This will make your life easier. If you need to write a seminar paper and all you see is this big mass of work ahead, just take a minute’s time, read this, and you’ll see that it’s actually easier than you might think now. Also, your professors will probably not like what stands here, but, hey, they won’t notice if you apply it.
The Literature
Google a few books which cover your subject. Then go to the library and take the first one from the list. Don’t go in deep, just check if it’s really covering your subject. Then take the literature list from the book (usually in the last section) and get the books which stand there, but only take the ones which have your subject in the title (or as many as there are in the library). Don’t worry if some of them are not available. Go through the literature lists of these books again. Do this three or four times and write down the books which come up often. Those are the ones you are interested in. You will now have about twenty books. Now browse through those and sort the ones out which do, after all, not cover your subject that much. In the end, you should be left with around ten books. Good start. All this will take you two hours.
The structure
A research paper always has the same structure:
- Introduction
- Aim
- Theoretical background
- Research
- Conclusion
Now take each one of these sections and make subsections. Go with a presumed structure. You will most probably change it again. The important thing is, break the whole paper down into sections which, in the end, will cover about a page or even half a page. Now you have slots and can start to fill them. It’s much easier, because you can concentrate on one thing at a time and you don’t need to have the whole paper in mind.
The Actual Writing
The introduction usually covers what you will do in the paper. Leave the introduction until the end of the work. Then write down what you have done but in a way which gives the impression that you have written this before you have actually done it. Don’t say what you are not going to do. This will become clear anyway. If you deliberately leave out a subject which you feel should be part of the paper, then this is the only case you should give reasons why you do it.
The aim covers what you want do in the paper. It’s good to start with this, because it doesn’t matter if you will actually fulfil what you aim for. If you won’t you will be allowed to say so. The aim will be something like “In this paper I want to…”
The theoretical background is the hardest part. Here you take the literature and tell the reader that you know what others have said about your subject before you.
The research connects the theoretical background with your aim. It’s a bit of work to, but you are actually quite free here.
The conclusion basically says the same thing the introduction does, but in past tense. You also reflect on what you have been able to prove and what not.
That’s about it.
Some Tipps and Tricks
- The hardest part of all is getting started. Just do so. And don’t worry, if the first things you write are not the best. That is why it’s a good thing to start with the aim. Because it’s the easiest part.
- Try to use a similar structure in each paragraph: introductory sentence, which says what you will do in this paragraph, the actual content, and a conclusion sentence, which says what you have done in the paragraph. Needs lots of space.
- Make lots of titles and subtitles. They need lots of space. And: most professors care about line height and font size of the actual text, but not of the titles. And in addition, it will help you in structuring the actual writing.
- If your paper is too short, browse for paragraphs of which the last line is almost complete. Fill in a word somewhere, and you’ll get an extra line. If you do this in the whole of the paper, you will be able to generate an extra page for each ten pages.
If you stick to these rules, you will be done in no time.
Dear Sir/ Madam
I am an agricultural economist student at the University Of Fort Hare given a topic which says “Causes of Changes in Agricultural Employment in South Africa” Your tips about writing a seminar I hope will help me because It is the first time to write a seminar paper.
I am requesting you guys to assist me in writing this seminar.We will make arrangements depending upon your acceptance.
Hello Sir,
Yes I hope that my tips will help you along in writing. I am certainly willing to further assist you, if you wish. Please do not hesitate with questions if you encounter any. Thanks for your comment!
Best wishes for your work!
Michael
This was a really quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and never seem to get something done.
This article made me feel like a seminar paper is like a piece of cake to write,hopefully it will be!!!
Thanks for ure effort!!
Hi Rahel,
yes, and it actually is not much more than a piece of cake. It always feels like more until you’re actually at it.
All the best and happy writing!
Am writing a seminar paper on”catagenesis of organic matter and formation of oil and gas”how do i go about it?i have gotten some materials but i dont know how to arrange it.its my first time.please help me.thank u.
thank you for the lovely article. Clear and conscise. What more could you ask for.
I have choosen ‘SMART objective’ plan over ‘Aim’. Is that ok? let me know please. Thanks in advance.
Hi Johnny, that’s perfectly ok. I don’t suggest that the titles must be like I noted them above. It’s more of a description related to content and structure. Sounds great, I wish you success!
Hi Istwasesist,
Thanks for the quick reply. Keep on writing good articles.
Dear Sir/ Madam
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am plant geneticist student at Moi University Kenya and writing seminar paper on “Prospects for breeding local Edible mushrooms in Kenya” Your tips about writing this seminar will help me because it is my first to write a seminar paper.
Please help me.thank u.
Yours,
Benson
idealy seminarpaper should contain how pages?
thanks a lot for this tips
hi, this article really makes life easier for me because i will be having a seminar presentation in a months time at school but i don’t even know were to start from but now i think am inspired to start up something and i hope to be a success…thanks.
Dear Michael,
I owe you my gratitude for this tip on seminar format.
What a privilege. I am eternally grateful to you.
FABIAN IBEKWE
Thanks alot for these tips.
I’ve actually started writing my semanar paper, but my supervisor said all were rubbish. I wish to go back to it and wish these tips will go a long way to better my seminar paper.
Thanks. Am very greatful for the tips on seminar writing. You made me know i can make it. I hope to go a long way with this.
i have never written a seminar paper and am stuggling with one,but hope to pull through with the help of your tit bits. thanks.
THANKS AMILLION FOR THIS FORMAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope it works for me,thanks a million.