Choose a subject that interests you by looking over your textbook. Find a particular text that jumps out at you and read it carefully. Question the text for an in-depth topic: does the text reflect the author or literary movement? Is there an underlying theme that weaves the story? One example could be Stephen Crane and The Red Badge of Courage.
Research your topic using sources found in your school and public library. Examine each source for credible facts related to the subject of the term paper. For every book you cite, write down the subject, author, title and publication. For periodicals, note the author, title, periodical name, volume, page number and date.
Formulate a thesis based on the notes you have gathered. For example: "Stephen Crane explored the Victorian world's industrialized capitalism through the story's motif of the army."
Outline the essay based on you thesis. List what will be discussed in each paragraph. For example: 1) the life of Stephen Crane; 2) Darwinian influence in The Red Badge of Courage; 3) Victorian world's industrialized capitalism; 4) how realism is applied in the story.
Write the first draft of the paper based on the outline. Introduce the subject and clarify the essay by stating your purpose with the thesis. Discuss the thesis in the body of the essay providing evidence from credible sources. Summarize the essay and conclude with why the thesis is correct.
Wait at least a day and edit the paper for mistakes in grammar, sentence structure, cohesion and facts. Read the paper both silently and aloud to get a feeling for the essay's flow. Avoid clunky phrasing, such as: "Stephen Crane's obtuse naturalistic style usage is the best evidence toward Darwin's book having an effect on him."
Cite the paper according to the dictated style guidelines. Use the notes you took earlier to effectively cite each and every source used throughout the essay.