The topic of your paper is what you research and write about. In an argument or opinion-oriented topic, you will argue your views on the topic, supported by research, throughout the paper. A purely research-related paper will outline facts and information about the topic you've chosen.
Decide what type of paper you want to write. Often, your teacher will specify whether it's an argumentative or factual paper. Choose a topic that is interesting and original, but not so unheard of that it's difficult to research. A good topic relates to the class. For a mathematics class, explain a mathematics theory and how it works or write a biography on a famous mathematician.
The thesis statement of your paper should appear in the first sentence or two of your paper's introduction, and you will return to the ideas presented in it many times throughout the term paper. Relate the statement directly to a specific argument, idea, or fact connected to your topic. Essentially, it should be a boiled down or focused version of the topic. For example, on the topic of why community service is important, your thesis statement could read, "Community service provides aid to those in need, while giving students a better, more mature, understanding of the world around them." Direct your research toward anything correlating to your thesis statement.
Research is the next step in your term paper creation. When you research, gather all the information you need for your paper. Glean information from a variety of sources, such as books, websites, factual films, newspaper or magazine articles, and even personal interviews. Take many notes as you gather information. Mark down all the relevant information about each resource you use, such as title and author's name, and keep this information with the notes you took from that source.
After you've completed the majority of your research, begin organizing your research paper. Look through your notes, organize them into a logical sequence, and decide how to present the topic in your paper. First, jot down notes about what will appear in your introductory and ending statements. They should be, respectively, an overview of the topic and what was detailed in the report.
Then, write an outline for the paper, noting paragraphs for each new fact or argument you plan to write about. For example, if you were writing about a math theory, first write a section explaining how the theory was discovered, and who discovered it. Then, write about why the theory is important, and so on. Writing a section title for each piece of information, and then writing notes in the outline about what you want to include where, can help you keep your work organized.
Write the paper with easy to understand sentences which flow in a logical, understandable way. Open with a introductory paragraph, which includes your thesis statement. Follow it with the body of the paper, providing facts to support your thesis statement. Finish your paper with an ending statement. Again, this should review what you've detailed in your report. Check it over more than once for correct spelling and grammar.
Make in-text citations when you use specific information from a resource. In-text citations should be enclosed in parentheses and written directly after the fact they represent in the paper. In-text citations can be done in a number of ways, depending on what type of source you're using. Books, for example, can simply be listed with the author's last name and the title of the book. For an article, list the publication and page number. Internet sources can be cited by placing the URL in parentheses.
Create a bibliography, noting all the sources you used to aid you in researching and writing your term paper. If you have used in-text citations, you will also need to create a works cited page, which neatly lists all the resources, in order, that you cited in your paper.