Instant Term Paper

Are you having a problem writing that term paper? Use the key question technique. Simply list the key questions and then each question becomes a section, a sub-head of the paper. Here is an example and some hints on writing a ten page paper.

You must first determine what you are writing about. You should be able to fill in the blanks in this sentence:

I am writing for an audience which consists of __________ and the key messages I want to tell the audience are _______________ and I will back up the messages with _________and the paper is important to the audience because _________

If you have trouble filling in that section maybe you should pick another topic.

But let's move onto the "key question technique" It is really easy and simple. Simply ask key questions about your subject. Then research each question and write two pages with the information you find. It is that easy. Make each question a subhead of the paper. Thus you have an opening, your subheads (determined by your questions) and a conclusion. Easily ten pages.

For instance- and I am just pulling this topic out of the air - let say someone assigns me a paper about Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn - hmm

I will start out by writing these key questions on a piece of paper:

Section One: Why should the reader care about the Battle of Little Big Horn? Why was it important?

Section Two: Who was Custer? What was his background?

Section Three: Who was Sitting Bull? What was his background?

Section Four: What reasons prompted Custer to be out looking for the Indians. What were his motivations?

Section Five: What caused the Indian uprising? What were their main concerns? What was their motivation?

Section Six: Where and when did the battle take place? How did the lay of the land make a difference in the battle?

Section Seven: What were the key elements that lead to the slaughter of Custer and his men? What key mistakes did Custer make?

Section Eight: What key I decisions did Sitting Bull make?

Section Nine: What effect did the battle have on the American scene? What were the repercussions of the battle?

There are three advantages to this approach. If the teacher, for some strange reason, wants a detailed outline before you turn in the paper, note how each section or key question, becomes a section of the outline. Also if the teacher wants a table of contents, note how the questions can easily be turned into a table of contents. And last, but not least, make each question a subhead , fill in key information below the question, cite your sources and BINGO - you have a ten page paper.