Research and term papers look rather similar at first glance. They both are the types of academic writing assignments that are usually given to college students. They both carry significant weight on students’ grades. They are both challenging for inexperienced students.
So what is the difference between a term paper and a research paper? Let’s learn more about it in our comparison down below.
Term Paper vs. Research Paper: Differences
The two main distinctions between these two academic texts lie in timing and purpose. Here’s what we mean by that.
Term Paper
This body of work is always given to students at the end of the course. Hence, its name. It’s the assignment that should summarise your entire course. It means that its timing is very strict and predetermined. You can write it only by the end of your classes as the goal of such work is to assess a student’s knowledge after the course. Hence, students must create a work that showcases their understanding of the materials they have learned during the given course.
Also, this sort of assignment can be given in the form of an exam or, for the very least, provide the largest share of the final grade. Hence, the stakes of writing good coursework are really high.
Research Paper
Now, the timing of this assignment is very different from the coursework. A student can be assigned to do this type of writing assignment at any time during their classes, regardless of whether they are in the middle of the course or the end of it. To compare, coursework, as we have mentioned, is given only at the end of a large course.
Now, the purpose of this assignment is to elaborate on some theoretical questions. Hence, a student must pick a theory, question, issue, and break it down. It should be related to the class where they received the assignment. Yet, it shouldn’t be based solely on the materials that were covered during the classes thus far.
The Similarities
First and foremost, both assignments use a lot of resources in the main body of the text. A literature review and the use of multiple sources become the core of each work. Hence, the extensive use of reference materials is definitely one thing they share in common. Also, citing the references using specific academic formats is also a similarity they share.
Next and final, the role of these assignments in academia is pretty much the same. By their design, they should help students process, analyze, and critically evaluate the received information and materials. Thus, by writing both of these works, students perform basic academic, technical requirements, like formatting and structuring, while also extending their knowledge in certain areas.
To Sum Up
As you can see, there is not so much difference between a term paper and a research paper. These are:
- timing;
- purpose;
- grading.
These both versions of academic assignments share more important traits in common than they share distinctions. It’s important to distinguish those assignments when writing either one of them, of course. However, learning how to write one of them will significantly increase your chances of mastering the other one as well.