How to Write a Term Paper Fast: Outline and Formatting
Writing a term paper in a week may seem like an easy endeavor. Factor in classes, tons of assignments, and a part-time job, a week is barely enough time to luxuriously work on a term paper.
How can I write my term paper fast? Although time is not a luxury afforded by many students, various approaches may help you handle your paper in time, without compromising its quality. Read on for guidance on term paper formatting and the tips to help you write a term paper fast.
How long should a term paper be?
The standard term paper length ranges between five to seven pages. Each page comprises between two and three paragraphs spanning up to 275 words.
Exclusive of the title page, your term paper may be divided into:
- A one-page introduction
- 3 to 5 body pages
- One-page conclusion
How to write a term paper fast: tips
- Understand the question
First, ensure that you read the term paper question properly to understand the scope of the question and the type of essay you’re required to prepare. If you find the instructions confusing, ask for clarification from your tutor or seek expert term paper help for guidance.
The instructions should familiarize you with the word count, and format and hint at the type of essay through the trigger words.
- Make and commit to a schedule
Next, prepare a schedule dividing the research, drafting, writing, and editing phase into different sessions. Avoid the urge to complete your paper in one sitting as this may cause mental burnout thus compromising your ability to analyze the topic critically.
Be keen to assign each session manageable tasks and employ the Pomodoro technique to maintain maximum focus per study session.
- Perform extensive research before writing your paper
As you schedule, set the first few sessions aside for research as it is key in structuring your claims and argument. Starting your process with research helps reduce hiccups midway through your paper and also gives you clarity of your argument.
The research thus keeps you on track, ensuring that you don’t overindulge in minutia contained within your paper. We recommend that you set a time limit of 35 minutes of research per page to avoid losing your precious time by running down each rabbit hole you encounter.
As such, a seven-page term paper should take a maximum of four hours and five minutes to research.
- Prepare an outline
An outline is crucial as it helps you connect various ideas in your paper and gauge the completeness of your research. The outline should sort the information gained in research into distinct paragraphs, each containing a topic sentence, evidence, and a sentence that relates this information to the thesis.
You can present your outline to your tutor for guidance on the ideas to elaborate on and evaluation of the relevance of your research to the assignment.
- Find a conducive study space
You can have a quality internet connection, the best sources, and great writing skills as you like. Without peace of mind, however, your term paper may end up worse than one that was based on intuition.
Ensure that you find a conducive environment during your study to master maximum focus and concentration as you analyze various topics. You may consider purchasing noise-blocking headphones to keep out various distractions and make the most of your dorm room.
- Choose a topic that interests you
An interesting topic serves as its inspiration, offering you the impetus to tackle your paper as you sate your curiosity. Conversely, a topic that does not inspire your interest may promote procrastination, making it hard to beat your deadline.
- Write the introduction and conclusion last
Starting with the introduction often takes time and makes room for the omission of vital information contained within the body. It is thus best to finalize these sections when you are familiar with the key components of your argument.
Outline for a term paper
The parts of a term paper serve as a compass to guide your writing efforts. As such, sit is crucial to master the format of a term paper and understand the necessary information to include in each section.
The term paper structure comprises:
Preliminary pages
These pages include the title page, the abstract, and the table of content. Preliminary pages should thus indicate the student’s details, and highlight your thesis, methodology, and the key finding of your research.
The body
The body is divided into an introduction, a methodology, a result, and a discussion section. This section should introduce the background of your study, analyze the literature review, and build your argument in light of your results and existing sources.
The conclusion
The conclusion should summarize your key points and offer recommendations for further study. After this, refer to all sources used as per the referencing style recommended in the term paper instructions.
Final take
We hope that this guide has helped you to address various issues you were facing in writing your thesis. Feel free to consult our experts for term paper assistance and support on various challenges you encounter in your academic journey.
