STEPS IN WRITING THE TERM PAPER

1. IDENTIFYING A TOPIC
Determining, Analyzing and Researching a Topic (see samples on 3D Workers)
Topic: interesting / worth investigating / relevant and current

2. REFERENCES AND CITATIONS

Read-up all articles collected (minimum 8 articles: 4 non-journal and 4 journal). Cite all
articles in your REFERENCES or ENDNOTES etc.
Content: Sufficient, appropriate and supported by information gathered from reading texts

3. IDENTIFYING ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES

Draw-up a table to identify the issues to be looked into from several perspectives;
(see Table 1 below)

TABLE 1: ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES

ISSUES PERSPECTIVES
ASKING QUESTIONS (issues) GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIES EMPLOYERS MTUC Youth / Foreign
Plantation/ FMM / MEF Graduates Workers
FROM DIFFERENT Construction/ (Malaysia
PERSPECTIVES small business Employers
Federation)
Why is there an influx of foreign √ √ √
labor in this country?
Why do these foreign worker like
to work in Malaysia?
Where do these foreign workers √ √ √
work at?
What kind of jobs do they do?
What are the regulations √ √ √ √
controlling or regulating these
foreign worker?
What happens if the re-hiring √ √ √ √
process of legalizing them
continues?
What happen if this trend of hiring
foreign labor continues in
Malaysia?
What actions should be taken by √ √ √ √
all responsible parties
(Government/Employers) to
overcome this problem?
3. SYNOPSIS OF YOUR TERM PAPER

In pairs discuss the problem on the influx of foreign workers in the country. Your
discussion should cover the various parties or perspectives from different individuals, bodies or
organizations.
a. What has brought about the influx of foreign workers in the country?
b. Should our country allow more entry of foreign workers? How would this
situation deprive the locals (youths and graduates) from being given the
opportunity to take up the dirty, dangerous and difficult (3D) jobs?
c. What actions should be taken by all responsible parties (Government/Employers)
to overcome this problem?

4. STRUCTURE OF THE TERM PAPER

Argumentative OR problem-solution paper of about 5-7 pages

Problem Solution Essay

(a) Proper introduction – the problem is clearly stated

(b) Solutions are clearly organized in paragraphs
(c) Conclusion appropriate to the problem / solutions
Example:
- influx of foreign workers in the country (socially, economically, etc.);
- why foreign workers want to join the 3D labour force but why the locals are not
(Socially, economically, status quo etc.)

Argumentative Essay
(a) Proper introduction – stance is clearly stated
(b) Arguments are clearly organized in paragraphs
(c) Proper conclusion – restate the stance or perspective of the author

Example: Why Industries prefer to take foreign workers instead of locals. (+Cheap labor,
+Obedience, +Easy Replacement -Security, -Logistics
5. SUMMARY OF CRITICAL READING (week 6 – 10%)
Individual work - Each student will do a summary of two different articles (from the
eight you have collected)
Refer to TEST SPECIFICATIONS FOR SUMMARY OF CRITICAL READING

6. TERM PAPER OUTLINE (week 9 – 10%)

A clear system that shows the hierarchy of information / link between contents / divisions
of ideas (See SYNOPSIS in 3 above). An outline that covers all the contents needed for
the writing
a. Clear thesis statement / stance - Clearly indicates contents to be included;
b. Sufficient contents [at least three (3) points] to support the thesis statement /
stance;
c. Relevant citations and quotations gathered from reading texts.
Refer to TEST SPECIFICATIONS FOR TERM PAPER OUTLINE

7. TERM PAPER DRAFT – (week 11 – 20% )

Refer to TEST SPECIFICATIONS FOR TERM PAPER DRAFT

8. ORAL PRESENTATION OF TERM PAPER (Individual) - (week 13 - 14 – 10%)

Refer to TEST SPECIFICATIONS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION

9. FINAL TERM PAPER – (week 15 – 10%)

Refer to TEST SPECIFICATIONS FOR TERM PAPER DRAFT