Homework: definition, outline and examples | Learn smarter (2023)

What is homework? Definition and Guidelines

If you're just starting out at university and have already been slammed by that awful word, welcome to this new level of study! University isn't just about cramming tons of books: it should ideally also encourage critical thinking, teach you how to argue your arguments effectively, and help you develop research skills. And you need all three of them to write an outstanding term paper!

But wait a minute, what is a term paper? A term paper is a longer type of research-based term paper on a specific topic. Papers range from 15 to 25 pages because less is considered lazy and more is too much for any professor (believe me I teach at a university).

In general, you should be free to choose a topic for your term paper, but regardless of whether it is free or assigned to you, term papers usually have the same goal. They test your ability to formulate and support your arguments and to position yourself within a certain theoretical framework. Still sound scary? Do not worry! I'm here to shed light on some of the more vague aspects of term paper writing.

Structuring the structure of the housework (+ PDF sample structure of the housework)

Before you start writing, it's a good idea to have an idea of ​​where exactly you want your writing to go. The best way to do this is to write an outline, or (as we sleep-deprived academics like to call it) a summary. An abstract is a brief description of your work/article/project that outlines your main research questions and the theoretical framework you will be working with.

I generally suggest that people start with a very simple pyramid structure when writing an abstract:

1. The basis.This is where you bring in a broad, general statement on the topic of your choice. You can clarify and specify this in a few more sentences to make it easier for your readers to get started with the research project.

Example: Contemporary drama boasts the power to transform audiences through careful selection and skillful presentation of impactful imagery. By creating a false reality, the drama sometimes appeals to the affective side of the audience to comment on a range of social and psychological issues. Duncan MacmillansAny brilliant thingharnesses its affect-triggering potential and tackles the problem of suicidal depression.

2. The middle.In this part of the outline you formulate the goals of your studies. Some of my favorite phrases to signal your intentions are: this paper aims to shed light, the goal of this research paper is, the idea behind this paper is, etc. Feel free to add some powerful action verbs, e.g. B. examine, evaluate, illuminate, distinguish, analyze, cross-reference, etc. to highlight your ideas.

Example: This paper aims to explore how the play creates a more realistic setting by deviating from audience expectations, thus blurring the line between drama and real life. It can be argued that the simulated reality, illustrated through a series of exaggerations, influences the affective component in audience attitudinal formation and that its neglect of the cognitive amplifies the transformative power ofAny brilliant thing.

3. The summit.The last part of your outline should highlight coherent hypotheses or research questions that your study will answer. While scientific work usually dreams of some originality, this shouldn't worry you just yet - you don't have to invent hot water in your term papers, but new conclusions will be easier to draw as you gain experience.

Example: This paper concludes by examining how the play's structure simulates depression in order to raise awareness among the audience and to what extent it achieves its goal of conveying the message of universality and the impact of the disease.

Writing an outline is a great way to organize your thoughts, figure out what kind of books you need, and anticipate your findings.

In the above examples, the books you need would have to be related to theatre, psychological influences and reality simulations.

This process applies to every topic. The outline can be more detailed but does not have to be more than 300 words. A piece of advice: If you can't sum up the key points of your topic in 300 words, you should do a little brainstorming until you have reached the concrete goal.

PS check outthis excellent example of an outline of a term paper!

Seminar work format – The safety net

Any term paper should follow a relatively familiar structure and mode of reasoning. Let's start with the basics:

• front page.This is where your title goes (centered, bold, ideally pt24). Your personal information should also be listed on the cover sheet, such as name, address, e-mail, matriculation number, telephone number (possibly) and the institution and department for which you are writing your thesis. Each university typically has its own cover page layout, but a general rule of thumb is that the institutional information is above the title, while the personal information is below.
• Table of contents– Your readers need to know what to expect!
• Introduction.This is a more detailed version of your project outline. You should state what the work is about, what theoretical framework you use and what your hypothesis is. My pro tip is to write the introduction last, as term papers tend to grow as you write and you may end up with very different results than expected.
• The body of the paper.Exciting things are happening here! Their case studies, experiments and results should be thoroughly examined and described. Common parts of the body of the work include:
  • theoretical framework.Explain what theories or ideas you are using.
  • Methodology.This is mostly found in scientific papers where you need to explain what methods are guiding your study (i.e. experiments).
  • Analyse.Close readings, experiments, data collection - whatever your project does, it should do it here.
  • discussion. Feel free to start interpreting your results in this section. A great paper doesn't just list data - it compares and contrasts. You must be able to draw conclusions from what your analysis has shown you. results as expected? hypothesis confirmed. Results not optimal? There is something to write. Think about why things went differently and what that means for future studies.
  • Optional: gotchas and future improvements.Again, this is more present in science than humanities, but you could address any potential pitfalls or blind spots in your study and suggest how they can be improved in the future. You can also talk about what research directions your project can inspire.
• Diploma. It's time to finish everything. Briefly summarize the main points of the research and the main results. If you have not already dedicated a section of your work to this, you can also write notes for future research in your conclusion.

