Brainstorm for ideas to decide on a topic. If your paper topic has already been assigned, brainstorm for additional ideas to include in your paper. Think about your topic, and then write down the first idea that comes to mind in relation to your topic. Repeat the process until you have at least five to 10 ideas.
Research your topic thoroughly. Research is one of the most difficult aspects of writing a paper for most students, but it is also the most important. When students fail to adequately research their topic, they often run out of things to write about and then begin to fret over things like the length of the paper rather than focusing on the content. Having too much information is better than not having enough; it is easier to shorten a paper than it is to lengthen it.
Create a thesis statement. Your research should reveal a trend or recurrent theme that you want to highlight or prove in your paper. A straightforward and matter-of-fact statement about what the paper will be about is the simplest way to begin your paper.
Jot down an outline of the structure of your paper. This will organize your thoughts and help you stay on task to complete your paper. The paper should have an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction should contain the thesis statement, and the body of the paper should contain the main supporting arguments for the thesis.
Write the rough draft of your paper. Again, begin with the thesis statement then proceed to follow your outline by writing the body of the paper as a supporting argument or supporting content that sheds further light on the thesis statement and introduction. The length of the body of the paper will vary based on the requirements of the term paper, but it should contain at least three to five major supporting ideas.
Conclude your paper with a reaffirmation of the main thesis. Tie up any loose ends in the paper and provide the paper with a sense of completion and coherence.
Proofread and revise your paper as necessary. Most quality term papers will undergo at least one revision. Having someone else read your paper and critique it can help to ensure that it is readable and that your arguments are sound and logical.