Making a long story short, you're somehow right. Depending on your professors decision, you have to start a research either experimentally or theoretically. It has to have the common format which all ISI based paper are based on.
Something that you should notice is that a term paper is potentially an ISI paper, which can easily promote your reputation as a Good Student
Beware that if they're to be published, you'd be the correspond AND first author. Avoid any abuse as much as you can.
Any other questions are warmly welcomed