Example of the structure of a term paper

To give you a more accurate homework example, here is a more detailed structure of the theater-themed example above.

Still unsureHowwrite a term paper?

Excellent, I love good questions! The truth is that writing a term paper is a labor of love (it's hard work, especially when you're carrying all the books!), so I'll give you some tips on how to make it an enjoyable experience.

1. Choose a topic that interests you.There's nothing you can do to convince me that your topic is so utterly uninteresting that you just can't find such a topic. You just haven't done your job yet. Start digging and follow the internet clicking chasms until you come across something that catches your attention. My master's thesis idea was based on a single line I read about Neil Gaimans in a magazineAmerican gods– I managed to turn it into 80 pages, two scientific articles and two lectures, although it may not have been researched beforehand. So what you write about has to have a funny angle.
2. start reading.You can't write a term paper out of nothing. Once you have a general theme and outline, you should start gathering your materials. Stop by your library and find out about interlibrary loan. Familiarize yourself with various academic databases such as JSTOR and ResearchGate - your university likely has extensive access to many knowledge bases that you can access via an official VPN or library computer. Search for keywords and titles and save anything that sounds interesting. Learn to identify important elements and ideas in these texts, and be prepared to use them to support your arguments.
3. Also know when to stop.Sometimes you're excited to learn something new, but eventually you realize you're ready to put what you've found into your own words. Set up an experiment, survey, or study and track the results. In the humanities, this can mean a more detailed analysis of selected texts. This is where you start writing – here, too, you leave the introduction for later and jump straight to the core of the work.
4. Pay attention to the style.When writing a term paper, you must adhere to certain standards. Term papers are written in an academic style and involve a lot of passive voice, enlightening verbs (represent, examine, evaluate) and words that mark cause-and-effect relationships. Don't be afraid to use transitional words to help your text and conclusions flow easily.
5. Quote correctly!Oh how I hated learning all the citation styles when I was just starting out but once you learn the basics it gets easier. It's a bit of a grind, but my advice is to meticulously jot down your sources as you proceed. Whenever you quote someone, be sure to include the full citation at the end of the text (I like to have it in a separate document), and don't forget the in-text citations. Different citation styles (such as MLA, Chicago, APA) are available depending on what field you are studying in - check the requirements for each course and consult the relevant websites for guidelines.
6. Don't plagiarize!Any work you submit will be subject to plagiarism checking, and you won't have much fun explaining why you didn't properly cite sources. Intellectual property theft is a crime like any other and can get you removed from the course or even prosecuted. When paraphrasing, you must still cite the original creator. Don't think your professors are stupid, they've been in this business a long time and can tell when something isn't coming from their students. Also, they usually have a good idea of ​​each student's skills, writing styles, and ideas well in advance of handing in the work - don't let them question the authenticity of your writing.

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Don't forget to do homework!

And there goes last-minute fluffing of text and hitting send before swooning for the next two days. Writing a term paper at the university should not be postponed at the last minute. If you're a chronic procrastinator, it's time to learn thisorganize your timeand devote enough of it to your tasks.

When you're done writing, you should leave your paper alone—sleep on it, as the saying goes—for a few days. You can treat this distance well like any otherstudy break– It will help you clear your mind, avoid resentment towards the subject and allow you to see it with new eyes. Before submitting, review your text carefully and revise the text by eliminating spelling and grammatical errors and trimming unnecessary examples or repetitive statements. A good way to do this is to change the font or even the font size in your writing software - this stimulates your perception and makes it easier to spot mistakes.

When editing, you should also consider how your arguments hold together and whether you need to add or replace text and/or rearrange your points. It's an extremely important part of the writing process, but you shouldn't overdo it either.perfectionismcan get you into the editing spiral that usually leads to screwing up parts that were originally good. A few repetitions are fine, but as you read more you might as well start rewriting the whole thing.

The last question to consider is whether you are happy with your result. Remember this is a term paper and you are still learning so no one expects it to be perfect but you should be happy with what you have achieved.

The most important findings for writing a term paper

Writing a term paper is a longer commitment than a simple essay. To ensure your success, start on time, otherwise you might be in a rushstressed.

• Try to find a topic that interests you personally.
• Scribble an outline to indicate your angle or the general direction of the paper.
• Read enough materials. Your library and online databases are your friends.
• Form hypotheses and set up experiments or analyses.
• Get down to business (andstop hesitating!).
• Don't forget to edit the paper well and format it properly.

Much luck!

Quelle: Danica Stojanovic, „Theatrical (Hyper)Reality: The Effects of Breaking Formal Boundaries inAny brilliant thing“, Over The Horizon, London, 2020, S. 81-100.