Whether you will be held back for a year after your third attempt at a 3rd-semester paper depends on your specific university or college's policy on semester progression and failed courses.

Look for the official academic regulations document published by your university or college. This document will outline the rules regarding failing courses, semester progression, and the maximum number of attempts allowed for passing a course

The student handbook might also contain this information in a more student-friendly format. If you can't find the information online, contact your university or college's registrar's office.  They can clarify the specific policy related to failing courses and semester progression.

In general, universities allow more than 3 attempts for a course before holding you back a year. There might be additional options like:

• Summer courses: Some universities offer summer courses to allow students to retake failed courses and progress to the next semester.
  
  
• Repeating the semester: In some cases, you might need to repeat the entire semester if you fail too many courses.

It is important to be proactive and address this with your academic advisor or the department head of your program.  They can guide you based on your specific situation and help you determine the best course of action.

I hope it helps!