Philosophy term papers are among the most daunting sorts of assignments for students. This is a problem inherent in their very nature. However, a prudent choice of topics can make the challenge a bit less overwhelming. We will discuss some options for reducing the brain strain involved in creating a successful philosophy term paper.
 
Your philosophy term paper needs to address the assignment
 
The instructor may have very specific aims in framing the prompt or question, which you need to be sure you have met. The first task, therefore is decoding the assignment. You should go over the instructions with the teacher in detail, making sure that you are clear on every aspect of it. Most professors appreciate this sort of proactive follow-up by students.
 
We will assume here that you have free rein in your selection of topic
 
With clarified instructions in hand, there are literally infinite directions you could take. As one strategy for narrowing your field, you could choose whether to focus on:

• An individual philosopher,
• The influence of one philosopher on other thinkers
• One particular issue addressed by multiple philosophers
• The application of a philosophical idea to a specific (perhaps contemporary) situation

In examining a single philosopher, be sure to carve out a manageably small issue.

• Aristotle’s notion of “virtue ethics” – choose one aspect
• Plato’s idea of essential similarity between women and men
• Adam Smith’s idea of self-interest

In connecting one thinker with another, trace known influences

• Pyrrho’s proposition that, “No one knows anything” and its impact on David Hume
• The influence of Aristotle’s “unmoved mover”, asserted in Metaphysics XII and his Physics VII on later monotheistic religions
• Adam Smith’s notion of the survival of desirable corporate characteristics on Charles Darwin’s notion of the survival of an organism’s lineage

Compare two thinkers’ view of one (relatively) small definable idea

• Aristotle (Politics) versus Plato (the Republic) on: democracy, women and men’s essential similarity/difference
• Epicurus’ reassuring view of death
• John Stuart Mill and Thomas Hobbes on the role of rulers

Apply ancient thoughts to modern issues:

• Does Plato’s Republic support totalitarianism?
• Does Aristotle’s Politics support slavery?
• How has the evolution of our notion of citizenship since Plato, impacted the role of the government?

Expect to do close reading and deep thinking, no matter the topic. These sites offer helpful suggestions for writing term papers in Philosophy:
 
http://catpages.nwmissouri.edu/m/rfield/guide.html
http://www.public.asu.edu/~dportmor/tips.pdf
http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/philo/faculty/papers/
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/humanities/philosophy.shtml
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~phildept/files/ShortGuidetoPhilosophicalWriting.pdf
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/resources/handouts-demos/writing-for-specific-fields/philosophy
http://aristotle.tamu.edu/~rasmith/Courses/Ancient/410/term-paper-topics.html