Crafting an Outline

What Is Outlining?

A method of categorizing information, analyzing how ideas function together, & structuring your final product. 

Outlines help us build the skeleton of our papersm presentations, speeches, stories, etc. They are flexible documents that can change as our ideas evolve. 

Why Do We Outline?

To visualize, arrange, & hierarchize our information.

This helps us identify what information stands alone, how ideas relate to each other, and what information is nested under another idea. It also enables us to pinpoint gaps in our research and create stronger connections between ideas. 

What Is In An Outline? 

Your main ideas, arguments, and key pieces of evidence. 

Be sure to include source material (i.e. quotes and/or paraphrased information with the sources' author & page number).

Remember that the outline is for YOU, not your audience. Use language that will assist you in the next stage of the writing process.

How Do We Outline? 

Ask yourself:

• What do i want my audience to take away?

• How can I organize my ideas and research in the most logical and effective way? What does my audience need to know first, second, third, etc.?

• Which pieces of evidence support which main ideas? Are those connections explicitly stated? 

There isn't one right way to outline. You might find that setting up paragraph structures is helpful, or maybe drawing visual maps of your ideas is better. Find what works for you!

Example 1: Paragraph Structure 

Introduction

• Topic background information 

• Thesis statement and/or purpose of your essay 

Section I

• Introduction to section idea 

• Evidence/supporting information/ideas 

1. Sources: authors' names, page numbers, links, etc.

• Connection to thesis/purpose 

• Counterargument + rebuttal 

Section II

• Transition from Section I + introduction to section idea 

• Evidence/supporting information/ideas 

1. Sources: authors' names, page numbers, links, etc.

• Connection to thesis/purpose

• Counterargument + rebuttal 

*Continue section outlines as needed.*

Conclusion

• Restatement of thesis/purpose 

• Closing ideas

Revision

Here are a few steps anyone can take:

• Add

• Delete

• Move 

• Connect

It's not as hard as you think. 

Revision in Action

Reverse outlining can help you revise! Write paragraph topics in one margin and notes for revision in the other.

What is it?

Creating an outline based on an existing draft

During the revision phase of writing, we can create a reverse outline to help us understand the organization and how each section functions in the bigger picture of our work.

We can look at our reverse outline to make sure our ideas flow smoothly and our purpose is accomplished. Then, we can determine what we might want to add, delete, move, or connect.

Here's an example:

Here is a sample cover letter with a reverse outline below it. The reverse outline breaks down what is in each paragraph, giving us an understanding of the entire piece. The additional notes signify the changes the writer wants to make based on the reverse outline.

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am excited to apply for the Visual Merchandising Internship at Prada. As a Sales Associate at Saks Fifth Avenue, I provide customers with excellent customer service, assisting them in finding merchandise that fits their needs and efficiently managing the POS system. I coordinate with my manager to organize merchandise on the sales floor, always maintaining each individual brand's vision and identity. Through these responsibilities, I've learned key skills in forming strong relationships, problem solving, and attention to detail that I would apply to this position.

I am hoping to begin my career in fashion business, and this position at Prada will enable me to further develop the tools I need to do so. I have always been inspired by the timelessness and innovation embedded in Prada's identity, and I would love the opportunity to learn from such a staple of the fashion industry and contribute to its future.

Additionally, my classes at FIT have given me the opportunity to hone my skills in trend forecasting and fashion business as a whole. I have created marketing plans for several luxury brands, analyzed business goals, and identified areas for improvement based on industry trends. I regularly use Adobe design programs such as PhotoShop and Illustrator to organize ideas, assess trends, and present merchandising strategies to my industry peers.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at firstname_lastname@fitnyc.edu if I can provide any additional information. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

NAME

The Reverse Outline

Introduction:

• name position and company

• explain work experience at Saks, inc. customer service, POS system, brand identity, and key skills

Why I want this position:

• career in fashion business

• Prada's timelessness & innovation

• learn from them

School experience:

• forecasting and fashion business

• marketing plans

• Adobe programs I've used and how

Closing:

• contact info

• thank you

Changes to make:

• missing FIT and major name

• paragraph about why I want the position breaks up flow of prior experience - move toward closing?

In conclusion...

Using the reverse outline, we can see that the cover letter is missing some crucial information and feels out of order. Now the writer can use this knowledge to revise, making sure they include all necessary info in a smooth, logical way.

REVISING

Re-seeing a work in progress.

ASK YOURSELF:

• Have I accomplished what I intended to?

• Are my ideas organized and structured in a clear, logical manner?

• How can I build on strengths in my current draft?

• How can I address other perspectives or pursue other possibilities?

TRY THIS:

• Try reading your work with another person who can offer you their response as a reader/listener. They can give you a sense of how an audience may react to what you are trying to communicate in your writing.

• Try creating a reverse outline to take inventory of what is in your draft. This helps you see how ideas are grouped and if anything needs to be added, deleted, moved, or connected. 

EDITING

Re-working sentences.

ASK YOURSELF:

• Are my sentences clear?

• Does my vocabulary communicate what I want it to?

• Are my ideas stated concisely?

TRY THIS:

• Try reading your work with a tutor to get another perspective on the impact of each sentence.

• Try editing with someone who can explain U.S. English conventions and introduce new vocabulary you can add to your repertoire.

PROOFREADING

Re-reading for typos and mistakes.

ASK YOURSELF:

• Is everything spelled correctly?

• Is my punctuation where I want it to be?

• Did I use the correct forms of words that sound the same but are spelled different? (i.e. their, there, they're)

TRY THIS:

• Try reading out loud, slowly, and from a printed copy of your writing.

• Try reading in reverse order to catch minor issues you missed while revising and editing.