Q: 21. Write a note on a term paper.

Answer: Term Paper: A term paper is an essay or report written by a student on the subject which he has studied during
his term or semester at his college or university. Through his term paper, the student can demonstrate his
understanding of the course which has been taught to him. A term paper follows the format of a research paper. Its
average length is fifteen pages. It has the following chapters or portions: table of contents, introduction, main
discussion, conclusion, works cited.

1. Table of Contents: This portion consists of the list of the list of all the chapters along with their page numbers.

2. Introduction: In this chapter, the student introduces and explains his topic. He establishes its relevance to the literary
studies. He formulates his thesis and introduces his readers to the basic structure of his research work. He also
demonstrates his approach to his specific topic. He gives the detailed definitions of the key terms and explains the basic
concepts in his research area.

3. Main Discussion: This chapter is the researcher’s actual contribution to the field of research. It is based on his textual
analysis. In this chapter, the researcher first presents his arguments and then gives some relevant quotes in support of
his arguments. In this chapter, he does not depend upon the arguments of other critics. Rather, he establishes and
explains his own line of thought on the basis of his textual analysis. He answers the research questions raised by himself
in Introduction.

4. Conclusion: In this chapter, the researcher summarizes the results of his analysis. He gives some prospects of further
research in this area. He also guides his readers in this connection. He suggests some more topics which can be explored
in his research area.

5. Works Cited/ References/ Bibliography: In this chapter, the researcher gives the alphabetical list of all the primary
and secondary sources which he has quoted in his term paper. He follows one of the following referencing styles: APA
and MLA.