Because writing a term paper is a basic requirement for many academic courses, It is important for students to learn how to write a good term paper. Generally, a term paper is designed to discuss a certain issue, concept or topic and presents arguments pertaining to the subject.

Here are the most basic steps in the writing process.

Interesting and relevant topic
You  must choose a topic that you are enthusiastic about writing: unless the topic is predetermined by your lecturer,  then you should venture on the topic that is not only educating but useful as well. When selecting the topic you would like to write about, narrow it down so that you can make a good presentation. Broad topics like "the economy" are too wide to discuss. Reduce them to one particular position such as "the economic situation in your country".  Subjects that are highly technical in nature are not appropriate topics for a term paper. In case you are still in doubt of the topic you have picked, consult your lecturer.

Do thorough research on your topic.
Your research must be anchored on the topic you have chosen.  printed materials available in your school's library can be your main source of research ; for example turn to encyclopedias dictionaries, atlases,  almanacs newspapers and magazines, visit your Public Libraries and relevant government agencies to gain a wider selection of reading material. You can also interview persons living in your community whom you believe are knowledgeable about your topic.  Financial and economic analysts are your potential resource persons. The Internet is another good source of reading materials. When surfing explore domains ending in the extension gov ,dot edu and dot org tends  to be reliable sources. As a precautionary measure always review data you get from the internet. If there is any way of verifying the materials you've gathered, then do so.  It is very important to make a detailed record on every material used , such as the name of the author the books, title date and place of publication publisher and the inclusive page numbers used. In case you are using the Internet also take note of the URL and the date of creation and modifications of the webpage. You will need all this data when you setup your citation page.

Formulate your thesis
this refers to your belief  position or declaration on the topic usually stated just in a sentence, for example," the Nigeria's  economy remains stable despite losing triple-a credit rating". You will discover that the larger part of your term paper is actually dealing with the arguments directly or indirectly supporting your thesis.

Provide an outline
You will consider three main parts in your outline, these are the introduction,  body and conclusion. Each major part must have subtopics. Your outline will serve as your roadmap by the time you start writing your draft. The introduction must primarily provide your term papers thesis , the reason why you are writing on your chosen topic.  Also provide a brief explanation about the necessity and the usefulness of your term paper so,  that the readers will be interested in it.  The body is important because it contains your data and strong arguments in relation to your thesis. Cite factual points and not just mere assumptions or premature ideas. In your presentation, keep your focus in expounding the thesis so that you won't end up writing unrelated statements. The conclusion is the summary of your chief arguments in relation to your thesis. Provide sufficient explanation about your conclusion, make a way to restate your thesis to avoid monotony in your conclusion.

Begin writing your draft
The first draft is not supposed to be a heavy burden as long as you make use of your outline . On the fair assumption that you have already noted organized and identified the important points from the materials you have gathered, begin writing your introduction followed by the body, until you reach the conclusion .

Cite your sources
the importance of this aspect in your term paper is to duly acknowledged the writers of the materials you've used and to avoid being charged in plagiarizing the work of other people . When you do so follow the guidelines provided by your teacher on how to make citation , either EndNote or footnote.

Revise and proof your draft
Revising includes the checking of facts and figures as stated reorganizing of ideas if necessary, rearranging of statements if warranted and providing additional information if needed.  You need to assess the quality and the presentation framework of your paper as a whole. Proofreading means you verify clerical errors in your presentation,  which includes spelling grammatical errors sentence construction and punctuation.

Finalize your term paper and submit it
You can either type it or encode it. today all formal writings are printed on quality paper. make sure that the physical appearance of your paper is tidy and attractive enough.

You're finally done.

You see the art of writing is simple,  remember these eight steps will serve as your guide on how to write a good term paper successfully.  You don't have to overdo your writings to make it impressive just stick to the key points and you will be fine