The Writing of Term Papers

Abstract

T HE preparation of a term paper is a frequent assignment in American colleges. Its common use suggests that many instructors look favorably upon it as a means of helping the student to attain certain values which should follow from a college education. Many claims for it-both the mastery of subjectmatter and the development of the student-are made. On the other hand, students and faculty members often protest that the task of writing, or reading, these papers consumes much time that can be spent to better advantage in other ways. To formulate an intelligent policy concerning the way in which term papers should be used it will be desirable to know more about the experience which other teachers have had with this type of assignment. The present report is the result of pooling such experience at Queens College. At a staff meeting, President Klapper, after discussing the weaknesses in the current use of term papers, proposed seven questions for the careful consideration of the staff. Four additional questions were suggested by members of the faculty. Each department was requested to study these questions and to prepare short but explicit answers which the chairman of the Committee on Evaluation would synthesize into a report. These replies constitute the basis of the proposals contained here. This report is concerned only with the preparation of a major term paper in a college course, not the kind of research work that is conducted in honors courses. Excluded, also, is all evaluation of minor written assignments. Term papers do not concern all divisions of the faculty. They are most frequently assigned in the Division of Social Sciences; they are used to a considerable extent in the Division of Language, Literature, and the Arts; and, except in Psychology, they are almost never used in the Division of Science and Mathematics. The replies to the specific questions showed considerable variation in the points of view of various departments. The objectives to be achieved through term papers most frequently cited were: to give able students an opportunity to do systematic, critical, or constructive work independently under the guidance of the instructor; to supplement the student's knowledge of the field by wider reading and thinking, and by greater practical handling of the material than is pos-