Getting started: Clarify what you are being asked to do
What is the result you are supposed to produce? What skills and knowledge are you being asked to prove?
Are you supposed to come up with a topic yourself, or will you have help with this part?
Has the literature been determined for you, or are you supposed to research it yourself?
How is your work going to be supervised? Is there a possibility of discussion and coordination in the interim?
When do you plan to work on it?
How much time do you have available?
When do you have to turn in your work?
About how many pages long is your term paper supposed to be?
Do you know your instructor’s grading criteria? If not, can you ask and find out? What is especially important to your instructor?
How is your work supposed to be structured in formal terms? Which of the many rules and hints on the formal structure of term papers are you supposed to use as a basis?
First steps
Gathering ideas for a suitable subject: Which subject did you find especially exciting in the seminar? What would you like to pursue further?
Finding a way to approach the subject: What do you already know about the subject? What relevant texts are you familiar with on this subject? What do you find especially interesting about the subject? What ideas do you have for limiting your subject to a specific topic?
Gaining an overview of therelevant literature: Will you find enough relevant literature for your subject?
Plan your content and time: Our tips on time management can help.
