Selecting a term paper topic is the first step in writing a term paper. Instructors occasionally provide lists of topics from which students can choose; otherwise, students may have to choose their own original term paper topics, which is a task that often requires a great deal of creativity.
Students who are developing their own term paper topics should begin by identifying the subject area of the course and brainstorming paper possibilities that fall within that range. Students should feel free to entertain unique and unexpected ideas during this stage, because instructors often appreciate a term paper that deals with a subject that is somewhat unusual. The goal is simply to choose a subject for discussion that the student can legitimately defend as pertaining to the course material in some way. For example, the student who is writing a paper on a novel by William Faulkner may brainstorm ideas about the economy of the Mississippi Delta, because although the topic may not immediately discuss the Faulkner text, it certainly has a bearing on the interpretation of that text. If the student has doubts about whether the instructor will accept the term paper topic, he or she should check with the instructor right away. At this stage, the student will not have lost much time or energy if the instructor rejects the topic.
Once students have obtained approval from their instructors, the selected term paper topics generate thesis statements. In a persuasive term paper, the student chooses to argue a certain perspective on the topic, and the thesis statement concisely explains that perspective. The thesis statement of an expository term paper, on the other hand, sets limits for the discussion of the topic. For example, the thesis statement of an expository paper on the American Revolution may limit the discussion to a certain geographical area.
Term paper topics can deal with any nuance or detail of the course material, if the instructor allows. The student who has freedom in the topic choice should isolate something that is manageable and that will produce a strong, interesting term paper.
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