term paper

Meaning

A term paper is a major research paper written by students at the end of a school term or semester. It usually accounts for a large percentage of the final grade and requires extensive research and proper citations. It demonstrates a student's comprehensive understanding of a specific topic covered in the course.

Examples

• I need to spend the whole weekend at the library working on my history term paper.

  I need to spend the whole weekend at the library working on my history term paper.

• Our professor gave us a detailed rubric for the term paper, including citation guidelines.

  Our professor gave us a detailed rubric for the term paper, including citation guidelines.

• She chose to write her economics term paper on the impact of inflation on small businesses.

  She chose to write her economics term paper on the impact of inflation on small businesses.

• The deadline for submitting the term paper is next Friday at midnight.

  The deadline for submitting the term paper is next Friday at midnight.

• I got an A on my term paper, which really helped boost my overall grade in the class.

  I got an A on my term paper, which really helped boost my overall grade in the class.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I have to write a semester paper.

  ✓ I have to write a term paper.

  Even though a term is often a semester, the standard academic term in English is 'term paper' or 'research paper'.

• ✗ I am doing a term paper.

  ✓ I am writing a term paper.

  'Writing' or 'working on' are the natural collocations for a term paper. 'Doing' sounds too informal or non-native.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Instead of a final exam, we have to write a 15-page ___ on environmental policy.

  💡 A major end-of-semester research essay

  Show answer

  term paper

• I need to find at least five academic sources for my sociology ___.

  💡 An end-of-term research assignment

  Show answer

  term paper