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Term papers writing is a laborious process that requires the full attention of a student. To complete this writing assignment, a student needs to concentrate and organize his or her thoughts. Adopting a good strategy is essential to achieving success in the writing process.

Compared to a book report, and a reaction paper, a term paper requirement is a comprehensive discussion of an idea. The writing itself would take a considerable time, with the author focusing on different details such as bibliography, grammar and quotations. With these in mind, a student must secure all the help to develop a well-written essay.

Guidelines

Understanding the format and style of a term paper is the first step. Here are some of the basic things a student must apply in writing a paper:

1. Quotations

The writer of a term paper must carefully select the quotations for inclusion in the essay. This way, the quotes would match the entire text, creating a cohesion that would make other writers envious at the same time get the attention of the professor. A good length of a quote is less than four lines. The writer should use traditional quotation marks.

2. Citations

In citing sources in a term paper, it is best to know the professor’s preference. According to the MLA, the easiest format is to use parentheses in citing the author and page number. The writer must place a bibliography that includes full citations at the end of paper when using in-text citations.

The use of footnotes at the bottom of the page is another example. It is important to cite a source in its entirety when using footnotes for the first time. Afterwards, the same source can be cited by inputting the author’s last name and page name.

Endnotes are the same as footnotes except that the former are placed on a separate page at the end of a paper.

With these simple formats, a student can avoid the pitfalls in citing sources for a term paper. Thus, saving valuable time that otherwise should be used in collating and writing the essay or a research paper. These tips also help a student overcome the challenges common in creating a comprehensive, well-researched and well-written essay.