on, it may be necessary for you to do some basic, preliminary research before you can answer this question.

TOPICS (within the subject area of death):

Fatal diseases, mercy killing, capital punishment, violent death, burial customs, returning from the death, American reluctance to discuss death…

*Note: Often, depending on the limitation and length of the proposed paper, these topics would have to be broken down even further into sub-topics.

It might be useful to state your topic as a question.  For example, should capital punishment be abolished?  

Exploring the topic

Do general reading and discover what sources are available.  Determine whether this topic and these sources will allow you to write a good paper.  Test out several possible thesis statements.

Finding a thesis statement

The thesis is a summary statement of what the reader will know when finished reading your paper.  Make it a clear, specific statement.   Take a stand. 

DO NOT USE FACTS

            The boiling point for water at sea level is 212 degrees F.

            Some states still have capital punishment laws.

DO NOT USE OPINIONS

            I like dogs better than cats.

            Some people think that capital punishment should be retained.

DO NOT USE SELF-EVIDENT STATEMENTS

            Advertising is a medium of persuasion.

            Capital punishment is a controversial issue.

DO USE ISSUES

            Dogs make better pets than cats.

The persuasive medium of television advertising is taking unfair advantage of pre-school children.

Capital punishment should be abolished because a life-for-a-life vengeance is barbaric.

Often the Although---Because formula will work well for a thesis statement.

Although proponents of school busing say that it is the only way to achieve full integration, busing should be prohibited because it creates more racial tension than it alleviates.

Although opponents of school busing say that racial tension interferes with education, busing should be continued because integration is a desirable end in itself even at the cost of temporary conflicts.

Methods of Searching: Taking Notes and Exploratory Writing

Finding a thesis statement for a term paper can be difficult.  The suggestions listed below are meant to help a writer begin recognizing possible theses.

Taking Notes:  As you go through the steps of narrowing the subject and exploring the topic, take notes recording the thoughts that run through your head, the reasons you choose a particular topic, and the pertinent details you find while reading about the topic.  Notes can be used to quote, analyze, summarize, test theses, express doubts, ask questions, give reminders, comment on earlier notes, state pros and cons…

Exploratory Writing:  At times, writing can be an excellent way not only to express ideas, but to formulate them.  For this reason, exploratory writing is a valuable tool to articulate half-developed ideas, generate new ideas, or even locate a topic.  Freewriting, one example of exploratory writing, can help writers establish a topic that is of interest to them or focus a broad subject on a more limited topic.  To freewrite, simply set a time limit and write without stopping for that time.   Much of what you write will be stray thoughts that have nothing to do with your paper.  For example, “I don’t know what to say.”  Freewriting is likely, however, to uncover one or two ideas that are worth developing more fully.

--- adapted from the Random House Handbook

pp. 26-35