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What Is The Best Term Paper Format: Tips For College Students

When you are writing a term paper, there are a lot of things that need to be considered during the construction process. It is not just about the topic of the paper and what you say. A good paper also displays a good format and structure.

Introduction

The introduction is the part of the paper in which you have to get the readers hooked initially. It is also the portion that introduces your topic and lets the reader know what to expect in the rest of the paper. Here is how the introduction should be formatted: IN THIS ORDER!

Attention getter.
Broad statement (this could act as the attention getter is it is interesting enough).
Narrow statement (this will lead you slowly into your topic).
Thesis with 3 or more points/arguments.
Transition to Paragraph 1.

Paragraph 1-3 (Or, however, many points you have)

Paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 will have the same format. The only difference between them will be which point you are arguing in the paragraph. Here is how these paragraphs should be formatted:

Transition/interesting phrase to get started.
State what you are arguing.
Discuss, explain, and argue your point.
Convince the reader with proof: use quotes, stats, and whatever else you can.

Counterargument (optional)

This part is not 100% necessary in all papers, but it is very good to have in a paper that you are trying to prove a point and/or make an argument. This portion is where you recognize that there is another point that go against what you are trying to get across. You make the connection of those points and try to discredit them. To make it simple, chose an argument that is weak and easy to discredit. Give the reader actually proof like statistics, to discredit the counterargument.

Conclusion

The conclusion is basically a comprehensive recap of everything you just covered in your paper. In a way, it is like a summary but better. Here is where you need to go briefly over your points again and once again state why they are right. You need to take one final moment to prove your thesis and restate the thesis. In the introduction, you have to make a broad statement and then a narrow one to lead into the topic. Well now, you do the opposite. Here, you are going to start with a narrow statement and then make a broad one lead back out of the paper smoothly.