Writing Term Papers in the Anglophone Division
Term papers are one of the most important and fairly difficult types of exam at the Anglophone Literature and Culture division. As part of their degree programmes, students have to learn how to find and discuss a topic academically and using academic terms and methodology. This page contains few helpful guidelines and suggestions. Click on the heading to open a box with more information.
- Planning and Structuring a Paper
- For absolute term paper beginners, we suggest diligently working through the instructions on How to Write a Term Paper. This gives you a step-by-step account how to set about structuring the paper, and what kind of formatting is expected.
- With the advent of artificial intelligence software such as ChatGPT, writing a paper seems to have become easier. Please be aware that you must know very well how to use AI and what to use AI for! No AI is 'intelligent' - they merely (re)produce patterns (and not always correctly or convincingly). The University has issued recommendations for AI in teaching and in writing. If you make any use of AI software you have to indicate where and how.
- If you know what a term paper is and how to set about writing it, but are unsure about referencing and quoting, you should use the MLA Style Sheet which contains a brief guide to referencing and drafting a bibliography according to the MLA format.
- Finding and Using Secondary Literature
- If you have never searched for secondary literature before and have only a hazy idea what this is about, visit the self-study unit on finding literature offered by the University of Göttingen (English version, also visit the SUB YouTube channel for English-language tutorials to using the library and doing research). You will learn what types of literature there are, how to set about finding them, and what to do with the text once you have identified what you need.
- All students have to avoid 'stealing' - however unintentionally - from other writers' works. Such theft is called plagiarism, and it is a serious academic offence. What plagiarism is and how to avoid it can be learnt from the Department's Plagiarism website (German). Harvard University Library also has a comprehensive and hands-on page on plagiarism (English). Please be aware that non-compliance with the guidelines of good academic practice will result in you failing the course, and in severe repeat cases you may even be exmatriculated.
- Göttingen University takes good academic practice very, very seriously at all levels of academic research and has created an Ombuds Office. Their website contains the guidelines that all researchers at the University must keep (see "Guidelines of the University" section) as well as information material.
- What to cite and what not to cite is often difficult to decide for students. The Online Writing Lab of Purdue University has a very nice flowchart on this which students are recommended to use.
- As part of your term paper, you have to confirm that you have abided by good academic practices (including not plagiarising). For your convenience a blank confirmation form has been drafted (PDF; please make sure to display the form fields).
- Aspects of Style
- Make sure that your English is appropriate to an academic paper! We expect you to write good English and you should know how to express yourself. Bad English distracts from your argumentation, as does inadequate formatting. If your English is below academic standards, we may strike off points. For further information, please refer to this table.
- The Online Writing Lab of Purdue University has much to say on a great variety of aspects of academic writing. Students can find information on the writing process and on facets of practical writing such as e.g. grammar and punctuation. Students are advised to engage with these pages.
- If you suffer from fear of the blank page, are good in procrastinating or have no clue how to get your material sorted so that you can start writing, staff at the International Writing Lab may be able to help. They have workshops on different writing-related topics, and they also offer one-on-one counselling meetings. Their expertise is with writing and structuring, not with content.
- Assessment Criteria
